Alternative TitlesJapanese: シュタインズ ゲート
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 24
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 6, 2011 to Sep 14, 2011
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 9.171 (scored by 81756 users)
Ranked: #32
Popularity: #36
Members: 139,877
Favorites: 15,135 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
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SynopsisSteins;Gate is set in the summer of 2010, approximately one year after the events that took place in Chaos;Head, in Akihabara.
Steins;Gate is about a group of friends who have customized their microwave into a device that can send text messages to the past. As they perform different experiments, an organization named SERN, who has been doing their own research on time travel, tracks them down and now the characters have to find a way to avoid being captured by them.
(Sources: VNDB, Wikipedia) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Steins;Gate
Alternative setting: ChäoS;HEAd, Robotics;Notes
Sequel: Steins;Gate: Oukoubakko no Poriomania
Other: Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Archaeon
749 of 1267 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbley ... timey wimey ... stuff" - The Doctor
When it comes to entertainment, one of the easiest things to get wrong is the concept of time travel. Part of the reason for this is because our scientific understanding of "reality" is still in its infancy, and this means that the writers for shows like Doctor Who, Quantum Leap, even Star Trek, must apply their imagination and creativity in order to resolve some of the inherent paradoxes that will occur whenever a narrative decides to hop, skip or jump.
In other words, they make it up.
More often than not the implausibility of any sort of time travel is camouflaged with pseudo-science, techno-babble, and a good smattering of conversational quantum-hokum. These add a veneer of believability so that the average person can achieve the suspension of disbelief required to buy into the storyline. When it comes to anime though, the concept of travelling through time has generally lacked in substance, delivery, and even narrative relevance.
Until now ...
Originally a visual novel by 5pb and Nitroplus, Steins;Gate tells the story of Okabe Rintaro (the self styled mad scientist known as Hououin Kyouma), and his "colleagues" at the Future Gadget Laboratory, Hashida "Daru" Itaru and Shiina Mayuri. Okabe spends his days making strange inventions with Daru, and the oddest one so far is the Phone Microwave [name subject to change]. At first it seems as though this device does nothing more than turn bananas into a green, jelly-like substance, but it has a hidden side effect that no one knows about. Everything seems placid and normal until the day that Okabe and Mayuri decide to attend a lecture given by the eminent Professor Nakabachi on the subject of time machines and time travel.
For the most part Steins;Gate is a surprisingly well thought out series that applies the notion of cause and effect in a reasonably intelligent manner. The plot follows a logical, if somewhat timeworn progression, and while there are numerous recycles, repeats, reboots, and "do overs" that form an integral part of any time travel tale, these are handled in a way that would have turned Endless Eight from tedium incarnate into an arc that was at least watchable. The show throws around a number of concepts and theories to explain or justify certain aspects of the science fiction, and on quite a few occasions these have been woven into the main body of the plot very well. Ideas like the Butterfly Effect (which, given the visual cues, should be obvious to anyone), the Observer Effect and Schrödinger's Cat have been used to support the problems caused by time travel (and their resolution), and in that respect Steins;Gate deserves a good deal of praise for trying to use science to support the science fiction (and it does it far better than the likes of Puella Magi Madoka Magica).
Unfortunately it's not all fun and games.
One of the problems within the narrative is the inevitable conflict between human drama and science fiction, and in true anime fashion the emotional side wins out. This has the unfortunate effect of removing much of the chaos that is inherent in a story about time travel, and replacing it with predictability and melodrama. Thankfully the human side of the tale is handled in a surprisingly decent manner, but this is tempered by the fact that a number of basic questions are never actually addressed. The very nature of this anime automatically requires that certain aspects be resolved or explained, and while there are all sorts of "scientific" reasons flying around, the series tends to shy away from tackling certain first order issues like the Grandfather Paradox.
There's also the matter of the rather "neat" ending, but we'll get to that in a bit.
Steins;Gate is a very good looking series, but as with any adaptation from another visual medium, there's an automatic limitation placed on aspects like character design. That said, White Fox have produced a series that viewers may find appealing, if a little generic at times, and have used what they've been given to very good effect. The character animation is of a high standard, and many of the visual effects are imaginative and well choreographed (which should be no surprise given that White Fox also produced Tears to Tiara and Katanagatari). It's unfortunate then, that the typical anime mentality comes to the fore in the little details, the main one being the distinct lack of variety where clothing is concerned. Everyone seems to have only one outfit, which may seem a little picky to some, but imagine how you would feel if you wore the same underwear for three weeks while running around and in mostly warm weather.
