Animes Similar To Overlord – Everything great will eventually come to an end, but that doesn’t always mean players are ready to say goodbye. As the hugely popular MMO, Yggdrisil, nears its final moments, guild leader and formidable Mage, Momonga, makes the extraordinary decision to stay in the game until the last server shuts down.
However, when the game’s servers cease to operate, Momonga gets a surprise—he’s trapped in the body of his in-game character in a world that should no longer exist.
Overlord offers a different perspective in the isekai genre. Although there are many isekai series that center on characters trapped in virtual worlds, Overlord differentiates itself by having its protagonist as the main villain, who already has great strength from the beginning of the story, rather than the general narrative that begins as a weak character and grows gradually.
For fans of the series, finding another isekai with a similar flavor will probably be a challenging quest. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best anime series similar to Overlord for fans to explore.
List Of Animes Similar To Overlord
1. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (2019)
At the age of 37, Satoru Mikami is an ordinary office worker in Tokyo, content with his monotonous life, even though he failed to get a girlfriend. His life takes a dramatic turn when he is attacked by a random assailant and stabbed while meeting up with a co-worker. As he felt unconscious from his injuries, a mysterious voice in his mind uttered a series of incomprehensible commands.
When Satoru regains consciousness, he realizes that he has been reincarnated into a slime in an unknown world. In this new form, he has unique abilities, especially the ability to eat everything and imitate his appearance and skills.
During his journey, he encounters a sealed disaster-level monster named Storm Dragon Veldora, who has been imprisoned for the past 300 years for destroying a city. Sympathetic to Veldora’s plight, Satoru befriends her and promises to help break the seal. In return, Veldora gives him the name Rimuru Tempest and grants him divine protection.
Similar to Overlord, the series has a very strong main character, challenges, and an interesting storyline. They excel in the isekai genre, offering a unique perspective and originality despite the genre’s frequent repetition.
Overlord features a protagonist who takes on the role of more of a villain, providing a different point of view than the usual good guys. In contrast, in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, the main character is depicted as a more well-mannered figure.
Both anime series also have well-built characters and storylines. If you like very strong protagonists and the isekai genre, it is highly recommended to watch both series.
2. Log Horizon (2013)
In the blink of an eye, thirty thousand confused Japanese gamers were suddenly taken from their daily lives into the world of the popular MMORPG Elder Tale after the latest game update—they could not get out.
Among them is Shiroe, a less sociable college student and an experienced player in the game. He quickly adapts to this new reality and embarks on a journey to explore the new limits of his existence.
Shiroe must learn to live in this new world, leading others and negotiating with NPC natives to bring stability to the virtual city of Akihabara. He is accompanied by Naotsugu, his unfortunate friend, who has only entered for the first time in many years, and Akatsuki, a small but formidable assassin who considers Shiroe his teacher.
Log Horizon Chronicles explores fantasy, adventure, and politics, exploring elements of the game through the eyes of a strategist seeking to make sense of confusing situations.
Log Horizon is similar to Overlord: both series have similarities as world-building shows and are centered on stories in a fantasy world setting. Log Horizon is the story of players who are trapped in a game after the launch of a new expansion, and they face emerging PvE and PvP challenges.
The series focuses on world-building and politics in this virtual world, with traditional MMORPG-style action. The main plot revolves around the struggle to adapt to reality in the game and become a hero or adventurer. Instead, the Overlord narrative follows the story of the last active player of a powerful guild.
3. Sword Art Online (2012)
Since the introduction of the revolutionary NerveGear, gamers around the world have been given the opportunity to experience fully immersive virtual reality. Sword Art Online (SAO), one of the latest games for this console, takes players to the enchanting world of Aincrad, a living medieval landscape where players can do everything according to their imagination.
This sensational game makes the gaming experience feel more alive than ever before. However, this fantastic dream quickly turned into a nightmare when the creators of SAO imprisoned thousands of players in the game.
The log-out option has been disabled, and the only way to escape is to conquer all of Aincrad’s hundred increasingly difficult levels. To add to the difficulty, death in the game means permanent death in the real world.
