The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (2024)

Table of Contents
25 Summer Time Rendering Combines Time Travel With a Gripping Murder Mystery As Shinpei Ajiro Investigates The Death of His Adoptive Sister, Strange Supernatural Events Begin To Transpire 24 Mirai Follows a Young Boy Through Time as He Learns The Value of Family Kun Is a 4-year-old Boy Who Learns To Appreciate His Baby Sister Mirai After Going on The Journey of a Lifetime 23 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! Is a Fantasy Romance With a Time Travel Twist Rishe Irmgard Weitzner Finds Unexpected Romance With Her Long-Time Enemy, Prince Arnold Hein 22 Inuyasha Follows Kagome On an Epic Adventure Through Time Kagome Higurashi Is Transported To Feudal Japan, Where She Meets The Hotblooded Half-demon Inuyasha 21 Your Name Sees Two Teenagers Jump Through Time After Switching Lives Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana Are Young Lovers Separated By Time and Space 20 Tokyo Revengers Follows Takemichi as He Travels Back In Time To Save His Loved Ones Takemichi Hanagaki Use Time Travel To Change The Past, In Hopes of Fixing The Future 19 Iroduku: The World In Colors' Hitomi Tsukishiro Seeks Help From The Past Hitomi Tsukishiro Travels Back In Time To Find a Way To Bring Colors Back Into Her Life 18 Re:Zero -Starting Life In Another World- Sees Subaru Stuck In a Time Loop Of Life and Death Subaru Natsuki Is Tormented By His Return By Death Ability, Which Brings Him Back In Time After Every Death He Suffers 17 Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song Stars an AI Songstress Fighting To Save The Future Vivy Is an AI Singer Whose Fate Changes When She Travels To The Future 16 Link Click's Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang Jump Through Time Using Photographs Link Click Is One of The Most Popular Modern Time Travel Series 15 Occult Academy Follows Time Travelers on a Mission To Save Earth Maya and Fumiaki Are Sent By In Time To Put a Stop To an Alien Invasion 14 Orange Follows Naho as She Tries To Change The Past Naho Takamiya and Her Friends Are Sent Letter From Their Futures Selves 13 Zipang Follows Modern Soldiers as They Travel Back To WWII Japan Commander Kadomatsu and His Crew Inadvertantly Alter History After They Travel Back To WWII Era Japan 12 Buddy Complex Is The Story of an Unlikely Hero Sent To The Future Aoba Watase Is Thrown Into a Future Torn Apart By War 11 Summer Storm! Stars a Young Couple With The Ability To Jump Through Time Together The Connection Between Hajime Yasaka and Arashi Allows Them To Travel Back In Time 10 Steins;Gate Is One of Anime's Most Beloved Time Travel Stories Rintarou Okabe Discovers a Way To Alter Time With His "Phone Microwave" Invention 9 Noein: To Your Other Self Uses Real-Life Science and Quantum Theory To Tell Its Story Haruka Kaminogi Discovers She Is The Key To Space and Time 8 Sagrada Reset Stars a Strange Girl With a Unique Power New Friends Kei and Misora Use Their Special Abilities To Help Others 7 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Introduces an Alternate World Where Haruhi Doesn't Exist Kyon Suddenly Wakes Up In an Alternate Reality Where Everything Is Different and Haruhi Is Gone 6 Future Diary Combines Classic Battle Royale With Time Travel Elements Yukiteru Amano Finds Himself Caught Up In a Death Game Where Candidates Receive Messages From Their Future Selves References
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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (1)

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (2)

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (3)

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By Sage Ashford , Bea Caicoya , Rich Keller , Ajay Aravind & Chelsea Steele

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (6)

Despite the existence of time-loops, stable and malleable timelines, and parallel dimensions, there are really only two types of time travel in anime, which are further divided into two subgroups. One where every action has massive consequences and one where time travel is only a device to comment on the era that the protagonist is exploring.