This mentality also comes to the fore in the script, and while the majority of the dialogue in the show is actually pretty good, the usual shenanigans come out to play at times when there really doesn't need to be any more drama. Thankfully the voice actors are experienced enough to know how to deal with the scriptwriters' attempts at overcompensating for various shortcomings, and in truth they're the ones that carry this series. If it wasn't for the talents of Miyano Mamoru, Imai Asami, Seki Tomokazu, Hanazawa Kana, and the rest of the cast, Steins;Gate would quickly collapse under its own weight, and it's thanks to the seiyuu's abilities that the more technical or scientific portions of the script can be delivered in a manner that fits with the narrative.
The opening sequence features Hacking The Gate by Ito Kanako, a fairly average J-pop track track that has been set to a montage of most of the characters who seem to be deep in contemplation while a variety of clock faces, cogs and technical looking diagrams zip around the screen. On the other hand, The Twelve Time Governing Covenants by Sakakibara Yui works rather well as the closing theme, and for the most part the end sequence is a far more subtle and off kilter affair that is more in tune with the atmosphere of the series proper (until the last few seconds that is, and one has to wonder about the mentality of the person who thought ending the sequence like that was a good idea).
As for the background music, there's a rather nice variety of tracks that are often very subtly used. More often than not the series relies on mundane noises and silence, and because of that attention has been paid to the timing and usage of the score.
Steins;Gate has a core set of characters who are surprisingly well defined from the start of the series, but in terms of overall development much of the growth applies only to Okabe. Now this isn't really surprising given the events in the story, and to be honest the show is actually better with his character being the only one who truly changes. Okabe's development when dealing with the events that are rapidly spiralling out of control is handled in a sensitive yet realistic manner, and it's nice to see that the anime hasn't shied away from depicting the apathy he feels after experiencing a series of personally harrowing events.
Unfortunately the attempts to further develop some of the other characters tend to fall a little short of the mark, and this leads to a few situations that effectively remove the dramatic tension that has been painstakingly built up. The sad part is that while it's laudable to try and develop characters like Suzu, Mayuri, Feyris, and even Tennouji Yugo (Mr Braun), this should never come at the detriment of the main storyline.
Steins;Gate is a very entertaining series that isn't afraid to play around with various scientific concepts, but at the same time it clearly avoids tackling certain major issues related to time travel, and the focus on human drama can sometimes be at odds with the events in the storyline. That said, it's a very enjoyable anime that doesn't get too bogged down in technicalities, and while I rather liked the fact that Okabe cast himself in the role of mad scientist (complete with laugh), imagine my surprise at finding out he's supposed to be 18 years old.
Which brings us back to the ending.
There's a certain ... "clinical" ... feel to the conclusion that really doesn't sit too well, and while it's always nice to see a story end happily, one has to wonder about the plausibility of it all. The thing is, Steins;Gate uses a concept of time travel similar to that used in Quantum Leap, and therein lies the problem. Anyone who is familiar with the latter series knows that Dr Sam Beckett (an actual doctor, not an 18 year old first year student like Okabe), is unable to return to his original timeline because too many changes have been made to past events. In the nomenclature of Steins;Gate, he's moved across too many world lines and affected too many lives, and this is one of the major things that Steins;Gate glosses over completely. Now one could argue that the idea used in the series creates an effective escape clause, but that only covers certain people. The simple fact is that everyone you meet when you travel through time, no matter how brief the contact, is affected by your presence, so in order to return to one's original timeline, one must undo every contact with every person, even down to brushing shoulders with a total stranger on the street.
One of the other aspects that really should have been explored is Okabe's ability, Reading Steiner. At no point does the series delve into why he has this ability or how it works, and this is more than a little odd given how much importance is placed on "Fool yourself. Fool the world".
