MyAnimeList.net

Death Note
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Add to My List

Add to Favorites

Alternative Titles

Japanese: DEATH NOTE

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 12

Chapters: 108

Status: Finished

Published: Dec 1, 2003 to May 15, 2006

Genres: Supernatural, Suspense

Theme: Psychological

Demographic: Shounen

Serialization: Shounen Jump (Weekly)

Authors: Obata, Takeshi (Art), Ohba, Tsugumi (Story)

Statistics

Score: 8.69¹ (scored by 227,280 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #64²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #13

Members: 395,821

Favorites: 32,073

Resources

Write a Review
Reviews

Filtered Results: 77 / 99

Sort

Suggested
Most voted
Newest
Oldest

Filter Preliminary Spoiler

Previous - More Reviews

Sep 24, 2022

Elfezen

Recommended

Death Note is indeed one of the greatest and most intense series in terms of the overall detective worldbuilding and a pinnacle in terms of storytelling. From the very beginning with the introduction of Yagami Light until the last confrontation with Near and the police agents, the suspense and excitement has been neverending in the entirety of the plot, the events are so well established and laid out that it always maintains an anxiety of the unknown. The main characters which are Yagami Light, L Lawliet, Misa Amane, Near and Mello have excellent designs in an edgy and gothic direction but each one of their ...

Dec 21, 2016

butthurtbrigade

Recommended

I really love Light Yagami as a character. It's so refreshing to read about a protagonist that is confident, assured and downright selfish rather than the usual beta MC people pleaser we see these days. Light doesn't do anything for his friends, his family, to save the world or to become a great warrior. He's purely fuelled by his own ego to outsmart his opponents and have the power to kill others when he pleases (that's the real reason he uses the Death Note, the peaceful world is just a pretext.)

Most of the other characters were great too, even if the main antagonists were a ...

Aug 23, 2010

xGothimisalolix

Recommended

Preliminary (80/108 chp)

Deathnote has a unique storyline although it seems similar to all the others, save the world from criminals and bring peace however Light's way has got a way of getting into are minds, there is an morality battle raging in the readers mind, would you consider it ethical to use the note to end the lives of those who destroy and torment other peoples lives, could use the note to kill someone you deeply and truely despise or to kill someone in a jealous rage. Also can you kill a criminal who for all you know could be innocent.

Light and L go into a deep ...

May 10, 2008

flutterbaii_x

Recommended

Preliminary (64/108 chp)

Throughout the time I read the manga (I haven't seen the anime. Is it good?), I was giddily bouncing in my seat and squealing. Yes, it evokes a deep sense of fangirlishness and, actually, suspense. A real page-turner.

Story: The plot is something I've never seen before. It is definitely my personal favorite, but if you want to do yourself a favor, stop after reading chapter 56-58. It gives you a sense of ending. After that, they introduce the new characters; L wannabe, Near, and chocoholic Mello. The plot gets a little tedious, and often I found myself wanting to skip through it.

Art: As far as ...

Mar 7, 2014

TheRealTHEDragon

Recommended

I began reading this series, thanks to a friend, when it was still being translated. As soon as I picked it up I couldn't put it down! I spent an entire week going to the book store after a day at college just to read another volume!

I was pretty broke back then and couldn't afford to buy the series, but even after I'd finished it I was surprised and stoked when a 13th appeared! By then, I'd bought the whole series and I had to have it too (even if it's not a story volume) and I was pleased as punch to discover L's ...

Oct 2, 2008

123shala

Recommended

Ok so Death Note is a huge manga and anime/manga fans who havnt heard of it have got to be living under a rock. Death Note is definitely a must read for all anime and manga fans whether you feel it's your type of story or not. Why do I say this? Well it's because Death Note is so original. It's thrilling, suspenseful and always keeps you well into the story. There's always something going on as the plot leads one thing to another.

What I love about Death Note is how the plot is so well planned. Not even I could think up all of ...

May 5, 2008

XxXMangaluverXxX

Recommended

I loved this Manga! It was a great story that was confusing at parts but it was fun to follow! I love at the end how everything fit together like a gaint puzzle! I had to get my friend to explain most of it to me afterwards.. But after that i got it! But it was amazing! The Characters are great and each of them had they're on personaltiy that i think most people can relate to at least one of them, and if not a whole person then at least bits and parts of the people. I thought that the Design and drawings were ...

Jun 23, 2019

davaily

Recommended

Honestly, I don't think think I could ever recommend a story enough. DeathNote will always and forever be my number one. There isn't a thing I could think of ever changing in this series, despite it being problematic, but in a redeeming sense, as our main character yet antagonist goes through the notions and ultimately always seems to get what's coming to him.

(NOTE: I'm referring only to the manga story of DeathNote, not the anime. The anime is pretty good as well, but I do have problems with it... unlike the lack of problems I seem to have with the comics.)

Story: 10/10

There is never a ...

Feb 21, 2009

Banquos_Ghost

Recommended

The first thing you wonder about when you start to read DEATH NOTE is whether the stories main protagonist is good or evil. After reading a bit further you realise that your suppoesed to keep guessing right till the end.

