The world is a complicated place in anime. More often than not, it’s of strange characters and stranger plots, drama and intrigue at every turn. Whether it’s who stole the teacher’s lunch or why tentacled aliens are eating everyone’s brains, there’s no shortage of questions that need answering.
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For the many mysteries that must be solved, the characters inevitably turn to detectives. Sometimes adult detectives aren’t an option, however. Sometimes they’re busy, or they don’t believe there’s a mystery to solve, or they’re just not that qualified. Adults can’t always be relied upon in the mystery business. It then falls to kid detectives to pick up the slack, cracking a case or two in between classes. Here are some of the most iconic kid detectives in anime.
8Milky Holmes — Tantei Opera Milky Holmes
Any organization with the name Holmes had better include some good detectives. Fortunately, the Milky Holmes ganglives up to its namesake. Its four members — Sherlock Shellingford, Hercule Barton, Cordelia Glauca, and Nero Yuzurisaki — combine their unique talents to track down criminals such as the Gentlemen Thief Empire, a pacifistic organization devoted to executing beautiful heists.
Thankfully, the girls of Milky Holmes have more than just deductive skills to help them: they wield supernatural powers known as Toys. Telekinesis, the control of machines, enhanced perception, and superhuman strength can be a lot for four children to manage, but the girls of Milky Holmes use their gifts to the best of their ability to get the job done, even if they aren’tanime’s strongest psychics.
7Mayuki Hyuga — Fantastic Detective Labyrinth
After a massive earthquake leveled Tokyo inFantastic Detective Labyrinth,humanity build the city of Kyuto from the remnants, and that’s where 12-year-old Mayuki lives. A genius blessed with ESP, Mayuki uses his abilities to solve the bizarre supernatural crimes his city faces.
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Mayuki’s ability allows him to predict the future, but his intellect is such that even without such a helpful ability, he would likely still be a great detective. Mayuki is largely isolated from others, yet is quite charismatic, making friends when he does eventually enroll in school. Whether he’s getting to the bottom of bomb threats or dealing with more mundane matters, Mayuki is always fun to watch.
6Loki — Magical Detective Loki Ragnarok
As a 700-year-old Norse god banished from Asgard by Odin and trapped in the body of a child, Loki isn’t a traditional detective or even a traditional child. In fact, the only reason he’s solving mysteries in the first place is that only by doing so can he collect 100 evil spirits, regain his adult form, and return to his home amongst the gods in Asgard. Unlikethe honorable characters in shows likeOne Piece,Loki is just looking out for himself.
To accomplish his goal, Loki founds the Enjaku Detective Agency. Things can’t be that simple in anime, however, so over the course ofMagical Detective Loki Ragnarok,the boy detective finds himself the target of repeated assassination attempts by the Norse pantheon.
5Alice — Heaven’s Memo Pad
InHeaven’s Memo Pad,NEET is a unique detective agency headed by Alice, a reclusive girl who relies on the internet to connect with others as well as to keep herself busy. Thanks the time she has spent with technology, Alice has become an excellent hacker, though one might not suspect it based on the stuffed animals she surrounds herself with.
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To help her with her mystery-solving, Alice recruits high schooler Narumi, gambling-addict and ex-boxer Tetsu, spy expert Major, and charming investigator Hiro. Alice and her organization clash with the yakuza along with other foes, but with Alice’s leadership and the combined talents of the team, NEET continues to solve one mystery after another. For both her own investigative prowess as well as her ability to guide a team, Alice is a fantastic detective despite her age.
4Kobayashi — Rambo Kitan: Game of Laplace
Detectives start solving mysteries for different reasons. Some need the money. Some want to help people. Some are just bored and want something to do. The latter is the case for Kobayashi fromRampo Kitan: Game of Laplace.It’s notthe best anime plot twist,but it keeps Kobayashi interesting.
Kobayashi isn’t particularly empathetic or just; rather, he glosses over almost everything except the morbid details of the crimes plaguing his city. The boy isn’t exactly the warmest or most pleasant person because of this attitude, but if it’s just a talented detective that’s needed, Kobayashi is more than up to the task. His ability to put emotions aside and concentrate on the facts of the case allow him to get further into mysteries than anyone else, which is just how Kobayashi likes it.
3Houtarou Oreki — Hyouka
Hyouka’sHoutarou Oreki isn’t the conventional detective. He has a brilliant mind capable of noticing and analyzing the tiniest details, but his brilliance doesn’t show up in his classwork. In fact, to the average person, he looks lazy as he ambles his way through life, preferring manga and a cup of tea to mysteries and excitement.
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Houtarou is a minimalist whose keen observational ability can break any case down to its essentials, which is exactly what he does when his friends become fascinated with rumors of a ghost girl in their school. If it weren’t for the overwhelming disinterest that Houtarou feels for just about everything, he could be one of the greatest detectives around.
2Victorique de Blois — Gosick
Gothic anime has some of the most style of any genre, with lavish architecture and characters who know a thing or two about the season’s best look. Victorique de Blois has more than gothic lolita fashion in her corner, however. This strange girl whom Kazuya befriends inGosickhas a brilliant mind and expert observational abilities, as well asone of the best fashion styles of any anime protagonist.
Unlike other students at Saint Marguerite Academy, Victorique has been developing her deductive capabilities for years, studying every subject she could get her hands on. She doesn’t always point her talents in the right directions, but she’s always capable of making breakthroughs in a case when she finally sets her sights on it. For analytical brilliance, wit, and sartorial excellence, Victorique is a detective to beat.
1Conan Edogawa — Detective Conan
Detective Conanis the poster child for child detectives in anime, starring in one of the longest-running and most popular series of all time.Detective Conanwould have faded into obscurity years ago if it weren’t actually good — but it is, thanks to boy detective Conan Edogawa.
How exactly did Conan come to be a detective? After strangers forced him to swallow an experimental poison, of course. Rather than kill him, the poison caused Conan to shrink, leaving the boy detective very much interested in finding out who perpetrated the poisoning. Whether this elementary schooler will ever learn the identity of his attackers is an open question, since the show is hundreds of episodes deep without any sign of slowing down.