Even with those issues though, Steins;Gate is easily one of the better science fiction anime to appear in the last few years, and while there are areas that could have been improved upon, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Steins;Gate is an enjoyable romp in the realms of implausibility that delivers on several levels, and while the happy ending may not sit well with everyone, the conclusion to the story does offer a degree of catharsis.
It's just a shame that everyone seems to think you need a happy ending in order to make a story great. read more
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IAmSovereign
67 of 115 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
I'm just going to go ahead and say its overhyped to hell. Its not that it's a bad show, it was a enjoyable experience. But certainly not without its flaws as its ratings or most reviews would suggest.
My biggest gripe with Steins;Gate is that, as an engineering student, at no point was the suspension of disbelief at the science in its science fiction, or the logic of its plot (or the soundness of its explanations) effortless. It is a good show, but not as science fiction. I don't want to include any spoilers but I will say this, at times I couldn't help myself audibly chuckling and saying "bullshit" after hearing long-winded explanations of its in-universe sci-fi. There are quite a few glaring plot holes in the show, and the series relies on deus ex machinas on more than one occasion to dig itself of dead-ends its written itself into. THAT SAID, none of that matters if you can overlook it. Do not go into steins;gate for Sci-Fi and that still does not qualify it as a bad show. For story I would rate it good(7), but only because it was at least original and did have some really great moments.
In every other department however, Steins;Gate excelled. In hindsight, it really is something that this show took such a hilariously varied and mismatching cast of characters and managed to make them so believable and mesh together so effortlessly. The interactions between them were endearing and well written; full of charm, wit and chemistry, taking you through the full spectrum of emotions. You can't help but grow attached.
The show's relied on its cast so much that for long lengths of the show, nothing really progressing the plot happened at all, yet it still feels unfair to call it filler. In these parts the show doesn't seem to try at all, the events portrayed being completely laid back and banal, yet still infinitely interesting and hilarious. The comedy of Steins;Gate is facile in manner and doesn't even seem forced even when referencing internet memes and otaku culture, which is not an easy thing to do. Houoin Kyouma and company would definitely find a place in any list of favourite characters of mine. For cast, Steins;Gate recieves a solid 9(Great)
The art of Steins;Gate was gorgeous, the character designs unique and refreshing and the animation was fluid. You could at parts tell there were budget constraints but overall, what they managed to do was more than adequate easily deserves an 8(Very Good).
The voice acting was superb, and even in the english dub, it was hardly disappointing. In fact, I'm going to even go far enough to say that FUNimation and their VAs put their whole heart and soul into this dub and managed to produce something very quality. I personally have heard both and can't find myself being able to choose one that is objectively better.
The music was very minimal in Steins;Gate and the OST does not consist of many songs. At the moments, it does though, it stands out and is brilliant. "Gate of Steiner" and "Believe me" being my favourite tracks. The ED was also very appropriate and in-general a good song. I personally didn't like the OP very much though, but that is my opinion. For sound, I give it a 7(Good).
For total enjoyment, I give Steins;Gate an 8. It definitely is something worth watching. read more
Recommendations
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As others have said it's spoilerish to say why but both are similar in that they seem lighthearted at first and then WHAM something happens and changes everything
Yes, it was that peaceful summer day, then lightning struck, changed my life forever. That sort of shit you heard all the time, the kick is this time what's changing is not some sunflower-carrying tuberculous girl's life but the multiverse instead.
Shock element rules the internet. Anything come unexpected goes viral faster and better than average school comedy. Both show utilize viral marketing well but you don't have to admire that, admiring a hot chick's head asplode is much more inspiring, as always.
Both anime focus around different time theories out there. They also have interesting characters.
Both are designed to deceive viewers and troll them afterwards. :3
They also share some tropes (perhaps because of Nitro+) and deal with hopelessness and despair. Amazing mindraping shows.
Time paradoxes, complex plot, interesting dialogues. Excellent animation.
It'd be a spoiler telling you what's similar between these 2 anime, but they're both very good thriller anime. They're incredibly suspenseful anime that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the time.
I cannot say the detail as it is a huge spoiler, but both has exact same theme and plot complexity with repetition. There are also tons of surprising factors, too.
Even if series look very different at first glance, believe me when I say that they have a similar theme going on later on.
