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Death Note

Death Note is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from December 2003 to May 2006, consisting of 108 chapters collected into 12 tankōbon volumes.^[1] The narrative follows Light Yagami, a brilliant high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook known as the Death Note, dropped into the human world by the death god Ryuk; the notebook grants the power to kill any person by writing their name in it while picturing their face, leading Light to adopt the alias Kira and execute criminals worldwide in pursuit of a crime-free utopia.^[2]^[3] The series pits Light against the enigmatic detective L in a high-stakes intellectual battle, exploring themes of justice, morality, and the corrupting influence of absolute power through intricate psychological maneuvering and moral ambiguity.^[4] Death Note has achieved commercial success, with over 30 million copies sold globally by 2015, establishing it as one of the best-selling manga series.^[5] It received nominations for prestigious awards, including the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize in 2007 and the Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize in 2008.^[6] Numerous adaptations followed, including a 2006 anime television series by Madhouse, live-action Japanese films in 2006, and international versions such as the 2017 Netflix film, though the latter drew criticism for deviations from the source material and casting choices.^[7] The manga's depiction of vigilante killings sparked real-world concerns, contributing to its ban in China in 2005 after incidents where students emulated the plot to commit murders.^[8]

Synopsis

Core Narrative

The Death Note manga, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, follows Light Yagami, an exceptionally intelligent and bored high school student in Japan.^[9] Light discovers a black notebook labeled "Death Note," dropped into the human world by Ryuk, a shinigami (death god) seeking entertainment from mortal affairs.^[10] The notebook grants its user the ability to kill any human by writing their name while visualizing their face, typically causing death by heart attack unless specified otherwise.^[2] Disillusioned with societal corruption and crime, Light begins systematically executing convicted criminals whose names and faces appear on television news broadcasts.^[11] Light's actions rapidly gain international attention, with supporters dubbing him "Kira" and hailing him as a divine arbiter purging evil, while authorities classify him as a mass murderer.^[12] The Japanese police, led by Light's father Soichiro Yagami, form a task force under the guidance of "L," a reclusive genius detective operating through proxies.^[13] L deduces Kira's location in the Kanto region and that the killings require media access and precise knowledge of victims' identities, leading to psychological traps broadcast nationwide to provoke reactions.^[13] Light enrolls in university and covertly joins the task force to monitor the investigation, engaging in a high-stakes intellectual duel with L, whom he identifies as his primary threat.^[14] The plot intensifies when Misa Amane, a teen idol possessing a second Death Note from the shinigami Rem, deduces Light's identity as Kira and allies with him, trading her lifespan for enhanced shinigami eyes that reveal names and lifespans.^[12] Light manipulates Misa and Rem to orchestrate L's death, along with his successor Watari, temporarily shifting global power dynamics in Kira's favor.^[2] However, L's protégés, Near and Mello, independently pursue Kira; Mello kidnaps Light's sister to force concessions, while Near coordinates with a revived task force. Light's overconfidence and reliance on subordinates culminate in a warehouse confrontation where Near exposes his identity using fabricated evidence and Mikami's unwitting actions with a duplicate Death Note.^[13] Ryuk, bound by rules to kill the notebook's owner if discovered, writes Light's name, ending his reign and life by heart attack.^[9] The 12-volume series, serialized weekly in Shōnen Jump from December 1, 2003, to May 15, 2006, explores these events across 108 chapters.^[9]

Sequel Stories

The original Death Note manga concluded in May 2006 with Light Yagami's defeat, but creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata extended the narrative through two canon one-shot sequel chapters, later compiled in the 2021 volume Death Note: Short Stories by Viz Media.^[15] The "C-Kira Story," released in 2008 as an epilogue in select Japanese editions, unfolds immediately after the main series' finale. It centers on Near, who possesses the Death Note and grapples with the ethical implications of its continued use for preempting potential threats, ultimately deciding against wielding its power personally while affirming institutional justice's primacy.^[15] The "a-Kira Story," published on February 4, 2020, in the March issue of Jump Square magazine, advances the timeline by approximately 13 years to 2019. Ryuk, bored in the Shinigami Realm, returns to Earth and relinquishes the Death Note to Minoru Tanaka, a high school student identified as Japan's top academic performer via national testing data. Tanaka, aware of the notebook's history from archived Kira case files, exploits newly revealed Death Note rules—such as specifying causes of death via video-recorded names and faces—to orchestrate an anonymous auction to global governments, demanding vast sums and policy concessions like the repeal of restrictive laws in exchange for its surrender. The scheme culminates in Tanaka's apparent success in outmaneuvering international intelligence through timed deaths and misdirection, though Ryuk's indifference underscores the futility of human ambition against supernatural whims. This installment introduces expanded mechanics, including the Shinigami King's enforcement of rule amendments to curb misuse, and critiques modern surveillance states' vulnerabilities.^[16]

Creation and Development

Manga Origins

The manga series Death Note originated from a collaborative effort between writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, who developed the core premise of a notebook capable of causing death upon the writing of a person's name and visualization of their face.^[17] Prior to full serialization, the duo produced a 23-page pilot one-shot titled The Taro Kagami Story (鏡太郎編, Kagami Tarō-hen), also referred to as Episode 0, which was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump issue No. 36 on August 25, 2003.^[18] ^[19] This prototype featured key differences from the final series, including the ability to revive victims by writing "live" in the notebook, and centered on a protagonist named Taro Kagami who uses the Death Note to combat crime.^[1] The pilot's publication tested reader interest and editorial viability, ultimately securing approval for ongoing serialization despite initial skepticism from Shueisha editors about its dark themes and potential for serialization.^[19] Obata, drawing from his prior experience illustrating Hikaru no Go, handled the artwork, while Ohba focused on plotting and dialogue, with the creative process involving Ohba providing name lists and story outlines for Obata to visualize.^[20] Following the pilot's reception, the refined series debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump on December 1, 2003, marking the official start of its run.^[21] This origin reflects a deliberate evolution from a standalone concept to a structured narrative arc, emphasizing moral and psychological tension over the pilot's more experimental mechanics, as Ohba and Obata iterated based on feedback to align with shōnen magazine expectations.^[1] The manga's foundational development prioritized intricate plotting and detailed character designs, setting the stage for its 108-chapter serialization concluding on May 15, 2006.^[21]

Conceptual Foundations

Tsugumi Ohba developed the core concept of Death Note around a supernatural notebook that causes the death of any human whose name is written in it while visualizing their face, governed by strict, enumerated rules to prevent overuse or ambiguity in its effects. This artifact, dropped into the human world by a shinigami (death god) out of boredom, forms the narrative engine, enabling the protagonist Light Yagami to execute criminals anonymously and pursue a vision of societal reform through vigilante killings. Ohba emphasized that the idea coalesced organically from vague initial thoughts, gradually fleshed out with details like the notebook's mechanics and shinigami lore, without drawing from a singular external source.^[22] To initiate production, Ohba submitted thumbnails for two pilot concepts to Shueisha in the early 2000s; the Death Note prototype received approval first, leading to its serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump starting December 1, 2003. Ohba described the foundational theme as rooted in the irrevocability of death—humans are mortal, and once deceased, they do not revive—serving as an unyielding causal constraint that heightens the stakes of moral choices and power's corrupting influence.^[23]^[24] Observers have noted conceptual parallels to Shigeru Mizuki's 1973 one-shot The Miraculous Notebook, where writing a name in a notebook induces death, though Ohba differentiated his work by introducing shinigami oversight, a rule system to balance supernatural intervention with realism, and intellectual cat-and-mouse dynamics between Light and detective L. Ohba explicitly avoided embedding overt philosophical treatises on justice or evil, prioritizing entertainment through escalating conflicts over absolute power, while character contrasts—such as Light's conventional brilliance against L's eccentricity—anchored the psychological realism.^[17]^[22]

Serialization and Pilots

The pilot one-shot for Death Note, titled "The Taro Kagami Story" (鏡太郎編, Kagami Tarō-hen), was published as a color chapter in Weekly Shōnen Jump issue 36 of 2003.^[25] In this prototype, a junior high school student named Taro Kagami discovers a Death Note dropped by the Shinigami Ryuk and uses it to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at his school, enlisting the help of a detective figure; the narrative differs significantly from the serialized version, featuring a lighter tone and distinct plot elements without the central character Light Yagami.^[18] The one-shot received sufficient positive reader feedback in the magazine's popularity polls to prompt Shueisha to commission a full serialization, marking a successful transition from prototype to ongoing series.^[19] Serialization of the main Death Note manga commenced in Weekly Shōnen Jump issue 1 of 2004, released on December 1, 2003, with the debut chapter titled "Boredom" (Tsumaranai).^[26] Written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the series continued weekly until its conclusion in issue 24 of 2006, with the final chapter published on May 15, 2006.^[27] Over this period, it spanned 108 chapters, later compiled into 12 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha from April 2, 2004, to July 4, 2006.^[1] The manga's high serialization rankings in Weekly Shōnen Jump—often placing in the top positions—reflected strong reader engagement, contributing to its commercial success and adaptations.^[2]

