Manga Like Bungo Stray Dogs: The Untold Origins of the Detective Agency

The American Old West sets the stage for the planet's most monumental race. A massive crowd gathers in San Diego as thousands prepare to journey more than six thousand kilometers, competing for the fifty-million-dollar grand prize. Since the age of the horse is drawing to a close, participants may employ any type of vehicle. Racers must survive harsh conditions, covering up to one hundred kilometers daily across unexplored desert lands. The Steel Ball Run is an unparalleled competition. Young Johnny Joestar, a former horse racer now confined to a wheelchair, arrives in San Diego just to see the race commence. There he meets Gyro Zeppeli, a competitor who carries two steel spheres at his hip rather than a firearm. Johnny watches as Gyro uses one sphere to generate a supernatural effect, forcing a man in a standoff to turn his gun on himself. During the commotion, Johnny accidentally touches the steel ball and experiences energy flowing into his legs, enabling him to stand for the first time in two years. Determined to uncover the mystery behind the steel balls, Johnny joins the race, launching his bizarre journey across America in the Steel Ball Run.

In a world buried under eternal snow and ice, civilization teeters on collapse because of the elusive Ice Witch. The struggle against the freezing cold has driven humanity to its worst extremes—cults, violence, and persecution of the Blessed, individuals born with supernatural abilities. Orphans Agni and Luna, both Blessed with the power of regeneration, try to live peacefully among a small community of elders. Their love for each other provides a brief respite from the lethal climate. But their fragile peace shatters when army commander Doma passes through and sets their refuge village ablaze, killing everyone including Luna. Doma's cursed flames never die until their victim is completely consumed; Agni’s regeneration keeps him perpetually burning, enduring unimaginable agony. After nearly ten years of suffering, Agni has learned to withstand Doma’s fire. Yet his thirst for vengeance burns just as intensely as the day Luna died. Traveling across a frozen wasteland, he swears to kill Doma and avenge his sister.

In 2011, Yasuho Hirose and Joushuu Higashikata, who grew up together as friends, find a naked man buried in the ground on the outskirts of Morioh. The man cannot recall his name or anything from his past life; the only thing he remembers is how to use his Stand, a supernatural power that manifests as a humanoid figure. The stranger is soon named Jousuke, and Joushuu's father, Norisuke, chooses to take him into the Higashikata household until he can locate his own residence. As Jousuke starts looking into his history, it becomes clear that he is no typical amnesiac. His true identity holds far more than he initially realized, and when he is forced into intense Stand confrontations, he gradually uncovers a deadly scheme that involves the entire town.

Hidden in the English countryside is the eerie estate of the Phantomhive family, known as the cold and ruthless "Queen's Watchdog" as well as the head of London's underworld. After a tragedy kills the Earl and his wife, many are surprised when their young son, Ciel, takes over as the new Earl of the Phantomhive house. Initially, he is seen as just a child with odd servants, but people soon learn it is unwise to challenge Ciel and his demonic butler, Sebastian. Set in the late 19th century, Kuroshitsuji follows the pair as they confront countless mysteries and dangers that torment England and threaten the Queen, all while uncovering the truth behind Ciel's parents' death.

Seventeen years ago, immortal soldiers called divine warriors appeared on African battlefields. These entities, later named Ajin or demi-humans, were hailed as one of humanity's most significant discoveries. Officially, the government declared them compatible with humans, but rumors persist that bounties are placed on captured Ajin so that they can be subjected to secret, inhumane experiments. Kei Nagai, an indifferent high school student studying to become a doctor, only wants a normal life. That simple desire shatters when he is caught in a fatal traffic accident. Revived at the scene, he is instantly branded an Ajin by witnesses eager for the reward. Unable to grasp his own immortality or prove his innocence, Kei goes on the run, fighting to survive. He barely evades government capture when a group of anarchistic Ajin reaches out, urging him to join their forces and strike back against the government. As the conflict between humans and Ajin escalates, Kei must decide who his true enemy is and which side he will choose.

Kazuki Hoshino treasures his mundane routine above anything else. He spends his school days carefree with his friends, until that uneventful bliss is shattered when the aloof beauty Aya Otonashi transfers into his class and immediately delivers a cold, dramatic statement to him: "I've come to break you. This is my 13,118th transfer. After so many times, it's starting to grate on me, so this time I'm spicing things up with a proper declaration of war." With those puzzling words, the ordinary days Kazuki loved so much become a cycle of turmoil and fear—Aya's sudden appearance signals the unraveling of unseen mysteries surrounding his seemingly normal friends, including the discovery of strange devices known as "boxes."