Both series are a roller coaster ride of plot twists and dark miss happenings. The setting is somewhat similar, the mood, the art and the unique characters that all play a part no matter how small. Love one and you will instinctively love the other. Two of the best anime ever made.. both completely different yet so alike.
It'd be spoilers to explain it...but both have a rather dark "Well...I didn't see that one coming" moment, followed by many more such moments.
- Both start very normal but something unexpected happens later.
- Both deal with time paradoxes.
Well, I don't want to spoil people who want to see this shows, so I'll just say that they share a lot, and both are masterpieces.
Both are some amazing anime.
Both have a character running around in a circle.
The authors seem to love giving despair to the cast.
The real similarities are in the spoilers.
It would be too spoilery if I explained how. They are just similar. Dark, twists, awesome.
Both based around the concept of time travel in order to change fate. Protagonists of both shows are trying to change fate/have their fate changed.
Dark Plot, Time Travel. Going on would be a spoiler, just see for yourself.
Looks fun until shits goes down and everything changes.
It's kinda spoilerish to say precisely what makes those anime similar to each other, but i can say that both are Masterpieces and both do not really are what they look like.
Both dark themes.
Both have WTF moments.
It would be a spoiler to say how they are similar like others have said, just watch and you wont be disappointed.
Can't really say why these are similar without revealing some major spoilers...but if you enjoyed the later episodes of Madoka, you'll probably like Steins;Gate. If you enjoyed Steins;Gate, you'll probably like Madoka because of its later episodes.
Wel, without any spoiler,l they both have similar concepts :D
Both are light hearted at first but grow into dark, brilliant stories
It's all fun and games until...
Both series have very very strong characters and good writing, the characters' struggles are very comparable
Also both involve time traveling.
Both have similar plot formats in that they start off fun and lighthearted but change dramatically as the plot develops. Okabe and Homura have a very similar goal as well.
All i can say without any spoilers is both show might start off slow and boring but it gets amazingly amazing later on.......
The stories aren't very similar, but both shows involve the characters desperately trying to save the people they love.
Both have a similar beginning in the essence where you have to watch past several episodes to get interest, while Steins;gate has a beginning where you have no clue as to what is happening, mahou shoujo madoka magica has a beginning where it shows a normal school girl, both after 3 or 4 episodes get really interesting.
The middle of both anime have the same plot related issue as well, but I won't spoil anything.
There's a HUGE amount of similarity in here that it'd be a spoiler to tell.
So in short, both are alike except one has to deal in the Science Fiction genre while they other one remains in it's Magical Girl genre.
Both of these are amazing! If you watched one, then you'll definately love the other regardless on the order you watched them. And they both have great music too!
Steins;Gate and Madoka★Magica both have a major plot twist were they go from casual mode to "wtf i did not see that coming" mode.
Both are great animes that are definitely worth watching if you ask me.
Both are great mind fucks if you choose to hang around for about 2-3 episodes. They will NOT disappoint you in any way shape or form.
Both have a epic story build up that you will remember and want to spread to all of your friends for a very long time.
Similar story arc and plot points. starts out slow and not great and then builds on itself and gets fantastic.
Both initially seem juvenile and routine, but evolve into a much darker and original being as the series progress. Both deal with repitition to obtain a desired result, and both inject new life into genres that were previously thought to be exhausted.
These two anime are similar in that they both deal with the balance of the world and the changes in different timelines. They also show the different sacrifices that have to be made in order to obtain what is necessary. However, Steins;Gate provides more character development compared to Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, probably because of the longer length in the number of episodes.
Like in Steins;Gate, first episodes of PMMM are carefree and joyful. But gradually are shown deeper and darker layers of tragic story about desperate fight to change seemingly inevitable fate of heroines, who too late learn that every power has its price and sometimes brings great responsibility.
Dont be deceived by opening and first episodes!
PMMM is MUCH darker than it appears at first look, I would even say it is far more serious and dramatic than S;G. Story is written by Gen Urobuchi, who publicly "apologized for intentionally misleading people that Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica is a cute healing anime". Wikipedia describes its genre as "Drama, Horror, Magical girl, Tragedy", and MAL as "Magic, Psychological, Thriller".
SPOILER:
As a matter of fact, concept of both anime is the same, but in PMMM its revealed very late.
