From tales of mind manipulation to the mysterious events, these anime make you think about the nature of reality and the human psyche.
Do you like to solve mysteries? Then these titles are for you. From elegant detective stories in the spirit of the classics to mystical investigations involving otherworldly forces, choose your mystery and get ready for unexpected plot twists.
1. Monster, 2004-2005
Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a talented neurosurgeon in Germany, is faced with a life-changing decision. Against the orders of his superiors, he decides to save the life of a critically injured boy.
This action leads to a series of inexplicable murders, and Tenma discovers that the boy he saved is not as innocent as he seemed. Now the doctor is plunged into a deep moral dilemma as he tries to unravel the mystery that connects him to this mysterious monster.
2. Paranoia Agent, 2004-2005
In this gripping anime, a boy on roller skates with a baseball bat attacks people, throwing them out of their familiar reality into a world of inexplicable horror. The series of attacks begins with a young designer who created an iconic animated character.
Two detectives take over the investigation, but the deeper they delve into the details, the stranger and more confusing the case becomes.
This anime will not only keep you on your toes, but also make you think about how modern society affects our psyche and how we sometimes choose the most unexpected paths to get out of personal crises.
3. Gosick, 2011
In the fictional country of Sauville, within the walls of the St. Marguerite Academy, in the library tower, lives Victorique – a brilliant but extremely eccentric girl with the appearance of a porcelain doll.
She is able to solve any mystery by simply collecting "fragments of chaos" and assembling them into a single picture. Together with student Kujo Kazuya, she investigates a series of strange crimes that turn out to be connected to much darker and larger secrets.
4. Psycho-Pass, 2012-2019
In Japan's future, the Sybil system can measure each person's mental state and predict their potential to commit a crime. Inspectors armed with special guns monitor the order, ready to stop those who pose a threat at any moment.
But what happens if the system makes a mistake? Or worse, when it works too well? Psycho-Pass plunges you into a world where the lines between law and justice are blurred.
5. Ergo Proxy, 2006
In a dark post-apocalyptic world where humans and androids live side by side, strange events begin to occur. Re-l Mayer, a brave intelligence officer, investigates incidents involving androids that suddenly have a mind of their own.
Her path crosses with Vincent Law, an ordinary worker who finds himself in a race with a mysterious monster called the Proxy. This anime is full of mystery and philosophical questions about what makes us human and how far we are willing to go in search of the truth.