Atsushi Nakajima is near death after being thrown out of his orphanage. With no food and no place to stay, all hope seems lost—until he rescues a mysterious man named Osamu Dazai from drowning. Despite annoyance from his colleague Doppo Kunikida, Dazai feeds Atsushi and explains they belong to the Armed Detective Agency, a group of gifted individuals handling criminal cases the authorities can't solve. The two ask for Atsushi's help tracking down a supernatural tiger terrorizing the city, and he reluctantly goes along. Once the case is closed, Dazai offers him a job at the agency. But things turn more perilous when the Port Mafia, the local crime syndicate, starts moving against them. Stuck in the middle of a turf war, Atsushi must master his newfound special ability to protect himself, his new allies, and the whole city.

A tale—a "ghostory" of sorts—revolving around scars that forge connections, monsters that linger, and fakes that trick. Koyomi Araragi's story begins with a chance meeting with an immensely powerful, blonde-haired vampire described as "hot-blooded, iron-blooded, and cold-blooded," later revealed as Shinobu Oshino. This tragic encounter ends Araragi's human life and brings about his rebirth as a vampire—a monster. Yet that meeting is merely the start of his entanglements with the supernatural. His noble disposition draws him deeper into the lives of others afflicted by paranormal phenomena. This is his desperate struggle to reclaim a normal human existence within an abnormal world filled solely with tragedy, suffering, and inhumanity. This entry covers the first season of the Monogatari Series.

Koyomi Araragi is well acquainted with the unnatural. Over spring break of his third year in high school, he becomes a vampire after a fateful run-in with the vampire Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. Plunged into a world of aberrations, Araragi one day catches classmate Hitomi Senjougahara as she tumbles down the school stairs—but something feels off. When Senjougahara confronts him, he discovers her weight was taken by a mythical crab. Despite her blunt threats, Araragi persuades her to let him assist. Seeking a remedy for this abnormal issue, the pair visit the enigmatic Meme Oshino, the wanderer who once freed Araragi from his own vampirism. Bakemonogatari is a story about the monsters lurking inside everyone, but just how deep do they hide within the people Araragi encounters?

High school student Yuugi Mutou spends his days being picked on by bullies between classes and his nights playing board games and solving puzzles in his bedroom. His love for games comes from his grandfather, who runs a game shop that also serves as their home. One night, Yuugi finally solves the Millennium Puzzle, an almost impossible challenge that releases his inner darkness and gives rise to a second personality: Yami Yuugi. When under extreme stress, Yuugi involuntarily transforms into this more daring and dangerous alter ego, and he begins operating as a vengeful vigilante, challenging bullies and wrongdoers to high-stakes games where losing leads to fates worse than death. Yuugi and his dark side befriend some of the very students who once tormented him, forming unbreakable bonds with them. However, the group must face off against foes far more dangerous than schoolyard thugs—enemies who use games for evil purposes and threaten the lives of Yuugi and his friends.

A teenager who dropped out of a prestigious Houston program for gifted youths visits a secluded private island. The island's owner, who is essentially stranded there, keeps company with geniuses—mostly young women—until one of them is found decapitated one morning.

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa scrapes by in the slums, relying on his ability to defend his sister Gin and his companions from any threat. But his situation worsens drastically when armed criminals target his gang, wiping them out. Trying to avenge his fallen friends, Akutagawa ends up near death himself. A mysterious stranger clad in black appears, promising to look after Gin until Akutagawa is strong enough to face him again. Over four years go by with no trace of either the man in black or Gin. Still, Akutagawa refuses to abandon his quest. When Sakunosuke Oda takes pity on his harsh circumstances and offers him a place in the Armed Detective Agency, Akutagawa finally gets a clue about where Gin might be. Unknown to him, Gin is kept safe by none other than the Port Mafia's ruthless leader, Osamu Dazai, and his handpicked successor, Atsushi Nakajima—the feared "White Reaper." To win his sister back, Akutagawa must conquer his own frailty and be ready to give up everything.

A cyborg vampire named Charley performs the Vatican's dirty deeds while serving as the thrall of Johnny Rayflo, a playboy vampire. The pair combat crime and clash with each other, resulting in comedy, violence, and sacrilege. Charley fights his own overwhelming thirst for blood. Together, they confront a childlike vampire princess, a dubious sect of the Unitarian Church, and each other. This edition features the one-shot "Volume 2: Zoul Half."

