WithNeon Genesis Evangelionreimagining the mecha genre with its blend of action and just the right dose of existentialist philosophy, it’s no surprise that anime fans may be looking for other series with a similar or more extreme take on the uncanny valley. Viewers who want to skip the heroic antics of shonen anime may wish to give particular mystery anime a shot, especially those that let fans decide on the kind of endings they possess.
Despite an “ambiguous ending” being spoiled initially, these mystery-thrillers can make viewers lean closer to their seats in anticipation. After all, any must-watch mystery anime doesn’t necessarily catch a viewer’s interest with its ending, but rather the ride that makes them question what happens next.
Number of Episodes
12
On top of being a subversion to the magical girls genre,Puella Magi Madoka Magicaends up becoming one of the most complex anime to grace the industry. Conceptualized by Gen Urobuchi, its original 2011 anime run ofPuella Magi Madoka Magicaspawned spin-offs and films that sought to expand the story of middle-schoolers Madoka and Homura as they attempt to save themselves from horrible fates as magical girls.
Throughout the anime’s run,viewers see Madoka and Homura try separate themselves from the dark destiny set upon them by Kyubey, a misleading cute creature whose contracts force them to fight the mysterious Witches. While the anime’s original ending is elaborated by sequel films, the ambiguity of their resolutions gives no indications of a hard-set finale.
26
When city boy Keichii Maebara ofHigurashi When They Crymoves to the village of Hinamizawa in 1983, he arrives just before the town’s annual religious festival. Unfortunately, the anime soon takes Keiichi and his friends into a descent to darkness, withHigurashi When They Cryexploring horrific eventssurrounding the local deity Oyashiro with little to no resolution.
This adaptation style is taken straight from the visual novels, where players have to first play a series of “Question Arcs” that are each answered by paired “Answer Arcs.” While the second seasonKairesolves each incident in the original anime,Higurashi When They Crymakes for a decent horror fest that tempts viewers to look for clues on the “true” stories behind each arc’s horrific incident.
6
Set at a time when androids have become common tools for humans, protagonists Rikuo and Masaki stumble upon a cafe known asTime of Evewhen the former’s home android, Sammy, has begun acting independently. As shown throughout the six-episode web series, the eponymous (but seemingly illegal)Time of Evecafe doesn’t allow patrons to discriminate between androids and humans, showcasing unique relationships between these beings.
Despite its short stint,Time of Eveshowcases what both humans and androidswould go through in order to protect and preserve their relationships. While its ending is not as bleak as other interesting anime, the show’s philosophical approach to robotics interspersed with interconnected slice-of-life stories can make one wonder about the eventual fate of the cafe.
13
The life of introverted Lain Iwakura makes a turn for the bizarre inSerial Experiments Lainwhen she receives an email from a dead student. When the student proclaims she has “found God” within the virtual realm of the Wired, Lain is thrust into an adventure that explores themes of communication, identity, loneliness, and reality in a psycho-philosophical techno-thriller.
While the finale of the thriller anime will see Lain make a firm life-altering decision,theSerial Experiments Lainending does little to affirm viewers of the realism associated with the aforementioned events. Lain’s final interaction in her story may be conclusive for some, but the implied ambiguity of the story puts the ending’s status into scrutiny.
The brilliant mind of Satoshi Kon once again astonishes the anime industry with yet another psychological thriller in the form ofParanoia Agent. As with Kon’sPerfect BlueandPaprika, viewers are forced to question their idea ofperception inParanoia Agent’s intriguing plot. After a character designer is attacked by a bat-wielding boy in in-line skates, others have soon experienced random attacks from the so-called Lil’ Slugger.
None of the stories have any correlation aside from the malicious Lil’ Slugger, making one think whether he existed in the first place. With all victims being attacked in moments of desperation, audiences are forced to wonder whether Lil’ Slugger was created as a social phenomenon, an imaginary construct to fight trauma, or a form of psychosis caused by a seemingly-innocent agent.
12 + 1 OVA
Despite its short-lived 12-episode run,91 Dayshas transformed into one of the more compelling anime to grace the mafia genre. Set in the Prohobition Era,91 Daystells the tale of revenge of Angelo Lagusa, whose desire to avenge his family’s murder at the hands of the Vanetti Family leads to his friendship with the Don’s son, Nero Vanetti.
Unfortunately, Angelo’s entry into the Vanetti Family leads into the eponymous 91 days of gut-wrenching action and suspense. At the end of Angelo’s story of revenge, his relationship with Nero will definitely take a toll. And while the adage of revenge requiring a grave for the recipient and the avenger holds true for this story, the ambiguity of91 Days’s ending is only made more melancholic with the fact that any aftermath won’t be peaceful.
Set in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event,Heavenly Delusionshares its stories from two perspectives. On the one hand, a group of children inside an isolated facility have a prediction that their friend Tokio will be “saved” by someone who looks just like her. Meanwhile, a girl named Kiruko travels a devastated Japan with Maru, whose features resemble Tokio.
These seemingly disconnected stories will slowly piece together a chronicle of what’s truly happened in the outside world. However,Heavenly Delusionups the ante with how deep character relations are interspersed with a peculiar approach to worldbuilding, eventually leading to an ending that resolves certain plot points through questions that strengthen the anime’s sense of mystery.
Runtime
82 Minutes
MajorMotoko Kusanagi of Public Security Section 9makes her way to the big screen through the 1995Ghost in the Shellfilm, adapting the “Puppet Master” storyline from its manga source. Set in 2029, Motoko and Section 9 are tasked with hunting down the mysterious Puppet Master, a cyber-criminal posing as a threat to important political figures.
The ongoing pursuit between Motoko and the Puppet Master engages viewers in a battle of action and wits, using a backdrop of cybernetic developments to debate the nature of consciousness and existence in a world where people can upload their minds in machines. Additionally, the film’s pursuit of an unexpected ending leads to questions that make it a worthwhile standalone experience, regardless of other films and series in the franchise.
81 Minutes
AlthoughPerfect Blueshows its age for a 1997 film, it remains a must-watch psychological thriller film for its examination of Japan’s burgeoning idol culture and its impact on the very idols who aspire to make a name out of themselves. The anime stars Mima, a former idol, whose pursuit of an acting career motivates a stalker to commit grisly murders.
Despite thestraightforward nature ofPerfect Blue, its delivery of the plot through Mima’s psychosis juxtaposed by her shoot of the in-universe “Double Bind” film has continued to blur the lines between reality and illusion. While the film gets a somewhat concrete conclusion, fans who examine the build-up to this final scene may notice some elements don’t add up as they were implied.
74
When a murder suspect turns out to be Johan, a former patient of Dr. Kenzo Tenma, the disgraced doctor’s hunt for the youngster inMonsterreveals a chilling tale that explores both existentialism and the human psyche. Throughout the anime’s 74-episode run,Monsterestablishes Johan as the eponymous being, capable of transforming ordinary people into killers for his own whims.
However, Dr. Tenma’s pursuit of his former patient reveals a more tragic backstory for the dark antagonist with an equally sinister plot. Despite having an ending predictably showcasing a final showdown between Dr. Tenma and Johan, the outcome of their confrontation leads to more questions than answers.
