Best Suspense Anime of 2023

Following Eren Yeager's devastating actions, his former companions and past adversaries unite to oppose his destruction. Despite their history as bitter enemies, Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman, and the surviving members of the Scout Regiment join forces with Reiner Braun and the remaining Marleyan soldiers. This small, unlikely coalition embarks on a mission to halt Eren's fury and, if possible, rescue their old comrade along the way. As Eren relentlessly advances regardless of the cost, he wrestles with his own inner conflict. Though deeply regretful of his horrific invasion, he believes his motives are just: Eren sees this path as the sole means of protecting his friends and, more broadly, his people. The opposing forces hurtle toward an inevitable final confrontation that could cost millions of lives. Even as they face a horde of monsters beyond anything previously imagined, Mikasa, Armin, and their allies stand courageously against certain doom.

After graduating from a top university with an impressive record in the rugby club, Akira Tendou has done everything right to land his dream job. On top of that, a beautiful and kind coworker always brightens his day at the office. Life seems to be going well for Akira until he gradually realizes that sleepless nights and brutal work have become his new reality. After three years of mind-numbing labor at an exploitative company, Akira can no longer recognize the tired, unfulfilled person he has become. Just as he is about to lose all passion for life, like many of his overworked colleagues, Akira finds his saving grace in the most unexpected way—the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse. With the free time he finally has, Akira decides to complete a bucket list of a hundred things he wants to do before he eventually becomes a zombie. Though surrounded by the dead, Akira has never felt more alive!

Hiroto Shinohara arrives as a transfer student at Academy Island, where student rankings are determined through games. The more victories a student achieves, the more stars they earn, with the highest rank being Seven Star. On his very first day, Hiroto inadvertently provokes Sarasa Saionji, known as the Empress of Academy Island and the granddaughter of the island's head director. A game is forced upon him due to a series of misunderstandings, and when he unexpectedly wins, he is caught in a massive bluff. He must now lie about his ranking or face expulsion from both the school and the island. Fortunately, Hiroto gains the support of the mysterious Company, led by Shirayuki Himeji, ensuring he is not alone in his deception. The Company will go to any lengths to help him cheat his way through the game challenges thrown at him by students eager to defeat him. Although he is a One Star student, he must pretend to be a Seven Star and overcome overwhelming odds while searching for a missing girl from his past.

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.

Tetsuo Tosu never imagined that his daughter, Reika, would become a victim of domestic violence. Suspecting her yakuza boyfriend, Nobuto Matori, is the one responsible, Tetsuo decides to look into him and his crew. While searching for proof at Reika’s apartment, the father discovers that his daughter is not the first person to suffer at Nobuto’s hands—and that an even worse future is in store for her. When Nobuto catches him in the act, Tetsuo kills him in the struggle that follows. With help from his wife, Tetsuo conceals the body, fearing retaliation from the yakuza. Making matters worse for the Tosu family, Nobuto turns out to be the son of the crime syndicate’s boss. Now the prime suspects in Nobuto’s disappearance, Tetsuo and his wife must use every bit of their cunning to shield their daughter from the yakuza and their relentless investigation.

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.

In 2008, the Japanese government began targeting individuals who identified as otaku, claiming it was to protect the nation's culture. Within a single week, the enforcement organization called the SSC forcibly captured nearly every otaku and seized their collectibles. A fiery man who calls himself Otaku Hero refuses to let this agency have its way: he forms a resistance army composed of other displaced fans who unite to defend their culture. Three years later, the flames of rebellion are dying out as hope for otakus fades. Urged on by his ally—the magical girl Anarchy—Otaku Hero directs the resistance in an attempt to bring Anarchy together with the other two magical girls, Blue and Pink. By harnessing the combined strength of this trio, the resistance may be able to defeat the SSC and preserve otaku culture for all.

Set in a near-future society where ten percent of the population comprises Humanoids—machines possessing advanced capabilities and artificial intelligences that mimic human personalities, identifiable by their sideways pupils—there arises a need for specialized medical care. During the day, Dr. Hikaru Sudou operates a clinic dedicated to treating Humanoids, but at night, operating under the alias Moggadeet, he engages in illegal procedures while searching for clues regarding his missing mother. Hikaru treats a variety of unique cases within this evolving society, including a Humanoid questioning her identity in relation to her backup data source, a teenage Humanoid unable to enhance athletic performance, and a robot teddy bear retaining memories from previous owners. As technology advances, increasingly complex philosophical questions about humanity emerge, making it harder to distinguish between what truly defines a Humanoid and a human.

High school student Gorou Ono receives a text message offering to fulfill any wish, and uses it to realize his perverted desires with classmate Sawa Honoka. Yet to his dismay, the wish-granter appears as a demon named Lall, who informs him he is now part of a game to decide the next God of the world. As Gorou struggles to accept this, Sawa attacks him with a giant sword, revealing she too is a competitor in this twisted contest for the divine throne. Every participant gains a special power, and Gorou kills Sawa using his ability: the Holy Book of the Fool. But this technique has a cost—each use makes Gorou's life worse. As he learns more about this absurd competition, he must find allies and master his power before he loses everything.

Humanity has developed advanced technology to relocate to the Moon due to the escalating climate crisis on Earth. Tomura Sawyer works as a courier in the upper districts, saving funds for his younger brother Haru, who is afflicted with Smoky Moon Disease—an illness caused by the smoke and pollution in the lower areas. The siblings dream of moving to the cleaner, higher regions to treat the disease. Tomura takes a risky chance to achieve the impossible: he decides to enter the TV show "Run for Money" and defeat all the other participants, even though he does not possess the Chrono Bracelet necessary for the game. A producer of the show named Harvest notices Tomura's strong determination to compete, so she gives him the Bracelet and lets him join. In this high-stakes version of Tag, Tomura Sawyer must outlast everyone else without being caught by the Hunters—the enemies in the game.