One day, 25-year-old Shingo Ichinomiya goes to sleep and wakes up a 6-year-old in a medieval noble family. Unfortunately, he soon comes to learn that his noble family is not only quite poor, but he is actually the 8th son and looking at virtually no inheritance. He is, however, talented at magic and decides to work to bring prosperity to his family.
Another series in the long line of “isekai, but” series where they try to keep things fresh, but they end up a bit funky. Still, if isekai and not-so-naughty harem shows are for you, then we have more anime recommendations like The 8th Son.
Anime Like The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me?
For Fans of Reincarnated as a Child
Wise Man’s Grandchild
After being hit by a truck and killed, a young man was reincarnated into a new world as a baby. He was found and raised by a legendary sage named Merlin and given the name Shin. However, while Merlin taught him his skills and Shin grew in to an extremely powerful mage, living in the forest failed to teach Shin common sense and other people skills.
Both series feature young men that are sent to a new world as children. They both also are shown to have a great gift for magic. However, both series feature some quirk. In Wise Man’s Grandchild, he has poor social skills. In The 8th Son, his family is quite destitute.
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.
Despite a difference in gender, both shows feature people isekai’d into a new world as children. However, they also find that life is not as cozy as one would like in their reincarnation. For Urano, she has no books. For Ichinomiya, he is quite poor.
Saga of Tanya the Evil
Once one of Japan’s most shrewd salarymen, after being pushed in front of a train to his death by a scorned ex-employee, a man is reborn as an adorable orphan girl after pissing off a mysterious being that calls himself God. While the female form and affinity for magic are not a punishment, being born in a world in the midst of a brutal World War is. Now, Tanya uses her calculating mind from her past life and magnificent magical abilities to spread terror on the front lines of the war, becoming one of the most dangerous people in the imperial army. This is all in effort to earn a promotion that will see her safely back to a life of comfort on the back lines, showing up the God that put her in this world for humbling.
Both series are about people that were sent to a new world as children, but the tone is vastly different. The Saga of Tanya the Evil is much darker, though not without its great comedy. The 8th Son is more of your typical bright isekai show.
For Fans of Isekai Harems
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.
Comparatively, the harem is much smaller in Arifureta. However, both shows are about a main character that gathers a harem of talented girls for very little reason at all. Yet, Arifureta has a pretty interesting premise overall that comes off more darker and less cliches than some of the things in The 8th Son.
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 series are about a guy that is very talented at one specific thing. However, while Naofumi starts off weak, Ichinomiya finds out that his ability is worthwhile. So as the shield hero gains a harem for a purpose, it is not quite the same in The 8th Son.
Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody
Suzuki Ichirou is a programmer for a game company, and in order to keep up with demands, he frequently sets his work pace to “death march” in which he works for days straight with little sleep and without going home. During one of these death marches, he falls asleep and when he wakes up, he is somehow transported inside of one of his games.
Both series work with the same cliches. The main character is strong and nice, thus he attracts all the ladies. He and his lovely harem then travel around and solve various problems.
For Fans of Strong Mages
That Time I Got 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.
While being reincarnated as a slime seems worse than being reincarnated as a child, sometimes the child seems just as bad. Regardless, both shows end up about these talented magical individuals trying to change their lot in life as well as their world.
Isekai Cheat Magicians
Taichi and Ren, high school students and childhood friends, are transported to a fantasy world by a beam of light one afternoon. After narrowly escaping a monster attack, they travel with a group of adventurers to the guild. There, they discover that their magical aptitude is off the charts! Now in possession of incredibly magical ability, the must familiarize themselves with this world while they search for a way home.
Both series feature people sent to another world that end up with pretty OP magic abilities. While the 8th Son has some twists and turns to keep it interesting, Isekai Cheat Magicians is just an excuse to show off some flash.
Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?
Because of her exceptional abilities, Misato Kurihara never got to live a normal life. However, after her sudden death, she is offered reincarnation and one wish. Her wish is to have average abilities so that she can live an average life. Unfortunately, reincarnated as a noble’s daughter, she still has impressive magic ability. Determined to still have her normal life, she flees to a far away hunter school and attempts to hide her abilities.
Both series are about those in another world that end up OP. The twist in Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average is that she didn’t want to be special so tries to hide it in order to live an average life. In The 8th Son, he actively tries to make his powers better and more useful.
Do you have any more anime series similar to The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me? Let fans know in the comments section below.
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