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Top 20 Best Time Travel Anime Series & Movies

Here’s a question: what’s your favorite time travel anime? Are there even enough good titles in this sci-fi subgenre?

It isn’t filled to the brim each season unlike with the case of isekai titles, but it’s not impossible to find some great ones.

If you’re in the mood for some mind-boggling twists and turns (or even minor time travel elements in an otherwise typical anime) check out my list below.

And fair warning: spoilers ahead(in some cases). Some titles here have time travel itself as a key turning point or surprise in the series, so if you don’t want to know any more just skim the titles and pick one that interests you!

20. Nobunaga Concerto

I’m going to start with Nobunaga Concerto, an anime that does have time travel — but is also more of an isekai.

This is why I’m including it on my list but, but not the highest for sure. So what’s it all about?

As you may have already guessed, it involves Oda Nobunaga . Arguably one of the most popular Japanese historical figures.

He was a brutal leader, but he was also brilliant and a key figure in the reunification of Japan.

But Nobunaga isn’t the OP. In Nobunaga Concerto, he meets Saburou who mysteriously time travels from the 21st century and looks like him.

Saburou was just an ordinary high school kid, but now he must replace Nobunaga, who wishes to relax in his final years.

19. Natsu-iro no Sunadokei (Sandglass of Summer Colors)

This is an old anime. Like, really old.

But while its character design, animation, and overall quality haven’t stood the test of time, it is a worthwhile show that involves more time travel than Nobunaga Concerto.

Sandglass of Summer Colors is an adaptation of a video game, a visual novel (VN) from Princess Soft that was released way back in 2002.

Also, it only has two episodes; it’s an OVA. Still, it’s an intriguing show.

Yes it once again involves a teenage boy, this time named Kotaro Makimura.

But here, the time travel comes in the form of Kotaro waking up to the next school year, and then going back and forth to specific days of his summer vacation.

Through this he learns some very crazy news about his girlfriend Kaho Serizawa. It gets deep.

18. Buddy Complex

In 2014, Sunrise released an action-heavy mecha title that surprisingly wasn’t another entry to their sprawling Gundam franchise.

It’s called Buddy Complex, and it does enough to distinguish itself from other similar titles with its appealing trio, plot, and solid execution.

Buddy Complex starts with the main hero Aoba Watase nearly getting killed in the hands of a massive robot from the future.

Hina Yumihara saves him, and also takes him 70 years into the future for him to learn all about the fighting robots and possibly prevent his demise.

Can he go back to his actual timeline? Or is he stuck in this future of warring military forces?

17. Doraemon

Yes, Doraemon is indeed a time-travel anime — and quite a good one at that.

Some argue that the time travel aspect is a mere gimmick here. But I honestly love what the anime has done with it.

The story isn’t about a dystopian future and someone who wants to save it by going back to the past.

No, it’s about Sewashi Nobi from the 22nd century sending a cat robot to improve the life of his grandfather Nobita Nobi — and that’s wonderful.

With 1,700 episodes, Doraemon has proven that this subgenre can be wholesome for kids.

Likewise, who doesn’t want a four-dimensional pouch that can bring out all sorts of gadgets of different sizes?

16. Punch Line

Punch Line was MAPPA’s third original anime after Garo: The Animation and Zankyou no Terror, the latter being one of my all-time favorites.

No, Punch Line wasn’t a modern classic in my eyes at all.

It didn’t have the serious or ambitious tone of those previous shows.

However, Punch Line was a creative risk that needs commending — and even a reappraisal from anime fans.

It’s silly but fully aware of it.

How silly? It involves spirits, nose bleeding, panty shots.

Also, the OP has to avoid looking at panties as he travels through time as a spirit. Otherwise a meteor immediately kills all life on Earth. So that’s fun.

15. InuYasha

I’ve got another entry here from Sunrise Studio.

InuYasha was one of the biggest shounen titles before series like Naruto, Bleach, and Fairy Tail took over — and it does have time travel.

Kagome Higurashi goes back hundreds of years to feudal Japan. The difference is instead of meeting a general, he meets a white-haired guy who also has dog ears.

Also, both Kagome and Inuyasha can travel between modern Japan and feudal Japan with relative ease.

And I suggest InuYasha just because it’s one of the best shounen series of all time. Time travel or not.

14. Irozuku Sekai no Ashita kara (Iroduku: The World in Colors)

I have a soft spot for original anime. It takes a lot of guts to push through with a story you don’t know will work out.

It doesn’t have a built-in fan base unlike with adaptations of manga, LNs, and video games.

But Iroduku: The World in Colors was more than just an original anime.

It was a visually imaginative and wonderfully animated series, and it was clear that P.A. Works didn’t just do this half-heartedly.

Think of it as a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and school drama.

A grandmother sends her emotionally distant granddaughter 60 years back to the past, but she doesn’t say why.

And now that she’s back to 2018(present when released) the young girl named Hitomi Tsukishiro learns all about self-discovery and human connection. Go see it.

13. Charlotte

Look, I get it — Angel Beats was a great anime series.

That was a show that managed to make me love all the students in just 13 episodes.

Plus, I’m confident that most viewers won’t ever forget the ending.

Since then, people have been clamoring for something like it from Jun Maeda.

Well Charlotte came into the fray, but it wasn’t exactly as good as Angel Beats or Clannad.

Still, Charlotte certainly has its moments as a school drama with time travel (among other powers).

Also this is an anime original, and I think the best moments outweigh the pacing and plot issues by the end.

I don’t blame you if you haven’t heard of Zipang.

Despite being released two full years later than Naruto, Zipang somehow sports a more old-school design.

Then again, it’s a fitting choice given the military and historical setting.

Simply put, it’s about a Japanese missile destroyer (a navy warship) called Mirai that gets itself into a storm, but it was no ordinary storm.

Once Mirai gets away from the storm, its crew realizes that they’ve all time-traveled to 1942 — back to the Second World War.

Exciting, right?

Here’s the more interesting part: They must try their best not to change history. But can the crew keep themselves in the background when people are dying left and right?

11. Natsu no Arashi (Summer Storm!)

Interestingly enough, I didn’t catch this until last year — a full decade since its release.

But hey, this is an excellent example of “better late than never” because this is a fine mix of time travel and comedy.

Natsu no Arashi is about, again, a male teenager who meets a beautiful girl.

But Sayoko Arashiyama is far from an ordinary teenager.

She may not even be a teenager as Hajime Yasaka finds a photo of her in her 60s.

What’s going on? And why does Sayoko still look young?

Check out Natsu no Arashi. It’s made by Shaft so expect some visual delights.

10. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)

We’re getting closer to the highest ranking so let’s be really careful now. I did warn about spoilers, so be prepared.

When They Cry deceives its audience by portraying itself as another generic anime with a guy OP and a bunch of cute girls.

Only for it to actually be a murder mystery with a time loop to boot.

Also, it may even be the only horror and time travel anime out there.

One minute you’re seeing kids playing together, all smiles. The next, they’re splattered with blood and having edgy expressions.

Admittedly I hate what happened to the anime adaptation here (although the movie Orange: Future was way better in terms of animation quality and consistency).

I read the manga, and it had moments that could’ve catapulted the anime as a classic.

But the anime did not meet or exceed expectations.

Orange was just above average. But still good enough to warrant a spot here.

If you think the anime was good and made you cry and laugh, consider the gorgeous and much more emotional manga too.

8. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World)

I think Re:Zero is a fine isekai and time travel anime.

It could’ve been like any typical isekai after all the hype for Sword Art Online. But it etched its own place in history.

Re:Zero makes you think that it’s just another guy getting transported to a fantasy world. But the time loop aspect elevates the series to new heights of dread and sheer desperation for Subaru.

It’s not just an escape to a better world with waifu material like Emilia and Rem, it’s overall a really engaging show. And I’m definitely excited for season 2 .

7. Kimi no Na wa. (Your Name.)

Yup, this is big spoiler territory.

I sure hope that you’ve already watched the critically acclaimed movie, which also broke records around the world — or that you’ve read the novel of the same name.

Because time travel is what made audiences gasp in the middle of the movie. Kimi no Na wa is seemingly just about two people living in different regions… but what viewers didn’t know was that they also lived in different periods.

I still remember the shock everyone had in the cinemas (because I saw this twice in theaters).

There is nothing quite like the audiovisual spectacle of a Makoto Shinkai film on the big screen. And the ending is so rewarding if you’ve watched Five Centimeters Per Second.

6. Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (The Tatami Galaxy)

Masaaki Yuasa needs no introduction after Devilman Crybaby garnered rave reviews from fans and critics all over the world, in part because it was available on Netflix.

But even before that, I was a huge fan of Yuasa’s directorial prowess.

He’s a man with impeccable skill, ensuring that both substance and style are way above the competition.

The Tatami Galaxy features rapid conversations (so you have to read fast if you prefer subtitles like me) and there’s so much going on when this is all about a young man’s life (and love life).

Watch him go through some sort of Groundhog Day, but in a much more artistic, magical manner.

It’s a rewarding experience across space and time (and tatami), I promise you that.

5. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

At this point, I’m not sure which of my top picks have time travel as one of its biggest turning points.

This one has a certain episode in the latter half that completely turns it from an impressive series to arguably one of the best anime of all time.

You may not agree that it’s a “deconstruction” of the magical girl genre . But it’s clear evidence that Gen Urobuchi could change the game if he had the right team.

Also, this original anime looks breathtaking.

It’s dark, it’s exciting, it’s inspirational.

Shaft had a classic in their hands and they didn’t waste the opportunity.

4. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

As one of Kyoto Animation’s first big hits, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya took the relatively small 2006 global anime community by storm.

It was hilarious, had a stellar set of characters, had a viral opening song, and had episodes that didn’t line up chronologically.

And yet the order of events didn’t ruin the story at all.

The nonlinear structure enabled a new way of looking at the character dynamics. And it made rewatches (in the chronological order) more rewarding.

