The best Japanese detective dramas
The top 3 according to 15 votes from people: AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2000-) · Bayside Shakedown (1997) · Abunai Deka (1986). (Updated Oct 30, 2025.)
From Showa-era Taiyō ni Hoero! to MIU404: classic Japanese police dramas, based on All About's 2025 survey and goo Ranking's Showa and Heisei votes.
Automatically translated (original in 日本語). See the original
Top 10
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1
AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2000-)
Ukyo Sugishita and his successive partners: a long-running hit.
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2
Bayside Shakedown (1997)
Detective Aoshima of Wangan precinct against police bureaucracy.
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3
Abunai Deka (1986)
Taka and Yuji in Yokohama: a breezy buddy-cop show.
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4
Shinzanmono (2010)
From Keigo Higashino: Kyoichiro Kaga walks the streets of Nihonbashi.
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5
Furuhata Ninzaburō (1994-2006)
Masakazu Tamura's lieutenant in Columbo-style inverted mysteries.
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6
Taiyō ni Hoero! (1972-1986)
Nanamagari precinct's first division: the Showa-era police classic.
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7
MIU404 (2020)
Ibuki and Shima of the mobile investigation unit, in 24-hour first response.
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8
Keizoku (1999)
The unit that handles unsolved cold cases.
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9
Jikou Keisatsu (2006)
A laid-back comedy about investigating expired cases as a hobby.
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10
Tokusō Saizensen (1977-1987)
A weighty human drama about a special investigations unit.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 10… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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11
Seibu Keisatsu (1979-1984)
Ishihara Production's cop action with spectacular explosions.
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12
Unfair (2006)
Ryoko Shinohara as Natsumi Yukihira investigating serial killings.
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13
Rinjō (2009)
Coroner Yoshio Kuraishi, who leaves nothing unexamined.
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14
SPEC (2010)
A special unit chasing people with paranormal powers.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (1)
踊る大捜査線が1位なのは当然。相棒も好きだけど、やっぱり青島刑事