Read aslo: 15 Best Animes Similar To Sword Art Online
Similar to Overlord, the series has the main character trapped in a virtual game world where the option to exit has disappeared. In Overlord, the ultimate goal seems to be to take control of the game world. In Sword Art Online, the main goal is to escape from the game.
The initial setting is very different, with Sword Art Online featuring a protagonist who starts as a beginner and must gradually gain strength, while the main character, Overlord, is already a very powerful figure who must adapt to the new world.
4. No Game, No Life (2014)
In the world of Disboard, ruled by Tet, the One and Only Creator, sixteen intelligent races coexist. At the lowest level of these races, there is Imanity, which consists of humans without innate magical abilities.
In a world where every decision is determined through simple play, humanity seems to be caught in a seemingly inevitable situation. However, everything changes with the arrival of two strangers.
Sora and Shiro, half-brothers from Earth, are reclusive gamers and are known online as Blank. Despite their online fame, they see life as a boring game.
Their lives take a dramatic turn when they respond to a mysterious message from an unknown sender and find themselves transported to Disboard. This mysterious sender turns out to be Tet, who introduces them to the basic rules of the world. After Tet’s departure, Sora and Shiro embark on a quest for information and shelter, which leads them to Elkia, Imanity’s last remaining kingdom.
Like Overlord, the anime series centers on the theme of transitioning from the real world to the game world. The main characters in both series have a strong preference for the game world and are reluctant to abandon it, which distinguishes them from anime set in ordinary RPGs.
No Game, No Life brings a comical twist to the narrative, while Overlord is a bit more serious. If you enjoyed either of these two series, chances are you’ll find the other just as interesting.
5. Saga of Tanya, The Evil (2017)
Tanya Degurechaff is a young warrior famous for her ruthless tactics and incredible tactical intelligence, which earned her the nickname Devil from the Rhine. However, behind his simple appearance lies the soul of a man who challenges Being X, who claims to be God.
This daring challenge resulted in Tanya being reincarnated as a little girl in a magical world of war. Determined to defy Being X, Tanya intends to rise through the ranks in her country’s military as the world is plunged into a world war, with Being X becoming a major obstacle to restoring the peaceful life she once knew.
However, his clever actions and combat abilities inadvertently made the mighty empire one of the strongest nations in human history.
Like Overlord, the protagonist in the series is a reincarnated middle-aged man with a brilliant strategic mind. His actions, driven by a desire to survive, are often misunderstood by both subordinates and opponents, thereby making him a formidable opponent—pleasant for the audience but frightening for those who find themselves the target of his black maneuvers.
6. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord (2018)
When it comes to the fantasy MMORPG Cross Reverie, no one can rival the power of the Demon King, Diablo. With a rare collection of in-game artifacts and an unrivaled player level, he defeated anyone foolish enough to challenge him.
However, behind Diablo’s fearsome reputation lies Takuma Sakamoto, a gamer lacking social skills. Takuma routinely defeats helpless challengers: Takuma’s only concern is his virtual life—until a summoning spell suddenly transports him to another world, taking on the appearance of Diablo himself!
In this new world that reminds him of his favorite games, Takuma meets two girls who call him: Rem Galeu, a little Pantherian adventurer, and Shera L. Greenwood, a big-breasted Elf wizard.
They unwittingly bind themselves to Takuma through a ritual of enslavement, becoming his servants. With the situation getting more and more confusing, Takuma decides to help the two girls untie the contract while adapting to his role as the fearsome demon lord.
Similar to Overlord, the series is an Isekai with a Demon Lord as the main character, accompanied by a group of interesting companions. This recommendation bears the closest resemblance to Overlord among the other recommendations.
7. The Eminence in Shadow (2023)
Minoru Kagenou has always aspired to be very strong, diligently practicing. However, his desire for such power was not out of a desire to be recognized by others, but rather to disguise himself among the crowd.
During the day, he looks like an ordinary student, but at night, he uses a crowbar to confront the local motorcycle gang. However, after a truck accident that should have ended his life, Minoru ponders his limitations and helplessness.
In an unexpected turn of events, Minoru awakens as Cid, the second son of a noble Kagenou family, but in another world where magic is common.
