History Retcon / AnimeAndManga

** The "permanent" nature of the [[FusionDance Potara earrings]] turns out to have been a miscommunication; they're only truly permanent if a Kai is involved, and otherwise wear off after one hour. Since the previous explanation for Vegito's defusion was a blatant DeusExMachina, [[TropesAreTools this is generally regarded as an improvement]].

** Some elements of the DistantFinale, Chapter 700, were later retconned. The [[EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference character designs are off]] in Chapter 700 compared to how they'd later be in the ''Manga/{{Boruto}}'' manga and anime. Everyone looks younger and their clothes are different (for example Sarada wears a casual-looking sweater, tie, and skirt instead of her red ninja-looking outfit in ''Boruto''). Sarada and Sakura's dialogue involving Sasuke imply that he's present in Sarada's life, [[WhenYouComingHomeDad if busy and often away on missions]]. ''Manga/NarutoGaiden'' changes this so that Sasuke hasn't seen Sarada since she was a toddler due to a mission. The chapter also includes [[CharacterizationMarchesOn character differences]], such as Chocho being FatAndProud instead of interested in dieting.

* In ''Manga/WanderingSon'', when CoolBigSis Yuki met Takatsuki it was heavily implied she was drawn to him because she knew he was [[{{transsexual}} biologically female]] and nervous about being out as a boy for the first time. Despite this several chapters later she seems genuinely surprised when he [[UnsettlingGenderReveal reveals his sex]], though she could have been surprised at Nitori coming out.

** In earlier manga chapters, Gaara had triple-pierced ears despite his automatic sand shield, which (almost always) prevents him from taking physical damage.

** The Sage of the Six Paths is stated to be the first to utilize chakra and also the one who solely defeated the Ten-Tailed Beast. [[spoiler:Along comes Hamura.]]
** In one episode of the anime, an anime-only scene showed Hinata being bullied by a group of boys as a young child and Naruto [[BullyHunter saving her]]. This ForgottenFirstMeeting between the two was later made manga canon in ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie'', however the context was changed. The scene was changed to taking place in winter, Naruto didn't beat up the boys (he was punched in the face and knocked out in one hit), and Hinata wasn't dragged away from an injured Naruto by a Hyuuga member (she talked to Naruto instead).
** ''Manga/{{Boruto}}'' has retconned some stuff about the Byakugan. According to it, not ''all'' Hyuuga unlock the Byakugan and the Byakugan requires training to unlock. This makes it more similar to the Sharingan, however none of this was depicted in the original ''Naruto''.

* ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' has apparently retconned Future Trunks hair color. It goes from being purple to blue. [[spoiler: Episode 52 includes moments from History of Trunks, which also show this change.]] What makes this odd is the fact that the present day Trunks still has purple hair.

** Aizen being an UnreliableNarrator is used to explain discrepancies between chapter events and his description of those events. Initially, Aizen claims Urahara was exiled for creating an illegal, untraceable gigai. "Turn Back the Pendulum" reveals that Aizen framed Urahara for illegal Hollowfication experiments, but Urahara's group escaped punishment by using Urahara's illegal gigai. Urahara claims Sado and Orihime developed their powers because they were affected by Ichigo's constantly leaking reiatsu, but Aizen later claims it was actually the Hougyoku that unlocked their powers even though it was supposedly dormant inside Rukia. Aizen eventually tells Ichigo that he has a personal definition of "reality", so enjoys lying regularly. He states it's idiotic to trust a single word he says. It still leaves the fandom with a bit of a headache over how to interpret certain events.

** Aizen being an UnreliableNarrator is used to explain discrepancies between chapter events and his description of those events. Initially, Aizen claims Urahara was exiled for creating an illegal, untraceable gigai. "Turn Back the Pendulum" reveals that Aizen framed Urahara for illegal Hollowfication experiments, but Urahara's group escaped punishment by using Urahara's illegal gigai. Aizen eventually tells Ichigo that he has a personal definition of "reality", so enjoys lying regularly. He states it's idiotic to trust a single word he says.
** Originally, Chad and Orihime were said to have developed their powers because they were affected by Ichigo's constantly leaking reiatsu. Eventually, Aizen claims that it was actually the Hogyoku that unlocked their powers, even though it was supposedly dormant inside Rukia. Some fans have tried to reconcile the different explanations, but the story itself never does.

