What is this genre all about? Parallel universe/world or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own. Because "alternative reality" sometimes implies that the reality is a variant of our own, like for example a mirror world, we'll use the term "Parallel Universe" which is more general, without any connotations implying a relationship (or lack thereof) with our own universe (meaning a fantasy world can just as well have an alternative reality, doesn't need to be our reality). To put it more simply, this category is to show if more than 1 universe/reality/world is present in the anime.
We present you the list of Parallel Universe anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 20 Parallel Universe anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 20. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Soukoku-tan
- 19. BLEACH
- 18. Spirited Away
- 17. No Game No Life
- 16. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
- 15. InuYasha
- 14. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 2
- 13. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Ketsubetsu-tan
- 12. Gintama
- 11. Ao no Exorcist
- 10. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen
- 9. Fullmetal Alchemist
- 8. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
- 7. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2
- 6. Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
- 5. Unnamed Memory
- 4. Kekkai Sensen
- 3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- 2. Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo
- 1. Tenkuu no Escaflowne
20. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Soukoku-tan
With Uryu and the Royal Guards at his side, Yhwach successfully breaks past the Soul Shield Membrane barrier and finally sets foot into the sacred realm of the Royal Palace. But the Quincies’ advance seemingly ends after facing Squad Zero, who use their awesome powers to defeat Yhwach and the rest of the uninvited guests. However, the real battle and despair have yet to start…
Soul Reapers and Quincies. Ichigo and Uryu. Beliefs and Resolve. The never-ending conflict between light and dark clashes above the dark-blue heavens.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict is currently airing and will have 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇-相剋譚-, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict -, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, BLEACH 千年血戦篇 3クール
19. BLEACH
Ichigo Kurosaki is an ordinary high schooler—until his family is attacked by a Hollow, a corrupt spirit that seeks to devour human souls. It is then that he meets a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki, who gets injured while protecting Ichigo's family from the assailant. To save his family, Ichigo accepts Rukia's offer of taking her powers and becomes a Soul Reaper as a result.
However, as Rukia is unable to regain her powers, Ichigo is given the daunting task of hunting down the Hollows that plague their town. However, he is not alone in his fight, as he is later joined by his friends—classmates Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryuu Ishida—who each have their own unique abilities. As Ichigo and his comrades get used to their new duties and support each other on and off the battlefield, the young Soul Reaper soon learns that the Hollows are not the only real threat to the human world.
Bleach has finished airing and it has 366 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH - ブリーチ -, BLEACH
18. Spirited Away
Stubborn, spoiled, and naïve, 10-year-old Chihiro Ogino is less than pleased when she and her parents discover an abandoned amusement park on the way to their new house. Cautiously venturing inside, she realizes that there is more to this place than meets the eye, as strange things begin to happen once dusk falls. Ghostly apparitions and food that turns her parents into pigs are just the start—Chihiro has unwittingly crossed over into the spirit world. Now trapped, she must summon the courage to live and work amongst spirits, with the help of the enigmatic Haku and the cast of unique characters she meets along the way.
Vivid and intriguing, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi tells the story of Chihiro's journey through an unfamiliar world as she strives to save her parents and return home.
Spirited Away has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, 千と千尋の神隠し, Sen and Chihiro's Spiriting Away
17. No Game No Life
No Game No Life is a surreal comedy that follows Sora and Shiro, shut-in NEET siblings and the online gamer duo behind the legendary username "Kuuhaku." They view the real world as just another lousy game; however, a strange e-mail challenging them to a chess match changes everything—the brother and sister are plunged into an otherworldly realm where they meet Tet, the God of Games.
The mysterious god welcomes Sora and Shiro to Disboard, a world where all forms of conflict—from petty squabbles to the fate of whole countries—are settled not through war, but by way of high-stake games. This system works thanks to a fundamental rule wherein each party must wager something they deem to be of equal value to the other party's wager. In this strange land where the very idea of humanity is reduced to child’s play, the indifferent genius gamer duo of Sora and Shiro have finally found a real reason to keep playing games: to unite the sixteen races of Disboard, defeat Tet, and become the gods of this new, gaming-is-everything world.
