Anime’s diverse genre categories are commendable. From high school rom-coms and historical dramas, to fantasy sci-fi and straight up shonen, anime has something for everybody, no matter how niche. Anime over-indulges in certain genres, like shonen action and mecha, but the tight tropes of murder mystery anime are often in short supply.
That’s not to say that anime doesn’t have any murder mystery series. The grand total is quite minuscule when compared to how much Western media celebrates this suspenseful genre. It’s possible that American audiences are more accustomed to the makings of a murder mystery, but there are still some excellent anime series that embrace and subvert this storytelling genre.
B: The Beginning Introduces A Massive Conspiracy To Solve
In a world teeming with technological advances, murder never stops. Depressed and distraught by the murder of his sister Erika eight years prior to the start of the series, former detective Keith Flick is called out of retirement by a friend in the Royal Investigative Services (RIS). A vigilante serial killer named Killer B has been taking down criminals left and right, wreaking havoc on the island.
As Flick comes face to face with a demi-human named Koku, the pair find themselves on a fated path where past and the present collide. Forced to work together, despite their differences, Koku and Keith form a unique bond as they solve the mysterious circumstances surrounding an epic government conspiracy.
Box Of Goblins Pulls Together An Eclectic Group To Solve Crimes In 1950s
Box of Goblins follows an eclectic group of inquisitive minds that consists of a crime fiction writer, a news magazine editor, and an “onmyoji” — a magic and spirit specialist — as they investigate a series of murders in 1950s Tokyo. Box of Goblins is based on a novel by Natsuhiko Kyogoku.
However, the series finds a distinct voice that’s both faithful to its source material, but also able to help it evolve. Box of Goblins isn’t the most popular murder mystery anime, but it’s a winning mix of folklore, engaging dialogue, and character-driven storytelling that’s full of surprises.
Ergo Proxy Sees Androids Turned Against Man In A Cyberpunk Whodunnit
Ergo Proxy is a dark 23-episode cyberpunk anime from the early 2000s that often gets overlooked because of its nihilistic themes. Set in an increasingly despondent utopia where AutoReiv androids peacefully service humans, a rogue virus infects these machines and results in a series of self-aware murders.
Re-l and her AutoReiv partner, Iggy, investigate who’s responsible for this deadly malware and their true intentions behind this attack. An intimidating government conspiracy is revealed that leaves Re-l questioning everything she thought she knew about this world.
The Apothecary Diaries Focuses On A Young Woman Solving Imperial Court Mysteries
The Apothecary Diaries presents a different sort of mystery-solving protagonist. Maomao isn’t an untouchable super-genius who solves impossible crimes. Instead, it’s her love of science and medicine that allows her to go from a simple laundry girl to becoming one of the most important people in the imperial court.
Apothecary Diaries introduces fairly simple, mostly episodic mysteries that are nonetheless engaging because of how well-written the characters are. Maomao is easily one of the best protagonists of the 2020s, and the series knows how to smartly rely on some of the best shoujo tropes. It also helps that the series has some drop-dead gorgeous animation thanks to OLM.
Shiki Brings Viewers Into A Series Of Murders In A Small Town
Shiki is a tense 23-episode series that more or less feels like the anime version of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. Shiki looks at the sleepy village of Sotoba, which doesn’t just experience one murder, but a whole epidemic throughout the community.
An engrossing mystery plays out over what exactly is responsible for claiming all of these lives, but the answer is far more frightening than any vengeful serial killer. Shiki embraces the horror genre more than it does mystery tropes, but the anime effectively uses compelling questions to draw in the audience.
Beastars Begins With A Simple School Mystery That Could Change The World
While some people see Beastars as a shonen anime for shoujo fans, Paru Itagaki’s Beastars doubles as a murder mystery. In a world ruled by anthropomorphic animals, the divide between herbivores and carnivores is bridged by laws that prohibit carnivores from following their brutal animal instincts. When Tem, an alpaca member of the drama club at school turns up dead and devoured in the night, tensions rise within the school that threaten to destroy peaceful relations in the animal kingdom for good.
As fate would have it, main protagonist Legoshi has his own encounter that same night with a dwarf rabbit in the courtyard that makes him question his own nature. Battling his urges to devour with the help of therapist and former carnivore, Gouhin, Legoshi follows the trail of a killer into a dark and twisted world where herbivores sell bites of their body in dark alleys and carnivores pay big money for a taste. Beastars is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
Talentless Nana Tells The Story From The Perspective Of The Killer
Much like Death Note, Talentless Nana is a murder mystery, but with a big twist that guarantees that it’s far from a classic “whodunit.” Talentless Nana‘s story is told by the murderer herself, which makes for an eerie twist in comparison to most murder mystery anime.
This murderous narrator element adds a lot to Talentless Nana, but it’s also not the kind of content that’s suited for everybody. It’s a dark anime that only gets darker, and is borderline disturbing at times. However, those who are willing to sit through the anime will be treated to a mystery that only gets more suspenseful and exciting with each passing episode.
Erased Is A Gripping Time Travel Mystery Series
Erased is a hard-boiled murder mystery anime bound to appeal to science fiction and time travel fans. Satoru Fujinuma is a man on the cusp of his thirties who has a unique ability to briefly go back in time to prevent bad things from happening.
One such incident unexpectedly catapults Satoru to his younger self more than a decade back in time. Limited in this new state, Satoru works tirelessly to find the identity of a kidnapper whose crimes culminate in terrible consequences in the future. Zodiac meets Back to the Future, Erased is a breath of fresh air.
In/Spectre Challenges “The Goddess Of Wisdom” To Solve Paranormal Mysteries
On the surface, In/Spectre has the recipe for a successful anime with its unique setting, a likable heroine, and fantasy and occult themes. For fans who’ve already seen some of the best supernatural anime, their next step is likely to check out a series like In/Spectre.
Kotoko Iwanaga is a so-called “Goddess of Wisdom” who can interact with inhabitants of the supernatural world. She has an unparalleled wit and charm that keeps her subjects coming back for her advice. That being said, most humans find Kotoko odd and even annoying. With her boyfriend, Kuro Sakuragawa, Kotoko investigates the various incidents that plague her paranormal subjects and everyday civilians.
ID: Invaded Presents An Inventive Science-Fiction Mystery
An underrated gem from 2020 that’s come and gone, ID: Invaded mixes classic detective mysteries with Psycho-Pass-style science fiction to create a rare, but intelligent form of storytelling. ID: Invaded takes place in the future, where technology can access the inner recess of the human mind.
Law enforcement utilizes this technology to explore the minds of criminals, while Akihito Narihisago is willing to get his hands dirty in these problematic psyches. A former detective has turned to murder after killing the man who massacred his family. Now, he dons the identity of “brilliant detective Sakaido,” as he looks into the murders.
Leave a Reply