With the upcoming release of the Steins;Gate Zero anime and visual novel, some of you maybe asking yourself “Wasn’t this franchises’ plot resolved in the original anime?” Well to answer that question, it was. But that didn’t stop Nitro Plus and MAGES from mining the franchise for all it was worth and releasing various spin-off manga, anime, light novels, and even a movie that all serve to show that Steins;Gate is truly the Evangelion of the visual novel world.

All of this time travel nonsense can be a bit confusing, so we here at Anime Maru are ready and willing to sort out and explain each and everyone of Steins;Gate’s timelines, right down to that one that was mentioned only once on the back cover of a light novel released six years ago and stocked only in a single shop in the deepest, darkest corner of Akihabara. So buckle up, check your worn out Back to the Future and Doctor Who references at the door, and lets do this!

Beta Timeline

The original timeline in which the series begins

Kurisu is dead. Nothing of value was lost.

Time Travel begins World War 3…somehow.

Ruka Ushibara was born male. Still best girl despite this fact.

Anime Maru is the leading name in Anime News.

Alpha Timeline

The timeline in which most of Stiens;Gate’s plot takes place

Mayuri is fated by the universe to die no matter what anyone does to the contrary. Thus depriving the masses of an endless supply of Tuturu’s and clueless yet strangely insightful observations.

Time Travel allows SERN to somehow take over the entire world.

Ruka Ushibara was born female in this world, thus confirming without a doubt that she is, in fact, the best girl.

Anime Maru, against all odds, exists as a print magazine with a circulation of roughly ten.

Steins;Gate Timeline

The final timeline from the original visual novel and anime.

Kurisu and Mayuri are both alive, thus igniting “Best Girl” arguments for the rest of time. Both sides are wrong.

Neither World War 3 nor SERN’s invention of time travel come to pass. Thus saving the world from yet another Steins;Gate sequel…or so we thought. DUN DUN DUN.

Presumably the timeline in which Chaos;Head and Robotics;Note take place. Remember those? Of course not, no one does.

Anime Maru exists as a humble fake news website that brings the masses anime themed humor.

Delta Timeline

Time line in which a visual novel you haven’t played, Darling of Love Vows, and a light novel you haven’t read, Linear Bound Phonogram, take place.

Okabe, having been freed from his obligation of being the protagonist of an ongoing plot, dates every single female member of the cast, including Amane, who you might remember is his best friend’s daughter from the future, which isn’t creepy at all, and a male version of Ruka. Thus fulfilling some kind of industry wide obligation that every single serious visual novel have must have a wacky and lighthearted romantic comedy spin-off at some point or another.

Okabe, having been freed from his obligation of being the protagonist of an ongoing plot, dates every single female member of the cast, including Amane, who you might remember is his best friend’s daughter from the future, which isn’t creepy at all, and a male version of Ruka. Thus fulfilling some kind of industry wide obligation that every single serious visual novel have must have a wacky and lighthearted romantic comedy spin-off at some point or another. Moeka Kiryuu finally gets her own route, thus elevating her above her former role as “That girl who doesn’t talk much and shoots Mayuri over and over and over.”

Anime Maru doesn’t exist at all, thus depriving the world of quality anime parody every day of the week, except on Sundays.

Omega Timeline

A timeline glimpsed only briefly in the visual novel in which the Future Gadgets Lab doesn’t exist, and Okabe is not friends with any its members, save for Faris NyanNyan, whom he is dating. Being from another timeline, Okabe has no memories of how any of this came to pass

More then a little depressing.

Features 1000% percent more meowing sound effects then other timelines.

R Timeline

A timeline briefly visited during the events of the Steins;Gate movie.

Exists entirely as a plot device.

Every day in this timeline is Talk Like A Pirate Day.

??? Timeline

A world used exclusively for storing all of the dead Mayuri’s that piled up during the anime and visual novel’s main plot.

Not at all a pleasant place.

Smells like a mixture of Doctor Pepper and rotting flesh.

Depressing as hell.

Theta Timeline

Literally just Back to the Future.

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