Anime Production

The Death Note anime series was produced by the studio Madhouse, with animation production handled entirely in-house and background art contributed by studios DR Movie and Studio Wyeth.^[28] Directed by Tetsurō Araki, who also handled storyboarding for the opening sequences and select episodes (1, 21, 25, 37), the series featured series composition by Toshiki Inoue and scripts from multiple writers including Inoue, Shohei Nishijima, and others.^[28] ^[29] Co-production involved Nippon Television, Shueisha, D.N. Dream Partners, and VAP, reflecting a collaboration between the manga's publisher and broadcasters to adapt Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's work into television format.^[28] The 37-episode run closely adapted the manga's narrative, spanning Light Yagami's acquisition of the Death Note to its conclusion, without significant filler arcs beyond minor expansions for pacing.^[28] Production emphasized atmospheric tension through Araki's dynamic direction, including insert song lyrics he contributed for episode 25, and visual effects that highlighted the supernatural elements like the Shinigami realm.^[29] Episodes were structured into two informal arcs, with the first 25 focusing on the cat-and-mouse game between Light and L, and the latter introducing Near and Mello as successors.^[28] Originally broadcast on Nippon Television from October 3, 2006, to June 26, 2007, airing weekly on Tuesdays at 23:56 JST (with exceptions for December 20, 2006, and January 3, 2007), the series was released domestically on 13 DVDs before a Blu-ray compilation in 2017.^[28] Internationally, licensing handled by VIZ Media facilitated dubs and subtitled releases, though production remained rooted in Japanese oversight to maintain fidelity to the source material's psychological depth.^[28]

Themes and Philosophical Underpinnings

Vigilantism Versus Institutional Justice

In Death Note, protagonist Light Yagami expresses profound dissatisfaction with institutional justice systems, viewing them as ineffective against persistent crime due to lenient sentencing, high recidivism, and procedural hurdles that allow perpetrators to evade punishment.^[30]^[31] He perceives global law enforcement, including Japan's police and international bodies, as paralyzed by bureaucracy and moral relativism, prompting him to wield the Death Note—a supernatural artifact that induces heart attacks in targeted individuals by name and face—as a tool for unilateral execution of criminals.^[32] This act inaugurates his vigilante persona as "Kira," aiming to eradicate evil through absolute, unappealable verdicts unbound by due process or appeals.^[33] Light's vigilantism initially yields measurable reductions in reported crime rates worldwide, as fear of instantaneous death deters potential offenders; for instance, following the first wave of high-profile criminal deaths in late 2003 within the manga's timeline, prison populations decline and street-level offenses plummet, substantiating his claim of superior efficacy over traditional deterrence models reliant on incarceration and rehabilitation.^[34] However, this success hinges on opaque, error-prone criteria: Light targets individuals based on media-reported guilt, presuming infallibility in public accusations without evidentiary review, which first-principles scrutiny reveals as vulnerable to miscarriages, media sensationalism, and fabricated claims.^[35] Series creator Tsugumi Ohba, in reflecting on the narrative's genesis, draws from real-world frustrations with judicial leniency but avoids endorsing vigilantism, noting Light's pre-Death Note trajectory toward lawful policing under his father Soichiro, a detective embodying institutional fidelity.^[22]^[32] Opposing Light's extralegal crusade, detective L represents institutional justice's resilience, deploying empirical investigation, international cooperation via the ICPO task force, and probabilistic deduction to expose Kira without resorting to summary judgments.^[36] L's methodology—surveillance of convict deaths, bait operations like the Lind L. Tailor broadcast on November 28, 2003 (manga timeline), and alliances with figures like Soichiro—upholds rule-of-law principles, emphasizing verifiable evidence over intuition or ideology, even as it contends with Kira's asymmetrical advantages.^[37] This institutional framework, though slower and imperfect, incorporates accountability mechanisms absent in vigilantism, such as oversight and falsifiability, which causal analysis shows mitigate the risks of unchecked power: Light's regime escalates to killing FBI agents, innocent suspects, and rivals, fracturing societal trust and spawning cults that normalize arbitrary rule.^[38] The narrative's progression underscores vigilantism's inherent instabilities, as Light's god-like authority erodes his initial utilitarian intent, leading to collateral deaths exceeding 100,000 by series estimates and personal vendettas that prioritize self-preservation over equity.^[39] Institutional forces, culminating in Near's successor investigation, dismantle Kira's network through forensic tracing of proxy killings and Mikami's errors, affirming that distributed authority and adversarial verification—hallmarks of legal systems—outlast solitary judgment.^[40] Ohba's construction avoids didacticism but illustrates, via Light's downfall on January 28, 2006 (manga timeline), how bypassing institutions invites corruption, echoing real-world precedents where extrajudicial actions amplify disorder rather than resolve it.^[22]^[41]

Corruption Through Absolute Power

In Death Note, the protagonist Light Yagami's acquisition of the Death Note—a notebook enabling instantaneous death by writing a person's name while picturing their face—serves as the catalyst for his moral degeneration, demonstrating how unrestricted power erodes ethical boundaries. Initially, on November 28, 2003, in the manga's timeline, Light tests the notebook on a criminal, then systematically executes high-profile offenders broadcast on television, framing his vigilantism as a purifying force against societal decay.^[42] This early phase reveals Light's preexisting arrogance and dissatisfaction with human imperfection, but the notebook's anonymity and infallibility rapidly amplify his self-conception as an arbiter of justice.^[43] As Light assumes the mantle of "Kira," his operations expand beyond criminals to preempt threats, including the orchestrated deaths of twelve FBI agents investigating him in late 2003, which he executes via manipulated proxies to maintain deniability.^[44] This escalation marks a pivotal shift: Light rationalizes collateral innocents as necessary sacrifices for his "new world," prioritizing self-preservation over initial ideals, as his influence swells with global fear and adoration from supporters. Analyses attribute this to the notebook's absolute efficacy, which insulates Light from consequences, fostering a feedback loop where success breeds entitlement and paranoia.^[45] By mid-story, Light's alliances, such as with the shinigami Ryuk and manipulated subordinates like Misa Amane, further entrench his isolation, as he discards empathy for strategic dominance, evidenced by his willingness to kill his own father, Soichiro Yagami, when the latter becomes an obstacle.^[43] The series culminates Light's corruption in his overt embrace of godhood, demanding ideological fealty and expanding killings to ideological dissenters, totaling thousands by the narrative's 2006 endpoint. This trajectory embodies the principle that absolute power corrupts without restraint, as Light's intelligence, once a tool for reform, devolves into megalomaniacal calculation, culminating in his 2006 demise from overconfidence during a confrontation with successor investigators Near and Mello.^[44] Creator Tsugumi Ohba's construction avoids excusing Light's flaws as mere artifact of the notebook, instead portraying power as an accelerant to latent hubris, a view reinforced by the story's refusal to redeem him despite temporary amnesia-induced resets that revert his conduct only while memory lapses.^[46] Such dynamics caution against unchecked authority, positing that even ostensibly noble intents fracture under omnipotence's weight.^[42]

Moral Relativism and Ethical Dilemmas

The narrative of Death Note illustrates moral relativism through the irreconcilable ethical frameworks of its central figures, where justice is defined not by universal absolutes but by subjective utility and personal conviction. Light Yagami, upon acquiring the Death Note, enacts a unilateral purge of criminals, rationalizing homicide as a net good that reduces overall suffering and deters future offenses, thereby embodying a consequentialist relativism unbound by institutional norms.^[47] Opposing him, L prioritizes procedural integrity and the presumption of innocence, viewing Kira's killings—regardless of targets—as violations of human autonomy that necessitate countermeasures, even if they entail global surveillance. This antagonism exposes how moral valuations shift with perspective: Light perceives his god-like arbitration as enlightened progress, while L deems it tyrannical overreach, with no narrative arbiter declaring one inherently superior beyond consequential outcomes.^[32] Ethical dilemmas intensify as Light's methodology devolves, compelling confrontations between deontological prohibitions on murder and utilitarian projections of societal benefit. Early in the series, Light restricts the Death Note to convicted felons, correlating with reported global crime declines that bolster his self-justification; however, to evade detection, he orchestrates the deaths of 12 FBI agents on November 3, 2003, and the proxy execution of Lind L. Tailor during a televised broadcast on October 29, 2003, sacrificing presumptively innocent lives for operational security.^[48] These acts precipitate dilemmas for collaborators like the Japanese task force, who grapple with endorsing L's invasive tactics against a figure whose killings have empirically lowered recidivism rates, highlighting the tension between rule-based ethics and outcome-driven pragmatism. Light's later elimination of his own father, Soichiro Yagami, on January 26, 2010, in the manga's timeline, further exemplifies the relativization of familial bonds to ideological imperatives, as personal loyalty yields to the perceived greater cause.^[47] The series further probes relativism via peripheral characters, such as Misa Amane, whose infatuation with Kira prompts her to forfeit agency—trading her lifespan for Shinigami Eyes on multiple occasions and abetting murders—under a distorted moral lens equating devotion with virtue.^[37] Creator Tsugumi Ohba has emphasized that the work eschews didactic moralizing, stating in a 2006 interview that Death Note aimed to entertain through suspense rather than advocate positions on justice or capital punishment, allowing ethical ambiguity to emerge organically from character causality.^[32] ^[22] Yet, the plot's trajectory—from targeted vigilantism to indiscriminate purges—causally demonstrates the instability of relativized ethics under absolute power, as Light's initial crime-reduction gains (e.g., a 70% drop in reported offenses per in-series metrics) erode into paranoia and hubris, culminating in his unmasking and demise on January 28, 2010, without vindicating his framework. This structure invites scrutiny of subjective morality's pitfalls, privileging empirical observation of power's corrupting trajectory over abstract rationalizations.^[37]^[47]

