Dantalian no Shoka revolves around the story of Hugh Anthony Disward, who inherits an old manor and a personal library from his grandfather. Little does he know that the library houses a mysterious girl, Dallan, who is a gateway to Dantalian’s bookshelf, a repository for a number of demonic books that may very well endanger the balance of the world. Together, they solves mysteries and try to keep the ancient library away from the hands of undesirables.

The similarities between Dantalian no Shoka and Gosick are pretty overt. The dynamics of the two main characters, for one, are quite similar, with both anime featuring a good-hearted male lead and an assertive female led. The art style of both anime is dark and gothic, and both of them deal with the macabre theme of death and the supernatural. The quality of animation for both series is also excellent, with great backdrops and fluidly-animated scenes all throughout.

Kamisama no Memochou features the story of Narumi Fujishima, a typical high school student who has never really fit in with any group in his school. Being usually isolated from his classmates, his life takes a turn for the unnatural when Ayaka, the only member of the Gardening Club, introduces him to Alice, a young girl who is an expert hacker and a very exclusive private detective. Soon, Narumi finds himself taking on cases as part of Alice’s exclusive elite team of associate as they battle gang, murderers, drug lords, and many more.

One cannot really deny the similarity between Kamisama no Memochou and Gosick, with both anime featuring similar concepts such as the reclusive young female detective and and a male lead who is a lot less assertive than the female. The tsundere element is also very overt in both series. Lastly, both involve mysteries that the main characters are tasked to solve. Oh yeah, Kamisama no Memochou also aired on the very day that Gosick ended, catering to the very demographic that the latter was able to grasp.

Shinjurou Tuuki, a young man with a passion for mysteries and things that need to be solved, lives in the sinister underworld of a dystopian Tokyo. In a dangerous and deadly place, he pursues his job as “The Last Great Detective,” solving cases and coming head to head with sinister forces lurking within the ravaged city. WIth the help of his brilliant associate, Inga, he attempts to take on the dark underworld’s most protected and valued secrets.

Though Un-Go received some flak from its viewers during its run due to the pacing of the initial episodes, once the story picked up, however, it managed t draw a lot more viewers in. Both Un-Go and Gosick have great, pretty fluid animation, with characters who are talented at deductive reasoning. The backdrops for both anime are pretty intricate as well, and both feature good music that goes well with the series’ atmosphere. Overall, the story arcs for both anime are also enough to draw the viewers’ interest, culminating in a finale that is both memorable and worth it.

Umineko is a straight-up mystery anime, taking place on the island of Rokkenjima, which is owned by the wealthy Ushiromiya family. During their customary annual get together in the island, things turn dark, as the family patriarch, who has recently been fascinated by ancient black magic, attempts to revive his long lost beloved. Things do not go well, however, as a storm quickly batters the island, trapping everyone in it. Soon, the family members find themselves trapped in a deadly game of survival and a struggle between fantasy and reality.

Both Umineko and Gosick are anime which feature a distinctly European setting. The costumes of the characters, for one, are very Victorian. Also, both Umineko and Gosick deal with the supernatural, or at least the possibility of the supernatural. The sense of mystery i both anime is also very apparent, as well as the dark undertones and mystery that lie within the anime’s plot.

Ghost Hunt centers around Taniyama Mai, a schoolgirl who is fascinated with stories of the supernatural. A number of these supernatural stories is centered on an abandoned school building on campus. While investigating the building one day however, she inadvertently gets in the way of an investigation being initiated by Shibuya Kazuya, the 17-year-old president of the Shibuya Psychic Research Company. Soon, she finds herself being drawn to the group, solving mysteries and delving into the paranormal.

Both Ghost Hunt and Gosick are prime examples of the detective genre, featuring a cast of interesting characters, brilliant protagonists with an amazing ability to analyze and solve mysteries, and a dark undertone to the plot. Bofh series also offer pretty high production values, with a number of overarching story arcs that feature memorable mysteries set against a foreboding atmosphere.

