10 Books/Manga Like Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi is a breath of fresh air. It was written by Kazuya Konomoto and illustrated by Takeichi Abaraya. It tackles many adult-oriented subjects from gambling to addiction and every subject inserted into its story is handled proficiently. Odokawa, the manga’s walrus and taxi driver protagonist, will receive numerous tales from a bunch of individuals and will find himself involved in a massive conspiracy. With great thrills and occasional chills, this mystery series is worth your hard-earned time.
If you’re in the mood for more animal-centric or thriller-themed books/manga that offers a similar vibe, fear not! We’ve gathered together 10 books/manga to check out when you’ve caught up with Odd Taxi. Of course, if you feel we’ve missed any of your favorites, do comment below and let us know!
Beastars – Paru Itagaki
Similarities – Animals, Psychological, Thriller
Beastars is another incredible manga featuring animal characters who indulge themselves in human-like situations. This tale follows Legoshi, a timid wolf who lives in a world where carnivores are frowned upon due to a student named Tem’s demise. After encountering a troublesome hare named Haru, Legoshi must keep his predatory instincts at bay.
Like Odd Taxi, Beastars excels at examining its protagonists’ individual struggles. Where Legoshi struggles to wrestle with his society’s expectations, Odokawa is burned by a mysterious past and confronts his own identity crisis throughout his story. Both characters’ internal quests are handled with proper care and attention, allowing audiences to empathize with them.
With their shared themes and scope, Beastars is a great series to check out after Odd Taxi.
Baccano – Ryougo Narita (Light Novel)
Similarities – Intricate Story Structures, Crime, Mystery
Baccano is a fabulous crime series with an intricate story structure similar to Odd Taxi’s in ways. In it, we follow multiple characters who have different backstories, personalities, and motives. Their short tales will unite to form a grander narrative akin to the likes of Odd Taxi’s ensemble cast.
Ryougo Narita adores jumping forward and backward in time in Baccano like Takeichi Abaraya too. This gives readers a chance to piece together the events before he reveals the answers to its countless mysteries. Moreover, both stories feature great character confrontations that leave viewers entertained.
If you adore stories with touches of crime and mystery and one that explores the consequences behind their casts’ past actions, check out Baccano.
Beast Complex – Paru Itagaki
Similarities – Psychological, Themes, Animals
Beast Complex is another psychologically-driven work from Paru Itagaki. Like Odd Taxi, Beast Complex presents readers with multiple short tales in a universe that’s full of anthropomorphic organisms. By presenting viewers with a world that’s not too different from our own, Odd Taxi and Beast Complex allow them to reflect on the real world and the ways people judge others.
Moreover, both tales share themes of connection, self-discovery, and the impact of choices. The characters in Beast Complex are forced to confront their own prejudices and biases, allowing them to develop empathy toward others. This echoes Odd Taxi’s characters’ journeys in their tale, as they’ll unearth the consequences behind their past actions and the toll they take on their present lives
While these stories may differ in setting and pot, they share enough thematic similarities, making both essential read for manga fans.
Durarara – Ryougo Narita
Similarities – Ensemble Cast, Mystery, Crime
Durarara follows Mikado, who moves to an area that’s said to house a headless Black Rider rumor. Mikado doesn’t believe the rumor at first, but when he meets the Black Rider for himself, he thinks otherwise.
Like Odd Taxi, this is another story that excels with its handling of multiple character perspectives. The plot revolves around several interconnected characters. Their lives interact in mysterious ways, adding complexity and creativity to Durarara’s tale.
Both stories feature well-written plot twists and turns. Like Abaraya, Narita likes to subvert readers’ expectations with shocking plot revelations and unexpected character actions. As for Abaraya, they like to build upon Odd Taxi’s central mystery gradually. However, they utilize a similar amount of shock value and sprinkle in unexpected twists to keep readers engaged.
If you’re looking for another story that can pull off a successful mystery with a large cast, Durarara’s worth reading.
Monotone Blue – Nagabe
Similarities – Tone, Themes, Animals
Monotone Blue is another animal work with a dark tone like Odd Taxi’s. In it, we examine the bond between Hachi and Aoi. While the former is a cat and the other a lizard, they try their best to maintain a solid friendship. However, like Abaraya, Nagabe’s not afraid to include some terrifying imagery and concepts into their story to shake things up.
For instance, Nagabe touches upon bullying in Monotone Blue and examines its effects on people. Many Odd Taxi readers who adored Abaraya’s take on the realistic issues presented in their story, will love Nagabe’s take on this dreadful subject. At the same time, both stories contain a decent amount of wholesome material. Those who adored Odokawa’s pleasant chatter with the residents in his city will find solace in Aoi and Hachi’s conversations with each other.
