10 best anime to watch if you like Demon Lord, Retry!

Demon Lord, Retry! has proven to be an inventive and entertaining isekai anime, bursting with action, comedy, and a compelling fish-out-of-water premise. It follows Akira Oono, a game developer who is transported as Demon Lord Hakuto Kunai into his game's world, where he navigates the world’s challenges, gathers allies, and explores its mysteries.

Demon Lord, Retry! offers humor and power fantasy for isekai fans. For fans longing for more anime with similar themes of overpowered main characters trapped in game-like fantasy worlds, here are 10 must-watch recommendations. The anime on this list stand out by flipping tropes, blending magic with modernity, or casting villains as heroes.

10 best anime for fans of Demon Lord, Retry!

1. Overlord

Overlord instantly draws a comparison as a series following an ultra-powerful character trapped in a world resembling the game he played. When the popular DMMO-RPG Yggdrasil shuts down, guild leader Momonga remains logged in and realizes he is now fully embodied in his virtual avatar.

He decides to use his unmatched skills and resources to become the ruler of this new world. With chillingly pragmatic anti-hero Momonga at the helm, Overlord shares Demon Lord, Retry!’s focus on strategy over brute magical force. Ainz Ooal Gown (formerly Momonga) focuses on securing dominance in this new realm and grapples with maintaining his guild’s legacy.

2. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord

How Not to Summon a Demon Lord (Image via Ajia-do Animation Works)

While less sinister in tone compared to Overlord, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, likewise, starts with an unbeatable character summoned from an online game into a fantasy realm. Pro gamer Takuma Sakamoto is summoned into the new world as his avatar, the all-powerful demon lord Diablo, by two female summoners using an enslavement ritual, only for it to backfire and enslave them instead.

What ensues is a more playful take on the demon lord transposed into reality premise. Takuma uses his powers to fend off threats to himself and his growing circle of female companions. Like Demon Lord, Retry!, comedy stems from the mismatch between Takuma’s meek real-world personality and his attempts to fill the shoes of his fearsome alter ego.

3. The Devil is a Part-Timer!

The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Image via White Fox, Studio 3Hz)

This reverse isekai comedy disrupts conventions by bringing a powerful overlord from a magical realm into present-day Japan. After being overpowered in battle by Hero Emilia, the Demon Lord Satan escapes to Tokyo with his general, Alciel, where their magical powers diminish significantly. To survive, Satan adopts a human identity and begins working part-time at MgRonald’s, a fast-food restaurant.

Like Akira in Demon Lord, Retry!, Satan deals with stark culture shock, adjusting from his former warlord nature to working mundane part-time jobs and connecting with normal people around him. The jokes stem from Satan rationally working within his limitations while sometimes giving in to old villainous impulses when challenged.

4. Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious (Image via White Fox)

Cautious Hero puts an absurdist twist on isekai by sending goddess Ristarte to summon brilliant young Japanese gamer Seiya into her fantasy world. However, she discovers that Seiya approaches being a prophesized hero like a game module, meticulously grinding and overpreparing before taking any action.

Seiya’s compulsive caution clashes humorously with Ristarte’s frustrated reactions, similar to the culture shock dynamics in Demon Lord, Retry! Fans of Kunai’s cunning will appreciate Seiya’s intricate planning, even when exaggerated for comedic effect.

5. Wise Man's Grandchild

Wise Man's Grandchild (Image via Silver Link)

Despite the clichéd-sounding title, Wise Man's Grandchild puts an interesting twist on reincarnation isekai stories by making the protagonist, Shin Wolford, famous in his new magical world. Adopted as a baby by Merlin Wolford, the greatest mage in the kingdom, Shin benefits from both his grandfather’s magical instruction and his memories of modern scientific knowledge from his past life.

Shin uses these advantages to innovate and develop spells unknown to the medieval world, soon outmatching his teachers. He then leverages his power judiciously, similar to Kunai’s morally ambiguous approaches. The series mirrors themes of facing prejudice and wonder while rising to influence.

6. Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest (Image via Asread and White Fox)

The setting of Arifureta involves students summoned into a fantasy world as heroes, not unlike Demon Lord, Retry!’s game-like universe. Protagonist Hajime Nagumo occupies a comparable underdog niche, starting as the weakest in his class before abruptly shifting to an overpowered role.

After a betrayal leaves him trapped in a dangerous, monster-filled land below the surface, Hajime adapts by crafting his own weapons and systematically hunting creatures, rapidly evolving from zero to hero. Like Kunai, he returns stronger but disillusioned, uncovering a dark side.

7. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Image via 8bit)

Like Demon Lord, Retry!, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime fuses fantasy with gameplay mechanics, as ordinary Japanese businessman Satoru Mikami awakens as an extremely powerful yet diminutive blue slime monster after his human death. Finding himself in a cavern, Satoru befriends the mighty dragon Veldora.

Satoru gains special abilities to mimic anything he ingests as he explores this RPG-style world, gathering allies in monster form. Fans of Kunai’s resourcefulness should enjoy Satoru judiciously creating a monster nation through diplomacy and innovation, fostering coexistence among species. Despite the whimsical premise, the series features similarly thoughtful worldbuilding.

8. Log Horizon

Log Horizon (Image via Satelight, Studio DEEN)

Log Horizon stands out for trapping gamers in a game universe structurally closer to Kunai’s original Infinity Game roots, as an expansive live service, rather than strictly sword-and-sorcery fantasy. The premise involves players of the successful Elder Tales online RPG finding themselves stuck in the game during a patch update.

Protagonist Shiroe focuses on helping the player community survive, including rebuilding society within the game and managing economics and governance. Like Demon Lord, Retry!, mastering the intricacies of the world driven by game logic becomes key to success.

9. No Game No Life

While containing no literal game developer lead like Demon Lord, Retry!, No Game No Life, nonetheless, centers wholly around the gaming frame of mind. Genius gamer siblings Sora and Shiro get whisked into a fantasy realm, governed exclusively by games overseen by the mysterious god, Tet.

The savvy duo are forced to put their unmatched gaming prowess to the test through escalating life-or-death contests. Like Kunai, Sora, and Shiro must strategically out-scheme bizarre opponents in this strange playing field, leaning on their particular skills while outwitting opponents.

10. The Rising of the Shield Hero

The Rising of the Shield Hero (Image via Kinema Citrus)

Shield Hero incorporates several dynamics familiar to Demon Lord, Retry! fans, like an ordinary human wielding unexpected RPG power thrust into a fantasy gaming universe. College student Naofumi Iwatani unwillingly becomes the eponymous Shield Hero in a kingdom straight out of a classic role-playing game.

He’s initially ostracized due to a false accusation of misconduct and his seemingly weak offensive potential. However, Naofumi gradually unlocks potent defensive abilities and utilizes his resourcefulness to develop the Shield’s underestimated power. While less outright overpowered compared to Kunai, Naofumi similarly outwits opponents by unlocking his Shield’s potential through creative techniques.

Conclusion

Demon Lord, Retry! applies a creative twist to the isekai genre with its absurdly overpowered protagonist and comedic tone. For viewers who became engrossed in this power fantasy adventure, the anime on this list provide more of the same over-the-top escapism paired with compelling stories.

From the similarly comedic How Not to Summon a Demon Lord to the dark, revenge-driven The Rising of the Shield Hero, these recommendations all capture aspects that Demon Lord, Retry! fans will appreciate. With these suggestions for what to watch next, viewers can continue enjoying some of the best isekai anime out there.