Detective Conan is arguably anime’s most prolific detective series, spanning a run that is almost 20 years long. Yes, that’s right, the iconix story of young genius sleuth Shinichi Kudo and his team of detectives has managed to endear itself to viewers since 1996. With a storyline that has proven to be ever-engaging, as well as several arcs which made the series into a household name, Detective Conan is arguably the very definition of a detective anime.

With that said, the similarities between Detective Conan and Gosick are, just as other entries in this list, pretty overt. Both anime deal with characters who are well-rounded, and who are endowed with the most unique set of skills and powers of deduction. Plot-wise, both anime also feature a very rich plot that has layers beneath what is currently onscreen. Overall, these two anime provide enjoyment to the viewer in level rarely achieved by any other series.

Adapted from a series of popular novels, this anime centers around Aya Tachibana, a sixth-grader who finds herself joining the eponymous Tantei Team KZ, a detective team comprised of young people, each with a unique set of skills. Joining the group as the “language expert,” Aya finds herself taking part in solving cases with the group, if only the others members can get along! Helmed by Kazuya Ichikawa, the director behind titles such as Monster Strike and the action-packed shounen anime Shadow Skill 3, Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note sure looks like a very a interesting entry in this year’s Fall anime list.

Yet another mystery anime that was adapted from a series of light novels, A Corpse is Buried Under Sakurako's Feet is the brainchild of author Shiori Ota and illustrator Tetsuo. The series proved to be very popular, with currently more than 600,000 copies in print. The story revolves around two protagonists, high school student Shōtarō Tatewaki and the beautiful Sakurako Kujyō. Together, the unlikely duo tackle and solve mysteries. The lineup of the minds behind the series is very encouraging, with director Makoto Kato, who served as the episode director for Servant x Service and Btooom! in the helm and Makoto Bessho, episode director for popular hits Death Note and Attack on Titan, serving as the assistant director. With the novel’s storyline, this anime is almost certainly going to be memorable and notable at the same time.

This particular title has its roots from a bestselling mystery novel written by acclaimed author Hiroshi Mori back in 1996. The main storyline revolves around Sōhei Saikawa, a member of the Saikawa Research Lab, who, while on vacation meets Moe Nishinosono, the daughter of his mentor. After finding a corpse, the two sleuths begin working together in order to solve a mystery that is soon developing into a terrifying serial murder case. The 1996 novel was widely successful, garnering praise from both readers and critics alike. In fact, it was so popular that a manga, a Playstation video game, and a live-action adaptation have already been done before. With this said, the anime has some pretty big shoes to fill. Nevertheless, with director Mamoru Kanbe in the lead, this anime just may be one of the best titles that will come out this Fall.

Serving as a prequel to one of anime’s most famous stories, Young Black Jack tells the story of Osamu Tezuka’s iconic doctor back in his medical school days, when his unique set of skills in the field of medicine are only starting to emerge. Based on a manga that has already proven itself successful, one can only hope that this anime adaptation will do the character, which is arguably the most notable doctor in the world of anime, justice. So far, early reviews of the anime have noted that the new adaptation has opted for a more modernized, thematically different approach, which surprised a number of hardcore fans of the original story. However, based from the initial impression of professional reviewers, one can really be certain of one thing - this anime has, just like Black jack himself, a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

Kagewani is quite a unique entry in this year’s Fall anime lineup, since the series opted for a somewhat unconventional approach to its storytelling. Telling its story as a series of short films and drawn in a fairly classic style, the story of Sousuke Banba, a scientist attempting to solve the mysteries behind the appearance of violent monsters that suddenly emerged, is something that is very much memorable. Early reviews of the anime lauded it for its bold approach to its storytelling. The departure of the format from the traditional 20+ minute episode to the shorter, more concise, 7 min episode actually works in the plot’s favor, creating a mood that is extremely creepy, and disturbing at the least.

