Last updated: 1 November 2026
Erased is a 12-episode mystery thriller anime by A-1 Pictures about a man sent back to his childhood to stop a kidnapping case and save his mother. It aired from January to March 2016 and tells one complete story. It is tense and emotional rather than gory, a race against time with a killer hiding in plain sight.
About Erased
Satoru Fujinuma has an unwanted gift: when something terrible is about to happen, his mind is thrown a few minutes back in time so he can stop it. He calls it Revival. Erased begins in 2006, where 29-year-old Satoru is a struggling manga artist delivering pizzas in Chiba. When his mother is murdered and he is framed for the crime, Revival does something it has never done before, it sends him back eighteen years, into his ten-year-old body in his snowy Hokkaido hometown in 1988. There, Satoru realises what he must do: stop the kidnapping case that shadowed his childhood, starting with his classmate Kayo Hinazuki, a lonely girl who was the killer's first known victim. Animated by A-1 Pictures in 2016, this 12-episode thriller is a complete, tightly told story about regret, friendship and a second chance to save the people who matter.
Erased is a TV anime from 2016, first released in Winter 2016. It belongs to the Mystery and Thriller and Supernatural genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Satoru Fujinuma calls it 'Revival': a sudden rewind of a few minutes that lets him spot and stop a tragedy, whether he wants to or not. In 2006 he is a failed manga artist delivering pizzas, and Revival is just another burden, until the day he comes home to find his mother murdered and the police hunting him for it. Cornered, Satoru's ability explodes: he wakes up in 1988, eighteen years earlier, in his ten-year-old body in snowy Tomakomai, months before his mother dies and weeks before his classmate disappears.
Satoru understands at once: the 2006 murder and the 1988 kidnappings are one case, and saving the victims of the past is the only way to save his mother. His first target is Kayo Hinazuki, a neglected classmate who sits alone in the park after school, in the original timeline, the killer's first victim. With his adult mind, his childhood friends and sheer stubbornness, Satoru races to fill Kayo's empty days before the killer's schedule reaches her. But someone in town is watching the children, too.
Why Watch Erased
- A time-travel mystery with a clear rule and a hard deadline. Every episode ends on a hook.
- The friendship between Satoru and Kayo is one of the most moving in any thriller anime.
- A complete story in 12 episodes: the killer is found and every question is answered.
- Yuki Kajiura's score and Sayuri's ending 'Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no Yō na' set the perfect mood.
- The opening 'Re:Re:' is Asian Kung-Fu Generation re-recording their own classic from Sol-fa.
Who Is It For?
Erased is a mystery thriller for older teens and adults. It centres on child kidnapping, murder and abuse, handled seriously rather than graphically, there is little gore, but the themes are heavy and some scenes are deeply upsetting.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Erased.
- Satoru FujinumaPizza deliverer with the Revival ability; sent back to 1988Japanese voiceShinnosuke Mitsushima (adult), Tao Tsuchiya (young)
- Kayo HinazukiLonely classmate Satoru must save from the killerJapanese voiceAoi Yūki
- Airi KatagiriCo-worker who believes in Satoru when no one else doesJapanese voiceChinatsu Akasaki
- Sachiko FujinumaSatoru's mother; sharp-eyed former reporterJapanese voiceMinami Takayama
- Kenya KobayashiClever classmate who becomes Satoru's allyJapanese voiceYō Taichi
- Gaku YashiroSatoru's trusted homeroom teacherJapanese voiceMitsuru Miyamoto
- Jun ShiratoriKind young worker, nicknamed Yuuki, who befriends childrenJapanese voiceTakahiro Mizushima
- Hiromi SugitaGentle classmate in Satoru's circle of friendsJapanese voiceAkari Kitō
- OsamuClassmate and friend in Satoru's 1988 groupJapanese voiceAyaka Nanase
- KazuCheerful classmate and friend in Satoru's 1988 groupJapanese voiceYukitoshi Kikuchi
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Kei Sanbe
- Animation Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Series Director
- Tomohiko Itō
- Series Composition
- Taku Kishimoto
- Character Design
- Keigo Sasaki
- Music
- Yuki Kajiura
Manga & Source Material
Erased is based on Kei Sanbe's manga Boku Dake ga Inai Machi, serialised in Kadokawa's Young Ace. The anime adapts the manga's original ending, with the final stretch compressed to fit the 12-episode run.
- Written and illustrated by Kei Sanbe
- Serialised in Kadokawa's Young Ace magazine from 2012 to March 2016
- The main story is complete in 8 volumes; the side-story Erased: Re brings the total to 9 volumes
- Erased: Re, a collection of stories about the other characters, was released in February 2017
- Published in English by Yen Press
Music
Erased uses one opening and one ending theme. The opening is a special re-recording: Asian Kung-Fu Generation remade their 2004 song 'Re:Re:' from the album Sol-fa, a fitting choice for a story about reliving the past.
Opening Themes
- “Re:Re:”by Asian Kung-Fu GenerationCurrentOpening theme (2016): a re-recording of the band's 2004 song
Ending Themes
- “Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no Yō na”by SayuriCurrentEnding theme (2016), written by composer Yuki Kajiura
Series Timeline
- 2012
Kei Sanbe's Erased manga begins in Young Ace magazine.
- 2015
The TV anime adaptation is announced in June.
- 2016
The anime airs from 8 January to 25 March on Fuji TV's Noitamina block; the manga ends the same month; a live-action film opens on 19 March.
- 2017
The side-story volume Erased: Re is released in February, and a live-action drama series premieres on Netflix in December.
Quick Answers
Is Erased finished?
Yes. Erased has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Erased?
Erased is a Mystery and Thriller and Supernatural anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Mystery anime page.
When did Erased release?
Erased first released in Winter 2016. It is a TV series.
How many episodes does Erased have?
Erased has 12 episodes in a single season, aired from 8 January to 25 March 2016 on Fuji TV's Noitamina block. It adapts the complete manga, so the mystery is fully solved by the final episode.
Will there be an Erased Season 2?
No. The anime covered the manga's full story, including its ending, so there is nothing left for a second season. The 2016 live-action film and the 2017 Netflix drama are separate adaptations of the same story.
Is Erased scary or gory?
Erased is a tense psychological thriller rather than a horror show. It deals with dark subjects (child kidnapping, murder and abuse) and has some frightening and emotional scenes, but very little on-screen gore; the fear comes from suspense and from not knowing who the killer is.
Is the Erased manga finished, and does the anime follow it?
Yes. Kei Sanbe's manga is complete in 8 volumes, plus a side-story volume, Erased: Re. The anime follows the manga's original ending, though it compresses the final part of the story to fit 12 episodes.
Watch Order
Good news: there is nothing else you need to watch before or after this one.
- 1ErasedThis series (2016): the complete mystery in 12 episodes; nothing else is required. The 2016 live-action film and the 2017 Netflix drama are separate adaptations, not sequels.
Where to Watch
Erased is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.