55802


In episode 23 of the original series, Okabe receives a D-mail from 2025 which
triggers him try again to save Kurisu and enter Steins Gate.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lBQjC.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lBQjC.png)

In episode of 23 of Steins;Gate 0 we see the same scene:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GaVjZ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GaVjZ.png)

There's a clear discrepancy here. The year in the date.

The text "受信日時" translates to "Reception date and time".

Questions:

  * When receiving D-mails, which date is supposed to be used? The sending world line's date? Or the receiving world line's date? Normally, this doesn't matter since the send and receive dates will be almost the same for electronic communication.
  * Is this discrepancy intentional? Or is it a goof? If it is intentional, is there yet another world line change hidden underneath that we don't know yet? (The ending of Steins;Gate 0 left plenty of room for a 3rd season.)


CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-27T02:36:39.497
48940
2019-11-07T17:51:07.313
2018-09-27T16:51:31.007
17
17
question
steins-gate
Inconsistent D-mail Dates in Steins;Gate Season 1 and Steins;Gate 0


Pardon me for this somehow lengthy response.

The episodes 1 and 7 of _Steins;Gate_ tell a lot.

In the first half of episode 1, Okabe received a video mail from the future.
It was received on 28 Jul 2010.

The main content of the mail, with the attached video file, in episode 1:

[![contents of the video mail received in episode
1](https://i.stack.imgur.com/l2V1q.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/l2V1q.png)

The video included in the mail, still locked, not playable (static), in
episode 1:

[![locked, static video attached in the
mail](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FfSwv.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FfSwv.png)

The video, unlocked, playable, in episode 23:

[![locked, static video attached in the
mail](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QhRSd.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QhRSd.png)

This video mail definitely shows the received date, not the sent date.

In the same episode 1, we have the first D-mail which is what switched the
world line from that of Beta to Alpha, sent on 28 Jul 2010 and received on 23
Jul 2010.

The mail received in Daru's phone:

[![The mail received in Daru's
phone](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fzTYQ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fzTYQ.png)

The current date, which is consistent with the received date of the video mail
above (28 Jul 2010):

[![the current date in episode
1](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5NxwN.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5NxwN.png)

Daru's received mail also shows the received date.

At the beginning of episode 7, they made a D-mail as an experiment which was
to be sent on 3 Aug 2010 and received on 29 Jul 2010.

The timestamp shown at the very beginning of episode 7:

[![timestamp at the beginning of episode
7](https://i.stack.imgur.com/V45UK.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/V45UK.png)

The contents of the D-mail sent:

[![contents of the D-mail sent at the beginning of Steins;Gate episode
7](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JwKrb.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JwKrb.png)

This mail, too, uses the received date.

There are a few other time travel experiments but that's pretty much it for
the anime, we can also consult the visual novel, its source material.

Unfortunately, Okabe's phone in the visual novel does show the receiving date,
but not the year. The year has to be implied to be the current year unless
otherwise specified by the characters reading the mail or the narration. Also,
only the receiving date is what is normally shown.

What a mail normally looks like in the visual novel, with only the received
date shown:

[![a mail containing the received date but not the sent
date](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LfATg.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LfATg.png)

The above screen shows the LOTO SIX D-mail which was to be sent on 3 Aug 2010
and received on 27 Jul 2010. Just like the anime, it also only shows the
received date.

A rare occasion where both the received and sent dates are shown:

[![a mail containing both the received and sent
dates](https://i.stack.imgur.com/a1FwM.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/a1FwM.png)

> When receiving D-mails, which date is supposed to be used? The sending world
> line's date? Or the receiving world line's date? Normally, this doesn't
> matter since the send and receive dates will be almost the same for
> electronic communication.

With the above in mind, it is safe to assume that the date on the field
”受領日時”/"Date and time received" should always be the date the mail was
received. In other words, the mail "Turn on the TV."/"Turn on the news..." in
the episode 23 of _Steins;Gate_ has an incorrect date, and should have the
year 2010, not 2025. _Steins;Gate 0_ episode 23 seems to correct it.

> Is this discrepancy intentional? Or is it a goof? If it is intentional, is
> there yet another world line change hidden underneath that we don't know
> yet? (The ending of Steins;Gate 0 left plenty of room for a 3rd season.)

It is most likely a mistake. _Steins;Gate_ the anime is known to have its fair
share of inconsistencies when it comes to details. As for _Steins;Gate 0_ , it
was meant to expand on the original, especially its beginning and ending, and
explore the Beta world line(s). Before Steins;Gate 0, the Beta world line
wasn't really explored because the original focused on the Alpha for the most
part.


CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T17:51:07.313
55802
2019-11-07T17:51:07.313
37407
48940
answer