Just like Young Jack Black, this anime is based off a bestselling manga series in the past, which is widely regarded as one of the first, and one of the best, real mystery manga ever written. Featuring the adventures of young, genius detective Hajime Kindaichi, the new season of the anime adaptation of this well-loved manga series is much awaited. So far, the reviews of the first season have been fairly positive, with viewers and critics lauding the series’ pace and storytelling. Some, in fact, have even gone as far as comparing the series favorably to Detective Conan, which is arguably the most notable detective anime series ever created. With clever stories, mysteries that are intelligently constructed, the second season of Kindaichi Case Files Returns is surely one to look forward to!

Yet another entry into the acclaimed Monotagari series, Owarimonogatari contains several notable arcs in the light novels that the anime is based from. Continuing the story of average high school student turned vampire turned altruistic friend Koyomi Araragi, Owarimonogatari is looking to be one of the best entries into the anime’s massive franchise. Early reviews of this anime have been universally positive, with viewers stating that it is one series that not only honors its roots, it also pushes the story further forward. Some reviewers have even dubbed this anime as a modern classic, with enough intelligent plot twists and realistic character development to keep the viewers guessing.

Kowabon is arguably the most unique mystery anime that is included in this Fall’s list. An original story that features a rare animation technique called rotoscoping, the haunting story f the darker side of technology and the way it takes control of our lives is fully brought into focus. Timely and eerily realistic, this anime is something that has induced chills up many viewers’ spines. Though a number of conventional fans of anime have shrugged off the series’ use of live action footage as a basis for the animation sequences, this use of rotoscoping in this anime is nonetheless very artistic. If you do get the chance to check this anime out, I would highly suggest that you try it! I myself am very excited for this, especially since its theme is highly relatable for the common man.

From the same creators of Monster, Death Note is without a doubt, the first thing on most anime lovers mind when it comes to the psychological genre. The battle of two geniuses of the mind is what kept the audience on the edge of the seats in this psychological masterpiece. On the side of the dark, Light Yagami (ironic) aka Kira believes that he can purge society's evilest of Men by using the Death Note, a mystical notebook that grants its user to command the death of others simply by writing their names and nature of death in the book. On the side of light and of law and order, the mysterious individual only known to most as 'L' is the world's leading detective who is committed to apprehending Kira as he find his methods misaligned. What captivates me and audience alike is the unpredictable situations that arise and the ingenuity of these two men to constantly find each other. There are a couple of close brushes, but who am I to spoil you. Between these two geniuses, there are no clear winners.

The mysterious death of a student 23 years ago. A town that is the embodiment of fear itself. Who is the girl donning the eye-patch? Koichi Sakakibara transferred into Yomiyama North. He will soon realise the dark secret haunting the community. To add to the suspense, the students of Yomiyama are dying off in gruesome deaths one-by-one. He will need to uncover the truth behind those deaths and the secret of the town as well. Yet another anime that compels you to watch just that one more episode. Another places more emphasis on the mystery. However, that is not to say that the psychological theme has been downplayed. Fans are still left to guess who the perpetrator of the mystery is. The series did great in portraying the protagonist thoughts brilliantly as well which makes viewer connect with the character even more. This is an anime that leaves anime lovers hungering for more until the mystery is solved.

Set in the town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi realises that the peaceful life that he presumably thought will not last. Just like Another, this village held its own dark secret. Separated into different arcs, the story presents itself in the viewpoint of the different characters. This serves to unfold the relations that each character have in relation to a murder in the village. The story starts out very sweet and pleasant almost kind of like the starting to any good slice of life/harem show. It is only towards the middle where the story gets progressively darker and the intentions of the characters start to show themselves. Did I mention that there will be more blood and killings? The title art may fool anyone into believing this to be a moe harem show but be warned, this show gives due credit to the psychological thriller genre.

