Time travel in animes is something more than fixing timelines – it’s about second chances, heartbreaking choices. Sometimes, it’s about love, loss, or just the chance to try again. Whether you live for those ‘wait, what?!’ timeline twists, love seeing characters get second chances at life, or just want some good time-jumping battles – all 12 of these shows prove why anime does time travel better than anyone else.”
Here are 12 time-travel anime that actually use the trope in brilliant ways – no filler, just bangers.
1. Iroduku: The World in Colors (2018)
Studio: P.A. Works (Angel Beats!, Nagi no Asukara)
A soft, introspective story about a colorblind girl named Hitomi who is sent 60 years into the past by her grandmother. There’s magic here, but it’s quiet, like light reflecting off glass. This one’s more about healing and seeing life in a new light than action or twists.
The Vibe: A visually stunning, melancholic journey to rediscover passion for magic and life.
Why Watch? If you love Studio Ghibli-esque warmth with a side of quiet heartache.
2. Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song (2021)
Studio: Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Spy x Family)
If time travel met opera and sci-fi action, you’d get Vivy. An AI singer is tasked with altering moments across a hundred years to prevent humanity’s destruction. The result? Beautifully animated fights, emotional moments, and one of the most stylish timelines out there.
The Vibe: Rewriting the future to prevent a robot uprising. Think Terminator meets Idolmaster -with gorgeous fight scenes.
Why Watch? For sci-fi lovers who want time loops with emotional weight.
3. Steins;Gate (2011)
Studio: White Fox (Re:Zero, Goblin Slayer)
No time travel list is complete without this one. What starts with silly microwave experiments quickly becomes a dark, high-stakes thriller. Okabe Rintarou’s descent into a world of timelines and consequences is legendary – and surprisingly heartbreaking.
The Vibe: “Mad scientist” accidentally invents time travel via a microwave. What starts as chaotic fun spirals into one of anime’s greatest tragedies.
Why Watch? The gold standard of time travel anime. Period.
4. Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World (2016–2024)
Studio: White Fox
Not classic time travel, but Subaru’s “return by death” ability lets him redo events every time he dies. It’s a rough ride – full of trauma, emotional collapse, and personal growth. Each loop digs deeper into the price of doing things right.
The Vibe: Subaru gets isekai’d… then dies. A lot. His only power? Return by Death – > a brutal reset mechanic that forces him to learn from mistakes.
Why Watch? If you like pain (and incredible character growth).
5. Tokyo Revengers (2021–2023)
Studio: LIDENFILMS (Call of the Night, Hanebado!)
Takemichi, a ‘washed-up’ adult, gets a second chance at his youth to stop the death of someone dear. It’s a mix of gang conflicts, messy relationships, and butterfly-effect drama. Some arcs are stronger than others, but when it hits, it hits hard.
The Vibe: A loser time-leaps to middle school to save his ex-girlfriend from a gang war. Surprisingly dark for its delinquent aesthetic.
Why Watch? Unhinged villains + messy but addictive drama.
6. Orange (2016)
Studio: Telecom Animation Film (Tiger & Bunny)
Letters from the future arrive to help Naho prevent a tragic loss. Orange is soft-spoken and heartfelt – more about emotional healing than changing fate. The time travel element serves as the framing; the core is about friendship and the things left unsaid.
The Vibe: A letter from 10 years in the future warns a girl about her classmate’s suicide. Now, she and her friends race to rewrite fate.
Why Watch? A tearjerker about friendship and regret.
7. Summer Time Rendering (2022)
Studio: OLM (Pokémon, Odd Taxi)
Think murder mystery meets time loop. After a friend’s death, Shinpei discovers he can reset time – but each loop raises the stakes. It’s creepy, clever, and way more intense than you’d expect from something set on a sunny island.
The Vibe: A guy returns to his island hometown for a funeral… only to get stuck in a time loop battling shadowy doppelgängers.
Why Watch? Underrated thriller with zero filler.
8. Remake Our Life! (2021)
Studio: Feel (Hajime no Ippo, Oregairu)
Imagine getting to redo your college years — but this time, you know where you went wrong. That’s what Kyouya gets. It’s not flashy, but it’s surprisingly thoughtful. It looks at creativity, regrets, and what success really costs.
The Vibe: A failed artist wakes up 10 years younger and gets a second shot at his creative dreams. But is “fixing” the past really better?
Why Watch? For artists who’ve ever thought, “What if…?”
9. Erased (2016)
Studio: A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online, Kaguya-sama)
After a personal tragedy, Satoru is sent back to his childhood — and a chain of kidnappings that changed everything. Erased combines suspense, nostalgia, and a touch of sadness. The mystery keeps you hooked, but it’s the emotional weight that stays with you.
The Vibe: A man keeps jumping back to his childhood to stop a serial killer -> but saving others means sacrificing his own future.
Why Watch? Short, tight, and devastating.
10. Link Click (2021–2023)
Studio: LAN Studio, Haoliners
A Chinese anime (donghua) that deserves all the love. Instead of classic time travel, the leads jump into people’s pasts through photographs. It’s emotional, suspenseful, and the bromance between the leads is one of its biggest charms.
The Vibe: Two guys run a time-travel photography business, diving into clients’ memories to fix regrets. But changing the past has brutal consequences.
Why Watch? Perfect blend of mystery, emotion, and animation sakuga.
11. The 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life (2024)
Studio: Studio Kai (How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom)
She’s died six times already, so this time, she’s done playing nice. 7th Time Loop flips the villainess trope by making the lead practical, not petty. She just wants peace – and a political marriage might be the key. Surprisingly wholesome, with a dash of romance and war strategy.
The Vibe: A woman reincarnates 7 times into the same story -> but this loop, she’s done playing the villainess. Now, she’s outsmarting fate itself.
Why Watch? For Otome isekai fans who love smart protagonists.
[Read Here ]
12. Her Blue Sky (2019)
Studio: CloverWorks (Bocchi the Rock!, Spy x Family)
Not classic time travel, but more like a time distortion. A young girl meets a version of her late brother’s younger self, and the lines between memory, grief, and reality start to blur. It’s quiet, emotional, and beautifully animated.
The Vibe: A girl meets a younger version of her late brother-in-law -> forcing her to confront grief and what could’ve been.
Why Watch? A movie-length emotional bomb.
Final Thoughts
In a world of anime, time travel isn’t just about some sci-fi ultra complex thing. Sometimes, it’s just about getting one more chance. Whether it’s to fix something, save someone, or find a different path forward, these stories stay with us because they tap into something universal: what if you could go back? Whether you’re here for:
- Mindfucks (Steins;Gate)
- Tears (Orange, Her Blue Sky)
- Action (Vivy, Summer Time Rendering)
- Romance (Iroduku, Re:Zero)
…this list has something to wreck you (in the best way).
Which one’s your favorite? Drop it in the comments -> and tag a friend who needs to see this!
Animexon 
