Best Japanese crime series

In the year 2113, people are given brain scans to determine how likely they are to commit a crime. Those who fail are apprehended, or even killed.

Kenzou Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon in Germany, finds his life in utter turmoil after getting involved with a psychopath that was once a former patient.

In the future when technological enhancements and robotics are a way of life, Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 take care of the jobs that are too difficult for the police. Section 9 employs hackers, sharpshooters, detectives and cyborgs all in an effort to thwart cyber criminals and their plans to attack the innocent.

The story follows a team of pirate mercenaries known as the Lagoon Company, that smuggles goods in and around the seas of Southeast Asia in the early to mid 1990s. Their base of operations is located in the fictional harbor city of Roanapur in southeast Thailand near the border of Cambodia.

Hyakkaou Private Academy. An institution for the privileged with a very peculiar curriculum. You see, when you're the sons and daughters of the wealthiest of the wealthy, it's not athletic prowess or book smarts that keep you ahead. It's reading your opponent, the art of the deal. What better way to hone those skills than with a rigorous curriculum of gambling? At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the winners live like kings, and the losers are put through the wringer. But when Yumeko Jabami enrolls, she's gonna teach these kids what a high roller really looks like!

Takemichi Hanagaki is a freelancer that’s reached the absolute pits of despair in his life. He finds out that the only girlfriend he ever had, in middle school, Hinata Tachibana, had been killed by the ruthless Tokyo Manji Gang. The day after hearing about her death, he’s standing on the station platform and ends up being pushed over onto the tracks by a herd of people. He closes his eyes thinking he’s about to die, but when he opens his eyes back up, he somehow had gone back in time 12 years. Now that he’s back living the best days of his life, Takemichi decides to get revenge on his life.

When the world's seven most advanced robots and their human allies are murdered one by one, Inspector Gesicht soon discovers that he's also in danger.

During the early 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary journey that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. In addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are about to learn the price of immortality.

Stalked by a beastly white tiger, Atsushi Nakajima has no idea that the menace lives inside him—a power that catches the attention of the Armed Detective Agency. Using inhuman abilities to combat crime, this team takes Atsushi under the wing of their most eccentric member, Dazai. Together, they tear through mafia-muddled mysteries while enemies keep an eye on the tiger’s lofty bounty.

In Tokyo's downtown district of Ikebukuro, amidst many strange rumors and warnings of anonymous gangs and dangerous occupants, one urban legend stands out above the rest—the existence of a headless "Black Rider" who is said to be seen driving a jet-black motorcycle through the city streets. Mikado Ryuugamine has always longed for the excitement of the city life, and an invitation from a childhood friend convinces him to move to Tokyo. Witnessing the Black Rider on his first day in the city, his wishes already seem to have been granted. But as supernatural events begin to occur, ordinary citizens like himself, along with Ikebukuro's most colorful inhabitants, are mixed up in the commotion breaking out in their city.

The son of a world famous mystery writer, Jimmy Kudo, has achieved his own notoriety by assisting the local police as a student detective. He has always been able to solve the most difficult of criminal cases using his wits and power of reason.

A teenaged gang leader in New York City faces his abuser and rival gangs alongside a photojournalist from Japan as they investigate a deadly new drug.

During Prohibition, the law is powerless and the mob rules Lawless, a town that thrives on the black market sale of illicitly brewed liquor. Avilio returns to town after a time away, following a lead on the murder of his family.

Genius investigator Keith Flick rejoins the royal police force just as serial killer "B" emerges. Mysterious youth Koku may be an ally, or a target.

In a world of monsters, adventurers and magic, some of the most gifted healers are subjugated to brute force. Keyaru gains the ability to rewind time and turns the tables on those who’ve exploited him in this dark fantasy tale of vengeance and fury.

In the crime-ridden, mafia-governed city of Ergastulum, Worick and Nicolas are two “handymen” known as “Benriya” who would take any dirty job from either police or mafia, for a good price. After an assignment from police the two met and later joined by Alex, a former prostitute who got interested in the mysterious background of the team, in particular of Nicolas’ abilities.