Shinjurou Yuuki, also known as the Defeated Detective. Aided by his partner, an oddball only known as Inga, both of them tackle cases that baffled even the police. A well-written piece of work, it borders on the psychological genre as the story progresses along. Inga happens to also be a supernatural entity who allows Yuuki to force the suspect to answer a single question. This anime is filled with twists and it never fails to stimulate your mind as to how it can progress from thereon. Each episode is separated into different unique cases and along the way; Yuuki will also start to discover more about his strange partner and their encounter.

Shiki is a series about vampires in a rural town. It sounds cliché but what made it one of the better anime is the infusion of psychological traits in the series. Set in the village of Sotoba, the legend works the same way, get bitten by a vampire and you will turn into one too. Dr Toshio Ozaki is adamant on stamping out the epidemic only to soon realise that it is borders more on the supernatural than medical science. The next protagonist, Natsuno Yuuki came from the city and it wasn't long before he is left to wonder about the recent deaths occurring in the village. Both have to deal with uncovering the truth on the cause of the mysterious deaths, the revivals of supposed dead villagers as well as cope with the panic and mania as it ensues the village. Shiki is one of the more beloved anime of the genre. What is particular unique and poignant is that it takes an unorthodox route of story presentation and portrays the side of the 'antagonists' as well. The story is split between the humans and vampires with the humans fighting against the vampires and the vampire's own struggle to survive. This anime has a more endearing aspect to it despite its horror category in the way that it makes you sympathize with the supposed antagonist. It begs the question in the whole series - who are the true villains and are humans the biggest antagonists?. Vampires were not given a chance to decide their lives after all. For enthusiasts of Monster, this anime has the same level of thought provoking concepts and ideals and worthy of the psychological genre in anime.

Psycho-pass is set in a world where the culpability of committing crimes can be measured. Known as the Sibyl System, humans are measured based on their Crime Coefficient. In an almost dystopian future, where humanity is controlled by the Sibyl System, strict conformance to the system is mandatory. The story of Psycho Pass revolves around police work. These inspectors are aided by Enforcers who are individuals with a Crime Coefficient deemed too high by the system and as such, labeled latent criminals with the Sibyl System using them in order to apprehend more criminals. Shinya Kogami is an Enforcer and throughout the story, he is keen to arrest an enigmatic shadow who apparently, cannot be judged by the Sibyl System. The story places great emphasis on the apprehension of the mysterious individual whose identity is not revealed until the middle of the series with the story in suspense until its ultimate conclusion befitting the genre. Aiding Inspector Akane Tsunemori, both of them will work hand in hand to solve multiple cases while closing in on the mastermind of the crimes and the true nature of the Sibyl System. Viewers will be shown the thought processes of someone who is deemed as a latent criminal and someone deemed to be pure with both pondering the question of whether the Sibyl system is really a perfect system after all. An original anime, this is yet another masterfully crafted original from Gen Urobuchi who is well-renowned for his dark and mature style of anime.

An unsettling string of murders has taken place. Young school girls have been killed, chopped up, and placed into boxes. The story follows Shutaro Kiba. He is a private detective who has been hired by one of the victims’ mothers. He receives help from his colleagues and friends. Together they solve this bizarre case and seek justice. Though Mouryou no Hako makes use of the supernatural and has a bit more thought-provoking dialog, this intellectual thriller shares some similarities with Subete ga F ni Naru. For example: everything shown in flashbacks and mentioned by the characters is important. Though it may seem negligible at first it, it ties back to who the murderer is and their motivation. The dark atmosphere also contains some characters that seem fated to solve the mystery. In Moryou those characters are Kiba, Chuuzenji Akihiko, Enokizu Rejiro, and Sekiguchi Tatsumi. In Subete they are Professor Saikawa Souhei and Nishinosono Moe. The professor seems to be one of Magata Shiki’s biggest admirers. He can easily identify with her thought process and philosophy. Moe is infatuated with the professor so much that she went and visited Magata on the secluded island. She was one of the last people to have a conversation with her. So, it appears as if they are somehow connected to Magata’s death and were meant to discover her corpse.

