What Makes a Great Detective Anime? These 10 Series Crack the Code

“There is no deduction that is superior or inferior… because there is only one truth” – This is the most popular dialogue from Detective Conan. Detective stories have a single motive, i.e., to find the truth. However, there are multiple detective anime available online, but does it mean they all have the same plot? Well, the end might be the same for most, but the pattern they follow or the narrative is what makes a series stand out.

Whether it’s Detective Conan or Death Note, both anime series end with the truth, but their approaches are different. Some have even taken it a step further to create a fusion of genres by implementing supernatural and comic elements into it and making it more exciting. Here is a list of the top ten detective anime that should be on every anime lover’s watchlist.

1. Detective Conan (Case Closed)

Creator: Gosho Aoyama
Start Date: January 8, 1996
Number of Episodes: 1100+ (Ongoing)
Animation Studio: TMS Entertainment
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

Detective Conan is one of the longest-running anime series and is considered one of the best detective anime series ever. The story follows Shinichi Kudo, a well-known detective, who gets poisoned and transforms into a child. He takes the name of Conan Edogawa, and secretly continues his detective work under his girlfriend’s father, who is a private detective, while also pursuing the Black Organization responsible for poisoning him.

Detective Conan (Case Closed) has several exciting and mysterious cases, the crimes are well-organized, and the conspiracies are equally compelling. Also, the anime is known for having a charming lead in Shinichi Kudo (Conan Edogawa) and has multiple comic relieves to maintain a proper balance between the two sides of the narrative. When it comes to detective anime, Detective Conan is considered a gold mine, as others are mostly inspired by it.

Shonen Anime Series Detective Conan Case Closed

2. Spy x Family

Creator: Tatsuya Endo
Start Date: April 9, 2022
Number of Episodes: 37 (Ongoing)
Animation Studio: WIT Studio & CloverWorks
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

Spy x Family revolves around an undercover agent named Twilight, who is given a mission of getting close to a political persona. However, to fulfil the mission, he needs to start a family and befriend the target’s son to get closer to him. As a result, he takes the alias of Loid Forger, hires Yor, an assassin, to be his wife, and adopts a telepathic girl named Anya.

The beauty of Spy x Family is that no one knows the others’ true identity, and they portray themselves as a loving family while trying to fulfill their personal vendettas. While Spy x Family is not exactly a detective anime, it has elements of espionage and intelligence gathering, alongside side infiltration missions that pretty much remind me of detective anime. There are disguises, assassinations, terrorist plots, and several dark factors, but Anya’s antics alone make it a balanced entertainer.

3. Psycho Pass

Creator: Gen Urobuchi
Start Date: October 12, 2012
Number of Episodes: 41
Animation Studio: Production I.G
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

Psycho Pass is set in a dystopian world where science and technology have evolved beyond imagination. In this world, detectives no longer pursue criminals in a traditional sense. Instead, they measure and try to understand people’s mental state and predict how likely they are to have criminal intent. In such an advanced world, inspector Akane Tsunemori not only does his duty but also navigates through problems of the system.

Psycho Pass is a great anime and does a mind-blowing job in creating a blend of philosophy and crime, along with some pretty cyberpunk aesthetics. The compelling investigative arcs are not just for entertainment, but also feature social critiques, having a complex nature.

4. B: The Beginning

Creator: Kazuto Nakazawa
Start Date: March 2, 2018
Number of Episodes: 18
Animation Studio: Production I.G
Where To Watch: Netflix

B: The Beginning takes place in the city of Cremona, Italy, where detective Keith Flick takes on a difficult mission. The mission involves investigating a secret organization known as Market Maker, which is responsible for controlling the government, and a demihuman named Koku, who has shape-shifting abilities. On top of being a detective anime, B: The Beginning has a supernatural, thriller, and mystery angle that makes the story more interesting. There are multiple layers to the story, with a dark atmosphere always engulfing the plot and presenting a great watch to the fans.

5. Bungo Stray Dogs

Creator(s): Kafka Asagiri, Sango Harukawa
Start Date: April 7, 2016
Number of Episodes: 60 (Ongoing)
Animation Studio: Studio Bones
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

When Atsushi Nakajima is kicked out of the orphanage, he ends up saving Osamu Dazai from drowning. Soon, he learns that Osamu works for a secret organization called the Armed Detective Agency, which enlists people with supernatural abilities and is capable of solving cases that the police cannot handle. The Armed Detective Agency has several rival organizations, making it a detective anime with a noir setting and supernatural abilities.