Many years ago, a Great Civil War ravaged Japan, leaving the country fragmented between two regions: Kansai and Kanto. In Kansai, a group of six Akudama carry out missions given to them by a mysterious black cat, while evading the police. But a dangerous journey is about to unfold when a civilian girl becomes twisted into the Akudama's way of life and witnesses their criminal drives.

Blamed by some, hailed as heroes by others, those involved with Fukushima Daiichi face a deadly, invisible threat — an unprecedented nuclear disaster.

After finding his mom killed, Satoru's time-traveling ability takes him back 18 years for a chance to prevent her death and those of three classmates.

Johnny Bolt recruits a group of ragtag supervillains for one last heist. Their target: A ruthless super-powered crime boss. What can go wrong?

Two assassins who never miss their mark must juggle fatherhood with their demanding job when they suddenly find themselves raising a four-year-old girl.

In the late 19th century, the British Empire nobility reigns while its working class suffers at their hands. Sympathetic to their plight, William James Moriarty wants to topple it all. Frustrated by the systemic inequity, Moriarty strategizes to fix the entire nation. Not even consulting detective Sherlock Holmes can stand in his way. It’s time for crime to revolutionize the world!

Two police detectives with different beliefs about the value of people's lives must cooperate to solve their city's most serious crimes.

About ten years after the Second World War, a group of juvenile offenders are sent to the Shounan Special Reform School, a kind of juvenile detention center, to deal with the atrocities and injustices they experienced in the war.

For Brandon Heat, death doesn't matter. Driven by his need for revenge, he returns from beyond the grave to cripple Milleneon, the huge mafia organization which uses undead monsters as its enforcers. His ultimate goal is to destroy Harry MacDowel, the leader of Milleneon and, at one time, Brandon's best friend...

When Yu Narukami moves to the rural country town of Inaba to live with his uncle while his parents are away on business, he's expecting a lot more peace and quiet than he's been used to in the big city. Instead, the peace has been shattered as a rash of mysterious murders and kidnappings sweep the countryside. With the police stymied, Yu finds himself joining with a group of seven other teenagers in a desperate bid to solve the mystery. A mystery that is somehow connected to both the local weather patterns and a strange TV world which Yu, his friends and the enigmatic killer can all enter.

Tsukasa, a college student, is rescued from an attack by a devil, one of many vampires that can blend in among the human population. Anzai, her savior, is a half-devil who exploits his supernatural gifts as a member of a shadowy police task force that specializes in devil-related crime in Tokyo. As Anzai continues to keep guard over Tsukasa, the two quickly forge a tentative bond—one that Anzai fears will test his iron-clad rule of never drinking human blood...

A terminally ill girl named Himari Takakura is miraculously saved from death by a strange spirit who resides in a penguin-shaped hat. However, in exchange for extending her life, the spirit tasks Himari's brothers, Kanba and Shōma, to seek out an elusive item known as the Penguin Drum with assistance from a trio of strange penguins.

Five beautiful but mysterious women move in with unsuccessful novelist Shin, who manages their odd household in exchange for a tidy monthly sum.

Mikoto, a forensic investigative examiner, and her partners trace down the evidence of crimes and unravel the puzzles behind mysterious deaths.

The story follows Motoko Kusanagi, a highly skilled member of the military, whom upon meeting Daisuke Aramaki, a current chief of the Public Security Section 9, in less than desirable conditions struggles to clear her name whilst forming her own independent team with the highest priority under the sponsorship and guidance of the chief Aramaki himself. Alternative Architecture is a TV anime version of the Ghost in the Shell: Arise movies.

"ACCA" is a giant unified syndicate residing in a kingdom split into 13 autonomous regions. ACCA was formed back when there was threat of a coup d'etat, and has continued to protect the peace for almost one hundred years. Jean Otus, vice-chairman of the inspections department at ACCA headquarters, wanders through the 13 districts, checking to see if there is any foul play afoot. His quiet everyday life slowly gets swallowed up into the world's conspiracies!

Nao Kanzaki is a college student who is known for her honesty and naivete. One day, she receives a black postcard indicating that she has been selected to participate in the "Liar Game Tournament". Along with the postcard is a box with 100 million yen. The goal of the first round of the game is to trick the other player out of their hundred million yen. At the end, the winner would get to keep the hundred million earned, and the loser owes the LGT 100 million yen, which "will be collected by any means and at all costs".

