Death Note (stylized inall caps) is a Japanesemanga series written byTsugumi Ohba and illustrated byTakeshi Obata. It was serialized inShueisha'sshōnen manga magazineWeekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006, with its chapters collected in 12tankōbon volumes. The story followsLight Yagami, a genius high school student who discovers a mysterious notebook: the "Death Note", which belonged to theshinigamiRyuk, and grants the user the supernatural ability to kill anyone whose name is written in its pages. The series centers around Light's subsequent attempts to use the Death Note to carry out a worldwide massacre of individuals whom he deems immoral and to create a crime-free society, using the alias of a god-like vigilante named "Kira", and the subsequent efforts ofan elite Japanese police task force, led by enigmatic detectiveL, to apprehend him.
Death Note media, except for video games and soundtracks, is licensed and released in North America byViz Media. The episodes from the anime first appeared in North America as downloadable fromIGN before Viz Media licensed it. The series was aired onYTV'sBionix programming block in Canada and onAdult Swim in the United States with a DVD release following. The live-action films briefly played in certain North American theaters, in 2008, before receiving home video releases. By April 2015, theDeath Note manga had over 30 million copies in circulation, making it one of thebest-selling manga series.
InTokyo, a disaffected high school student namedLight Yagami finds the "Death Note", a mysterious black notebook with rules that can end anyone's life in seconds as long as the writer knows both the target's true name and face. Light uses the notebook to kill high-profile criminals and is visited byRyuk, ashinigami and the Death Note's original owner. Ryuk, invisible to anyone who has not touched the notebook, reveals that he dropped the notebook into the human world out of boredom and is amused by Light's actions.[5]
Global media suggest that a single mastermind is responsible for the mysterious murders and name them "Kira" (キラ, the Japanesetransliteration of the word "killer").Interpol requests the assistance of the enigmatic detectiveL to assist in their investigation. L tricks Light into revealing that he is in the Kanto region of Japan by manipulating him to kill a decoy. Light vows to kill L, whom he views as obstructing his plans. L deduces that Kira has inside knowledge of the Japanese police investigation, led by Light's father,Soichiro Yagami. L assigns a team ofFBI agents to monitor the families of those connected with the investigation and designates Light as the prime suspect. Light graduates from high school to college. L recruits Light into theKira Task Force.
Actress-modelMisa Amane obtains a second Death Note from ashinigami namedRem and makes a deal forshinigami eyes, which reveal the names of anyone whose face she sees, at the cost of half her remaining lifespan. Seeking to have Light become her boyfriend, Misa uncovers Light's identity as the original Kira. Light uses her love for him to his advantage, intending to use Misa'sshinigami eyes to discern L's true name. L deduces that Misa is likely the second Kira and detains her. Rem threatens to kill Light if he does not find a way to save Misa. Light arranges a scheme in which he and Misa temporarily lose their memories of the Death Note, and has Rem pass the Death Note toKyosuke Higuchi of theYotsuba Group.
With memories of the Death Note erased, Light joins the investigation and, together with L, deduces Higuchi's identity and arrests him. Light regains his memories and uses the Death Note to kill Higuchi, regaining possession of the book. After restoring Misa's memories, Light instructs her to begin killing as Kira, causing L to cast suspicion on Misa. Rem realizes Light's plan to have Misa sacrifice herself to kill L. After Rem kills L, she disintegrates and Light obtains her Death Note. The task force agrees to have Light operate as the new L. The investigation stalls but crime rates continue to drop.
Four years later, cults worshiping Kira have risen. L's potential successors are introduced:Near andMello. Mello joins the mafia whilst Near joins forces with the US government. Mello kidnaps Director Takimura, who is killed by Light. Mello kidnaps Light's sister and exchanges her for the Death Note, using it to kill almost all of Near's team. A Shinigami named Sidoh goes to Earth to reclaim his notebook and ends up meeting and helping Mello. Light uses the notebook to find Mello's hideout, but Soichiro is killed in the mission. Mello and Near exchange information and Mello kidnaps Mogi and gives him to Near. Kira's supporters attack Near's group, but they escape.Shuichi Aizawa, one of the task force members, becomes suspicious of Light and meets with Near. As suspicion falls again on Misa, Light passes Misa's Death Note toTeru Mikami, a fervent Kira supporter, and appoints newscasterKiyomi Takada as Kira's public spokesperson. Near has Mikami followed whilst Aizawa's suspicions are confirmed. Realizing that Takada is connected to Kira, Mello kidnaps her. Takada kills Mello but is killed by Light. Near arranges a meeting between Light and the current Kira Task Force members. Light tries to have Mikami kill Near as well as all the task force members, but Mikami's Death Note fails to work, having been replaced with a decoy. Near proves Light is Kira discovering Mikami had not written down Light's name. Light is wounded in a scuffle and begs Ryuk to write the names of everyone present. Ryuk instead writes down Light's name in his Death Note, as he had promised to do the day they met, and Light dies.
