15 Best Time Travel Anime: Anime can pick out any genre in the history of existence and provide the best version of it. The industry is loaded with unthinkable stories and major plot twists that will keep you up at night. One of such genres is Time Travel which is consistently used in the new decade. Mangakas love offering a bit of fresh air by handing out their MCs the power to control time. What really differs this style of stories from the rest is the reason behind the one-motive mission. The passion that overtakes the main lead. It drives him crazy to such a point that he wishes to never return until the task is completed. So, here we list the best Time Travel Anime to have ever come across.
Gunsbuster
15 Best Time Travel Anime: Gunsbuster is a short anime series of only six episodes. However, a prequel follows it next. The plot of the show bases on leap through space and time traveling. It contains highly intelligent theories and in-depth research of the time travel aspects. It is a mecha anime forwarding towards humanity’s biggest battle. The main character Noriko, however, receives much backlash. Plus, the series ending did not satisfy the fans either. Irrespective of the 6th episode, Gunsbuster is a must-watch for the fans of this genre. Many fans are still waiting for a renewal of the 1988 anime series. It is notable that the series came out way before Interstellar and provides a well-detailed time travel scenes and a heartfelt story.
Punch Line
Next up is none other than MAPPA’s Punch Line. The show is a comedy with a rather silly plotline. It is much different than the serious tones that the time travel series usually have. So, the main protagonist’s soul has left his body, and now he travels through time as a spirit. His mission is to save his friends and mankind from a meteor that can destroy Earth. And for this, he has to avoid looking at female panties. The 2015 anime series only has one season and remains to be a fan favorite.
The Tatami Galaxy
Another time travel masterpiece is The Tatami Galaxy. The plot has a gripping storyline and involves the viewers with the troubles of the main character. Shimogamo Shrine is a third-year college student who gets to live his college days over and over again. However, this is all for love and to achieve happiness with that one person. However, after continuous failure, he locks himself in his tatami room. The show has a different style of animation which landed them an award at the Japan Media Arts Festival, in December 2010. The one-season series concludes with a lesson to remember.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Another classic in this list is the very popular movie, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. The film revolves around Makoto Konno, who accidentally gets the power to manipulate time. The 17-year-old then uses this ability as her advantage. This leads to problems not just in others’ lives but in Makoto’s too. The story has a bittersweet ending and successfully brings tears to the watcher’s eyes. However, just like most time travel anime, it also does not end with a cliffhanger. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a must-watch for many reasons.
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Natsu No Arashi
The fan-favorite, Natsu No Arashi, or A Summer Storm, came out in April 2009. It has a total of 13 episodes. The plot revolves around Yasaka, who meets a girl at a store. Now, this is no ordinary girl as she has secrets from the past. The past roots back to World War II. Soon, Yasaka finds a 60-year-old picture of the mysterious girl where she looks exactly like her present self. Now, is it a ghost from the past? Watching the short anime will reveal it all. The plot is extremely engaging and depicts a fresh story to the viewers.
Mirai Nikki
Best Time Travel Anime: Mirai Nikki or Future Diary says it all with its title. The show begins with the MC having a habit of talking to his made-up imaginary being, Dues Ex Machina. However, one day they turn out to be God of Space and Time. Yukiteru finds himself to be a participant in a survival game. With much luck, Yukiteru’s classmate is indefinitely in love with him and saves him from every fatal attack from other contestants. However, only one can survive this game. Hence, it’s either the MC or his crazy lover. The show consists of characters getting texts from their future self.
Re: Zero
Re: Zero is another time travel anime on this list. The series focuses on Natsuki Subaru, who is an isekai MC. Hence, he is summoned to another world. Now, the protagonist has the ability to travel in time after death. This power also contains one issue. Natsuki only remembers the events of that particular timeline. This leads to him experiencing a series of unfortunate events ahead him. Re: Zero came out in 2016 and was a hit among anime fans irrespective of the genre.
Charlotte
This might come as a spoiler; however, Charlotte is a character who can time travel. Charlotte depicts a story of four students that gain supernatural abilities after the passing of a comet. They are not all the same as comet affects other humans too. The said humans acquire many abilities, and time travel is one of them. This very ability comes into use for a major arc in the series. All in all, Charlotte is a must-watch for its extremely appealing story.
Inuyasha
Best Time Travel Anime: Inuyasha is another old hit on this list. The show ran from October 2000 to September 2004. It deals with a teenage girl traveling back in time to Japan. This is where she meets with Inuyasha, the half-demon and half dog legend. She then joins his journey to get the Shikon Jewels. He desires the powerful jewels to become a full demon. The story remains to be loved worldwide. Despite releasing for decades before, the series has fans from the new age too.
Tokyo Revengers
A super hit series of 2021, Tokyo Revengers’ key base is time travel. Hanagaki Takemichi is a lowlife with no specific job. The series takes a major turn of events when he tries to kill himself and ends up in the past. He later vows to take revenge on the killers of his childhood girlfriend. Takemichi’s mission is to eradicate the existence of the Tokyo Manji Gang. He joins hands with other characters and tries to form a gang of his own. The series is an exciting watch by the creator, Ken Wakui.
Erased
Best Time Travel Anime: Erased is undeniably one of the best mentions on this list. Satoru Fujinuma is a 29-year-old pizza guy with a strange power to travel back in time. He calls this ability “Revival.” Satoru knew a girl with a red coat in his childhood who disappeared out of nowhere. The cops arrested a man; however, the killings did not cease. His one such victim is Satoru’s mother. The MC then travels back in time in the year, where he can save his mother and his friends. The ending of this anime series is not well received. However, this does not stop the craze over the show.
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Orange
The time travel genre seems to have a lot of short series in its stock. Another 13-episode anime series is Orange. The series is incredibly picturized and contains one of the best endings. It revolves around a high school romance where the main character, Naho Takayama, receives letters from her future self. In the letters, Takayama mentions a transfer student, Kakeru. Without leaking a spoiler, it is certain that Takayama will not see Kakeru after the end of High School. The series is a heart-wrenching watch but delivers a beautiful ending. In search of a time travel story, Orange is one of the best picks.
Steins; Gate
Best Time Travel Anime: One of the most recommended time travel anime on this list is Steins; Gate. The series is an incredible story of time travel and the consequences of its misuse. The main lead, Rintaro Okabe, with the help of other laboratory members, makes up D-mails where they can text to their past self that can change the events of the future. However, this leads to the death of a beloved character in the series. Okabe then leads on to a mission where he tries to save his friend. The ending will blow the mind of the watchers. It delivers an incredible story. Be it the fans of time travel or not, Steins; Gate deserves to be on everyone’s watch list.
Your Name
Now, this one was the easiest pick for this list. Your Name covers not entirely time traveling, however, a part of it. Two individuals contain a magical bond that results in them waking up in each other’s bodies every morning. Later, the main character goes on a search of his counterpart only to find out that she comes from a time in the past. However, this is not the biggest twist of the movie. Your Name came out in August 2016, but its impact will stay for an eternity.
Attack On Titan
This might be the biggest spoiler for all the anime-only watchers. However, Attack on Titan contains time travel. Now, this does not mean that characters can travel back and forth from past to future. But the MC can manipulate his past and future selves, which helps him shape a reality he desires. This might be the craziest detail Hajime Isayama has coming up for the fans. The show is a dark fantasy that delivers a heart-clenching story.
With this, we conclude the list of Top 15 Time Travel Anime. However, did we miss any of your favorite picks? Let us know by commenting down below. Hence, for more such listicles, keep coming back to The Anime Daily.