Once you’ve watched the series (and bless you if you’ve seen the Endless Eight arc) go ahead and enjoy The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya .

3. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)

Like Masaaki Yuasa and Makoto Shinkai, Mamoru Hosoda is one of the best anime directors today.

And he’s done many more amazing films besides this one: Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and The Boy and the Beast, just to name a few.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time works as well as it does because of how it didn’t just use time travel as a gimmick.

It thought of how to shape the character and the story as a whole, creating tension and developing emotional impact in the latter half.

Plus I think many of us can relate to Makoto Shonno. Spending the last year of high school knowing that life is about to change, and yet you’re unsure of your own future.

It’s thrilling, hilarious, and has a heart at its core.

2. Boku dake ga Inai Machi (ERASED)

Am I making a controversial choice by putting this so high on my list?

Not really.

Sure, not everyone was a fan of the adaptation. And I admit that the suspense thriller aspect to it was a bit heavy-handed.

But like with how I feel about Zankyou no Terror, ERASED has highs that are so high, they easily make up for the lows.

It’s an imperfect masterpiece in my eyes.

The first episode was a 10/10 with how it easily grabbed my attention by the end with the change in aspect ratio, signifying the drastic change in time… it’s really interesting.

ERASED has a killer OP from none other than Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and I still think that the birthday scene of Kayo is one of the most heart-wrenching yet simultaneously heartwarming moments in anime.

Also, (big spoiler ahead) I dislike that some fans think the show was bad just because the guy didn’t end up with the girl he saved(and attempted to save again and again) in the past.

Look, you don’t just get to marry someone because you saved their life. You save someone because it’s the right thing to do, not because you expect something in return.

1. Steins;Gate

Is there even any other anime that could be at the No. 1 spot?

It’s the first show that comes to mind if you ask most anime fans what the best time travel anime is. And for good reason.

Furthermore, Steins;Gate isn’t just lauded as the top time travel series ever.

It’s also in the running as possible the best anime in general, usually in competition with FMA: Brotherhood.

Steins;Gate is both an outstanding gateway show to anime and one that becomes rewarding once you’ve consumed a ton of anime.

Some claim that it’s overrated, but one thing’s for sure: It set the standard for what a time travel anime could achieve in terms of sheer brilliance and entertainment.

Millennial introvert on the lookout for slice-of-life anime, world cinema, and European music. Follow on Twitter @notspencer08

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The 11 Best Time Travel Anime of All Time

The incredible Mamoru Hosoda’s latest film Mirai hits select theaters this week , and its story about a magical garden that functions as a gateway for time travel got me excited to revisit some of my favorite anime time travel stories. With so many options out there, it’s easy to find yourself entangled—quantumly or otherwise—in a whole realm of titles. So on today’s episode of The Dan Cave , we’re gonna tachyon a few options for you with a rundown of the best time travel anime you need to put in your eyeballs.[brightcove video_id=”5972309587001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=“rJs2ZD8xâ€]

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Image: Madhouse

If you could you go back in time and fix minor mistakes in your life, would you do it? As much as I’d like to think I have self control, I would be screwing up the time stream more than a barrel of butterfly poison in a heartbeat. And that’s exactly what Makoto Konno does in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time . And like so many Ashton Kutchers before her, Makoto discovers that altering her actions can lead to terrible consequences, especially for those around her. What follows is Makoto using a limited number of leaps through time to try and fix what she managed to break before time itself is irreparably broken. As for me, I’d probably run out of leaps on some trivial nonsense like changing what appetizer I ordered the other night to something tastier. How was I supposed to know the calamari was a bad choice?!

Steins;Gate

Image: Funimation

Let’s be honest, if I didn’t include this, it would open up a rift in space and time as we know it because Steins;Gate is one of the best time travel anime in every reality. It’s he story of a self-styled mad scientist, Rintaro Okabe, who invents weird gadgets in the “Future Gadget Laboratory,” which is really just an apartment he shares with his pals: the ditzy Mayuri and the horned up hacker Daru. Together they create the most ambitious crossover since Catdog : the Phone Microwave. Except this doesn’t just let you nuke Hot Pockets through the power of emoji; it lets you send text messages back in time. What follows is a tangled web of love, lies, and murders most foul as they begin altering the flow of time as we know it. Mostly it’s a case study in why you should be extra careful the next time you send someone a regrettable late-night text. These things are literally called D-Mails. I mean, come on.

Mirai Nikki

Do you ever have conversations with yourself? I spend what scientists call “an uncomfortable amount of time†talking to myself in the car every day. But that’s just my overactive brain. When high school student Yukiteru Amano talks to his imaginary friends, Deus Ex Machina and Murmur, they turn out to be the god of space and time and a servant of the gods, respectively. Yukiteru is gifted a diary from this deity that is filled with entries about brutal, bloody battles that take place in the future. They describe a horrific battle royale between Yukiteru and 11 other people who possess these mysterious diaries. Fortunately for Yukiteru, his classmate Yuno has sworn to protect him, and murders basically everyone who tries to come for him. Unfortunately for Yukiteru, she is also madly in love with him and may have some ulterior motives. All of this just makes me deeply grateful that I deleted my LiveJournal before it could plunge me into a competitive slaughterfest.

Thermae Romae

Image: Discotek Media

Not every time travel anime has to be about preventing the apocalypse. Sometimes they’re about being a fish out of water enjoying new experiences. And that’s exactly what happens in Thermae Romae , the story of a Lucius, an ancient Roman architect who designed bathhouses that is suddenly transported to modern-day Japan where—surprise, surprise—he has the time of his life at Japanese bathhouses. And much like luxuriating in steaming hot water, it’ll leave you feeling nice and toasty inside.

Occult Academy

Image: A-1 Pictures

In the year 2012, aliens invaded planet Earth. Faced with certain destruction, mankind sent time travelers back to the year 1999 in order to prevent the coming apocalypse by destroying an artifact known as the Nostradamus Key, which triggers the eventual alien invasion. It’s up to Maya, the headmaster of the titular spooky high school, and a time traveler named Fumiaki to hunt down the key, and wind up fighting everything from demons to mothmen to chupacabras along the way. So in other words, this is the true story of Bizarre States .

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Image: Aniplex of America

Fighting evil by moonlight, horrifying everyone who watches it by daylight, never running from a real fight, this absolutely isn’t sailor moon. Madoka is an incredible, subversive take on the magical girl genre and while it isn’t a time travel anime per se, time travel does factor into the plot in a way that will genuinely surprise you and leave you reeling long after the credits roll. That is, of course, if you haven’t already been thrown for approximately 45,000 other loops by this frequently surprising and surprisingly freaky series.

Image:  Crunchyroll

What would you do if you got a letter from yourself in the mail? I’d probably try real hard to remember if this was some sixth grade project and when I realized it wasn’t, I’d probably start freaking out. When it happens to high schooler Naho Takamiya, she is skeptical until enough corroborating events happen to prove that it’s from her 26-year-old self in the future. The note is full of tips on how to correct small mistakes in her own life, but more importantly it contains a warning about a transfer student named Kakeru. Be careful around him, it urges, as he is not around in the future. From that cryptic warning springs a heartfelt, humorous and highly enjoyable shoujo romance that wins points for style if not for originality.

Image: Geneon Entertainment

One of my favorite books when I was younger was William R. Forstchen’s The Lost Regiment , which tells the story of a Union Army regiment from the Civil War getting transported to an alien world. Zipang checks off many of the same alt-history boxes with its tale of a platoon of modern-day Japanese soldiers who suddenly find themselves transported back in time to World War II. With their knowledge of world history and their advanced military strategy, they could feasibly win the war for Japan. But the Japan of World War II is much different than the one they left behind. And despite their intentions not to get involved or alter history, things go to hell in a handbasket faster than I can eat my body weight in takoyaki, which in case you don’t know is uncomfortably quick.

Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World

Subaru Natsuki is having a terrible, horrible, no-good very bad day. After leaving the convenience store, he finds himself ripped from the world he knew and transported into a fantasy land. He befriends a half-elf girl named Satella…only to get murdered by a bunch of goons. When Subaru wakes up, he isn’t in some sweet hereafter; rather, he is living the same day over and over again. Can he use his knowledge of history to avoid getting killed, or is he doomed to be the world’s saddest and meatiest GIF of all time? You’ll just have to watch to find out.

Nobunaga Concerto

Image: Fuji TV

The best history teachers really know how to make the past come alive. Unfortunately for Saburou, his teacher sucked and he had no interest in Japanese history. Which is unfortunate because before he knew it, Saburou found himself transported back in time to the Sengoku Era , dropped at the feet of none other than Oda Nobunaga, the legendary legendary Japanese daimyo who attempted to unify Japan during the late sixteenth century. Even weirder? The two look almost identical. And before he knew it, Saburou was no longer a high school student, but the stand-in for one of Japan’s most high-profile military figures. The rest, as they say, is history. Specifically historical fiction.

Some people possess incredible abilities. Usain Bolt can run faster than anyone on Earth, Kyle Hill can climb like a spider monkey, Kid Rock can smell a pig from a mile away. And in Erased , manga artist Satoru Fujinuma can travel back in time moments before something horrible is about to happen to him so he can try and prevent it. When his mother is suddenly and brutally murdered, Satoru finds himself transported back in time all the way back to 1988, when he was in elementary school. This time, he has a chance to prevent a very different tragedy: the abduction and murder of one of his classmates, Kayo Hinazuki. And when it’s done, you’ll find yourself wishing you could travel back to a time before you’d seen it so you can watch it all over again for the very first time.And those are some of the best time travel anime of all time! But tell me—which is your favorite? What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

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Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about  Star Wars  and  the Avengers . Follow him on Twitter ( @DanCasey ).