One year later, the world has returned to normal and the Kira Taskforce Members are conflicted over whether they made the right decision. Meanwhile, cults continue to worship Kira.
Three years later, Near, now functioning as the new L, receives word that a new Kira has appeared. Hearing that the new Kira is randomly killing people, Near concludes that the new Kira is an attention-seeker and denounces the new Kira as "boring" and not worth catching. Ashinigami named Midora approaches Ryuk and gives him an apple from the human realm, in a bet to see if a random human could become the new Kira, but Midora loses the bet when the human writes his own name in the Death Note after hearing Near's announcement. Ryuk tells Midora that no human would ever surpass Light as the new Kira.
Another ten years later, Ryuk returns to Earth and gives the Death Note to Minoru Tanaka, the top-scoring student in Japan, hoping that he will follow in Light Yagami's footsteps. On explaining the rules to Minoru, Ryuk is surprised when he returns the notebook and tells him to return it and his memory of their encounter to him in two years' time. Two years later, on receiving the notebook back from Ryuk, Minoru reveals he has no plans to use it himself but rather he plans to auction it off to the governments of the world, with Ryuk's help sending his offer out as "a-Kira", having waited two years until he was old enough to have a bank account to allow his plan to work. Elsewhere, Near (as L) is revealed to be developing technology meant to track Shinigami, although it is not yet advanced enough to be useful. After selling the Death Note toU.S. PresidentDonald Trump[6][7][8][b] for a sum that would ensure every Japanese citizen under the age of 60 would be financially set for life, Minoru relinquishes his ownership and memory of his plan to Ryuk, assuring his own anonymity, while Trump is left unable to use the Death Note after the King of Death creates a new rule disallowing the Death Note to be sold, and he secretly returns it to Ryuk. Minoru collapses to the ground in the bank after withdrawing his savings. It is revealed that Ryuk wrote his name in the Death Note next to Light's. He longs for a human who will use the notebook for a longer period of time.
TheDeath Note concept derived from a rather general concept involvingshinigami and "specific rules".[10] AuthorTsugumi Ohba wanted to create a suspense series because the genre had some suspense series available to the public. After the publication of the pilot chapter, the series was not expected to receive approval as a serialized comic. Learning thatDeath Note had received approval and that Takeshi Obata would create the artwork, Ohba said, they "couldn't even believe it".[11] Due to positive reactions,Death Note became a serialized manga series.[12]
"Thumbnails" incorporating dialogue, panel layout and basic drawings were created, reviewed by an editor and sent toTakeshi Obata, the illustrator, with the script finalized and the panel layout "mostly done". Obata then determined the expressions and "camera angles" and created the final artwork. Ohba concentrated on the tempo and the amount of dialogue, making the text as concise as possible. Ohba commented that "reading too much exposition" would be tiring and would negatively affect the atmosphere and "air of suspense". The illustrator had significant artistic licence to interpret basic descriptions, such as "abandoned building",[13] as well as the design of the Death Notes themselves.
When Ohba was deciding on the plot, they visualized the panels while relaxing on their bed, drinking tea, or walking around their house. Often the original draft was too long and needed to be refined to finalize the desired "tempo" and "flow". The writer remarked on their preference for reading the previous "two or four" chapters carefully to ensure consistency in the story.[10]
The typical weekly production schedule consisted of five days of creating and thinking and one day using a pencil to insert dialogue into rough drafts; after this point, the writer faxed any initial drafts to the editor. The illustrator's weekly production schedule involved one day with the thumbnails, layout, and pencils and one day with additional penciling and inking. Obata's assistants usually worked for four days and Obata spent one day to finish the artwork. Obata said that when he took a few extra days to color the pages, this "messed with the schedule". In contrast, the writer took three or four days to create a chapter on some occasions, while on others they took a month. Obata said that his schedule remained consistent except when he had to create color pages.[14]
Ohba and Obata rarely met in person during the creation of the serialized manga; instead, the two met with the editor. The first time they met in person was at an editorial party in January 2004. Obata said that, despite the intrigue, he did not ask his editor about Ohba's plot developments as he anticipated the new thumbnails every week.[11] The two did not discuss the final chapters with one another and continued talking only with the editor. Ohba said that when they asked the editor if Obata had "said anything" about the story and plot, the editor responded: "No, nothing".[13]