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As a rule of thumb, Time Camping media tends to be pretty uncomplicated and does not leave viewers with an aftertaste of bitter existential dread. On the other hand, anime about time travel are more rewarding to watch for those fans who are into intricate narrative mechanics and unexpected plot twists.

Updated on October 18th, 2024 by Chelsea Steele: Time travel is a classic sci-fi concept that can be found in just about every form of media under the sun, and that includes anime. In fact, some of the greatest anime series of all time feature this unique premise, offering mind-bending stories that often delve into the psychological genre. We've updated this list to meet CBR's current publication standard, providing more info on some of the best time travel anime currently available.

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Related

10 Anime That Put A Unique Twist On Time Travel

Time travel anime often follow the same path. Here are anime that put a unique twist on time travel, for fans who crave something different.

25 Summer Time Rendering Combines Time Travel With a Gripping Murder Mystery

As Shinpei Ajiro Investigates The Death of His Adoptive Sister, Strange Supernatural Events Begin To Transpire

Summer Time Rendering is a 2022 mystery series that many anime fans consider one of the best time travel stories to come out in recent time. The series stars Shinpei Ajiro, a young man from a small town who returns home from college after learning his adoptive sister Ushio passed away. Upon returning for the funeral, he begins to hear rumors that her death may not have been a mere accident and decides to investigate.

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As Shinpei searches for answers, he finds that there's something off about the town. Eventually, he finds himself stuck in an endless timeloop, reliving the tragic events that led to Ushio's death as he tries to uncover the truth. Summer Time Rendering combines the sci-fi allure of time travel with the thrills of murder mystery, making for a unique title that's sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (8)
Summer Time Rendering

TV-14

Animation

Drama

Fantasy

Mystery

The animated show centers on Shinpei Ajiro, who returns to his hometown for a friend's funeral. He uncovers mysterious events linked to her death and finds himself caught in a time loop. As he investigates further, he encounters supernatural elements and must solve the mystery to prevent a looming disaster.

Release Date
April 15, 2022

Creator(s)
Yasuki Tanaka

Cast
Stephen Fu , Emi Lo , Merk Nguyen , Jenn Wong , Jason Jin , Jennie Kwan , Tim Dang , Kaiji Tang
Main Genre
Fantasy

Seasons
1

Writers
Hiroshi Seko
Streaming Service(s)
Hulu

Franchise(s)
Summer Time Rendering

Directors
Ayumu Watanabe

24 Mirai Follows a Young Boy Through Time as He Learns The Value of Family

Kun Is a 4-year-old Boy Who Learns To Appreciate His Baby Sister Mirai After Going on The Journey of a Lifetime

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (9)

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Mirai is a 2018 anime film that combines themes of fantasy, time travel, and family. This wholesome story follows a young boy named Kun as he learns to adjust to life with his new baby sister, Mirai. Though he's excited to be a big brother at first, it doesn't take long for Kun to become jealous of his new sibling. He's then taken on a magical journey through time, where he meets past, present, and future versions of his family.

As he gets to know each member of his family better, he comes to accept the change in life and his new role as a brother.

Mirai follows Kun as he slowly begins to understand his family better and comes to appreciate what he has. With its heartwarming story, stunning visuals, and strong emphasis on familial love, Mirai is one of the sweetest time travel anime out there. It tells a simple yet memorable story that many viewers can relate to, giving it a surprisingly realistic tone despite its supernatural premise.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (10)
Mirai

PG

Anime

Adventure

Drama

A young boy encounters a magical garden which enables him to travel through time and meet his relatives from different eras, with guidance by his younger sister from the future.

