What is Alternative Past anime?

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.

Random Alternative Past Anime You might like

Chrno Crusade

(Chrono Crusade)

7.59

Description:

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.
Type

TV

Episodes

24

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2003-11-25

Mnemosyne: Mnemosyne no Musume-tachi

(Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne)

7.21

Description:

For normal people, getting stabbed to death would constitute the end of the road. For Rin Asogi, it's a mere inconvenience. Rin is immortal, a nice perk to have when you're a private detective constantly finding yourself in dangerous situations. Rin has eaten a "time fruit": a fruit from the guardian tree Yggdrasil, which, when consumed by a woman, makes her unable to die. Rin's immortality doesn't stop others from trying to kill her, of course; over her long lifetime she has been shot at, cut up, maimed, tortured, and suffered countless other violent deaths. This time, it's different. The year 1990 sparks the beginning of a series of events in Rin's life that sends her spiraling toward her fate. Someone is hunting down immortal women like Rin, and Rin's life may be in actual danger. Mnemosyne no Musume-tachi spans 65 years in Rin's life, during which she watches those around her get old while she herself remains unchanged. Higher forces are after her, and Rin must use every means at her disposal—or her next death may just be her last. And it all begins when she goes searching for a lost cat, but finds the amnesiac Koki Maeno instead...
Type

TV

Episodes

6

Ep.Length

45 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2008-02-04

Princess Tutu

(Princess Tutu)

7.99

Description:

In a fairy tale come to life, the clumsy, sweet, and gentle Ahiru (Japanese for "duck") seems like an unlikely protagonist. In reality, Ahiru is just as magical as the talking cats and crocodiles that inhabit her town—for Ahiru really is a duck! Transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl, Ahiru soon learns the reason for her existence. Using her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu—a beautiful and talented ballet dancer whose dances relieve people of the turmoil in their hearts. With her newfound ability, Ahiru accepts the challenge of collecting the lost shards of her prince's heart, for long ago he had shattered it in order to seal an evil raven away for all eternity. Princess Tutu is a tale of heroes and their struggle against fate. Their beliefs, their feelings, and ultimately their actions will determine whether this fairy tale can reach its "happily ever after." Note: Princess Tutu aired in two parts. The first part included 13 25-minute episodes, while the second part consisted of 24 12-minute episodes with a 25-minute final episode.
Type

TV

Episodes

38

Ep.Length

16 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2002-08-16

Saga of Tanya the Evil Movie

(Saga of Tanya the Evil Movie)

8.12

Description:

In 1926, Tanya and her battalion return home from defeating remnants of the Republic's army. However, when they arrive they receive word of a massive mobilization near the border with the Russy Federation, so the Empire's army must prepare. At the same time, a multinational army under the leadership of the Allied Kingdom moves into the Russy Federation. The enemy of an enemy is a friend, but among the Allied Kingdom army is Mary Sioux, a girl who has sworn to exact justice against the Empire for the death of her father.(Source: ANN)
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

98 Min

Rating

Violence, Profanity

Status

finished

Aired

2019-02-08

Strike Witches

(Strike Witches)

6.93

Description:

Strike Witches is set in an alternate version of 1944, where the events of World War II are very different than what we know to be true. Alien invaders known as the Neuroi came to Earth in 1939. This is not the first appearance of the Neuroi as they have appeared at seemingly random intervals throughout human history. While the Neuroi primarily attack humanity using aircrafts, their mothership is able to produce a deadly miasma, a chemical that is fatally poisonous to humans, forcing the populations of affected areas to flee their homes. The Neuroi then use the poisoned areas to plunder Earth's natural resources to use against humanity. Luckily the miasma cannot spread across water, making the ocean humanity's main line of defense against the Neuroi. With normal humans unable to fight in the miasma, witches have become the forefront of military defense against the Neuroi. Each witch is able to deploy a defensive field around themselves that not only blocks the miasma but protects them from physical attacks as well. Utilizing leg mounted machines called Striker Units to fly into combat, the witches use their magical abilities to wield devastating weapons too large and ungainly for a normal person. The series follows the battles fought by the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, who battle on the front lines to defend the British Isles from the Neuroi. Will humanity be able to take back Earth and bring peace to their home? Find out in Strike Witches!
Type

TV

Episodes

12

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2008-07-04

Princess Principal

(Princess Principal)

7.6

Description:

At the end of the 19th century, London, the Kingdom of Albion has been split into East and West sides by a giant wall. Five girls attend Queen's Mayfaire, a conventional and prestigious school. Under the guise of regular high school girls, they act as spies undercover. Disguise, reconnaissance, infiltration, car chases... Each girl uses their own set of special skills to dart around the world of shadow. (Source: Sentai Filmworks)
Type

