Since the advent of modern literature, the detective genre has held undeniable appeal among mass audiences.Crime scenesand how to solve them have prompted audiences to ask questions, reflect on their thought processes, and come up with solutions, no matter how peculiar they may seem. This genre is spread throughout various artistic communities in the modern world, which is why different renditions are present, stemming from, for example, one peculiar detective. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s timeless character, ‘Sherlock Holmes’, is arguably themost popular detectivein literature and hasinspired various characters. Now it’s time to identify variousanimecharacters who give off the same vibe as the famed detective.
L - Death Note
The famous psychological-thriller manga, first published in 2003, with itsanime adaptationout in 2006, highlights the conflict between a disaffected high school student turned murderer, Light Yagami, and the antagonist, L, an international consulting detective hired to find the murderer. L is presented with no information given of his past, he communicates with authorities through his assistant, Watari, and uses different aliases to maintain his secrecy.
L’s outstanding deduction skills and case-solving abilities seen throughout the series help the authorities gain detailed information on the murderer, whose capture seemed highly unlikely, until L was introduced. The ability to conjure unthinkable yet logical solutions gave way to quite an uncanny similarity between L and Mr. Holmes.
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Ron Kamonohashi - Deranged Detective, Ron Kamonohashi
The 2020 manga depicts an eccentric detective known as Ron Kamonohashi, who was once hailed as the brightest mind to attend the detective academy, Blue, and is currently operating secretly byhelping an unskilled policeofficer named Totomaru Isshiki because a deadly incident of temporary insanity in which he was responsible.
Ron Kamonohashi, throughout the course of the ongoing series, has proven his unquestionable skill of solving cases with the gift of an exceptional memory and deductive abilities while being completely fixated on the case he must solve. These aspects add to the Sherlock Holmes vibe, especially when he is denoted in the manga as a sixth-generation descendant of Sherlock Holmes himself.
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The novel, which was serialized as a manga in 2016, is set during the late 19th century and depicts an alternate timeline showing a world in which humans and supernatural creatures co-exist. Aya Rindo, the protagonist of the series, is presented as a demon in this world who has had her headless body taken away from her and is pursuing the organizationthat has taken her body.
Aya Rindo is an immortal being who has survived 962 years, she is a detective who specializes in monsters. To make her way through a world filled with demons and Oni, she relies on the skills she has honed as a detective to achieve her goal.
Oreki Hotaro - Hyouka
The 2001 mystery novel, which began its manga serialization in 2012 depicts Hotaro Oreki join the Classic Literature Club at the behest of his sister to prevent it from being abolished. He is joined by other members joining the club at the same time, and they start solving various mysteries.
Oreki Hotaro is an individual who wants to conserve his energy and use it only when required. Regardless of the apathetic demeanor, he exudes brilliance when it comes to solving mysteries, possessingremarkable deduction skillswhich allow him to find solution to any problem, once given enough thought. These characteristics certainly give off a Sherlock Holmes vibe.
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William Moriarty - Moriarty the Patriot
Moriarty the Patriotis a manga series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’sSherlock Holmesseries, focusing on Holmes’ arch nemesis, William James Moriarty. The manga revolves around Moriarty implementing crimes to end the class system and be able to reform society, as the system has caused social inequality in which the common man can never achieve success as the nobles can.
William Moriarty is seen as a cunning individual, who sets up certain crime scenes and never leaves any evidence behind. He is depicted as an academic prodigy who can manipulate others to his will, and his actions are countered by his rival, Sherlock Holmes, leading to battles fought between the two great minds.
John H. Watson - Empire of Corpses
While John H. Watson is not technically Sherlock Holmes, he possesses the same skills as him and, inEmpire of Corpses,hasassumed his authorityamong the people. Meanwhile, Holmes himself only makes a short appearance at the end of the series, when most of the issues are already dealt with.
Watson has accurate deduction and fast learning abilities, which allow him to solve issues rather quickly. He works to recover Victor Frankenstein’s reanimation technology, while also piecing together a bunch of mysteries. The same multitasking abilities that Sherlock popularly has in most stories.
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Edogawa Ranpo - Bungo Stray Dogs
Edogawa Ranpo is depicted to be the greatest detective in the world, without possessing any ‘ability’, which other characters possess. His self-proclaimed ability of ‘Super Deduction’ allows him to make precise predictions and gather clues that are extremely accurate, helping in solving any crime scene. Relying on his mind to deduce complex situations, that is certainly a vibe matching that of Sherlock Holmes.
Victorique De Blois - Gosick
A 15-year-old girl who studies at the Saint Marguerite Academy, Victorique is shown to possess superhuman observational skills and can analyze multiple sources of information simultaneously. Throughout the series, Victorique uses her abilities to aid her friend, Kazuya, in solving various cases. Her impressive analytical skills and habit of smoking a tobacco pipe make her one of the closest personalities to Sherlock Holmes.
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Conan Edogawa - Detective Conan
Conan Edogawa is the alias used by Shinichi Kudo in a form caused by initial exposure to a prototype poison. Edogawa’s abilities match those of a top-tier detective, having a photographic memory, speed-reading, and being a master strategist, among others, allow him to counter threats by the men in black organization. The acclaimed series takes inspiration from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’sSherlock Holmesseries, to depict a similar character who shares the same name as the author’s middle name.
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Daisuke Kambe - Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited
Daisuke Kambe is portrayed as a ‘Detective Assistant Inspector’ who works with the Modern Crime Prevention Task Force and is the scion of the billionaire Kambe family. He is seen to be unfazed while being under situations of high pressure and present unconventional methods of solving cases, those that his counterparts cannot usually think of.