Director
Mamoru Hosoda

Release Date
July 20, 2018

Studio
Studio Chizu

Cast
Rebecca Hall , Daniel Dae Kim , John Cho , Kôji Yakusho , Crispin Freeman , Victoria Grace , Stephanie Sheh , Erica Schroeder
Writers
Mamoru Hosoda

Runtime
98 Minutes
Main Genre
Anime

23 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! Is a Fantasy Romance With a Time Travel Twist

Rishe Irmgard Weitzner Finds Unexpected Romance With Her Long-Time Enemy, Prince Arnold Hein

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (11)

Part of the ever-popular "villainess" subgenre of fantasy, 7th Time Loop is a unique spin on the typical tale that combines fantasy, romance, and elements of time travel. The series stars a noble girl named Rishe who is stuck in a time loop, which always ends in her death. She's currently on her 7th loop after trying to avoid her doom multiple times. However, this time she plans to live a peaceful life free from war and suffering by accepting the hand of Crown Prince Arnold Hein.

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Related

7th Time Loop And 9 Other Amazing Time Loop Anime

7th Time Loop isn't the only great time loop anime series on offer; titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Re:Zero are also amazing.

But while on the surface it seems like Rishe has finally scored an easy life, things are a bit more complicated than that, as Prince Arnold was her enemy in past time loops. He even directly caused her death in some instances. The series follows Rishe as she uses her past knowledge and acquired skills to win Arnold over and finally put an end to the cycle of death and rebirth. 7th Time Loop is a thrilling and dramatic romance between two unlikely lovers that's sure to have romance fans swooning.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (13)

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!

Romance

Fantasy

Rishe is already on her seventh time around being reborn and has had all kinds of excitement in her previous lives. But to savor the high life, she first has to marry the handsome prince, the same one who happens to be her murderer.

Release Date
January 7, 2024

Cast
Ikumi Hasegawa , Nobunaga Shimazaki , Shunichi Toki

Seasons
1

Creator
Touko Amekawa

Number of Episodes
12
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

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22 Inuyasha Follows Kagome On an Epic Adventure Through Time

Kagome Higurashi Is Transported To Feudal Japan, Where She Meets The Hotblooded Half-demon Inuyasha

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (14)

Inuyasha is one of the most iconic shonen titles of the 2000s. The series is one of the earliest isekai, and time travel plays a major role in its premise. Inuyasha stars a young girl named Kagome Higurashi, who finds herself transported back in time to the Feudal Era of Japan after she falls through her family's old well. Here, she meets the titular demon Inuyasha, and the two set out on an epic quest to recover the shards of the sacred Shikon Jewel before they can get into the hands of the wicked Naraku.

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During her time in the past, Kagome discovers she has a strong connection to the Feudal Era, as well as Inuyasha, which allows her to tap into her spiritual powers. With these abilities, she's able to sense the presence of jewel shards, making her an invaluable member of her group. Time travel remains a strong theme throughout Inuyasha, as Kagome travels between time periods, balancing her life in her own time with her duties back in Feudal Japan.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (15)

Inuyasha (2000)

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

A teenage girl periodically travels back in time to feudal Japan to help a young half-demon recover the shards of a jewel of great power.

Release Date
August 31, 2002
Main Genre
Animation

Seasons
7

Studio
Sunrise

Franchise
Inuyasha

Creator
Rumiko Takahashi

21 Your Name Sees Two Teenagers Jump Through Time After Switching Lives

Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana Are Young Lovers Separated By Time and Space

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (16)

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One of the most beloved modern anime romances, Your Name is an iconic movie from the genius mind of Makoto Shinkai. The film is a heartfelt and emotional tale of two young souls connected by fate through space and time. It combines all the classic elements of fantasy, romance, and slice-of-life one would expect from a Makoto Shinkai film with tropes of time travel and body swapping.

Your Name stars two teenagers who live very different lives, a country girl named Mitsuha and a city boy named Taki. Both Taki and Mitsuha long for different lives, with Mitsuha dreaming of the bustling city and Taki hoping to see the countryside. They get their wishes in an unexpected way after the two swap bodies and begin to live each other's lives. However, what these two don't know is that they aren't just living in different places — they're living in different time periods as well, with three years between them. Your Name follows this young couple as they slowly grow closer and defy time itself to be together.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (17)
Your Name (2016)

PG

Animation

Romance

Drama

Two teenagers share a profound, magical connection upon discovering they are swapping bodies. Things manage to become even more complicated when the boy and girl decide to meet in person.