TV

Episodes

12

Ep.Length

25 Min

Rating

Violence, Profanity

Status

finished

Aired

2017-07-09

Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen I - Haou no Tamago

(Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King)

7.59

Description:

In the Kingdom of Midland, a mercenary named Guts wanders the land, preferring a life of conflict over a life of peace. Despite the odds never being in his favor, he is an unstoppable force that overcomes every opponent, wielding a massive sword larger than himself. One day, Griffith, the mysterious leader of the mercenary group Band of the Hawk, witnesses the warrior's battle prowess and invites the wandering swordsman to join his squadron. Rejecting the offer, Guts challenges Griffith to a duel—and, much to the former's surprise, is subsequently defeated and forced to join. Now, Guts must fight alongside Griffith and his crew to help Midland defeat the Empire of Chuder. However, Griffith seems to harbor ulterior motives, desiring something much larger than just settling the war... [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

76 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2012-02-04

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

(Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade)

7.72

Description:

After witnessing the suicide bombing of a terrorist girl, Constable Kazuki Fuse becomes haunted by her image, and is forced to undergo retraining for his position in the Capital Police's Special Unit. However, unknown to him, he becomes a key player in a dispute between Capital and Local Police forces, as he finds himself increasingly involved with the sister of the very girl he saw die.
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

102 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

1999-11-17

Shuumatsu no Izetta

(Izetta: The Last Witch)

6.62

Description:

"If I am promised to the princess, then I will fight for her sake." In 1939 C.E., the imperialist nation of Germania invaded a neighboring country. All at once, that war spread throughout Europe, and the era was dragged into a spiral of a great war. Then, in 1940, Germania's attack turned towards the Principality of Elystadt, a small Alpine country abundant with beautiful water and greenery. (Source: Official Website)
Type

TV

Episodes

12

Ep.Length

25 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2016-10-01

Mushishi Special: Hihamukage

8.12

Description:

A 45-minute special which adapts a two-chapter manga. Ginko finds himself in a village which falls victim to a mushi that blocks out the sun; however, one villager seems to benefit from this calamity.
Type

special

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

45 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2014-01-04

Samurai 7

(Samurai 7)

7.41

Description:

In the far distant future, on a planet that might have been called "earth", there was a war between samurai who mechanized their bodies. After the long war, people enjoyed a modest peace. Facing starvation and abductions at the hands of fearsome mechanized bandits (Nobuseri), the farmers of Kanna Village make the dangerous choice to hire samurai for protection. The village's water priestess, Kirara, her younger sister, Komachi, and a heartbroken villager, Rikichi, set off to hire willing samurai with nothing to offer but rice from their meager harvests. Through dangerous encounters and a bit of luck, seven samurai of varying specialties and experience are gathered for an epic battle against the bandits and the merchants that influence them. Samurai 7 is based loosely upon Kurosawa Akira's famous movie "Seven Samurai"/"Shichinin no Samurai"
Type

TV

Episodes

26

Ep.Length

26 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2004-06-12

Fairy Gone

(Fairy Gone)

5.78

Description:

The anime is set in a world where fairies possess and reside within animals, granting them special powers. By surgically removing and transplanting the organs of a possessed animal into a human, humans can partially summon the fairy and use it as a weapon. Eventually, such individuals were used for war, and were called "Fairy Soldiers." After a long war, these soldiers lost their purpose, and had to reintegrate into society. From the government, to the mafia, and even becoming terrorists, each tread their own path. The story begins nine years after the end of the war, and centers on the protagonist Maria. Maria is a fresh recruit of "Dorothea," an organization dedicated to the investigation and suppression of fairy-related crimes and incidents. Even in peacetime, the government is still unstable after the war. Many criminals still have lingering wounds from the previous conflict, and there are terrorist groups bent on revenge. This is the story of Fairy Soldiers seeking their own justice in a chaotic postwar world. (Source: Anime News Network)
Type

TV

Episodes

12

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2019-04-08

Otome Youkai Zakuro

(Zakuro)

7.45

Description:

Otome Youkai Zakuro takes place in an alternate version of Japan's Meiji Era. In this version of history, humans and spirits coexist side by side in the same world. However Japan is becoming more and more influenced by the West, and more people are accepting Western religions as their chosen faith rather than the more traditional Eastern faiths which have dominated the country for many centuries, leading to conflicts between humans and youkai. To help ease tensions, an organization is established called the Ministry of Spirits made up of a group of male soldiers and a group of female youkai. Unfortunately things don't go as swimmingly as one would hope, as one of the soldiers, Kei Agemaki, is terribly afraid of youkai and one of the spirits, Zakuro, has an extreme dislike for humans who accept practices and traditions from the west. Life for these two is about to become a lot more interesting as they have to learn how to cooperate with their worst enemies!
Type

