Top 10 Isekai Manga/Light Novels with Pretty Art [Best Recommendations]

It’s impossible to truly picture another world without seeing it. It’s very hard for proper details to translate from written words, especially when those words come from another language altogether. Isekai heroes travel to places they themselves have never seen and most likely neither have we. With artwork being so important, we’ve selected 10 isekai stories we feel do themselves justice with art alone.


10. Shinju no Nectar

  • Authors: Yoshino, Hiroyuki
  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Harem
  • Volumes: 6
  • Published: November 2016 - Ongoing

This manga recounting the story of Sakura, a lone princess with a secret power, and her summoned protector Kai has an intense visual look. With a unique style that puts all the detail into its characters and their actions, Shinju no Nectar has striking artwork. Female characters and proportions are highly sexualized and the fight scenes are elaborately over the top. If you’re familiar with the creator’s other work, Seikon no Qwaser, you have an idea what to expect.


9. Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki

  • Authors: Dozeumaru
  • Genres: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Harem
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: July 2017 - Ongoing

Kazuya Souma is a well-learned student of history. He uses the knowledge of the political, military, and agricultural success of his world to enrich the new kingdom he rules, attempting to lead it into prosperity. With an art style that gives it a very distinct look, this manga delivers a somewhat mellow feel to its dark political schemes and military battles. Fantasy creatures come to life in a very Earth-like way despite being from another world, and it’s very pleasurable to read.


8. Sekai Saikyou no Kouei: Meikyuukoku no Shinjin Tansakusha

  • Authors: Akatsuki, Touwa
  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Harem, Fantasy
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: March 2018 - Ongoing

Arihito and his beautiful yet unforgiving boss Kyouka were killed on their company’s bus and reincarnated as beginner adventurers. The two immediately parted ways, freed of their earthly attachment to each other, much to Kyouka’s displeasure. Shortly after, they are reunited in a well-drawn battle and introduced to some interestingly designed creatures and inhabitants of this world. While the story is just beginning, the art style is very well matched in this manga.


7. Benriya Saitou san, Isekai ni Iku (Handyman Saitou In Another World)

  • Authors: Ichitomo, Kazutomo
  • Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: 2018 - Ongoing

Saitou was a simple handyman in his previous life, so its only fitting that the art style for this manga is simple as well. Appearing in a rough pencil sketch, the characters in this aren’t the most detailed, but they do look refined. Now working as an adventurer in a classic heroic party, he’ll see things that no one in our world would ever encounter. Thankfully, the art style does a brilliant job at showing them to us readers.


6. Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko (The man picked up by the gods)

  • Authors: Roy
  • Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: November 2017 - Ongoing

Ryouma Takuma has a million new isekai powers, but so far, he’s just taming as many slimes as he can find. With that as the introduction, you’d expect things to be boring and plain, but you would be proven wrong. This manga is all about a man with as many talents as the gods could possibly bestow doing whatever he feels strongly about. Its art is mystifying and the design of monsters and the world is charming. Definitely give it a look.



5. Saihate no Paladin

  • Authors: Yanagino, Kanata
  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: September 2017 - Ongoing

Finding himself the lone living human dwelling in a city of the dead, the young boy Will has vague memories of his past life. Brought up from a young age by the undead, he has very little idea of what it actually means to live and, thus, goes on a journey of discovery. The art of this manga is every bit as new and interesting as the journey Will takes to become a paladin. This is a manga you definitely won’t want to skip a panel of.


4. Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest)

  • Authors: Last, First Name
  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
  • Volumes: 4
  • Published: February 2016 - Ongoing

Betrayed by his classmates, wounded and left for dead, Nagumo Hajime has a hellish journey ahead of him. Trapped inside of the final floors of one of the most dangerous dungeons in this new world, he has no allies and no second chance should he fail. The stakes are incredibly high with every fight in this manga, showing how nothing but pure grit pulls Hajime out of the most do-or-die moments in all of isekai. It’s drawn incredibly depressing and detailed, and is not art that you would want to miss.


3. Game of Familia: Kazoku Senki

  • Authors: Yamaguchi, Mikoto
  • Genres: Action, Horror, Fantasy, Romance
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: May 2018 - Ongoing

The world of Game of Familia is overrun with zombies, inhospitable to humans, and drawn to life by a hentai artist. That artistry is one of the many things that make this isekai manga so special. The world is brutal and dangerous and the art style matches it perfectly. The women are drawn seductively, the enemies look fierce and gruesome, and the battles are epic on the largest scales. The Hatsushima family has its work cut out for them in this one.


2. Ride-On King

  • Authors: Baba Yasushi
  • Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: May 2018 - Ongoing

Probably one of the most Western-looking isekai manga you’ll come across, the adventures of the Putin-esque Alexander Purchinov will leave you laughing in sheer amazement. This heroic protagonist was born to ride on everything, even when he’s transported to a medieval fantasy type world from our own. Everything is detailed and stylized in a way to look familiar yet eccentric. It’s entertaining, and it looks good while being so.


1. Fenrir Kaasan to Attakago Meshi (Heart-Warming Meals with Mother Fenrir)

  • Authors: Yuko Sato & Harakura
  • Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Slice of Life
  • Volumes: 0
  • Published: 2019 - Ongoing

The newest manga on this list, it only has one released chapter to date, but that should emphasize just how beautiful we found the artwork. Thrown out and left to die by his rich family for being reincarnated, Femrude was adopted by a mystical wolf and raised in place of her lost pup. Now he’s repaying his Wolfmother by impressing her with his cooking, showing skills from his memories that he has long since forgotten.

The art is dreamlike, reminding us of a classic fairy tale that brings each page to life. We haven’t felt this much regality and grace from a wolf’s design since Spice & Wolf, so this definitely factored into placing it here. We’re very much anticipating seeing more from this series, and you should check it out as well.


Final Thoughts

Beautiful artwork can really leave a large impression on readers of any genre. We hope that with these picks you’ll come to see the diversity and flavor of the isekai stories we love. Have any other examples of stunning artwork from isekai? Let us know in the comments!

Shinju-no-Nectar-manga-300x434 Top 10 Isekai Manga/Light Novels with Pretty Art [Best Recommendations]

Writer

Author: Hercule SSJ

What happens when you give a Crunchyroll trial to a former Toonami kid who hasn't watched anime since Cowboy Bebop got dubbed? You get Hercule SSJ. Thanks to that, he's spent the last two years catching up on dozens of shows and manga he's neglected over the years. Has probably watched 60% of all harem ecchi in existence. Currently seeking series to fill the void left by Konosuba and One-Punch Man. Accepts NisiOisiN quotes as payment.

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