Summary
- Time-reversal anime explore the desire to change or relive past experiences, combining nostalgia with the ability to see the outcome of changes in the future.
- Time-reversal allows characters to detach from their previous reality and overcome difficulties, living fuller lives and satisfying viewers' desire for rewarding overcoming adversity narratives.
- Time-reversal anime satiate the human desire for control, providing opportunities for characters to address feelings related to a lack of control and make changes to achieve desired outcomes.
Most people will occasionally have a desire to repeat parts of their lives. For some, it may be to talk to someone who has passed on or to relive experiences that are no longer possible for them. It's a normal feeling, and anime has explored this concept in numerous ways over the years. Time loops, age reversals and Isekai tap into desires that can not be satisfied through life. The past will always remain the past, but the laws of reality do not apply to anime.
In recent years, the concept has been explored in great depth due to the emergence of the isekai genre, with anime such as Re:Zero, Mushoku Tensei, and Konosuba all experiencing a great deal of success. However, outside the isekai genre, anime such as Onimai and ReLife explore time reversals in different ways that are popular among viewers.
Why Time Reversals Are Incredibly Satisfying
An unfortunate truth is that sometimes mistakes are made, and the outcome can lead to failure. Time loops, age reversals, and anime that explore de-aging allow viewers to empathize with a character's desire to change or relive past experiences, and different types of time-based anime explore this idea in different ways. The protagonists in Tokyo Revengers and Erased, Takemichi and Satoru, go back in time hoping to prevent the death of someone close to them. These types of time reversals combine nostalgia with the ability to see the outcome of changes in the future.
Not all time reversals go back in time, though. Some only apply time reversal to the main character; for example, in Onimai, Oshi no Ko and ReLife, everything around them stays the same, but the main characters become younger. Most time-reversals allow the viewer to imagine combining the knowledge and wisdom that comes with age in situations where it gives them an inherent advantage. However, in ReLife, the main character has the appearance of a 17-year-old but retains the body of someone who's 27. Amusingly, it flips and contrasts the benefits of youth with the disadvantages of aging, showing the main character, Arata, pulling a muscle as he attempts to keep up with his younger peers during a sports class. He embraces this unique and nostalgic school experience that's no longer possible for most people. It's a second-chance fantasy that feels relatable for older viewers.
It’s an Opportunity to Detach From Life’s Problems
When time rolls back, the problems that occurred during that period roll back, too. People who have passed on come back to life, job opportunities that were previously lost are regained, and various other issues can disappear. In isekai, this concept is taken a step further by placing the lead character in another world, where they can be completely detached from their previous reality and build a new life afresh. The main characters are often older individuals, office workers, or hikikomori who are unhappy about their current lives.
Anime such as Onimai and ReLife feature main characters who were hikikomori (shut-ins). The two main characters progressively become more withdrawn as they spiral downwards. By de-aging, they detach from their previous reality and push through barriers that would have previously felt psychologically impossible for them. Slowly, over both respective series, they overcome their difficulties, moving on from their previous hikikomori tendencies and living fuller lives. For viewers, these stories not only feel rewarding due to their overcoming adversity narratives but also the way they combine this with the more enjoyable, nostalgic aspects of youth.
They Satiate a Desire for Control
There's an inherent and important distinction between being in control and being controlling; the former means to have self-agency, while the latter is akin to manipulation. Anime has examples of both. In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable, Kira's insidious time manipulation power enables him to force individuals to repeat a period of time, with the person or people he ensnares dying at the end of each repetition. It's a cruel but wonderfully clever idea executed to perfection in the always-creative JoJo series.
However, most time-reversal anime explore the human desire to address feelings related to a lack of control rather than exert pressure on others. When life doesn't go the way someone wants, it's easy to daydream about changing the past. These are what-if fantasies. Essentially, desires that are driven by a need for control. In Re:Zero, Subaru is continually forced to repeat the same time cycles until he achieves certain outcomes. It's satisfying because viewers can see him progressively correct more of his previous mistakes in each successive time loop, eventually achieving his desired outcome. Each time he fails, viewers feel reassured, as they know time will reverse if something goes wrong.
Most time-reversal anime, as well as isekai, largely detach the main character from their previous identity, giving them an opportunity for a fresh start. While each anime will approach this topic differently, the theme of bettering oneself is a key part of their stories. In Mushoku Tensei, Rudeus dislikes who he was in a previous life. He studies and exercises diligently, unlike how he previously approached life. Even Kazuma from Konosuba, who continues to take a laid-back, half-assed approach, occasionally shows disdain for his former self.
Regardless of whether it's about time reversal, de-aging, isekai or something else, the theme of second chances is – and will always be – a popular one in anime. Watching a character face difficulties, accept problems, and, occasionally, fail creates emotionally charged, relatable experiences. Everyone has moments in their lives they want to change, and watching someone have these opportunities makes viewers want to see them succeed. While everyone has to confront and move on from problems throughout their lives, there's something satisfying about programs that provide space for a suspension of belief and a moment to detach from reality, imagining what could have happened if life went differently.