Top 10 Mystery Thriller Anime – Best Mind Mess Anime
Amongst the many popular genres in anime one that really stands out is the mystery thriller genre it may be because the genre tends to have stories that are a lot more mature and profound than what the typical person expects from an anime also be because while some of these shows may have fantastical elements they often have more serious storytelling or underlying themes that reflect reality are the less glamorous and idealistic aspects of life due to these the genre has become a hit with anime fans of all sorts the anime region here and today we will be counting down 10 of my favorites in this genre I’ve watched a couple of mystery thrillers and while this isn’t going to be an exhaustive list by any means I do hope that you can pick up some shows to watch from the list without further ado let’s get started.
Top 10 Mystery Thriller Anime – RANKED, LIST
10. RANPO KITAN
Number 10 having a detective show as a backdrop and attempting to make a blockbuster thrill out of it can be a challenge not a lot of shows pull it off but one attempt at it came in the middle of the previous decade with lamppo kitan game of la place Yoshio Kobayashi wakes up in his classroom to a startling revelation his dead teacher and a bloodstained saw on his hand the easiest conclusion would be to frame him and so he did.
However, he’s got help on his side in the form of his friend soji hashiba and detective progeny Kokoro aketi after being cleared of his crime Kobayashi takes an interest in the teen detective and joins him in solving cases often involving murders and other gruesome crimes lamper kitan has received quite the mixed and polarized reception but I personally enjoyed it for what it is three and blockbuster thriller genres while leaning more on the latter it does have some interesting episodes and themes so you can check it out if the synopsis interests you.
9. PARANOIA AGENT
Now here’s a show that’s quite dear to my heart debuting in 2004 paranoia agent became quite the cult classic showcasing satoshi khan’s rather controversial and surreal style in the form of a mystery murder paranoia agent tells the story of a town terrorized by shonen bat a mysterious assailant who seems impossible to catch.
A pair of detectives seem up to the impossible task of finally ending the terror of shonen bat however with paranoia beginning to set in all over the town catching the phantom would be a lot harder than it already is, if you’ve never seen a satoshi khan anime I feel that paranoia agent would make an excellent starting point it brings out the full appeal of his style and the series itself is really good in how it weaves its mysteries and in how it creates some major twists and turns the feel of a tense mystery is there all throughout and being able to evoke the emotion of terror and suspense is a true strength of the series.
8. SERIAL EXPERIMENT LAIN
Back in the 90s the internet was still quite an unknown frontier things were very different and how people viewed the fountain of information that we have easy access to nowadays can be very interesting to say the least it also forms the backdrop of the next show on the list serial experiments lane, the story begins with lane receiving an email from a classmate who has committed suicide opening the email she found herself being led into the wired a virtual network which we now know more as the internet.
Then the weirdness begins as men in black begin questioning her and it seems that the barrier between reality and cyberspace has been broken leaving everyone with more questions than answers about identity perception and reality it is a show that is very profound and that has made it one of the well-known classics of the cenan genre serial experiments lane would have you questioning many philosophical matters much like a great mystery thriller would it is a completely unique work during its time and i think that it still holds true to this day while it’s not an easy watch i would recommend this show as it helps push the boundaries of human imagination in a way few anime can.
7. EDEN OF THE EAST
Missile strikes an amnesiatic man and a death game where the fate of the world hangs in the balance such are just some other things to expect from this next entry Eden of the east in the middle of it all is a college student named saki morimi her trip to the US saves her from a catastrophic missile strike in japan but in return, she runs into the eccentric Akira Takizawa a cheerful who believes himself to be a terrorist he possesses a strange cell phone that contained over 8 billion yen in digital cash it was this encounter that opened the floodgates to Sakhi’s involvement in the most high-stakes death games she has ever found herself involved in.
a pretty cool show that leans more on the action side of things Eden of the east has what it takes to keep you engaged and wanting more.
6. DEATH PARADE
Number six ever wonder what life after death looks like well the next show on the list desperade gives us a rather unique glimpse at it instead of heavenly clouds or eternal flames what awaits a departed human is a bar yes it is a bar where the attendant challenges a pair of souls into a game pitting them against each other in battles of air hockey bowling or the light the possibilities are endless however it is here where the true nature of quindessim is revealed.
As the game revealed more about a person’s true nature and it is here where his or her final fate gets decided the road to salvation or oblivion lies beyond the game in this bar of memories with its unique and meaningful takes death parade has made quite some waves back in 2015. it is a show that seems quite whimsical yet it’s both philosophical and meaningful I would say that the show has aged pretty well and in 2021 it’s not too late to start watching what some consider to be a serious candidate to 2015’s animated gear.
