10 Most Intense Detective Anime Shows Better Than TD: Night Country

Although True Detective 's fourth season, Night Country, was praised by critics with a 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the ordinary viewers have been less enthusiastic about the new story, which currently has an audience score of just 64%.

If the tale of mystical murders in Alaska doesn't appeal to you, then it's time to turn to anime in the detective genre – Japanese animation is known for its thoughtful and complex mysteries.

1. Undead Murder Farce, 2023

In the past, humans shared the world with various evil spirits, for whom humans were nothing more than food. In the 19th century, however, almost all monsters were killed, and the few remaining ones swore not to harm humans. Among the survivors is a trio of unusual detectives who investigate cases involving monsters.

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This anime is a bright detective story in which Frankenstein 's monster gets along well with Sherlock Holmes and Aleister Crowley. The original manga was popular for its unusual approach to well-known characters and its gripping intrigue.

2. Sherlock Hound, 1984-1985

In this anime, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, as well as other characters, are anthropomorphic dogs. Mrs. Hudson is a young girl with whom Holmes has a romantic relationship, and Professor Moriarty is the head of a crime syndicate who looks like Arsene Lupin.

This anime is perfect for family viewing, and Hayao Miyazaki himself had a hand in its creation. The pleasant atmosphere of England, lively Holmes and leisurely Watson, cute romance with Hudson, references to Holmes' cases, light adventures – this is what makes this series special and cozy in its own way.

3. In/Spectre, 2020-2023

The heiress of a wealthy family, Kotoko was a perfect candidate for the position of mediator between the other world and the human world. She was kidnapped to make a deal: in exchange for her left eye and right leg, she would become the goddess of wisdom and gain the support and authority of ghosts and spirits from urban legends.

Without thinking twice, Kotoko agreed, and now whenever anyone has a problem, they run to her for help. Six years later, she meets Kuro. It turns out that Kuro also has superpowers, so Kotoko invites him to investigate the mystical matters of urban legends together.

4. B: The Beginning, 2018-2021

In the distant future, science and technology have reached such a high level that scientists have decided to conduct a risky experiment – the artificial evolution of mankind. However, as the project approached its conclusion, the results of the experiment were stolen by a criminal organization.

The anime is set eight years after the incident. The plot revolves around the Royal Investigation Service and its legendary investigator Keith Kazama.His goal is to catch Killer B, an elusive serial killer who is connected to the incident that occurred eight years ago.

5. The Apothecary Diaries, 2023-…

Maomao helps her father in the pharmacy and likes testing the effects of poisons and medicines. One day, she is kidnapped and sold as a servant to the imperial palace. At first Maomao works as a laundress, but soon her medical skills attract attention – the girl is assigned to test the food of one of the emperor's concubines for poison.

The Apothecary Diaries is a classic detective story in the spirit of Sherlock Holmes: a brilliant detective and an inquisitive assistant uncover dark secrets. The main character Maomao is Holmes in the series, and Jinshi, the second most important character in the story, is a kind of Dr. Watson.

6. Pluto, 2023

Several years have passed since the devastating war, and the world is rapidly recovering from the disaster. Android-detective Gesicht takes on two complex cases. In the first, Mont Blanc, a pacifist robot and the people's favorite, was killed.In the second, the victim was a lawyer who was pushing for laws to establish full equality between humans and robots.

Pluto is a murder mystery, a science fiction story about the coexistence of humans and robots, a thriller about international conspiracies, and a psychological horror about emotional trauma.

7. Spy x Family, 2022-…

An experienced spy codenamed Twilight begins a new mission for which he must have a fake family. To infiltrate the circle of the political elite, the agent plays the role of a loving husband and an exemplary father of a little girl. What makes the task even more complicated is that his wife is a killer and his daughter is a telepath.

This detective series is stylized as a noir with a dash of humor and action. And at the heart of the story is a warm tale of how strangers, united by their selfish interests, gradually become a real family.

8. Odd Taxi, 2021

The anime series, made by a director with almost no experience, went unnoticed at first, but won more and more hearts with each new episode.

Odd Taxi captivates from the very first episodes with an unexpectedly complex story inspired by the films of Scorsese and Fincher. Odokawa is a simple taxi driver, but thanks to this he sees a variety of customers. And by chance, he finds himself in a maelstrom of events between ordinary city dwellers, the police and criminal gangs.

9. Id: Invaded, 2020

The Kura Organization investigates crimes using a special system that can sense murderous intent. Detective Sakaido becomes the pilot of the system: he penetrates the subconscious of criminals to find clues for the investigation.

Studio NAZ released a fascinating detective story in 2020, where cases are solved in the subconscious of criminals, and the detective himself forgets his identity with each dive. Gradually we find out how the system of immersion in the subconscious works, and learn more about the past of the main character.

10. Fate/Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files, 2018-2021

The Mages' Association has existed in secret alongside humans for many years. But even among mages, envy and power struggles are not uncommon. Such crimes often fall to Waver Velvet, better known as Lord El-Melloi II, to investigate.

Together with the main character we find ourselves in London, in the middle of intrigues and dangerous experiments of arrogant British mages. But this is not only a mystical detective story – it is also a touching tale about finding one's place in the world, about duty and friendship.