In part two of Five Anime That Quantum Leaped, I’ll look at the final two anime on our list. One is a classic of the time travel genre and the other is a new series that has turned a lot of heads.
First up is:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The 2006 film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is based on a novel of the same name that was first serialized in 1965 and published as a book in 1967. The film, directed by Mamoru Hosoda, acts as a potential sequel to the novel. High schooler, Makoto Konno, is the protagonist in this version. She spends her days going through her normal high school routine of oversleeping, being late, and hanging with her best friends, Chiaki and Kosuke. That all changes after an incident in the science lab leaves her with the ability to time travel.
As usual, spoilers are ahead.
In the science lab, Makoto falls on a walnut-shaped object and activates it, giving her the ability to leap through time. Makoto spends most of the film fixing mistakes she made during the week, having a ten-hour long karaoke session, and helping Kosuke with his love life. When Kosuke’s life is in danger, Makoto learns Chiaki can also time travel and is from the future. Chiaki sacrifices his chance to go home to save Kosuke. Makoto then uses the last of her ability to get Chiaki back home.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’s Quantum Leap moments first occur when Chiaki saves Kosuke from being hit by a train. This happens off-screen. Makoto’s Quantum Leap moment comes when she goes back to when she first gains her ability and repeats her previous actions, giving Chiaki a second chance to get home. She also promises to safeguard a painting for him, which is his original reason for traveling to the past.
The walnut-shaped time macine lets the user travel a set number of times forward or back. A temporary tattoo appears on their arm, representing the number of leaps left. Time travel occurs when the user defies gravity, like flying off a bike or leaping off a high dive. The higher the jump, the further back one can go. Also, one can gain back a leap if someone else goes back to before you used it. The time travel science is that one can only move through time using their own body and consciousness, using gravity as a catalyst. Since this is a teen romance film, Makoto’s time leaping is a metaphor for her reluctance to face her future and her future with her friends.
Tokyo Revengers
Tokyo Revengers began in April 2021 and is based on the ongoing manga. It follows Takemichi Hanagaki, a twenty-six-year-old part-timer, who, after hearing about his middle school girlfriend’s death, leaps twelve years into the past. In middle school, Takemichi was a yanki or delinquent. At first, he assumes he is reliving memories but realizes he is in the past and tries to save his girlfriend Hinata’s life. Time to leap into some spoilers.
Takemichi begins his time travel journey after being pushed in front of a train. He awakens in the body of his middle school self and sees his childhood friends. After some time, he realizes he is in the past and not just having a ‘life flashing before your eyes’ near-death experience.
Takemichi and his friends are delinquents and fight a lot to prove themselves. During a pivotal confrontation with a rival school, they become gofors for low-ranking members of the Tokyo Majin gang, who cause the future death of Hinata, Takemichi’s girlfriend, and her younger brother, Naoto. After an accidental encounter with Naoto, Takemichi tells him about his situation and the impending death of both him and his sister. Naoto agrees to help, and they shake hands, which propels Takemichi back to the present. When he awakens, he discovers adult Naoto has saved his life and they begin a plan to take down the Tokyo Majin gang and prevent Hinata’s death.
Takemichi’s time leaping is unique because of its rules. He can only travel forward or back when he touches hands with someone whose mutual desire for change matches his, in either timeline. It must be the same person as well. Also, if his desire is strong enough, he can leap himself back in time. Takemichi can travel to the same day in both the past and present. Twelve years is the farthest he can leap. His body in the present goes into a catatonic state, while his past self keeps acting out history when he is in the present.
Tokyo Revengers’ Quantum Leap moments come from Takemichi’s attempts to save Hinata and all his friends, both new and old, as he tries to create a future where everyone lives. His time leaping is supernatural but his shonen style desire to save people is not. Takemichi lacks traditional bravery, but he stands up for what’s right without fail and finds strength in others. I believe his ability comes from him wanting to live in a world where he fits in and has a purpose.
Plus, like all shonen characters, he won’t give up until his goal is reached.
Thanks for reading and let us know what other anime Quantum Leap-ed and deserve a mention.
