Trickster, full title known as , is a 2016 Japanese anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Shin-Ei Animation. It is directed by Masahiro Mukai and written by Erika Yoshida, with original character designs by Peach-Pit, adapted character designs by Shinya Yamada and music by Yuki Hayashi. It began airing on October 4, 2016, on Tokyo MX and Yomiuri TV. A manga adaptation of the anime by Mantohihi Binta began its serialization on June 20, 2016. A prequel original video animation split into two parts, titled "Episode 00", was released on December 22, 2016.
Plot
The story is set in 203X, and the have been assembled under the mysterious detective Kogoro Akechi. Together, this group takes on cases both great and small. One of their junior members, Kensuke Hanasaki, is out solving a case one day when he happens upon Yoshio Kobayashi. Kobayashi, who has an undying body because of an "unidentifiable fog," wishes his own death and refuses contact with others. After seeing his abilities in action, Kensuke offers Yoshio a deal: join the Boy Detectives' Club and help them solve cases, and in exchange he will find a way to help Yoshio die.
The apathetic Yoshio accepts this deal begrudgingly, unaware of how different his life will become. Although he does not have much use for people, he gradually begins to acknowledge the group as he spends more time with them while solving cases.
The encounter between the two eventually leads them to the connection between the criminal nicknamed "Fiend with Twenty Faces" (Kaijin Nijuu Menso) and Kogoro Akechi.
Characters
One of the main characters. A mysterious boy with supernatural abilities, including immortality who seeks to die but is unable to do so. He's reluctantly recruited by Hanasaki as part of the Boy Detectives Club after Hanasaki takes an interest on him and after realizing that somehow, getting involved in their cases injures him where everything else fails. Although emotionally detached, blunt and indifferent of others at first, he begins to slowly grow a soft spot for the rest of the club, specially Hanasaki whom he wants to keep his promise to kill him one day.
It is theorized that the strength of his powers is inversely proportional to his desire to live, that is to say, his powers are at his strongest the least he values his own life, but weaken considerably the more he clings to life. His origins are revealed through a series of flashbacks. On them it is shown that Kobayashi, was born from a mother suffering from an Aggressive Autoimmune Disorder which had her heavily medicated. His father who knew that a pregnancy would tremendously debilitate her was against having a child. Nonetheless Kobayashi was born and his mother eventually succumbed to her illness. This causes Kobayashi's father to blame him for his wife's death and seeing no more reason in living, attempt to commit parricide, but Kobayashi's powers awoke and saved himself.
One of the main characters. A hyperactive boy, he constantly seeks cases and adventures for thrill and has an easygoing and friendly demeanor. After he notices Kobayashi and his abilities he becomes interested on him and recruits him to the Boy Detectives Club, promising to kill him as they both discover that somehow getting involved in cases injures Kobayashi, although he secretly plots to make him wish to live. Contrary to his extroverted personality, he's revealed to feel alone and unloved as his rich adoptive father barely contacts him, and Haruhiko, his adoptive older brother, is missing.
Following an incident involving Haruhiko that was secretly plotted by Twenty Faces, he becomes emotionally scarred after Haruhiko voices his hatred for him and that Akechi had lied to him about his brother and distances himself from the group before being manipulated by Twenty Faces to follow him and get revenge on both his father and Akechi. Upon realizing he was in fact loved by both but never truly realizing it, he comes to deeply regret his actions and apologizes to Kobayashi, whom wants Hanasaki to keep his promise. He attends Rurino Academy but only actually goes once each month since he's actually excused from having classes there.
One month after his kidnapping, Hanasaki is currently experiencing stress and suffers from periodical vasovagal response leading him to experience subtle faints. He's also no longer an active member of the Boy Detectives Club as the previous incident has made the relationships of the club difficult.