There’s something about time travel in anime that taps into the deepest parts of our imagination the desire to change the past, fix a mistake, or peek into the future. Unlike in Western media, anime doesn’t just use time travel as a sci-fi gimmick—it weaves it into emotional, complex, and often heartbreaking stories. Whether it's a teen reliving his darkest moment or a soldier rewriting the future of humanity, time travel anime delivers both feels and thrills in equal measure.
So, if you're ready to break timelines and mess with destiny, here's a top 10 list of time travel anime that absolutely nail it. Each one is a journey through paradoxes, regrets, and second chances. Let’s dive in.
Steins;Gate
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller,
Drama
Studio: White Fox
No time travel anime list is complete without Steins;Gate. This masterpiece follows Rintarou Okabe, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" who stumbles upon a way to send messages to the past using a microwave and a phone. What begins as fun soon turns into a chaotic spiral of pain, death, and psychological trauma. Okabe’s struggle to save his friends—and the world—is filled with tension, heartache, and genius-level plot twists.
What makes Steins;Gate truly unforgettable is its slow burn buildup that leads to one of the most rewarding payoffs in anime history. It's not just time travel; it’s time war.
Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi)
Genre: Mystery, Psychological,
Drama
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Erased isn’t just a time travel anime it’s a murder mystery wrapped in raw emotion. Satoru Fujinuma has the ability to “revive” and go back a few minutes to prevent disasters. But when his mother is murdered, he’s sent back 18 years to his elementary school days.
The goal? Save a classmate from being abducted and change the future entirely.
With its quiet atmosphere and deep emotional pull, Erased explores childhood trauma, justice, and redemption like no other anime in the genre. It’s gripping, tragic, and impossible to stop watching.
Tokyo Revengers
Genre: Action, Drama, Supernatural
Studio: LIDENFILMS
Take Erased, add street gangs, and multiply the chaos—welcome to Tokyo Revengers. Takemichi Hanagaki is a washed-up adult who gets a chance to go back to his high school days and stop the tragic death of his ex-girlfriend at the hands of Tokyo’s most feared gang.
What follows is a brutal ride through gang wars, betrayals, and butterfly effects as Takemichi tries to climb his way up and change the fates of everyone around him.
This series blends emotional depth with gritty action and plenty of plot curveballs, making it one of the most addictive time travel anime in recent years.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Slice of Life
Studio: Madhouse
This beloved anime movie is a modern classic. It tells the story of Makoto Konno, a high school girl who accidentally gains the ability to literally leap through time. What starts off as fun soon turns bittersweet as she learns the consequences of even the smallest changes.
With breathtaking animation and a heartwarming yet melancholic tone, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is less about sci-fi and more about youth, regrets, and fleeting moments. It’s time travel told with simplicity and soul.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
Genre: Fantasy, Psychological, Isekai
Studio: White Fox
Though technically an isekai, Re:Zero is heavily rooted in time loops. Subaru Natsuki finds himself trapped in a fantasy world where he dies—only to restart at a “save point.” Each death leaves emotional scars, and each loop forces him to face trauma, betrayal, and his own weakness.
It’s not your typical feel-good time travel story. Re:Zero is dark, intense, and mentally draining—but that’s exactly why it hits so hard. Watching Subaru evolve through endless suffering is a painful but rewarding journey.
Also checkout: Top 10 anime aura farming moments that left everyone shocked
Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)
Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Drama
Studio: CoMix Wave Films
Makoto Shinkai’s global phenomenon is more than just a body-swap romance. Your Name takes a massive emotional turn when time and memory get entangled. As Taki and Mitsuha try to connect across timelines and distances, you’ll find yourself awestruck by the visuals—and heartbroken by the story.
The subtle and creative use of time travel here isn’t just about sci-fi—it’s about fate, connection, and that one person who changes everything.
Summertime Rendering
Genre: Mystery, Supernatural, Thriller
Studio: OLM
A hidden gem of recent years, Summertime Rendering is a supernatural mystery that mixes time loops, doppelgängers, and horror. After the death of a childhood friend, Shinpei returns to his hometown only to find himself trapped in a deadly loop with terrifying consequences.
This series is fast-paced, clever, and full of dark twists. Think of it as Higurashi meets Re:Zero, but even tighter plotted. It’s one of the most underrated time-bending thrillers in anime today.
Zatch Bell! 101st Devil Time Travel Arc (Bonus Pick)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Studio: Toei Animation
Though not fully a time travel anime, this special arc in Zatch Bell! deserves a nod. It’s a short storyline where time travel is used to save the Mamodo world. It’s chaotic, fun, and an underrated example of how even battle-heavy shonen anime can experiment with timelines.
Erased: Another Side (Spin-Off Manga)
Even His Silence Has a Kill Count
Genre: Mystery, Slice of Life
If you're already a fan of Erased, the manga spin-off gives even more timeline detail and alternate character perspectives. It’s not animated (yet), but worth mentioning for those obsessed with timelines and alternate outcomes.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Drama
Studio: Wit Studio
A hidden sci-fi gem, Vivy follows an AI tasked with changing the course of history to prevent a robot uprising. The catch? She has to do it across a hundred years. Every mission takes place in a different decade, altering history bit by bit.
With stunning animation, philosophical undertones, and high-stakes drama, Vivy is time travel done with both beauty and brains. Criminally underrated.
Whether it’s the desire to fix past mistakes or the thrill of altering fate, time travel anime taps into something universal. These stories make us question destiny, free will, and the weight of every choice. From heart-stopping thrillers to emotional gut punches, these 10 anime deliver some of the best time travel tales ever animated.
If you haven’t watched these, your future self will thank you. 😉
Also Read: Top 10 romance anime of all time that'll melt your heart
0 Comments