What is this genre all about? An anime that takes place in an alternative past is an anime that clearly does not belong to the future or the present, and isn't tied particularly closely to our history, or has ties to our history but only as a premise: there are too many things that don't make sense for the time-period. In some cases there is futuristic technology present, but the overall setting still feels that of the past. However the setting must still take place on Earth, since we can not know if the history of a fantasy world is an alternate one or not.
We present you the list of Alternative Past anime you should watch right now.
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Top 19 Alternative Past anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 19. Attack on Titan
- 18. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
- 17. Attack on Titan Season 2
- 16. Attack on Titan Season 3
- 15. Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
- 14. InuYasha
- 13. Youjo Senki
- 12. Gintama
- 11. Kenpuu Denki Berserk
- 10. Koutetsujou no Kabaneri
- 9. Mushishi
- 8. D.Gray-man
- 7. Fena: Pirate Princess
- 6. Gosick
- 5. Gintama'
- 4. Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou
- 3. Katanagatari
- 2. Shisha no Teikoku
- 1. Chrno Crusade
19. Attack on Titan
Centuries ago, mankind was slaughtered to near extinction by monstrous humanoid creatures called titans, forcing humans to hide in fear behind enormous concentric walls. What makes these giants truly terrifying is that their taste for human flesh is not born out of hunger but what appears to be out of pleasure. To ensure their survival, the remnants of humanity began living within defensive barriers, resulting in one hundred years without a single titan encounter. However, that fragile calm is soon shattered when a colossal titan manages to breach the supposedly impregnable outer wall, reigniting the fight for survival against the man-eating abominations.
After witnessing a horrific personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to their eradication by enlisting into the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that combats the merciless humanoids outside the protection of the walls. Based on Hajime Isayama's award-winning manga, Shingeki no Kyojin follows Eren, along with his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and his childhood friend Armin Arlert, as they join the brutal war against the titans and race to discover a way of defeating them before the last walls are breached.
Attack on Titan has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: Shingeki no Kyojin, 進撃の巨人, AoT
18. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
The battle to retake Wall Maria begins now! With Eren’s new hardening ability, the Scouts are confident they can seal the wall and take back Shiganshina District. If they succeed, Eren can finally unlock the secrets of the basement—and the world. But danger lies in wait as Reiner, Bertholdt, and the Beast Titan have plans of their own. Could this be humanity’s final battle for survival?
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 has finished airing and it has 10 Episodes. It is also Known as: Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2, 進撃の巨人 Season 3 Part 2, Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
17. Attack on Titan Season 2
Eren Jaeger swore to wipe out every last Titan, but in a battle for his life he wound up becoming the thing he hates most. With his new powers, he fights for humanity's freedom facing the monsters that threaten his home. After a bittersweet victory against the Female Titan, Eren finds no time to rest—a horde of Titans is approaching Wall Rose and the battle for humanity continues!
Attack on Titan Season 2 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, 進撃の巨人 Season 2, Attack on Titan Season 2
16. Attack on Titan Season 3
After recovering Eren and Historia, the recruits are put under the care of Levi. Stuck out in the middle of nowhere, Hange subjects Eren to a series of experiments in an attempt to find out more about his ability. But when their link to the secrets behind the wall is murdered, the squad must move out and find a new refuge. Except, a figure from Levi’s past has his own plans to stop them.
Attack on Titan Season 3 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3, 進撃の巨人 Season 3, Attack on Titan Season 3
15. Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
"Why does no one remembers the true world...!"
The era when the great race of the five tribes competing for hegemony on the ground ended with the victory of mankind led by hero Sid. However, that world was suddenly "overwritten" in front of a boy Kai. In the rewritten world, Kai saw the scene where humans lost to the five tribal wars because of the absence of hero Sid—here dragons and demons dominate the ground, and Kai is a forgotten existence from all human beings. However, after encountering the mysterious girl Rinne, Kai decides to break this rewritten destiny. In a world without heroes, he inherits the hero's sword and martial art and challenges the mighty enemy races who reign.
Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World? has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: なぜ僕の世界を誰も覚えていないのか？, Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
14. InuYasha
Based on the Shogakukan award-winning manga of the same name, InuYasha follows Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old girl whose normal life ends when a demon drags her into a cursed well on the grounds of her family's Shinto shrine. Instead of hitting the bottom of the well, Kagome ends up 500 years in the past during Japan's violent Sengoku period with the demon's true target, a wish-granting jewel called the Shikon Jewel, reborn inside of her.
After a battle with a revived demon accidentally causes the sacred jewel to shatter, Kagome enlists the help of a young hybrid dog-demon/human named Inuyasha to help her collect the shards and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Joining Kagome and Inuyasha on their quest are the orphan fox-demon Shippo, the intelligent monk Miroku, and the lethal demon slayer Sango. Together, they must set aside their differences and work together to find the power granting shards spread across feudal Japan and deal with the threats that arise.
InuYasha has finished airing and it has 167 Episodes. It is also Known as: 犬夜叉, Inu Yasha
13. Youjo Senki
On the front lines of the war, there is a little girl. Blond hair, blue eyes, and porcelain white skin, she commands her squad with lisping voice. Her name is Tanya Degurechaff. But in reality, she is one of Japan's most elite salarymen, reborn as a little girl after angering a mysterious being who calls himself God. This little girl, who prioritizes efficiency and her own career over anything else, will become the most dangerous being amongst the sorcerers of the imperial army.
Saga of Tanya the Evil has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 幼女戦記, The Military Chronicles of a Little Girl
12. Gintama
The Amanto, aliens from outer space, have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. As a result, a prohibition on swords has been established, and the samurai of Japan are treated with disregard as a consequence.
However one man, Gintoki Sakata, still possesses the heart of the samurai, although from his love of sweets and work as a yorozuya, one might not expect it. Accompanying him in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses and a strong heart, Kagura with her umbrella and seemingly bottomless stomach, as well as Sadaharu, their oversized pet dog. Of course, these odd jobs are not always simple, as they frequently have run-ins with the police, ragtag rebels, and assassins, oftentimes leading to humorous but unfortunate consequences.
Who said life as an errand boy was easy?
Gintama has finished airing and it has 201 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂, Gin Tama, Silver Soul, Yorinuki Gintama-san
11. Kenpuu Denki Berserk
Born from the corpse of his mother, a young mercenary known only as Guts, embraces the battlefield as his only means of survival. Day in and day out, putting his life on the line just to make enough to get by, he moves from one bloodshed to the next.
After a run-in with the Band of the Hawk, a formidable troop of mercenaries, Guts is recruited by their charismatic leader Griffith, nicknamed the "White Hawk." As he quickly climbed the ranks in order to become the head of the offensive faction, Guts proves to be a mighty addition to Griffith's force, taking Midland by storm. However, while the band's quest for recognition continues, Guts slowly realizes that the world is not as black-and-white as he once assumed.
Set in the medieval era, Berserk is a dark, gritty tale that follows one man's struggle to find his own path, while supporting another's lust for power, and the unimaginable tragedy that begins to turn the wheels of fate.
Berserk has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: 剣風伝奇ベルセルク, Kenpuu Denki Berserk, Kenfu Denki Berserk, Sword-Wind Chronicle Berserk, Berserk: The Chronicles of Wind Blades, Berserk: Sword-Wind Tales, Berserk: SWORD-WIND ROMANCE
10. Koutetsujou no Kabaneri
The world is in the midst of the industrial revolution when horrific creatures emerge from a mysterious virus, ripping through the flesh of humans to sate their never-ending appetite. The only way to kill these beings, known as "Kabane," is by destroying their steel-coated hearts. However, if bitten by one of these monsters, the victim is doomed to a fate worse than death, as the fallen rise once more to join the ranks of their fellow undead.