In the world only the aristocrats have the power to fight the monster - mana. Even though Melida Angel was born in an aristocracy and studies at an academy developing mana users, she has no mana. To find her talent for mana, Kufa Vampir was sent to be her tutor but at the same time, he was ordered to assassinate her if she has no talent for mana. He makes a cruel decision to assassinate her because he thinks that it is a wasted effort that people who have not any mana are working hard in this world... However, he asks her, "Do you want to try to entrust your life to me?" He is not as an assassin nor a tutor. He is someone betting on his pride as an assassin tutor, to show the world what Melida is capable of!

Light Yagami is an ordinary university student. One day, he receives a "Death Note", which changes his life. The Death Note awakens his warped sense of justice and genius. He becomes murderer Kira and punishes criminals. L is a well known private detective. L appears in front of Light Yagami. L defines Kira as evil and decides to catch Kira. Then N, who has a beautiful appearance but dangerous existence, appears.

A rookie lawyer Ryuuichi Naruhodou stands up to save his defendants by proving their innocence from unusual cases! Is the defendant guilty or innocent...? Believing his client's innocence Naruhodou stands in court and battles his rival judges. With the word of "OBJECTION!" and limited evidence, Naruhodou makes a comeback when all odds are against him and seems like there is nothing more he can do. Don't miss out on the comical episodes between him and his mentor Chihiro Ayasato, assistant Mayoi Ayasato, rival prosecutor Reiji Mitsurugi, and numerous unique characters! The anime also depicts the childhood relationship between Naruhodou and his friends. With the skills inherited from his mentor Naruho reveals the truth!

Akihabara is the center of the universe for the coolest hobbies and quirkiest amusements. In the spring of 1999, bright-eyed Nagomi Wahira moves there with dreams of joining a maid café. She quickly dons an apron at café Ton Tokoton, AKA the Pig Hut. But adjusting to life in bustling Akihabara isn't as easy as serving tea and delighting customers. Paired with the dour Ranko who never seems to smile, Nagomi must do her best to elevate the Pig Hut over all other maid cafés vying for top ranking. Along the way she'll slice out a place for herself amid the frills and thrills of life at the Pig Hut. Just when Nagomi's dreams are within her grasp, she discovers not everything is as it seems amid the maid cafés of Akihabara.

After causing a major incident, police officer Daigo Agawa takes his wife and daughter to live in the remote mountain village of Kuge. It seems the perfect place to recover from the ordeal, despite the mysterious disappearance of a previous officer posted there. One day, the body of an old woman is found on the mountain. The Goto family says she was attacked by a bear, but Daigo notices a human bite mark. It soon becomes clear that not all is as it seems in the village.

Shōtarō Tatewaki is a normal high school student with a serious demeanor hangs around with Sakurako Kujō. Sakurako is an extraordinarily beautiful woman in her mid-20s from a rich family who loves "beautiful bones." The two live in the city of Asahikawa in Hokkaido, and they get involved in various incidents regarding bones.

An unassuming father becomes a target when he kills his daughter's abusive boyfriend — who happens to be the son of a cold-blooded crime boss.

A legendary hitman trained to become the world's best assassin is asked to lay low for a year by the head of his crime family.

Ron Kamonohashi was once regarded as a genius at the top detective training academy. But after a fatal mistake, he was expelled and forbidden to become a detective. Years later, police officer Totomaru Isshiki knocks on Ron’s door seeking help on a serial murder case. He finds Ron, now a messy-haired recluse, who agrees. Together, this mismatched detective team begins solving their first mystery!

Ren Amamiya is about to enter his second year after transferring to Shujin Academy in Tokyo. Following a particular incident, his Persona awakens, and together with his friends, they form the “Phantom Thieves of Hearts” to reform hearts of corrupt adults by stealing the source of their distorted desires. Meanwhile, bizarre and inexplicable crimes have been popping up one after another… Living an ordinary high school life in Tokyo during the day, the group maneuvers the metropolitan city as Phantom Thieves after hours. Let the curtain rise for this grand, picaresque story!