Ohba claims that the series ended more or less in the manner that they intended for it to end; they considered the idea ofL defeating Light Yagami with Light dying but instead chose to use the "Yellow Box Warehouse" ending. According to Ohba, the details had been set "from the beginning".[12] The writer wanted an ongoing plot line instead of an episodic series becauseDeath Note was serialized and its focus was intended to be on a cast with a series of events triggered by the Death Note.[15]13: How to Read states that the humorous aspects ofDeath Note originated from Ohba's "enjoyment of humorous stories".[16]
When Ohba was asked, during an interview, whether the series was meant to be about enjoying the plot twists and psychological warfare, Ohba responded by saying that this concept was the reason why they were "very happy" to place the story inWeekly Shōnen Jump.[14]
The coreplot device of the story is the "Death Note" itself, a black notebook with instructions (known as "Rules of the Death Note") written on the inside. When used correctly, it allows anyone to commit a murder, knowing only the victim's name and face. According to the director of the live-action films,Shusuke Kaneko, "The idea of spiritsliving in words is an ancient Japanese concept.... In a way, it's a very Japanese story".[17]
Artist Takeshi Obata originally thought of the books as "Something you would automatically think was a Death Note". Deciding that this design would be cumbersome, he instead opted for a more accessible college notebook. Death Notes were originally conceived as changing based on time and location, resembling scrolls in ancient Japan, or theOld Testament in medieval Europe. However, this idea was never used.[18]
Writer Tsugumi Ohba had no particular themes in mind forDeath Note. When pushed, he suggested: "Humans will all eventually die, so let's give it our all while we're alive".[19] In a 2012 paper, author Jolyon Baraka Thomas characterisedDeath Note as a psychological thriller released in the wake of the 1995Tokyo subway sarin attack, saying that it examines the human tendency to express itself through "horrific" cults.[20]
TheDeath Note process began when Ohba brought thumbnails for two concept ideas toShueisha; Ohba said that theDeath Note pilot, one of the concepts, was "received well" by editors and attained positive reactions from readers.[12] Ohba described keeping the story of the pilot to one chapter as "very difficult", declaring that it took over a month to begin writing the chapter. He added that the story had to revive the killed characters with the Death Eraser and that he "didn't really care" for that plot device.[21]
Obata said that he wanted to draw the story after he heard of a "horror story featuringshinigami".[11] According to Obata, when he first received the rough draft created by Ohba, he "didn't really get it" at first, and he wanted to work on the project due to the presence ofshinigami and because the work "was dark".[21] He also said he wondered about the progression of the plot as he read the thumbnails, and ifJump readers would enjoy reading the comic. Obata said that while there is little action and the main character "doesn't really drive the plot", he enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. He stated that he drew the pilot chapter so that it would appeal to himself.[21]
Ohba brought the rough draft of the pilot chapter to the editorial department. Obata came into the picture at a later point to create the artwork. They did not meet in person while creating the pilot chapter. Ohba said that the editor told him he did not need to meet with Obata to discuss the pilot; Ohba said "I think it worked out all right".[11]
Tetsurō Araki, the director, said that he wished to convey aspects that "made the series interesting" instead of simply "focusing on morals or the concept of justice". Toshiki Inoue, the series organizer, agreed with Araki and added that, in anime adaptations, there is a lot of importance in highlighting the aspects that are "interesting in the original". He concluded that Light's presence was "the most compelling" aspect; therefore the adaptation chronicles Light's "thoughts and actions as much as possible". Inoue noted that to best incorporate the manga's plot into the anime, he "tweak[ed] the chronology a bit" and incorporated flashbacks that appear after the openings of the episodes; he said this revealed the desired tensions. Araki said that, because in an anime the viewer cannot "turn back pages" in the manner that a manga reader can, the anime staff ensured that the show clarified details. Inoue added that the staff did not want to get involved with every single detail, so the staff selected elements to emphasize. Due to the complexity of the original manga, he described the process as "definitely delicate and a great challenge". Inoue admitted that he placed more instructions and notes in the script than usual. Araki added that because of the importance of otherwise trivial details, this commentary became crucial to the development of the series.[22]
Araki said that when he discovered theDeath Note anime project, he "literally begged" to join the production team; when he joined he insisted that Inoue should write the scripts. Inoue added that, because he enjoyed reading the manga, he wished to use his effort.[22]