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Top 15 Best Time Travel Anime [2024]

By: Author Amar Hussain

Posted on Last updated: January 2, 2024

When it comes to time travel, time paradoxes, and timelines, anime shows either do it right or wrong, and all of these series below do it perfectly, some are even considered masterpieces!

Getting the sci-fi clique and fresh coat of paint, all of these shows and movies make time travel refreshing all over again.

Quick Links

15. Occult Academy

13. sagrada reset, 12. iroduku: the world in colors, 10. remake our life, 9. charlotte, 8. blast of tempest, 7. the girl who leapt through time, 6. tokyo revengers, 5. re:zero –starting life in another world–, 3. rascal does not dream of a dreaming girl, 2. link click, 1. steins;gate, best time travel anime.

17-year-old Maya Kumashiro, and student at Waldstein Academy, crosses paths with Fumiaki Uchida, a time traveler. According to Fumiaki, in 2012, aliens have invaded the earth!

To save the planet, he, along with other time travelers, is going back in time to 1999 to destroy an artifact called the Nostradamus Key , prophesized to cause an apocalypse.

Living in 1999 with her own plans and ambitions for the future that won’t exist, Maya teams up with Fumiaki to help find the Nostradamus Key!

Being an only child, 4-year-old Kun Oota has always been spoiled rotten by his parents.

But when his baby sister Mirai is born, all his parent’s love and attention shift only to Mirai—and he hates it! Kun hates his new sister Mirai!

To adjust to the changes in his life, a girl who claims to be the future Mirai takes Kun on a journey through their family’s past, present, and future .

In this travel through their family, Kun learns why he comes from and the big brother he should become for Mirai.

16-year-old Kei Asai was born and lived in the small town of Sakurada. Not an ordinary town, however, as everyone born, there has superpowers!

With photographic memory ability, Kei forms work together with his friend Misora Haruki, who has the power to reset time!

The two form the Service Club at school in order the use their abilities to help the townspeople.

Kei and Misora might have got more than they bargained for when they got involved with the Administration Bureau, manipulating the town to their own means.

In 2078, despite being from a family of witches, 17-year-old Hitomi Tsukishiro can’t use magic and, after losing her mother, loses her ability to see the joy and colors of the world.

To bring happiness, love, and color back into her granddaughter’s life, Kohaku sends Hitomi back in time 60 years.

In 2018, Kohaku was also 17-years-old going to school with her group of friends and meet her future granddaughter!

So can Kohaku and her friends return the colors to Hitomi’s life, or will she forever be trapped in her new bleak world?

16-year-old Naho Takamiya’s first day back at high school starts off on a weird note: she gets a letter addressed to her from her future self!

10 years in the future, Naho writes about her regrets with her new classmate Kakeru Naruse and asks her past self to be friends with him .

At first, Naho thinks she’s going crazy, but then when Kakeru Naruse transfers to her school on the very same day, Naho has no choice but to accept that the letter is real!

Along with her friends, Naho invites Kakeru into her circle of friends. Naho is worried for Kakeru, however, because, in the future, he’s not alive anymore…

At 28, Kyouya Hashiba hates his life. After losing his chance to get his dream job in the video game industry, he is currently unemployed and living with his parents.

Meanwhile, he is surrounded by people his age who are successful makes him regret never going to art school.

Kyouya wishes he could go back in time to rewrite all his regrets and mistakes. But life doesn’t work that way…or does it? Suddenly, Kyouya wakes up one day to find that he is inexplicably 10 years in the past! Cool!

With a second chance in his hand, Kyouya enrolls at the Oonaka University of Art and pursues the dreams he missed out on in his first run. But will Kyouya be able to change his life for the better, or is everything inevitable?

On the outside, 15-year-old Yuu Otosaka is a charming and smart student, but it’s all an act. He is really a narcissistic and manipulative guy who can fully fully anyone’s body for five seconds.

He uses his ability to cheat on his tests and look like a hero in front of girls.

It turns out, Yuu isn’t the only one with unexplained superpowers. Yuu gets caught by a girl named Nao Tomori, who can be invisible to any person she chooses. Blackmailing Yuu with his cheating away, Nao forces Yuu to transfer to her school, Hoshinoumi Academy.

Here, Nao makes Yuu help her and her comrades track down other supernatural kids abusing their powers .

Yuu reluctantly agrees, and soon, things get much more complicated than it seems, especially when one of their targets has the power to travel back in time!

18-year-old Yoshino Takigawa has kept a big secret from his best friend Mahiro Fuwa: he’s been dating his younger sister Aika. This all comes to an end when Aika is murdered!

Mahiro disappears in search of her killers, and Yoshino tries to moves on with his life. A chance to going back to a normal life ends when a mysterious girl points a gun at Yoshino’s head!

At the last second, he is saved by Mahiro, who tells Yoshino that he has hired Hakaze Kusaribe, a witch, to help him find Aika’s murderer. Hakaze has no at state—the whole world! If her brother finds the “Tree of Exodus,” he can use it to end the world!

Now Yoshino is caught up in trying to save the world and learn the truth of why Aika had to die .

Although 17-year-old Makoto Konno is facing her last year of high school, she has no clue what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

Being pressured by her teachers, Makoto pushes her problems aside and spends her life relaxing with her best friends.

Makoto’s life gets a bit more complicated when she accidentally learns that she has the ability to “time-leap”: the power to leap through time!

At first, Makoto has fun with her new powers but quickly learns the consequences of her choices and trying to untangle all the damage she’s done.

Takemichi Hanagaki peaked after middle school. He had a group of loyal friends and a girlfriend named Hinata Tachibana.

But, 12-years-later, Takemichi is a nobody: working a dead-end job and being made fun of by kids and his younger boss.

Everything gets worse when Takemichi learns that the Tokyo Manji Gang murdered his ex-girlfriend Hinata and her brother.

Unfortunately, Takemichi is also about to meet his end on train tracks.

It’s on the verge of death that Takemichi unlocks the ability to travel through time! Hoping to prevent Hinata’s death, Takemichi uses his powers again to go back in time to face the Tokyo Manji Gang!

One moment, 18-year-old NEET Subaru Natsuki is standing in a convenience store, the next moment, he’s standing in a fantasy world!

He is excited to start his new life in a fantasy world…he quickly gets beat up by a bunch of thugs.

However, Subaru is saved by a half-elf girl named Satella, who he immediately falls in love with…then, he and Satella are both assassinated.

However, Subaru finds himself back where he first started and realizes that he goes back in time every time he dies .

Retaining this knowledge, Subaru meets Satella all over again, and again, and again.

As a kid, Satoru Fujinuma will never forget the faceless killer who murders three kids, including two of his classmates.

Now, Satoru is a 29-year-old manga artist, and the killer has struck again, killing someone precious to him.

Satoru gets falsely accused when he gets suddenly through 18 years into the past.

Finally, at the age of 11 again, Satoru realizes that he can discover the killer’s identity and stop the murders of his classmates!

Sakuta Azusagawa and Mai Sakurajima are a new couple, and things already get complicated when Sakuta’s first crush Shouko Makinohara re-enters his life.

This makes Mai beyond jealous, but Sakuta is confused as to why Shouko is suddenly a grown adult.

Then Shouko is back to when she was in middle school and suffering from her grave illness. What’s worse, the old scar on Sakuta’s chest is worsening whenever Shouko is around him.

Despite going through a rough patch with Mai, Sakuta knows that Shouko needs his help, but what will he lose if he continues to uncover her mystery?

In a small photography shop called Time Photo Studio, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang can use their superpowers to enter their customer’s photos .

Cheng can control a person’s words and actions inside a photo while Lu can see 12 hours into the future from when a photo is taken.

Each job has its sets of challenges and dangers, but Cheng and Lu are determined to complete are of their jobs!

18-year-old “mad scientist” Rintaro “Okarin” Okabe lives in an old building in Akihabara where he hopes to invent “future gadgets” with his childhood friend and part-time café maid Mayuri Shiina and hacker Hashida “Daru” Itaru.

Their current project: the Phone Microwave. Function: turning bananas into green goop.

When science prodigy Makise Kurisu steps into their “lab,” she helps them out with their Phone Microwave, resulting in the weird trio creating a time machine!

With the beginning to change the past, present, and future, only Okabe is the only that can remember all of the timelines and the consequences of messing with time .

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10 best anime about time travel.

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There are many anime that use time travel as a narrative device. With characters traveling to the past, sending messages into parallel universes, and reliving each day in a loop, these anime explore myriad ways of interacting with and manipulating time.

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While time travel may seem like an overused trope in anime, there are a number of series and movies that have managed to use it effectively. These engrossing stories put a unique spin on time travel without sacrificing good writing, storytelling, and character development.

The Tatami Galaxy Takes A Page From Groundhog Day

Based on a novel by Tomihiko Morimi,  The Tatami Galaxy  is about an unnamed protagonist who reminisces on his life as an upperclassman at a Kyoto university. The story harkens to the classic film  Groundhog Day ,   as the protagonist relives his student years over and over again as a member of different clubs in search of the perfect college experience.

With every new club, the narrator becomes more disillusioned, as each one leaves him more and more disappointed until he decides to give up completely and stay inside his tiny tatami room. The anime combines a unique visual style with a plot that is a thoughtful contemplation on the importance of living in the moment and the dangers of waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Zipang Is A Historical Time Travel Epic

Zipang is a historical war anime based on the manga by Kaiji Kawaguchi. The series is about the crew of the JDS  Mirai , the most advanced destroyer in Japan's fleet. One day, the Mirai gets caught in a strange storm, and upon leaving the anomaly the crew finds they have been transported back o June 1942, right at the start of the Battle of Midway.

Unlike most time travel anime, which involve the protagonists trying to change the past or alter the future, the crew in  Zipang  deliberately try to avoid altering history. Despite their best attempts, the crew of the Mirai ends up getting dragged into the conflict, and the story follows them as they try to resist the totalitarian and militaristic propaganda of the war.

