Best Mystery Anime of 2023

Maomao, the daughter of an apothecary, is taken from her quiet existence and sold into the lowest ranks of the imperial palace. As a simple maid, she keeps her deep knowledge of medicine hidden to avoid drawing any unwanted notice. Shortly after Maomao arrives, the emperor’s infant children start suffering from mysterious, severe symptoms that seem like a curse. The inquisitive Maomao quickly unravels the cause and tries to leave an anonymous clue to stay out of the spotlight. However, the sharp and charming eunuch Jinshi sees through her plan and identifies her. Acknowledging her abilities, Maomao is elevated to the position of lady-in-waiting for Gyokuyou, the emperor’s favored concubine. As Maomao continues to treat the many ailments plaguing the imperial court, her pharmaceutical skills soon prove essential.

A decade and a half ago, civilization collapsed, unleashing flesh-eating monsters upon the ruined world and threatening the lives of the few survivors left. Inside a secluded sanctuary, children are raised in safety, unaware of the dangers outside. Yet, as some of them uncover the truth beyond the facility's walls, their curiosity about the outside world begins to bloom. In the wasteland beyond, Maru and Kiruko journey together toward a mythical location known as Heaven, driven by their own distinct motivations. Haunted by painful pasts and hidden secrets, they seek solace and answers for the suffering they have endured in a broken world.

Yukichi Fukuzawa has left military affairs behind and now works alone as a bodyguard for hire, relying on his lethal swordsmanship. But his freelance venture isn't thriving, and his fortunes shift when he meets a sharp-tongued boy named Ranpo Edogawa. Their first encounters are tied to a strange murder case, and the resolution of that mystery leads to the founding of the Armed Detective Agency. In the present, Ranpo is hunting a gifted individual whose dangerous ability allows for the perfect crime. As the great detective digs deeper, he uncovers an intricate scheme designed to destroy the Agency completely. Despite being warned about the trap, the Agency presses on in pursuit of the criminals, only to be framed for the very crimes they were investigating. Labeled as wanted terrorists, the remaining members must clear their names—even if that means seeking help from their sworn enemies.

The Armed Detective Agency continues to evade the Hunting Dogs, but there is still a glimmer of hope. Detective Ranpo Edogawa devises a strategy to clear the Agency's name and prevent global turmoil: locate and apprehend Kamui, the leader of the terrorist faction known as Decay of the Angel. To pinpoint Kamui's location, Ranpo and his colleague Atsushi Nakajima must persuade Ouchi Fukuchi, the esteemed captain of the Hunting Dogs, to grant them amnesty. Though Fukuchi has been ordered to arrest Agency members, his prior connection with Agency president Yukichi Fukuzawa might help secure his cooperation. However, unknown to them, Fukuchi's true intentions may not align with the honorable image he projects.

During a blizzard, Masayuki Muroi is pushed off a mountain to his death by an old high school friend. He survives the fall and escapes thanks to Yuki-Onna, a spirit of a beautiful young woman said to lead men to their doom—but she only asks for money in return. Eleven years later, Masayuki has led a successful life, marrying and amassing a large fortune. However, when his company collapses and his wife is unfaithful, he retreats to the city where Yuki-Onna once saved him and reconnects with her by offering money and tasty meals. While recovering from his misfortunes, another strikes: his ex-wife is found beaten to death, and now only Yuki-Onna—who cannot reveal herself—can support his alibi. With no one else to turn to, Yuki-Onna calls upon the spirits' God of Wisdom, Kotoko Iwanaga. Revered by the various spirits that roam the earth, Kotoko uses her extraordinary intellect and cunning to resolve any disputes they may have. In her duty to prevent collisions between spirits and humans, she drags along her immortal boyfriend, Kurou Sakuragawa, and promises to prove Masayuki's innocence without exposing Yuki-Onna's existence.

Set in nineteenth-century France, the wife of vampire noble Jean Duchet Godard is killed within her residence. When local human officials refuse to conduct a thorough inquiry, Godard engages two private detectives who specialize in the supernatural: Tsugaru Shinuchi, who carries an enigmatic birdcage, and his partner, Aya Rindou. The mysterious pair has traveled from distant Japan with a singular goal—to locate the individual who stole Aya’s physical form and stripped Tsugaru of his humanity.

The mission to capture the mysterious culprit capable of possessing others ends in tragedy: Lu Guang is taken to the hospital in critical condition, and Cheng Xiaoshi is arrested on suspicion of the crime. In response to recent developments, Liu Min's father unleashes his skilled and ruthless attorney, Qian Jin, targeting Police Chief Li Xiao, who is leading the investigation into the photo studio owned by Qiao Ling. No one seems safe from the unpredictable and deadly assaults of an adversary who carefully conceals their identity. Determined to learn from his past errors, Cheng Xiaoshi must act swiftly and decisively to bring an end to this devastating wave of death.

A decade ago, the Great War demonstrated the lethal potential of weapons to humanity. To prevent another such disaster, nations across the globe turned to espionage to achieve their objectives. In the Din Republic, Lily is an enthusiastic young girl who dreams of becoming a spy and serving her country. Yet she begins to doubt herself because she struggles to excel in her studies. Her passion is revived when she is offered early graduation by joining the spy team Lamplight, and she eagerly accepts despite the mysterious nature of the proposal. Upon reaching her destination, Lily is surprised to find six other girls waiting there, all of whom have also faced academic hardships. A mysterious man named Klaus soon appears and discloses that they must carry out an "Impossible Mission": infiltrate the Galgad Empire after only one month of training. Though doubtful, the girls eventually agree to collaborate under Klaus's leadership—as this may be their sole opportunity to demonstrate their value as spies.

