Time manipulation or time travel, fans are always on the lookout for anime based on this genre. And there are two reasons behind it- first, unexpected plot twists and second, thrilling moments. It tends to make the series interesting and so does the mood of the audience.

But, unfortunately, there is plenty of good time manipulation anime that have been acknowledged in the past. Due to the lack of abundance of such types of series, sometimes people miss out on the amazing shows as well.

Keeping this fact in mind, we decided to come up with a list of a handful well written time manipulation anime series that has made an impact on the audience in the last few years.

So, let’s get started then.

Steins;Gate

Steins;Gate is the most popular sci-fi anime which is based on the theme of time manipulation. It sends viewers into the world of confusion and shock because of its complex storyline. Steins;Gate is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Steins;Gate is a story about a mad group of scientists who discovers a method of sending text messages back in time. With the help of this discovery, they try to bring back the dead neuroscientist, Kurisu Makise by changing the timeline.

The main protagonist, Rintaro Okabe is said to be the real-life depiction of a certain man named John Tutor of the year 2000. Some fans even claim that it is a real-life based anime series.

Charlotte

Charlotte is an original story from Jun Maeda, the creator of Angel Beats and Clannad. It explores the lives of some high school students who possess supernatural abilities.

Unlike other time manipulation anime, Charlotte is a bit more unpredictable and evocative. It tends to get more interesting with each episode and the flawless animation and expressive characters add more to it.

Charlotte is a story about a teenager Yuu Otosaka who possesses a mysterious ability that allows him to enter someone’s mind and control their body for 5 seconds. His unique ability helps him in solving many problems of his life.

But, his luck runs out when he is forced to join a special school made only for students with supernatural abilities. There he confronts many others like him and comes to realise the true potential of his own ability.

Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song

Produced by WIT Studio, Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song is set in the year 2056 where advancement in technology and artificial intelligence is at its peak. As a result, android bodies that can mimic human form come into action.

A songstress AI known as ‘Vivy’ is given a mission to make people happy with her songs. To fulfill her mission, she works in an amusement park to grab the main stage one day.

But, after encountering another AI from 100 years in the future, Vivy comes to know that a destructive war between humans & AIs is coming and she has to prevent it at any cost.

Your Name

Directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name tells the beautiful story of two teenagers who finds themselves swapping their bodies and growing closer & closer in this process.

Your Name is one of the most successful animated films in history grossing its box-office tally to $360 million. After its release in 2016, it got a lot of positive reviews from critics and celebrities like Elon Musk who watch anime.

But, later they discover that they both exist in two different timelines. The unconditional bond between these two and one’s attempt to save the other is very interesting and emotional at the same time which makes it the best Oscar deserving anime film.

ReLIFE

ReLIFE follows the story of Arata Kaizaki, a 27-year-old guy who has been unemployed for many years and is a totally hopeless person. But, his life takes a tragic turn when he meets Ryou Yoake, a member of the ReLIFE Research Institute. He offers him an opportunity to change his life but for that Arata has to go through an experiment.

An experiment that promises to make him appear 10 years younger and send him back to high school. With the help of this experiment, Arata gets a chance to experience youth once again besides, fixing the things he did wrong in the past.

Erased

Erased looks like a simple and childish anime but honestly, it is not! The show is about a pizza delivery guy, Satoru Fujinama who possesses an ability called ‘Revival’, that sends him back in time moments before a tragic incident is about to occur. With this ability, he prevents many accidents that could have been severe.

But, one day being accused of his mother’s murder the ability of Satoru triggers again and sends him 18 years back in time where he is back to his school days again. This time, he has the chance to prevent his mother’s murder besides, preventing a kidnapping case as well that took the lives of his three best friends in school days.

Erased is a suspense thriller anime and most importantly an anime solely based upon time manipulation. Having some unexpected twists and turns in each episode makes it a perfect choice for the fans.

Bunny Girl Senpai

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is an adaptation of light novel series which premiered in 2018. The series is a psychological drama and deals with the problems of a serious adolescence syndrome.

Sakuta Azusagawa, a second-year high school student encounters a bunny girl one day at the library. She turns out to be a famous actress & model, Mai Sakurajima who is currently on hiatus from acting.

Despite the appealing beauty of Mai, people pay no attention to her existence due to the Puberty Syndrome Mai goes through. After knowing this strange phenomenon, Sakuta associates with Mai to cure her illness.

Re:Zero

Re:Zero is a popular isekai anime series that is based on a light novel written by Tappei Nagatsuki. The show is liked by the fans for its hilarious scenes and well-paced story.

Natsuki Subaru on his way to the convenience store suddenly gets transported to another world with just a bag of groceries in his hand. After being confronted by the thugs, he meets a girl named Satella who helps him in getting out of the situation.

But, not knowing anything else Subaru gets killed on the same night and find himself alive again the next moment with the same sequence of events. In this way, Subaru begins his journey in this fantasy world where life can be started again and again but, from zero.

Tokyo Revengers

Tokyo Revengers premiered its first episode on April 10, 2020. And within a span of two months, it became the most successful anime series outselling all the top tier manga one by one.

It follows the story of an unemployed guy, Takemichi Hanagaki who lives a miserable life in his small rented apartment. One day after hearing the news of the death of his only girlfriend way back from middle school, Takemichi becomes depressed and sad.

At the peak of his tough time, a sudden incident sends him 12 years back in time where he finds himself back to middle school days. Once a loser, Takemichi aims for the top of the Tokyo Manji Gang so that he can turn back the past events in his favour and save the life of Hinata.

Doraemon

Almost every single anime fan out there has started their childhood through this time manipulation anime which they never noticed even once. If you have a good memory, then remember your days with the most popular Japanese cartoon, Doraemon.

A common anime show a normal viewer is watching since childhood. Doraemon is available in almost every country and it is the best example of what time travel really is. A robot from 21st Century travels to the present to help a boy with his chaotic life, like how interesting it sounds.

The show elements look childish, as it tends to be for kids, but still it explores all the time manipulation possibilities in a very funny and interesting way. Doraemon and Nobita’s journey together is very pleasing to watch, and the introduction of different gadgets from time to time makes it an exciting show.

With this, our list of some of the best time manipulation anime comes to an end. We hope you liked it. Let us know in the comments section, which is your favorite time travel anime?

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