Justice isn’t always black and white. The hero isn’t always the one wearing a uniform. Villains sometimes wear friendly smiles. The legal system isn’t always righteous, and sometimes matters are taken into the hands of an average citizen. Not all is as it would seem in the world of crime dramas. But one thing’s for sure: these series will absolutely keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense, guessing at what will happen next and whodunit.
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Be the villain a serial killer, the mafia, a supernatural being, or a corrupt legal system; Be the arbiter of justice a righteous detective, a mere child, or an ordinary taxi driver, these dark mysteries have so many questions, twists, and revelations just looming under their surfaces. But whether you’re craving a series to binge in one night or for the long haul, one of these crime drama anime is sure to keep you hooked!
7) Odd Taxi
As a taxi driver, Hiroshi Odokawa meets many strange customers in his line of work, like the unemployed Taichi Kabasawa, who hopes to become internet famous, Miho Shirakawa, a nurse with her own secrets, the “Homo Sapiens”, a struggling comedic duo, and the infamous delinquent Dobu. But making a living as a taxi driver isn’t an easy job, especially when a girl goes missing and authorities track the leads back to him, the yakuza and corrupt cops hot on his heels.
Odd Taxi may at first look like a cutesy, quirky anime about anthropomorphic animals just getting caught up in the antics of others, but it’s actually a lot darker than one would initially realize. The series piles on mystery upon mystery that the audience may not have even realized to begin with was a mystery. The absolute layers that Odd Taxi offers bring a unique, clever novelty to the crime drama genre.
Odd Taxi can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
6) Erased
29-year-old detached manga artist Satoru Fujinuma experiences the odd phenomenon he calls “Revival” of being sent back several minutes before an accident occurs, and he takes advantage of the ability to save the lives of those around him. When he’s wrongfully accused of the murder of someone close, this time, he’s sent back 18 years in the past to his childhood in 1988. Suspecting the present-day murder may be connected to a childhood incident, the abduction and murder of his quiet classmate Kayo Hinazuki, Satoru speculates it’s a chance to make things right, uncover the truth, and prevent present-day tragedies.
Erased puts a twist on the crime drama genre by instead having investigations performed by a mere child rather than a seasoned detective or skilled police force. Both a relatively popular yet still underrated series, this dark mystery will definitely keep you guessing. Satoru’s desperately overlooked investigations face high-risk adversities, such as being ignored by unobservant, neglectful adults minimizing very real issues of children, even until it’s too late.
Erased can be streamed on Hulu or Crunchyroll where available.
5) Death Note
As Ryuk can’t stand the mundanity of the Shinigami Realm, he finally decides to shake things up in his boring, immortal life. When he drops his Death Note into the human world, it’s none other than bright 17-year-old student Light Yagami who stumbles upon it. Questioning whether the macabre rules of writing names to end lives is an elaborate prank, Light decides to put it to the test by writing a felon’s name, which proves the Death Note’s authenticity as Light inadvertently enacts his first murder. Adopting the alias “Kira”, Light justifies his continued use of the Death Note by taking the lives of those he deems evil. But with an enigmatic serial killer gaining notoriety, the mysterious genius detective known as L is hot on Kira’s trail, the chase becoming a battle of wits.
Death Note is a well-known, beloved classic anime by Madhouse that has been a sort of beginner, more mature anime for many coming-of-age anime fans. So much so that it’s been referenced by many other types of media as a familiar anime in general. As a crime drama, the premise of a supernatural serial killer with a psychological twist is sure to keep you in suspense.
Death Note can be streamed on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Peacock, Pluto, or Tubi where available.
4) 91 Days
As a child, Angelo Lagusa witnessed the tragedy of his entire family, his parents and younger brother, mercilessly murdered by the Vanetti family mafia syndicate, in his hometown aptly dubbed Lawless. After losing everything, Angelo decides to abandon what’s left of his home, town, and even name in favor of adopting the new identity of Avilio Bruno and lying low in wait, patiently honing his skills for an opportunity for revenge. Finally, after seven years, Avilio’s chance arises as he returns to Lawless after receiving a mysterious letter. Befriending the Vanetti don’s son, Nero, Avilio certain set of skills are finally put to use as he slowly and methodically ends each of the men involved in his family’s massacre.
This crime drama set during the Prohibition era gives a historical air to the genre, pinning the protagonist to deal with the injustice dealt against him and his family himself. For when the mafia gets tough, Avilio overcomes such brutality through cunning and meticulous planning, his dark, bloodstained path to vengeance a patient one.
3) Psycho-Pass
In 22nd-century Japan, the idea of justice and enforcement of it has progressed to entrusting such to the Sibyl System, a system that examines individuals’ mental states for determining threat levels and any signs of criminal intent, aka Psycho-Pass. Inspectors uphold the law against anyone with the slightest dissent, often with lethal force, while Enforcers, Inspectors considered to be latent criminals, are granted clemency in exchange for being on the frontlines of enforcing the law. When Akane Tsunemori joins the force as a new Inspector working alongside veteran Enforcer Shinya Kougami and eager to uphold her civil duty with utmost righteousness, she quickly becomes disillusioned with the undisputed justice system, suspecting it to be corrupt and questioning what it really means to be just.
A future so technologically advanced is sure to also have progressed in implementing a more efficient and ethical justice system… right? This psychological sci-fi crime drama poses thought-provoking questions on what it really means to be just, how justice systems are expected to enforce true justice, and if such could ever be objectively realized.
Psycho-Pass can be streamed on Prime, Crunchyroll, or Hulu where available.
2) Terror In Resonance
While on a class field trip to the Tokyo Metropolitan office, Lisa Mishima gets caught up in the chaos when a terrorist accidentally marks her as an accomplice while saving her from his and his fellow abettor’s bomb attack. Escaping with them, she learns that they’re the ones who had been wreaking havoc on Tokyo, planting bombs, sending cryptic riddle videos en masse, and causing city-wide panic. They introduce themselves as Nine and Twelve, the two masked figures in the videos known as “Sphinx”. In challenging the police and government, the terrorist attacks and riddles are really created to send a message, one to expose the government’s shady secret: Nine and Twelve’s tragic origins.
Not all dystopias are about overtly blatant suffering and injustices, nor do all of them depict overly futuristic or decrepit societies. MAPPA hits a little closer to home with this crime drama series, depicting an average, modern-day society with a secretive, seedy underbelly.
Terror in Resonance can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Tubi.
1) Monster
When renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Kenzou Tenma is faced with the moral dilemma of either saving a child’s life or following orders to perform surgery on the town’s mayor, he manages to save the life of the young boy, Johan Liebert. Unfortunately, Tenma’s good intentions come with their own consequences. Years later, beyond losing his job and fiancée, deaths mysteriously begin cropping up, with suspicions pointing a finger at Tenma himself, forcing him to face the consequences of his choices and the monster he allowed to live.
If you’re looking for a crime drama that’ll keep your ears perked and eyes attentive for the duration of an extended binge, Monster definitely does the job. With 74 episodes, Tenma’s pursuit leads him to travel on a lengthy, years-long journey full of psychological suspense and thought-provoking questions of morality.
Monster can be streamed on Netflix.
Have a suggestion for a crime drama we missed? Let us know down in the comments so fans can check it out!
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Logo courtesy of Marvel Studios -
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios.