Ron Kamonohashi was once the top student in the history of the prestigious Detective Training Academy BLUE, but he has lived as a shut-in ever since being expelled five years ago. He is also forbidden from working as a detective, having narrowly avoided execution after becoming entangled in a murder case during his time at the school. Ron's life takes a turn when police detective Totomaru Isshiki, acting on advice from a senior colleague, seeks his help with a criminal case that has remained unsolved for months. Ron reluctantly agrees and uses his extraordinary intuition to identify the culprit in under a day. However, it becomes clear that Ron suffers from a mysterious condition that can endanger the lives of those around him. To Ron's great surprise, Totomaru manages to save the life of someone Ron had put at risk. As the unlikely pair begins solving cases one after another, BLUE sends agents to investigate whether their former student has resumed detective work. Battling murderers, rogue detectives, and the Metropolitan Police Department, Ron and Totomaru must work together if they hope to survive and ensure justice is served.

Osamu and Youko Sonoyama wish to adopt every child from Soramame House, but due to their advancing age, the wealthy couple can only choose one. As they weigh this difficult decision, one child's stunning beauty and gentle spirit immediately captivates them. Two months later, the Sonoyamas welcome 13-year-old Hitori into their warm, loving home. But Hitori's humble and overly polite demeanor is merely a facade. In truth, Hitori is a carefully constructed role played by the identical twins Migi and Dali. For them, being the perfect child for this kind couple is just a means to infiltrate a certain quiet town. While diligently maintaining their cover, the twins pursue their real goal: uncovering the truth behind a past incident that ignited a burning desire for revenge.

Raizou Kurima, a righteous samurai, is tricked into killing his own future father-in-law and is stricken by guilt. To restore his honor, Raizou swears revenge on the lord who gave him those false orders. On his path, he is assisted by Yuuen Usui, a self-proclaimed merchant of all trades who is actually a member of the Revengers—assassins who deliver bloody vengeance for those who have been wronged. Tragedy seems to haunt Raizou as he grows more entangled with the Revengers. As he starts working alongside them as a vigilante, the intricate web of corruption among Japan's political elite, the unscrupulous Europeans, and the Revengers gradually comes to light. The deeper he gets involved in these affairs, the more Raizou comes to see that justice is as deceptive as the honor he sought to reclaim.

Four operatives from the Din Republic's spy unit Lamplight—Thea, Monika, Erna, and Annett—succeed in capturing an enemy agent despite their conflicting personalities. During a brief respite, they meet Matilda, who asserts she is Annett's mother, inadvertently pulling the group into a deepening conflict that challenges their unity and loyalties. Back at base, the remaining Lamplight members grow concerned when their squad fails to check in. Klaus and Lily launch an urgent rescue mission, discovering alarming signs of escalating hostilities in the region where their friends vanished. They must race against time to reunite the team before the situation becomes irreversible.

The protagonist Wu Liuqi once lived a carefree existence on Xiaoji Island, but his background became unclear because of amnesia. When outsiders arrived on the island and identified Wu Liuqi, a series of schemes started to envelop Xiaoji Island. To protect his comrades and their home, Wu Liuqi chose to go back to Xuanwu Kingdom and face his destiny.

The story unfolds near Hachijo-jima island in Tokyo, where engineers from across the globe have converged for the full-scale deployment of the Pacific Buoy, an offshore installation designed to link security cameras used by police forces worldwide. A trial of new technology utilizing a face recognition system is currently taking place at the site. Concurrently, Conan and the Detective Boys travel to Hachijo-jima following an invitation from Sonoko. During their visit, they receive a call from Subaru Okiya revealing that Jin of the Black Organization has murdered a Europol agent in Germany. Feeling uneasy, Conan infiltrates the facility and discovers that a female engineer has been abducted by the Black Organization. Additionally, a USB drive holding critical information, which the engineer was carrying, falls into the hands of the group. Meanwhile, a dark presence begins to threaten Ai Haibara.

As sea levels rise and the human population declines sharply, androids are created to take over basic chores, letting people devote themselves to other pursuits. Beyond manual labor and customer service, androids also provide entertainment via Babel—a tower where performers use song and dance to clear Climb Stages and win over audiences. The further they climb, the larger the cash prizes. Down on their luck, androids Cobalt, Chrom, Neon, and Kei face having their electricity shut off due to unpaid bills. Desperate for quick money, they decide to become Babel climbers. Yet winning the crowd’s approval proves extremely tough. Discouraged but not ready to quit, Cobalt resolves to find a way to improve their odds after seeing a dazzling show by STAND-ALONE, the top climber unit. When the group stumbles upon a mysterious choreographer offering to give away his routine, Cobalt sees it as their only shot at advancement. With help from their human partner, Esora Shibaura, the androids form the unit KNoCC to take on the arduous ascent to Babel’s summit—while also confronting android-based discrimination along the way.

Seventh season of Oshiri Tantei.