Adaptations and Expansions

Original Manga

Death Note is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata.^[49]^[50] It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from December 2003 to May 2006, comprising 108 chapters.^[50]^[1] The chapters were collected into twelve tankōbon volumes, with the first released on April 2, 2004, and the final volume published on July 4, 2006.^[51] The story follows Light Yagami, a highly intelligent high school student frustrated with societal corruption, who discovers a notebook dropped into the human world by the shinigami Ryuk.^[52] This "Death Note" enables its owner to kill any human by writing their name in it while visualizing their face, leading Light to adopt the alias "Kira" and execute criminals worldwide to create a crime-free utopia.^[52]^[53] Light's actions draw the attention of the enigmatic detective L, sparking a high-stakes intellectual battle between the two as L seeks to identify and stop Kira.^[54] The narrative explores Light's moral descent, alliances with other shinigami and characters like Misa Amane, and the consequences of wielding god-like power, culminating in a resolution involving successors to L and global law enforcement efforts.^[53] Key characters include Ryuk, the death god who observes human entertainment through the notebook's use; L, whose unorthodox methods and deductive prowess challenge Kira's secrecy; and supporting figures such as Light's family and task force members who grapple with the ethical implications of the killings.^[52] The manga's artwork by Obata features detailed character designs and atmospheric shading that heighten tension in psychological confrontations.^[50] Ohba's writing emphasizes strategic mind games and philosophical questions about justice without prescribing moral absolutes.^[55]

Anime Series

The Death Note anime series adaptation, animated by Madhouse and directed by Tetsurō Araki, comprises 37 episodes that closely follow the manga's narrative of Light Yagami's acquisition of the supernatural Death Note and his ensuing conflict with detective L.^[28] Series composition was overseen by Toshiki Inoue, with scripts contributed by multiple writers including Shōji Yonemura for key episodes.^[28] The production aired weekly on Nippon Television starting October 3, 2006, and concluding June 26, 2007, typically on Tuesdays at 11:00 p.m. JST, with pauses on December 20, 2006, and January 3, 2007.^[28] Musical scoring was provided by composers Hideki Taniuchi and Yoshihisa Hirano, whose work blends orchestral tension, electronic elements, and rock influences to heighten the series' themes of moral ambiguity and pursuit.^[56] The opening themes feature "the WORLD" by Nightmare for episodes 1–19 and "What's up, people?!" by Maximum the Hormone for episodes 20–37, while endings include "Alumina" by Nightmare (episodes 1–19) and "Zetsubō Billy" by Maximum the Hormone (episodes 20–36), with episode 37 using a modified credits sequence.^[28] To adapt the manga's 108 chapters into 37 episodes, the anime condenses secondary plotlines and accelerates pacing in later arcs, culminating in episode 37's finale, which alters the manga's conclusion by depicting Light's death amid hallucinations of past victims and a symbolic procession of the deceased, diverging from the source material's warehouse collapse for heightened dramatic closure.^[57] In North America, Viz Media licensed the series in 2007, producing an English dub recorded by Ocean Group in Vancouver, which premiered on the Adult Swim block of [Cartoon Network](/page/Cartoon Network) on October 20, 2007, at midnight ET/PT.^[58] The dub retained core plot fidelity while adjusting dialogue for cultural nuances, and Viz released DVD sets starting in 2007, later followed by Blu-ray compilations.^[59] International broadcasts expanded to regions including Europe via channels like Mangas and MCM, contributing to the series' global dissemination.^[28]

Light Novels

Two light novels expand the Death Note universe beyond the original manga. The first, Death Note: Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases, written by Nisio Isin under the pseudonym NisiOisiN, serves as a prequel set prior to the manga's events.^[60] Published in Japan by Shueisha on August 1, 2006, it was released in English by Viz Media on February 19, 2008.^[60] The narrative centers on private investigator Naomi Misora, who collaborates with the enigmatic detective L to solve a series of murders in Los Angeles linked by the initials "BB," exploring themes of deduction and psychological profiling without direct involvement of the Death Note artifact.^[61] This work aligns closely with the manga's canon, providing backstory on L's early cases and character motivations.^[61] The second novel, L: Change the WorLd (stylized as L: change the WorLd), authored by the pseudonymous "M," functions as a spin-off in an alternate continuity tied to the live-action film series.^[62] Shueisha published it in Japan on December 25, 2007, with Viz Media issuing the English translation on October 20, 2009.^[62] In this story, L confronts his impending death—foreknowledge granted by the events of the films—while racing to thwart a terrorist organization, "Blue Ship," intent on releasing a deadly virus that threatens global humanity.^[63] The plot introduces new elements, such as L's protective role over orphaned children with unique abilities, emphasizing his strategic intellect amid personal vulnerability.^[63] Unlike the first novel, it diverges from the manga timeline, prioritizing film-specific resolutions.^[63]

Live-Action Films

The principal live-action film adaptations of Death Note consist of a Japanese duology directed by Shūsuke Kaneko, released in 2006. Death Note, premiering on June 17, 2006, adapts the manga's initial arc, depicting high school student Light Yagami (Tatsuya Fujiwara) acquiring the supernatural notebook and clashing with detective L (Kenichi Matsuyama) in his quest to eliminate criminals as "Kira."^[64] The film grossed approximately $22.9 million in Japan, topping the box office for two weeks.^[65] Its sequel, Death Note: The Last Name, released November 3, 2006, resolves the central conflict, incorporating elements like the second Kira and Shinigami Rem, while achieving greater commercial success by holding the top spot for four weeks.^[66] Both films received positive audience feedback, with IMDb ratings of 7.5/10 and 7.1/10, respectively, praised for visual effects and performances despite condensing the source material.^[64] ^[67] A 2008 spin-off, L: Change the WorLd, directed by Hideo Nakata and released February 9, shifts focus to L's final 23 days thwarting a bioterrorism threat involving a deadly virus, independent of the main Kira storyline but featuring Matsuyama reprising his role alongside new characters like a boy he protects.^[68] It earned a moderate 6.0/10 on IMDb, with critics noting its character-driven approach but weaker narrative tension compared to the duology.^[68] In 2016, Death Note: Light Up the New World, directed by Ryūichi Inomata and Keisuke Toyoshima, served as a reboot set six years after the original events, introducing multiple Death Notes and new protagonists battling resurgent Kira forces, released October 21 in Japan.^[69] The 2017 American adaptation, produced for Netflix and directed by Adam Wingard, relocated the story to Seattle with protagonist Light Turner (Nat Wolff), an American high schooler, partnering with girlfriend Mia (Margaret Qualley) to wield the notebook against criminals, while pursued by detective L (LaKeith Stanfield). Released globally on August 25, 2017, it diverged significantly from the source by altering character motivations, accelerating the plot, and emphasizing gore over psychological depth.^[70] Netflix reported sizable viewership, comparable to other originals, though exact figures were not disclosed.^[71] Critically, it scored 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and 4.5/10 on IMDb, with detractors citing racial whitewashing, illogical script changes, and superficial handling of themes like vigilantism.^[71] ^[70]

Television Series

A Japanese live-action television drama adaptation of Death Note, titled Desu Nōto (デスノート), aired on Nippon Television (NTV) from July 5 to September 13, 2015, in 11 weekly episodes of approximately 45 minutes each.^[72] ^[73] The series was announced in April 2015 and produced by NTV, adapting the manga storyline wherein university student Light Yagami (portrayed by Masataka Kubota) discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill individuals by writing their names, leading him to target criminals as the vigilante "Kira" while evading pursuit by the eccentric detective L Lawliet (Kento Yamazaki).^[74] ^[75] Key supporting cast includes Hinako Sano as Misa Amane, Mio Yūki as Near, and Yūki Nomura as Ryuk, with the production incorporating practical effects for the Shinigami and emphasizing psychological tension through extended character interactions.^[75] ^[76] Unlike the manga and anime, the drama features notable deviations, such as accelerated plot progression, expanded family dynamics for Light, and altered resolutions for secondary characters like Soichiro Yagami, aiming to fit the narrative into episodic television format while retaining core cat-and-mouse dynamics between Light and L.^[74] These changes prioritize humanizing Light's descent into moral ambiguity, portraying his initial idealism evolving through visible internal conflict rather than rapid genius-driven schemes.^[77] The series achieved an average television viewership rating of 11.55% in Japan, reflecting solid domestic performance for a Sunday evening slot.^[73] Internationally, it holds a 7.0/10 rating on IMDb based on over 2,100 user reviews, with praise for its pacing—described as more concise than the anime's drawn-out arcs—and effective casting that captures the intellectual rivalry without over-relying on visual spectacle.^[75] Some viewers critiqued the finale for abrupt pacing after sustained tension, but overall feedback highlights stronger character progression for Light compared to prior adaptations.^[78]

