Categories:Setting:Time

The times categories list different epochs in the human history and you can also specify that the anime takes place in the future (possibly post-apocalyptic) or the present (possibly in an alternate reality).

Subcategories

Future

Animes that fall under this category are the ones that have a society that could have stemmed from ours without too cataclysmic changes, what constitutes a cataclysmic change then? Well, basically anything that wipes out more than 70% (this number was just pulled out of my arse, so don't take it seriously) of the Earth's population. Use your own judgement. If you feel the changes have been cataclysmic enough, take a look at the "Post-apocalyptic" sub-genre if you please.

This category sports quite alot of anime, mostly stemming from the SciFi genre, but not necessarily only from there. A couple of them are: PlanetES, Seikai no Senki, Futatsu no Spica and Ghost in the Shell.

Post-apocalyptic

A post-apocalyptic anime is an anime that takes place in the future (or it could be an alternate timeline, but the future is more common) after a major cataclysm has occurred, things like global warming and World War III or an alien invasion are common themes to build a post-apocalyptic world upon. Atleast if the effects were severe enough that mankind and all the other living things on the planet barely escaped alive.

A few animes that have one of these premises include the famous Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä, Uchuu no Stellvia, Appleseed (2004) and Trigun.

Past

In this category, animes with strong ties to the past fall; it need not be the actual past, but if it seems to be the past and there aren't too many new technological achievements (or they come from somewhere else), the anime could well fall in this category. If it is in an actual historical epoch, or clearly in an alternative reality that only seems to be more "the past" than the present or the future, then you could place it here as well as in the respective subgenres.

Most animes in this category also appear in one of the subgenres so listing anime that are typical of this particular category is somewhat futile, since there really are only two alternatives when it comes to the past: either it is an actual historical epoch, or it isn't; which means it's alternative.

Alternative

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.

Examples: Samurai 7, Naruto, Kenpuu Denki Berserk and Howl no Ugoku Shiro.

Historical

Historical animes have clear ties to our history and usually occur in a particular epoch; if the epoch is listed as a subgenre here, choose that one rather than this one; otherwise choose this one.

There are many historical animes and some of the more famous ones include Rurouni Kenshin, Hikaru no Go, Versailles no Bara and Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma.

WWI

Rather than choosing historical, if you know it takes place during or around the time of World War I, choose this category instead. If it stretches all the way to World War II as well, choose both.

WWII

This category is for animes that take place during or around World War II, including the prelude to the actual war when Hitler came to power. Since Japan was actually involved in this war, there are more that take place in this period than in World War I.

Examples: FullMetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala, Hotaru no Haka and Zipang.

Present

There are many animes that happen during the present, and they hail from any number of genres and demographics, it reaches all across the span from fantasy to drama, sports to thriller and horror to comedy. The most common demoninator is that there should be recognizable things/events from our own society that both we and the characters take for granted. And obviously (unless it involves timetravel or spans a long period in history) it cannot fall in any of the other time-categories.

A very small taste of the many examples of this category is: Azumanga Daioh, BECK, Bleach, Full Moon wo Sagashite, Genshiken, Juuni Kokuki, Love Hina, Paradise Kiss and Yakitate!! Japan.

Alternative

An anime that fits in this category usually have technology and society that is very similar to ours, but has a few subtle differences in both history and culture that sometimes are blatantly obvious, but sometimes harder to place; this one can at times be very subjective.

Examples: DearS, Hunter X Hunter, Shoujo Kakumei Utena and Shuffle!.