The Most Disturbing Scenes in Isekai Anime, Ranked

This article discusses themes such as violence, torture, abuse and trauma.

It is often said that isekai tends to feature only overpowered protagonists thrown into humorous situations where their powers can quickly deal with their enemies or accidentally backfire and make the problem even worse. While there are many examples of just such occasions, plenty of isekai anime have touched on dark themes and moments.

Tanya’s frightening enjoyment of killing in Saga of Tanya The Evil, the pride of Overlord‘s Ainz Ooal Gown after killing thousands in mere moments, and The Rising of the Shield Hero‘s Naofumi Iwatani being consumed by wrath are just some of the darkest moments in isekai anime. Viewers looking for a mold-breaking moment for isekai anime will find more than they bargained for in some of the genre’s darkest moments.

10 Saitou Is Crushed and Broken in Front of Raelza

Handyman Saitou in Another World — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 2, “What Saitou Can Do”

In Handyman Saitou in Another World, an average blue-collar handyman called Saitou is summoned to a fantasy world where he shines as an everyman capable of field repairs and quick lockpicking rather than the heroic powers usually seen by isekai protagonists. While his party certainly values him, he is often entirely outclassed by the enemies that they face and usually hangs back when the violence starts. Unfortunately, when he and Raelza are caught by surprise by a golem deep in the dungeon, they are forced into battle.

Narrowly, the pair are able to achieve victory, but in its dying throes, the golem crushes Saitou in its hand in a gruesome display. Raelza watches in horror as Saitou’s ribs are shattered and protrude through his skin as he bleeds out on the ground. Audiences will quickly realize that this series will not hold back when the circumstances are dire, much to Saitou’s misfortune.

9 Fran Watches as the Lives of Slaves Are Thrown Away

Reincarnated as a Sword — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Catgirl Meets Sword”

Reincarnated as a Sword is one of those premises that seems to have been pulled out of thin air, and many viewers have turned away from the series because of this. The reincarnated Teacher, devoted as he is to his wielder Fran the Black Cat, cannot act as the typical protagonist. Instead, the relationship between the sword and the wielder resembles a father-daughter relationship as they both seek to grow their abilities.

It is their initial meeting that creates one of the darkest moments in the series, as he initially spots Fran as she is compelled to act as a living shield for some cruel slavemasters. After a monster attack catches them unawares, the slavers order the slaves to use their bodies to distract it, and Fran witnesses dozens of innocents torn to pieces and devoured before her eyes. As she begs for something to keep her from death, she meets Teacher, and the stage is set for the rest of the series.

8 Rimuru Slaughters an Army and Devours Their Souls

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime — Episode Appearance: Season 2, Episode 10, “Megiddo”

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime‘s protagonist, Rimuru Tempest, subverts expectations at every turn after he is reincarnated into a new world in the body of a slime. Given powers through the Voice of the World, Rimuru attempts to create a perfect place for people to relax and be happy but inadvertently attracts the ire of many influential players as he goes about his task. It is this ire that leads to the unprovoked invasion of Tempest City by the Kingdom of Falmuth and the deaths of many of Rimuru’s friends.

While Rimuru may have a human origin, his rage and status as a monster lead him to commit to becoming a demon lord to save the slain people of Tempest and obtain vengeance. Using his ability, Megiddo, Rimuru quickly and mercilessly slaughters the entire army of Falmuth so that he can devour their souls. The sight of thousands of dying soldiers may seem cathartic to viewers who were outraged over the attack on Tempest, but it showcases the lengths that the once happy-go-lucky slime will go to have his vengeance.

7 Eris’ Heartbreaking Screams Echo in the Snow

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 21, “Turning Point 2”

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation‘s first season has protagonist Rudeus Greyrat’s experience being reborn, training as a mage, and being teleported across the world after a displacement disaster. Though he promises to bring the ever-angry Eris back to her home and grows alongside her as they come under the protection of the Superd Ruijerd, they are not prepared for Orsted. Thrust into battle, the trio is no match for Orsted, who uses his bare hands to gruesomely dispatch Rudeus.

Mushoku Tensei has a controversial reputation, and while much criticism of Rudeus is warranted, viewers will be shocked by the encounter with Orsted. The surprise of seeing the adventuring party “Dead End” dispatched with such ease is nothing compared to the hysterical screaming of Eris, who pleads for someone to help Rudeus as she sees him bleeding out on the ice-covered ground. Moments like these showcase that it is not all fun and games in isekai.

6 The Sound of Rem’s Bones Cracking Is Haunting

Re:Zero-Starting Life in Another World — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 15, “The Outside of Madness”

Re:Zero-Starting Life In Another World‘s Subaru Natsuki may have a save file type power that lets him reload after dying, but plenty of inherent weaknesses rear their ugly heads. For one thing, he remembers the pain and experiences of every death, even when he wishes otherwise, which means that Rem’s very traumatic fate following their encounter with the Witch Cult is embedded in his mind.