Director
Makoto Shinkai

Release Date
August 26, 2016

Studio
CoMix Wave Films

Cast
Ryunosuke Kamiki (Taki Tachibana voice) , Mone Kamishiraishi (Mitsuha Miyamizu voice) , Ryo Narita (Katsuhiko Teshigawara voice) , Aoi Yuki (Sayaka Natori voice) , Nobunaga Shimazaki (Tsukasa Fujii voice) , Kaito Ishikawa (Shinta Takagi voice) , Kanon Tani (Yotsuha Miyamizu voice) , Masaki Terasoma (Toshiki Miyamizu voice) , Sayaka Ohara (Futaha Miyamizu voice)

Runtime
106 minutes
Main Genre
Animation

Streaming

20 Tokyo Revengers Follows Takemichi as He Travels Back In Time To Save His Loved Ones

Takemichi Hanagaki Use Time Travel To Change The Past, In Hopes of Fixing The Future

Tokyo Revengers provides a familiar "do over" time travel plot, filtered through a bunch of classic delinquent tropes. The lead is Takemichi Hanagaki, a man leading a life full of regrets until he gains the ability to go back in time. Eager to save his childhood girlfriend, Takemichi's actions send him down a dangerous road of trying to give everyone a better future.

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Tokyo Revengers is a series that will appeal to a certain brand of anime fan. Though the sci-fi elements are always prevalent, the true focus is on all the delinquents in Takemichi's life, and whether Takemichi can truly change as a person. With a deep, emotional story, a strong cast of characters, and tons of thrilling fight scenes, Tokyo Revengers joins together the action of classic shonen and the otherworldliness of sci-fi for a series like no other.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (18)

Tokyo Revengers

Hanagaki Takemichi lives an unsatisfying life right up until his death. Waking up 12 years in the past, he reckons with the eventual fate of his friends and tries to prevent an unfortunate future.

Release Date
April 11, 2021

Rating

Seasons
3

Studio

Creator

Main Cast

19 Iroduku: The World In Colors' Hitomi Tsukishiro Seeks Help From The Past

Hitomi Tsukishiro Travels Back In Time To Find a Way To Bring Colors Back Into Her Life

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (19)

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Iroduku: The World in Colors offers fans a bittersweet time travel romance series. In the year 2078, Hitomi Tsukishiro is a young witch who lost the ability to see colors after her mother abandoned her. Out of a desire to help her, Hitomi's grandmother Kohaku sends Hitomi back to the distant past of 2018. Though Hitomi has no idea what to do there, the people she meets in the Magic Photography Arts Club show her a different type of magic, as they restore the color to her life.

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Fans of time travel and slice of life will find Iroduku an easy weekend binge. As ever with P.A. Works, fans can expect a visual showcase, as the studio outdoes themselves with Iroduku's gorgeous and lush color palette. However, watching Hitomi learn how to reconnect with people is also a delight, even if the ending is obvious from the jump.

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18 Re:Zero -Starting Life In Another World- Sees Subaru Stuck In a Time Loop Of Life and Death

Subaru Natsuki Is Tormented By His Return By Death Ability, Which Brings Him Back In Time After Every Death He Suffers

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (21)

At the start of Re:Zero, protagonist Subaru Natsuki thinks he's going to have it easy when he awakens in an alternate world. He's expecting pretty women, and awesome special powers to navigate this new fantasy environment. However, what he discovers is he has one ability: when he dies, time rewinds back to an earlier point. What follows is Subaru figuring out a way through this new world, while dealing with the pain of his Return By Death ability. As he battles the despair of his new reality, he tries his best to use his power for good and help those around him.