Death Note, written byTsugumi Ohba and illustrated byTakeshi Obata, was serialized inShueisha'sshōnen manga magazineWeekly Shōnen Jump from December 1, 2003,[23][24] to May 15, 2006.[c][24] The series' 108 chapters were collected into twelvetankōbon volumes by Shueisha, released from April 2, 2004,[27] to July 4, 2006.[28] Aone-shot chapter, titled "C-Kira" (Cキラ編,C-Kira-hen) ("Death Note: Special One-Shot"), was published inWeekly Shōnen Jump on February 9, 2008. Set two years after the manga's epilogue, it sees the introduction of a new Kira and the reactions of the main characters in response to the copycat's appearance.[29][30] SeveralDeath Noteyonkoma (four-panel comics) appeared inAkamaru Jump. Theyonkoma was written to be humorous. TheAkamaru Jump issues that printed the comics include 2004 Spring, 2004 Summer, 2005 Winter, and 2005 Spring. In additionWeekly Shōnen Jump Gag Special 2005 included someDeath Noteyonkoma in aJump Heroes Super 4-Panel Competition.[21] Shueisha re-released the series in sevenbunkoban volumes from March 18 to August 19, 2014.[31][32] On October 4, 2016, all 12 original manga volumes and the February 2008 one-shot were released in a singleAll-in-One Edition, consisting of 2,400 pages in a single book.[33][34]
In April 2005,Viz Media announced that they had licensed the series for English release in North America.[35] The twelve volumes were released from October 10, 2005, to July 3, 2007.[36][37] The manga was re-released in a six-volume omnibus edition, dubbed "Black Edition".[38][39] The volumes were released from December 28, 2010, to November 1, 2011.[40][41] TheAll-in-One Edition was released in English on September 6, 2017, resulting in the February 2008 one-shot being released in English for the first time.[42]
In addition, a guidebook for the manga was also released on October 13, 2006. It was namedDeath Note 13: How to Read and contained data relating to the series, including character profiles of almost every character that is named, creator interviews, behind the scenes info for the series and the pilot chapter that precededDeath Note. It also reprinted all of theyonkoma published inAkamaru Jump and theWeekly Shōnen Jump Gag Special 2005.[43][44] In North America,13: How to Read was released on February 19, 2008.[45]
In the June 2019 issue of Shueisha'sJump Square it was announced that a new one-shot chapter ofDeath Note would be published. Part of the complete manuscript debuted at the "30th Work Anniversary Takeshi Obata Exhibition: Never Complete" event which ran in Tokyo from July 13 to August 12, 2019.[46] Titled "Death Note: Special One-Shot", the entire 87-page chapter was published inJump Square on February 4, 2020, and on Viz Media's website.[47][48] A collected volume titledDeath Note: Short Stories (DEATH NOTE短編集,Desu Nōto Tanpenshū), which includes the "C-Kira" one-shot chapter, the "Special One-Shot" (re-titled "a-Kira" (aキラ編,a-Kira-hen), the series' pilot chapter, the "L: The Wammy's House" and "L: One Day" one-shot chapters and theyonkoma, was released on February 4, 2021.[49][50][51] The volume was published in English by Viz Media on May 10, 2022.[52]
Alight novel adaptation of the series has been written byNisio Isin, calledDeath Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. The novel was released by Shueisha on August 1, 2006.[53][54] It serves as a prequel to the manga series, with Mello narrating the story of L's first encounter with Naomi Misora during the Los Angeles "BB Serial Murder Case" mentioned in volume 2 of the manga. Besides Naomi's character, the novel focuses on how L works and one of the criminals L has to chase down. Insight was given into Watari's orphanage and how the whole system of geniuses such as L, Mello, Beyond Birthday, Matt and Near were put to work. Viz released the novel in English on February 19, 2008.[55] The filmL: Change the World was also adapted into a light novel with the same name on December 25, 2007, by "M",[56] While the novel is similar to the film, there are many significant changes to the plot (for example, Near is not a Thai boy, but the same Near that appears in the manga). It also reveals more information about L and his past. Viz released it on October 20, 2009.[57]
TheDeath Note anime, directed byTetsurō Araki and animated byMadhouse, began airing onNippon TV on October 4, 2006, and finished its run on June 27, 2007, totaling 37 episodes.[58] The series aired on the network "every Tuesday at 0:56", which is effectively Wednesday.[59] The series was co-produced by Madhouse, Nippon Television,Shueisha, D.N. Dream Partners andVAP.[60] In North America, the series was licensed by Viz for residents in the United States to use "Download-to-Own" and "Download-to-Rent" services while it was still airing in Japan. This move was seen as "significant because it marked the first time a well known Japanese anime property was made legally available in the United States for domestic audiences to download while the title was still airing on Japanese television".[61] The downloadable episodes contained the original Japanese audio track and English subtitles,[62] and were made available throughIGN'sWindows-only Direct2Drive service.[63] DVDs of the series have also been released,[62] containing both an English dubbed audio track, produced byOcean Productions, and the original Japanese audio track with optional English subtitles.[64] Viz announced atAnime Expo 2007 that the first DVD was officially released on November 20, 2007, in both regular and special editions,[65] and also confirmed atSan Diego Comic-Con in 2007 that the first 15,000 copies of each DVD contain collectible figures.[66]
