“Death god's notebook grants Light godlike killing power, sparking genius duel with detective L over justice and world fate.”
Death Note
DEATH NOTE
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Death god's notebook grants Light godlike killing power, sparking genius duel with detective L over justice and world fate.
Ryuk, a god of death, drops his Death Note into the human world for personal pleasure. In Japan, prodigious high school student Light Yagami stumbles upon it. Inside the notebook, he finds a chilling message: those whose names are written in it shall die. Its nonsensical nature amuses Light; but when he tests its power by writing the name of a criminal in it, they suddenly meet their demise. Realizing the Death Note's vast potential, Light commences a series of nefarious murders under the pseudonym "Kira," vowing to cleanse the world of corrupt individuals and create a perfect society where crime ceases to exist. However, the police quickly catch on, and they enlist the help of L—a mastermind detective—to uncover the culprit. Death Note tells the thrilling tale of Light and L as they clash in a great battle-of-minds, one that will determine the future of the world.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 112 sampled reviews
What 112 readers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.52 · some divergence
5.5 pts
Recommenders 9.2 · others 3.7
↓ 0.18
Running avg · Aug 2007 → Apr 2026
- 8 “Didn't like the second half of the manga very much. Could rage about it, but I can't think of how without using spoilers. The first half was pure genius though, continuously interesting and...”
- 10 “Probably the best psychological thriller there is. Not many mangakas i'v read put as much thought into their manga as the authors of this have. Work like this is the reason I prefer japenese comics...”
- 10 “Death Note is a some what complicated manga, yet it holds an amazing plot that would make 5 yr. olds have night mears about. The drawings are elagent and very detailed. And you can't help but think...”
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A Manga Publication
- Format 108 × 12 ch × vol
- Total read 14h 24m approx
- Published Dec 2003 – May 2006
- Source Manga media type
- Ref. BS-M0019 catalog