15 Best Mystery Anime: Unraveling Enigmas and Twists
Do you love mysteries, puzzles, and whodunits? Do you enjoy watching anime that can keep you on the edge of your seat with their twists and turns? If you do, then you might want to check out the mystery genre.
Mystery anime are anime that focus on solving mysteries, crimes, or mysteries, using clues, logic, deduction, or intuition. They often have suspenseful, thrilling, and sometimes dark stories, that can challenge your mind and captivate your attention. Mystery anime can also have elements of other genres, such as action, drama, horror, sci-fi, or comedy, to spice up the plot and the characters.
In this article, we will introduce you to 15 of the best mystery anime of all time. These are the anime that will make you think, wonder, and gasp, with their intriguing and ingenious stories and characters. Whether you are looking for some psychological, supernatural, or historical mysteries, you will find something to suit your taste in this list.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
15. Hyouka
Hyouka is a mystery anime that follows the story of Hotaro Oreki, a lazy and bored high school boy, who joins the classics club, at the request of his sister. He meets other members of the club, who are Eru Chitanda, a curious and enthusiastic girl, who is the niece of the former club president, Satoshi Fukube, a cheerful and knowledgeable boy, who is Oreki’s friend and self-proclaimed database, and Mayaka Ibara, a serious and tsundere girl, who is Fukube’s friend and crush.
They solve various mysteries and mysteries, such as the meaning and the origin of the club’s anthology, called Hyouka, the identity and the motive of a thief who steals items from various clubs, and the history and the secrets of the school festival.
Hyouka is a captivating and beautiful anime that depicts the mystery and romance of Oreki and his friends, as well as the culture and scenery of the school.
14. Psycho-Pass
Psycho-Pass is a sci-fi anime that follows the story of Akane Tsunemori, a rookie and idealistic inspector, who works for the Public Safety Bureau, a law enforcement agency that uses a system called the Sibyl System, which can measure the mental state and the criminal potential of people, called the Psycho-Pass.
She joins the Unit One of the Criminal Investigation Division, where she meets other members, who are Shinya Kougami, a skilled and rebellious enforcer, who is a former inspector and a latent criminal, Nobuchika Ginoza, a strict and rational inspector, who is Kougami’s former partner and Akane’s supervisor, Tomomi Masaoka, a veteran and wise enforcer, who is Ginoza’s father and a former detective, Shusei Kagari, a cheerful and playful enforcer, who is a former child prodigy and a latent criminal since childhood, and Yayoi Kunizuka, a calm and cool enforcer, who is a former musician and a latent criminal.
They investigate and fight against various crimes and criminals, such as Shougo Makishima, a charismatic and intelligent mastermind, who can manipulate people and evade the Sibyl System.
Psycho-Pass is a dark and thrilling anime that portrays the mystery and action of Akane and her team, as well as the society and the philosophy of the Sibyl System.
13. Paranoia Agent
Paranoia Agent is a horror anime that follows the story of a series of attacks by a mysterious assailant, known as Lil’ Slugger, who wears rollerblades and a baseball cap, and hits people with a golden baseball bat. The victims are all people who are under some kind of stress or pressure, and the attacks seem to relieve them of their troubles.
The anime explores the lives and the psychological states of the victims, as well as the detectives who are assigned to the case, who are Keiichi Ikari, a veteran and cynical detective, who is unhappy with his marriage and his job, and Mitsuhiro Maniwa, a young and enthusiastic detective, who is fascinated by the case and its symbolism. They soon discover that the case is more complex and mysterious than they thought, and that it involves a web of urban legends, media manipulation, and collective paranoia.
Paranoia Agent is a bizarre and disturbing anime that depicts the mystery and horror of Lil’ Slugger and his victims, as well as the culture and the reality of the modern society.
12. Another
Another is a horror anime that follows the story of Kouichi Sakakibara, a transfer student who moves to Yomiyama Middle School, in the spring of 1998. He is placed in class 3-3, a class that is cursed by a phenomenon called “the calamity”, which causes the death of students and their relatives every year. He meets Mei Misaki, a mysterious and quiet girl, who wears an eyepatch and is ignored by everyone.