Kazuya Kujo is a young man studying abroad at Saint Marguerite Academy. In that town, there are plenty of ghost stories and urban legends, but one stands above them all. The Queen Berry is a haunted ship that has a long history and was tied to a series of bloody murders during the First World War. Though Kazuya generally ignores the ghost stories, his eccentric friend, Victorique, loves the morbid tales. Her curious nature and extremely logical approach to problems has allowed her to solve some of the town’s most puzzling mysteries. One case leads to an elaborate dinner on the Queen Berry. This sets in motion events and connections that will uncover a much more dangerous issue than the individual cases they have been solving. The first thing that GOSICK shares with Subete is the atmosphere. Both shows have a dark tone and pacing that seems to weigh down the characters and story. An underlying sense of the supernatural surrounds them at all times. There are also female geniuses in both shows. GOSICK has Victorique while Subete has Shiki and Moe. Moe shares some personality traits with Victorique. Both can be rudely blunt, they react with quick whips when frustrated, and they have feelings for their male counterparts (though Moe is much more overt about hers).

Lain Iwakura is a fourteen-year-old girl who has trouble using even the most basic technological gadgets. One day she and other girls from her school receive a cryptic email from a fellow classmate that recently committed suicide. As if that wasn’t strange enough, when Lain opens the email she is introduced to a virtual world known as the Wired aka the Internet. From there, she has her world turned upside down. Cyberspace bombards her with bizarre messages and imagery that stretches her notions of existence and reality. And she comes into contact with people and events that force her to question what is an “identity” or “consciousness”. Lain plays various roles depending on the situation at hand. The show slowly reveals different sides of this aloof genius that the audience would have originally not believed. It’s difficult to pinpoint who she really is and what her motives are. It’s very similar to how Magata Shiki is portrayed early on in Subete. Though she doesn’t come off as aloof or naïve, she does keep her cards close to the chest, so to speak. Her facial expressions and probing questions reveal nothing of what she’s thinking or feeling. All you know for sure is that you can’t take anything she says at face value. There is a deep meaning in her words and even deeper meaning to her actions. Like Subete, Serial Experiments Lain utilizes atmosphere and philosophical thoughts concerning programming and computers. However it amps them up exponentially. Where Subete contains short esoteric dialogues about programming and consciousness, Serial takes those thought experiments and puts them in-plain-view. Lain (and the viewer) grapples with what she is shown and how it conflicts with what she (and the viewer) thought to be real.

Shoutarou Tatewaki is a high school boy who spends a lot of time with a very beautiful woman in her mid-20’s. The woman’s name is Sakurako Kujou and she has a strange fascination with bones. Shoutarou accompanies her on various cases where she uses her talent to analyze the remains of victims to uncover clues and ultimately solve cases. This is another mystery anime that happens to be airing this season as well. An interesting similarity to Subete is that they both have adult protagonists (Sakurako and Saikawa) and a sidekick in their teens. Plus, the main character, Sakurako-san, is prone to childish tantrums which mirror the personality trait that Moe has in Subete. Moe is very intelligent and mathematically gifted, but she behaves immature at times just so she can have the attention of those around her. Though both anime have a pair working together to piece together clues, Sakurako delves more into “how” cases are solved. By that I mean the show focuses more on forensics and the step by step process for analyzing evidence that leads to a suspect.