5. THE PROMISED NEVERLAND
Number five the promised neverland finds itself fifth on our list with such a banger of a first season I reckon that a lot of you already know the tale that chronicles children struggles to escape from the Gracefield house the warm orphanage which ends up actually being a house of horrors has become an iconic location for modern anime fans I’m not here to talk to you further about the plot but just point you in the one point where the show excels so much atmosphere the promised neverland features some of the most amazing directing and camera coats I’ve ever seen in anime and that is able to elevate it so much despite the basic premise.
I would not say that the other parts of the show are shabby because they’re nowhere near bad but it takes a special team to elevate what is basically anime chicken run into the work of art that this season is while a lot of people would rather pretend that the show’s second season never existed the first season is probably going to end up in a lot of people’s most-watched lists the show does so well in applying the atmosphere to support its own brand of horror and suspense and it is probably not too far-fetched to call this season a modern masterpiece in itself.
4. MIRAI NIKKI
Number four I heard you like death game anime so here’s another one for you lonely high school student Yuki tater Amano spends most of his time conversing with his two imaginary friends his life changes when one of them turns out to be real and grants him a diary they can see the future while subsequently forcing him into combat with 11 other wielders of that powerful item.
It is a battle royale a free-for-all bloodbath where the last man standing gets to be the god of time and space teaming up with a rather obsessive stalker you know Gasai Yupiteru seeks to defeat the other wielders of the diaries and take his crown morbid yet brimming with energy and adrenaline minaki has become one of the most recognizable anime for those who are very into the medium in the 2000s the show boasts a certain unique charisma with its story and action sequences and if you haven’t given it a shot yet why don’t you do it and see what all the buzz is about.
3. ZERO
Number three when Subaru Natsuki went on a trip to the convenience store little did he know that he would find himself teleported into another world one filled with denizens of the fantasy world that he was so savvy about he also discovers that he came with his own power the ability to go back in time whenever he dies a power that’s so mighty yet so cursed.
Having such an ability comes with its share of consequences and it’s up to Subaru to decide how he will struggle against fate will Subaru ever find his happy ending with the elf girl of his dreams or will he fall into despair as he dies trying to isikai has been a dime a dozen in the anime world these days but what makes re-zero stand out is it the dark atmosphere is it the lack of an overpowered hero is it the waifus that come in all shapes and colors maybe all of the above could qualify i could go to lengths as to why re-zero has become such a standout in itakai but i would rather have you watch it yourself the second season has also recently concluded so you might want to take a look at that once you’re done with the first season if you liked it enough.
2. STEINS; GATE
Number two speaking of time loops and such how ironic is it that stein’s gate would appear as my number two pick for mystery thriller anime i probably don’t need to talk too much about the story of self-proclaimed mad scientist Okabe and his foray into a whole world of conspiracy death and time loops what i would do is vouch for stein’s game and tell you just how powerful of an anime it is and how good it is at conveying a rather complicated and intricate story one that is quite unique in its own with developments that set it apart from the other shows that involve time travel.
Steins gate has been lauded by many as anime of the decade not just here and it’s not too difficult to see why a very gripping story some amazingly written characters and a narrative that takes you on a thrill ride and never let’s go steins gate has all the hallmarks of a great modern-day anime sensation it send waves across the community when it was airing it only falls down to second place because as good of a legacy as it has it still pales in comparison to the number one spot on this list.
1. DEATH NOTE
Number one arguably the most influential anime ever to come out of the mystery-thriller genre is death note one of the most iconic series to take the world by storm in the 2000s death note success lies in how deep it seems for a shonen jump series finding itself in the thicker things with the show name big three and other similar title death note was a complete breath of fresh air as instead of supernatural battles the series takes a supernatural theme and applies it to a more realistic backdrop being able to kill at will in the name of justice can be a tempting proposition for the all idealistic minds.
But that comes with some consequences that is just one of the many themes rooted in the reality of the society, that we get to see in the cat and mouse battle between team megalomaniac light and super detective l death note takes the spot as one of my favorites and probably one of the big foundations of anime in the 2000s it has also got some themes that really hit close to homemaking the show a very exciting and intriguing watch that more or less.
finishes up my list of the Top 10 Mystery Thriller Anime – Best Mind Mess Anime, I hope that the shows listed can help you appreciate the genre more if you’re still not into the genre I really wish that seeing the amazing shows on this list can change your mind mystery thrillers can provide an alternative angle of the anime industry as a whole and showcase some of the less mainstream methods of storytelling I hope to be able to talk about these shows on the comments section with you guys.
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