Time skips, particularly large ones, are always an exciting moment in anime. It's a chance to see iconic characters grow older and stronger, as well as see changes in the world that would take longer than a few days to take effect.
Time skips can also be rather mundane, such as when only a short of time has passed or not much has changed over the time skip. A great time skip that occurs over a longer period of time with more radical changes to the world is far more exciting in comparison. Here are the best and most interesting time skips in anime.
8 Gintama's Fake Time Skip Arc
Time skips are such a common trope in anime that it was bound to be parodied, and Gintamanaturally does so in a two-episode arc signaling the beginning of its second series. The story features Shinpachi coming back to find out that everyone has changed during the time the series was off the air. In the end, however, it was revealed that everyone's changes were the result of a bizarre alien virus and that only a few days had actually passed in the series.
The time skip arc was a fake, but it brought a lot of hilarious changes to the cast that was fun to watch Shinpachi react to. A lot of the common time skip tropes were utilized throughout the arc, and Gintama makes sure to play with these tropes in the most ridiculous ways possible. To make things better, Gintama had a real time skip later in the series, featuring many of the tropes it lampooned in this arc.
7 Fist Of The North Star's Bat And Lin Grow Up
Fist of the North Star takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that where power means everything. The first part of the series largely concerns itself with the rivalry between Kenshiro and his brothers and fellow practitioners of Hokuto Shinken. This first arc culminates in the clash between Kenshiro and his brother Raoh, who fight over their shared love of Yuria.
Fist of the North Star's second series starts years after Kenshiro defeated Raoh, though it isn't apparent just from looking at him. The best indicator of the passage of time is Kenshiro's former child companions, Bat and Lin, who are now fully grown adults and fighters in their own right. Bat and Lin have their own journeys and adventures while also occasionally crossing paths with Kenshiro on his own journeys.
6 Ken Kaneki Lives As Haise Sasaki For Several Years
At the end of the original Tokyo Ghoul series, Ken Kaneki's fate was left in question after a horrific fight with Kisho Arima. Tokyo Ghoul:re revealed that Kaneki had lost his memories after that fight and had become Haise Sasaki, who becomes the leader of a team that hunts Ghouls despite being Ghouls themselves.
Kaneki lives as Haise Sasaki for several years, carving out a place for himself in the same organization that used to hunt him down. As Tokyo Ghoul:re begins properly, Kaneki begins to rise up from Haise Sasaki's personality, but it takes quite some time before he finally returns.
5 UQ Holder! Takes Place 80 Years After Negima!
The Negima! series followed the character of Negi Springfield, a young magician tasked with becoming a teacher at an all-girls school. Initially a fantasy comedy series, the series quickly changed gears and became a high fantasy adventure, featuring intense magical battles and world-spanning crises.
UQ Holder!, a stealth sequel to Negima!, takes place 80 years in the future and stars Tota Konoe, the grandson of Negi Springfield. In his time, the world has changed dramatically, with magic being commonplace and the world becoming more futuristic as a result. The main connection between the two series is Evangeline A. K. McDowell, who calls herself Yukihime and generally passes herself off as a fully-grown adult, despite being an immortal ageless vampire.
4 The World Of Death Note Changes Considerably After L's Death
Death Note largely focused on the mental battle between L, the world's greatest detective, and Light Yagami, the wielder of the Death Note and mass murderer known to all as Kira. The story featured their mental back-and-forth as the two tried to get the other to slip up. Their battle ultimately ended in Light's victory, with L being killed after a long-fought struggle.
Years after L's death, the world has changed considerably. Light has taken on the mantle of L while maintaining his activities as Kira. With Kira's activities going on for several years, the world has started to become more accepting of Kira, while new obstacles to Kira appear in the form of Mello and Near, successors to L.
3 The Transition From Dragon Ball To Dragon Ball Z Is Massive
The five-year time skip between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Zis a big turning point for the series. The introduction of Gohan and the revelation that Goku is a Saiyan from another planet are massive changes to the Dragon Ball canon and remain one of the most iconic moments in the franchise.
The time skip not only brings new revelations but a massive change in tone and approach to the series. Starting with the Saiyan Saga, Dragon Ball suddenly became darker and more violent compared to the more light-hearted, comical adventures of previous storylines. With so many differences, it's easy to see how different Dragon Ball Z is from its predecessor.
2 The 50-Year Time Jump After Jonathan's Death Is Startling
By now, most anime fans are used to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and its constant changing of protagonists. New parts are always accompanied by discourse about who the new JoJo will be, and how much time will have passed since the last part.
However, the first time around, it would surely have been surprising to see Jonathan's death only 9 episodes into the season, especially for new fans who weren't aware of this particular aspect of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The next episode's revelation of the new protagonist Joseph and the passage of 50 years must also have been a massive surprise and one that etches itself into the mind of any new fan.
1 One Piece's 2-Year Time Skip Is A Masterclass
Time skips are at their most effective when they bring radical changes to the story. There's not much point in having a time skip if the characters don't change and the world isn't any different. Revealing a completely different world after the end of a time skip is important for pulling it off effectively.
One Piece's 2-year time skip is a masterclass in showing how that should be done. After two years, nearly every character fans have met beforehand has changed significantly, especially the main Straw Hat Pirates. The world has also changed massively, with new political issues and faction clashes that are still a mystery to both the Straw Hats and the viewers. One Piece's time skip is one of the best in anime, and there has yet to be a better one.