Ranpo Kitan starts out in a typical middle school where some unsolved murders have occurred. Akechi Kogorou is a young genius detective who comes in to investigate the cases. He gains the admiration of one of the students, Kobayashi Yashio. The middle schooler volunteers to become Akechi’s assistant. The two work together to get to the bottom of the puzzling investigation. Besides having a murder case that most of the anime on this list share, this show spends a fair amount of time using symbolism and imagery to discuss topics such as chaos theory and algorithms. Additionally, both shows highlight the dark side of human nature and twisted sexual relationships. These are the primary similarities with Subete. But, there are a few others. Such as a dark tone and intense atmosphere. It uses these to throw some “shock value” into some of the episodes. But Ranpo does a good job of balancing it out with some comedic moments and brightly animated scenes as well.

Two men have managed to steal an atomic weapon from a secure facility. Calling themselves “Sphinx”, they proceed to execute successful terrorist attacks throughout Tokyo. What’s more, they leave cryptic messages about the places they will hit next. The police slowly start to piece together who these two individuals may be. But, they are always a step behind them. Paranoia spreads and a larger conspiracy starts to come into view. Are these two really out to destroy the government and murder thousands of people? Or might there be something else that these two men are after? This is an interesting anime that differs from the others on the list. This is does not have a detective storyline or follow a mystery genre format. That’s because the leading characters are actually the ones committing the seemingly vicious acts of terrorism. You’re not trying to solve how they’re executing their plans, because they show you what they’re doing. Instead, you’re taken on a journey of their past and shown their motives. Subete uses this story telling technique as well. Each episode we are given snippets of what really took place on the night Shiki’s parents were murdered. Other ways the shows are alike: both take place in contemporary times, there are genius characters in both, the character designs are very similar, and the cinematography looks uncannily close between the two. These are psychological thrillers that deal with child prodigies and traumatic events that take place early in their adolescence.

The Divine Gate opened and connected the human world, the fairy world and the demon world. Nobody knows why the gate opened, and in time it became a myth in a world where beings from all three worlds coexist. However, some people still believe in the existence of the Gate and some even claim to have seen it. Young people with special powers also began to appear and are recruited by the World Council. If these youths follow their desires to reach the Gate, they can change everything. Will it be for better? Or worse? Divine Gate begins with a beautiful demonstration of special powers and introduces 3 of the main characters. Akane is the fiery, short-tempered boy; Midori is cheerful and pure like the wind and Aoto is a gloomy rain cloud with a dark, dark past. From the first episode, the backstories are pretty emotional and there are a lot of mysteries behind most characters and the nature of the Divine Gate as well. The dark shading and the CG animation are just like in the video game and add a unique feel to the show. Some might love it, some may hate it. You be the judge! There’s still a lot to uncover in Divine Gate and coming from Studio Pierrot, you just know it’s worth the watch!

Chika Homura just entered a new high school, and she has decided to join the wind instrument club and become a new her. On her first day at the club, she runs into her childhood friend Haruta Kamijou who is a talented member of the club. Their friendship is rekindled with a bit of rivalry mixed in and they tackle mysteries that take place in the school, all while working towards making the wind instrument club the best it can be. HaruChika brings School Life and Mystery together with a bit of an unexpected rivalry between friends. It has the feel of Hibike! Euphonium with a bit of Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note style mystery. The kids work together to improve as performers, compete with each other and uncover secrets and riddles that keep popping up each episode. The art in HaruChika is smooth and beautiful, and the characters’ eyes are some of the most unusual ones this season. In a good way of course. Thankfully, this isn’t just another music club anime; there are some romantic interests and character backstories that will keep viewers coming back. If you like a little drama in your School Slice of Life, or you just like looking at beautiful art, give HaruChika a try!

There’s a lot going on in Ikebukuro. People are in the hospital, others’ lives are being threatened, and there is a power struggle being waged for control of the city between the Dollars, the Yellow Scarves and Saika. Somehow, during this time of turmoil almost everyone ends up in Shinra and Celty’s apartment looking for shelter. And then… Celty’s head appears on the news. If you haven’t watched the previous installments of Durarara!!... we can’t be friends. Just kidding! I’m sure you have your reasons. However, this is not a good place to start watching, so go back and watch the whole thing! For those following the story so far, you’re more than likely thrilled to follow the exciting conclusion that’s been in the making for so long and I may not need to tell you anything about it. Mikado seems to have manned up, Anri is coming to terms with herself and Saika and others are switching teams left and right. Izaya is having the time of his life, Celty knows where her head is and there are still 9 more episodes left!! It’s definitely gearing up to be a grand finale for the Durarara!! series!

