On one normal day in high school, the lives of many students ended unexpectedly. Some were reincarnated as nobles or strong heroes. Others were reincarnated as wondrous fantasy creatures. Unfortunately for one girl, she was reincarnated as a lowly cave spider. No stranger to hardship given her difficult school life, she vows to not give up, and through an RPG system, grows stronger each day.
It’s weird, this anime is so close to being likable if the main character chattered just like, 15% less? Regardless, if you are looking for more anime recommendations like So I’m a Spider, So What, then head on down below.
Anime Like So I’m a Spider, So What?
For Fans of Reincarnated as Something Weak
That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime
After a run in with a robber, the 37-year-old Satoru is suddenly killed. He is reincarnated into a fantasy land, but not as a man. In fact, he is no longer even human! He is reincarnated as a lowly slime. After wandering, he comes across a dragon who he befriends and who gives him the new name of Rimuru. Absorbing this dragon into his slime body, promising to eventually break the seal that has bound him, gives Rimuru great magical ability. He then continues to inadvertently befriend beleaguered fantasy creatures in the forest who are constantly threatened by humanity. Eventually, he decides to found a nation uniting these creatures in order to help them protect themselves.
These two series have essentially they same premise, but of course they go about it different ways. While Rimuru is a weak-looking slime, they are not weak in terms of power. So I’m a Spider is more about that initial struggle into grow.
Rising of the Shield Hero
The stories tell of four heroes summoned from another world – the sword, spear, bow, and shield heroes who will prevent calamity. With darkness bearing down on them, the Kingdom of Melromarc summons these heroes from modern day Japan. For otaku Naofumi Iwatani, unfortunately he is labeled the shield hero, the weakest of the group. Worse yet, betrayal sees him labeled as a criminal and outcasted. With hatred and vengeance consuming him, he sets forth to grow strong.
Both Rising of the Shield Hero and So I’m a Spider feature people isekai’d into a new world as something that seems quite weak. From there, they have to endure hardship and struggle to grow strong, but when they do, their power clearly eclipses their peers. Of course, Rising of a Shield Hero shows that growth at more of a montage sort of speed.
Arifureta – From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Otaku Hajime Nagumo and several of his classmates are summoned to a fantasy world and tasked with saving mankind. However, while his classmates are gifted with great abilities, Hajime only has transmutation skills that have no real offensive use. He is soon betrayed by a classmate and sent into an abyss filled with monsters. Resolving to not die to the darkness, he struggles to survive and teams up with an imprisoned vampire to return to the world above.
Both series feature kids reborn into a new world where they are much weaker than their peers. While Arifureta features that element of betrayal and revenge, So I’m a Spider is more just struggle as she is unaware her peers are there for awhile.
For Fans of Female Isekai Protagonists
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Motosu Urano loves books. She recently got her librarian certification and was about to enter her dream job when an earthquake caused her to be crushed by her collection of books. She is reincarnated into a new world as the five year old daughter of a soldier. Unfortunately, in this world, books are reserved for the elite nobility. What do you do when your station in life does not afford you access to books? Make your own.
Both series feature rather bookish girls reborn into a new world. While So I’m a Spider has more of that struggle to it while Ascendance of a Bookworm is more of a slice of life show, they both do their best to make their new world work for them.
Bofuri
After receiving an invitation from a friend, Kaede Honjou starts playing the VRMMO game New World Online as a character named Maple. However, in her desire to not get hurt, she puts all her stats in Vitality. This makes her move very slowly, unable to use magic, and get attacked by even the smallest creatures. However, it does allow her impenetrable defense and her gear she finds while wandering grants her a one-hit counter skill. And so, her adventures begin.
Obviously, Bofuri takes place in an MMO rather than a true isekai world. However, in both series you have female protagonists with characters that aren’t necessarily the best at battle. In Bofuri, it is used more for comedy than much else while So I’m a Spider has more of an urgency as she is in constant peril of death.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear
Yuna much prefers staying home and playing her favorite VRMMO instead of going to school. During an update, she receives a strange and powerful bear outfit. It was overpowered, but too embarrassing to wear in-game. However, she finds herself suddenly transported to the world of the game, and her bear suit becomes her best chance of surviving.
Both series are isekai series with female protagonists and turning them into something silly. While Yuna isn’t actually a bear, her armor does add that same dose of silliness that being a spider adds to So I’m a Spider.
For Fans of Downgraded to Animal
Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga
Historically, Oda Nobunaga perished at Honnouji. However, what you didn’t know is that he was reincarnated into the modern day as a Shiba dog named Cinnamon. He is eventually joined by other famous samurai who met the same fate in reincarnation.
Both series are about people reincarnated into animals. However, Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga takes place in the modern day. It also doesn’t have much action. However, it does feature pretty good comedy about a warlord in a shiba inu body.
Dog & Scissors
Bookish high school boy Harumi is a big fan of novelist Natsuno Kirihime. One day, he finds her writing in a cafe, but about to be shot by a robber. He takes the bullet and dies, only to be reincarnated as a dachshund. As he suffers a bookless life, he happens across a woman with scissors who offers to help him. It turns out to be none other than Natsuno Kirihime herself.
Both series have bookish nerds die and reincarnate as animals. They then find themselves in situations filled with much suffering. However, it is worth noting that the dog form in Dog & Scissors doesn’t last as long as you’d hope.
Do you have any more anime recommendations like So I’m a Spider, So What? Let fans know in the comments section below.
Kinda hilarious that you ragged on one of the best characters of So Im a Spider and not on the obviously half assed job when it comes to animating the human episodes.
I know right?