Welcome! Mystery anime can be hit or miss with me. The story needs interesting characters, a sense of uncertainty, and conflict among the cast. The story must ask questions and provide satisfying answers. Wait, this is just good storytelling… 

What makes for a good mystery?

Let’s see what these murder mystery anime have in common: not too campy, not too over-the-top anime-style action, no traditional detectives here (except as a side character), and no police procedure drama. Some focus entirely on characters and the mystery surrounding their lives. This sounds like a fantastic way to write a mystery. Don’t just focus on the murder part or interviewing witnesses, give me the character drama. (If mystery isn’t your thing, try this list of romantic action manga.)

Here, in no particular order, is the list of my favorite murder mystery anime for spook season.

1 Undead Murder Farce 

In more traditional mysteries, we establish a setting and then you get the situation. Oh, we have some unusual ones here. The setting: French countryside 19th century. The situation: the wife of a vampire has been murdered!

The thing about this story is the detective has been stripped down to the only essential part of a master detective, her head. Her immortal body was stolen and with that overarching mystery to solve, she heads to Victorian England and all over Europe to face off with such literary classics as Arsene Lupin and The Phantom of the Opera among others. These confrontations are fun and action-filled. The mysteries all tie together with the supernatural making for interesting scenarios.

Is it finished? No, but season one ends on a pretty satisfying note. There is an ongoing manga too, which you can sneak a preview at Kodansha here. Or at least watch the bright and beautiful psychedelic opening song: crack, crack crackle by classy

2 Apothecary Diaries

Smart detecting from the detective is only half the formula. You must also have a smart, devious, and daring villain. The antagonist needs to be good, so they can make a suitable challenge.

In this case, our detective is Maomao, a young apothecary who never wanted to be dragged into the inner palace (actually kidnapped) and forced to do chores. But, why yes, she will become a poison taster for the Precious Consort Gyokuyou. She will help Jinshi, the mysterious eunuch, who is beautiful and smart and so much more than he seems.  The antagonists vary, and Maomao’s cleverness is most compelling when we see her going up against other clever women in the inner palace.

Sometimes the mysteries are small and unassuming but never contrived. They tend to be solved each episode, like a mystery of the day, but they all come together into one big overarching plot. It is a nicely woven. There is so much to love here: palace intrigue, delightful characters, budding romances, tragedy, murders, and poisons. All for our viewing pleasure. 

Is it finished? No. This is an ongoing series following Maomao and Jinshi beyond the palace, but here’s where you can find more. The first season of the anime is streaming on Crunchyroll and the second season is coming soon. There is a manga you can preview at Square Enix.

The original light novels by Natsu Hyuuga are available from J-novel Club, with sample chapters previewable online.

3 Odd Taxi

They’re all animals! A walrus taxi driver lives day after day, driving around passengers in a mundane existence, until you realize all is not what it seems. Who are his passengers? Where’s the missing idol? What’s up with the wanna-be gangsters? And the thug? And the obsessive, fame-seeking youth? The characters drive the story and their lives are interconnected in a tangled net It is so satisfying to watch as the mystery unravels.

Is it finished?

Yes. The mystery is solved! The series wraps up in the best way and leaves you with just the right hint of after-credits intrigue. Best of all, the series is 12 episodes long so it’s not a huge investment of time. 

4 Another

Content Warning! This is more horror than mystery. There are also some pretty disturbing scenes involving a death by umbrella. So, tread carefully. (I knew it was coming and still had to close my eyes.) I’m still recommending it because its seasonally appropriate. 

The mystery element comes from the slow reveal and investigation into a series of deaths plaguing a classroom. Is this a curse? Is someone murdering people? A ghost? There are classic Japanese horror elements, ghosts, rooftops, and creep dolls.

The novel Another by Yukito Ayatsuji is excellent too. It’s a slow-burn horror that creeps you out the more you invest in it. The main character suffers from a hole in his lung, so sometimes he can’t breathe. It infects you. If you don’t want the visual horror from the anime, then look for the novels.

Is it finished? Yes. The anime and novels tell a complete story. But like any good horror, there is an element of ongoing terror even years after you’ve read it. Novels are available from Yen Press.

5 Yatagarasu: The Raven Does not Choose Its Master

This is not only a mystery, but also a historical fantasy set in a pseudo-Chinese-inspired Empire. It features supernatural raven shape-shifters. The anime is similar to Apothecary Diaries or the masterful Twelve Kingdoms. If you’re a fan of either, then you won’t be disappointed. The mysteries here are tied to action and political intrigue and are solved in incredibly compelling ways. 

The first part of the story follows Yukia, whose cleverness gets him in trouble. He ends up becoming an attendant to the Crown Prince. Only the Crown Prince isn’t what he seems. He never visits his potential consorts but must choose a wife soon. They wait impatiently, bide their time drinking, or pine for the Prince. They write letters, a few which mysterious disappear. Then an attendant dies a tragic death. These mysteries add to the unsettled and troubled feeling around the court. 

As the crown prince is nearly assassinated, and his allies and enemies are slowly revealed, the truth comes to light. When the Prince finally makes his appearance at the court to pick his consort, it turns into the scene of a master detective asking careful questions and exposing all the consort’s secrets. The reveal is some of the most compelling drama in anime, and it ends with a marriage proposal. 

Is it finished? No. But worth it? YES!

The story is based on novels by Chisato Abe, which aren’t available in English as of yet. The anime ran for half a year. This appears to cover at least two novels. So unfortunately it’s unfinished. However, the mysteries are resolved. So, even if the full story isn’t fully complete, there is a satisfying end. This is a series worth your time. There’s a trailer on YouTube that gives a hint about what you’ll encounter.

Honorable Mentions

Hyouka

A high school story with low-key mysteries featuring an adorable couple: the curious girl named Eru Chitanda who insists on having mysteries solved! Lucky for her, Houtarou Oreiki will oblige. It is beautifully animated by Kyoto Animations. The anime Hyouka series comes to a pretty good conclusion. If you want a more contemporary setting, try the newly released series by the same author How to become Ordinary. 

Blast of Tempest

This is a complete story full of Shakespearean quotes with twists and turns around the strange magic that involves the Tree of Genesis. Be forewarned, when it comes time to solve a major mystery there’s a stand-off. It’s a lot of talking back and forth, twisting words and timelines. But you will have the solution in the end. The story is complete.

Inspect/re

By the same author as Blast of Tempest, this ongoing supernatural mystery involves mythical creatures from Japanese folklore. Did you know eating the flesh of a mermaid can make you immortal? What if you could also see a little bit into the future? Sounds like mystery solving powers. There’s a lot of talking here too. Manga sample chapters are available from Kodansha and the anime is on Crunchyroll.

The Case of Hana and Alice

Set in modern-day Japan, two high-school girls investigate a mystery at their school. It features a slice-of-life feeling, with everyday school drama of bullies and truants, before it swerves off into the darker shadows of society. It’s a full movie, but is unfortunately hard to find streaming now.

Have you seen a good mystery anime? Let me know your favorite!