20 Isekai Anime That Came Before Sao
For better and worse, Sword Art Online is the most unforgettable and definitive isekai of the 2010s. In the wake of its success in 2012, countless anime about heroes being transported to video games aired. Sword Art Online became so synonymous to isekai anime that it's often mistaken for being the subgenre's progenitor.
Isekai, as a genre and narrative device, is a lot older than some anime fans realize. The idea of escaping or being transported to a fantastical world permeated all forms of popular fiction long before 2012. Sword Art Online may be the first isekai anime that comes to the mind of anime fans today, but it's far from the first of its kind.
Updated on December 13th 2023 by Sage Ashford: Isekai anime's legacy dates back far before the genre's burst in popularity thanks to Sword Art Online. Before that, though, isekai looked a little different. Isekai anime used to...
Isekai, as a genre and narrative device, is a lot older than some anime fans realize. The idea of escaping or being transported to a fantastical world permeated all forms of popular fiction long before 2012. Sword Art Online may be the first isekai anime that comes to the mind of anime fans today, but it's far from the first of its kind.
Updated on December 13th 2023 by Sage Ashford: Isekai anime's legacy dates back far before the genre's burst in popularity thanks to Sword Art Online. Before that, though, isekai looked a little different. Isekai anime used to...
- 12/17/2024
- by Sabrina Roberts, Sage Ashford, Angelo Delos Trinos
- CBR
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