No Game, No Life has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ノーゲーム・ノーライフ, NGNL
16. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
When Subaru Natsuki leaves the convenience store, the last thing he expects is to be wrenched from his everyday life and dropped into a fantasy world. Things aren't looking good for the bewildered teenager; however, not long after his arrival, he is attacked by some thugs. Armed with only a bag of groceries and a now useless cell phone, he is quickly beaten to a pulp. Fortunately, a mysterious beauty named Satella, in hot pursuit after the one who stole her insignia, happens upon Subaru and saves him. In order to thank the honest and kindhearted girl, Subaru offers to help in her search, and later that night, he even finds the whereabouts of that which she seeks. But unbeknownst to them, a much darker force stalks the pair from the shadows, and just minutes after locating the insignia, Subaru and Satella are brutally murdered.
However, Subaru immediately reawakens to a familiar scene—confronted by the same group of thugs, meeting Satella all over again—the enigma deepens as history inexplicably repeats itself.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: Re：ゼロから始める異世界生活, Re: Life in a different world from zero, ReZero
15. InuYasha
Based on the Shogakukan award-winning manga of the same name, InuYasha follows Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old girl whose normal life ends when a demon drags her into a cursed well on the grounds of her family's Shinto shrine. Instead of hitting the bottom of the well, Kagome ends up 500 years in the past during Japan's violent Sengoku period with the demon's true target, a wish-granting jewel called the Shikon Jewel, reborn inside of her.
After a battle with a revived demon accidentally causes the sacred jewel to shatter, Kagome enlists the help of a young hybrid dog-demon/human named Inuyasha to help her collect the shards and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Joining Kagome and Inuyasha on their quest are the orphan fox-demon Shippo, the intelligent monk Miroku, and the lethal demon slayer Sango. Together, they must set aside their differences and work together to find the power granting shards spread across feudal Japan and deal with the threats that arise.
InuYasha has finished airing and it has 167 Episodes. It is also Known as: 犬夜叉, Inu Yasha
14. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 2
Even after dying countless times, Subaru finally ended the threat of the White Whale and defeated the Witch Cult's Sin Archbishop representing sloth, Petelgeuse Romaneeconti. But only shortly after overcoming a tragic ending and reuniting with his beloved Emilia, Subaru learns that Rem has been erased from this world, having fallen victim to the White Whale's Fog of Elimination in the midst of Subaru's death loop. With the White Whale now gone, Subaru and Emilia are forced to confront a reality they never dreamed would happen.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活２, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 2
13. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Ketsubetsu-tan
With the secrets of his past and power finally revealed to him, Ichigo has reforged his Zanpakuto, and can now continue his training under the Squad Zero. However, time is not on his side; Yhwach and his assembled Sternritter are on the warpath once more, ready to finish their destruction of Soul Society and complete their millennium-long vengeance. What's more, their ranks have grown, with Uryu Ishida joining his fellow Quincy in their blood war. When the fates of every soul in the universe are at stake, Ichigo must find the strength to take on his own friend.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 - The Separation has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇-訣別譚-, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Separation -, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, BLEACH 千年血戦篇 2クール
12. Gintama
The Amanto, aliens from outer space, have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. As a result, a prohibition on swords has been established, and the samurai of Japan are treated with disregard as a consequence.
However one man, Gintoki Sakata, still possesses the heart of the samurai, although from his love of sweets and work as a yorozuya, one might not expect it. Accompanying him in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses and a strong heart, Kagura with her umbrella and seemingly bottomless stomach, as well as Sadaharu, their oversized pet dog. Of course, these odd jobs are not always simple, as they frequently have run-ins with the police, ragtag rebels, and assassins, oftentimes leading to humorous but unfortunate consequences.
Who said life as an errand boy was easy?