He learns that she is the “extra” student, a person who does not exist, and that the class has a rule to pretend that she does not exist, to avoid the calamity. He breaks the rule and befriends her, and soon, the calamity begins again, and people start dying in gruesome ways. He and Mei try to find the cause and the solution of the calamity, and to stop the deaths.
Another is a creepy and bloody anime that depicts the mystery and suspense of Kouichi and Mei, as well as the curse and the history of the class 3-3.
11. Moriarty the Patriot
Moriarty the Patriot is a historical anime that follows the story of William James Moriarty, a brilliant and charismatic professor, who is also a criminal consultant and a mastermind, who plans and executes crimes that expose and punish the corruption and the injustice of the British society and the nobility.
He is the arch-nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, a famous and eccentric detective, who is also a genius and a drug addict, who solves and prevents crimes that challenge and intrigue him. They have a rivalry and a respect for each other, and they often cross paths and clash with their wits and their morals.
They also meet other characters, such as Albert Moriarty, a noble and a soldier, who is William’s older brother and adoptive father, Louis Moriarty, a cheerful and loyal boy, who is William’s younger brother and adoptive son, John Watson, a doctor and a veteran, who is Holmes’ friend and assistant, and Irene Adler, a beautiful and cunning woman, who is a thief and a spy, and who has a romantic interest in Holmes.
Moriarty the Patriot is a fascinating and stylish anime that depicts the mystery and drama of Moriarty and Holmes, as well as the society and the politics of the Victorian era.
10. Id: Invaded
Id: Invaded is a sci-fi anime that follows the story of Sakaido, a brilliant and troubled detective, who is a former police officer and a murderer, who killed the man who murdered his wife and daughter. He works for the Kura, a special police unit that uses a device called the Mizuhanome, which can enter the subconscious minds of serial killers, called the Id Wells, and investigate their crimes and motives.
He meets other members of the Kura, such as Akihito Narihisago, his real name and identity, which he can only remember outside the Id Wells, Momoki, his former partner and friend, who is the director of the Kura, and Hondoumachi, a rookie and a genius detective, who also becomes an Id Well diver.
They face various cases and killers, such as the Challenger, a killer who challenges his victims to a game of death, the Gravedigger, a killer who buries his victims alive, and John Walker, a mysterious and powerful killer, who is the mastermind behind the creation of the Id Wells.
Id: Invaded is a complex and thrilling anime that depicts the mystery and action of Sakaido and his team, as well as the psychology and the technology of the Id Wells.
9. Kemono Jihen
Kemono Jihen is a supernatural anime that follows the story of Kabane Kusaka, a young and lonely boy, who is a kemono, a being that is a hybrid of human and animal. He lives in a remote village, where he is shunned and abused by his relatives, who consider him a monster.
He meets Kohachi Inugami, a detective and a tanuki kemono, who comes to the village to investigate a series of animal killings. He takes Kabane with him to Tokyo, where he works for the Inugami Detective Agency, a place that deals with kemono-related cases.
He also meets other kemono, who work or live with Inugami, such as Shiki Tademaru, a boy who is a spider kemono, and who can manipulate threads, Akira, a boy who is a snow kemono, and who can control ice, and Kon, a girl who is a fox kemono, and who can transform and use fire.
They solve various mysteries and fight against other kemono, such as the Kemonoist, a group of kemono who hate humans and want to destroy them, and the Nobimono, a group of kemono who can disguise themselves as humans and infiltrate the society.
Kemono Jihen is a fascinating and exciting anime that depicts the mystery and adventure of Kabane and his friends, as well as the culture and the conflict of the kemono.
8. Terror in Resonance
Terror in Resonance is a psychological anime that follows the story of Nine and Twelve, two teenage boys who are terrorists, who call themselves Sphinx, and who orchestrate a series of bombings and attacks in Tokyo, while leaving riddles and clues for the police and the public.