With graduation 10 days away, homeroom teacher Hiiragi gathered all 29 students of class 3-A and proclaims them his hostages. His last lesson regards the death of a student that passed away a few months before. Nobody will be able to graduate until the truth is known.

Satou Matsuzaka, a girl who has never loved anyone before, falls in love with a girl named Shio Koube. The two girls are drawn to each other, and begin a happy life together. Satou won't let anyone endanger their new life, and would do anything for love, even if it means threatening, confining, or killing someone.

She’s a thief. A killer. A saint and a scandal. She’s whatever you need her to be to get the job done. She takes your breath away to get what she wants. She takes everything else just because she can. It’s all in a night’s work for the woman called Fujiko Mine. She’s the slinky, sultry thread that holds Lupin III’s crew together—and this is the heist that started it all.

Zen Seizaki is a prosecutor with the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Office. While investigating illegal acts by a certain pharmaceutical company, Seizaki stumbles upon a page stained with a mixture of blood, hair and skin, along with the letter "F" scribbled all across the sheet. As he investigates further, the case goes beyond Zen's imagination and becomes vastly complex, challenging his sense of justice and his knowledge of the truth. Digging deeper into the investigation, Zen begins to uncover a concealed plot behind the ongoing mayoral election and ties to many people of interest involved in the election and those closer than he thinks. The case grows more severe and propels Zen into an unforeseen hurricane of corruption and deceit behind the election, the establishment of the Shiniki district, and the mysterious woman associated with it all.

A team of swindlers gets wind of prime real estate worth 10 billion yen and will stop at nothing to pull off their most ambitious scam yet.

Sherlock has a peculiar character flaw. She does not open her heart to strangers. She is Japanese, but was born in Britain. She now works as an investigation consultant for the police department. Wato Tachibana is an excellent surgeon and is guided by the principal of justice. Sherlock and Wato Tachibana get to know each other through a case and begin to rely on each other.

Yuuya Nomoto was horrified to discover that the vehicle he was driving was being used to kidnap a high school girl, but he's even more shocked when the girl, Hitomi Uzaki, literally tears her kidnappers to pieces instead! Then she forces Yuuya to drive her to an arena where she bets the value of his organs on herself to win in a death match against a half-lion hybrid! Even more astonishing: Hitomi wins! That's because she's a Therianthrope, a genetically engineered fighter created specifically for the underground death matches known as Killing Bites! And now that Yuuya has been pulled into this dark underworld, he has no choice but to continue working for Hitomi. Because who's going to fight against a girl who's part honey badger?

The story deals with those in this world who dwell in the dark, invisible to the naked eye. From time to time, these figures bare their fangs and attack people. Inferno Cop is a messenger of justice who came from the depths of hell to protect people from them.

Yoshino’s engagement is far from a dream come true. Her grandfather, head of the largest yakuza group in Kansai, has arranged her marriage to Kirishima, grandson of the Miyama Clan leader, as part of a truce. To Yoshino’s surprise, Kirishima seems kind and charming for a yakuza member. But his warm facade only serves to mask a dark and dangerous truth.

In the new Tokyo, where every fetish has a face, burned-out war photographer Tatsumi Saiga is slumming in the tabloid wasteland. Sent to dig up dirt on the underground elite, he stumbles upon a depraved ritual below the city—and before the night ends, a single kiss from a young beauty named Kagura Tennouzu ignites a chain of events that could force the entire ruling class to their knees.

Eight years after the mysterious death of his father, Kaito Kuroba, a slightly mischievous but otherwise ordinary teenager, discovers a shocking secret: the Phantom Thief Kaito Kid—also known as "The Magician Under the Moonlight"—was none other than his own father. The former thief was murdered by a criminal organization seeking a mythical stone called the Pandora Gem, said to shed a tear with the passing of the Valley Comet that comes every ten thousand years. When the tear is consumed, the gem supposedly grants immortality. Vowing to bring those responsible for his father's death to justice, Kaito dons the Phantom Thief's disguise, stealing priceless jewels night after night to find the Pandora Gem before his enemies can use the power for themselves.