Therefore, if you’re looking for another animal-themed work with a hint of dark material, check out Monotone Blue.
Seto Utsumi – Kazuya Konomoto
Similarities – Themes
Seto Utsumi and Odd Taxi may feature different settings and storylines, but they excel at delving into the complexities of character interactions and the power of genuine connections.
In Seto Utsumi, the story centers around the bond between two characters named Seto and Utsumi. Kazuya Konomoto spends the majority of the manga examining their everyday interactions with each other.
Similarly, Odd Taxi presents readers with an ensemble cast who find themselves connected through their encounters with Odokawa. Both mangas demonstrate how impactful a brief encounter with an individual can have on one’s life.
Furthermore, both stories capture the subtleties of human behavior and the nuances of everyday life in their own ways. From Seto and Utsumi participating in mundane activities to Odokawa unearthing the truth about his passengers’ lives, both mangas remind readers there’s more to people than meets the eye.
Through their relatable characters and engaging narratives, both tales invite readers to appreciate the subtleties that shape our existence.
Monster – Naoki Urasawa
Similarities – Mystery
Although this tale lacks anthropomorphic characters, it’s another great mystery-centric tale everyone should read. It’s about a surgeon named Kenzou Tenma. He chooses to save a child’s life instead of his mayor’s and gets ridiculed for his decision. To make matters worse, Kenzou’s child patient grows up to become a serial killer and Kenzou gets blamed for his crimes. To rewrite his mistakes, Kenzou leaves his occupation to bring this criminal to justice.
Like Odokawa, Kenzou is a multilayer and well-developed protagonist that fans will come to appreciate over time. The series’s antagonist, Johan Liebert, is well-written and will instill fear in readers’ hearts despite his lack of screen time.
In addition to having incredible cliffhangers and shocking twists, Monster is a masterful crime series that Odd Taxi fans should read.
Bakemonogatari – ISIN NISIO
Similarities – Characters, Mystery, Themes
Bakemonagatari is a fascinating vampire tale with an intricate plot. Like Odd Taxi, it offers a layer of supernatural elements to shake things up. It introduces readers to a world brimming with multiple oddities and supernatural phenomena and has its titular character Araragi encounter various spooky apparitions.
Similarly, Odd Taxi infuses its storyline with a blend of mystery and supernatural occurrences. This is due to Odokawa finding himself entangled in a web of secrets involving anthropomorphic characters.
Moreover, both stories excel at giving their cast rich development and exploring their inner struggles, desires, and growth. Where Bakemonogatari has Araragi confront his own demons, Odd Taxi opts to expose its characters’ hidden motivations, secrets, and personal issues.
In addition to both tales having marvelously distinct visual styles, Bakemonogatari is a must-read for anyone who enjoyed their time with Odd Taxi.
Death Note – Tsugumi Ooba
Similarities –Themes
Death Note is a series that gets brought up a lot in manga and anime discussions. This series is known for having fantastic characters, a delightful overarching mystery, and a well-written cat-and-mouse dynamic between its protagonist and antagonist.
Our story follows Light, a boy with a special book that allows him to kill anyone he pleases as long as he writes their name inside it. Despite receiving praise for his effort, Light is in for a rude awakening when a young detective named L challenges him.
As with Odd Taxi, Death Note explores concepts revolving around justice and power. Where Light and L have their conflicting views on the topic, Odokawa and his passengers must handle a giant conspiracy involving murder, power, and control.
If you enjoyed the mind games, dialogue, and thrills found in Odd Taxi, you’re guaranteed to love what Tsugumi Ooba cooked up in Death Note.
My Home Hero – Naoki Yamakawa
Similarities – Psychological & Crime
My Home Hero is another modern mystery series with a thrilling premise and great cast akin to Odd Taxi’s. In it, we follow Tetsuo, who is driven by his desperate attempts to protect his daughter from her abusive boyfriend.
After murdering her boyfriend in his apartment, Tetsuo must do everything in his power to hide the truth from her boyfriend’s subordinates. Otherwise, he can kiss his peaceful life with his wife and daughter goodbye.
Like Abaraya, Naoki Yamakawa portrays their cast as flawed and morally ambiguous individuals. Yamakawa opts to challenge the traditional norms of heroism and requires readers to question the morality behind Tetsuo and his adversaries’s actions several times through My Home Hero’s run.
Tetsuo, while a humble man, will resort to extreme lengths to protect his family. This will remind folks of the times when Odokawa made questionable decisions to protect those he cared about.
Therefore, if you’re looking for another manga with a gripping storyline and one that delves into the dark aspects of human nature, check out My Home Hero.
So there we have it, our 10 books/manga to read after you’re caught up with Odd Taxi.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!