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Re:Zero is perfect for people who love time loop storylines. Over the course of the series, Re:Zero gradually turns into a puzzle, where Subaru is challenged to come up with the best possible option not just for himself, but the people around him. It's easily one of White Fox's best series, and time travel fans who don't mind a gritty fantasy world would do well with this one.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (22)

Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World

TV-14

Isekai

Adventure

Drama

After being suddenly transported to another world, Subaru Natsuki and his new female partner are brutally murdered. However, Subaru awakens to a familiar scene, meeting the same girl again. The day begins to mysteriously repeat itself.

Release Date
April 4, 2016
Main Genre
Anime

Seasons
2

Studio
White Fox

Creator
Tappei Nagatsuki

Main Cast
Yûsuke Kobayashi, Rie Takahashi, Sean Chiplock, and Kayli Mills

17 Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song Stars an AI Songstress Fighting To Save The Future

Vivy Is an AI Singer Whose Fate Changes When She Travels To The Future

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (23)

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song is like if Terminator 2's main hero was the T-800. One hundred years in the future, AI evolves enough to strike out at mankind, wiping out most of the population. The last chance is an advanced AI, Matsumoto, going back one hundred years with the knowledge of the future, to try and prevent the war between humanity and AI. In the past, Matsumoto relies on Vivy, the original sentient AI, to help him protect humanity.

Vivy is one of the best sci-fi series in recent memory. Following a captivating lead protagonist, viewers gradually see the development of human history, wondering whether the war with AI is inevitable or if the future can be changed. Wit Studio's beautiful animation makes every episode a treat, and the short runtime means people can get through the show in a single weekend if they like.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (24)
Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song

TV-14

In Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, Vivy, an AI tasked with singing to make people happy, is approached by a mysterious program asking for her help in destroying AI.

Release Date
April 3, 2021

Cast
Atsumi Tanezaki , Jun Fukuyama , Tarusuke Shingaki , Hiroki Maeda , Sayaka Ohara , Akinori Egoshi , Asuna Tomari , Yumi Uchiyama , Jun'ichi Yanagita , Rie Kawamura , Yuka Nukui , Takehito Koyasu , Masayuki Katou , Yoko Hikasa , Rina Hidaka , Yuki Ishikari , Soshiro Hori , Hayato Kimura , Miyu Tomita , Ayaka Asai , Shôgo Sakata , Eizo Tsuda
Main Genre
Animation

Studio

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16 Link Click's Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang Jump Through Time Using Photographs

Link Click Is One of The Most Popular Modern Time Travel Series

With Link Click, LAN Studio brings fans an awesome new time travel anime. In the series, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang operate a business they call "Time Photo Studio". An innocuous name, but with their powers they're able to travel back in time by looking at photographs. While living in these snapshots through time, the two try to fulfill their client's requests, while also trying not to alter the past too much.

Link Click is one of the hottest new sci-fi anime, and its on pace to become a modern classic. The series offers an expertly crafted mystery that demands binging thanks to its awesome cliffhangers. LAN Studio's excellent animation also makes this anime quite the looker, which stands out that much more when Link Click goes into its superbly choreographed fight scenes. For fans of thrilling time travel stories, there's no reason not to check this series out.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (25)
Link Click

TV-14

Anime

Drama

Supernatural

Using superpowers to enter their clientele's photos one by one, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang take their work seriously at "Time Photo Studio," a small photography shop set in the backdrop of a modern metropolis.

Release Date
April 30, 2021

Cast
Toshiyuki Toyonaga , Takahiro Sakurai , Aoi Koga

Studio
LAN Studio

15 Occult Academy Follows Time Travelers on a Mission To Save Earth

Maya and Fumiaki Are Sent By In Time To Put a Stop To an Alien Invasion

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (26)

Directed by Tomokiho Ito, Occult Academy adeptly blends magical girls and time travel, weaving these two seemingly unrelated concepts into a seamless tapestry. The show revolves around a pre-apocalyptic scenario in which the heroes have to travel back in time to save the world.