Gintama has finished airing and it has 201 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂, Gin Tama, Silver Soul, Yorinuki Gintama-san
11. Ao no Exorcist
Humans and demons are two sides of the same coin, as are Assiah and Gehenna, their respective worlds. The only way to travel between the realms is by the means of possession, like in ghost stories. However, Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, cannot find a suitable host to possess and therefore, remains imprisoned in his world. In a desperate attempt to conquer Assiah, he sends his son instead, intending for him to eventually grow into a vessel capable of possession by the demon king.Ao no Exorcist follows Rin Okumura who appears to be an ordinary, somewhat troublesome teenager—that is until one day he is ambushed by demons. His world turns upside down when he discovers that he is in fact the very son of Satan and that his demon father wishes for him to return so they can conquer Assiah together. Not wanting to join the king of Gehenna, Rin decides to begin training to become an exorcist so that he can fight to defend Assiah alongside his brother Yukio.
Blue Exorcist has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: 青の祓魔師(エクソシスト), Ao no Futsumashi
10. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen
Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?
Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger.
When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need.
Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, come under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.
Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers with the following message:
“Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the Wandenreich.”
The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years are finally brought to light.
All things must come to an end—as Ichigo Kurosaki’s final battle begins!
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇, BLEACH: The Blood Warfare, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 1 - The Blood Warfare
9. Fullmetal Alchemist
Edward Elric, a young, brilliant alchemist, has lost much in his twelve-year life: when he and his brother Alphonse try to resurrect their dead mother through the forbidden act of human transmutation, Edward loses his brother as well as two of his limbs. With his supreme alchemy skills, Edward binds Alphonse's soul to a large suit of armor.
A year later, Edward, now promoted to the fullmetal alchemist of the state, embarks on a journey with his younger brother to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. The fabled mythical object is rumored to be capable of amplifying an alchemist's abilities by leaps and bounds, thus allowing them to override the fundamental law of alchemy: to gain something, an alchemist must sacrifice something of equal value. Edward hopes to draw into the military's resources to find the fabled stone and restore his and Alphonse's bodies to normal. However, the Elric brothers soon discover that there is more to the legendary stone than meets the eye, as they are led to the epicenter of a far darker battle than they could have ever imagined.
Fullmetal Alchemist has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, 鋼の錬金術師, FMA, Full Metal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), HagaRen
8. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
After a traffic accident, Kazuma Sato's disappointingly brief life was supposed to be over, but he wakes up to see a beautiful girl before him. She claims to be a goddess, Aqua, and asks if he would like to go to another world and bring only one thing with him. Kazuma decides to bring the goddess herself, and they are transported to a fantasy world filled with adventure, ruled by a demon king. Now Kazuma only wants to live in peace, but Aqua wants to solve many of this world's problems, and the demon king will only turn a blind eye for so long...
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! has finished airing and it has 10 Episodes. It is also Known as: この素晴らしい世界に祝福を！, Give Blessings to This Wonderful World!
7. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2
When Kazuma Satou died, he was given two choices: pass on to heaven or be revived in a fantasy world. After choosing the new world, the goddess Aqua tasked him with defeating the Demon King, and let him choose any weapon to aid him. Unfortunately, Kazuma chose to bring Aqua herself and has regretted the decision ever since then.
Not only is he stuck with a useless deity turned party archpriest, the pair also has to make enough money for living expenses. To add to their problems, their group continued to grow as more problematic adventurers joined their ranks. Their token spellcaster, Megumin, is an explosion magic specialist who can only cast one spell once per day and refuses to learn anything else. There is also their stalwart crusader, Lalatina "Darkness" Dustiness Ford, a helpless masochist who makes Kazuma look pure in comparison.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 continues to follow Kazuma and the rest of his party through countless more adventures as they struggle to earn money and have to deal with one another's problematic personalities. However, things rarely go as planned, and they are often sidetracked by their own idiotic tendencies.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 2 has finished airing and it has 10 Episodes. It is also Known as: この素晴らしい世界に祝福を！ 2, Give Blessings to This Wonderful World! 2
6. Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
Off-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) officer and otaku, Youji Itami, is on his way to attend a doujin convention in Ginza, Tokyo when a mysterious portal in the shape of a large gate suddenly appears. From this gate, supernatural creatures and warriors clad in medieval armor emerge, charging through the city, killing and destroying everything in their path. With swift actions, Youji saves as many lives as he can while the rest of the JSDF direct their efforts towards stopping the invasion.
