Mystery (778)

Whether its solving a crime or finding an explanation for a puzzling circumstance, the main cast willingly or reluctantly become investigators who must work to answer the who, what, why, and/or how of the current dilemma. The narrative of mystery stories is always on collecting evidence, identifying suspects, and theorizing possible scenarios for the unexplainable, before finally capturing the perpetrator or resolving the current situation. Almost always, the audience has the same information as the main characters and anticipation is directed towards discovering the explanation, not what will transpire after the answer is found. Contrast with Suspense or Horror where often the audience has more information than the cast, which heightens the tension or fear of what will happen next.

Witch Hunter Robin

Witch Hunter Robin

Witch Hunter Robin

Jul 3, 2002 to Dec 25, 2002 | 26 eps | Publishing

Monster

Monster

Monster

Dr. Kenzou Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon recently engaged to his hospital director's daughter, is well on his way to ascending the hospital hierarchy. That is until one night, a seemingly small event changes Dr. Tenma's life forever. While preparing to perform surgery on someone, he gets a call from the hospital director telling him to switch patients and instead perform life-saving brain surgery on a famous performer. His fellow doctors, fiancée, and the hospital director applaud his accomplishment; but because of the switch, a poor immigrant worker is dead, causing Dr. Tenma to have a crisis of conscience.

So when a similar situation arises, Dr. Tenma stands his ground and chooses to perform surgery on the young boy Johan Liebert instead of the town's mayor. Unfortunately, this choice leads to serious ramifications for Dr. Tenma—losing his social standing being one of them. However, with the mysterious death of the director and two other doctors, Dr. Tenma's position is restored. With no evidence to convict him, he is released and goes on to attain the position of hospital director.

Nine years later when Dr. Tenma saves the life of a criminal, his past comes back to haunt him—once again, he comes face to face with the monster he operated on. He must now embark on a quest of pursuit to make amends for the havoc spread by the one he saved.

Apr 7, 2004 to Sep 28, 2005 | 74 eps | Publishing

.hack//Sign

.hack//Sign

.hack//Sign

A young wavemaster, only known by the alias of Tsukasa, wakes up in an MMORPG called The World, with slight amnesia. He does not know what he has previously done before he woke up. In The World, the Crimson Knights suspects him of being a hacker, as he was seen accompanying a tweaked character in the form of a cat. Unable to log out from the game, he wanders around looking for answers, avoiding the knights and other players he meets along the way.

As Tsukasa explores The World, he stumbles upon a magical item that takes the form of a "guardian," which promises him protection from all harm. Subaru, the leader of the Crimson Knights, along with several other players who became acquainted with Tsukasa, set out to investigate why Tsukasa is unable to log out, and attempt to get to the bottom of the problem before it gets out of hand.

Apr 4, 2002 to Sep 26, 2002 | 26 eps | Publishing

GetBackers

GetBackers

GetBackers

Mido Ban and Amano Ginji are known as the Get Backers, retrievers with a success rate of 100%. Whatever is lost or stolen, they can definitely get it back. Despite their powerful abilities and enthusiastic behavior, Ban and Ginji are terminally broke no matter what they do simply because few people would actually desire to hire them. As a result, the pair of them tend to do dangerous jobs, often leading to unwanted re-encounters with their old (and dangerous) friends.
Oct 5, 2002 to Sep 20, 2003 | 49 eps | Publishing

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne

A normal looking high school girl on the outside, Kusakabe Maron is actually the reincarnation of Jeanne d' Arc. With the help of the angel, Fin Fish, Maron works as the thief Jeanne at night to seal the demons that reside in pieces of artwork, preying upon the weak hearts of the owners. She is branded as a thief due to the fact that the artworks disappear after she seals the demons. One day, a new neighbor and classmate appears, as well as a rival in her night job, the thief Sinbad. With her own best friend being the detective's daughter, out to capture her and the appearance of her new rival, Maron's work is anything but easy.
Feb 13, 1999 to Jan 29, 2000 | 44 eps | Publishing

Loveless

Loveless

Loveless

Apr 7, 2005 to Jun 30, 2005 | 12 eps | Publishing

Blood+

Blood+

Blood+

Saya Otonashi is a seemingly ordinary girl living a mundane life with her adoptive family in Okinawa City. In fact, her only peculiarities are suffering from anemia and being unable to remember any of her life beyond the previous year.

However, Saya's forgotten past quickly comes back to haunt her—one night, she is attacked at school by a creature that feeds on human blood. Just when all hope seems lost, a mysterious man named Haji appears and fends off the creature temporarily. But when her rescuer forces her to drink his blood, Saya suddenly enters a trance and slays the monster with ease, using her own blood as a catalyst.

Saya then learns of an organization named Red Shield, founded for the sole purpose of defeating the hellish beasts. Now Saya and Haji must work together with Red Shield to fight these fearsome monsters and unlock the secrets to the girl's past.