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Set in the year 2012, the world of Occult Academy has been ravaged by alien invaders. As mankind is on the brink of extinction, time travelers are sent back to 1999 and tasked with destroying an artifact named the Nostradamus Key, in hopes that this will stop the invasion from ever happening. Assuring humanity's survival requires the combined powers and battle expertise of a Traveler named Fumiaki and Maya, the headmaster of the Occult Academy. A unique mixture of sci-fi, mystery, and supernatural, Occult Academy is a fascinating approach to the classic time travel premise and is sure to appeal to fans of postapocalyptic stories.

14 Orange Follows Naho as She Tries To Change The Past

Naho Takamiya and Her Friends Are Sent Letter From Their Futures Selves

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (27)

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Orange is a dramatic romance series that takes a very different approach to time travel. There aren't any battles against evil or earth-shaking disasters. On the contrary, the protagonist begins her character arc as a high school student traversing her way through life. This particular time travel incident starts when Naho Takamiya receives a letter allegedly written by her older self.

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While reluctant to believe it at first, enough things happen for Naho to eventually accept the truth. As a result, she begins taking the advice offered by her older self, including watching out for a transfer student who vanishes in the future. Thus begins Naho's emotional journey as she and her group of friends slowly change reality and alter the past, ultimately saving the life of Kakeru Naruse in the process. One of anime's most unique time travel stories, Orange is an emotional and heartfelt story of friendship, love, and overcoming grief.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (29)

Orange

TV-PG

High school student Naho Takamiya receives a letter from her future self that warns her to avoid mistakes she will make involving a new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse, a troubled boy whom she meets and begins to fall in love with.

Release Date
July 4, 2016

Cast
Jeannie Tirado , Kana Hanazawa , Seiichiro Yamashita , Micah Solusod , Makoto Furukawa
Main Genre
Drama

Studio
Telecom Animation Film
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

13 Zipang Follows Modern Soldiers as They Travel Back To WWII Japan

Commander Kadomatsu and His Crew Inadvertantly Alter History After They Travel Back To WWII Era Japan

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (30)

Plenty of books and movies have taken modern-day soldiers and equipment into the past. For example, the naval drama The Final Countdown placed a U.S. carrier group into the Pacific a day before Pearl Harbor. Much like the 1980 film, Zipang also places 21st-century warriors into World War II, but not where they can serve as saviors.

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Instead, they land in Japan in the early 1940s, which is a radically different place. With their accumulated knowledge, they figure out how their country's forces can defeat the Allies. However, they're painfully aware of what the Showa era was like in Japan, which is why they desperately attempt to stay away from anything resembling warfare. A remarkable re-telling of WWII Japan, Zipang follows Commander Kadomatsu and his crew as they set off an unstoppable chain of events that alter history as they know it.

12 Buddy Complex Is The Story of an Unlikely Hero Sent To The Future

Aoba Watase Is Thrown Into a Future Torn Apart By War

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (31)

Buddy Complex is technically part of the Gundam family. And yet, it has a completely different vibe to it than the rest of the franchise. Instead of a fight for the freedom of the present, the hero determines if he wants to get himself involved in a future battle between mecha forces. The story is simple and much shorter than most Gundam series, but it's nonetheless engaging, with a well-executed time travel premise that fans are sure to enjoy.

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Buddy Complex begins when protagonist Aoba Watase is almost killed by a giant robot. Although he's saved from this gruesome fate, Aoba is simultaneously sent 70 years into the future. In this time, the world is ravaged by war, and Aoba quickly finds himself caught in the crossfire. He spends most of the story camping in that specific timeline, as his rescuers want him to learn all about the Gundams, allegedly to prevent his imminent death.

