6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]

Among the notable anime that have been released this year is a series inspired by the works of Japan’s premier author of the detective genre, Edogawa Ranpo. Made as a way to commemorate the famous author’s works, Lerche Productions has created an anime that has become quite notable recently – Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace. Taking place in a school where a violent murder took place, the story follows the adventures of a young genius detective and his capable, yet somewhat androgynous assistant.

Though the anime is not without its naysayers, it nonetheless is continually proving itself as a worthy contender for one of the most notable anime releases of the year. Featuring a story rich with symbolism and themes that are taken straight out of Japanese literature, Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace is something that has drawn a significant number of fans, both in Japan and abroad.

Today’s list explores anime that are similar to this recent release. Thus, if you are currently enjoying Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace, you may also want to check out these 6 anime that are quite similar to it!


Similar Anime to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]

1. Psycho-Pass

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 22
  • Aired: October 2012 – March 2013

Psycho-Pass is an anime set in the near future, where the emergence of a quantitative factor, called a person’s “psycho-pass,” enables authorities to calculate the probability of a person committing an offense. Thus, a person’s psychological profile becomes the trigger for policemen to nip budding criminals in the bud. The story focuses on Shinya Kougami, an enforcement officer who is tasked with maintaining public order and capturing criminals even before they commit felonies.

Both Psycho-Pass and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are anime that explore the psyche of humans in a very intensive manner. On the surface, both of these series revolve around the theme of solving crime. Apart from this, the atmosphere of the two series is also quite similar, for they both exude quite the some vibe to the audience.
Lastly, even the main characters of these two series are parallel with each other. This is definitely a title that deserves to be checked out if you enjoyed Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace.

Psycho-Pass Season One - Official Trailer


2. Another

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 2012 – March 2012

Another has gained quite a number of dedicated fans thanks to its clever story writing and its truly imposing atmosphere. The series follows Kouichi Sakakibara, a young man who has transferred to a new school. From the first day however, he notices something very amiss and sinister among his classmates, most especially regarding their treatment of a mysterious girl, Mei Misaki, a girl that only he can seem to see. Soon, dark secrets emerge and Kouichi finds himself in a situation where very few before him have gotten out of alive.

Being another suspense anime, Another and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace, employ a number of literary techniques to tell their story. The effective utilization of tone and atmosphere is one, for both anime can draw in its viewers by the way they present their story. Their themes too, are quite similar, for both series features elements of murder and a mystery that just seems to refuse to be solved.

Also, both shows are rich with archetypes and symbols, reflected in Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace’s butterflies and Another’s porcelain dolls.

Another(Anime) - Trailer


3. Hyouka

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 22
  • Aired: April 2012 – September 2012

Critics and viewers alike have heralded Hyouka as an anime that is a lot deeper than what it initially presents itself. The plot centers on Oreki Houtarou, a simple young man who joins his high school’s Classic Literature Club. Together, and guided by clues left behind by former members of the club, Oreki and the present members decide to explore and tackle a case that has remained unsolved for the past 45 years. Without a genius detective among them however, they must rely on each other’s unique abilities to help solve the case.

The similarities between Hyouka and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are quite notable. Both series feature a mystery that needs to be solved, as well as characters that are as memorable as they are unique. However, what makes Hyouka really remarkable is the way that it presents the unraveling of the case, since the anime has become quite notable for bringing a very fresh take on the detective genre, featuring cases that are solved not through the wits of a genius detective, but by the unique aspects of each of its characters.

Hyouka Trailer.flv



Any Animes Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace?

4. Umineko: no Naku Koro ni

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: July 2009 – December 2009

The events of Umineko: no Naku Koro ni take place on a private island owned by the influential Ushiromiya family. Following news that the head of the family, Ushiromiya Kinzo, is of poor health, the family members who have gathered on the island to discuss how the family’s assets are to be divided after his death.

Unbeknownst to them however, Kinzo has been delving into black magic in order to reunite with a lost lover, and as Kinzo attempts to summon his beloved, a typhoon starts battering the island and a series of murders begin taking place, forcing the family members to participate in a deadly game of cat and mouse where very few might survive.

The similarities between Umineko: no Naku Koro ni and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are quite overt, since both anime deals with mysterious events and violent murders that need to be solved before it’s too late. Their similarities do not end there, however, as both series also feature top-notch animation and character designs that are remarkable and very well-done. The tone of the two anime is quite similar as well, for both employ effective techniques that really bring about a feeling of dread in its presentation.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni (Anime trailer)


5. Gosick

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: January 2011 – July 2011

Gosick revolves around the exploits of Kazuya Kujo, a young man studying in Sauville in the year 1924. Being very inquisitive and despite being immune to the allure of urban legends, Kazuya finds himself drawn to the mystery of the Queen Berry, a ghost ship that has been haunting the seas prominently. Together with his close friend, the immensely intelligent and rational Victorique, they attempt to discover its secrets, even if the town’s best detectives have been unable to do so.

Though Gosick is not a detective or murder anime on the surface per se, it is nonetheless very similar to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace due to the literary elements that it has employed. The process of solving the mysteries is very logical in both anime, and both involve mysteries that need to be solved by the main characters, though Gosick is imbibed with a prominent supernatural undertone. Production-wise, both are top-notch, with high production values that even critics cannot deny.

GOSICK the prior promotion video


6. Detective Conan (Case Closed)

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]
  • Episodes: 783+
  • Aired: January 1996 - ongoing

Of course, one cannot think of detective anime without thinking of Detective Conan. This mammoth of a series is among the reasons why detective anime has become widely successful worldwide. The anime features the adventures of seventeen-year-old Kudo Shinichi, a genius detective, who, due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, becomes trapped in the body of a little boy. This series has made a name of itself around the world as pretty much the anime equivalent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Detective Conan is definitely one of, if not the most, similar one to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace. Both series contains themes that belong to detective fiction, murder mysteries that require a lot of thinking to solve, and extremely intelligent characters that are young and able to solve mysteries that can beguile even the most tenured detectives around.

Of course, one can even infer that part of the reason why production companies have been quite open to adapting detective fiction into anime is because of the runaway success of Detective Conan. Truly, this is one anime that any fan of detective fiction cannot miss.

Detective Conan ~ Trailer


Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]

Anime has proven itself to be a medium that crosses borders and bridges genres across literature in a very effective manner. Detective stories and mysteries are among the oldest forms of stories around the world, with the earliest ones being written hundreds of years ago. Literary giants such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the master of American Horror, Edgar Allan Poe, have made themselves into household names due to the intricacies of the mysteries they pen and the intensity of the minds that solve them. Detective fiction is here to stay, and anime, being a powerful medium for storytelling, will surely come out with more stories in this genre in the near future.

Of course, if you have any other suggestions, feel free to comment below! We’d love to know what other titles you think are quite similar to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace!

Ranpo-Kitan-Game-of-Laplace-dvd-300x420 6 Anime Like Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace [Recommendations]

Writer

Author: Peter "Virage" de Jesus

In the game of life, the Universe deals us a hand of cards. Some revel in the fortunes they are provided. Others resort to clawing their way up with the bad hand that they are dealt. A number would fold as the years go by. Our existence is a game of chances, and in this game, we all play. I play life in Hard Mode.

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