Re: Zero - Starting Life In Another World Is An Isekai Time Travel Story

Adapted from Tappei Nagatsuki's light novel,  Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World  tells the story of Subaru Natsuki, a socially awkward young man who is suddenly transported to a new world. Upon arriving, he promptly dies and discovers that he can rewind time to a point where he can change the outcome of events for himself and others.

Throughout Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World , Subaru dies over and over to save his friends and must live with the loneliness that comes when no one remembers his heroics. The series is a thoughtful introspection into the downside of altering the past that features beautiful worldbuilding and compelling characters.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Is A Unique Magical Girl Anime

Described by some as a deconstruction of the magical girl anime,  Puella Magi Madoka Magica  follows a group of middle school girls led by Madoka Kaname who make magical contracts to battle evil witches. However, the girls soon realize that the role of a magical girl is not all it's cracked up to be.

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Puella Magi Madoka Magica  features complex themes, characters, and narratives including a storyline where one of the magical girls relives each month in an attempt to save Madoka from a grisly fate. The series is emotional and unpredictable, as it explores concepts that most magical girl anime never come close to touching.

Erased Is A Time Traveling Murder Mystery

Based on the manga by Kei Sanbe, Erased  follows Satoru Fujinuma, a young man who possesses the power to rewind time back moments before a life-threatening incident. When Satoru's mother is murdered, he rewinds time back eighteen years and gets the chance to not only save his mother but also some of his childhood friends.

Erased  manages to elements of both time travel and a murder mystery into a compelling narrative. From episode one, the anime pulls in audiences with its beautiful animation, excellent pacing, and deep themes including loneliness, abuse, and courage in the face of fear.

Inuyasha Is A Timeless Classic

Considered by fans to be one of the greatest anime of all time,  Inuyasha  tells the story of Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old girl from modern Tokyo who is suddenly transported back to the Sengoku period of Japan. It's there she meets Inuyasha, a half-dog, half-human demon and joins him on his journey to recover the shards of the magical Shikon Jewel.

Although it's been over 20 years since it was released,  Inuyasha's iconic storytelling and captivating characters continue to delight both new and old fans. As Kagome and Inuyasha travel back and forth between the past and present, fans are transported on a journey across time and Japan in an epic fantasy adventure of good versus evil.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Is A Charming Slice-Of-Life Story

Released in 2006,  The Girl Who Leapt Through Time  is a sci-fi romantic film that serves as a loose sequel to Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel of the same name. The story follows Makoto Konno, a teenager who learns she has the power to travel through time, as she attempts to use her powers to make her life and the lives of others better.

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At first, Makoto uses her power frivolously to get better grades and avoid uncomfortable situations, but upon discovering that she has a limited number of time leaps, she is forced to make some difficult decisions with her power.  The Girl Who Leapt Through Time  is a charming story that packs a lot of heart and features both excellent animation and voice acting.

Your Name Is A Charming Romantic Fantasy

Directed by Makoto Shinkai,  Your Name  follows a young girl from Itomori named Mitsuha Miyamizu who suddenly begins to intermittently switch bodies with a boy in Tokyo named Taki Tachibana. Over the course of the film, the two discover that they are separated by space and time and work together to try to save the residents of Itomori from being destroyed by a comet.

Your Name  earned favorable reviews from both audiences and critics, with viewers particularly impressed by the film's animation, music, and emotional impact. Mitsuha and Taki's desperate attempts to maintain their memories of each other while they struggle to change the past make for a charming romantic thriller that leaves audiences glued to the edge of their seats.

Orange Tackles Serious Subjects

An adaptation of Ichigo Takano's acclaimed manga,  Orange  follows Naho Takamiya, a young girl who receives a letter written by herself ten years in the future. Together with her friends, Naho attempts to use the information passed on by her future self to prevent the new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse, from taking his own life.

Orange's  plot about sending messages to parallel universes to prevent tragedy   allows it to explore the concept of loss in a unique and compelling way. Fans praise the series for its honest depictions of depression along with its realistic and relatable characters.

Steins;Gate Is A Time Travel Masterpiece

Based on the science-fiction visual novel game by 5pb. and Nitroplus,  Steins;Gate follows Rintaro Okabe, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" who runs a science laboratory with his friends. When the friends discover that the cell phone-operated microwave oven they invented can send text messages to the past they start down a path that forces them into a conflict with a powerful organization called SERN that is intent on seizing the technology for itself.

Steins;Gate  is a thrilling sci-fi anime adventure full of surprising twists that keep audiences guessing from start to finish. Fans praise its character development and compelling plot, as the series leverages the power and mystery of time travel to its fullest potential to create a unique and intricate narrative.

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Our collection of lists ranking anime of every genre.

Top 10 Time Travel Anime [Updated Best Recommendations]

Time is a construct that no single human being can escape. We’re born, we grow old and we die. However, that won’t stop us from imagining ourselves in positions where we can freely manipulate our influence on history by manipulating time itself. A trope that has seen itself in virtually all storytelling media and features in some of the most influential anime, we’ve decided to drop a list of some of our favourite time travel anime, featuring characters who are able to change the course of history. In many cases, it isn’t as simple as changing a single event, creating some of the most compelling stories. Without wasting anymore time, we present to you Top 10 Time Travel Anime. Please be aware that this is an updated list and the other lists can be found below.

10. Oda Nobuna no Yabou (The Ambition of Oda Nobuna)

• Episodes: 12
• Aired: July 2012 – September 2012

17-year-old Sagara Yoshiharu finds himself travelling back in time to Japan’s Sengoku Era, finding out that all the famous Samurai lords who populate the history books in the modern era are cute girls. He meets Oda Nobuna, Oda Nobunaga’s female counterpart, who then recruits him to be her substitute for her aide, Kinoshita Tokichiro, who was killed by a rival clan. Using his knowledge of history and some of the technological advantages of the modern era, Sagara assists Nobuna in her very well-documented mission to unify Japan under her banner.

Without giving much away as to why he’s there, Oda Nobuna no Yabou follows Sagara into the reaches of the past, retelling a pivotal story in the history of Japan, with a few twists, of course. Being the history nerd that he is, Sagara takes to the Sengoku Era like a fish to water, or more like the protagonist of some sort of role-playing game. Steadfast in his duties so as to avoid changing the tides of history, Sagara assists Nobuna in her quest to take all of Japan.

• Episodes: ???
• Aired: July 2018 - ???

Located far away from Japan’s mainland is the island of Urashima, a place where its inhabitants live carefree lives. However, 5 years prior to the events of the series, the three great families of the island fell into disrepute and it severed all connection to the Japanese archipelago, leading to its slow and steady decline. The only individuals capable of saving the island are the daughters of the three great families; however, they remain conflicted. Things become interesting with the sudden appearance of a man claiming to be a time-traveller; one capable of changing Urashima’s fate.

Combining the time-travel plot device with an amnesia trope brings you Island, a somewhat politically-inclined permutation of the tried and tested time travel concept. The mysterious time-travelling stranger is Sanzenkai Setsuna, a man who washes ashore one day with no idea of who he is; however, his upbeat persona and one memory remain: he is a time-traveller tasked with saving the island of Urashima from an unsavoury end. But how will he do it with missing memories?

• Episodes: 13
• Aired: July 2016 – September 2016

Takamiya Naho begins her first day as a sophomore in high school in a not-so-great fashion as she wakes up late. Dashing to school, she arrives at her desk, finding a strange letter addressed to her. The letter comes from none other than herself, 10 years in the future. Highly sceptical of the letter and its contents, Naho’s attitude changes when it accurately describes several events which happen that day, particularly the arrival of transfer student Naruse Kakeru. Future Naho expresses several regrets in her letter, hoping that her younger self can do better with a heads-up of what is to come, expressing vehemently the need to keep an eye on Kakeru. Using the letter as a guide, Naho uneasily navigates the territory her future-self failed to the first time around.

Quite the emotional rollercoaster, Orange brings a refreshing element to the time-travel trope, making use of messages from the future as a means of altering the past, rather than the characters themselves time-leaping. The series brings together romantic elements in addition to some heart-wrenching moments which we are all too aware of when it comes to shows of this nature.

7. Break Ups

• Episodes: 1 (movie)
• Aired: 2009

The short film follows the trials and tribulations of a young couple who are consistently in an on and off relationship with each other. One day, the two stumble upon a time machine which consequently takes them to various points in history, visiting particular junctures in their relationship. The slice of life animation is technically a Korean production and the animation style is evidently different from the general feel of anime.

Break Ups are unusual in the time-travelling trope given the fact that the characters happen upon the object which allows them to go back in time and the machine itself really only takes them back to certain parts of their lives together as a couple. Available on Crunchyroll, the short film is an interesting change of pace within the time travel trope and contrary to its short runtime, it leaves a lasting impression.

6. Doraemon (2005)

• Aired: April 2005 - ???

As a result of his haplessness, Nobi Nobita’s descendants as far off as in the 22nd century find themselves in a state of poverty. In order to raise the Nobi family’s social status, their time-travelling robotic cat servant, Doraemon, takes it upon himself to go back in time to Nobita’s youth and undo the damage that plunges the family into poverty. However, Doraemon is quite dysfunctional himself and while he makes the child Nobita’s life infinitely more exciting, it still remains to be seen if he can truly do what he set out to do in his mission to the past.

Doraemon’s influence is widespread and many are familiar with the blue time-travelling cat. In fact, he is quite celebrated as an anime character and even features as one of the ambassadors of the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, alongside Shounen legend, Son Goku. The anime itself first aired in the 1970s and was rebooted in 2005, running ever since. Unfortunately for the older series, it was poorly preserved, never released other than on television and nearly all the 1973 series’ footage was destroyed. Nonetheless, we can still enjoy Nobita’s adventures with his robotic feline friend.

5. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi)

• Episodes: 14
• Aired: April 2006 – July 2006

Meet Kyon, a regular high school student who has no belief in any supernatural phenomena and would rather just live a normal life. He attends the same school as the highly eccentric and energetic Suzumiya Haruhi, a girl who is committed to breaking out of a dreary high school life by finding anything unusual: from aliens to ESPers, Haruhi and the new club she’s formed, the SOS Brigade, will find them all! Unfortunately for Kyon, Haruhi has taken an interest in him too, forcing him to join the club alongside the soft-spoken Asahina Mikuru, the stoic Nagato Yuuki and the somewhat popular Koizumi. To his surprise, all three of these club members are abnormal – a time-traveler, an ESPer and a cyborg have all taken up the role of guardian of Suzumiya, whom they have identified as the unknowing god of this realm. In order to avoid any calamities due to Haruhi’s emotions, the club members of the SOS Brigade humour her in any and all of her wacky activities in an attempt to maintain the current order of the world.

While not an out-and-out time-travelling anime, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi is an anime which garnered much attention for its application of the time-travel trope. The infamous Endless Eight arc of the series’ second season is eight episodes which were more or less the exact same thing animated over and over due to the series’ main characters being caught in an infinite time loop which repeated itself over 15000 times until Kyon found a way out. The arc is still talked about to this day by fans of the series. Aside from the aggravating time-loop which gave Haruhi much attention, the series features Asahina Mikuru, its very own time-traveller whose older self appears to Kyon at some point during the series.

4. Sakurada Reset

• Episodes: 24
• Aired: April 2017 – September 2017

Asai Kei is a high schooler who lives in the seaside city of Sakurada, where the inhabitants are born with special abilities. One day on the school rooftop, he meets Haruki Misora, a stoic girl with the ability to reset everything around her up to three days prior. Her ability renders everyone completely oblivious to the reset, including herself. However, Kei has his photographic memory and, choosing to join their powers, Kei and Misora decide to join their school’s Service Club in order to help people in their town. However, their club is soon employed by the Administration Bureau, an organisation fixated on managing the abilities of the town’s inhabitants for their own desires. Kei and Misora may soon find out that there is more to what happens in Sakurada than meets the eye.

Sakurada Reset sets a limiter on the time travel trope it employs and to that end, there is a great potential for a lot of difficulty that the protagonists much endure in order to do the good that they desire to do. The series is incredibly interesting and the application of supernatural abilities central to the events of the series creates quite the worthy explanation for the manipulation of time which forms such an integral part of the series.

3. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World)

• Episodes: 26
• Aired: April 2016 – September 2016

One night, high school shut-in Natsuki Subaru decides to head over to the nearby convenience store in order to buy a few things, but when he steps out, he finds himself in the market district of a town in an alternate world. Modelled on the fantasy worlds he’s familiar with in the games that he plays, Subaru quickly takes to the hero role he believes he is there to fulfil, but not much longer after his arrival, he is attacked by bandits and subsequently killed. To his surprise, Subaru finds himself back in that same market and he’s attacked by the same bandits, but this time around, he is saved by a white-haired beauty named Satella. Satella is travelling in search of the thief who stole her family insignia, and out of gratitude for her help, Subaru decides to join her in her search. When they finally find the individual responsible, Subaru and Satella are both brutally murdered. Subaru awakens to the same sight: the same market, the same bandits attack him again and yet again Satella comes to his aid as history inexplicably repeats itself.

Re:Zero came in a year filled with stories of time travel; however, this particular rollercoaster came with plot-twists and emotions galore! Subaru’s Return By Death very closely mimicked the checkpoint save model which many games employ and in that capacity, his deaths often heralded a return to an earlier point in time. Subaru had no control whatsoever over which point in time to which he returns and much of the anime shows a frustrated Subaru coming to grips with his own death, as well as the deaths of many others on several occasions. This quickly wears away at him and to that end, Re:Zero will torture the viewer… and Subaru, of course.

2. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)

• Aired: July 2006

Konno Makoto is a high school senior who isn’t quite coming to grips with the demands of her future. She ebbs between the pressure applied by her teachers for her to take charge of her own future, and the sunny days she spends with her friends. Makoto’s life changes when she accidentally finds out that she is capable of literally leaping through time. Her mundane life becomes complicated as Makoto quickly learns about the drawbacks of playing with time, as well as the consequences of her newfound ability.

Quite the classic as far as the time travel trope is concerned, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a seemingly unassuming narrative which quickly becomes convoluted as the days Makoto relives begin to weigh heavily on her and her own decisions begin to have dire consequences. With the power to freely navigate the ever-flowing stream of time, Makoto is put through quite a lot emotionally as her power isn’t the only thing she deals with.

1. Steins;Gate

• Aired: April 2011 – September 2011

Okabe Rintarou is a self-proclaimed mad scientist who rents out a room in a building in Akihabara, where he and his friends (whom he dubs “lab members”) create “future gadgets” as a hobby. Alongside Shiina Mayuri, his childhood friend, and perverted hacker friend Daru, Okabe spends his time messing around with their most interesting invention yet: the Phone Microwave. The device has the strange ability to turn bananas into piles of green gel. While not very promising in terms of scientific breakthroughs, strange things begin happening after the Phone Microwave’s creation and soon enough, the contraption turns out to be able to send emails into the past which alter the flow of history. Soon realising the true gravity of their creation, Okabe must navigate the various consequences that come with the manipulation of time.

With Steins;Gate: 0 freshly entering its second cour, it is of no surprise that the first anime gets a mention on this list. Intense on so many levels, Steins;Gate is an incredible story that brings together elements of comedy and suspense in a character-driven plot that will shake you to the core. With time travel as its core theme, Steins;Gate throws you into an intricately woven plot with many twists and turns and an exploration of the consequences of time travel like none other. The series is well-deserving of the top spot on this list – just don’t let CERN know that.

Final Thoughts

Like we said before, time travel is a concept which exists in all forms of storytelling and as human beings, our current helplessness against the flow of time brings us to think up incredible stories. Maybe we wish to be free of it, maybe we wish to control it – whatever the reason behind our fixation on the concept of time, the fact remains that the resulting anime can be completely engrossing. Have we forgotten to mention your favourite time travel anime? Drop a comment below and tell us about it – if you’ve got the time.

Author: Hoshi-kun

I’m South African, harbouring an obsession for anything remotely related to Japan, mostly anime, of course. I draw sometimes. Some people call me Naledi, it’s my real name, or something like that. People think I’m stoic because I don’t smile often (I do sometimes). I like languages. Hoshi-kun and Naledi are the same side of the same coin.

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Top 5 Anime by Hoshi-kun

If there’s anything people ponder about at one point or another, it’s a variation of some sort relating to time travel. Maybe it’s travelling to the ancient past to observe what life was like. Maybe it’s travelling to the more immediate past to witness historical events or observe certain people alive during that time. Maybe it’s travelling to some point in the future to see what happens to humanity. Whatever the case, it’s an idea that is very difficult to get your head around, leading to multiple ideas and theories as to what might happen if it was ever attempted.

There are multiple anime that depict these ideas. Some are more detailed in their approach to a resolution, such as exploring the idea of multi-verse theory or the consequences that result in not thinking through your actions. Others focus more on other aspects of the anime and leave time travel as just another tool in the story. Here are the top 10 examples of time travel used in anime.

10. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

• Aired: May 22, 2009 - Sep 11, 2009

Although this anime may be about a group of students having supernatural adventures due to the main character’s unique ability to warp reality, it does have a unique take on time travel, even if it’s controversial. In what’s become known as the “Endless Eight arc” in the 2nd season, this anime does succeed in demonstrating the idea of time looping, or repeating the same events over and over. In this case, most of the 2nd season has the same few weeks looped for years and years as the characters experience the same events and do the same things repeatedly with no change whatsoever. If you’re a fan of Groundhog Day in terms of witnessing a character repeat the same day over and over again as well as the “slice of life” anime tone, this is the anime for you.

9. In Search of the Lost Future

• Aired: Oct 4, 2014 - Dec 20, 2014

This anime may start off as something of a “slice of life” anime at first as we are introduced to the main cast of characters attending Uchihama Academy participating in school events and beginning to move to a new building due to increased numbers. However, a mystery slowly begins to unfold in the old building, and we eventually see the main character, Sō Akiyama, wrestle with premonitions of the future showing his friends in danger. As Sō struggles to attempt to rescues his friends, including his closest friend Kaori Sasaki, and resolve the mystery, the tension only continues to build until the final reveal. If you’re a fan of both time travel and mystery, this is certainly an anime worth checking out.

• Episodes: 25
• Aired: Apr 4, 2016 - Sep 19, 2016

This anime is a great example of the time travel theme of returning back to the same spot in order to redo something over and over. After mysteriously arriving in a strange land only to get beat up by some thugs, Subaru Natsuki meets a beautiful girl only to get killed by a mysterious darkness alongside said girl. However, Subaru suddenly awakens to the same exact scenario of confronting the same thugs and meeting Satella. Re:ZERO is a great time travel anime not only because it does not have any plot holes as a result of time travel, but also keeping the viewer engaged as Subaru gets more and more desperate in his attempts to fix his mistakes and redo everything. If you enjoyed the movie Source Code for its similar take on time travel, this is definitely worth watching.

7. Noein: To Your Other Self

• Aired: Oct 12, 2005 - Mar 29, 2006

In the near future, a struggle is taking place between 2 different dimensions: the good guys, La'cryma, and the bad guys, Shangri-La. A group, known as Dragon Calvary, is dispatched throughout space and time to search for the Dragon’s Torque, seen as the only thing that can stop the invasion from Shangri-La. One of those members, Karasu, meets his past self and his friend 15 years in the past, which appears to be a promising lead…

Noein’s time travel mechanics revolve around the idea of how different dimensions can result due to different actions that are taken. This is especially important, as the series takes a more “character driven” approach to what happens as opposed to a “plot-driven” approach. As a result, you have a beautifully crafted series that achieves what it set out to do. If you’re a fan of the time travel genre who would also like more of the quantum aspect involved, this would be the anime to check out first.