11 Summer Storm! Stars a Young Couple With The Ability To Jump Through Time Together

The Connection Between Hajime Yasaka and Arashi Allows Them To Travel Back In Time

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (32)

Plots about characters being immortal or younger than their visual representations have been around since Oscar Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray. In Summer Storm!, this unique narrative notion is revised into a teenage romantic comedy. Here, a young adolescent named Hajime Yasaka meets a beautiful and charming girl named Sayoko Arashiyama. As they continue to develop a bond, Yasaka discovers that Sayoko is no ordinary girl.

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Why she may appear average on the surface, Sayoko is actually the ghost of a girl who passed during the WWII era. After sensing a connection between them, Sayoko uses Yasaka to travel through time, where the two work together to save victims of the war. An underrated gem of the 2000s, Summer Storm! is probably one of the most unique time travel series out there.

10 Steins;Gate Is One of Anime's Most Beloved Time Travel Stories

Rintarou Okabe Discovers a Way To Alter Time With His "Phone Microwave" Invention

Though there have been many amazing time travel stories throughout anime history, few can compare to Steins;Gate. One of the most popular time travel anime out there, this thrilling psychological series is considered one of the best modern depictions of time travel to date. Steins;Gate stars Rintarou Okabe, an eccentric genius scientist who discovers a way to travel back in time using a bizarre device he has named the "Phone Microwave". Using this gadget, Rintarou is able to send messages to the past that alter the future.

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Though a groundbreaking discovery, Rintarou soon finds that messing with the past has dire consequences. Thus, the series follows him on a harrowing journey as he desperately tries to fix his mistakes. Ultimately, he creates a thread of alternate realities in the process.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (34)

Steins;Gate (2011)

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Drama

Sci-Fi

After discovering time travel, a university student and his colleagues must use their knowledge of it to stop an evil organization and their diabolical plans.

Release Date
April 6, 2011

Cast
J. Michael Tatum , Trina Nishimura , Ashly Burch , Tyson Rinehart , Cherami Leigh , Jessica Cavanagh , Lindsay Seidel , Jad Saxton , Christopher Sabat

Main Genre
Sci-Fi

Seasons
1

Studio
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll , Hulu

9 Noein: To Your Other Self Uses Real-Life Science and Quantum Theory To Tell Its Story

Haruka Kaminogi Discovers She Is The Key To Space and Time

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (35)

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With its complex storyline based on real-life science theories, Noein: To Your Other Self could also be titled Quantum Physics 101. This mind-boggling series features a universe divided between two factions, the Shangri-La who want to destroy the time-space continuum, and the Lacryma who refuse to let that happen. However, the key to saving everyone turns out to be the Dragon Torque, who is actually the protagonist, Haruka Kaminogi.

The writers rely on modern quantum theory as the almost-mystical motor of the story. Combined with elements of sci-fi and fantasy, this lesser-known time travel anime is easily one of the most unique works within the genre. Noein: To Your Other Self is a great mix of various themes and subgenres because it manages to combine really chill slice-of-life episodes with epic space battles and even magical girls, all without breaking a single string theory along the way.

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8 Sagrada Reset Stars a Strange Girl With a Unique Power

New Friends Kei and Misora Use Their Special Abilities To Help Others

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (36)

Do not be fooled by Sagrada Reset's slice-of-life exterior, as this anime is basically camouflage for an X-Men level backstory chock-full of philosophical dialogues. In this series, protagonist Kei Asai lives in Sakurada, a strange town where all its inhabitants possess otherworldly abilities. Kei's ability gives him an eidetic memory, which means he remembers practically everything. Meanwhile, his new friend Misora has the power to reset time up to three days in the past. Together, Kei and Misora combine their gifts to help others and make life in Sakurada better for everyone.