They are actually survivors of a secret and unethical experiment, called the Athena Plan, which aimed to create superhuman children, but resulted in the death and the suffering of many of them. They seek revenge and justice against the people and the organization behind the experiment, and also expose the truth to the world.
They meet other characters, such as Lisa Mishima, a bullied and depressed girl, who becomes their accomplice and friend, Kenjirou Shibazaki, a brilliant and determined detective, who leads the investigation of the Sphinx case, and Five, a girl who is also a survivor of the Athena Plan, and who becomes their enemy and rival.
Terror in Resonance is a dark and gripping anime that depicts the mystery and drama of Nine and Twelve, as well as the society and the morality of the terrorism.
7. Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi is a mystery anime that follows the story of Odokawa, a walrus and a taxi driver, who lives a mundane and lonely life, but who has a sharp and observant mind. He meets various passengers and characters, who are all anthropomorphic animals, and who are all connected to a missing girl case, that involves a viral idol group, a corrupt cop, a medical student, a radio host, a comedian duo, a doctor, a nurse, a gangster, and a baboon.
He also has a mysterious past and a secret, that he keeps hidden from everyone. He tries to solve the mystery and find the truth, while also dealing with his own problems and relationships.
Odd Taxi is a quirky and intriguing anime that depicts the mystery and comedy of Odokawa and his friends, as well as the culture and the reality of the city.
6. Bungou Stray Dogs
Bungou Stray Dogs is a supernatural anime that follows the story of Atsushi Nakajima, a young and orphaned boy, who has the ability to transform into a tiger, and who is kicked out of his orphanage, due to his power. He meets Osamu Dazai, a suicidal and eccentric man, who is a member of the Armed Detective Agency, a group of people who have supernatural abilities and who solve cases that the police and the military cannot handle.
He joins the agency and becomes a detective, along with other members, such as Doppo Kunikida, a serious and meticulous man, who can materialize anything he writes in his notebook, Ranpo Edogawa, a genius and arrogant man, who can deduce anything with his super intuition, and Akiko Yosano, a beautiful and sadistic woman, who can heal any wound with her ability, but only if the person is near death.
They face various enemies and challenges, such as the Port Mafia, a criminal organization that also has ability users, and that is Dazai’s former group, the Guild, a group of American ability users who want to take over the city, and the Decay of Angels, a group of mysterious and powerful ability users who want to destroy the world.
Bungou Stray Dogs is a fun and epic anime that depicts the mystery and action of Atsushi and his team, as well as the society and the literature of the abilities.
5. Summer Time Rendering
Summer Time Rendering is a mystery anime that follows the story of Shinpei Ajiro, a young and aspiring manga artist, who returns to his hometown, a small and isolated island, after the death of his childhood friend, Ushio Kofune. He meets his other childhood friends, such as Mio Shimazaki, a cheerful and kind girl, who has a crush on him, and Ryouhei Kofune, Ushio’s brother and a fisherman, who blames him for her death.
He also learns that the island is hiding a dark and mysterious secret, that involves a cult, a legend, a curse, and a parallel world. He tries to uncover the truth and save his friends, while also facing his own feelings and regrets.
Summer Time Rendering is a suspenseful and thrilling anime that depicts the mystery and drama of Shinpei and his friends, as well as the culture and the scenery of the island.
4. Erased
Erased is a sci-fi anime that follows the story of Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old man, who is a manga artist and a pizza delivery man, who has the ability to travel back in time, a few minutes before a life-threatening incident, and prevent it from happening. He calls this phenomenon “Revival”. He is framed for the murder of his mother, who was investigating a serial kidnapping and killing case, that happened 18 years ago, when Satoru was a child, and that involved his classmates and friends.
He uses his Revival to go back to 1988, when he was 10 years old, and tries to change the past and save his friends, especially Kayo Hinazuki, a girl who was the first victim of the killer, and who Satoru had a crush on. He also tries to find the identity and the motive of the killer, and stop him from killing his mother and framing him in the present.
Erased is a emotional and captivating anime that depicts the mystery and time travel of Satoru and his friends, as well as the childhood and the adulthood of the characters.
3. Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate is a sci-fi anime that follows the story of Rintaro Okabe, a self-proclaimed mad scientist and a college student, who runs a makeshift laboratory in Akihabara, with his friends, Mayuri Shiina, a cute and innocent girl, who is his childhood friend and his hostage, and Daru, a perverted and skilled hacker, who is his right-hand man and his super hacker. He invents a device, called the Phone Microwave, which can send text messages to the past, and alter the present.
He meets other characters, such as Kurisu Makise, a genius and tsundere girl, who is a famous scientist and who joins his lab, Moeka Kiryu, a quiet and mysterious girl, who is obsessed with texting and who works for an organization, Luka Urushibara, a feminine and shy boy, who is a shrine maiden and Okabe’s friend, Faris NyanNyan, a bubbly and playful girl, who is a maid and a waitress, and Suzuha Amane, a tomboy and a cheerful girl, who is a part-time worker and a time traveler.
He experiments with his device and changes the past, but soon realizes that he has caused a butterfly effect, that leads to a dystopian future, where a secret and powerful organization, called SERN, rules the world and oppresses the people. He also learns that there are different timelines and world lines, and that he is the only one who can remember them, due to his ability, called the Reading Steiner.
He tries to undo his changes and save his friends, especially Mayuri and Kurisu, who are destined to die in different world lines, while also avoiding SERN and their agents, who are after him and his device.
Steins;Gate is a complex and thrilling anime that depicts the mystery and time travel of Okabe and his friends, as well as the science and the philosophy of the world lines.
2. Death Note
Death Note is a psychological anime that follows the story of Light Yagami, a brilliant and bored high school student, who finds a notebook, called the Death Note, which can kill anyone whose name is written in it, as long as the writer knows the face and the name of the person. He decides to use the notebook to create a new world, where he is the god and the judge, and where he kills criminals and evil people, who he deems unworthy of living. He becomes known as Kira, a mysterious and feared vigilante, who is admired by some and hated by others.
He meets other characters, such as Ryuk, a shinigami and the original owner of the Death Note, who is amused by Light’s actions and who follows him around, L, a genius and eccentric detective, who is hired by the international police to catch Kira, and who becomes Light’s main rival and enemy, Misa Amane, a cute and loyal girl, who is a famous model and actress, and who is also a Kira follower and a Death Note user, and who has a crush on Light, and Near and Mello, two young and talented successors of L, who continue his investigation and his legacy, after his death.
Death Note is a dark and gripping anime that depicts the mystery and drama of Light and his enemies, as well as the morality and the psychology of the Death Note.
1. Monster
Monster is a horror anime that follows the story of Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese and renowned neurosurgeon, who works in a prestigious hospital in Germany. He saves the life of a young boy, named Johan Liebert, who was shot in the head, and who is the only survivor of a massacre, that killed his parents and his twin sister, Anna.
He also sacrifices his career and his reputation, by choosing to operate on Johan, instead of a politician, who dies as a result. He later learns that Johan is actually a psychopath and a serial killer, who is behind many murders and crimes, and who has a mysterious and terrifying past. He decides to pursue and stop Johan, and to atone for his mistake.
He also meets other characters, such as Nina Fortner, Johan’s twin sister, who survived the massacre and who lost her memories, and who is also pursued by Johan, Dieter, a young and abused boy, who becomes Tenma’s companion and friend, and Wolfgang Grimmer, a former spy and a journalist, who is investigating Johan and his connection to a secret and unethical experiment, called the 511 Kinderheim, which aimed to create the perfect soldier, but resulted in the creation of the monster.
Monster is a chilling and compelling anime that depicts the mystery and horror of Tenma and Johan, as well as the society and the history of the post-Cold War era.
Conclusion
Mystery anime is a genre that can keep you on the edge of your seat with their twists and turns.
In this article, we have introduced you to 15 of the best mystery anime of all time. These are the anime that will make you think, wonder, and gasp, with their intriguing and ingenious stories and characters. Whether you are looking for some psychological, supernatural, or historical mysteries, you will find something to suit your taste in this list.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and enjoy these amazing mystery anime!