KonoSuba shocked and delighted audiences with its raunchy, satirical takedown of the current overwhelming prevalence of isekai anime. Following up on that success, KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World is a prequel series that focuses on a single member of the foursome that led the original show. In KonoSuba, Megumin is effectively a one-note joke character.
She’s really small, but the only spell she knows is one that creates a massive, devastating explosion. The prequel delves into the circumstances that lead to her obsession with explosion magic and bring plenty of KonoSuba’s wild and wacky humor along for the fantastical ride.
10
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World
If you’re going to watch the prequel, it just makes sense to check out the series that led to its creation. KonoSuba is an all-time great fantasy comedy. It takes an “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” approach to humor in that every member of the core cast is a selfish, insane, and terrible person.
Much of the comedy comes from either watching this insane foursome interact with normal people within the world or receive their just comeuppance for all of their selfish behavior.
9
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
Another fantasy story that leans a bit raunchier than most, this off-the-wall series follows aspiring adventurer Bell Cranel, who aims to get stronger to gain the affection of the powerful swordswoman Ais Wallenstein. Fortunately (and to his dismay), the goddess who gives him his power also happens to have a thing for him, as will several more beings and people along the way.
As these colorful characters vie for Bell’s attention, he’ll be able to leverage that desire to increase his own power and pursue his goals.
8
Log Horizon
Although it is not technically a virtual world story, KonoSuba’s magic system operates very much like a video game (in keeping with its parody of the lazier approaches to isekai). Log Horizon also blurs the lines between virtual and traditional fantasy as its characters find themselves actually transported into the world of the game they play.
Now seemingly trapped in a fantasy world that might as well be real, a group of social outcasts must band together to overcome challenges they never thought they’d have to take seriously.
7
No Game No Life
Like the protagonists of KonoSuba, the lead duo in No Game No Life are extremely selfish. The entire plot is fueled by their desire to just keep playing games. The big difference between KonoSuba’s core cast and No Game No Life’s sibling pair is that Sora and Shiro are actually extremely competent.
They never get their comeuppance because they are always one step ahead of all the normal people of their new world. Instead, most of the humor in this series comes from watching our heroes toy with their prey and reveal their careful plans.
6
Magi: Adventures of Sinbad
Creating a great prequel can be pretty difficult. Many of the greatest characters in fiction are more interesting if their backstories are never fully explored (we’d all prefer it if we didn’t know Darth Vader’s opinions on sand). However, a well-crafted prequel tells a thrilling story in its own right that further highlights the elements that made the character great in the original series.
Such is the case with Magi: Adventures of Sinbad, which tells the story of how Sinbad became the charismatic ruler we meet in the original Magi. It’s a thrilling adventure that remains true to his character while fleshing out the world.
5
The Devil Is A Part-Timer!
Rather than satirize standard isekai tropes, The Devil is a Part-Timer! is one of the funniest reverse isekai on record. The series takes all the problems that arise from isekai that speedrun their premise and flips them on their head.
Rather than a nerd who gets a leg up in a fantasy world thanks to all of their video game and anime knowledge, the demon lord protagonist of this show gets his laughs by simply being shockingly comfortable accepting his lot in life as a fast food restaurant worker.
4
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Although much of KonoSuba’s appeal comes from its expert satire of genre convention, its prequel series is a bit more grounded in the reality of its world. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid similarly excels as a quirky comedy that remains consistent with its world-building.
Office worker Kobayashi is shocked one day to find a giant dragon on her front stoop who has decided it will now live with her in the form of a girl in a maid outfit. The odd couple dynamic plays around with fantasy tropes while remaining focused on the character first.
3
Fate/Zero
A truly great prequel fleshes out the world of the original and provides extra satisfaction through some easter egg nods to the previous work, but it has to stand on its own. If you have to have seen the original in order to enjoy the prequel, it’s effectively a bonus track rather than a complete story.
Fate/Zero expertly expands on the lore, characters, and concept of the Fate series, but it also tells a complete story with arcs for each of its main characters and a clear resolution. It is an exceptional series, even if it is your entry point to Fate as a whole.
2
Senyuu
Senyuu began life as a pure gag series. It features Alba, one of 75 potential descendants of the legendary hero who defeated the Demon King. He and his companions get into all manner of hijinks as they cross paths with other possible future heroes.
It has a similar vibe in those early stories to the first arcs of KonoSuba. Sure, there’s a plot out there and a villain who needs killing, and we’ll get to it someday, but for now, we’ve got shenanigans to focus on. The story does soon find its way to a plot, but it’s a hilarious ride as it gets there.
1
Bofuri
Sometimes, all you want is to watch a small, cute girl wield devastating power. That was the whole appeal of Megumin before she got her own spinoff, and it is very much the entire conceit of Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense.
Everything you need to know is right there in the title. Kaede Honjo is new to online games and is worried about taking damage, so she puts all of her stat points into defense. This was never tested by the game’s developers, and so Kaede unwittingly exploits the system to build a truly broken character.
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Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
