Ascendance of a Bookworm is an enchanting fantasy series perfect for book lovers and isekai fans alike. The story, created by Mika Kazuki, was once a light novel before making its way into a manga and then anime. Now it’s reaching a whole new audience, and we love seeing new people join the fandom. That said, we understand the pain of wanting more, so we’re going to help out by listing a bunch of series with similar tones and themes. While none of them will be a perfect one-to-one match, there should be something for everyone. So get ready to add a new series (or ten) to your watch list!
Myne’s story is all too relatable for many fans. She was a massive book girl in life, but that was before she had the isekai problem (crushed under a pile of her own books, the fate many realistically fear). It gets worse when she wakes to a world that doesn’t exactly have accessible books. At least Myne is determined enough to do something about that.
10) I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss
First and foremost, here’s another isekai to consider diving into: I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss. This series plays around with the increasingly popular villainess trope, but don’t let that scare you off. The story follows Aileen Lauren d’Autriche, the villainess of her world.
Here’s the thing: Aileen doesn’t really have what it takes to be a villain. She just wants to love and support everyone. This includes the demon king, who just so happens to be her fiancé. She also doesn’t want to die, so she’s going to earn the loyalty of the final boss destined to kill her. This series is ideal for isekai fans who want a lighthearted yet competent protagonist to root for.
9) The Secrets of the Silent Witch
The Secrets of the Silent Witch is a relatively new anime, so if you’re looking for a shorter or easier series to get into, this is the one for you! In this world, magic and dragons are commonplace, but only one mage has mastered the art of silent invocations. Enter Monica Everett, a girl so shy that she became one of the kingdom’s greatest mages, all because she was too afraid to speak in front of others.
If only Monica were allowed to live in solitude on a mountaintop, but no, she has to serve the kingdom. Fighting dragons is one thing, but going undercover at Serendia Academy is far too terrifying for her! Not that anybody is going to listen. The Secrets of the Silent Witch is a charming series about a shy mage finding her voice, making friends, and protecting those around her. It’s sweet and endearing, perfect for all book lovers, especially those who love Ascendance of a Bookworm.
8) Restaurant To Another World
Restaurant To Another World is a tale about the Western Restaurant Nekoya, a seemingly ordinary place to dine in as needed. However, that wouldn’t make for a very interesting story, would it? Every Saturday, the restaurant creates doorways to another world, a magical land complete with all of the mystical creatures one might imagine.
On these days, Nekoya opens its doors to a different type of clientele, as dragons and elves become regulars. Restaurant To Another World is a grounded yet wholesome series perfect for fans looking for a fantastical escape. Just be prepared for this series to make your stomach growl. This series is perfect for anyone with an inner hobbit mentality.
7) I’m In Love With The Villainess
If a GL isekai is more your cup of tea, there’s always I’m In Love With The Villainess. It all begins when Rei Oohashi wakes up in her favorite otome game, Revolution. Naturally, in this world, she’s no longer Rei, but Ray Tylor. Ray also has her choice of three romantic paths to follow. That’s because she’s far more interested in the game’s villainess, Claire Francois.
Ray doesn’t care that this isn’t a planned option for her to follow. Nor does she care all that much about Claire’s bullying. None of that is enough to shake her off. I’m In Love With The Villainess is an openly LGBTQ+ isekai, which is a refreshing sight to see. As a bonus, there’s a spin-off manga telling the story from Claire’s side (I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner).
6) Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!
Ready for another isekai? Don’t worry, this one also breaks the mold: Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! It may have a long title, but the story is full of heart and comedy in equal measure. It all begins with the incredibly talented Misato Kurihara. She hated being so extraordinary, so when she got a second chance at life, she begged to have average stats.
Unfortunately, those who granted Misato’s (no Adele von Ascham) request took her a little too literally, averaging the strongest and the weakest magical creatures to find her range. This automatically made her far more powerful than the average human. Oops. This series has the same type of tongue-in-cheek humor that one could expect from Ascendance of a Bookwormso it’s the perfect series to binge next.
5) Love After World Domination
Love After World Domination is another fantasy series full of heart, though this one dives a bit more into the romantic comedy side of things. The story follows two characters. First, there’s Desumi Magahara, also known as the Reaper Princess. She’s a superhuman who has proudly joined the Secret Society Gekko, so she has a villainous reputation to uphold. Meanwhile, Fudo Aikawa, also known as Red Gelato, is an aspiring hero and leader of the Freezing Sentai Gelato 5.
On paper, these two should hate each other, right? Wrong. Fudo is hopelessly in love with Desumi, who just wants to be loved and cared for. It doesn’t take long for the hero to convince the villain to give him a chance, despite all the odds against them. This series is perfect if you’re looking for a play on superhero life with a strong hint of romance.
4) The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent
If magic and potions are more your style, there’s always The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent. Enter Sei Takanashi, who was an office worker, because the magical world of Salutania summoned her. Once there, she can never go back. Thankfully, Sei’s not too bothered about that fact. It probably helps that she has set her sights on a new goal: becoming a researcher at the Medicinal Flora Research Institute.
The problem here is that Sei was summoned to this world for a reason, and eventually that reason will catch up with her. When it does, chaos and romantic subplots ensue. The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is a fantastic series for viewers looking for something lighthearted, magical, and full of secondary themes.
3) Romantic Killer
Part of what makes Myne’s story hit so hard is how she effectively (if temporarily) lost something she loved so much. That brings us to Romantic Killer. Anzu Hoshino is a high school girl who knows what she likes: chocolate, her cat, and video games. She doesn’t care for anything else.
This is apparently a problem for Riri, aka the love cupid. They are going to force Anzu to participate with potential ikemen, choosing one to fall in love with. To ensure she’s properly incentivized, Riri has taken away Anzu’s cat, access to chocolates, and video games. Unsurprisingly, Anzu doesn’t take the news well. Chaos reigns, but only until the romantic interests start showing up. Then things get comically awkward.
2) My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is another classic villainess and isekai story, but there’s a huge catch: Catarina Claes is not your ordinary villainess. Sure, this is the world that she was apparently reborn into, but she was not made for the life of villainy. Truthfully, she’s not really cut out for politics or loyal life either, but that one she has slightly less choice about.
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is a light-hearted series, revolving around one girl’s determined efforts to avoid all of her doom flags. Since her story originates from an Otome game, there are a lot of these moments she needs to duck and dodge. While trying to stay alive, Catarina will obliviously make the characters around her fall hopelessly in love with her. In other words, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! is a great series if you’re looking for a fun take on the genre.
1) Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun is another magical adventure; no truck-kun needed to get this story going. It all begins when Iruma Suzuki is a human who happens to be sold off by his parents. As if that’s not bad enough, his parents happened to choose a demon to sell him to! The horrors!
Things don’t go quite as horribly as one might expect, as the demon, named Sullivan, adopts Iruma as his grandson and enrolls him in school. However, that latter bit is somewhat tricky, since Iruma will have to hide his identity as a human to survive. Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun is every bit as entertaining and quirky as it sounds. While Iruma isn’t making books like Myne, the fantasy and education setting will hopefully hit close enough to keep most fans entertained.
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