Time travel is a very rare theme in anime. It may not seem to be the case given some of the best anime we’ve received in recent years involve time traveling, but as a whole, it is a very uncommonly explored theme in the medium. Less than 200 documented anime series, movies, and specials deal with primarily time-traveling. So with a mix of old and new, here are 8 time travel anime to watch in 2024.
1. Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World!
Japanese: Re：ゼロから始める異世界生活
Synonyms: Re: Life in a different world from zero, Re:Zero, ReZero!
Premiered: Spring 2016
Duration: 25m
Seasons: 2
MAL Score: 8.26 ( 8.23 (MyAnimeList), 80% (Anilist), 4.7 (Crunchyroll))
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Psychological, Thriller, Isekai!
Studios: White Fox!
Producers: TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Kadokawa Shoten, AT-X, Magic Capsule, Memory-Tech, Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures, White Fox, Funimation.
Description:
When Subaru Natsuki leaves the convenience store, the last thing he expects is to be wrenched from his everyday life and dropped into a fantasy world. Things aren't looking good for the bewildered teenager; however, not long after his arrival, he is attacked by some thugs. Armed with only a bag of groceries and a now useless cell phone, he is quickly beaten to a pulp. Fortunately, a mysterious beauty named Satella, in hot pursuit after the one who stole her insignia, happens upon Subaru and saves him.
In order to thank the honest and kindhearted girl, Subaru offers to help in her search, and later that night, he even finds the whereabouts of that which she seeks. But unbeknownst to them, a much darker force stalks the pair from the shadows, and just minutes after locating the insignia, Subaru and Satella are brutally murdered. However, Subaru immediately reawakens to a familiar scene—confronted by the same group of thugs, meeting Satella all over again—the enigma deepens as history inexplicably repeats itself.
2. Summer Time Rendering !
Japanese: サマータイムレンダ
Synonyms: Summer Time Rendering
Premiered: Spring 2022
Duration: 24m
Seasons: 1
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: ?
Genres: Mystery,Shounen, Supernatural.
Studios: OLM
Producers: manga, Bandai Spirits, Tokyo MX.
Description:
Since the death of his parents, Shinpei Ajiro had lived with the Kofune family and their two daughters—Mio and Ushio. Although he then left his home island to continue his education in Tokyo, Shinpei returns after Ushio tragically drowns during the attempted rescue of a little girl. During the funeral, his best friend informs him about bruises found around Ushio's neck, casting doubt over the cause of her death. Suspecting a murder has taken place, Shinpei reevaluates recent events, but strange incidents only continue to transpire.
Disappearing people and other unexplainable occurrences lead Mio to recall an old folktale referring to entities called "Shadows," which may not be entirely fantasy. Supposedly, an encounter with one's Shadow foretells the person's impending demise. Facing the dark side of Hitogashima Island, Shinpei stands against his grim fate to fulfill Ushio's final will—to protect Mio.
3. Steins;Gate
Japanese: 結晶多形のヴァレンティヌス Bittersweet Intermedio
Synonyms: Steins,Gate Zero, Steins,Gate 0 Special, Steins,Gate 0: Valentine's of Crystal Polymorphism - Bittersweet Intermedio
Premiered: Fall 2018
Duration: 23m]
Seasons: 1
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: 7.13
Genres: Comedy
Studios: White Fox
Producers: White Fox, Funimation!
Description:
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the girls of the Future Gadget Lab discover that Kagari has never celebrated the occasion before! Determined to make this year's holiday the best one yet, they all set out to make delicious homemade chocolates together. However, with many of their quirks causing kitchen disasters, this may prove to be too hard a task.
4. Link Click
Japanese: 时光代理人
Synonyms: Shi Guang Dai Li Ren, Shiguang Dailiren, click
Premiered: Summer 2021
Duration: 20m
Seasons: 2
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: 8.89
Genres: Drama,Fantasy,Super,Power
Studios: Haoliners Animation League.
Producers: Haoliners Animation League.'
Description:
In a modern metropolis there is a small store called "Time Photo Studio." Although only a few customers come to visit, it's actually run by Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, two men with special powers. They cooperate and use their super powers to enter the photos in order to fulfil the client's request. However, things always get out of their control...!
Cheng Xiaoshi by chance meets Lu Guang, a person possessing super powers, and awakens to his own special ability. In order to save the Time Photo Studio which is on the verge of closing down, the two of them start to cooperate in using their super powers to enter photos of customers to complete their commissions. However, the appearance of a mysterious killer shatters the peace, Lu Guang's condition is still unknown and Qiao Ling has also become entangled in the conspiracy. Faced with all this, how will Cheng Xiaoshi solve.
5. Tokyo Revengers
Japanese: 東京リベンジャーズ 聖夜決戦編
Synonyms: Tokyo Revengers: Seiya Kessen
Premiered: Winter 2023
Duration: 23m
Status: Finished Airing!
