One of the true LiA MVP’s, Casey W., asked me to put together a list of my top ten mystery anime (inspired in part by the return of The Apothecary Diaries). It struck me immediately as a fun idea, but there are inherent challenges to any such list and some specific to this one. First of all is remembering – when you’ve watched as many anime as I have (and the memory doesn’t get any better as you get older) shows can just disappear from in there. There’s recency bias to consider too, both from the memory standpoint and in terms of perception.

I think the biggest specific issue with mystery anime is (and this often happens with genre rankings), just what is a mystery series and what isn’t? In these sorts of cases I tend to lean towards a more restrictive definition, because the implied mission is very genre-specific. We all have an idea of what a hardcore mystery anime is – a detective, a new case every week, et al. So in putting this list together I used that idea as the tiebreaker – a show that had mysterious things happen isn’t necessarily in the mystery genre, if that makes any sense. That means some really great shows like Tengoku Daimakyou and Summertime Render are not on here despite being better than some that are. And as usual, these are in no particular order.

Also, yes – I know I didn’t include that one. I’m just not that much of a fan.

• Matantei Loki Ragnarok – I wanted to start here because this is a perfect illustration of the above point. Objectively I can’t say it’s a great series. But it is, indisputably a perfect example of the format – a detective, a case of the week, an anime twist. I do think it’s extremely underrated and one of the better mahou shounen series in anime.
• Monster – And here, the other side of the coin. Objectively a great series, but much more loosely a classic mystery format. The truth is there are multiple Urasawa Naoki series I could have put on the list – 20th Century Boys and Pluto certainly spring to mind – because he tends to embrace a format that’s more loosely defined as mystery. But I didn’t want to put multiples on the list, and I think Monster comes closest to the essence of the genre so here it is.
• Koukyuu no Karasu – In many ways very much a first cousin to Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, if much less commercially successful. It’s even more a classical mystery show in format, though. A very underrated LN adaptation, one of the best in several years.
• Undead Girl Murder Farce – Just a vastly entertaining mix of fantasy, horror, and absurdism couched in very classic mystery trappings. Some of the best direction of any series in recent memory, especially in the boffo final episode.
• Boku Dake ga Inai Machi – This is probably the series that most stretches the limits of the definition I laid out as a signpost. Is it more of a “mystery” show than Shin Sekai Yori or  Summertime Render? Arguably not, but Erased feels like it just clears the bar for me. A mystery is certainly at the heart of it, and it’s a truly great series above all else.
• Hyouka – A no-brainer. Both as truly a mystery as you could want and a great anime (though certainly not every week). While it’s not the criterion behind this list it’s also a contender for the most beautiful anime ever made.
• Shiguang Dailiren – To be absolutely clear, this is for Season 1 only – the sequel was a huge disappointment for me (though S3 regains some of the luster). It lost almost everything that made S1 great, but great S1 was. And certainly a mystery, indeed a mystery of the week in format. The only question I suppose is whether it belongs on this list since it’s not actually anime, but I think Casey would say it meets the spirit of the commission.
• Mousou Dairinin (Paranoia Agent) – The late, great Kon Satoshi’s only entry into TV anime. A great hardboiled detective story with Kon’s usual supernatural twists and psychological trauma.
• Tantei Gakuen Q (Detective School Q) – Considering its pedigree Tantei Gakuen Q has always struck me as something of a forgotten gem. Mangaka team Kibiyashi Shin and Satou Fumiya are certainly best known for Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo but I think this is actually their best work. It got a great adaptation from Pierrot – who know more about that subject than just about anybody – and director Abe Noriyuki, the only flaw being that it didn’t adapt the entire manga.
• Kusuruiya no Hitorigoto – It seems fitting to conclude with The Apothecary Diaries, as we begin the second of what are sure to be many seasons. Ironically the mysteries are often the weakest part of the show for me, but they work as a vehicle for the character stuff which makes Kusuriya really successful.