Video Games

Konami developed and published three adventure games for the Nintendo DS exclusively in Japan, adapting elements of the Death Note storyline into interactive formats focused on strategy, deduction, and psychological elements.^[79] The first, Death Note: Kira Game, released on February 15, 2007, casts players in the roles of either Kira or L in a visual novel-style adventure, requiring them to identify and outmaneuver opponents through communication and strategic decisions simulating the cat-and-mouse dynamic of the series.^[80] ^[81] The second title, Death Note: L o Tsugu Mono (translated as Successor to L or Successors to L), followed on July 12, 2007, as a direct sequel emphasizing psychological battles and strategy in a narrative drawn from the manga's latter arcs, where players navigate succession themes post-L's involvement.^[82] ^[83] The third DS game, L the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap, launched on February 7, 2008, serves as a prequel escape-room adventure set before the main events, with players controlling a rookie FBI agent trapped in a mysterious facility and receiving guidance from L via a communicator to solve puzzles and uncover conspiracies.^[84] ^[85] In 2024, Bandai Namco Entertainment released DEATH NOTE Killer Within, a multiplayer social deduction game developed by Grounding Inc. for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam on November 5, available internationally.^[86] ^[87] This title supports up to 10 players divided into opposing teams—one aligned with L's investigation and the other concealing Kira's identity—emphasizing deception, voting mechanics, and objective fulfillment to expose or protect the Death Note's wielder.^[88]

Stage Musical

The rock musical Death Note: The Musical adapts the manga series' narrative of Light Yagami's discovery of a supernatural notebook that enables killing by name and face, set to music by composer Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and book by Ivan Menchell.^[89] A concept album featuring English-language recordings by performers such as Louise Hart as Misa Amane and Christian Glass as L was released in 2014 to develop the score.^[89] The production world-premiered in Japanese on April 6, 2015, at Tokyo's Nissay Theatre, running through April 29 with Kenji Urai alternating as Light Yagami and Teppei Koike as L.^[90] A Korean-language version followed in July 2015 at the Blue Square Theater in Seoul, produced by C-JeS Culture in collaboration with Japan's Horipro, and reprised there in 2017 and 2022 at the Chungmu Art Center.^[89] ^[91] Subsequent stagings included a 2017 Tokyo revival with Urai returning as Light, a 2017 production in Taichung, Taiwan, and a 2020 Tokyo run featuring open auditions for a new Light cast amid pandemic delays.^[89] ^[92] International expansions encompassed a 2021 concert in Moscow, a 2022 staging in Rio de Janeiro, and an English-language concert premiere in London on September 21, 2023, at the London Palladium, starring Dean John-Wilson as L and Frances Mayli McCann as Misa, which sold out its initial run of 10 performances across the Palladium and Lyric Theatres.^[89] ^[93] ^[94] A U.S. adaptation titled Death Note: Change the World the Musical, the first full American production, announced its cast in August 2024, drawing from the original score while incorporating localized elements.^[95] Korean revivals continued into 2025 with rotating casts including Jo Hyeong-kyun, Kim Min-seok, and Lim Gyu-hyung as Light, alongside a planned 10th-anniversary Japanese staging directed by Tamiya Kuriyama at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia HALL in November 2025.^[91] ^[96] The musical's structure condenses the manga's plot into two acts, emphasizing Light's moral descent through songs like "Where Is the Justice?" and "Kira," while incorporating Shinigami Ryuk via ensemble choreography and projections for otherworldly effects.^[97]

Recent Developments

In November 2024, Bandai Namco Entertainment released Death Note: Killer Within, a multiplayer social deduction game developed by Grounding Inc. for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, adapting the series' themes of deception and investigation into an Among Us-style format where players assume roles like Kira or L to uncover or conceal the Death Note's user.^[87] The game supports cross-play and voice chat, emphasizing strategic bluffing and deduction among 10-16 players.^[98] In July 2025, the developers announced additional roles, including Watari and the National Police Agency Chief, alongside DLC such as a Soichiro Yagami avatar, set for release in Summer 2025 to expand gameplay depth.^[99] In May 2025, producers announced a revival run of the Death Note stage musical at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall in November 2025, marking the production's 10th anniversary with performances celebrating the original 2015 Japanese adaptation's blend of suspenseful score and narrative fidelity to the manga.^[100] Series illustrator Takeshi Obata contributed new original artwork in March 2025, depicting Misa Amane to promote a Death Note-themed pop-up store opening on March 19 in Japan, reigniting fan speculation about potential franchise expansions amid the artwork's detailed rendering of the character's gothic aesthetic.^[101] Earlier in February 2025, Obata released additional promotional illustrations, further highlighting the manga's ongoing visual legacy without confirming new story content.^[102]

Reception

Commercial Performance

The manga series has sold over 30 million copies worldwide as of 2024, with approximately 26 million copies sold in Japan alone.^[51] Its 12 tankōbon volumes contributed to this figure, establishing it as one of the higher-selling shōnen titles despite not reaching the scale of long-running series like One Piece.^[51] The 2006 anime adaptation, produced by Madhouse, achieved strong viewership in Japan during its original broadcast from October 2006 to June 2007, topping ratings charts and driving demand for home video releases, though specific DVD and Blu-ray sales figures remain undisclosed in public reports.^[103] Subsequent Blu-ray box sets, including a 2016 remastered edition, have sustained interest among collectors.^[104] Live-action films bolstered the franchise's earnings. The 2006 Death Note film grossed ¥2.85 billion (about $24.5 million) at the Japanese box office and an additional $6.8 million overseas, including $3.7 million in South Korea.^[65] Its sequel, Death Note: The Last Name, performed comparably, contributing to the series' theatrical dominance in Japan. The 2016 Death Note: Light Up the New World earned 2 billion yen (about $17.9 million) and sold 1.5 million tickets.^[105] In contrast, the 2017 Netflix adaptation, with a reported production budget of $40 million, lacked theatrical release data and underperformed in viewer reception, limiting its direct revenue contribution.^[106] Merchandise sales, including apparel, figures, and notebooks featuring characters like Light Yagami and Ryuk, remain active through licensed retailers, reflecting ongoing fan demand two decades post-release, though aggregate figures are not publicly detailed.^[107] Overall franchise revenue, encompassing manga, anime, films, and licensing, has not been comprehensively reported but is inferred to exceed hundreds of millions based on component successes.^[108]

Critical Evaluations

Critics have widely acclaimed the Death Note manga for its intellectual cat-and-mouse narrative between protagonist Light Yagami and detective L, praising Tsugumi Ohba's intricate plotting and Takeshi Obata's detailed artwork that heightens suspense through visual tension.^[109] ^[110] Reviewers highlight the series' exploration of moral ambiguity, power corruption, and vigilante justice as philosophically engaging, with Light's descent into megalomania providing a compelling anti-hero arc supported by logical deductions and strategic gambles.^[111] ^[55] The anime adaptation, directed by Tetsurō Araki, extended this praise, earning a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 14 critic reviews, with consensus noting its profound interrogation of justice, murder, and human nature amid high-stakes drama.^[112] ^[113] It received Tokyo Anime Award wins, including for Best Voice Actor, recognizing its production quality, voice performances, and addictive pacing in the first half.^[114] ^[115] However, evaluations frequently criticize the manga's and anime's second arcs for declining coherence after L's death around volume 7 (episode 25), introducing successors Near and Mello whose strategies feel contrived and less intellectually rigorous, shifting from deductive realism to improbable contrivances.^[116] ^[117] Plot inconsistencies, such as the unexamined forensic oversight of fingerprints on the Death Note itself or Light's improbable access to secure systems without realistic hacking barriers, undermine the early logical foundation, revealing causal gaps in the supernatural rules' application.^[118] ^[119] These flaws, often overlooked in initial hype, contribute to a perceived drop from masterful thriller to formulaic shonen escalation, with Light's unchallenged god complex straining credibility.^[120]