TV

Episodes

13

Ep.Length

1 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2010-10-05

Fushigi Yuugi

(Mysterious Play)

7.47

Description:

While visiting the National Library, junior-high students Miaka Yuuki and Yui Hongo are transported into the world of a mysterious book set in ancient China, "The Universe of The Four Gods." Miaka suddenly finds herself with the responsibility of being the priestess of Suzaku, and must find all of her celestial warriors for the purpose of summoning Suzaku for three wishes; however, the enemy nation of the god Seiryuu has manipulated Yui into becoming the priestess of Seiryuu. As enemies, the former best friends begin their long struggle to summon their respective gods and obtain their wishes... [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Type

TV

Episodes

52

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

1995-04-06

Strike Witches 2

(Strike Witches 2)

7.41

Description:

After discovering that Neuroi are capable of communication with humans and making peace with the nest above Gallia the Witches squads are now on a mission to re-establish communication when a sudden attack vanishes the Neuroi; they now discover a new and massive nest that just appeared covering almost all Europe. Ruthless and without mercy it annihilates allied forces along with Witches. Word of the attack reaches Fuso and a support battalion is deployed to rescue the survivors. Among the rescue team is the former Striker captain Mio Sakamoto and the now civilian Yoshika Miyafuji who want to save their dear friends. (Source: ANN)
Type

TV

Episodes

12

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2010-07-08

Steamboy

(Steamboy)

7.3

Description:

Ray is a young wunderkind inventor living in Victorian England. His life is turned upside down when he receives a special package hailing from the United States, sent by his grandfather, Lloyd Steam. The package contains a device called a Steam Ball, a device so powerful that it can drive any machine that requires steam with a nearly limitless amount of energy. Ray is instructed to not let the Steam Ball fall into the wrong hands, which include the mighty O'Hara Foundation, who desperately want to bring the Steam Ball back into their control so they can achieve their less than noble goals. He will need to use every bit of his brilliance in order to dodge the countless goons that are sent to snatch the device from him. It will be a battle between good and evil, a battle for redemption, a battle for the future!
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

126 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2004-07-17

Saiunkoku Monogatari

(The Story of Saiunkoku)

7.83

Description:

Most people think being born into a noble family means a life of comfort and wealth. That couldn't be further from the truth for Shuurei Kou. Despite the Kou family being an old and important bloodline, they've fallen on hard times. Shuurei's father works as an archivist in the Imperial library, which is a prestigious position, but unfortunately not one that pays much. To put food on the table, Shuurei works odd jobs such as teaching young children or playing live music in a restaurant―and even then, it's barely enough. Then, one day, a court advisor makes Shuurei an offer. If she becomes the concubine of the new, but lazy, emperor and teaches him how to become a good ruler, then she will receive 500 pieces of gold. Never one to turn down good money, Shuurei accepts the proposition. After all, the new emperor only prefers men so her virtue is safe… or so she thinks. The more time she spends in the palace, the more her old dream of becoming a court official is reignited. There's only one problem: she's a woman and women do not become government officials. Shuurei may be able to turn the emperor into a good ruler, but will it be at the expense of her own aspirations?
Type

TV

Episodes

39

Ep.Length

25 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2006-04-08

InuYasha the Movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island

(InuYasha the Movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island)

7.43

Description:

The mysterious island of Houraijima has reappeared after 50 years, and with its reappearance has brought the attack of four gods, the Shitoushin, who have their eyes set on the powers that protect and sustain the island. Now it's up to Inuyasha and his friends, along with Sesshoumaru, to find a way to defeat the powerful Shitoushin. (Source: ANN)
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

88 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2004-12-23

Shisha no Teikoku

(The Empire of Corpses)

6.85

Description:

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. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Type

movie

Episodes

1

Ep.Length

120 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2015-10-02

Tears to Tiara

(Tears to Tiara)

7.03

Description:

In a world resembling the middle-age. A girl, Riannon, is set to be sacrificed to appease a resurrected demon lord, Arawn. As her brother Arthur attempts to rescue her, Arawn defies those who resurrected him and frees Riannon from her captors, which leads to Riannon admiring him. This eventually leads to a party of companions being assembled for adventure, with Arawn acting as the leader.
Type

TV

Episodes

26

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2009-04-06

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