Isekai Protagonists Who Reincarnated as the Opposite Gender

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The isekai genre often examines what makes us us by putting characters into completely new bodies with strange powers. A particularly interesting twist involves characters who wake up as a different gender after being reborn or transported to another world. They grapple with their new bodies while still remembering who they were before. This list showcases some of the most well-known isekai characters who’ve had to adjust to life as a different gender in a fantasy setting.

Tanya von Degurechaff

A ruthless businessman is killed and unexpectedly reborn as a young girl in a fantastical world inspired by World War I. A powerful, enigmatic being called Being X orchestrated this transformation, intending to test the man’s ability to find faith through hardship. Now known as Tanya von Degurechaff, she enlists in the military and rapidly advances through the ranks, utilizing her understanding of 20th-century warfare. Despite her appearance as a young woman, she still possesses the cold, calculating mind of a middle-aged man. Tanya remains a popular character in the ongoing ‘Saga of Tanya the Evil’ series as of 2025.

Hinata Tachibana

Okay, so I just finished reading about this salaryman who gets a wild second chance at life. He’s thirty-two, pretty average, and somehow winds up in a fantasy world. Here’s the kicker: he accidentally wishes to be a beautiful woman, and the goddess grants it! But his brain is still totally him. Now, as Hinata, he’s gotta journey across this new realm with his childhood buddy to take down a demon lord and hopefully turn back to normal. It’s hilarious watching him deal with the shock of having a totally different body, especially since his looks are basically magic – everyone’s captivated! It’s a really funny story, but it also makes you think about what makes you you, and how strong friendships can be, all wrapped up in this crazy body-swap situation.

Mira

‘She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man’ follows a skilled gamer who gets unexpectedly transported into the world of his favorite virtual reality game. He used an in-game item to change his character – an old wizard – into a young girl, fell asleep, and woke up stuck in that new body! Now calling herself Mira, she pretends to be the powerful sorcerer Danblf to avoid suspicion. Mira uses her advanced magical abilities to explore this world and searches for other players who might be trapped like her. The story focuses on her journey of self-discovery as she adjusts to being young and female.

Inglis

King Inglis was a famous hero who built a strong kingdom, but he dreamed of mastering martial arts in his next life instead of being a ruler. In the story ‘Reborn to Master the Blade,’ he’s reborn as a girl into a noble family. Instead of seeking power and influence, she chooses to train as a squire, focusing on combat and building her strength. She loves the freedom of this new life and constantly surprises people with her incredible physical abilities. Her story is about the simple pleasure of fighting and striving for ultimate strength, no matter her gender.

Ryu

‘Yakuza Reincarnation’ tells the story of a powerful mafia boss who is killed and reborn as Princess Ryunel. Even as a princess, he keeps his tough personality and yakuza tattoos. Now, he must use his strength and street smarts to survive in a magical kingdom filled with danger and corruption, protecting ordinary people from those who would take advantage of them. He rejects the traditional role of a princess, continuing to act like the gangster he always was. This series blends the worlds of crime dramas and fantasy, offering a fresh take on the gender-swap concept and is set to continue into 2025.

Kenzaburo Tondabayashi

Okay, so I just finished checking out the new anime, ‘The Old Man Reincarnated as a Villainess,’ and it’s… surprisingly charming. The premise is wild: a sixty-two-year-old bureaucrat, Kenzaburo, gets hit by a car and wakes up as Grace Auvergne, the villainess from one of those popular dating simulator games – the kind his daughter used to play. But instead of leaning into the ‘evil’ part, this guy just… doesn’t. He’s basically a polite, middle-aged dad stuck in a teenager’s body, and he treats everyone with kindness and respect. It’s hilarious watching him navigate this new life as a noblewoman, accidentally thwarting all the tragic storylines from the game and utterly baffling everyone around him. It’s a really sweet and funny show about a genuinely good man trying to be a good woman, and honestly, it works!

Lufas Mapel

‘A Wild Last Boss Appeared!’ tells the story of a highly skilled gamer who finds himself inside his favorite game as a powerful female character. This character is actually a former world ruler who was overthrown long ago. Now, inhabiting the body of Lufas Mapel, he must collect twelve special stars to regain his power. Even though he appears as a woman, he still speaks and acts like the king he once was. The series follows his journey to figure out what happened in the world during the centuries he was gone.

Rimuru Tempest

In the popular series ‘That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,’ Satoru Mikami is reborn as a slime. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the story continued with new developments. After absorbing a hero named Shizue, Satoru gains the ability to take on a human form, appearing as a young girl. Though he’s technically genderless as a slime, Satoru lived his previous life as a man and still identifies as male. He uses this new form to effectively communicate with and lead his followers in the Monster Federation, relying on his wisdom and experience. Despite his feminine appearance, his core identity remains that of the man he once was in Tokyo.

Tell us which of these unique isekai transformations is your favorite in the comments.

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2025-12-29 02:45