Not Only 'Monster': 7 Best Detective Anime Titles, Ranked by IMDb
From the most sophisticated intellectual battles to supernatural mysteries where the solution to a crime and the very foundations of the universe are at stake.
When people think of anime detective stories, they often imagine dark detectives pursuing elusive maniacs, as in the genre's most famous title, Monster.
However, the genre is much more multifaceted – it combines puzzling investigations with elements of sci-fi, psychology, and even the supernatural.
7. 'Kemono Jihen', 2021
IMDb Score: 7.2/10
In a secluded mountain village, animals are being killed. Kohachi Inugami, an experienced detective who specializes in occult cases, arrives to investigate.
During the investigation, he meets an unusual boy named Dorotabo. He possesses supernatural abilities and has a strange smell, which makes him unpopular with the locals.
Despite this, Kohachi sees potential in the boy and they become partners. However, it soon becomes clear that Dorotabo is not as simple as he seems.
6. 'Bungo Stray Dogs', 2016-...
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
In an alternate early 20th-century Japan, some people possess supernatural abilities linked to literary heritage.
The Armed Detective Agency is an organization of these individuals who investigate unusual crimes. Each member bears the name of a famous writer, and their abilities often reference the authors' key works.
5. 'Ergo Proxy', 2006
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
In a post-apocalyptic future, people are forced to live in isolated, domed cities. One such city is Romdeau. There, humans coexist with androids called AutoReivs, who were created to serve and assist.
One day, the robots become infected with a virus, gain consciousness, and begin exterminating the local population. Intelligence officer Re-l Mayer investigates the robot uprising.
Meanwhile, Vincent Law, an AutoReiv employee, is pursued by a mysterious monster. Mayer and Law's paths cross when they discover Proxies, mysterious creatures connected to government experiments.
4. 'Moriarty the Patriot', 2020-2022
IMDb Score: 8.0/10
London, late 19th century. The British Empire is at the height of its power, and society is strictly divided into classes. The series centers on William James Moriarty, a brilliant criminal with exceptional intellect who challenges the existing system.
Along with his brothers, he strives to destroy the class system in which a person's worth is determined by birth and wealth.
However, the group's methods are far from legal – they resort to crime and manipulation to expose the vices of high society.
3. 'Baccano!', 2007-2008
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
It is the 1930s in America, a time of the Great Depression and Prohibition. In a country where many had lost their fortunes, mafia clans and underground casinos reign supreme.
The events of Baccano! revolve around several storylines. The main plot follows a series of mysterious murders on the transcontinental train. Alongside this, stories unfold about mafia showdowns, the search for the elixir of immortality, and the adventures of two eccentric thieves.
2. 'Odd Taxi', 2021
IMDb Score: 8.4/10
In Tokyo, anthropomorphic creatures have replaced humans. The protagonist is Hiroshi Odokawa, a silent and uncommunicative 41-year-old walrus taxi driver.
One day, a high school girl – the daughter of a prominent city official – gets into his cab. After Hiroshi gives her a ride, she disappears, and he finds himself caught up in an investigation. Besides the police, the criminal underworld is also interested in him.
1. 'Link Click', 2021-...
IMDb Score: 8.5/10
In a small photo studio tucked away in a back alley of a big city, two young men with supernatural powers work: Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang. They can teleport themselves into photographs and experience the events captured within them.
Clients bring photos to the studio, and Cheng and Lu help them uncover the secrets within. Each journey into the past has the power to alter not only the fate of the people in the photograph, but also the course of history.