DEATH NOTE was the first manga I read the entire way through and I will continue to re-read it over and over, till the day I die.

The story of DEATH NOTE is a detective story that runs over the course of about seven years. However, it has a edge-of-your-seat speed and danger about it that is strangely alluring. Tsugumi Ohba has managed to weave a tale ...

Apr 23, 2024

Shinowabakadayo

Recommended

Preliminary (12/108 chp)

WHERE DO I START WITHOUT SPOILING IT FOR YOU OMG OKAY-

soo okay the characters are SO WELL WRITTEN LIKE WHAT O_o

I GOT SO ATTACHED TO EVEN THE ONES I WASNT SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACHED TO THEY FEEL REAL ;-;

Bro istg if you pick up this book it *WILL* change the course of your life im not even exaggerating you'll LOVE IT

THE PLOT WAS SO W TOO LIKE NOT PREDICTABLE AT ALLL ITS SO TWISTY AND TURNY BUT U CAN STILL UNDERSTAND THE STORY WITHOUT GETTING CONFUSED-
:,3
...

Apr 12, 2008

notguy

Recommended

Unlike the brilliant anime, the Death Note manga in my opinions isn't quite as good. Yes, the story-line is identical apart froma few minor differences, nothing that changes anything. If you've seen the anime, you'll find it tedious re-reading the manga. Its the same.
However Death Note doesn't quite suit the manga as well as the anime. It starts of very good, but towards the later numbers it becomes heavily text-based and you'll be trolling through pages of talkign which is slightly more bearable in anime.
The only down-side to the manga is the artwork. Overall it is very good, but at time if you read it, ...

Sep 26, 2017

Chinaz

Recommended

Summary of the story: Morality. Every character has a radically different conception of justice, but who is the good guy? And is there one? Who's right? Who's wrong? Those questions have multiple answers, so let's find out.

What defines good and evil? How should evil be dealt with? Who decides which is which? Death Note doesn't necessarily answer these questions, but it doesn't intend to; the point is that such questions have been asked for centuries and will never be answered but humans simply can't find answers as living beings in this world. This anime pits formidable personalities with wildly different worldviews against each other, ... and none of them are afraid to say "I am justice!". The question of who is right haunts every character and ultimately go unsolved, so let's see if we can't get to the bottom of it, using the three characters at the center of the show's moral conflict.

As Yagami Light, a protagonist is not necessarily a hero and Light proves it in the first episode.
It's not enough for him to take a stand against violent crime; after only five days with the Death Note he's written hundreds of names and declared himself the "god of the new world," vowing to strike down any who stand in his way. It's a noble cause, but easily corruptible; it's basically the communist ideal. It's worth noting that in the five years of Light's reign as Kira, the crime rate plummets and all wars are put on hold. From Light's perspective, it's one step closer to an ideal world. But a world governed by altruism is a far cry from one governed by fear. By this time Light and his subordinates have started killing pickpockets and other petty criminals, judging mankind on acts rather than reasons. The rule of law rests entirely in the hands of three flawed individuals.

Perhaps only fear can motivate humanity to coexist so completely and so quickly, but the second half of the plot makes clear that Kira has addressed symptoms and not causes. Fear, ignorance, and anger still exist, and Light is perfectly willing to manipulate these flaws in his favor, as when he organizes a bloodthirsty mob to storm the Kira task force's headquarters. And lest we forget greed, this same mob is distracted and neutralized when Near showers them with the remains of L's fortune to cover his team's escape.
Remember that Light's original motive is boredom. "Day in and day out, the same news on permanent repeat," he laments, shortly before picking up the Death Note and changing the world forever. Though he vows to strike down the wicked, he makes no distinction between hardened criminals and those "who are less guilty but who still make trouble for others." The troublemakers are culled through disease and accidents, while the truly terrible serve as examples. One could argue that Light's power gives him the responsibility to reshape the world for the better, but the world he seeks to create is unquestionably in his self-centered image.

L is described by Tsugumi Ohba as "slightly evil", and it isn't difficult to see why. As the undisputed king of detectives, L has essentially limitless jurisdiction and resources. In a world that turns on the interpretation and manipulation of data, he is as close to superhuman as one can get. It's the perfect recipe for a villain: wholly without rivals, with every eccentricity tolerated and he even is a star athlete. With the ability to succeed at seemingly anything he does, why does L devote himself to the law?

In a way, L is just as vain as he proves Light to be in the second episode. He admits that he's "childish and hates losing," which indicates a certain amount of pride at stake in his work. He also will not take a case unless at least ten lives or a million dollars are on the line. If his detective work is indeed just a game to him, it makes sense that he would seek out challenges. He may also believe that his intellect is wasted on any but the most dangerous and impossible cases. But both he and Light declare "I am justice!" at the end of the second episode. The parallel is no mere dramatic flair. As Misa's extrajudicial kidnapping and torture prove, both men are willing to go to extreme lengths in the name of their principles. But while they both work from the shadows, L has an existing legal framework on his side—one that he is more or less free to dictate. While he insists that extraordinary foes require extraordinary actions, he's also not above outright lying—everything from using convicts as expendable decoys to insisting that his trademark crouch increases his reasoning abilities by 40%.