6. Charlotte

• Aired: Jul 5, 2015 to Sep 27, 2015

This anime may focus a fair amount on kids with magical powers who lose them when they become adults or overuse them, but one of the main characters, Shunsuke Otosaka, has the power to send his mind back in time to change the past, resulting in some key events unfolding. This is a unique take on travelling back in time, as most anime have the characters going back physically either through a time machine or some other unique way. To go back through the mind alone is a trend that may start to appear more and more as time goes on. If you were a fan of the time travel method used in X-Men: Days of Future Past, then this anime may be the one for you.

5. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

• Aired: Jan 7, 2011 - Apr 22, 2011

Again, another example of an anime that upon first glance you would not expect a complicated theme to be explored. Yet one of the “Magical Girls”, Homura Akemi, sets out to prevent the harm of another Magical Girl by going back in time. A big lesson regarding time travel is demonstrated here, though: sometimes the changes you set out to make are impossible to achieve, no matter how hard you try. If you’re a fan of the idea of how time travel doesn’t necessarily work out in the end as well as cuteness, Puella Magi Madoka Magica delivers in spades.

4. Dragon ball Z

• Episodes: 291
• Aired: Apr 26, 1989 - Jan 31, 1996

Yeah, this may be a shounen anime at heart, but considering you have one of its biggest arcs revolving around a time traveler from the future arriving to save Goku and his friends from androids as well as an android travelling back to the past to absorb the very androids themselves, it’s impossible to ignore this aspect. Not to mention Dragon Ball Super currently featuring one of the strongest characters in anime who can turn back time 3 minutes at will. Time travel may not be approached in this anime as the “main topic” so to speak, but if you want to watch an anime where time travel is still fun and interesting despite being a secondary focus, then look no further than DBZ.

3. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

• Episodes: 1
• Aired: July 15, 2006

This movie serves as the definitive example for what someone would probably do when realizing they can go back in time for the first time, making it that much more believable. Makoto Konno isn’t someone who has plans for going back in time. On the contrary, she tries to figure out what to do with her new ability as she goes along, only to learn the hard way what the consequences of her actions are. It is only by the sudden arrival of a character we wouldn’t expect that Makoto truly learns how to treat this new power. If you want to watch a believable experience in terms of what an average teen would do with time travel, then watch this movie.

• Aired: Jan 8, 2016 - Mar 25, 2016

The newest example of a time travel based anime, Erased focuses on Satoru Fujinuma using his special time travel ability to prevent bad things from happening to those he cares about. In this case, the focus of the time travel aspect is mainly on the mystery of how his ability suddenly jumps to going back years in the past as opposed to seconds. With the protagonist being a 29 year old male suddenly gifted with said ability as well as a new focus on the time travel element changing within the series, this anime is worth checking out if you’re curious as to a new take on the time travel genre.

• Aired: April 6, 2011 – September 14, 2011

No doubt which anime was going to be #1. Steins;Gate earns that spot for a reason: the setup of the time travel aspect, the combination of different takes on it, the different reactions of the characters to it as they slowly learn what it means, and the resolution at the end that ties back into the beginning without nay plot holes. As time passes, Steins;Gate will serve as the benchmark as to not only how to properly do a time travel related anime, but also serve as a basic framework in terms of how to properly tell a time-travel related story. If you have not seen this anime yet and are a lover of time travel, then wait no longer.

Time travel is a complicated concept to nail down. With so many aspects, possibilities, and a high likelihood of going wrong if not executed correctly, it’s a wonder why there are so many anime that choose to use it. However, if done correctly, the payoffs can be huge, as you can not only have an incredible adventure that unfolds with great characters along for the ride, you can also create a story that ultimately is fun to watch. These are the top 10 anime that best convey time travel. Are there any that are missing? Is there an anime that is ranked too high or too low? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Ian Williams

Hi, my name's Ian. I grew up in the United States, but I've traveled to and lived in many different countries, including Scotland, Japan, and New Zealand. Some of my hobbies include reading, writing, chess, running, playing video games, and watching anime. I started getting more into anime after watching Dragon Ball Z on Toonami as a kid, and have been hooked by the amazing stories and characters in anime ever since.

Top 5 Anime by Ian Williams

Have you ever wished that you could view the statue of liberty before it changed colors or watch the broadcast of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon, live? You could even go back to feudal Japan, like Kagome did in Inuyasha, and see a world full of yokai (monster) and other dangerous things. There are many different events throughout history that I would love to see, if I could travel through time. Which brings us to this list of the top 10 time traveling anime.

In this list, you will be reading about different anime that have taken the concept of time traveling in their own way. While most of the time, they will purposely travel in time, other times, they will be picked up by the hands of fate and played with.

• Aired: October 2004 – March 2005

The phrase “wrong place at the wrong time” could summarize Zipang for us. As the latest destroyer, Mirai, travels into a fierce storm that does little damage to the ship, but the storm is a rouge time vortex that sucks the Mirai and all of her crew into the past during the middle of the of the biggest war in human history, World War II. Now, it is up to Captain Umezu Saburo to get his ship and crew back to their own time, without interfering with history too much.

Time travel can be tricky and the consequences of a single mistake years ago, could change what you know about the present. Luckily, the Captain of Mirai knew this and tried to stay out of history’s events. Leaving it to be the first choice for the entrance to Time Traveling anime.

9. Arata naru Sekai: World's/Start/Load/End (World’s End)

• Episodes: OVA (30 minutes)
• Aired: October 2012

A rite of passage for most high school students is the graduation trip. Some students go off to tropical paradises while others just take a trip to the big city. Arata, Hongou, Arisa and Ichimiya take a trip to their own town. Doesn’t sound that exciting, until you see what has happened to the once pristine town after 6,000 years.

Methods of time traveling can vary from show to show. Sometimes we are not even shown the explanation behind the time traveling. These girls are shot out of their time and are put into a world that they never expected to be the future, for without humans around, the earth could take strange turns.

8. Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

• Aired: May 2009 – September 2009

A whirlwind with long hair tied up in a yellow bandana, that is the best for Haruhi Suzumiya, for her logic is far out there and even the wises person in the anime, Kyon, can’t figure out what she is doing half the time. This is an anime where the main character, Haruhi, drags her friends around to do anything that she thinks of and sometimes her imagination can run wild.

It is almost like Haruhi can conjure up anything out of her imagination, even a Time Traveler who joins her school and becomes a slave of Haruhi’s whim. Though, it’s not all bad for Mikuru Asahina as she sometimes likes the outfits that Haruhi dresses her up in.

In the second season, the mechanics of time traveling come into play with most of the season portraying the repetition of the same few weeks for almost 43 years. Bringing the possibilities of a time loop into this list. Where sometimes that loop is set up to fix something, this time it was set up for fun, even if Haruhi didn’t realize it.

7. Noein – Mou Hitori no Kimi e (Noein: To Your Other Self)

• Aired: October 2005 – March 2006

When a man in a black trench coat appears before you, you should run for you don’t know who that might be. Haruka was lucky because the man in the black cape was Karasu, the furture version of her high school friend Yu Goto. Karasu was sent back to find the Dragon Torque and to fend off the agents of Shangri-La, people from a alternative future, where Haruka was already killed for who and what she is.

The time traveling in Noein shows us that many different actions can cause different dimensions to appear. Even if the event that caused the branch to split was not that long ago, a small change could drastically alter the course of time and have major repercussions with the world around it. If Captain Saburo wished, he could have changed the outcome of World War II with his accidental time traveling. The agents from Shangri-La showed us the outcome of what a change in history could do to in our future. Which brings it to number seven of this list.

6. Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku (Now and Then, Here and There)

• Aired: October 1999 – January 2000

Now and There, Here and There is another anime that the main character finds himself in a new time, surrounded by a harsh environment and harsher people. Shuuzou Matsutani tries to find his way back to his time and go home. Getting the help from Lala-Ru, a blue haired girl, he sets out to survive, and in doing so, he helps those who have to live in the harsh future.

Now and Then, Here and There shows us another version of what the future may bring if we don’t change our actions and protect the environment. Once the world turns into that from Fallout, there is no real hope. The time traveling in Now and Then, Here and There comes from the future, where they can grab people and bring them back from the past. Almost like the teleporters in Star Trek, just temporal-porters.

5. Charlotte

• Aired: July 2015 – September 2015

Life is tough sometimes and when you have magical powers, it doesn’t really make life any easier. In Charlotte, some teenagers have gained magical powers from a mysterious source. But, they are not going to take over the world, for once they become an adult their powers fade. Though, to control a child with magical powers would make any adult powerful, so an academy was built to protect those kids with powers. The builder of Hoshinoumi Academy is a secretive man who doesn’t want to be in the memories of anyone again.

Without giving away too many spoilers, one of Charlotte’s key plot devices is a person with the power to send his mind back in time to change the past. Charlotte spends some time explaining what happens as a result of this persons’ time traveling. Hopefully, you’ll agree why this new show is up high on the list of Time Traveling anime.

4. Mirai Nikki (The Future Diary)

• Aired: October 2011 – April 2012

Imagine that you are given the power to always know what your loved one is always doing, before they do it. Now, think if your stalker had that power instead! The Future Diary centers on the idea of a powerful god, the God of Time and Space, who gives his power to different people. Those people have to fight to survive. When Yukiteru Amano starts receiving messages from his future self, he teams up with Yuno Gasai, to hopefully survive this whole game/battle together. But, Yuno’s intentions are not as honorable as they may seem.

Time traveling can be good and harmless, but The Future Diary takes the concept to a darker place with the whole “Fight to Survive” aspect, but it does give us a new take on what time traveling can be. The time traveling in The Future Diary is limited to around 10 minutes. Which leaves you open for major insolvencies if you’re in trouble stretching further back than that limit.

3. Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)

• Episodes: Movie (98 minutes)

High school is the time of a young girl’s life. Makoto is a normal high school girl who loves baseball and her normal high school life. Unfortunately for Makoto, that all changes one day when she is alone in the chemistry room. She hears something in the teachers’ area and goes to investigate. Finding a small metallic walnut. As she looks down at the walnut, something falls over behind her, scaring her, causing her to trip. She lands on the walnut and finds herself in a time vortex. Waking up on the floor of the chemistry room, she thinks nothing of it, until she wrecks her bike, flying through the air and almost getting run over by a train. But, something weird happened that caused her to relive the past few minutes of her life.

Time Travelers need to keep good track of their toys, or who knows who will pick it up and cause havoc in the time stream. Luckily for the owner of the walnut shaped T.A.R.T.I.S., Makoto didn’t abuse the power too much… or destroy the universe. Time traveling should be for the professionals.

2. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

• Aired: January 2011 – April 2011

There have been many “Magical Girl” anime and each one has its own spin on an enemy and an ally. Now, when the enemy you have to fight, is a soul stealing witch, then you must count on your little fluffy friend, Kyuubey. The only thing Kyuubey wants is the crystals from the evil witches, what could be so wrong with that? To help fight the witches, Kyuubey grants his little magical girls anything that they could wish for. One of those little magical girls received the power to travel through time.

With the power to time travel, Magical Girl Homura Akemi sets out to stop the evil of the witches from harming another Magical Girl. However, she tries so many times that she becomes cold and the changes she wishes to make are impossible to achieve. Time, just can’t be changed sometimes. That is what this anime tells us about the hazards and rules of time traveling.

What can go wrong when a self-proclaimed mad scientist tries to fix his microwave? Luckily, you get a working microwave that can still heat up your leftover meatloaf from last night. Unlucky… or maybe lucky, you also get a time traveling device that allows you to send messages back to your past self. Each text that is sent, slightly changes the past until, Rintarou Okabe, discovers how it works. Then he really messed up Akihabara, the wonderland for Otaku all around the world. Left with a broken microwave, Rintarou has to repair what he wrecked.

This is not a happy-go-lucky anime where the lead character gets rich and lives a happy life. Instead, Rintarou’s life will not be the same. Each text he sends changes the very world he lives in and not every text that is sent can change what is meant to be.

This is an anime full of laughs and heartache by bringing you into its grasp like a hurricane playing with a butterfly. It drags you into the action and breaks your heart by the time it’s done.

Steins;Gate, is said to be the prime example of what a time traveling anime should be. It is what other sci-fi anime should look to become. Of course, you have older anime that has dealt with time traveling, Inuyasha for starters. Even Dragon Ball Z has had some time traveling. But Steins;Gate is currently the top among Time Traveling anime.

Time is not something that should be messed with. Even if you can achieve miraculous things with it, the little butterflies that you could make are numerous and unpredictable. A simple action in your past, could completely change your life, and not always for the best. Anime, such as Steins;Gate and Charlotte, show what could happen if you mess with time traveling, both good and bad.

As the anime Zipang showed us, it is sometimes best to just stay out of the course of time and let the events that happened, happen. Other time traveling anime, like Inuyasha, Now and Then, Here and There and World’s End, just pretend that the events in the previous time don’t really affect the future time line.

Is there another great anime series that is based on time travel that you want to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Author: Zack Ringler

My name is Zack Ringler, just like it is written on all of my articles. I come from America, Indiana to be precise. I work for the Board of Education in Utsunomiya Japan. Heard of it? Didn’t think so. I am a teacher, writer and game designer with my first game “Moonshine Run” going on Kickstarter later this year. You can learn more about me on my facebook by looking up my name or just adding /zringler to the end of the facebook URL. Hope you like what you read, later.

Top 5 Anime by Zack Ringler

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You need to watch this nostalgic time-travel anime on Netflix ASAP

Back to school, with a major twist.

Time travel shows are always fun. They may be long-standing franchises like Doctor Who , or cult classics like Dark , but many recent offerings in the subgenre have a gritty tone to offset the absurdity of the central premise. Luckily, one series on Netflix takes a completely different approach that pays off in spades. Here's why you should give it a watch.

Erased is a 2016 anime based on the manga of the same name. It has what seems to be a very classic premise — Satoru Fujinuma is a 29-year-old manga creator and delivery boy with a secret power . At random times, he involuntarily travels back in time (usually less than five minutes) in order to save people's lives. This is established from the get-go, with Satoru saving a schoolchild from being run over by a truck driver asleep at the wheel, landing him in the hospital for two days.

Adult Satoru with his coworker Airi in the present day.

While he recovers at home with his mother, he's reminded of a childhood friend who was murdered when he was in the fifth grade. While an arrest was made, Satoru always believed they got the wrong guy . After a devastating loss, Satoru experiences another one of his time jumps — but instead of going back five minutes, he goes back 18 years.

What follows is a weird, Looper -style series of preventing crime before it can happen. In between the nostalgic moments of 11-year-olds gushing about Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy , Satoru attempts to bond with shy schoolgirl Kayo Hinozuki to keep her from suffering that terrible fate. It seems innocent, but the series deals with murder, child abuse, and other tough topics.

Kayo and Satoru's other classmates in 1988.

If you're an experienced anime fan, this is just another example of the medium lending itself well to whatever genre it molds itself to. If you're an anime beginner, this series is a perfect place to start . The plot wouldn't be out of place on an hour-long NBC crime show airing Wednesday nights in 2006. What's more, the English dub is full of excellent performances and sound design.

If you're still daunted by the anime style, don't fret. There are two different versions of Erased on Netflix, one animated, one live-action. The two differ wildly, so the best way to experience the story is to watch both and compare and contrast. While the two depictions are different both in plot and medium, it's fascinating to see how it changes the way we see a complex story like Satoru's.

Erased is now streaming on Netflix.

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The 14 Best Anime That Deals With Time Travel

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One Piece: Egghead Arc Officially Ends

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For the longest time, humans have been fascinated with time travel as the ability to travel to the past and future to observe and even influence events can be tempting. Despite that, shows about time travel can sometimes become convoluted and exposition-heavy. However, when executed well and combined with an excellent narrative and interesting world-building, these types of shows can be exceptional to watch.

RELATED: Best Supernatural Anime, Ranked

The world of anime has utilized and explored the use of time travel extensively, with entire genres revolving around being ‘spirited away’ to other realms both real and fantasy. Some of these shows, however, have become instant classics, receiving high praise from avid anime viewers.

Updated February 9, 2023, by Suzail Ahmad: Time travel is an exciting concept that has been popularized by different media through the years, and anime is no exception. Over time, many anime series have been released that utilize time travel in their stories. By releasing so many new anime, the time travel theme has been compounded. It has become more important than ever to choose anime that explores time travel in a simple and discernible manner, as is the case with the best time travel anime series.

1 Tokyo Revengers (2021)

Tokyo Revengers follows the journey of Hanagaki Takemichi , a grown man who has nothing going for him. However, Takemichi's life changes when an accident causes him to go back in time. It takes him some time to understand that he actually traveled 12 years back, but eventually he manages to figure it out.

The anime takes a different turn from the usual shonen anime by making the protagonist weaker than the rest of the characters in the series. So, fans who want to see a normal anime character trying to fix the future should definitely watch Tokyo Revengers .

2 Inuyasha (2000)

Inuyasha is a popular anime series that is based on the work of Rumiko Takahashi. Inuyasha covers the journey of Kagome Higurashi. When she falls into the well at her family shrine, Kagome finds herself in the Sengoku period. She eventually meets Inuyasha and travels with him all over Japan to regain all the pieces of a shattered jewel.

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Inuyasha is much more adventurous in comparison to the other time travel anime. It also has a good amount of action and romance, which is enough to keep viewers glued to their screens. Another great thing about the anime is the fact that it has over 100 episodes, making it a great series for fans who like long shows.

3 Doraemon (1973)

Doraemon is one of the longest-running anime series of all time. It is based on Fujiko F. Fujio's manga, which has over a thousand chapters. Doraemon is aimed at a young audience, but that hasn't stopped it from earning the plaudits of grown-ups as well.

Doraemon falls into the comedy and sci-fi genres, and at the center of the story is a robotic cat that travels back in time to help a boy named Nobita Nobi. It might not cover adult themes, but it still makes for a good watch. Viewers can watch it to calm their minds and have a good laugh.

4 Summer Time Rendering (2022)

Summer Time Rendering is a story about Shinpei Ajiro, who loses both of his parents. Instead of becoming a recluse, he grows up with Ushio and Mio. The three become very close before Shinpei Ajiro eventually leaves for Tokyo. After a few years, he returns to his hometown to attend the funeral of Ushio.

However, he refuses to believe that Ushio died normally and eventually comes to learn about his power which allows him to reset time. Summer Time Rendering adds a unique twist to the regular time travel tropes. It is a solid combination of mystery and sci-fi, which makes it a delectable choice.

5 Nobunaga Concerto (2014)

The story of a high school boy named Saburo who travels back in time to Japan’s warring states period (Sengoku Jidai) to become Oda Nobunaga and unite the land. Saburo encounters several characters from that period including the real Nobunaga, who unable to deal with the immense pressure of ruling becomes Saburo’s subordinate, Aketchi Mitsuhide.

This is interesting as the real Aketchi Mitsuhide was historically the man who assassinated Nobunaga himself. Sporting a unique art style that is reminiscent of traditional Japanese art, Nobunaga Concerto is an anime that Japanese history lovers can sink their teeth into.

6 Thermae Romae Novae (2022)

A strange entry but by no means less entertaining, Thermae Romae Novae chronicles the tale of an ancient Roman architect named Lucius Modestus who finds a secret time travel tunnel that transports him to a modern-day Japanese bathhouse. As he was previously running out of ideas, his new experiences in Japan now motivate him to restore his reputation as one of the finest Roman architects.

