Ascendance of Bookworm is a fantasy light novel written by Miya Kazuki and illustrated by You Shiina and adapted into an anime. It received a publication by TO Books after it was discovered on the Japanese website Shousetsuka ni Narou (Let's Become a Novelist). It follows the story of a woman named Motosu Urano who died after being crushed by a pile of books during an earthquake.
She is reincarnated as Myne, a five-year-old girl with a weak body and a low-income family. She decides to make books since there are none. If you loved Ascendance of a Bookworm, here are more anime to watch.
Updated by Saim Cheeda on January 29th, 2021: The idea behind reincarnation and characters being dropped into new lives is something anime fans can't get enough of. The genre has been remarkable in delivering shows that deal with this format, yet managing to retain an air of good-natured energy despite the seemingly somber backdrop for the plotline. Since Ascendance of a Bookworm continues to be met with a glowing reception, fans have been looking for more shows to dive into in order to have the same experience. To this end, this list has been updated to bring more options for fans to choose from.
15 My Next Life As A Villainess
Catarina Claes is a young girl who realizes that she’s been reincarnated into a game where she’s supposed to be the villain. Making things worse is how, whatever she tries, her fate seems to lead to doom anyway. However, she tries her best to turn over a new leaf and change her fate.
This series swaps the book angle from Ascendance of a Book Worm into a game, with the general idea remaining just about the same. One can consider this as an alternate take on the genre, with the characters remaining likable just in their own world.
14 Restaurant To Another World
The Western Restaurant Nekoya is shown to be a seemingly normal place during the wee, only to turn into a doorway to another world on Saturday, a place filled with fantastic creatures of alure, all of whom arrive to partake in the variety of food.
You’d think the premise would point toward great adventures in a different world, but this anime keeps things grounded and relies on visual appeal. The servings are quite a treat and the supernatural element is a wonderful side dish of sorts.
13 Outbreak Company
Shinichi thinks she’s gotten the job of her life when she’s recruited by a company based on her knowledge of anime and manga. However, she finds out she’s been sent to an alternate fantasy world as a way for the government to improve relations with this secret world.
It’s hard to imagine a kooky plotline as specific as this one, yet Outbreak Company somehow manages to make it work. Due to the inflow of wacky characters, there’s enough diversity in the story for viewers to follow Shinichi’s adventures.
12 These Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They?
When teenagers with incredible psychic powers look for something fun to do in their lives, they are transported to a mysterious world where they need to make use of the very abilities they have prided over all this time to see if they really are as unique as they thought.
This series has more of a twist than others, as it focuses on more than a single protagonist. Thanks to the chemistry between the characters, the difference in story format is a great route anime takes.
11 Knight’s & Magic
A huge fan of anime and video games meets his end in a car crash, only to find himself reborn in a place known as the Fremmevilla Kingdom. This world brings with it new challenges in the form of demons he must combat as he settles into his new life.
Those who love the dark fantasy genre will get a kick out of this series, what with the presence of demonic beings. However, the anime is far from dark in thematic quality, as the core aspect of it is to deliver a breezy style of storytelling.
10 Somali And The Forest Spirit
Somali and the Forest Spirit is written and illustrated by Yako Gureishi. In a world where humans are extinct and monsters govern the order of the world, a single Golem meets a small human child.
After deciding to name her Somali, they venture to find her parents and meet other people along the way. Here's the clincher: the Golem only has a few years left to live.
9 Barakamon
Barakamon is written and illustrated by Satsuki Yoshino. The story follows a man in his early twenties named Seishu Handa, who is a master in calligraphy. However, after punching a gallery curator for insulting his calligraphy, he is sent to a small town by his father and is banished.
The story revolves around Seishu's interactions with the people of Goto Island as well as six-year-old who goes over to his house to play, Naru Kotoishi.
8 If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord
If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord is a fantasy light novel written by Chirolu and illustrated by Truffle and Kei. When a highly-skilled adventurer named Dale Reki meets a devil girl named Latina who is on the verge of death, he decides to save her by bringing her home with him.
After much consideration, he decides to become her adoptive father and raise her as his own daughter.
7 Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic
Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic is a fantasy and coming-of-age manga written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka. The main characters and deuteragonist are based on stories from 1001 Arabians Nights, such as Aladdin and Ali Baba.
Although Aladdin was secluded from the world, he decides to travel the world with his friend Ugo, the Djinn inside his flute, and meets a young man named Alibaba Saluja. Their meeting causes various happenings to occur and kicks off the main plot of the story, which explores magic, power struggle, and slavery.
6 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun
Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun is a fantasy manga written and illustrated by Osamu Nishi. When fourteen-year-old Iruma Suzuki is sold to a demon by his parents, he is taken to the Demon World and adopted by the demon he is sold to who, Sullivan.
He is enrolled in the Bablys School for Demons and is told by Sullivan, who is also the headmaster, never to reveal he is a human, lest they eat him. Unfortunately to Iruma, whose only wish is to blend in, he stands out because of the happenings that arise around him.
5 The Great Passage
The Great Passage is a novel written by Shion Miura. In contrast to the previous entries on this list, The Great Passage was not an anime or a light novel. It received an anime adaption by Zexcs from October 14, 2016, to December 23, 2016.
With the production of a dictionary called, "The Great Passage", Mitsuya Majime has been recruited to help work on the new book. While no one believes in it, Mitsuya is a bookworm and works hard to become a fantastic editor.
4 Snow White With The Red Hair
Snow White With The Red Hair is a fantasy romance manga written and illustrated by Sorata Akizuki. After a herbalist named Shirayuki avoids being targeted to become Prince Raj's concubine because of her red hair, she meets a young man named Prince Zen after fleeing to Clarines.
Her meeting with him changes her life as they become friends and even fall in love despite the differences in each's social status.
3 The Beast Player
The Beast Player Erin is a slice-of-life novel written by Nahoko Uehashi and illustrated by Itoe Takemoto. The story focuses on a ten-year-old girl named Elin who can control monsters no matter how strong they are or appear.
She happens to become entangled in a war between two territories of a kingdom and learns more about beasts and the powers they hold.
2 Spice And Wolf
Spice and Wolf is a light novel written by Isana Hasekura and illustrated by Jyuu Ayakura. After Kraft Lawrence, mostly known as Lawrence, discovers a naked woman in his wagon, he learns she is the Harvest Goddess Holo.
They make a deal to journey together until she can return to her homeland of Yoitsu and do business dealings along the way, as a love story blossoms.
1 Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone is a shounen and science fiction manga written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi. After humanity is turned to stone by a mysterious light, 3,700 years pass, and all traces of humanity have disappeared.
Senku Ishigami, a genius in his time, then decides to rebuild all of humankind from scratch with the power of science in this self-declared Stone World.