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While they both join the Service Club to help people, the end of the first episode turns the slice-of-life premise on its head. Viewers soon realize that there are other powers moving the pieces of this small village, and it's up to these young heroes to unravel the mystery. A thrilling story of a supernatural conspiracy, Sagrada Reset is a must-watch for time travel and mystery fans alike.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (37)

Sagrada Reset (2017)

TV-14:

Science Fiction

Slice of Life

Romance

Mystery

Set in the seaside town of Sakurada, where everyone possesses unique abilities, Kei Asai encounters Misora Haruki, a girl who can "reset" anything around her up to three days prior. However, she loses her own memories of the reset period. Kei, with his photographic memory, assists Misora in using her power to help others in town, forming a service club. As they solve various mysteries and challenges, Kei develops feelings for Misora, while questioning the ethics and consequences of altering the past.

Release Date
April 5, 2017
Main Genre
Anime

Seasons
1

Studio
David Production

Creator
Yutaka Kono

Main Characters
Kei Asai: A stoic boy with a photographic memory, assisting Misora with her ability.Misora Haruki: A girl with the power to reset time, but loses memories during the reset period.Sumire Kudo: A mysterious girl with knowledge of the town's secrets and Misora's past.Tsumugi Katsura: A delinquent with the ability to control shadows.Yuri Asai: Kei's older sister, possessing superhuman strength.

Number of Episodes
24

Network
TV Tokyo

7 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Introduces an Alternate World Where Haruhi Doesn't Exist

Kyon Suddenly Wakes Up In an Alternate Reality Where Everything Is Different and Haruhi Is Gone

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (38)

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The Haruhi Suzumiya franchise is well-known for its bizarre plots that feature many mind-bending and often confusing situations, from alternate dimensions to frustrating time loops. As such, it's no surprise that The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya carries on this trend. In the film, protagonist Kyon wakes to find himself in an alternate version of his reality, where everyone and everything has changed. Most notably, titular heroine Haruhi is nowhere to be found.

Thus, as the only one aware of this reality shift, Kyon must make choice. Either he accepts this new reality and lives a normal life, or he travels through time and space to restore things to the way they once were. Considered by many to be the best storyline in the entire franchise, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is hailed as one of the best time travel concepts in anime.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (39)

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

NR

Drama

A week before Christmas, Kyon wakes up in a world where the SOS Brigade doesn't exist. Mikuru and Yuki don't recognize him, and Haruhi and Itsuki seem to have vanished.

Director
Tatsuya Ishihara , Yasuhiro Takemoto

Release Date
May 21, 2010

Studio
Kyoto Animation

Cast
Aya Hirano , Tomokazu Sugita , Minori Chihara , Yûko Gotô , Daisuke Ono , Wendee Lee , Crispin Freeman , Michelle Ruff , Stephanie Sheh

Runtime
162 minutes
Main Genre
Anime

Where to watch
Crunchyroll

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6 Future Diary Combines Classic Battle Royale With Time Travel Elements

Yukiteru Amano Finds Himself Caught Up In a Death Game Where Candidates Receive Messages From Their Future Selves

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (40)

In the iconic series Future Diary, protagonist Yukiteru Amano gets dragged into a battle to the death where the victor becomes a God. His main weapon is a special cellphone that receives messages and tips from his future self. This allows him to foresee what will happen, albeit to a limited degree. However, all the other combatants also have similar cell phones, further adding to the challenge.

Related

Future Diary focuses on a group of 12 individuals fighting to the bitter end to become the god of Space and Time.

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Future Diary has a tournament format where every episode features a serious duel between Yukiteru and the other candidates. Further, the mechanics of time travel are extremely well-developed in this series, particularly the unstable timeline/parallel worlds concept. Combined with the classic battle royale concept, Future Diary stands out as one of the more unique time travel series in anime.

The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (42)
Future Diary

TV-MA

Action

Drama

A young man competes with people around the world for a chance to become the succesor of God, with a diary that is able to tell the future.

Release Date
October 10, 2011

Cast
Brina Palencia , Emily Neves , Jessie James Grelle
Main Genre
Anime

Seasons
1 + 1 OVA

Studio
Asread

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The 25 Best Time Travel Anime (2024)

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