Audience and Fan Perspectives

Death Note has garnered widespread acclaim among anime enthusiasts for its intellectual depth and suspenseful narrative, evidenced by its 8.62 rating on MyAnimeList from over 2.9 million users and 8.9/10 on IMDb from 448,000 reviewers, who frequently highlight the psychological tension between protagonists Light Yagami and L, as well as explorations of justice and power.^[121]^[122] Fans often describe the series as a "masterpiece" for its character development, plot twists, and moral ambiguity, with many crediting it for introducing Western audiences to complex anime storytelling beyond action-oriented tropes.^[123]^[124] Audience perspectives emphasize the series' ability to provoke ethical debates, particularly regarding Light's vigilante killings as a form of retribution versus legal justice, leading to divided opinions on whether viewers sympathize with his god-like ambitions or view him as a delusional antagonist.^[124]^[33] Some fans argue the narrative's strength lies in its refusal to moralize, allowing viewers to grapple with relativism in punishment, while others criticize Light's unchecked ego as undermining any philosophical merit.^[125]^[126] Fan communities, particularly on platforms like Reddit, frequently debate the series' pacing and quality decline after L's death, with older viewers noting that while the initial cat-and-mouse dynamic remains timeless, subsequent arcs involving Near and Mello feel contrived and less engaging compared to the original's intellectual rigor.^[127]^[128] Controversial takes include assertions that Light should have triumphed to affirm the story's amoral worldview, though this view is contested by those who see his downfall as a necessary critique of hubris.^[129] Despite such divisions, the fandom's enduring popularity is reflected in its status as a gateway anime, sustaining discussions on morality and human nature two decades post-release.^[130]^[131]

Controversies

Governmental Bans and Censorship

In China, the Death Note manga faced multiple restrictions starting in 2005, when school officials in Shenyang prohibited its possession after students began modifying ordinary notebooks to inscribe the names of disliked classmates and teachers, imitating the series' supernatural killing mechanism.^[132] Authorities in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenyang extended these measures nationwide, citing risks to students' physical and mental health from exposure to themes of murder and retribution.^[133] By 2007, Beijing's municipal government classified the manga as an "illegal terrifying publication" and barred it from newsstands.^[134] In June 2015, the Ministry of Culture added Death Note to a list of 38 banned Japanese manga and anime titles, prohibiting their import, distribution, and online availability to curb content deemed harmful to youth morality and social stability.^[135]^[136] Russia imposed targeted bans on the Death Note anime in 2021 amid parental campaigns dating to 2013, following a 15-year-old girl's suicide where her collection of the manga was cited by some as a contributing factor, prompting appeals to President Vladimir Putin for prohibition.^[137] On January 20, St. Petersburg's Kolpinsky District Court ruled to block distribution of the series—alongside Inuyashiki and Tokyo Ghoul—on specific websites like jut.su, classifying it as extremist material that promotes violence, psychological harm, and suicide inducement among minors.^[138]^[139] Prosecutors argued the content could incite teenagers to replicate on-screen acts, such as self-harm or vigilante justice, leading to orders for site operators to remove episodes and related materials.^[140] These rulings applied to streaming platforms rather than a nationwide outright ban, reflecting selective enforcement against perceived threats to public order.^[141] No comprehensive governmental bans have been documented in other nations, though isolated school-level restrictions occurred in places like New Zealand, where educators occasionally discouraged Death Note due to its graphic depictions of death and moral ambiguity, without formal legislative action.^[142] The bans in China and Russia stemmed from official concerns over the series' influence on impressionable youth, particularly its portrayal of intellectualized killing as a tool for societal "purification," though empirical evidence linking consumption to real-world harm remains anecdotal and unverified by independent studies.^[8]

Real-World Imitations and Incidents

In September 2007, dismembered body parts of a 20-year-old man named Sidi Larbi M. were discovered in Duden Park, Saint-Gilles, Belgium, accompanied by notes written in Japanese reading "Watashi wa Kira dess" ("I am Kira," with a misspelling), referencing the antagonist Kira from Death Note.^[143] ^[144] The victim had been beaten to death, decapitated, and partially incinerated by four young men in their early 20s—three of Moroccan descent and one Belgian—who were anime enthusiasts and explicitly cited Death Note as inspiration for posing as "Kira" to intimidate or emulate the series' vigilante killings.^[145] ^[146] The perpetrators were arrested in 2010 after forensic evidence linked them to the crime, with prosecutors charging three with murder; the case, dubbed the "Manga Murder," highlighted rare lethal imitation but was attributed by authorities to the group's emulation of the manga's themes rather than broader societal causation.^[146] Beyond this isolated homicide, Death Note has prompted numerous non-violent imitations, primarily among adolescents creating mock "death lists" in notebooks mimicking the supernatural notebook's mechanics, often leading to school evacuations, arrests, and disciplinary actions.^[147] In the United States, incidents include a 12-year-old student in Palatka, Florida, arrested on October 20, 2025, for felony written threats after a notebook with classmates' names was found in a school bathroom.^[148] Similarly, in September 2024, a "death note" listing students was discovered at Akron's I Promise School, prompting parental and teacher concerns over inadequate response, though no harm occurred.^[149] ^[150] Other cases span locations like Trussville, Alabama (2022), where a high school student faced scrutiny for a prior threat alongside a "death note"; Seabrook, New Hampshire (January 2022), involving fifth-graders disciplined for an anime-inspired "kill list"; and a Hawaii elementary school in March 2025, where a "death list" note raised alarms but was deemed non-credible after investigation.^[151] ^[152] ^[153] These episodes, documented across multiple U.S. states and internationally, typically involve juveniles aged 10–15 drawing names without intent to act, resulting in legal consequences under threat statutes but no subsequent violence; experts note such mimicry reflects the series' cultural penetration among youth rather than inherent incitement, though schools have heightened vigilance for notebook-based lists post-incidents.^[147] No verified pattern of escalated harm beyond threats has emerged, distinguishing Death Note imitations from media-linked violence in other franchises.^[147]

Cultural and Adaptation Disputes

The 2017 Netflix live-action adaptation of Death Note, directed by Adam Wingard, generated substantial debate over its cultural relocation and casting choices, which deviated markedly from the Japanese origins of the manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The film transposed the narrative from Japan to Seattle, Washington, renaming protagonist Light Yagami as Light Turner and casting white American actor Nat Wolff in the role, prompting widespread accusations of whitewashing from fans and advocacy groups who argued that this erased the story's embedded Japanese cultural elements, such as societal views on justice, hierarchy, and shinigami mythology.^[154] ^[155] Critics contended that the changes diluted the original's exploration of collectivist ethics versus individual vigilantism, rendering Light's motivations—tied to Japanese exam pressures and moral absolutism—less authentic in an American high school context.^[156] ^[157] Producer Roy Lee countered these criticisms by framing the alterations as necessary for a localized adaptation aimed at Western audiences, asserting that direct transplants of Asian characters into non-Asian settings would create implausible disconnects, and emphasizing that the core themes of power corruption and moral ambiguity remained intact.^[158] Some analysts supported this view, arguing that cultural adaptation enhances accessibility without inherent erasure, as the story's universal appeal transcends national boundaries, and citing precedents where localization succeeded in broadening anime's reach.^[159] In contrast, detractors highlighted a pattern in Hollywood of prioritizing marketability over fidelity, linking it to similar backlash against films like Ghost in the Shell (2017), where Asian-led narratives were recast with white leads.^[160] The original creators offered a divergent perspective, expressing approval of the Netflix version. Ohba described it as possessing a "high level of quality, sophistication, and attention to every detail," deeming it "what a Hollywood Death Note movie should be" for balancing fidelity with divergence to attract non-fans.^[157] Obata praised its "beautiful imagery" and "thrilling direction," calling it a "magnificent A-level thriller masterpiece" faithful to character desires and optimistic about its global dissemination via Netflix.^[157] This endorsement underscored a divide between creator intent for international expansion and fan insistence on cultural preservation, with reception polls showing the film scoring 37% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 17% from audiences, largely due to perceived tonal and contextual mismatches.^[161] Earlier Japanese live-action films (2006 and 2008), directed by Shusuke Kaneko and starring Tatsuya Fujiwara as Light, faced fewer cultural disputes, as they retained the original Tokyo setting, Japanese cast, and narrative structure, earning praise for visual effects and suspense while compressing the manga's arc into feature-length formats.^[162] Minor criticisms focused on pacing shortcuts rather than cultural infidelity, highlighting how fidelity to source demographics mitigated backlash in domestic adaptations compared to the Netflix export.^[163]

Cultural and Intellectual Impact

Influence on Popular Media

Death Note popularized the psychological thriller format in anime, featuring high-stakes intellectual duels between protagonists with supernatural advantages and morally complex justifications for their actions. This cat-and-mouse dynamic, centered on Light Yagami's use of the Death Note to enact vigilante justice while evading detective L, set a benchmark for subsequent series emphasizing strategic mind games and ethical ambiguity over action-oriented plots.^[164]^[165] The manga's serialization from December 2003 to May 2006 and the anime adaptation's premiere on October 3, 2006, elevated expectations for narrative depth in the genre, influencing works that explore similar themes of power corruption and justice. Its impact extended to Western animation through direct parodies, such as the 2022 Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII," where Lisa Simpson wields a supernatural notebook akin to the Death Note to target disliked figures, referencing early video game villains in her victim selection.^[166]^[167] Beyond parodies, Death Note's philosophical inquiries into vigilantism and morality raised standards for intellectual engagement in both Eastern and Western media, contributing to broader cross-cultural adoption of anime tropes in thrillers and prompting adaptations like the 2017 Netflix live-action film.^[168]

