Are you looking for the 13 Best Detective Anime? Who doesn’t like a good detective story? Detective literature has been a very popular genre for a very long time. And the same popularity is resonated throughout platforms. The investigative stories started dominating all forms of entertainment, from literature to cinema to anime. Thus, this category of filmmaking has become a cult in 2021.
Throughout ages, the anime industry has seen many detective stories come and go. Some of them were successful ventures, while some just couldn’t make it. So today, we have collected some of the best investigative anime stories for you. Thus, here is a list of the 13 Best Detective Anime.
1. Psychic Detective Yakumo (2010)
What better way to kick-start this list than with a story full of horror mysteries. This Bee Train production anime is a thrilling story of murder mystery that takes place in a high school. Haruka Ozawa believes that he is soon going to be killed. So, he contacts Yakumo Saito to help. Yakumo is a naturally gifted psychic who can talk to the dead. What follows is a bone-chilling tale of the undead. Hence, Psychic Detective Yakumo is a single-season venture that you should miss at no cost.
2. Erased (2016)
A-1 Pictures brought this thrilling detective story in 2016. With just 12 episodes, the series was successful in establishing its place in the anime community. The plot tracks a middle-aged Satoru Fujinuma. We soon learn that Satoru has the psychic power of reversing situations. But these powers drag him into a murder accusation which he did not commit. The story is about the search for the real murderer as Satoru travels through different timelines. If you are a fan of time travel, then Erased is the show for you.
3. Detective Conan: Case Closed (1996)
Inspired by the works of Author Conan Doyle, this one is a tale as old as time. Detective Conan is a production of TMS Entertainment. So the story follows Shinichi Kudou, who is a regular high schoolboy. Shinichi has a natural attraction towards suspicious activities. This curiosity leads him into a situation where he encounters a dangerous drug mafia. What happens next is a story full of science, mystery, and logic. Detective Conan will definitely give you flashbacks from Sherlock Holmes.
4. Hyauka (2012)
A show that hit the screens a decade ago is Hyauka. The story is known to be based on the real-life events of the author (manga) Honobu Yonezawa. Kyoto Animation brought this story to life. Meet Hotaro Oreki, a young high school boy who joins a new Literature Club. Little to his knowledge, this club works more as a detective team than a student group. The brilliant minds go ahead into solving some of the most confusing cases of Gifu Prefecture town. You will definitely not regret tuning in to this one as it is one of the Best Detective Anime you’d get your hands on.
5. Detective School Q (2003)
If you have been recently watching My Hero Academia, then you will definitely enjoy the world created in Detective School Q. Meet the curiously stubborn boy Kyuu who has a strong affinity for mysterious incidence. It is clear from the start that he wants to become nothing but a detective. Thus, he gets admission in one of the best ivy league detective schools in the country. New characters enter as they form a core team of budding detectives to solve the mysteries of the town. Detective School Q is a Studio Pierrot creation that still remains relevant after so many years.
6. Death Note (2006)
A Madhouse Studios production which still remains one of the most beloved series, is Death Note. Death Note is one of the pioneers that made anime popular in the west. The premise follows a young high school student Yagami Light who finds a mysterious book. We learn that this notebook is actually a Death Note which is a possession of the Death Gods. Light soon finds out that Death Note is a powerful object, and it kills the people whose names are written on it. What follows is a mass genocide of criminals. How will the world authorities stop these killings? Watch the show to find out.
7. Bungou Stray Dogs (2016)
This one a quite an ironic story of two mismatched men trying to solve a weird mystery. Orphan Atsushi Nakajima is hallucinating about a mysterious tiger for months. However, something tells him that these are not hallucinations. And so, enters Osamu Dazai, an eccentric detective who is looking for this tiger. Thus, both of them help one another to find the whereabouts of this peculiar animal. Almost anything can happen in this odd story!
8. Un-Go (2011)
Studio Bones came up with a brilliant detective story a decade ago. Un-GO is pretty much like Sherlock Holmes but was a slight twist. Detective Shinjuurou Yuuki and his sidekick Inga solve cases in the city of New York. But their perfect partnership is soon shattered when Inga reveals his true intentions. What did Inga do? What is the real truth Shinjuurou? You will get all the answers when you watch this 13-episode saga.
9. Ghost Hunt (2006)
This one is a classic ghost story involving a street-smart detective. J. C. Staff Studios brought us this incredible show. The series has a pretty standardized setup. Detective Shibuya Kazuya is hired to investigate a peculiar school building that is known to be haunted. So, be prepared to enter a world of occult where you will encounter several ghosts and paranormal beings. Hence, Ghost Hunt is definitely a worthy contender in this list of Best Detective Anime.
10. Monster (2004)
As the name suggests, Monster is a pretty dark show. Created by Madhouse, this series brought out some genuine questions about one’s morality. Meet Dr. Kenzou Tenma, who is one of the best neurosurgeons in Japan. Kenzou occasionally hallucinates about a monster he saved nine years ago. Thus, he wants to find out if these are his delusions or something is actually haunting him. Watch this intriguing show sheerly for its gritty visuals.
11. Black Butler (2008)
Black Butler is popular isekai anime of the past decade. A-1 Pictures is behind this incredible show. The premise is set in Victorian England, where a young boy, Ciel Phantomhive, deals with Satan. However, this bargain involves a bodyguard for a soul. Enters Black Butler, who becomes a good companion to Ciel. Follow their story as the Butler and Ciel work together to solve the mysterious happenings in their mansion.
12. Himitsu Top Secret (2008)
Set in a futuristic world, Himitsu is a moral battle between ideas of privacy. So, what triggers this debate is a technology that can retrieve the memories of the dead. While this new tech can help in solving murder mysteries, but ripping the dead off of their personal choices is the big question here. Himitsu Top Secret is a thought-provoking detective story that looks for or the governments’ original intentions behind approving such a concept. Moreover, Madhouse Studios is responsible for bringing this brilliant show to life.
13. Gosick (2011)
Another decade-old story of a mystery is Gosick. Kazuya Kujou is a Japanese student in an English academy. Because of his different ethnicity, many students shy away from befriending him. As a result, Kujou is always spending his time in the library. One day, he comes across a strange blonde girl in the restricted section of the library. From there on, the two are tied by fate. Now, Kujou has no choice but to help this mysterious being.
With Gosick, we have come to the conclusion of our list of the 13 Best Detective Anime. So, which of these shows have you watched already? Which show do you plan on binging next? Do share your thoughts in the comment section. For more such listicles, keep visiting The Anime Daily.
