Top 10 Detective Anime

1. Un-Go

Studio: Bones

Genres: mystery, detective, sci-fi, drama

Format: 11 episodes + the film Episode:0 Inga

About: The story unfolds in an alternative future Japan recovering after a war. At the center of the plot is the “last defeated detective,” Shinjuro Yuki, who searches for the truth in a world where the government prefers a convenient and beautiful lie. He is accompanied by the mysterious Inga — a being capable of taking a female form and forcing anyone to answer one single question truthfully. The anime stands out for its sharp, unconventional art style and deep philosophical subtext.

2. Erased (Boku Dake ga Inai Machi / Erased)

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Genres: thriller, drama, seinen, psychology

Format: 12 episodes

About: 29-year-old mangaka Satoru Fujinuma possesses an ability called “Revival,” which involuntarily sends him back several minutes before a tragedy, allowing him to prevent it. But when his mother is murdered, the ability sends Satoru 18 years into the past — to the time when he was a schoolboy. To change the future, he must uncover a series of child murders and save his classmates. An emotional and dramatic story about a second chance and responsibility for one’s choices.

3. Danganronpa: The School of Despair

Studio: Lerche

Genres: psychology, thriller, detective, survival

Format: 13 episodes (season 1) + sequels and specials

About: An adaptation of the popular visual novel. A group of “Ultimates” (teenagers who are the most talented in their respective fields) are locked inside an elite school under the supervision of the sinister bear mascot Monokuma. There is only one way to escape: commit the perfect murder and avoid being exposed during the “Class Trial.” If the students identify the culprit, they are executed. If they fail — everyone except the killer dies. A vivid yet brutal detective survival game.

4. Death Note

Studio: Madhouse

Genres: psychological thriller, detective, supernatural

Format: 37 episodes

About: A cult duel between two geniuses. Japan’s top student Light Yagami finds a notebook belonging to a god of death that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name in it. Light decides to create an “ideal world” without criminals and become the god of this new world. His plans are challenged by L — a mysterious detective whose face is unknown to anyone. This is not just a detective story, but a tense intellectual confrontation where every mistake can be fatal for both sides.

5. Joker Game

Studio: Production I.G

Genres: espionage, historical, thriller

Format: 12 episodes + 2 OVAs

About: The year is 1937, on the eve of World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Yuki creates “Agency D” — a secret school for training elite intelligence agents. Unlike traditional military education, the cadets study the art of deception, psychological manipulation, languages, and survival in any country in the world. The anime consists of standalone stories, presented in a restrained and elegant visual style, revealing the dark side of global politics and espionage.

6. Trickster: Edogawa Ranpo “Shounen Tanteidan” yori

Studio: TMS Entertainment, Shin-Ei Animation

Genres: mystery, sci-fi, detective

Format: 24 episodes

About: A futuristic interpretation of the works of classic Japanese detective writer Edogawa Ranpo. The story takes place in the 2030s. A youth detective club led by Kogoro Akechi investigates complex and dangerous cases. They are joined by Yoshio Kobayashi — an immortal boy surrounded by a mysterious protective field. He dreams of dying, and the club’s leader promises to fulfill this wish in exchange for his help with investigations.

7. Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji)

Studios: A-1 Pictures (seasons 1–2), CloverWorks (later projects)

Genres: dark fantasy, supernatural, drama, detective

Format: 50+ episodes + films and OVAs

About: Victorian England. Young Earl Ciel Phantomhive serves as the Queen’s “watchdog,” investigating the darkest crimes of the British Empire. He is accompanied by the impeccable butler Sebastian Michaelis — a demon with whom Ciel has made a contract. The price of Sebastian’s help is the earl’s soul, which the demon will claim after Ciel completes his revenge for his destroyed family.

8. Heaven’s Memo Pad (Kamisama no Memo-chou)

Studio: J.C.Staff

Genres: detective, drama, psychology

Format: 12 episodes

About: Narumi Fujishima is a withdrawn high school student who accidentally meets Alice, a brilliant shut-in hacker. Alice calls herself a “NEET detective” and solves complex crimes without ever leaving her room — from drug trafficking to disappearances. Narumi becomes her “legs” in the outside world, gradually discovering a dangerous and brutal reality.

9. Hamatora: The Detective Agency

Studios: NAZ (season 1), Lerche (season 2)

Genres: action, detective, superpowers

Format: 24 episodes

About: In this world exist “Minimum Holders” — people with supernatural abilities. Two of them, Nice and Murasakibara, open a detective agency whose office is located at a table in an ordinary café. What begins as a colorful series gradually turns into a dark thriller when the heroes confront a serial killer who targets only people with special abilities.

10. Detective Conan (Meitantei Conan)

Studio: TMS Entertainment

Genres: classic detective, adventure, comedy

Format: 1100+ episodes (still ongoing)

About: A legend of the genre. High school detective Shinichi Kudo accidentally crosses paths with a criminal organization. They attempt to poison him with an experimental drug, but instead of dying, he turns into a seven-year-old child. Under the name Conan Edogawa, he moves into the home of his friend Ran, whose father is a private detective. Using his intellect, observation skills, and technical gadgets, Conan solves hundreds of cases, hoping one day to track down the Black Organization and regain his original body.