Overlord is a dark fantasy light novel series written by Kugane Maruyama and illustrated by so-bin. It focuses on a man who was transported into a DMMORPG (Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) called Yggdrasil after its servers shut down.
The series has attracted many fans for its in-depth story as well as the thin line between good and evil as the protagonist continues to act as his character, AinzOol Gown. Luckily, even those that have finished the series have plenty of similar anime to check out to scratch that itch.
Updated by SaimCheeda on January 28th, 2021: Overlord has proven itself to be a top-flight anime, one whose popularity keeps soaring. Fortunately for anime in this genre, it means that fans are looking for further shows that can bring them the same kind of entertainment. To this end, viewers turn to shows that have a distinct identity of their own, as these also tend to separate them just enough from Overlord to feature the stories intrinsic to them. With that in mind, this list has been updated to add anime that will entertain viewers and make fans out of them in their own right.
1. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
How would you feel if you died and got reincarnated as a slime in another world? This is what happens to Satoru. Similar to Skeleton Knight in Another World, That time I got reincarnated as a slime also orbits around the protagonist who transmigrated to a fantasy realm with an unconventional body.
Satoru Mikami a 37-year-old corporate worker living a monotonous life dies after being stabbed by a random assailant while meeting a colleague. When he wakes up he finds himself reincarnated as a slime with the power to devour anything and acquire its appearance. He meets a sealed storm dragon Veldora Who comes to like Satoru and names him Rimuru. Rimuru decides to find a way to free Veldore from his predicament, and in the process of doing so ends up becoming the leader of the Great Forest of Jura.
The amazing mix of adventure, comedy, fantasy, and slice-of-life with an entertaining and fabulous plot of That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime is a sure fix for you while you wait for The Skeleton Knight in Another World to be premiered in April.
2. Log Horizon
Log Horizon is a fantasy and science fiction novel written by MamareTouno and illustrated by Kazuhiro Hara and Mochichi Hashimoto.
After Shiroe and other players are brought to the world of an MMORPG called Elder Tale after an update to the game, he decides to team up with some of them so that they can discover why this has happened.
3. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online is one of the classics and a must-watch in world transmission, virtual reality gaming, and action genre. Although it has a deeper and darker theme than the Skeleton Knight in Another World, it is still quite similar to it. Sword Art Online (SAO) is a role-playing game accompanied by ‘Nervegear’ technology the players use to control their avatar in the game with mere thoughts.
Kazuto Kirigaya known as Kirito in the gaming world is one of the few gaming enthusiasts who are lucky to get hold of the first shipment. But the candidate’s luck proves to be just the opposite when the game creator traps them inside the world of Aincrad in the game until they can clear all the hundred levels of the game. It becomes crueler as they are told that if they were to die in the game they would die in the real world as well.
If you like the isekai genre, then Sword Art Online is an absolute must-watch. While you are waiting for the Skeleton Knight in Another world to be premiered try giving it a go, it might be just what you needed for your evening to be more entertaining.
4. One-Punch Man
One-Punch Man is a web manga written and illustrated by One. It was then remade and published by Shueisha with illustrations by Yusuke Murata. The name is a parody of the Japanese children anime Anpanman.
It follows a twenty-six-year-old man named Saitama who has the power to defeat enemies with a single punch. Because of this, he has become bored with how easy it is to defeat his enemies and seeks a real fight.
5. Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
which is a necessity, and is the only worshiper to the goddess Hestia. While daily life is a struggle, Bell’s life takes a turn for the extraordinary when he begins to come into himself after a life-threatening encounter.
This puts Bell on everyone’s radar, which is not always for the best. Now, other Gods and Goddesses are taking note with some in his favor and others seeing him as a threat; Bell gains loyal companions as he embarks on his journey to becoming the greatest adventure in Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?.
6. Death Parade (2015)
Did you think that games like air hockey, darts, or bowling are lame? Then it’s time for you to think again since games like those that ultimately decide the fate of people who die in the world of ‘Death Parade.’ In the high stakes setting, only a bar separates the soul of the characters from falling into the void or entering the cycle of reincarnation.
The bar’s master is decim, the arbiter of the afterlife who puts every pair of dead individuals against each other in a game. The winner will enter into the cycle of reincarnation, but the loser will fall into the void. While he has his doubt, everything changes when a character forces him to question his ways of ruling the afterlife. All episodes are accessible for streaming on Funimation.
7. Youjo Senki (2017)
‘YoujoSenki’ is an isekai anime that offers a new perspective on the genre and introduces viewers to previously unexplored plotlines. When an egotistical man challenges Being X, a self-proclaimed God, to a battle of wits, he ends up getting reincarnated as a girl into world magic and warfare. He learns that he is now Tanya Degurechaff, a girl whose ruthlessness and tactical prowess earn her the nickname of ‘Devil of The Rhine.’ Tanya wants to quickly get to the top of the military ranks as her country is slowly getting into a World War. In order to restore the peace, she must defeat Being X at all costs, as failure will lead to the loss of countless lives. The series is accessible for streaming on Funimation and VRV.
8. Btooom!
Btooom! plays with the same video game themes as Overlord, while throwing in a bit of Battle Royale for a more dramatic experience. Similar to Overlord, lead character Ryouta Sakamoto is a nobody in the real world, but a legend in a popular online video game. But this game comes with a caveat: Ryouta is forced to play a real-life reenactment of the game, or else he and the woman assigned to be his in-game “wife” die by the hands of the other players.
9. Fractale (2011)
‘Fractale’ is set in a world which resembles Ireland in a number of ways. The world is ruled by the ‘Fractale System,’ a virtual-reality and content delivery system based on a satellite. Clain, the protagonist of the show, finds Phyrne, who is injured and seems to be fleeing. He helps her, but at night, she disappears, leaving behind a pendant and no other explanation. When Clain somehow activates, it mysteriously takes the form of a girl. Now, the pair sets out on an adventure to find Phyrne and discover the truth behind the Fractale System. You can watch the series on Funimation.
10. Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody (2018)
Ichiro Suzuki is a man pushing his 30s and working a job as a programmer for MMORPGs when he is transported to a new world that contains elements of the same games he’s created. Now in the body of a 15-year-old, he sets out to uncover this mystery.
This should be a very easy for Overlord fans to get into, seeing as the basic premise is almost exactly the same. In this anime, the over-the-top stuff is toned down to bring a straightforward plotline, which works since viewers remain focused on the story.