Who doesn’t love a good mystery? A show filled with suspense and plot twists is the perfect remedy to a mundane day and is guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
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Over the years, Japanese studios have produced several amazing mystery anime with clever stories, gripping mysteries, and nail-biting tension. If you’re looking for a new show to binge, here are ten of some of the best mystery anime to ever be released.
10. Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions
Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions is based on the manga Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective. With two seasons, it is one of the best more recent mystery anime releases.
Five years ago, Ron was the top detective at Training Academy Blue. However, after a deadly incident, he had his detective license revoked and was expelled. This forced Ron, whose only love is solving crimes, to live in isolation. However, things change when unskilled police officer Totomaru Issshiki seeks his help on a case. Soon, the two grow a partnership, with Ron solving the cases and Totomaru taking the credit.
9. The Perfect Insider
The Perfect Insider was originally a highly successful novel, which spurred manga, video, live action, and anime adaptations. The anime aired in 2015 and is a perfect re-telling of the original novel.
Sohei Saikawa, an associate professor of architecture at National N University, travels to a remote island with Moe Nishinosono, the daughter of his mentor and an architecture student. While on the island, the two join hands to solve the murders of an esteemed AI researcher and the director of a lab located on the island.
8. Gosick
Gosick is a unique blend of mystery and romance. The series is set in a 1924, fictional French-speaking country called Sauville.
Kazuya Kujo, a son of a high-ranking Japanese officer, transfers to St. Marguerite Academy. He soon finds the school is obsessed with urban legends and horror stories. He meets Victorique de Blois, a girl who spends all her time solving mysteries even the most seasoned detective can’t solve. Together, they work together on different criminal cases and form a deep bond. But not everything is as it seems; Victorique and her background continuously come back to haunt her. Will the two live a good life together?
7. Hyouka
If you want a mystery anime that isn’t all tension, then Hyouka is a good choice for you. It is a slice-of-life mystery anime set in a high school in Japan.
Houtarou Oreki believes in saving his energy to the max; he doesn’t want to do anything besides nap. However, his plans are interrupted when he is roped into joining the school’s Classic Literature Club. There, he meets Eru Chitanda, who gets in the way of his energy conservatism by asking her to help him solve a personal mystery. As one case gets resolved, a new case opens. Will Houtarou ever get the peace he wants, or will his life motto change with the help of Eru and his new friends?
6. The Kubikiri Cycle
Did you love Monogatari? Then you might want to check out The Kubikiri Cycle, which was written by the same author.
Young genius Ira Akagami is forced by her family to stay in a mansion on an isolated island due to her strange disease. To keep herself entertained, Ina invites other geniuses to stay at her residence as guests. Everything is normal until one of the guests is found dead. Unknown who the murderer is, tensions rise in the house as they try to uncover the killer’s identity.
5. Death Parade
Looking for an anime that will really make you think? Then add Death Parade, a phycological thriller and mystery series, to your list!
In Death Parade, every time someone dies, they are sent to a random bar and meet bartenders serving as arbiters to the afterlife. There, they must play a Death Game with their souls on the line as the arbiters judge whether they are worth reincarnation or banished into the void. Decim is one of the bartenders. Working at the Quindecim Bar, he oversees the Death Games and judges where their souls go. But what will happen when he starts learning about human emotions?
4. Bungo Stray Dogs
Osamu Dazai is, hands down, one of the most simped-on detectives from an anime series. And you can watch him on Bungo Stray Dogs! Bungo Stray Dogs is so successful that it spanned five seasons and spurred a film, spin-off show, and live-action film.
Bungo Stray Dogs revolves around the Armed Detective Agency, which aims to protect Yokohoma from the Port Mafia. What sets the people in the agency apart is that almost all of the detectives are gifted with supernatural powers to accomplish different tasks. The show primarily focuses on Atsushi Nakajima, a weretiger.
3. Another
If you like anime shows that are gruesome and gory, you should watch Another. But if you’re the type to get squeamish, this might not be the one for you.
Another follows the story of Koichi Sakakibara. Set in 1998, Kochi transfers to Yomiyama Middle School and meets fellow student Mei Misaki. Soon, he finds himself in a mystery revolving around students and people that are affiliated with his face becoming victims of violent and senseless deaths. Does Mei have something to do with the killings? Or is there someone else to blame for the crimes?
2. Erased
Erased is the perfect blend of mystery, science fiction, and thriller. Following the success of the anime, a live-action film and drama series was released.
Satoru Fujinuma gains the ability known as “Revival,” which sends his consciousness back in time. This ability allows him to prevent life-threatening incidents from happening. When his mother is killed by someone unknown, Satoru travels 18 years into the past to not only save his mother but also prevent a serial killer from killing his three childhood friends.
1. Monster
Monster is considered a massive success, with the anime series being hailed as one of the best anime series of the decade. If you’re going to pick any shows on the list to binge, I highly recommend Monster.
The series centers on Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese surgeon who resides in Düsseldorf, Germany. When fraternal twins Jonah and Anna Liebert come to the hospital with major injuries, Tenma sees it as an opportunity to change the political bias in the hospital. Little does he know this would be the start of his problems. Tenma will regret ever getting involved with Jonah Liebert.
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