Only the most fortified of civilizations have survived this turmoil, as is the case with the island of Hinomoto, where mankind has created a massive wall to protect themselves from the endless hordes of Kabane. The only way into these giant fortresses is via heavily-armored trains, which are serviced and built by young men such as Ikoma. Having created a deadly weapon that he believes will easily pierce through the hearts of Kabane, Ikoma eagerly awaits the day when he will be able to fight using his new invention. Little does he know, however, that his chance will come much sooner than he expected...
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 甲鉄城のカバネリ, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri
9. Mushishi
"Mushi": the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply "being." They are beyond the shackles of the words "good" and "evil." Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows.
This is, however, just a vague definition of these entities that inhabit the vibrant world of Mushishi, as to even call them a form of life would be an oversimplification. Detailed information on Mushi is scarce because the majority of humans are unaware of their existence.
So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a "Mushi-shi," Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushi-shi are those who research Mushi in hopes of understanding their place in the world's hierarchy of life.
Ginko chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer.
It could, after all, lead to the meaning of life itself.
Mushi-Shi has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: 蟲師, Mushishi
8. D.Gray-man
Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence."
After spending three years as the disciple of General Cross, Allen Walker is sent to the Black Order—an organization comprised of those willing to fight Akuma and the Millennium Earl—to become an official Exorcist. With an arm as his Innocence and a cursed eye that can see the suffering souls within an Akuma, it's up to Allen and his fellow Exorcists to stop the Millennium Earl's ultimate plot: one that can lead to the destruction of the world.
D.Gray-man has finished airing and it has 103 Episodes. It is also Known as: ディー・グレイマン, D. Gray-man, D. Grey-man
7. Fena: Pirate Princess
Fena Houtman is a young orphan girl that has been raised on an Island where there is no hope of becoming anything more than a chattel, to be used and discarded by soldiers of the British Empire. But Fena is more than just another powerless orphan. When her mysterious past comes knocking, Fena will break the chains of her oppressors. Her goal: forge a new identity, free of bondage, and search for a place where she can truly belong and find out the true mysteries behind a keyword, "Eden." It is the story of a lifetime adventure she and her crew of misfits and unlikely allies will have, in pursuit of her goals!
Fena: Pirate Princess has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Kaizoku Oujo, 海賊王女, Fena: Pirate Princess
6. Gosick
Kazuya Kujou is a foreign student at Saint Marguerite Academy, a luxurious boarding school in the Southern European country of Sauville. Originally from Japan, his jet-black hair and dark brown eyes cause his peers to shun him and give him the nickname "Black Reaper," based on a popular urban legend about the traveler who brings death in the spring.
On a day like any other, Kujou visits the school's extravagant library in search of ghost stories. However, his focus soon changes as he becomes curious about a golden strand of hair on the stairs. The steps lead him to a large garden and a beautiful doll-like girl known as Victorique de Blois, whose complex and imaginative foresight allows her to predict their futures, now intertwined.
With more mysteries quickly developing—including the appearance of a ghost ship and an alchemist with the power of transmutation—Victorique and Kujou, bound by fate and their unique skills, have no choice but to rely on each other.
Gosick has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: GOSICK -ゴシック-, Gosick
5. Gintama'
After a one-year hiatus, Shinpachi Shimura returns to Edo, only to stumble upon a shocking surprise: Gintoki and Kagura, his fellow Yorozuya members, have become completely different characters! Fleeing from the Yorozuya headquarters in confusion, Shinpachi finds that all the denizens of Edo have undergone impossibly extreme changes, in both appearance and personality. Most unbelievably, his sister Otae has married the Shinsengumi chief and shameless stalker Isao Kondou and is pregnant with their first child.
