xxxHOLiC follows the story of Kimihiro Watanuki, a boy who has the ability to see and interact with spirits. Although this ability may sound awesome to some, he despises it, believing the ability to be a curse and burden. His first encounter with spirits became so overwhelming that he was forced to enter an establishment to be rid of them, if only for a second. Kimihiro is then introduced to a woman named Yuuko, the shop owner, who tells him she has a way of freeing him from his ability, albeit, for a price. Demanding that he is employed at this “wish granting” shop, Kimihiro is bound to experience an eccentric and peculiar journey.

Both xxxHOLiC and Ghost Hunt deal with the supernatural, portraying dark, mysterious tones. In addressing areas of unexplained phenomena, xxxHOLiC and Ghost Hunt attack and drive their storylines differently, with xxxHOLiC’s Kimihiro centered on wish granting and Mai’s team on paranormal investigations. The creators of both anime have taken the time to research this field; a learning experience, as well as entertaining. Collectively, they offer a taste of creepy excitement, definitely something that’ll keep you engaged!

Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro a.k.a. Neuro: Supernatural Detective is a story that centers on Neuro Nougami and Yako Katsuragi. Neuro is a demon who exhausted all of his resources regarding unsolved mysteries in his realm and decides to come to the human world, searching for more to solve. He comes across a young girl named Yako, a high school student with exceptional crime-solving, deduction skills. Yako is employed at a detective agency where Neuro is then brought on as her assistant. With his demon nature, possessing a special trait, he has been solving many of her cases, unbeknownst to her. Here, the duo works together solving crimes, even though Neuro holds back from drawing too much attention.

In comparing Neuro: Supernatural Detective with Ghost Hunt, both contain a young high school girl who becomes very involved in solving mysteries, but does not quite take full charge with investigations, as her male counterpart holds more authority in closing cases. As each series’ story builds upon separate parts, Yako and Mai gain more knowledge in their field of study and soon exceed Neuro and Naru’s expectations. Working behind a team of investigators, Neuro: Supernatural Detective and Ghost Hunt offer viewers a little bit of scary and funny at the same time.

Shinrei Tantei Yakumo focuses on a young college-aged guy named Yakumo, whose appearance is slightly abnormal because of his distinct red eye. However, this defective red eye is not so much a flaw, but an advantage, as it allows him to see and communicate with the dead. As we follow Yakumo, we are also introduced to his classmate Haruka Ozawa, who has recently encountered a string of bad luck, including the death of a friend and a suicide of another. As she fears she is next, Haruka seeks the aid of Yakumo. Together, Haruka and Yakumo unveil a surmountable amount of cases and mysteries that are just waiting for investigation!

Psychic Detective Yakumo and Ghost Hunt share a lot of similar qualities to include a psychic male character and his partner, a young -and in the beginning, naïve- girl who surely evolves, unexpectedly. Intertwined with very puzzling plots and suspenseful moments, both anime’s objective involves a hunt for all things supernatural and in the end, attempts to restore the natural order of their lives. Even though Psychic Detective and Ghost Hunt differ in length, 13 versus 25 episodes, each series offers an equal amount of supernatural disturbances.

In Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, we are first introduced to Teiichi Niiya, after he aimlessly wanders the halls of Seikyou Private Academy. Here, he meets a mysterious girl, Yuuko, who is known by rumors and such as the spirit that haunts the Academy. Yuuko’s cause of death is unknown, but she was found in the basement of the older school building. Although she has no memory of her death, Yuuko and Teiichi, as well as Kirie and Momoe, form the Paranormal Investigations Club in order to find some answers. Furthermore, the group members explore countless other happenings around the school, featuring the “Infamous Seven Mysteries.”

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia and Ghost Hunt are comparable because they share the same quality of humor, horror, and mystery in palatable amounts. Both series are truly enjoyable, visually pleasing, and offer fantastic opening songs. Throughout each episode, Dusk Maiden and Ghost Hunt provide numerous amounts of puzzles to solve in addition to the main plot, keeping the viewers on their toes.

Hyouka follows the story of Oreki Houtarou who has made it his life motto to conserve his energy, doing things in moderation. At the request of his sister, Oreki joins the Classics Club and meets a girl named Chitanda. A curious and peculiar girl, she has a significant pull influencing Oreki in helping her solve many mysteries, particularly one that surrounds the very room they conduct meetings in. With the aid of other Classics members, Hyouka gives us a glimpse of modern, realistic everyday exploring, ideal for any novice who is interested in discovering local unsolved mysteries.

In Hyouka and Ghost Hunt, the overall structure and composition is very familiar, using distinct animation to capture the surroundings, matching musical accompaniment to appropriate scenes, and a near identical way of storytelling. In both series, the theme of mystery and case solving is present with a lead guy and girl, as they compliment each other with their own strengths and skills. Additionally, the personalities of our main characters are very alike as well.

Nanana’s Buried Treasure centers on the life of Juugo Yama, a high school student who recently moved to Nanaejima Island. Nanaejima is a special man-made island built for students to achieve their greatest desires and success. At first glance, Nanana’s Buried Treasure appears as your average slice of life, but wait! Upon arrival at Juugo’s dorm, we meet Nanana, a spirit bound to his room after her untimely demise ten years prior. Nanana is an important aspect to Nanaejima’s establishment, as well as her ability to discover rare treasures throughout the world. Unfortunately, some have disappeared after her death. So, after settling into the place and joining the adventure club, Juugo and his club mates go out to find the rest of Nanana’s collection.

Although Nanana’s Buried Treasure doesn’t contain the eerie vibes that Ghost Hunt holds, both anime contain a sense of adventure, surprise, comedy, and a little bit of romance. As our main character in each series, Nanana and Naru, carry out a conflict or two that must be resolved, they aren’t able to solve their problems as well as they would like without the help of a dynamic and lively group of people. You know what they say: “teamwork makes the dream work!” Essentially, even though Nanana’s Buried Treasure and Ghost Hunt possess few similarities, both are very intriguing shows.