Absurd, strange, and entertaining, this anime is a love letter to the public bathing culture in Japan and is perfect for those who enjoy watching things about cultural appreciation . It's also a solid option for those who love time travel anime.

7 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

Mamoru Hosoda’s classic 2006 sci-fi romance movie tells the story of a high school girl Makoto who learns how to time travel and uses it to her benefit. However, with great power comes great responsibility, a rule that Makoto doesn’t adhere to which leads to some complicated and devastating outcomes.

With a plot that may appear too ‘straightforward’ to some, the movie is an engaging and thought-provoking coming-of-age drama with moments of a slice of life that audiences can relate to.

8 Zipang (2004)

Zipang is historical war anime that depicts a modern Japanese navy vessel (JDS Mirai) being time-warped back to World War 2 as the Battle of Midway is about to commence. Aware that their superior ship can alter the course of the war, the crew of the Mirai is torn between aiding the former Japanese empire and abstaining from involvement as their futures would be affected.

RELATED: Best War Anime, Ranked

Filled with mature themes, viewers will watch how the actions of the JDS Mirai and her crew unfold in this gripping war drama.

9 Your Name (2016)

Your Name tells the story of a Tokyo boy Taki and a country girl Mitsuha from different timelines who periodically swap bodies. Through this, they manage to help each other out in different aspects of their lives. However, as they deepen their bond and try to figure out the phenomenon, the swapping stops abruptly, prompting Taki to uncover the reason why.

Beautifully animated and supported by the awesome J-pop soundtrack of Radwimps, Your Name will tug on anyone’s heartstrings and make them root for the characters.

10 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006)

What happens when an unassuming high school girl is a god and can create anything she imagines or sets her mind to? Say hello to Haruhi Suzumiya, a 15-year-old girl with powers that can alter the fabric of time and space who is blissfully unaware of her abilities.

The show focuses on Haruhi and Kyon who are part of their school's SOS Brigade, an after-school club that is focused on paranormal and abnormal phenomena. The club also keeps tabs on Haruhi as her abilities could warp, alter, and destroy the world and each misadventure brings the characters and viewers closer to understanding what Haruhi is.

11 Re:Zero (2016)

Although technically part of the Isekai genre, Re:Zero focuses on Subaru Natsuki who is transported to a fantasy world. The time travel aspect comes into play every time Subaru dies. Every time he perishes, he resurrects at the last checkpoint similar to video games, prompting him to figure his way through until reaching the next checkpoint.

RELATED: The Best Isekai Anime Set In Games, Ranked

Over time, the psychological ordeal of watching his friends and himself die only to be resurrected begins to take on toll on his psyche, creating a very interesting if not disturbing fantasy narrative .

12 Erased (2016)

A psychological murder thriller with elements of time travel set in Tokyo and Hokkaido. Erased follows Saturo who experiences a phenomenon known as ‘revivals’ that sends him back in time moments before a catastrophic incident occurs to prevent it from happening.

When his mother is murdered, the event causes him to travel back in time 18 years into the past, allowing him to not only save his mother but the lives of his former classmates whose tragic ends mirror that of his mother. A gripping thriller that will glue any viewer to their seat, Erased is a must-see for anyone interested in crime thrillers and the mystery genre .

13 Future Diary (2011)

Old but gold, Future Diary is a battle royale where participants receive messages on their cell phones that predict the future. Here, middle schoolers Yukiteru and Yuno must survive against 10 other participants to determine who will become the next god of space and time, also known as Deus Ex Machina.

Twisted, brutal, and unforgiving, Future Diary explores the main dynamic between the two lead characters and the show may have one of the most sadistic and psychopathic characters in all of anime. Perfect for any fans of yandere characters .

14 Steins;Gate (2011)

Considered one of the greatest anime series out there, Steins;Gate revolves around Rintaro Okabe, a self-declared mad scientist who manages to create a time machine. Meanwhile, SERN, an organization that is also researching time travel learns of the machine and steals it, killing one of Rintaro’s friends in the process. This causes Rintaro to go back in time to prevent his friend’s death unleashing a cascade of time travel problems.

Those who have watched Steins;Gate praise the show for its intricate handling of time travel and the rules the show establishes. The show will appeal to anyone who enjoys romance, comedy, drama, and hard science fiction genres.

MORE: Awesome New Weird Sci-Fi Games To Get You Into The Genre

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10 Anime That Put A Unique Twist On Time Travel

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The genre of time travel is a vastly underexplored genre when it comes to anime. Even when the topic is explored by anime, science is almost always given up in favor of the usual anime shenanigans. Even when time travel anime are created, they often follow the same path — go to the past, fix a mistake, return to a better future.

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Understandably, while some fans enjoy watching anime that have similar plot lines, there are others who crave something different. So for those fans who are interested in watching time travel anime that have unique twists to them, they can have a peek at these fantastic anime.

10 InuYasha: School Girl Doesn't Want An Evil Demon To Wreak Havoc In Feudal Japan

Teenager Kagome Higurashi is inadvertently dragged by a demon five hundred years in the past. She is now in the Sengoku period, and ends up with a magical jewel inside her, which was the demon’s true target.

Eventually, the jewel breaks into multiple pieces. A harried and desperate Kagome enlists the help of Inuyasha , who is part human and part dog, to collect all the piece of the jewel before the demon can get them.

9 Iroduku: The World in Colors: Girl Is Sent Back In Time & Is Suddenly Able To See Colors

Hitomi Tsukishiro's grandmother makes use of a magic spell and ends up sending her back in time to 2018 when her grandmother (Kohaku) was a school-going student . Hitomi is confused at first, but her grandmother assures her she will find her purpose soon enough.

True to Kohaku’s words, Hitomi ends up in artist Yuito’s room. Seeing his paintings instantly lights a fire within her and floods her black and white life with his own colors (quite literally).

8 Meiji Tokyo Renka: Teenager Travels To The Meiji Period & Becomes A Ghost Hunter

One fine day, high schooler Ayazuki Mei finds herself opening her eyes in what appears to be the Meiji Period. The magician who transported her takes her to Rokumeikan. There she meets several notable figures of Japanese history, who explain to her the dynamics of this world.

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Turns out, Ayazuki is a Tamayori, a rare type of person who can see the Mononoke (ghosts). Together with these men, she takes up her newfound responsibility of cleaning ghosts from the Meiji Period.

7 Occult Academy: A Girl From The Past & A Boy From The Future Work Together To Stop An Alien Invasion

Aliens invade the world in 2012, taking over it completely. Time travelers are ordered to travel to 1999 to find and destroy the one key that was prophesized to bring about the destruction of humankind.

Teenager Maya (from the year 1999) is convinced by time traveler Fumiaki (from the year 2012) to help him find and destroy the key. Despite not trusting his intentions completely, Maya agrees to help him. With the help of Fumiaki’s special cell phone, the duo must quickly find the key before it’s too late.

6 Drifters: A Warrior Travels To An Alternate Timeline Where Historic Japanese Warriors Are Alive & Kicking

Toyohisa Shimazu belonged to the Japan of the 1600s, but one day after winning an important battle, he is pushed into a world unlike any he has seen before.

This land is populated with Toyohisa’s heroes, all of whom should have been dead ! To make matters worse, it seems like magic and supernatural creatures are the norm here. He is soon dragged into the war and politics of the world, and eventually, the future of that world lies in the hands of a small group of individuals known only as Drifters.

5 Sakurada Reset: Girl-Boy Duo Help People But End Up Getting Sucked In An Evil Conspiracy

Thanks to his photographic memory, Kei Asai is the only person who is immune to Misora Haruki’s ability to reset time by three days. The two decide to join their hands and form the Service Club to help people from their town.

RELATED: Steins;Gate: 10 Things You Never Knew About This Time Travel Anime

Their adventures start off innocently, but with every person they help, the duo realizes that something more sinister is going on in their quiet little ocean-side town.

4 Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon: Time Traveling Demon Girl Is Raised As Human, But Is Unable To Escape Her Past

Half-demon Towa from feudal Japan suddenly finds herself in modern-day Japan, where she is adopted by a kind man who raises her as a normal human girl . A decade down the line, her life as a human turns upside down when she finds people from her timeline knocking on her doorstep.

Among them is Setsuna, her twin sister, but for some reason, she has no memories of Towa. Thus begins Towa’s journey of restoring her sister’s lost memories.

3 Buddy Complex: School Boy Travels To The Future, Only To Be Caught In A Mecha War

One fine day, high school student Aoba Watase is attacked by a futuristic-looking mecha robot, and he is saved by a girl named Hina. She then takes him seventy years into the future in order to avoid his death.

But it’s not like the future is any better – Aoba finds himself piloting a mecha, caught in the middle of a fearsome battle happening between two sides. Who are these people, why was he inside a mecha, and what will Aoba do with his newfound life now?

2 Thermae Romae: Roman Inventor Copies Modern Japanese Inventions To Sell Them Back Home

An architect from ancient Rome, called Lucius Modestus, suddenly finds himself in modern-day Japan. The time travel machine, or rather a time hole , connects bathhouses from ancient Rome to today’s Japan.

Mesmerized and often overwhelmed by everything he sees, Lucius wastes no time taking heavy “inspiration” from everything he sees in Japan. He then goes back to his time and recreates the very things he saw in order to gain a name for himself among his people.

1 ERASED: Man Travels To His Kindergarten Body To Solve His Mother's Murder Case

Satoru Fujinuma is a 29-year-old who is capable of time skips, although he’s never been able to control them. One day, he travels years back in time in the body of his child self. Now, he’s tasked with just one job: to find out who killed his mother, so that he can finally free himself of being wrongfully accused of her death.

However, not too many doors open for children looking to solve murder mysteries, which proves to be a tough nut to crack for Satoru.

NEXT: Steins; Gate: 5 Reasons Why The Original Anime Is Better (& 5 Ways Steins;Gate 0 Improves On It)