Death Note was slated to make its North American television premiere in Canada, as part ofYTV'sBionix programming block, on September 7, 2007.[67] However, the show was removed from the schedule at the last minute[68] and the Canadian premiere was pushed back to October 26, 2007, at 10:00 p.m. The series premiered in the U.S. on October 20, 2007, at 12:00 a.m. onAdult Swim[69] and ran until January 10, 2010, when its contract expired.[70] The last episode aired on YTV, July 4, 2008, and would later air on Adult Swim two days later. The show was removed from YTV's schedule on July 5, 2008, with its last airing being a rerun of the final episode at 1:30 a.m.ET. Soon after, Bionix became a 2-hour block on Saturday nights.[71] The show also streamed online free on Adult Swim Video, with a new episode available every Saturday afternoon, on the day of its broadcast premiere.[72] On July 26, 2017,Starz announced that they would be offering episodes of the series for theirvideo on demand service starting on August 1 of that same year.[73]
A two-hour animatedDeath Note Relight: Visions of a God (DEATH NOTE リライト·幻視する神,Desu Nōto Riraito: Genshisuru kami) TV special aired on Nippon Television in Japan on August 31, 2007, at 8:00 p.m. It is a recap which takes place after the series end, where ashinigami approaches Ryuk in theshinigami realm in order to learn more about the human world. Instead, Ryuk tells him of all the events leading up to the last story arc, about Light Yagami and his rival L. Originally, this special was advertised as a retelling told from Ryuk's point of view, but it does not give a different point of view from what was originally told. However, it contains updated dialog, as well as a few new scenes.[74]
Nippon TV aired theDeath Note: Relight: L's Successors (DEATH NOTE リライト2 Lを継ぐ者,Desu Nōto Riraito 2: L o Tsugu Mono) special on August 22, 2008. Like the first special, this new compilation summarized a part of the 2006–2007 anime television series. Specifically, it recounted the final half of the suspenseful supernatural story, including the investigators Near and Mello's confrontations with the vigilante Kira.[75] This version features more updates than the previous one, most notably omission of the mafia plot.
Several soundtracks for the series have been released. The music from the anime was composed byYoshihisa Hirano andHideki Taniuchi, while the CDs were also published by VAP. The first one wasDeath Note Original Soundtrack, which was released in Japan on December 21, 2006. It contains music from the series with the first opening and ending themes are sung by the Japanese bandNightmare in the TV size format.[76]Death Note Original Soundtrack II was first released in Japan on March 21, 2007. It features the new opening and closing themes byMaximum the Hormone in the TV size format.[77] The third CD,Death Note Original Soundtrack III was released on June 27, 2007. Tracks 1–21 were composed and arranged by Taniuchi, while tracks 22–28 were composed and arranged by Hirano. The album features one track sung byAya Hirano, who was also the Japanese voice actress ofMisa Amane in the anime series. Also appearing on this soundtrack is the ending themeCoda〜Death Note, which can be heard at the end of the final episode of the anime as the credits are shown.[78]
Several soundtracks have also been released for the live action films.Sound of Death Note is a soundtrack featuring music from the firstDeath Note film composed and arranged byKenji Kawai. It was released on June 17, 2006, byVAP.[79]Sound of Death Note the Last name is the soundtrack from the secondDeath Note film,Death Note the Last name. It was released on November 2, 2006.[80]Death Note Tribute is a tribute album dedicated to thelive action filmDeath Note. Published byBMG Japan on June 21, 2006, Japan, it contains 15 tracks performed by various artists, such asShikao Suga,M-Flo,Buck-Tick, andAya Matsuura. The soundtrack came with acosplay Death Note notebook.[81] Another tribute album isThe Songs for Death Note the movie〜the Last name Tribute dedicated to the second film. Published bySony Music Entertainment Japan on December 20, 2006, it contains 14 tracks performed by various artists, such asOrange Range,Abingdon Boys School,High and Mighty Color,Doping Panda, andGalneryus.[82]
Death Note was adapted into a series oflive-action films in 2006. The first two films were directed byShusuke Kaneko and the third was directed byHideo Nakata and produced byNippon Television, CG production of all three films were done byDigital Frontier and distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures Japan. The first film, simply titledDeath Note, premiered in Japan on June 17, 2006, and topped the Japanesebox office for two weeks, pushingThe Da Vinci Code into second place.[83] The first film briefly played in certain North American theaters on May 20–21, 2008.[84] The film was broadcast in Canadian theaters for one night only on September 15, 2008. The DVD was released on September 16, 2008, one day after the Canadian showing.[85] The sequel,Death Note 2: The Last Name, premiered in Japan on November 3, 2006.[86] It was featured in U.S. theaters in October 2008.[87]