Narumi Fujishima is an ordinary high school boy who remains isolated from his fellow classmates. One afternoon fellow classmate Ayaka Shinozaki invites Narumi to join the gardening club and introduces him to a reclusive detective named Alice. Alice hires Narumi as an assistant and puts him to work solving the strange mysteries of Angel fix, an illegal drug. Little does he know it could put him and Ayaka in serious trouble.

Although the city of Fukuoka might look relatively peaceful at first glance, in actuality it houses a thriving mixture of dangerous individuals such as killers, detectives, and professional revenge seekers right beneath its surface. Among their number is Zenji Banba, a laidback and observant detective who is investigating the work of other hitmen companies in the area. However, Banba might not be the only one with a bone to pick with these organizations, as Xianming Ling, a crossdressing male hitman in the employ of one such company begins getting fed up with his lack of jobs and pay. One day, after Ling's current target commits suicide before the hitman could reach him, his company refuses to pay him even half the amount they were originally supposed to for the assassination. Frustrated, Ling requests another mission and is offered the job of taking out Banba, whom his organization believes has been interfering with their business. However, when Banba arrives at his home and finds the hitman inside, Ling surprisingly doesn't even attempt to kill him. Instead, he offers the detective another option: to join him and form a team. With the offer on the table, exactly how will Banba respond, and just what plans does Ling have in store for the underground world of Fukuoka?

Fourland Kingdom is an island nation in the North Atlantic. In this country, there are 52 X-Playing Cards, considered the origin of playing cards. A card with a unique supernatural ability can gift its abilities to a qualified person: the player. One day, the X-Playing Cards in government's custody were spread all over Fourland leading to troubles caused by the supernatural abilities of the players with cards across the country. The king secretly assigns Pinochle, one of the top corporations of the nation, to a mission, to collect the cards that are causing all the chaos in the country.

In the city of Oedo 2808 A.D., three Cyber criminals are given two choices, to either rot in jail or to join a special force of the Cyber Police to possibly get one more chance at freedom. For each criminal apprehended, and for each successful mission done, the state will agree to reduce their sentences. Lead by Hasegawa, the new recruits: Sengoku, Gogul, and Benton will bring some hard justice to Oedo, and possibly taste freedom once again.

Narumi Katou is a middle-aged man who suffers from the bizarre ZONAPHA Syndrome: a rare and inexplicable disease that causes its victims to endure severe seizures at random, with the only cure being to watch someone laugh. One day, during Narumi's part time job, a young boy with a giant suitcase fleeing from three adults runs into him. The boy introduces himself as Masaru Saiga, the new owner of the famous Saiga Enterprises following his father's recent death. However, other members of his family are trying to assassinate him and claim the fortune for themselves.

Akuma Kun, a boy raised by a demon, works with his half-human partner Mephisto III as paranormal investigators to solve various murder and mysteries.

The story takes place at a certain middle school where several murder cases take place. Kobayashi, a boy who goes to this school, meets genius detective Akechi, who comes to the school to investigate. Kobayashi takes an interest in Akechi and, in spite of his friend Hashiba's worries, he volunteers to be Akechi's assistant.

Narrates the events and cases encountered by Kaoru Utsumi, a rookie detective, and Manabu Yukawa, a university associate professor, while the two pair up to solve many mysterious cases.

Cat's Eye is the most notorious group of art thieves in Japan. No one knows their identities, but for most of Tokyo, the mystery only heightens their allure.

A genius high school student and also a hacker uses his sophisticated hacking techniques to fights against "Bloody Monday", the worst and most evil form of viral terrorism, in order to save his family, friends, and the entire world.

Kaito Kuroba is a normal teenage student whom loves being a magician and showing off to his classmates. His father dies in an accident 8 years prior and later finds out it was because of his fathers double life. Kaito finds out his father was a famous international criminal known as Kaitou Kid the Phantom Thief and that he was murdered by a mysterious organization for refusing to aid them in retrieving the "Pandora Gem”. He vows to prevent the organization from gaining the gem and assumes his father's secret identity as kaitou kid.

A silhouetted suspect moves to the crime-infested town of Beika with murder in mind.