Death Note

Brutal murders, petty thefts, and senseless violence pollute the human world. In contrast, the realm of death gods is a humdrum, unchanging gambling den. The ingenious 17-year-old Japanese student Light Yagami and sadistic god of death Ryuk share one belief: their worlds are rotten.

For his own amusement, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world. Light stumbles upon it, deeming the first of its rules ridiculous: the human whose name is written in this note shall die. However, the temptation is too great, and Light experiments by writing a felon's name, which disturbingly enacts his first murder.

Aware of the terrifying godlike power that has fallen into his hands, Light—under the alias Kira—follows his wicked sense of justice with the ultimate goal of cleansing the world of all evil-doers. The meticulous mastermind detective L is already on his trail, but as Light's brilliance rivals L's, the grand chase for Kira turns into an intense battle of wits that can only end when one of them is dead.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Lawliet, L Main

Yamaguchi, Kappei Japanese

Yagami, Light Main

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Ryuk Main

Nakamura, Shidou Japanese

Amane, Misa Supporting

Hirano, Aya Japanese

River, Nate Supporting

Hidaka, Noriko Japanese

Keehl, Mihael Supporting

Sasaki, Nozomu Japanese

Matsuda, Touta Supporting

Naitou, Ryou Japanese

Mikami, Teru Supporting

Matsukaze, Masaya Japanese

Jeevas, Mail Supporting

Nishimura, Tomohiro Japanese

Rem Supporting

Saitou, Kimiko Japanese

Maruyama, Masao Producer

Tamura, Manabu Producer

Nakatani, Toshio Producer

Hashimoto, Kentarou Producer

Reviews

Apr 7, 2025

BerryBlitz

Recommended

Few anime have managed to leave such a powerful and lasting impression as Death Note. From the moment Light Yagami picks up the mysterious notebook, I was instantly pulled into a gripping psychological battle of wits, morality, and manipulation. This isn't just a story about good versus evil—it's a masterclass in suspense, driven by complex characters, brilliant writing, and philosophical undertones that still spark debates today.

The cat-and-mouse game between Light and L is some of the most intense and clever storytelling I’ve seen in anime. Watching two genius minds constantly trying to outmaneuver each other kept me on edge every single episode. Every move had ... weight, every reveal felt earned, and the pacing was near perfect—especially in the first half of the series, which was simply flawless.

Light Yagami’s descent from idealistic student to power-hungry god was fascinating and terrifying, and L was the perfect foil—eccentric yet razor-sharp. Their rivalry is iconic, and the show knows exactly how to escalate tension without ever feeling forced.

The animation, while grounded, is stylish and atmospheric. The music? Unforgettable. From the haunting piano and choir tracks to the heavy rock themes, the soundtrack amplifies the drama at just the right moments. And that voice acting—both in Japanese and English—is top-tier. You can really feel every emotion and twisted sense of justice.

While the second half of the series does shift gears, I actually appreciated how it carried Light’s story to its inevitable conclusion. The final episodes were brutal, poetic, and haunting. The ending hit hard and felt like the only way a story like this could end.

In short, Death Note is a masterpiece of anime storytelling. It’s bold, thought-provoking, and endlessly rewatchable. Whether you're new to anime or a long-time fan, this is the kind of show that sticks with you long after the final scene fades to black.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Aug 30, 2024

Hamslice95

Mixed Feelings

very good and intense but I really do thing that it does start to drag its feet near the end, but maybe it's due to me being a bit too impatient and just wanting it to end already nearing the end or it could be that I did already know how it ended because I was spoiled.
Although I didn't have the best time with it, it was amazing at the start and would've gave it a 9/10 if it kept it up but for now it's a 7/10 but i really do recommend it to everyone who hasn't seen it and likes and/or doesn't mind ... slow burn stories

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Aug 9, 2023

juanlqr

Not Recommended

Funny

Death Note has only one season, but it seems to be split into two different "series". From episode 1 to 25 it is an excellent series, great story, good plot twists, with great characters. Some chapter lowers its level, but it´s good. From episode 26 to 37 it is absolutely the opposite. It costs too much to watch the episodes without wanting to turn off the TV. It no longer contains anything that one had been seeing. Is it one of the best anime? I think no, it is not. Is it a series to recommend? I would not do it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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