It isn’t just Rem’s death that makes this particular moment so dark, but rather how graphically painful it is. Rem is tortured by Betelgeuse Romanée-Conti, and the sounds of her bones breaking and shattering echo throughout the room they are imprisoned in. The sight of her broken and mangled body lying on the ground will shock the audience and stand out as one of the darkest moments isekai has to offer.

5 Ainz Ooal Gown Laughs With Glee as He Murders Thousands

Overlord — Episode Appearance: Season 3, Episode 12, “Massacre”

Overlord‘s Ainz Ooal Gown decides to make his play on an old battlefield. Backed by the Empire of Baharuth, its emperor asks Ainz to use his most powerful spell against the army of the kingdom of Re-Estize, a request he gladly accepts. To the horror of all save the denizens of Nazarick, Ainz casts his spell and kills tens of thousands of soldiers in an instant, only to use their deaths as a catalyst to summon gigantic monstrosities who wreak havoc on all present.

What makes Overlord unique is that it is one of the rare times that the protagonist is an unabashed villain. Though there are plenty of moments where Ainz shows that he is evil, nothing is quite as impactful as the screaming of the soldiers consumed by the children or the looks of horror on his allies’ faces when they see how powerful he is. Audiences will see that any vestiges of the man Ainz was before his imprisonment in the game are long gone alongside his humanity.

4 A Mind-Controlled Kohaku Slaughters His Own People

Inuyasha — Episode Appearance: Episode 24, “Enter Sango, The Demon Slayer”

Inuyasha is no stranger to dark themes and horror. Demons abound in this alternate feudal Japan, and those with the ability to fight the demons are most often lost on the front lines, which makes the moment when Kohaku is hypnotized all the more cruel. After a battle with the Spider Demon, Kohaku loses control of himself and is manipulated into slaughtering his own kin, including his father, breaking one of the most potent anti-demon forces humans have.

It is difficult to point out one single moment as the darkest in Inuyasha, but this moment will stick with viewers because of how violent and sad it is. Sango’s horror at realizing what her brother did and that she is alone is heartbreaking, and it reminds the audience that the demons will stop at nothing to achieve victory, including taking the hearts and minds of those who are fighting the hardest against them.

3 Shu Witnesses Child Soldiers Being Sent to Their Deaths

Now and Then, Here and There — Episode Appearance Season 1, Episode 1, “A Girl Admiring the Sunset”

Now and Then, Here and There deals with very heavy themes. Despite his environment, Shuzo “Shu” Matsutani attempts to spare the lives of those he fights after he is teleported from modern Japan to a different world. With that being said, his enemies do not share his desire not to kill and frequently send out soldiers to maintain the dominion of Hellywood. When he first encounters child soldiers, Shu realizes, to his horror, that there are no limits to what Hellywood will send out.

Now and Then, Here and There doesn’t present its darkest moment with blood and gore but instead indoctrinated child soldiers who have lost their innocence and been handed weapons. Even if a war demands blood be shed, some lines are not often crossed, even in dark anime. The sight of children being thrown into battle may not stand out in terms of violent imagery, but it will remind the audience of the loss of innocence and childhood those soldiers deal with.

2 Myne’s Betrayal of Naofumi Sends Him Into a Bitter Spiral

The Rising of the Shield Hero — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Shield Hero”

Naofumi Iwatani, the protagonist of The Rising of the Shield Hero, is summoned into a different world after reading a mysterious book in the library alongside several other men from alternate versions of Japan. They are quickly granted special weapons and proclaimed to be heroes who will battle against the waves, though Naofumi is made fun of for having a shield instead of a real weapon. Still, Naofumi remains somewhat confident until his trust in Myne leads to a betrayal that shatters everything he is.

Though there are many violent moments in The Rising of the Shield Hero, this moment is one of the darkest in isekai anime because it completely breaks Naofumi. Everyone that should support and trust him turns on him, and he is labeled as a criminal rapist with nothing, not even a scrap of armor. Viewers will see a broken, distrustful and bitter man replace Naofumi at the beginning of the anime, and the ramifications of Myne’s betrayal echo down through the remainder of the series.

1 Tanya Relishes the Battles in the Trenches

The Saga of Tanya the Evil — Episode Appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “The Devil of the Rhine”

The Saga of Tanya the Evil breaks the mold of isekai anime by featuring a protagonist who is sent to another world in the body of Tanya von Degurechaff as a punishment. Sent to an alternate version of the First World War in the body of a female soldier, Tanya relishes the battle in the trenches. Called a devil in the image of a girl by one of her comrades, Tanya showcases her ruthlessness by ordering two insubordinate soldiers to their deaths just after she took command.

Dark themes surround Tanya, but the fact that she is so eager to throw soldiers to their deaths showcases how deeply villainous she is. Audiences will see this moment as the first of many that feature her justifying her brutal actions and enjoying every moment of battle. Tanya is an evil character, but she believes she’s the hero fighting a vicious war as efficiently as possible.