A spin-off from the films namedL: Change the World was released in Japan on February 9, 2008. It is focused on the final 23 days of L's life, as he solves one final case involving a bio-terrorist group.[88] Two dubbed versions of the film were shown in the United States on April 29 and 30, 2009.[89] In August 2016, a three-part miniseries entitledDeath Note: New Generation was announced as a part of theDeath Note live-action film series and aired in September. It bridges the 10-year gap between the previous films and the then-upcoming 2016 film.[90][91] Afourth JapaneseDeath Note film was released in 2016[92] and featured a cyber-terrorism setting with the inclusion of six Death Notes brought into the human world.[93] AnAmerican adaptation was released onNetflix on August 25, 2017.[94] The film was directed byAdam Wingard and was written by Charles Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides, andJeremy Slater. It starredNat Wolff,Lakeith Stanfield,Margaret Qualley,Shea Whigham,Paul Nakauchi, Jason Liles, andWillem Dafoe. A sequel film is reportedly in the works.[95]
In April 2015, it was announced that a live-action television series based onDeath Note manga would begin airing from July 2015 onNippon TV.[96]Masataka Kubota stars as Light Yagami andKento Yamazaki as L in the series.[97]
In July 2022, it was announced thatthe Duffer Brothers recently founded Upside Down Pictures production company would be producing a new live-action series adaptation for Netflix.[98][99] In October 2022, it was announced that Halia Abdel-Meguid was brought on to write and executive produce the series.[100][101]
ADeath Notevideo game developed and published byKonami for theNintendo DS, titledDeath Note: Kira Game (デスノート キラゲーム,Desu Nōto Kira Gēmu), was released on February 15, 2007.[102]Kira Game is astrategy game where the player takes on the role of Kira or L. These are just titles, as any character can be Kira or L. The player will attempt to deduce who their enemy is (Kira will try to uncover L's identity and vice versa). This will play out in three phases: investigation, where the player will discuss the case and clues with other characters; voting, where each member of the investigation team casts a vote on who they suspect is L or Kira based on the player's performance in the previous phase; L/Kira, where the player can either focus their investigation on one member to see if they are Kira (L part), or force a member off of the team (Kira part).[103] A sequel to the game,Death Note: Successors to L (デスノート Lを継ぐ者,Desu Nōto Eru o Tsugu Mono), was released in Japan on July 12, 2007. The storyline is based on the second part of the manga, featuring characters such as Mello and Near.[103]
A third game,L the Prologue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap (L the proLogue to DEATH NOTE -螺旋の罠-,L the proLogue to DEATH NOTE -Rasen no Wana-), was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on February 7, 2008.[103][104] 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-game PDA. The story is set before the Kira investigation in the original series.[104] Several characters fromDeath Note appear inJump Super Stars andJump Ultimate Stars, afighting game featuring multiple characters fromWeekly Shōnen Jump titles. Light, Ryuk, and L appear inJump Super Stars as support characters. Misa, Near, and Mello are added as support characters inJump Ultimate Stars as well.[105][106] The 2019 video gameJump Force features Light and Ryuk as non-playable characters, playing a key role in the game's story mode.[107]
An onlinesocial deduction game, titledDeath Note: Killer Within, was released byBandai Namco Entertainment for thePlayStation 5,PlayStation 4, andWindows viaSteam on November 5, 2024. In the game, up to ten players are split into two teams—Kira and his followers and L and the police investigation team. Kira's team aims to kill all its target with the Death Note and L's team must seize and dispose of the Death Note. Both teams try to uncover the identities of the opposing players. The players are represented by pawns, akin to those used by Near in the original series.[108]
In 2015, amusical adaptation of the manga calledDeath Note: The Musical ran in both Japan and South Korea. It was originally composed in English by Broadway composerFrank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and book by Ivan Menchell.[109] An English production was announced in May 2023 to play at the London Palladium for two nights on August 21–22, 2023,[110] directed by Nick Winston starring Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Light,Dean John-Wilson as L andFrances Mayli McCann as Misa.[111] The original Japanese production, produced by Japanese talent agencyHoriPro [ja], ran from 6 to April 29, 2015, and starsKenji Urai andHayato Kakizawa [ja] double-cast as Light Yagami, andTeppei Koike as L.[112] A Korean production of the same musical ran from June 11 to August 11, 2015, in South Korea, starring musical actorHong Kwang-ho andJYJ member and musical actorKim Junsu.[113][114]
Douglas Wolk ofSalon said that a rumor circulated stating that the creators intended to createDeath Note to last half as long as its actual run and Ohba and Obata had been persuaded to lengthen the storyline whenDeath Note's popularity increased, noting that the rumor "makes sense, since about halfway through the series, there's a point that seems like a natural ending". In addition, he said that fans wrote "thousands" ofDeath Notefan fiction stories and posted them on the internet.[128] In 2006, Japanese fans pointed out the similarities betweenDeath Note and the 1973one-shot mangaThe Miraculous Notebook (不思議な手帖) byShigeru Mizuki. Comipress reported that the only difference between the story andDeath Note is that there are noshinigamis.[129]