Broader Philosophical and Societal Discussions

Death Note has prompted extensive philosophical inquiry into the nature of justice, particularly the tension between vigilantism and institutionalized legal systems. The protagonist Light Yagami's use of the Death Note to execute criminals unilaterally embodies a consequentialist approach, where the ends—reduced crime rates—justifies the means of extrajudicial killing, yet the narrative illustrates how such actions erode due process and invite abuse of power.^[34] Analysts argue that Light's initial intent to create a crime-free utopia aligns with utilitarian principles, positing that eliminating proven offenders maximizes societal welfare, but this overlooks deontological constraints against murder regardless of outcomes.^[47] The series critiques this by depicting Light's gradual moral descent, where selective killings expand to include perceived threats, underscoring the subjective arbitrariness of defining "evil."^[169] Discussions on power's corrupting influence draw from the adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely, as evidenced in Light's evolution from idealistic student to megalomaniacal figure willing to sacrifice innocents for his regime. Psychological interpretations highlight a god complex emerging from unchecked authority, where the Death Note's supernatural efficacy bypasses accountability, fostering hubris and rationalized atrocities.^[170] This mirrors real-world observations of authoritarian figures, but Death Note emphasizes causal mechanisms: the notebook's anonymity removes immediate consequences, enabling escalation from targeted justice to totalitarian control.^[171] Critics note that while some viewers initially sympathize with Light's efficiency—citing global crime reductions in the story's early phases—the plot's resolution affirms that such systems devolve into tyranny without checks.^[172] Societally, Death Note fuels debates on moral education and youth exposure to ethical ambiguities, with educators using it to explore relativism versus objective morality. In academic contexts, it serves as a case study for surveillance ethics, paralleling modern tensions between privacy and security, as Light's methods evoke debates over predictive policing or drone strikes.^[48] Some analyses apply aspect recognition theory to viewer ethics, suggesting the series prompts recognition of moral "blind spots" in characters and audiences alike, though empirical studies on its impact remain limited, relying instead on anecdotal reports of sparking existential reflections on personal agency.^[37] Overall, these discussions reinforce the narrative's caution against individual moral absolutism, prioritizing institutional safeguards to prevent the causal chain from good intentions to societal harm.^[39]