Try to embrace the shadow and assign tasks to your subordinates. If you enjoy isekai anime like this, you will likely find Overlord very interesting as well!
Similar to Overlord, the series has some similarities: both protagonists are looking for strength (and they are very strong). They have a sense of pride in themselves, in being the masters of their stories. They have tough and loyal subordinates. Both series have elements of a harem. – Interesting storyline.
8. Skeleton Knight in Another World (2022)
After falling asleep while playing an online game, a man awakens and finds himself transported to the game’s world as its in-game character, Arc.
He quickly adapts to his new environment, but soon realizes that he uses the skeletal avatar he chose when creating his character, which makes him have to hide his appearance to avoid unwanted attention.
Arc travels to the nearby castle town, Luvierte, in hopes of becoming an adventurer and undergoing various missions to earn money. With incredible abilities, Arc embarks on a fantastic journey—exploring different territories, defeating various monsters, and helping people get out of difficult situations.
However, his seeming actions may soon involve him in a major conflict that will change the fate of the kingdom forever. Like Xxxxc, the series has a theme where the protagonists get stuck in a game they’re playing and aren’t sure how to get out.
While the protagonist, Overlord, plays both sides of the fence, the protagonist, Gaikotsu, is an assiduous adventurer. The Overlord includes both loyal subordinates and elements of the harem, while Gaikotsu has a smaller harem with two girls.
9. The King’s Avatar (2017)
Ye Xiu, who is widely recognized as the leading professional player in the online multiplayer game Glory, was nicknamed Battle God for his skills and contributions over the years.
However, when he is forced to retire from his team and abandon his gaming career, he finds a job at a nearby internet cafe. There, as Glory launches its tenth server, it returns wholeheartedly to the game with a new character named Lord Grim.
Ye Xiu’s early achievements on the new server immediately caught the attention of many players and great guilds, making them curious about the identity of this outstanding player.
Similar to Overlord, the series has extremely powerful protagonists who use their in-game avatars to defeat their opponents. While The King’s Avatar focuses on fictional games and the world of esports, Overlord leans more towards a fantasy world with the main character trapped in the game world.
10. Gate (2015)
In 2015, the anime Gate introduced viewers to the incredible story of Youji Itami, a resting Japanese Self-Defense Force official and a dedicated otaku. The usual journey to a doujin convention in Ginza, Tokyo, takes an unexpected turn when a large gate-shaped portal suddenly appears.
This portal became the entrance for supernatural creatures and warriors in medieval armor who invaded the city, leaving destruction and death behind. Amid the chaos, Youji quickly sprang into action, saving lives, while the JSDF mobilized to deal with the invasion.
After this devastating event, Youji is assigned to lead a special recognition team as part of the JSDF task force. Their mission is to explore the unknown world beyond the gate, now referred to as the Special Region.
The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of this new world, establish relationships with its inhabitants, and possibly form peaceful relations with the ruling empire. However, failure would mean engaging in a disastrous war that could bulldoze both sides of the gate.
Similar to Overlord, this anime series has striking similarities. They both have iconic status and feature a well-defined art style. Each of them develops in a magical world filled with significant conflicts.
Although Overlord has a simpler storyline compared to Gate, this does not detract from its iconic appeal.
11. Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Ip Girls In A Dungeon? (2015)
Life in the bustling city of Orario is never boring, especially for Bell Cranel, an optimistic young man who dreams of becoming the greatest adventurer. His dreams become a little closer to reality after he meets the lonely goddess Hestia.
With his support, Bell embarks on an exciting quest as he explores deep into the city’s monster-infested underground cathedral, known as the Dungeon. Death lurks around every corner in the depths of this eerie labyrinth, and mysterious forces move between the shadows.
Even on the surface, survival is a hard-earned privilege in a world where gods and mortals live and work together, often in disagreement. This world is filled with uncertainty, where gods and humans often struggle to find common ground.
Amidst this complexity, the story continues with a mix of unexpected events, triumphs, and the establishment of incredible friendships, all experienced by the brave protagonist.