Anime News Network writer Zac Bertschy calledDeath Note a "surprisingly gripping and original suspense tale that raises a handful of interesting questions about morality". He noted that the difference between the series and other manga from the same demographic was very big due to the murders the main character commits as well as how he hides his identity of Kira. Although Bertschy mentioned some manga readers will be surprised with the dark themes ofDeath Note, he praised the series for its "great art, great story, [and] compelling characters".[130] Briana Lawrence from the same website stated that what makesDeath Note so interesting is that there is no villain, "instead it had two opposing sides that both believe in the same thing: justice". She felt that once vital characters fading into the background, the ending brings back what the fans loved about the first volume and the supporting cast are "given a chance to shine". She also mentioned that the epilogue made no mention of what happens withMisa Amane and how Near and Mello were still treated like parts of L.[131] Julie Rosato fromMania Entertainment found the story to be very entertaining, having liked Light's development in the story and L's introduction as well as how the latter starts suspecting the former's identity. Additionally, she praised the story as it is "building a climax" with each detail introduced in the first chapter, making the reader look forward to upcoming chapters.[132] Jolyon Baraka Thomas, in aJapanese Journal of Religious Studies article, describes the manga as having a "somber narrative" with a "dark cast". Obata's art is "[rendered] in stark strokes characterized---fittingly---by a complex interplay of light and shadow".[20]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 100% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Death Note is an exceptional anime that poses profound questions about justice and murder, all while delivering a supremely satisfying tale of tactical one-upmanship between a detective and killer."[133]
The anime was commended with Tom S. Pepirium ofIGN saying thatDeath Note's "heavy serialized nature" is what "makes the show so engaging and discussion worthy".[134] Pepirium, saying that translatingDeath Note is "no small task", stated that Stephen Hedley created an English dub with "nothing clunky". He added that Karl Willems, director of the dub, assembled a "stunning voice cast of professionals" with a "solid tone minus some of the cheesy yelling and screaming of other dubs".[135] On theNPR showFresh Air, John Powers said thatDeath Note is "at least as addictive as a show likeLost".[136]Hyper wrote:
Running over thirty-seven 20 minutes episodes, the anime sticks much closer to the manga so takes a far more languid approach to storytelling, better fleshing out the fantastic characters of Light and his nemesis, L. Light in particular is one of the most layered characters to appear in anime in a long time.[137]
Jacob Hope Chapman fromAnime News Network praised Teru Mikami's role as bloody and flashy and even better than that of Near, Mello, and Misa.[138]The Daily Telegraph's Henry St. Leger wrote, "What starts as a moral fable about the corruption of power becomes a slow-burning game of cat-and-mouse as Light is chased down by the world's greatest detective. Some droning voice acting leadens what is otherwise a brilliantly terse noir."[139]Vulture's Maya Phillips wrote, "Beyond its deft twists and turns,Death Note also addresses questions about morality, justice, and capital punishment. All this, plus beautiful animation and well-written dialogue and plot, makesDeath Note the cream of the animated crop."[140]
TheDeath Note anime was one of the series to win Best TV Anime at the 2007Tokyo International Anime Fair.[141] In 2009,Death Note was listed as the 51st best animated show in IGN's Top 100 Animated Series.[142]
A.E. Sparrow ofIGN reviewed the novelAnother Note and gave it a 9.5 out of 10. Sparrow said that the author understood "what made these characters click so well" and "captures everything that made the manga the compelling read that it is". Sparrow said that fans ofDeath Note who readAnother Note will "find a welcome home" inNisio Isin's work which "adds a few more fun layers" to theDeath Note franchise.[143] The novelization ofL: Change the World became the second top-selling light novel in Japan during 2008.[144]
The series release outside Japan has inspired other works, as well as individuals making their own mock "Death Notes", including one that was associated with a real-life murder. According toWired magazine,Death Note "[turned] Japan's most-popular print medium into an internationally controversial topic that has parents wondering whether they should prohibit their kids from reading manga entirely". Live-action directorShusuke Kaneko commented in response, "If preventing them from seeing this movie is going to make kids better, then why not prevent them from watching all bad news?".[17]
In regards to the2019The Twilight Zone episode "The Comedian", Rosie Knight ofThe Hollywood Reporter stated that Samir's story appears to take a large influence fromDeath Note.[145]The Simpsons has parodiedDeath Note in both comic books and animation with the 2008 comic book story "Murder, He Wrote" inThe Simpsons Treehouse of Horror #14,[146][147] whereBart receives the notebook from the Ryuk-ified ghost ofKrusty the Clown, and the "Death Tome" segment of the 2022 television episode "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII", withLisa receiving the titular book.[148]