*** The HD Remaster of ''SEED'' alters the circumstances of [[spoiler:Nichol Amalfi]]'s death, changing it from an intentional but tragic act of violence[[note]]Nichol charged Kira Yamato's Strike Gundam and Kira, reacting without thinking, cuts the Blitz Gundam in half[[/note]] into a stupid accident[[note]]The Blitz Gundam trips and falls onto the Strike's sword[[/note]]. Fans were up in arms over this one because the killer is often viewed as a CreatorsPet and retconning the death was seen as a ham-fisted attempt to absolve him of the murder.

** Another rather famous example is ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]: [[TheMovie Endless Waltz]]'', which quietly replaces the TV series' Gundams (designed by ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' veteran Kunio Okawara) with sleeker designs by Hajime Katoki via a FlashBack prologue. Fandom is split on the issue, and there's quite a bit of [[BrokenBase feuding over which designs are superior]], despite the fact that they're supposed to be functionally identical.
** One of the most infamous Ret Cons was the end of the ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Gundam SEED]]'' Special Edition. A scene specifically put in to reinforce a main character's death was edited out to enable an exceedingly unlikely comeback. The HD Remaster versions of ''Gundam SEED'' went further with its retcons, changing a second death from "self-defense" to "an accident in the most {{Narm}}iest way possible" and introduced a brand new weapon that wasn't used in either the original ''nor'' the Special Editions. The HD Remaster for ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' sets to do the same thing.

** [[spoiler: The entirety of the BardockFatherOfGoku special was retconned. In that movie, Bardock was shown as a man with the ability to see the future who made a futile, last stand against Freeza after forseeing the death of his planet, only to die against Freeza with his last thoughts being of his youngest son. Even his relationship with his comrades is explored; one of the driving aspects of Bardock is to avenge the death of his best friend. ''Dragon Ball Minus'', part of the Jaco manga, takes the ''opposite'' approach. Bardock's comrades are entirely removed, landing them as filler only entities, and instead, Bardock's relationship with his children and wife is focused on a little more. Contrast with Bardock's rather cold nature in the original movie, he's shown to have an actual loving relationship with his wife, and actually sends Kakarot away out of concern for his safety when Freeza called all the Saiyans back to Vegeta. He even asks on Raditz, who he entirely glossed over in the movie. Additionally, Freeza knew of the Super Saiyan God, information he was never stated to know in the original canon.]]

* DragonBallSuper has apparently retconned Future Trunks hair color. It goes from being purple to blue. [[spoiler: Episode 52 includes moments from History of Trunks, which also show this change.]] What makes this odd is the fact that the present day Trunks still has purple hair.

** Lisanna, Mirajane and Elfman's deceased younger sister and Natsu's childhood friend, [[spoiler:was revealed to have been transported to the MirrorWorld of Edolas, instead of having been killed when a monster-possessed Elfman attacked her]].
*** [[spoiler:They found the body of the dead Edolas Lisanna which fell on Earthland]], so the burial still makes sense.
** Flashbacks in the manga showed Lisanna's guild mark was on her upper left arm, but [[spoiler:when she comes back from Edolas]], it's on her left ''leg'' instead. The anime tried to fix this by showing it being removed as she was taken to Edolas, but [[spoiler:a more recent flashback in the Tartaros arc shows it on her leg despite this flashback taking place years before her trip to Edolas]].

** [[spoiler:Lisanna, Natsu's deceased childhood friend, was revealed to have been transported to the MirrorWorld of Edolas, instead of having died.]] Earlier chapters even showed her burial.
*** [[spoiler:They found the body of the dead Edolas Lissana which fell on Eathland]], so the burial still makes sense.