Three months after the attack, Youji has been tasked with leading a special recon team, as part of a JSDF task force, that will be sent to the world beyond the gate—now being referred to as the "Special Region." They must travel into this unknown world in order to learn more about what they are dealing with and attempt to befriend the locals in hopes of creating peaceful ties with the ruling empire. But if they fail, they face the consequence of participating in a devastating war that will engulf both sides of the gate.
GATE has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: GATE（ゲート）自衛隊 彼の地にて、斯く戦えり, Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There!
5. Unnamed Memory
"My wish as champion is for you to descend the tower and be my wife."
Seeking to end a curse thwarting his lineage, Prince Oscar sets out on a quest that leads him to a powerful and beautiful witch, Tinasha, and he demands a unique bargain: marriage. Though unenthused by the proposal, she agrees to stay in his castle for a year while researching the spell cast upon him. But beneath her beauty lies a lifetime of dark secrets that soon come to light.
Unnamed Memory has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: アンネームドメモリー, Unnamed Memory
4. Kekkai Sensen
A breach between Earth and the netherworlds has opened up over the city of New York, trapping New Yorkers and creatures from other dimensions in an impenetrable bubble. They’ve lived together for years, in a world of crazy crime sci-fi sensibilities. Now someone is threatening to sever the bubble, and a group of stylish superhumans is working to keep it from happening.
Blood Blockade Battlefront has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 血界戦線, Bloodline Battlefront
3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part 1
2. Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo
Following his brave sacrifice in the war against Albion, Saito Hiraga is knighted and treated as an aristocrat, something that proves difficult for Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. With their relationship no longer defined as the mighty Void mage and clueless familiar, she wonders what exactly this means for them.
While venturing to a castle, Louise is ambushed by a powerful mage named Sheffield. Battling alone, the young mage nearly faces defeat until Saito makes his appearance. The mystical and unknown nature of Void magic seems to be at work in the battle, and Louise begins to believe in the possibility of another Void user. Moreover, she realizes that Saito's magical rune is fading, and so a new adventure begins as they search for the elf who revived Saito in the past. The relationship between former master and servant faces a new challenge as they work to restore the runes and redefine the bond which holds them together.
The Familiar of Zero: Rondo of Princesses has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ゼロの使い魔 ～三美姫（プリンセッセ）の輪舞（ロンド）～, Zero no Tsukaima: Princess no Rondo, Rondo of the Princesses, Zero's Familiar 3rd Series, Zero no Tsukaima S3
1. Tenkuu no Escaflowne
Hitomi Kanzaki is just an ordinary 15-year-old schoolgirl with an interest in tarot cards and fortune telling, but one night, a boy named Van Fanel suddenly appears from the sky along with a vicious dragon. Thanks to a premonition from Hitomi, Van successfully kills the dragon, but a pillar of light appears and envelopes them both. As a result, Hitomi finds herself transported to the world of Gaea, a mysterious land where the Earth hangs in the sky.
In this new land, Hitomi soon discovers that Van is a prince of the Kingdom of Fanelia, which soon falls under attack by the evil empire of Zaibach. In an attempt to fight them off, Van boards his family's ancient guymelef Escaflowne—a mechanized battle suit—but fails to defeat them, and Fanelia ends up destroyed. Now on the run, Hitomi and Van encounter a handsome Asturian knight named Allen Schezar, whom Hitomi is shocked to find looks exactly like her crush from Earth. With some new allies on their side, Van and Hitomi fight back against the forces of Zaibach as the empire strives to revive an ancient power.
The Vision of Escaflowne has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: 天空のエスカフローネ, Tenkuu no Escaflowne