Early in 2005, school officials inShenyang, the capital ofLiaoning (People's Republic of China), bannedDeath Note.[149] The immediate cause was that students had been altering notebooks to resemble Death Notes and then writing the names of acquaintances, enemies, and teachers in the books.[150][151] The ban was designed to protect the "physical and mental health"[152] of students from horror material that "misleads innocent children and distorts their mind and spirit".[153]Jonathan Clements has suggested that the Chinese authorities acted partly against "superstition", but also against illegal, pirate publishers ofDeath Note.[154] The ban has been extended to other Chinese cities including Beijing,[155][156] Shanghai andLanzhou inGansu Province.[157] Legally published Chinese-language versions ofDeath Note are published in Hong Kong.[154] On June 12, 2015, theChinese Ministry of Culture listedDeath Note among 38 anime and manga titles banned in China.[158]
In 2007, the education bureau inPingtung County, Taiwan asked teachers to pay attention to any negative influence on elementary school students reading the manga.[159] In May 2010, theAlbuquerque Public Schools inNew Mexico held a hearing to ban theDeath Note manga from their district's schools; it was unanimously voted down.[160] After volumes ofDeath Note were found at the February 2013 suicide of a 15-year-old girl inYekaterinburg, Russia, a local parents' group began campaigning to regulate all media based on the series, saying that it had an adverse effect on the minds of children.[161] In March 2014, investigators concluded that the manga did not cause the girl to commit suicide.[162]
There have been various imitations around the world of the premise ofDeath Note. At least one instance was linked to a crime - on September 28, 2007, two notes written withLatin characters stating "Watashi wa Kira dess" [sic], a mis-transliteration of "I am Kira" (私はキラです,Watashi wa Kira desu),[163] were found near the partial remains of aCaucasian male in Belgium. The case has been called the "Mangamoord" (Dutch forManga Murder) in Belgian media.[164] It was not until 2010 that four people were arrested in connection to the murder.[165] A senior at the Franklin Military Academy inRichmond, Virginia, United States was suspended in 2007 after being caught possessing a replica "Death Note" notebook with the names of fellow students. The school's principal wrote a letter to the student's parents linking to an unofficial website where visitors can write names and circumstances of death for people they want to die.[166]
InSouth Carolina in March 2008, school officials seized a "Death Note" notebook from a Hartsville Middle School student. District officials linked the notebook to the anime/manga. The notebook listed seven students' names. The school planned a disciplinary hearing and contacted the seven students' parents.[167] InGadsden, Alabama in April 2008, two sixth-grade boys were arrested for possession of a "Death Note" that listed names of several staff members and fellow students. According to Etowah County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Lanny Handy, the notebook was discovered the previous afternoon by a staffer. The students were suspended from the county's schools, pending ajuvenile court hearing. The students, their parents, and school officials had met with Handy and a junior probation officer.[168] InGig Harbor, Washington, one middle school student was expelled and three were suspended on May 14, 2008, for having 50 names in their own "Death Note" book, including PresidentGeorge W. Bush.[169]
It was reported in September 2009, that aYear Eight boy inSydney, Australia, created a "Death Note" that along with names contained a "battle plan" detailing where bombs could be placed inside his school.[170] In December 2009, two students at an elementary school inOklahoma were disciplined for a "Death Note" with the names and descriptions of deaths of two girls that had angered them.[171] AMichigan middle school student was suspended indefinitely in March 2010 for a "Death Note".[172] In May 2010, a middle school student inAvonworth School District in Pennsylvania was suspended for a "Death Note" with names of fellow students and pop singerJustin Bieber.[160] In February 2015, a fifth-grade student of an elementary school nearPittsburgh was suspended for owning a "Death Note" and writing other students' names in it.[173]
^The text does not call him Trump, though Hannah Collins ofComic Book Resources stated "the uncanny likeness to the divisive political figure is hard to miss."[9]
^It finished in the magazine's 24th issue of 2006 (cover date May 29),[25] released on May 15 of that same year.[26]
^Luther, Katherine."Death Note: Series Profile".About.com. Archived fromthe original on October 31, 2007. RetrievedJune 24, 2020.Death Note is a supernatural thriller series that zeros in on a very delicate question: is all life worth saving or are there some that we'd be better off without?
^Oba, Tsugumi (2005).Death Note Vol. 1 - Boredom. Obata, Takeshi, 1969-, Rolf, Pookie, trl. (Shonen Jump advanced graphic novel ed.). San Francisco: Viz Media. p. 18.ISBN1-4215-0168-6.OCLC62099999.
^Beveridge, Chris (July 27, 2010)."Death Note Black On Tap". Archived fromthe original on November 30, 2012. RetrievedNovember 22, 2011.Starting in February of 2011, the new Black Edition versions of the series will contain two volumes of the series in on volume with slightly oversized trade paperback sizes that will have black trim