Bewildered, Shinpachi agrees to join the Shinsengumi at Otae and Kondou's request and finds even more startling transformations afoot both in and out of the ranks of the the organization. However, discovering that Vice Chief Toushirou Hijikata has remained unchanged, Shinpachi and his unlikely Shinsengumi ally set out to return the city of Edo to how they remember it.
With even more dirty jokes, tongue-in-cheek parodies, and shameless references, Gintama' follows the Yorozuya team through more of their misadventures in the vibrant, alien-filled world of Edo.
Gintama' has finished airing and it has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: 銀魂', Gintama (2011)
4. Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou
The Drossel royal family pulls strings to have Violet tutor Isabella York, a student at a prestigious girls' school, for her upcoming debut. Isabella may have a well-connected father but as Violet befriends her she discovers the debutante has an unhappy past of poverty and separation. With Benedict's help and with the emotional power of letters Violet sets out to reconnect Isabella with her past.
Violet Evergarden Side Story: Eternity and the Auto Memories Doll has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン 外伝~永遠と自動手記人形~, Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou
3. Katanagatari
In an Edo-era Japan lush with a variety of sword-fighting styles, Shichika Yasuri practices the most unique one: Kyotouryuu, a technique in which the user's own body is wielded as a blade. The enigmatic seventh head of the Kyotouryuu school, Shichika lives quietly in exile with his sister Nanami until one day—the wildly ambitious strategist Togame barges into their lives.
Togame brazenly requests that Shichika help in her mission to collect twelve unique swords, known as the "Deviant Blades," for the shogunate. Shichika accepts, interested in the girl herself rather than petty politics, and thus sets out on a journey. Standing in their way are the fierce wielders of these legendary weapons as well as other power-hungry entities who seek to thwart Togame's objective. In order to prevail against their enemies, the duo must become an unbreakable team as they forge ahead on a path of uncertainty and peril.
Katanagatari has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 刀語, Sword Story
2. Shisha no Teikoku
By the 19th century, humanity has cultivated technology enabling the reanimation of corpses. Unable to experience individual thoughts or emotions, the corpses are programmed by humans to act as laborers in various occupations.
This newfound technology, however, comes with a catch. Science may be able to restore the corpses' ability to move, yet it cannot return what every corpse loses at death: the soul. But Doctor Victor Frankenstein, who vanished shortly after his revolutionary work on corpse reanimation, is said to have revived the only corpse in possession of a soul.
In pursuit of this scientific knowledge, London medical student John Watson hopes to fulfill his promise to his late partner, Friday. After being scouted by a government agency, Watson is on a hunt to obtain Frankenstein's notes, which he believes hold the key to the secrets of the soul. During his search, Watson uncovers the harsh realities of the developing corpse technology and the price he must pay to advance his research.
The Empire of Corpses has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 屍者の帝国, Project Itoh
1. Chrno Crusade
World War I revealed some of the deepest horrors of humanity, but the years following it would reveal horrors of another kind. In the 1920’s, monstrous demons began appearing in surprisingly high numbers across America, manifesting as sin incarnate. To combat this menace, a holy organization known as the Order of Magdalene established branches across the country, all governed by the Council of the Catholic Church.
The New York branch is home to the young and reckless Sister Rosette Christopher and her demon hunting partner, Chrno. Armed to the teeth with holy guns and bullets, the two are renowned for accomplishing their job, but also causing extensive property damage at the same time. This doesn’t exactly please the head of their branch, Sister Kate Valentine, though Rosette is still greatly appreciated by the branch’s minister, Father Ewan Remington, and their weapon developer, Edward Hamilton.
Chrno, however, leaves them with a sense of unease; there’s more to him than there appears to be, and even more behind the bond that he and Rosette share. Placing their lives in each other’s hands, the two of them must continue to fight off the increasingly mounting demonic menace, discover its source, and hopefully complete Rosette’s own personal mission of finding her missing brother, Joshua.
Chrono Crusade has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: クロノクルセイド, Chrno Crusade: Mary Magdalene
