Genre · ranked
The best time travel series of all time
25 ranked · updated October 2026
Time travel stories challenge our perception of causality through everything from lighthearted animated workplace comedies to somber explorations of grief and existential dread. These standout series masterfully balance the intricate mechanics of temporal paradoxes with the deeply human desire to rewrite history, mend past traumas, and alter inevitable fates.
How this ranking works
Ranked by a Bayesian-weighted score (rating average + rating count) across series classified as Time Travel.
Futurama
Matt Groening
Futurama earns the top spot by blending sharp corporate satire with a fish-out-of-water premise that captures the absurdity of life across a millennium.
Explores: Fish Out of Water, Dystopian Society, Corporate Satire.
Dark
Baran bo Odar
Dark is a definitive masterpiece of the genre, utilizing a non-linear structure to examine how past actions irrevocably shape the future of multiple families.
Explores: Time Paradox, Family Secrets, Existential Crisis.
ERASED
ERASED excels by grounding its supernatural time-loop mechanic in the heavy, emotional weight of childhood trauma and the desperate need to prevent past tragedies.
Explores: Childhood Trauma, Preventing Tragedy, Unsolved Mysteries.
Tokyo Revengers
Tokyo Revengers effectively uses the mechanics of time travel to heighten the stakes of gang violence while focusing on the protagonist's quest for personal redemption.
Explores: Time Travel, Gang Violence, Redemption.
Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate is defined by its meticulous approach to techno-thriller elements and the butterfly effect, showing the terrifying consequences of altering the timeline through simple experiments.
Explores: Time Paradoxes, Butterfly Effect, Conspiracy.
Mr. Queen
Park Kye-ok
Loki earns its rank by exploring the tension between fate and free will within a bureaucratic, cosmic setting that challenges the nature of heroism.
Explores: Fish Out of Water, Culture Clash, Identity Crisis.
Loki
Michael Waldron
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Redemption, Fate vs. Free Will, Bureaucracy.
Twinkling Watermelon
Jin Soo-wan
Twinkling Watermelon stands out for its unique fusion of coming-of-age musical drama and time-travel paradoxes, highlighting the importance of connection and deaf culture.
Explores: Deaf Culture, Musical Prodigy, Time Travel Paradox.
A Time Called You
Kim Jin-won
A Time Called You captures the poignant intersection of grief and romantic mystery, focusing on the emotional resonance of finding a lost love across decades.
Explores: Grief, Reincarnation, Doppelganger.
Secrets of Sulphur Springs
Tracey Thomson
Secrets of Sulphur Springs provides a compelling entry for younger audiences by combining small-town mystery with the classic trope of a haunted time-traveling hotel.
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Haunted Hotel, Missing Persons.
Quantum Leap
Donald P. Bellisario
Quantum Leap remains a genre staple for its episodic anthology format that emphasizes the moral imperative of righting wrongs while trapped in various historical lives.
Explores: Changing History, Righting Wrongs, Fish Out of Water.
Steins;Gate 0
Steins;Gate 0 provides a harrowing psychological study of regret and trauma, expanding on the original series by integrating artificial intelligence into its time-travel framework.
Explores: Regret, Artificial Intelligence, Trauma.
Doraemon
Doraemon is an iconic classic that uses futuristic gadgetry to explore the relationship between a robotic protector and a boy struggling to change his future.
Orange
Orange uses the device of a letter from the future to create an intimate teen drama centered on the themes of suicide prevention and second chances.
Explores: Regret, Suicide Prevention, Second Chance.
Megas XLR
George Krstic
Megas XLR offers a high-energy, comedic take on the genre, pairing an underdog protagonist with a giant robot sent from a dystopian future.
Explores: Reluctant Hero, Fish Out of Time, Underdog Story.
Familiar Wife
Lee Sang-yeob
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Regret, Second Chance, Marriage Problems.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Artificial Intelligence, Existentialism, Preventing Apocalypse.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Existentialism, God Complex, High School Life.
Life on Mars
Matthew Graham
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Time Displacement, Nostalgia, Culture Clash.
Ashes to Ashes
Ashley Pharoah
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Fish Out of Water, Nostalgia, Culture Clash.
11.22.63
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Changing the Past, Nostalgia, Moral Dilemma.
Memories of the Alhambra
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Corporate Intrigue.
Undone
Kate Purdy
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Existentialism, Memory and Trauma, Family Secrets.
Doraemon
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Friendship, Problem Solving, Inventive Gadgets.
The Time Traveler's Wife
Steven Moffat
A standout of time travel series.
Explores: Time-Crossed Lovers, Predestination Paradox, Fate vs. Free Will.
Common questions
What are some good time travel anime series to watch?
There are several highly-rated options, including Steins;Gate and its sequel Steins;Gate 0, which focus on scientific conspiracies, as well as ERASED, which deals with childhood trauma, and Tokyo Revengers, which blends time travel with intense gang-related drama.
Are there any romantic time travel dramas?
Yes, several series explore romance through a temporal lens. Notable examples include A Time Called You, which focuses on grief and doppelgangers, and Twinkling Watermelon, which combines musical drama with a coming-of-age story involving a time-traveling student.
Can you recommend a time travel series with a comedic tone?
For those seeking humor, Futurama offers a satirical look at the future through a workplace comedy lens. Alternatively, Mr. Queen provides a unique historical comedy experience by featuring a modern chef trapped in the body of a past monarch.