When solving mysteries or sleuthing for the truth, one loveable character created by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle comes to mind: Sherlock Holmes. The power of deduction is as close to magic or to the supernatural that humans can get, and Sherlock is the epitome of those powers.
Sherlock is lauded for his ability to solve mysteries. He fights the good fight, but his straightforward personality and inability to read a room leave much to be desired. Sherlock Holmes is forgiven for his quirks in the wake of his crime-solving success. Ever since his inception, Sherlock -- his essence, attitude, abilities, and even lifestyle -- has been molded and reformed to fit various storylines and narratives that fans of the detective have come to know and love just the same. It all began as a book, but now Sherlock has broken through various forms of media and has found its way into the realm of anime.
10 Hyouka
Hotaro Oreki, much like Sherlock, is disenchanted with life. However, that takes a turn as he gets caught up with his classmate Eru Chitanda's curiosities and intrigues. It's one mystery after the next, and it's up to Oreki to deduce the answers to satisfy Chitanda's curiosity.
At the heart of this slice of life, feel-good mystery, is an unresolved case that occurred 45 years prior with clues buried within the classic literature club's anthology. With his assistants, Oreki's life becomes a troublesome series of events that turns his average life into a bursting one.
9 Black Butler
Ciel and Sebastian are the team to be if Sherlock Holmes were a supernatural detective show. The two become embroiled in mysteries and caught up in solving crimes by any means necessary.
Ciel's personality is just as deprived as Sherlock's, but Sebastian rivals him when it comes to deduction. Of course, it's expected with his supernatural talents. Like Sherlock, Ciel has one mystery he wishes to solve above all others: who killed his parents in cold blood?
8 Rampo Kitan: Game Of LaPlace
One who is contacted by the police to help investigations, who takes pills to relieve pain in his head, and who finds the boredom of everyday life lifted by solving heinous crimes is seventeen-year-old high schooler Akechi. He's not one to take on cases unless provoked to action, but when middle-schooler Kobayashi is framed for murder, it becomes a game to see if the young boy can solve the case, claim his innocence, and become Akechi's apprentice.
With each disturbing crime comes an equally disturbing mastermind that Kobayashi is excited to unveil. Often acting as a decoy or bait, Kobayashi runs through possible scenarios even before finding himself in the presence of the killer. With such ruthless killers, this unlikely pair gets its kicks from cracking down on those looking to sully the world.
7 The Case Files Of Richard Jeweler
By circumstance, Nakata Seigi rescues a foreigner and ends up becoming his assistant at a jewelry store. Richard has a muddied history with jewels and puts his deduction skills to use in surveying gems, their meaning, and their relationship to the people who keep them.
This indelibly leads to both of them solving mysteries and getting to know one another throughout their time together. Richard regards Seigi as a hero of justice, so they work to right wrongs all the while giving each other valuable life advice.
6 Holmes Of Kyoto
Yagashira Kiyotaka, nicknamed Holmes, works at his family's antique store as an appraiser. With his penetrative deductive skills, he's sought after to unravel mysteries, even if he's reluctant to do so. He'd rather spend his days appraising antiques and hunting down the one creating counterfeit pieces.
Aoi, while acting as his appraiser assistant, also becomes Holmes' precious companion in the same way that Watson is to Sherlock. It's a parallel storyline with less intense undertones and a slice of life feel, but with all the powers of deduction given to the Sherlock Holmes legacy.
5 ID: Invaded
Literally diving into the mind of a suspect is Sakaido's job as he snuffs out killers and brings them to justice. It's a process of supreme deduction, because once he enters the mind (the ID well) he needs to remember who he is and what he's doing there. From that moment forward, he pieces together the puzzle of the mind to formulate his answer.
He falls in with an unlikely sidekick as they work together to catch the person creating serial killers. This fast-paced thriller is difficult to piece together, but Sakaido is more than capable of the challenge.
4 Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens
Fukuoka is peaceful at first glance, but crime runs rampant in this city of professional killers and hitmen. Banba is a pro among pros when it comes to killing killers, but he's taken on the role of a private detective and weeds out those who are up to no good.
Cross-dressing hitman Lin comes after Banba, but ends up becoming an assistant in the end. Like the Sherlock duo, this pair uncovers crime and secrets along with their network of underground comrades to bring justice to light. This parallel Sherlock Holmes storyline is the bloodiest one yet.
3 Woodpecker Detective's Office
The Sherlock Holmes of Meiji Era Japan is a struggling genius poet by the name of Ishikawa Takuboku. One bizarre case after another falls into his lap until, together with his assistant Kindaichi Kyosuke, Takuboku opens a detective service.
Takuboku's deduction skills are on par with Sherlock, but his personality is similar to a child's, especially when it comes to handling money. Kyosuke encourages Takuboku to mature, but he's forever set in his self-indulgent ways.
2 The Millionaire Detective - Balance: UNLIMITED
Daisuke Kambe encompasses everything that's wrong with Sherlock Holmes. He fights crime as a detective but will go to any lengths necessary to win. With an unlimited bank account, Kambe's first line of defense is throwing cash at what or whoever will lend their help.
Haru Kato is similar to John Watson: Kambe sees human life based on their financial worth, while Kato views life as sacred. It's this dichotomy that creates a charged storyline and mimics the essence of the bond between Sherlock and his most trusted friend.
1 Moriarty The Patriot
What if Moriarty was the main character and Sherlock the afterthought? What if the villain we've all come to know isn't as diabolical as we think? William Moriarty is a crime consultant and works to uncover the heartlessness of nobility in London's dark corners of society. His heart may be noble, but his methods are less than savory.
Moriarty works to right injustices, more particularly those of the middle class who have been subjected to noble mistreatment. When he meets Sherlock, life becomes a game of cat and mouse because, without evidence, Moriarty can get away with anything.