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The Anime work with similar theories. They have an interesting cast of characters and the overall story line is dark.
Mirai Nikki and Steins;Gate both involve the use of cellphones that hold the ability/power to change the future. Both are good thriller and suspense series.
A male teen boy who, threw the use of a moblie phone, can change the course of destiny. His love interest is heavily involved within the plot as a fellow lead and there's a strong element of 'God mode'.
the protagonists use their cellphones to change the future
Both deal with time and future. Same character scheme Okabe X Kurisu / Yukki X Yunno
Both shows involve using a cellphone to change the outcome of the future.
The love in the stories are quite different, both deal with some time travel one more so than the other but both are also very strong emotional "thrillers" if you will. You wont regret it.
time predicting, fighting with destiny and somekind of odd love. MIRAI is more HARDCORE ONE, keep it in mind.
Main character have mobile phone that can change fate and future. Both have conspiracy and somewhat twist ending.
Mirai Nikki and Steins;Gate have a lot in common. One thing is they both have to do with time. Steins; Gate looks at the mathematical aspect of changing it, while Mirai Nikki gives people to already see the changes and knowing them ahead of time. Both also use cellphones as their main device to manipulate time too.
Each anime has the aspect of a cell phone that has the ability to change the future
Both are thriller animes, and both use cellphones in someway to change the future.
Both series have to do with messages on cell phones. In S;G they send messages to the past as a way to 'time travel' while in MN!, a person's fate is written as a diary. Both animes are excellent psychological thrillers.
Cell phones, thriller, drama, and epic action scenes. What else could we ask for more in both of these incredible anime(s)? Both Mirai Nikki and Steins;Gate also incorporates the usage of cell phones although for different purposes. Additionally, there is romance in both series as well as comedy and emotional drama. As the series continues for both anime, we also see various plot twists and cliffhangers that leaves the audience asking "what's next"?
Both series have the idea of a cellphone/object that can alter time.
If you loved Steins;Gate, you will definitely love Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)! These series are very similar to each other. How they try and fight their locked fates. With fate as their opponent, they need to change what they can do. The anime of Mirai Nikki has just started, and I recommend this to all Steins;Gate fans out there!
similarities between the two
-psychological thriller
-the future is an important part of the story
-love story between the main characters
Sending message to the future & past
Both share an impossible romance, hard to endure emotional moments, similar time and space theories, character development and backstory, lots of plot twists, awesome music soundtrack and seiyus (voiceovers). In both case, you end up marathoning the whole thing in a day or two =)
• Both anime have time travel themes.
• Both anime have unexpected plot / twists.
One Story is about time Travel the other about reading the future and serious Brainfuck in both
Both animes deal with how the future can be changed through certain actions, the difference is that Steins;Gate is closer to reality, including elements that exist such as "SERN" and "IBN" (that would be the "CERN "and" IBM ") and characters using time machines, since the Mirai Nikki is a game where you can not return to the past but to predict the future, but it is a game of survival and all holders of" Mirai Nikki "have to kill the other carriers.
Cell phones are highly involved in both S;G and MN and hold the power to manipulate the future and so both deal with fighting fate or destiny depending on your actions. There's one big similar point to the two animes but telling it kind of spoils MN. Both deal with fighting fate and conspiracy and using people to achieve the goal.
Both are moving psycho thrillers with a love story but MN is more violent and perverted (blood, boobs, blood, boobs, and so on) and the yandere character's actions can make you drop it. On the other hand, the number of episodes taken to introduce you to S;G also may make one drop it if one is not interested in the context. ^^
Has the sense of mindf*ck and are both very enjoyable series to watch.
If you like anime with good stories with changing futures and nice characters, than watch Steins;Gate and Mirai Nikki ^^^Love both
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Opening Theme"Hacking to the Gate" by Kanako Itou
Ending Theme#1: "Toki Tsukasadoru Juuni no Meiyaku (刻司ル十二ノ盟約)" by Yui Sakakibara (eps 1-21)
#2: "Fake Verthandi" by Takeshi Abo (ep 22)
#3: "Sky Clad no Kansokusha (スカイクラッドの観測者)" by Kanako Itou (ep 23)
#4: "Another Heaven" by Kanako Itou (ep 24)
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