(Rakugo: a one-man-show style of Japanese comedic storytelling told using only a fan and a handkerchief as props. The actor portrays all the characters in the stories by changing his voice and mannerisms). Set in the Showa period, this is the story of an ex-convict who finds his passion in Rakugo when a well-known storyteller, Yakumo, comes to the prison to perform. From that moment, he decides he will become his apprentice and goes to find him as soon as he completes his sentence. Yakumo is stern and has never taken an apprentice, but for some reason, he gives the ex-con a chance and nicknames him Yotaro. There is somebody else in Yakumo’s care though. Konatsu is the daughter of another well-known performer and she’s been in Yakumo’s care since her father’s death. She also loves rakugo, but there is no room for women in that world. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is really more of a Period Drama. It’s very historical and educational. If you would like to know what Japan was like during the Showa Era, learn all you need to know about rakugo and learn some traditional Japanese stories in the process, don’t miss this series. The art and animation are beautiful, and it transports you to a different time and place with its artistic use of music, and woderful voice acting. There is comedy, mostly in the rakugo itself and sprinkled comic relief here and there. It is definitely a drama, but if you’re into learning more about Japan and enjoy a great story about struggling artists and their difficult pasts, you’ve got to check out Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu!

Ajin are immortal humans that appeared in a battlefield in Africa 17 years ago. Only 46 are known to exist in the world, but it’s impossible to know who they are until they are killed and come back to life. They are feared by society and coveted by the government who experiment on them when they find them. These experiments usually involve killing them over and over again to learn about their powers. One day after school, Kei is hit by a truck; and his life is turned upside-down. Ajin is certainly not for the faint of heart. It is graphic, bloody, violent and showcases probably all the worst traits of humanity. Fear of the unknown, hunger for power, discrimination, violence, you name it. There’s definitely a lot we still need to learn about Kei and his mysterious friend Kaito as well as the shady Ajin-chasing organization. In a very Tokyo Ghoul fashion, Kei is faced with becoming (or realizing that he is) the monster that everybody fears in his society. Ajin is without question, an exciting anime. The character design is crisp and clean, the story is dark and seems promising so far. However, the CG animation isn’t as fluid as it could be. (The CG in Divine Gate is definitely better). This may be off-putting for some but if it doesn’t’ bother you; you’re in for a treat! It is really dark though, so watch it with the lights off.

Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga writer working part time to make ends meet. He has trouble expressing himself, and is overall a bit jaded. However, he has an ability that sends him back in time before catastrophes occur so that he can prevent them. Usually it’s a short amount of time, but one day, he comes across an incident in which somebody dies and he is the main suspect of the murder. As he tries to grasp what’s going on and run from the police, he is sent back to his childhood a month before his classmate Kayo’s disappearance. In his 10 year old body, he must now save his friend Kayo and solve the mystery that sent him there in the first place. This was probably one of the most anticipated Drama anime this season. The story is intriguing, as are the mysteries behind it and the characters. Once again, this series is also graphic, though in a different way; little Kayo lives a very rough childhood, there’s a murder in the first episode and who knows what else they’ll throw at us! It's like a dark, supernatural Detective Conan. While it’s a serious dramatic show, there is a bit of dry, dark humor from Satoru who is a jaded thirty-something year-old stuck in the body of a child. The story will engulf you from the start. And it is also lovely to look at. The art is smooth and beautiful and the animation is well done. Coming from A-1 Pictures, expectations are high for Erased!