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Death Note's English Dub Premieres on Web, Television - News
Oct 19, 2007 · The Adult Swim television network will premiere Viz Media and The Ocean Group's English dub of the Death Note supernatural suspense anime ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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See Death Note - The Complete Series - VIZ
Light Yagami gains power over life and death with a Death Note, aiming to rid the world of evil, but his actions have consequences.
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Death Note: Another Note - The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases
Death Note: Another Note - The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases ; Shipped & Sold by. Amazon.com ; Returns. FREE 30-day refund/replacement ; Payment. Secure transaction.
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Death Note: Another Note - The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases
Rating 4.2 (14,401) Stuck in the middle between killer and investigator, it's up to Misora to navigate both the dead bodies and the egos to solve the Los Angeles Murder Cases.<|separator|>
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Death Note: L, Change the WorLd - Amazon.com
Detective L has twenty-three days before his death to stop a terrorist group from unleashing a deadly virus that could eliminate most of humanity.
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Death Note: L, Change the WorLd by M | Goodreads
Rating 4.2 (6,427) The story is about the world's greatest detective, L, who must stop a terrorist organization called "Blue Ship" before his inevitable death in twenty-three days ...
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Death Note (2006) - IMDb
Rating 7.5/10 (32,972) A battle between the world's two greatest minds begins when Light Yagami finds the Death Note, a notebook with the power to kill, and decides to rid the world ...Death Note · The Last Name · Tatsuya Fujiwara · Ken'ichi Matsuyama
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Death Note (2006) - Box Office Mojo
By Region ; Japan, 1, $22,909,043 ; South Korea, 1, $3,700,753 ; Hong Kong, 1, $1,819,878 ; Taiwan, 1, $626,534 ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Death Note: The Last Name
Release and reception ... Death Note: The Last Name premiered on November 3, 2006 and instantly topped the Japanese box office. It remained at number one for four ...
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Death Note: The Last Name (2006) - IMDb
Rating 7.1/10 (18,298) The second part of the "Death Note" movie series, "the Last Name" starts from where the first one ended. Yagami Light, who uses God of Death's notebook, the ...
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Death Note: L Change the World (2008) - IMDb
Rating 6/10 (9,123) A spin-out sequel to the popular Japanese thriller. This time it focuses on the character "L." 6.0 /10 9.1K YOUR RATING Rate
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Every Live-Action Death Note Movie & TV Show, Ranked Worst To ...
Nov 29, 2023 · 6 Death Note (2017) · 5 Death Note: Light Up The New World (2016) · 4 L: Change The World (2008) · 3 Death Note (2015) · 2 Death Note 2: The Last ...
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Death Note (2017) - IMDb
Rating 4.5/10 (94,502) A high school student discovers a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it, and launches a secret crusade to rid the world of criminals.Death Note · Full cast & crew · Parents guide · User reviews
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Death Note (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 36% (77) A high school student discovers a supernatural notebook that has deadly powers. He can kill anyone he wishes simply by inscribing their name within its pages.77 Reviews · Cast and Crew · Trailers & Videos · Trailer 1
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Death Note - MyDramaList
Death Note · Country: Japan · Type: Drama · Episodes: 11 · Aired: Jul 5, 2015 - Sep 13, 2015 · Aired On: Sunday · Original Network: NTV · Duration: 45 min. · Score: 7.9 ...
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Death Note (Japanese Drama) - AsianWiki
Light Yagami (Masataka Kubota) is an ordinary university student. One day, he receives a death note which changes his life. The death note awakens his warped ...
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Death Note (2015 TV drama)
Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto) is a live-action television drama that aired from July to September 2015 on NTV. It is based on the Death Note manga ...
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Death Note (TV Mini Series 2015) - IMDb
Rating 7/10 (2,137) Light Yagami, an ordinary university student, receives a death note which changes his life. The death note awakens his warped sense of justice and genius.
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Death Note (TV Series 2015-2015) — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Rating 7.4/10 (222) Series Cast · Masataka Kubota as Light Yagami · Masataka Kubota · Kento Yamazaki as L Kento Yamazaki · Mio Yuki as N Mio Yuki · Hinako Sano as Misa Amane. Hinako ...
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Death Note's Best Live-Action Adaptation: 2015 Japanese Mini ...
Aug 4, 2025 · The live-action is led by Japanese actor, Masataka Kubota, who brings a unique take to Light's complicated persona. However, the star of the ...<|separator|>
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Death Note (TV Mini Series 2015) - User reviews - IMDb
I really like this live action mini series version of Death Note. It is a very engrossing story and has a much better pace than the anime series.Missing: reception | Show results with:reception
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Death Note (series) - Konami Wiki - Fandom
Konami developed and published three games of this series, all were released on Nintendo DS. Konami Games. Death Note: Kira Game (2007); Death Note: Successors ...
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Death Note: Kira Game Release Information for DS - GameFAQs
Game Detail ; Platform: DS ; Genre: Adventure » Visual Novel ; Developer/Publisher: Konami ; Release: February 15, 2007 ; Franchises: Death Note ...
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Death Note: Kira Game - StrategyWiki
Apr 1, 2023 · Developer(s), Konami ; Publisher(s), Konami ; Year released, 2007 ; System(s), Nintendo DS ; Followed by, L o Tsugu Mono.Missing: details | Show results with:details
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Death Note: The Successor to L for Nintendo DS - VGChartz
Death Note: L o Tsugu Mono is an Adventure game, developed and published by Konami, which was released in Japan in 2007.
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Death Note: Successors to L | GameCompanies.com
About. Death Note: Successors to L was released in Japan on July 12, 2007. The storyline is based on the second part of the manga, featuring characters such ...
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Games - Death Note - Giant Bomb
Games · Death Note: Killer Within · L the ProLogue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap · Death Note: Successor to L · Death Note: Kira Game · Pick a List · Comment and Save.
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L the Prologue to Death Note -Spiraling Trap - Kotaku
The player assumes the role of a rookie FBI agent who awakens in a strange hotel and attempts to escape with the help of L, who provides assistance via an in- ...
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DEATH NOTE Killer Within on Steam
Developer. Grounding Inc. ; Publisher. Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. ; Released. Nov 5, 2024 ; Special Edition. The Special Edition includes:
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Truth Lies Between the Lines in Death Note Killer Within, Coming to ...
Oct 30, 2024 · DEATH NOTE Killer Within will be available on November 5, 2024, exclusively for PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 and PC via STEAM®.
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DEATH NOTE Killer Within | Official Site - Bandai Namco
DEATH NOTE Killer Within is an online social deduction game for up to 10 players. Players will be split into two teams with different objectives. To win the ...
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Death Note: The Musical - Frank Wildhorn
PRODUCTION HISTORY: 2014 Concept album. 2015 Tokyo. 2015 Seoul. 2017 Seoul. 2017 Tokyo. 2017 Taichung. 2020 Tokyo. 2021 Moscow (concert). 2022 Seoul. 2022 Rio ...
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INTERVIEW | Yoshitaka Hori on 'Death Note: The Musical' Revival ...
Jan 19, 2020 · Mr. Hori shared the backstory of Death Note: The Musical in an interview with JAPAN Forward. In the excerpts below, he discusses his vision for bringing Made- ...
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Musical 'Death Note' unveils new cast with fresh interpretations in ...
Aug 19, 2025 · The roles of 'Light Yagami' will be played by Jo Hyeong-kyun, Kim Min-seok, and Lim Gyu-hyung, while 'L' will be played by Kim Sung-kyu, Sandul, ...
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Death Note Musical to Bring Light and L to the Stage Again in 2020!
Jan 16, 2019 · The 2020 production will feature an entirely new cast and open auditions are currently underway for the leading role of Yagami Light. Amateurs ...
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Death Note The Musical Announces Cast for English Language ...
Jun 1, 2023 · Stars of the London concert will include Frances Mayli McCann (Bonnie and Clyde) as Misa, Dean John-Wilson (Aladdin) as L, and Joaquin Pedro Valdes (The Lion ...
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Death Note the Musical takes us behind the scenes - First Look
Sep 11, 2023 · After selling out ten performances at London Palladium and Lyric Theatres, behind-the-scenes photos are released by Death Note the Musical.<|separator|>
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Death Note: Change the World the Musical Cast Announcement video
Aug 23, 2024 · Since interest was shown, here you go! The official cast for the very first adaptation of the Death Note Musical here in America!
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https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2025/5/16/death-note-the-musical-10th-anniversary-performance-tokyo-november
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The Man Who Set “Death Note” to Music: A Talk with Frank Wildhorn
Apr 13, 2015 · After penning pop songs for the stars and finding fame on Broadway, Frank Wildhorn has taken on the challenge of creating a musical ...
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Death Note Killer Within launches Nov 5 as part of the PlayStation ...
Oct 30, 2024 · Death Note Killer Within is coming to both PS5 and PS4 on November 5, 2024 and will support both online cross-play and voice chat.<|control11|><|separator|>
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DEATH NOTE Killer Within Game Announces New Roles Coming ...
Jul 2, 2025 · DEATH NOTE Killer Within game revealed new roles in the latest trailer, with the additions set to arrive in Summer 2025.
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News Death Note the Musical Gets New Run in November
Death Note the Musical announced on Friday its new run in November at the Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall to commemorate the musical's 10th anniversary.
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Death Note Returns As Creator Revisits Misa With Gift For Fans
Mar 11, 2025 · To celebrate a brand new pop-up store hitting Japan later this month on March 19th, series illustrator Takeshi Obata has shared a new take on Misa.
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Is Death Note Eyeing a Return? Its Artist Just Dropped a Special ...
Feb 17, 2025 · The drawing was created to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Obata winning a semi-finalist prize in the Osamu Tezuka Manga Awards, but it has ...<|separator|>
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r/deathnote on Reddit: Why was the anime so expensive to produce ...
Mar 6, 2022 · Famdomwire here said the shows total budget was 40 million making it 1 mil an episode at 40 episodes. However I have no idea where they got ...Was the Death Note anime/manga popular in Japan? - RedditHow much money did the Netflix movie adaptation of Death Note ...More results from www.reddit.com
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https://japanmusicmarket.com/products/anime-dvd-death-note-7-discs-bluray-box-%25E3%2583%2587%25E3%2582%25B9%25E3%2583%258E%25E3%2583%25BC%25E3%2583%2588
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Death Note Light up the NEW world Film Has Earned 2 Billion Yen
Nov 29, 2016 · The live-action Death Note Light up the NEW world film has earned 2 billion yen (about US$17.85 million) and sold 1.5 million tickets as of Wednesday.<|separator|>
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How much money did the Netflix movie adaptation of Death Note ...
Mar 5, 2021 · After spending $40-$50 million on a live-action adaptation of Death Note, Netflix has shelled out $90 million for the Will Smith film Bright, ...After spending $40-$50 million on a live-action adaptation of Death ...Review Megathread: Death Note (2017) : r/movies - RedditMore results from www.reddit.comMissing: reception | Show results with:reception
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https://www.hottopic.com/pop-culture/shop-by-license/death-note/
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Highest Grossing Anime Franchises of All Time - Facebook
Mar 21, 2024 · Higest Grossing Anime Franchises of all time 1. Pokemon ( $95 Billion ) ... “Death Note” 14. “Hunter x Hunter” 15. “My Hero Academia” 16 ...I definitely can believe death note was a million, especially in the ...Bleach anime franchise absence from highest grossing list - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.com
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Death Note Manga Review - Legend of the Golden Wind
May 28, 2018 · Overall, the story to Death Note is a wild ride that almost never has a dull moment. Every plan feels logical, and has a well thought out ...Missing: critical | Show results with:critical
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Review: Death Note (Manga) – The Writer's Library
Sep 22, 2020 · Review: Death Note (manga) by Tsugumi Ohba. Illustrated by Takeshi Obata. My rating of the series: Five out of five stars.Missing: critical | Show results with:critical
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https://www.michaelyearby.com/post/the-intriguing-world-of-death-note-a-comprehensive-anime-manga-review
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Death Note - Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 100% (14) Discover reviews, ratings, and trailers for Death Note on Rotten Tomatoes. Stay updated with critic and audience scores today!
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Season 1 – Death Note - Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 100% (14) Episode 1 video still. Episode 1 Aired Oct 4, 2006. Rebirth · Light Yagami decides to rid the world of evil with the power of the Death Note. ; Episode 2 video ...
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Death Note (TV Series 2006–2007) - Awards - IMDb