Although Overlord, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? bringing out the sensation of being trapped in the game, both focus more on the details of life in the game world. While the latter is not a classic caught in the game anime, it clearly presents a similar feel.
On the other hand, Overlord fully embraces the concept of being stuck in the game. Where these two series converge is in the protagonists’ acceptance of their respective worlds, which are considered more than just games.
12. The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019)
In The Rising of the Shield Hero, we meet four cardinal heroes, ordinary men from modern-day Japan who are summoned to the disaster-stricken Kingdom of Melromarc. This kingdom has suffered for centuries from waves of disasters that have destroyed its lands many times and brought misfortune to its inhabitants.
The four heroes are each given unique weapons—swords, spears, bows, and shields—to defeat these terrifying waves. Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku, has the fate of a shield hero and is armed only with a simple shield.
He received ridicule and insults from fellow heroes and residents of the kingdom for being considered weak in terms of attack ability and an unimpressive personality.
When the heroes are given resources and friends to train with, Naofumi is joined by the only individual willing to support him, Malty Melromarc. However, he soon became a victim of betrayal and false accusations.
Similar to Overlord, the iconic Isekai series of games shares a well-defined atmosphere in which the all-powerful main characters are embroiled in the conflicts of the game world.
13. Code Geass (2007)
The Holy Empire of Britannia quickly developed as a dominant military state, beginning with the conquest of Japan, which was later renamed Area 11. In response to this oppression, the Japanese resistance movement fought vigorously to obtain their independence.
Lelouch Lamperouge, a Britannia student caught in the middle of a conflict between Britannia forces and Area 11 rebels, is given King Power, known as Geass, by a mysterious girl named C.C.
Realizing the enormous potential of this power of absolute obedience, Lelouch takes on the identity of Zero, a masked butcher, to lead a merciless rebellion against Britannia and exact his long-awaited revenge.
Like Overlord, the main characters in both series are driven by a desire to improve the world and deal with political and territorial tensions. They are perceived as morally ambiguous by others and develop a sense of power similar to God.
Read Also: 16 Best Animes Like Code Geass
14. How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom (2021)
After the death of his grandfather, Kazuya Souma, a 19-year-old Civil Service candidate, feels alone in the world. Suddenly, he is transported to the Kingdom of Elfrieden, a small country in trouble in another world, in the hope that he will become a hero.
The kingdom is engaged in a continuous war with the forces of the devil, which endangers the whole world. Dissatisfied with being used as a pawn, Kazuya decides to help the kingdom by implementing administrative reforms to restore its declining economy.
Proclaimed King of Elfrieden and betrothed to the royal princess, Kazuya, known as the realist hero, gathers a group of talented individuals to aid him in a bureaucratic battle to restore the kingdom’s prosperity.
Just like Overlord, the series has the protagonists find themselves transported to another world and take on the role of ruling an empire. Both anime series provide deep insights into their protagonists’ thinking while tucking in comedic elements. Both are very entertaining.
15. Hellsing Ultimate (2012)
In the shadows of the night, evil and vile creatures threaten humanity, eating anyone unlucky enough to get caught in their clutches. On the opposite side, there is Hellsing, an organization dedicated to annihilating this supernatural threat that threatens human existence.
The head of this organization is Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who commands a powerful military force and devotes her life to fighting the undead.
This impressive military force of Integra is surpassed by its main weapon: Alucard, a vampire who hunts his fellow humans as an exterminator for Hellsing.
Read aslo: 15 Best Animes Similar To Hellsing Ultimate
With his new vampire servant, Seras Victoria, by his side, Alucard must face not only monsters but also everyone who opposes Hellsing, both seen as a good hero and an evil bringer of destruction.
Similar to Overlord, the show’s protagonists have a ruthless and sadistic approach to protecting their friends and allies. They enjoy destroying their enemies and have enormous power. In addition, they have interesting and loyal friends who depend on them.
For those of you who love the anime Overlord and are looking for anime similar to Overlord, then the list above is a recommendation for some selected anime similar to Overlord, which you might be able to watch. Thank you very much for reading this article, and see you in the next article. Enjoy watching, and have a nice day.