Oct 8, 2005 to Sep 23, 2006 | 50 eps | Publishing

Mezzo DSA

Mezzo DSA

Mezzo DSA

Mikura, Kurokawa, and Harada are the 3 members of the Danger Service Agency (DSA). Mikura is the brawns of the group, Harada is the brains, and Kurokawa is just a bitter ex-cop that likes to think he's in charge. They'll take on any job as long as it involves lots of danger and, of course, money. If you want to live long enough to eat dinner, you better not cross them. Their biggest case, however, could prove to be finding out why someone wants Kurokawa assassinated.

(Source: ANN)
Jan 4, 2004 to Mar 28, 2004 | 13 eps | Publishing

Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple

Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple

Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple

Young Mabel West is the daughter of mystery writer Raymond West, who wants her to lead a normal life. Rebelling against this, Mabel wants to be a great detective, and sets out for London to become assistant to none other than Hercule Poirot, the great Belgian detective who resides there. She finally wins the reluctant approval of her father, and embarks on an exciting life of mystery and suspense—his only demand being that she occasionally spend some time with her great-aunt, Jane Marple, in the small village of St. Mary Mead.
Jul 4, 2004 to May 15, 2005 | 39 eps | Publishing

Madlax

Madlax

Madlax

Apr 6, 2004 to Sep 28, 2004 | 26 eps | Publishing

Noir

Noir

Noir

Apr 6, 2001 to Sep 28, 2001 | 26 eps | Publishing

Kyougoku Natsuhiko: Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari

Kyougoku Natsuhiko: Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari

Kyougoku Natsuhiko: Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari

Oct 4, 2003 to Dec 27, 2003 | 13 eps | Publishing

RahXephon

RahXephon

RahXephon

The ordinary life of high school student Ayato Kamina is turned upside down when Tokyo is suddenly invaded by futuristic fighter jets. Amidst the chaos, he encounters a woman called Haruka Shitow who claims to be from a government organization called TERRA. She reveals that he has been living in a time bubble named "Tokyo Jupiter" that was put in place by the Mulians—humanoids from another dimension—in an attempt to isolate and take over Tokyo. TERRA has been trying to break through the barrier surrounding the city ever since.

Unable to process the revelation, Ayato panics and flees. He runs into his classmate Reika Mishima who leads him to a place called "The Shrine of Xephon" where a large egg slumbers. She starts to sing and an unknown power awakens within Ayato, connecting him to a being called RahXephon that breaks out of the egg. Shortly after, Haruka finds him again and tries to make him join her cause of fighting against the Mulians.

Caught between the crosshairs of the Mulians and TERRA, Ayato begins to question his purpose, navigating altered memories and ultimately his very identity in this chaotic new world.

Jan 21, 2002 to Sep 11, 2002 | 26 eps | Publishing

Shingetsutan Tsukihime

Shingetsutan Tsukihime

Shingetsutan Tsukihime

Shiki Toono wakes up in a hospital ward with the ability to see invisible lines. These thin threads, which make up all matter in Shingetsutan, instantly destroy an object when severed. Shiki discovers that if he traces the lines of something, its destruction soon follows. While keeping his supernatural vision a secret, Shiki proceeds to live his sophomore life in peace. However, this peace is short-lived when Shiki encounters a mysterious woman with bright red eyes on his way back from school. Following a sudden psychotic lapse, he appears to kill the woman, and passes out shortly after. As if things couldn't get any worse, Shiki is assailed by a pair of demonic hounds the next day—facing certain death, Shiki is saved by the timely arrival of the same woman from yesterday. She introduces herself as Arcueid Brunestud, a vampire princess. Deciding to team up, Shiki and Arcueid embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind their lineage and the recent string of murders around town.

Oct 10, 2003 to Dec 26, 2003 | 12 eps | Publishing

Tactics

Tactics

Tactics

Ichinomiya Kantarou grew up with the ability to see demons, but was isolated and bullied by others who did not share the same gift. Instead, he became being friends with the demons, gaining a great attachment to their existence. One day, Kantarou was told about the strongest demon, the one known as the ogre-eating Tengu. Amazed by the news of his strength, Kantarou vowed to find this demon who was far stronger than any other, deciding to call him Haruka when he did so. Since this time, Kantarou searched far and wide for the ogre-eating Tengu with no luck, making his living by becoming a folklore writer and demon-buster. On a particular job, Kantarou had finally found news of a nearby shrine supposedly the place where the ogre-eating Tengu was sealed.
Oct 6, 2004 to Mar 30, 2005 | 25 eps | Publishing

Gosenzo San'e

Gosenzo San'e

Gosenzo San'e

Masquerade is the story surrounding the Hiraga bloodline in which Gen is a part of. Recently orphaned, he moves in to his grandmother's house and unwittingly triggers the Hiraga clan's curse in which nearly every member leads a tragically short life. In his grandmother's house, Gen begins to unravel vaguely remembered memories from a dream he's always had. With the help of an American graduate student, they try to uncover the secret of the Hiraga bloodline, the whispered legend of immortality that is locked in his genes, and a way to keep Gen from sharing the same fate that every one of his ancestors before him has suffered.