2007 Nominee Scream Award. Best Foreign Movie. Tokyo Anime Award · Mamoru Miyano in Ajin: Demi-Human (2017) · 2008 Winner Best Voice Actor. TV Category.
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Death Note Reviews - Metacritic
Death Note. Season 1 Premiere: Oct 3, 2006 ... Thriller · All Details · Awards. Awards. View All. Tokyo Anime Award. • 2 Wins & 2 Nominations. Scream Awards.
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Manga Series Review: Death Note - Anne with a Book
Apr 10, 2019 · However, for me, the series gets repetitive and worse as the plot continues. I gave Volumes 1-3 4 stars, Volumes 4-7 3 stars, Volumes 8-10 2 ...Missing: critical | Show results with:critical
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Review: Death Note - AniB Productions - WordPress.com
Sep 22, 2018 · Total Score: 24.5/25 (98%). A masterpiece of anime, Death Note stands tall as a titan of the genre, with brisk pacing, a gripping narrative, and ...
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8 Big Plot Holes In Death Note - TheGamer
22‏/04‏/2025 · The story of Death Note takes many twists and turns as each character gains and loses the advantage in the investigation.
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6 Distracting Death Note Plot Holes That Ruin the Anime Once You ...
05‏/04‏/2025 · One of the most obvious plot holes in Death Note is the book itself. Why did they never consider dusting the book for fingerprints? Light ...ناقصة: analysis | عرض نتائج تتضمّن:analysis
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Death Note: 10 Flaws In The Anime That Fans Chose To Ignore
31‏/08‏/2021 · Death Note has plenty of flaws in its story and writing that fans are perfectly happy to ignore for the sake of the plot.
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Death Note - MyAnimeList.net
Death Note · 8.62(2,927,875 users) · Ranked #98 · TV (37eps) · Studios Madhouse · More Information.Reviews · Manga · Characters & Staff · Recommendations
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Death Note (TV Series 2006–2007) - IMDb
Rating 8.9/10 (448,322) An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone ...Episode list · Parents guide · Full cast & crew · Death Note
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Death Note (TV Series 2006–2007) - User reviews - IMDb
I will be short, the series is a gem: character buildup, screenwriting, tension, drama, art, cinematography, everything. Truly captivating story.
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What is it about 'Death Note' that captivated a new generation of ...
Oct 8, 2023 · They don't like death note because they have either read it's detailed summary, or a bad review ... Why is there a big fan community of Death Note ...
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Death Note: Finding Meaning in a Meaningless World - YouTube
Oct 14, 2022 · In this video, I try to parse through the supposed themes of justice and morality in Death Note to find a deeper understanding of what the ...Missing: audience | Show results with:audience<|separator|>
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Why Death Note Is Bad – press.exe - Talen Lee
Apr 30, 2014 · Death Note is bad because it pretends to be good, has a terrible main character, lacks moral complexity, and the characters are hard to ...
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To the older fans here, has time changed your opinions on Death ...
Apr 6, 2022 · Death Note is a really, really good story. It stands the test of time. That Light is a great protagonist written with so many layers and with ...I finally finished Death Note, and I'm confused by people's opinion ...Is it just me or does death note go from a great anime to average mid ...More results from www.reddit.com
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10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Death Note - CBR
May 24, 2022 · Death Note is not free from its faults. Despite its relevant themes (like the issues of morality), rewatching this anime comes with plenty of harsh realities.
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Why Light Should Have Legitimately Won - Death Note Fanon Wiki
The big question of the manga/anime I guess is: "Is murder wrong" and basically the intent is where the answer lies. In Light's scenario the answer lies with ...
[130]
Decades Later & Death Note Is Still My Favorite Anime For One Big ...
Sep 8, 2024 · Decades after its release, Death Note remains my favorite anime of all time for one big reason that many Western viewers missed completely.
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Death Note became the most popular anime on MyAnimeList in ...
Feb 4, 2022 · Death Note became the most popular anime on MyAnimeList in 2009, and today, it got dethrown by Attack on Titan, over a decade later.Is it just me or does death note go from a great anime to average mid ...Why is Death Note not that popular on Crunchyroll? - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
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TIL in 2005, school officials in Shenyang, China, banned the Death ...
Dec 10, 2022 · TIL in 2005, school officials in Shenyang, China, banned the Death Note manga. The immediate cause was that students had been altering notebooks ...Illegally brought manga to mainland CN : r/deathnote - RedditWhich anime are banned in China? - RedditMore results from www.reddit.com
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Daily Dose of Anime - Facebook
Aug 17, 2025 · One of the most bizarre censorship cases in China happened when Death Note manga was banned after students started creating their own "Death ...Missing: government | Show results with:government
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Death Note Trending in China Despite Bans - Otaku USA Magazine
Jul 29, 2015 · In 2007, the Beijing municipal government banned it from newsstands, declaring it an “illegal terrifying publication”. Over the past eight ...
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Japanese comics that are too racy for Chinese censors... but ... - BBC
Jul 27, 2015 · Death Note was one of 38 Japanese comics banned by Chinese censors. Despite the ban, the comic has consistently trended on Sina Weibo - China's microblogging ...
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China Bans Anime and Manga from the Internet
Jun 11, 2015 · The Chinese Ministry of Culture has issued a list of 38 Japanese manga and anime that will no longer be allowed into the country.<|separator|>
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Russia Bans 'Death Note,' 'Inuyashiki,' 'Tokyo Ghoul' Animes
Jan 20, 2021 · Russian parents have campaigned to ban “Death Note” as far back as 2013 after a 15-year-old girl with a collection of “Death Note” manga died by ...
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St. Petersburg court bans distribution of anime series 'Death Note' in ...
Jan 20, 2021 · St. Petersburg's Kolpinsky District Court has banned the distribution of the Japanese animes Death Note and Inuyashiki via the website “jut.su,”
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Russian Court Bans 'Death Note,' 'Tokyo Ghoul' & 'Inuyashiki' for ...
Jan 21, 2021 · Kolpinsky district court ordered Death Note and Inuyashiki be banned from distribution on two websites, and Tokyo Ghoul be banned on one site.
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Russia Starts Banning Death Note And Other Anime - Kotaku
This Wednesday, a St. Petersburg court has banned the Death Note, Tokyo Ghoul, and Inuyashiki anime after concerns that teenagers would mimic on-screen.
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Russia Gives Update on Ban of Death Note, Tokyo Ghoul, and More
Feb 16, 2021 · According to The Moscow Times, the Kolpinsky court district of St. Petersburg has banned Death Note and Inuyashiki from streaming on two unnamed ...
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Why is Death Note Banned In Some Countries? - Game Rant
Mar 9, 2023 · China also banned Death Note because students started creating their own Death Notes and began writing the names of the students and teachers ...
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The Full Story Behind The Real-Life "Death Note" Murder - Koreaboo
Oct 19, 2023 · It follows the story of Light Yagami, a genius high school student who discovers a notebook with the words “Death Note” imprinted on its cover.<|separator|>
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Death Note Connected to Murder in Belgium? - ComiPress
Oct 3, 2007 · According to the report, "local police have launched a murder investigation and that they consider it unlikely that the notes were left there ...
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Four held in manga-inspired Belgian murder: prosecutors - Expatica
Police arrested and charged four young men for the gory manga-inspired murder of a man three years ago, whose sliced remains were found in a Brussels park.
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News 4 Arrested for 2007 Belgian 'Manga Murder' Case
Sep 20, 2010 · 3 charged with murder in case of body parts found near notes linked to Death Note.
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10 Real Life 'Death Note' Incidents That Got Kids in Trouble - Inverse
Aug 17, 2017 · Here are ten places that have seen children, teens, and in a very scary case in Belgium, actual killers, dramatically try to replicate Light's dark alter ego.
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https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/student-arrest-written-death-threats-palatka/77-4aa2556c-45f2-4d79-a6ae-f85b8a020d7f
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'Death Note' found in I Promise School raising concerns
Sep 18, 2024 · Scholars found to have made threats face disciplinary action under our Code of Conduct and potential legal and criminal consequences.
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Akron teachers say district downplaying 'death note' at I Promise
Sep 17, 2024 · Some parents and teachers at Akron's I Promise School are expressing deep concerns after a so-called "death note" was found on school grounds.
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Trussville school leaders under fire over handling of student's 'death ...
Sep 27, 2022 · Choat said the student who was found with the "death note" last year allegedly made a threat on Sept. 16, prompting the SRO and Trussville ...
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NH fifth-graders disciplined for 'Death Note' based on anime game
Jan 19, 2022 · A “kill list” compiled by two fifth-graders playing an anime game available online sparked concern at Seabrook Middle School.
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'Death list' note at elementary school prompts concerns
Mar 28, 2025 · An alleged “death list” at a public elementary school has prompted concerns from parents and teachers who say the administration has been slow to act.<|control11|><|separator|>
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Netflix's 'Death Note' adaptation draws backlash for whitewashing
Mar 23, 2017 · The English-language adaptation of the popular Japanese manga of the same name has since drawn backlash online for what some are calling another example of ...<|separator|>
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Why 'Death Note' Is Guilty of Whitewashing - IndieWire
Aug 31, 2017 · While the release of Adam Wingard's controversial manga adaptation has been overshadowed by everything from Hurricane Harvey to “Game of ...
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Death Note: Whitewashing Japanese Creations - Screening Race
Oct 2, 2017 · This story, like many popular anime, has a large cultural significance to Japan where the belief and idea of a death god is widely common lore, ...Missing: disputes | Show results with:disputes
[157]
What Did the Creators of Death Note Think About the Polarizing ...
Feb 25, 2024 · The American live-action adaptation received mixed to negative reviews from both critics and fans. The movie was released on Netflix in August ...
[158]
https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/27/death-note-remake-whitewashing-backlash-roy-lee/
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In Defence of 'Death Note' Making Its Lead Character White - VICE
May 18, 2017 · The controversy is all too familiar— Ghost in the Shell, anyone?—a white actor cast in an Asian role, but in this case, I think it makes sense.
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Netflix's 'Death Note' accused of 'whitewashing' - CNN
Mar 23, 2017 · Advocacy groups have accused the sci-fi film "Annihilation" of "whitewashing" characters like Natalie Portman's Lena who is described as being ...
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16 Reasons Why Netflix's 'Death Note' Adaptation Failed - Ranker
The Netflix version is a movie rather than episodic anime or manga, major plot holes exist, character development feels inconsistent, and it fails to capture ...
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Death Note Remake: Here's Why Live-Action Anime Adaptations ...
Jul 17, 2022 · This is a live-action anime remake, and Death Note has had seven remakes, each with worse reviews than the last, since its release in 2006.
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Which is better, the Death note anime or the live action Japanese ...
Jul 4, 2017 · The anime is superior. The nature of anime, is episodic and long. To cram a 40+ episode show into a few hours, is doing it a great injustice.Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies<|separator|>
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Death Note: Gold Standard for Psychological Thriller Anime
Apr 1, 2014 · Death Note is a psychological thriller anime that was adapted from the manga of the same name created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and artist Takeshi Obata.
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Death Note is the greatest psychological thriller series ever created
Jun 4, 2021 · For critics, the psychological series Death Note can be described as nothing less than a masterpiece.
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Lisa's Victims In The Simpsons' Death Note Parody Were A Deep ...
Dec 16, 2022 · Lisa's Victims In The Simpsons' Death Note Parody Were A Deep Cut Reference To Video Game History ... Western take on the source material ...
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The Best Anime References In Western Cartoons - The Review Geek
Feb 6, 2023 · Codename: Kids Next Door (Dragon Ball Z Reference) · The Simpsons (Death Note Reference) · Rick & Morty (Akira Reference) · Regular Show (Neon ...<|separator|>
[168]
10 Best Anime Influences on Western Pop Culture - Screen Rant
Aug 15, 2024 · Death Note's impact is also seen in merchandising culture and Western media, as its philosophical questions raise standards for both ...
[169]
https://www.japannakama.co.uk/anime/deep-dives/death-note-study-of-justice-and-power/
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https://www.psychologs.com/the-psychological-analysis-of-death-note/
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The Philosophy Of Death Note - WordPress.com
Mar 31, 2007 · One possible explanation is that an increase in personal power results in the individual worrying less about being punished for their actions, ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Contingency & Mechanical Evil | The Philosophy of Death Note
Feb 18, 2024 · Light professes to be an atheist, but one should respond to him with the Žižekian-Lacanian provocation, “God is Dead, but He Doesn't Know It.” ...