MAL Score: 7.72
Genres: Action,Drama,Shounen,Supernatural!
Studios: LIDENFILMS.
Producers: AT-X, Kodansha.
Description:
In spite of his best time-leaping efforts, Takemichi Hanagaki continuously fails to prevent the present-day death of Hinata Tachibana, his adolescent love. The adult Takemichi grapples with grief and the ramifications of the Tokyo Manji gang's criminal empire—an unintended product of his timeline meddling. Though the gang once operated under the idealistic Manjirou "Mikey" Sano, it has now been taken over by the malicious Tetta Kisaki and, as a result, has abandoned its original optimistic intent. Despite feeling hopeless, Takemichi travels to the past once again to investigate Black Dragon, a rival motorcycle gang whose actions ultimately lead to Hinata's demise.
There, he meets the young Hakkai Shiba, a fellow gang member whose older brother, Taiju, tyrannically rules Black Dragon. When Taiju brutally beats Takemichi in a one-sided street brawl, Hakkai attempts to withdraw from Tokyo Manji in apology—an act that Takemichi must prevent to spare Hakkai a grim future. Through a shared tragedy, Takemichi bonds with Chifuyu Matsuno, establishing a close comradery both boys desperately need. With Chifuyu on his side, Takemichi works to unravel the fates of Black Dragon's members, fighting to create a happy future for his loved ones.
6. To Every You I’ve Loved Before /
To Me, The One Who Loved You
Japanese: 僕が愛したすべての君へ
Synonyms: To All of You That I Loved
To the Only Me Who Loved You!
Premiered: Fall 2022
Type : Movie!
Duration: 1h 42m
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: ?
Genres: Romance,Sci-Fi.
Studios: Bakken Record.
Producers: Dentsu.
Description:
A world where it has been established that people routinely swing between slightly different parallel worlds... Koyomi Takasaki, who lives with his mother following his parents' divorce, enrolls in a local university prep school. Due to the atmosphere concentrated on studies and his social awkwardness, Koyomi is unable to make friends. One day, he is suddenly approached by his classmate Kazune Takigawa, who tells him that she has travelled from the 85th world where she and Koyomi are lovers.
A world where it has been established that people routinely swing between slightly different parallel worlds... Koyomi Hidaka, who lives with his father following his parents' divorce, meets a girl named Shiori Satou at the research institute where his father works. They both have a little crush on each other, but everything changes when their parents remarry. Koyomi and Shiori, convinced that they will never be together, try to jump into another world where they won't be step-siblings... There's no meaning in a world without her
7.Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Japanese: Vivy -Fluorite Eye's Song- (ヴィヴィ -フローライトアイズソング-)
Premiered: Spring 2021
Duration: 24m
Seasons: 1
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: ?
Genres: Action,Music,Sci-Fi,Thriller.
Producers: Aniplex, Wit Studio, Aniplex of America!
Description:
Nierland—an A.I complex theme park where dreams, hopes, and science intermingle. Created as the first-ever autonomous humanoid A.I, Vivy acts as an A.I cast for the establishment. To fulfill her mission of making everyone happy through songs, she continues to take the stage and perform with all her heart. However, the theme park was still lacking in popularity.
One day, an A.I named Matsumoto appears before Vivy and explains that he has travelled from 100 years into the future, with the mission to correct history with Vivy and prevent the war between A.I and humanity that is set to take place 100 years later. What sort of future will the encounter of two A.I with different missions redraw? This is the story of A.I destroying A.I. A.I diva Vivy's 100-year journey begins. (Source: MAL News).
8. Erased
Japanese: 僕だけがいない街
Synonyms: The Town Where Only I am Missing, BokuMachi!
Premiered: Winter 2016
Duration: 23m
Seasons: 1
Status: Finished Airing
MAL Score: 8.32
Genres: Mystery,Supernatural,Psychological,Seinen!
Studios: A-1 Pictures!
Producers: Aniplex, Dentsu, Kadokawa Shoten, Fuji TV, DAX Production, Kyoraku Industrial Holdings, Kansai Telecasting, Lawson, C-one, A-1 Pictures, Aniplex of America.
Description:
When tragedy is about to strike, Satoru Fujinuma finds himself sent back several minutes before the accident occurs. The detached, 29-year-old manga artist has taken advantage of this powerful yet mysterious phenomenon, which he calls "Revival," to save many lives.
However, when he is wrongfully accused of murdering someone close to him, Satoru is sent back to the past once again, but this time to 1988, 18 years in the past. Soon, he realizes that the murder may be connected to the abduction and killing of one of his classmates, the solitary and mysterious Kayo Hinazuki, that took place when he was a child.
This is his chance to make things right. Boku dake ga Inai Machi follows Satoru in his mission to uncover what truly transpired 18 years ago and prevent the death of his classmate while protecting those he cares about in the present.
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