(Source: ANN)
Sep 25, 1998 to Mar 25, 1999 | 4 eps | Publishing

Speed Grapher

Speed Grapher

Speed Grapher

Ten years after the Bubble War, the dichotomy between the rich and the poor in the world becomes more prominent and Japan is no exception. The rich seek to satisfy their desires and derive pleasure for themselves, and Tokyo has materialized into such a city as a result. Saiga, once a war photographer, works for Hibara Ginza in the capitalist state of Tokyo. He infiltrates the Roppongi Club, a secretive base located in the red light district of the city, to collect information about them. However, he was caught in the process and brought forward to a girl called Kagura who was in the midst of a ritual. His contact with Kagura awakens his special ability: the power to make things explode when photographed. In order to unravel the mystery behind the Roppongi Club and Kagura, Saiga begins his solitary battle.
Apr 8, 2005 to Sep 30, 2005 | 24 eps | Publishing

Angel Heart

Angel Heart

Angel Heart

A young Taiwanese assassin codenamed "Glass Heart" committed suicide by jumping off a building, and her heart was pierced by metal fence. Miraculously, her life was saved by heart transplantation. During her recovery she began to experience strange dreams, which lead her to Japan looking for the donor of her heart, who happens to be Kaori Makimura, former partner of City Hunter Ryo Saeba.

The author mentioned in the first tankoubon volume that Angel Heart only shares the same characters of City Hunter but not its continuation. The events are all parallel universe, therefore it has nothing to do with City Hunter. (Source: Wikipedia)
Oct 4, 2005 to Sep 26, 2006 | 50 eps | Publishing

Cinderella Boy

Cinderella Boy

Cinderella Boy

Ranma and his partner Rera run a detective agency in Giraffe City. An arranged accident leaves Rera and Ranma in an unfortunate state where the two detectives swap bodies at the stroke of midnight. With Ranma dissapearing and the beautiful Rera appearing.

(Source: ANN)
Jun 24, 2003 to Sep 16, 2003 | 13 eps | Publishing

Mousou Dairinin

Mousou Dairinin

Mousou Dairinin

Feb 3, 2004 to May 18, 2004 | 13 eps | Publishing

Petshop of Horrors

Petshop of Horrors

Petshop of Horrors

Count D, a quite interesting pet shop owner from an area called Chinatown, sells rare and hard to come by pets to people longing for something special, but with each sale comes a contract. If the rules of the contract are followed, everything goes fine, but if someone should break the rules of the contract, the pet shop cannot be held responsible for anything unfortunate that might happen. Leon Orcot, a homicide detective, has linked many odd and unexplainable deaths together; they all were customers of Count D's pet shop, and he intends to find out why.

(Source: ANN)
Mar 2, 1999 to Mar 23, 1999 | 4 eps | Publishing

Wolf's Rain

Wolf's Rain

Wolf's Rain

In a dying world, there exists an ancient legend: when the world ends, the gateway to paradise will be opened. This utopia is the sole salvation for the remnants of life in this barren land, but the legend also dictates that only wolves can find their way to this mythical realm. Though long thought to be extinct, wolves still exist and live amongst humans, disguising themselves through elaborate illusions.

A lone wolf named Kiba finds himself drawn by an intoxicating scent to Freeze City, an impoverished town under the rule of the callous Lord Orkham. Here, Kiba discovers that wolves Hige, Tsume, and Toboe have been drawn in by the same aroma. By following the fragrance of "Lunar Flowers," said to be the key to opening the door to their ideal world, the wolves set off on a journey across desolate landscapes and crumbling cities to find their legendary promised land. However, they are not the only ones seeking paradise, and those with more sinister intentions will do anything in their power to reach it first.

Jan 7, 2003 to Jul 29, 2003 | 26 eps | Publishing

R.O.D: Read or Die

R.O.D: Read or Die

R.O.D: Read or Die

Yomiko Readman is a lovable, near-sighted bibliomaniac working as a substitute teacher at a Japanese high school. Her real identity, however, is that of a secret agent for the British Library Special Operations Division. Her codename: "The Paper." The moniker denotes her supernatural ability to freely manipulate paper into any object she can imagine, including tools and weapons in her fight against the powerful and self-serving IJIN (Great Historical Figure) Army! Along with her partner, the enigmatic "Ms. Deep," Yomiko travels across the world in attempt to solve the mystery behind the reincarnation of historical figures and their attempt to control the world.

(Source: RightStuf)
May 23, 2001 to Feb 6, 2002 | 3 eps | Publishing

Jigoku Shoujo

Jigoku Shoujo

Jigoku Shoujo

It is said that if someone seeks revenge, they should dig two graves—and this is especially true of those who use the Hell Correspondence website. At the stroke of midnight, this ominous web domain becomes accessible, and whoever inputs the name of their grudge will get a visit from Ai Enma, the Hell Girl. Ai explains that she will send the target's soul to hell, but the requester will also end up in hell when they die.

For some, that price is far too steep; for others, where they will spend their afterlife has no bearing on their current, day-to-day hell. But one thing is certain: the Hell Girl will always be available to those in need of revenge, while she stoically performs her duty of ferrying souls into the darkness.

Oct 5, 2005 to Apr 5, 2006 | 26 eps | Publishing