The reason behind Bungo Stray Dogs’ popularity is that the creators have implemented characters from the history books and provided them with abilities named after their real-life works. The dialogues are sharp and crisp, entailing a proper blend of genres, intelligent narrative, and the exploration of psychological themes, making it one of the best entries on this list.

6. UN-GO

Creator: Ango Sakaguchi
Start Date: October 14, 2011
Episodes: 11
Animation Studio: Bones
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll

Set in post-war Japan, UN-GO revolves around Shinjurou Yuuki, an old-fashioned detective, and his partner Inga, possessing supernatural abilities, who solves cases that involve secret agendas or truths that have been framed in a certain manner. Together, they bring out the reality of the matter to everyone. UN-GO is a short anime but provides several memorable moments for the fans. The philosophical questions at the end, following the revelation of the criminal, will leave the viewers stunned and mesmerized. It is a thematically rich anime with a serious setting.

7. Death Note

Creator(s): Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
Start Date: October 3, 2006
Number of Episodes: 37
Animation Studio: Madhouse
Where To Watch: Netflix

When a bored shinigami, Ryuk, drops his Death Note on Earth, a high school student, Light Yagami, ends up picking it. He soon learns that people whose names are written in the Death Note will die. Soon, he starts acting like a supreme being, takes the name Kira, and punishes people accordingly. However, he soon faces his match against L, a detective known for solving difficult cases with his intellect.

Death Note is one of the best anime ever created. While it has supernatural elements, the main attraction remains the psychological duel between Kira and L. There is always some kind of suspense, unpredictable twists, and mysteries in every episode. A thriller at its core, Death Note delivers peak moral dilemmas along with excellent storytelling.

8. ID: Invaded

Creator(s): Outarou Maijou, Ei Aoki
Start Date: January 5, 2020
Number of Episodes: 13
Animation Studio: NAZ
Where To Watch: Hulu

ID: Invaded has a unique plot where investigators have the ability to dive into the subconscious mind of the criminals using a system called Mizuhanome. When a former cop turned prisoner, Akihito Narihisago, is made to explore the subconscious place to solve crimes from within, helping to identify the criminals in the real world, he has to solve twisted puzzles and go through several hurdles to solve the missions. It literally and figuratively has a psychological depth with strong themes, and a dream-like crime-solving sequence that has a modern touch to it. The protagonist is one of the main attractions of the series as he is a complex character and has an unpredictable nature.

9. Pluto

Creator(s): Naoki Urasawa, Takashi Nagasaki
Anime Start: October 26, 2023
Number of Episodes: 8
Animation Studio: Studio M2
Where To Watch: Netflix

When powerful robots and human rights advocates fall victim to an unknown killer named Pluto, the worldwide peace is shaken in a future, technologically advanced world. The case falls upon Detective Gesicht, a robot working for Europol. As the story progresses, there are some major revelations about artificial intelligence, war crimes, and repressed memories that are behind the series of mysterious murders. Pluto beautifully showcases a gripping plot, involving a murder mystery and several conspiracies that spawn as side quests. It has a mature narrative with emotional depth. Also, the layered characters make it an interesting watch.

10. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Creator: Masamune Shirow
Start Date: October 1, 2002
Number of Episodes: 52
Animation Studio: Production I.G
Where To Stream: Netflix

Ghost in the Shell revolves around Major Motoko Kusanagi, who is a cyborg, and Public Security Section 9. Together, they solve cybercrimes and have to deal with the corruption of the Japanese Government. While there have been several adaptations of Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex is the anime series of the franchise. Since the plot takes place in a futuristic world, the investigations are also futuristic, with a complex structure surrounding them. The story raises several philosophical questions that might put the audience into a dilemma.

Detective Anime Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex

Priyanko Chakraborty

Priyanko is currently pursuing his Master’s in Economics. He loves to read manga or watch anime in his spare time. He is a massive fan of One Piece, Naruto, and Haikyu. Amidst the Great Pirating Era, he wishes to become the greatest Hokage, even though he is short.