Hello! As the title says, I'm looking for time travel shows (or movies) where characters go back in time (or end up in alternate timeline, maybe something like crossworlds traveling, or ending up 'inside' of a historical book/war video game) to modern-ish historically important time. I know there are many movies where people go back in time to their parents' youthful days and get to know them blah blah blah but I'm not looking for something like that. I want leads to end up involved in history/politics rather than them focusing on family life. Say, going back to WW2 or Gwangju Uprising and joining the army or anything that is not looking for long lost grandma. Something like A Step Into The Past but for modern history. 

✤ 1900's preferred, but 1800's are acceptable too.

✤ Real (or slightly altered) history preferred, but alternative universe is acceptable too.

✤ Military/politics is preferred, but everything else is acceptable as well.

✤ Going back in time from present to the past (or getting into a game etc.) preferred, but people from the past going to the present (or getting freed from the game etc) is acceptable too. People from the future going to the present/past is OK too.

✔ No country preference


If you read manga Zipang or watched Unserious Hero (it's a sh1tty movie but generally fits the criteria) or Kung Fu Traveler (again, sh1tty movie but shows people from 'the future' going to 'the past), this is what I'm looking for. Zipang the most closely resembles the show/movie I want to watch.

Jin and Jin 2
I do not really recommend it but "time spiral" and watch gackt act oh so badly.
Tokio 
Byakkotai 
A Boy and His Samurai 
Gantz is not time travel but definitely another world..or a diiferent angle of the same world...  but has fighting.
Cyborg She 
Long Love Letter (forward in time not backwards
Mirai Nikki  (not as good as the anime, goes to another world)
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store  (no military or fighting)

Forgot Nobunaga Concerto, thanks stellarflower : )


I think I have watched more but these are off the top of my head

I could only think of The Warrior's Gate, Cyborg She, and the animated film The Place Promised In Our Early Days. Have you heard/watched Iceman 3D, Duckweed, or Heaven's Soldiers? maybe you can try them...

How come you havent seen Chicago Typewriter? I definitely thought you wrote this post after watching that drama but it's not on you list! :D Anyways, i strongly recommend ChT. It is not purely time travel but i think it fits most of your criteria. 'Time travel' part is set in 1930's)

I havent seen yet but heard good reviews: Nine: Nine Times Time Travel (lead travels to 1990's)

  1. Scarlet Heart This is a drama-romance more than a politic
  2. Timeless Love (Movie)
  3. Nobunaga Concerto 

Sorry I have no recommendation...but A Step Into The Past sounds so nostalgic...I just can't help replying to this thread...LoL

BTW......your Timeline is a bit tricky there....1800's in Japan is still in Shogun's rule...I don't think you're looking for that...otherwise Jin would perfectly fit the criteria...

You may like the American series Timeless. A trio of people who are working for the government time travel into America’s past and try to stop a criminal from changing important historical events. There is also Life on Mars about a cop who travels back in time to the 1970s and must figure out what happened and adapt to living in that time. There is the original British version, an American remake, and a South Korean remake (the cops travels to the 80s in the Korean version).

I recommend the Czech movie, Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea (1977).  It's about a comedy about group of people who go back in time to World War 2.

If you like this movie, I would also recommend the Czech TV show The Visitors (1983), which was made by the same director.  It's about a group of people from the 25th century who go back in time to the 20th century, to try to save the world.

Here are a few: 

I totally second JIN by the way. Really good drama.