** In the original Japanese version, we see that the five bearers of the Mark of the Dragon are Yusei (tail), Jack (wings), Luca (claw), and Ak (other claw). This is true for the English version too, with the fifth signer being unknown in both versions. Then, the English version mentioned that Rex Goodwin bears the final mark, before Japan even knew it. Because it was false information. Japan later aired their episode to show that Rudger has the head of the dragon. After this, the English version just pretended that they never said Goodwin had it.

** The resolution of the series itself in the final CompilationMovie, which not only changed the ending from a DownerEnding into a BittersweetEnding, but also potentially alters the course of two related sequels drastically (if not does away with them entirely). Creator/YoshiyukiTomino, who created ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' and directed the ''Zeta'' movies in specific, has said that he considers the movies an AlternateReality, but many fans like to believe that the movies shift the less-popular ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'' into CanonDisContinuity territory. Tomino then went on to write the CG short ''Gundam Evolve 5'', which depicts a battle from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack'' with a more positive outcome; Tomino has said he considers the short to be the "New Translation" version of ''CCA''.

* Some chapters of ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' contradict BigBad Sousuke Aizen's description of past events:
** Aizen says that Kisuke Urahara was exiled for creating a ''gigai'' that was untracable, and destroyed the reiatsu of the shinigami using it, both things Urahara actually did. In the "Turn Back the Pendulum" chapters, on the other hand, Urahara's exile is the result of Aizen framing him for turning Hirako and the others into Hollows, something ''Aizen'' actually did (Urahara then used the infamous gigai to ensure all the exiles could escape punishment). Fandom speculation over why Aizen lied ranged from observing the Bleachverse does have official public knowledge and privately known true knowledge to Aizen sowing a seed of discord between Ichigo and Urahara by attempting to make Ichigo mistrust Urahara. Aizen himself does eventually point out that he has his own personal definition of "reality" which means he lies on a regular basis, and takes pleasure in doing so. He tells Ichigo it's idiotic to trust anything he says.

* Early on in ''Manga/SoulEater'', Liz Thompson briefly remembers her and Patty's {{Backstory}}, saying that her life took a turn for the bizarre on that day that she got high and tried to mug a {{Shinigami}} (Kid). A couple dozen chapters later, it's instead revealed that Kid came to New York specifically to recruit the Thompson sisters as his weapons, no mugging involved. They went along for the ride, at least initially, to milk him for all the money and convenience he could provide them, before [[BecomingTheMask coming to admire him for real]].
** The two events could have both happened though, since the later chapter didn't specifically deny the mugging. What could have happened is that he came looking for Liz and Patty, they tried to mug him but Kid got away, and he came back to them at later chance to recruit them.

** Originally, Chad and Orihime were said to have developed their powers because they were affected by Ichigo's constantly leaking reiatsu. Eventually, Aizen claims that it was actually the Hogyoku that unlocked their powers, even though it was supposedly dormant inside Rukia. Some fans have tried to reconcile the different explanations, but the story itself never does.

** The existence of the nine Tailed Beasts. During the chunin exam arc, Shukaku was stated to have been a wind spirit and the soul of a mad priest, as well as not even being hinted as having any relation to the Nine-Tails.
** Even the relationship between Naruto and the Kyūbi is a retcon; the very first chapter has an older, experienced ninja telling Naruto that he ''is'' the sealed Kyūbi rather than containing it and that that's why everyone hates him. Given the extreme emphasis later chapters place on the tailed beasts and the cultural tradition of using people to contain them, it's unthinkable that an experienced ninja could make that mistake, or that everyone else would just let it go unchallenged. The village was instructed to keep the demon inside a secret from Naruto himself.

** The Sage of the Six Paths is stated to be the first to utilize chakra and also the one who solely defeated the Ten-Tailed Beast. [[spoiler:Along comes Kaguya and Hamura, respectively.]]