Ginji Amano is a cool, pragmatic, and hip blonde who can generate electric currents with his body like an electric eel. Ban Mido is an equally hip brunette, bespectacled and rambunctious, who possesses the mystically enigmatic "Evil Eye," granting him the ability to create illusions in the minds of his opponents. Together, they form the GetBackers, the premier retrieval team in the world. They can recover anything taken from their clients, boasting a success rate of (almost) 100%! Yet first, they need to land some clients—and soon—or this lively detective pair will end up starving on the streets!

Saya, the protagonist, has no memory of her past and resides with her adoptive family. Her daily routine appears ordinary, aside from the fact that she consumes far more food than necessary. One day, she encounters a man named Hagi in a park, who informs her that he has been searching for her for a long time. From that moment, her mundane existence is irrevocably altered. Saya is a high school girl who cannot recall anything from her earlier life. When the handsome young man Hagi appears, something about him feels familiar to her. She is not merely human—she possesses an ancient and mysterious lineage. Her purpose is to track down and destroy creatures known as Chiropterans.

A mysterious wave of suicides among ability users sends the Armed Detective Agency searching for a man who may be involved. However, when the same deadly phenomenon strikes Yokohama, they must fight to survive in order to uncover the truth and stop the city from being utterly destroyed.

A collection of Kuroshitsuji one-shots chapters by various manga artists.

Five years earlier, a devastating plague wiped out nearly everyone in the village of Ootsuka. Miraculously, three survivors—a girl and two boys—made it out. They now reside in a church, living in seclusion, concealed from those who might hunt them. Among them is Shino, who wields the power of Murasame, the blade of life. However, when the imperial church sets its sights on claiming Murasame, their tranquil existence is shattered.

Andou, a high school student, has the power to make others speak his own thoughts aloud, a skill reminiscent of ventriloquism. Inukai is a mysterious young man who leads the vigilante group Grass Hopper, which emerges in a city disrupted by the downtown redevelopment project. This story is about courage, resolve, and conflict—it portrays the meeting of these two boys.

Known for his sharp tongue and lightning-quick mind, Yukito Ayatsuji is a detective and elite skill user whose ability can reveal any crime. When he receives a request to look into a baffling murder case, Ayatsuji must join forces with Mizuki Tsujimura, an energetic agent dispatched from the Special Division, to solve it. Will this unlikely duo manage to uncover the truth behind the mystery?

Izaya Orihara revels in controlling all the information about Ikebukuro's key players, while Mikado Ryuugamine and Masaomi Kida remain at Anri Sonohara's side during her recovery. Yet Kida's smile appears forced. Furious over the circumstances that injured Anri and his own inability to act, Kida returns to the world he vowed never to re-enter after Izaya's interference—the Yellow Scarves gang. As the former leader of the Yellow Scarves, Kida knows many of his old comrades may now be part of the Dollars, but they are losing trust in the group's misguided direction. With the unwavering loyalty of the Yellow Scarves behind him, Kida swears to rid Ikebukuro's streets of all wrongdoers, especially those supporting the recently encountered criminal, the Slasher. However, his ambitions and resolve are tested, as Izaya is not the only powerful figure standing in his way.

Deep within Scotland Yard in London is an evidence room that holds artifacts from the city's most enigmatic historical cases. This "Black Museum" contains two bullets fused together from a head-on collision—the crucial evidence in a case linking a supernatural Man in Gray with the renowned nurse and activist Florence Nightingale, the sole person able to perceive him. Amid war and suffering, the lady forms a desperate pact with this ghostlike figure.

In Fuuto, criminals use USB-like devices called Gaia Memories to transform into superpowered monsters known as Dopants, causing chaos across the city. But heroes also wield Gaia Memories to fight back—among them the self-proclaimed hard-boiled detective Shoutarou Hidari. Alongside his sharp-witted partner Philip, he transforms into Kamen Rider W, the legendary protector of Fuuto. Following the downfall of Museum, the criminal syndicate behind many of Fuuto's crimes, the production and distribution of Gaia Memories has ceased. Yet leftover units still circulate through society, sold at high prices on the black market. As a result, the two heroes at Narumi Detective Agency have little chance to rest. Dopant sightings continue, and the agency receives a growing number of clients reporting strange supernatural events. Despite the difficulty of their mission, Kamen Rider W vows that those who harm Fuuto will inevitably count up their sins.

Nearly a year has passed since Chuuya Nakahara joined the Port Mafia, and he aims to secure an executive position. However, as he plans his rise, a man named Paul Verlaine—who claims to be his younger brother—appears and swears to kill everyone Chuuya cares about. Forced into action, Chuuya partners with Adam, a European A.I. investigator, to stop this madman before the storm engulfs Yokohama once more.