Humans are inquisitive by nature. We want answers, and Light's tenure as God proves that many of us look up to powerful figures who claim to have them. Light appeals to an innate desire for justice in all people and uses that to rule the world from the shadows. But his arrogance consumes him throughout the second season because he has no equal to keep him humble. It's possible that L is the same way: he gravitates toward law, detective work, and justice simply because he has to succeed. Where Light represents individual, retributive justice, L represents law at its most perfect and least merciful.

While we're on the subject of L, why does the discovery of shinigami shock him so deeply? Because of the supernatural upsets the balance of the hierarchy he has crowned himself king of. Gods of death operate by completely different rules than humans, physically and psychologically speaking. Once he's acknowledged that he's dealing with forces beyond his understanding, of course, the shinigami are just one more challenge for him to fit into his worldview. So what is there to understand about Ryuk? Of all the characters in Death Note, Light's companion shinigami is the most honest. Ryuk may be deliberately evasive or obtuse, but unlike the humans he meets, he never tells an outright lie. His reason for dropping the Death Note into the human world is clear from the beginning: "I did it because I was bored."
Is it evil to allow a deadly weapon to potentially fall into evil hands? Perhaps, but would you call gun shop owners evil? All they do is respond to the demands of an existing market. The difference is that Ryuk knowingly attempts to stir up trouble - the most "interesting" humans are the ones who make extensive and creative use of the Death Note, and those who rise to challenge them. Ryuk sets in motion the deaths of thousands - perhaps hundreds of thousands. But he does not hide behind ideals or principles. There will be other lives, and as long as they do interesting things - and give him apples - he is content to watch them destroy each other. He'll be the first to tell you. It may sound like a paradox, but there's an undeniable integrity to that sort of morality.

The answer to the question of right and wrong is that there is no answer. Good and evil are mutable concepts that change with perspective and context, and defining them is a constant undertaking that stretches back as far as recorded history. Both Light and L believe that humanity is fundamentally unchanging, both use that belief for their own gain, and both have different definitions of justice to back it up. Ryuk, as one of a stagnant race, is wholly amoral, but he is under no obligation to be otherwise. Nor does he feel it necessary to disguise his motives - why should he answer to alien laws? Trying to decide who is on the side of justice - whether they take a side or not - misses the point of this show. The idea that there are sides drives human history and achievement. But in the world of Death Note, those who see beyond the abstractions have the power to manipulate them, for better or for worse.

Personal Note - This manga came out in Portugal and it took 3 years to be completed. The manga does a better job of conveying the message.

Aug 23, 2009

TabbyCat

Recommended

Preliminary (10/108 chp)

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 Light is an amazing giniuse, and not to bad looking. This manga will have you at the endg of your seats, and leave you beagging for more. So what are you doing here reading this memo go out and by all the books, and shear theme whith your friends, your dogs, your cats, and most importatly.....ME!!!!!!!!

Feb 4, 2023

Fullmetaldak

Recommended

Top tier manga for a reason, cat and mouse , good and evil, morality , with a little dark twist.

I read this early on, id say my 4th or 5th manga, was a big thinker as far as the story goes. Though I enjoyed it due to its different pacing and plot. The art style as well is very solid with fine detail and shading. Cover art is top tier as well.

Unlike the anime, the story as a whole was awesome and had me talking with friends as soon as I finished it. The anime isnt bad by any means but they changed ...

Mar 8, 2008

Jin_Kaze_Tsukai

Recommended

Death Note is a rather interesting piece of work. I had never come across a manga quite like it, or characters like the ones I see in here. It starts off with 17 year old Light Yagami finding the Death Note. A Shinigami's handbook that if you write a person's name in it (and assuming you know their face) they die. Sounds like some sort of a sick joke right? Right? Wrong. The power of this little notebook is very real, and so real Yagami couldn't help but be tempted.

Welcome to the world of Deathnote where deception, and keeping on your toes is everything. ...

Jun 1, 2011

thekawaiifangirl

Recommended

Ah, Death Note. Not your ordinary manga story. I could honestly see something like this happen in real life, minus the shinigami and creepy death notebook.

When I first saw Death Note I was like, "ew." But then my friend told me to read it, and he even brought it to school. I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to read manga when I saw it, so I read it. I fell in love with the first volume. The first chapter honestly isn't so, "OMG I NEED TO KEEP READING" but it's more like, "Hm, interesting. Turn the page..." few chapters later..." OMG THIS ...

Aug 18, 2008

NanashiMoriko

Recommended

Hmmm what can I say about Death Note? It's almost indescribable. It's good I can definitely say that. The plot is brilliantly conceived and it excels in the way it evolves, twisting and turning and oh so much thinking.

It has a perfect pace, with events unfolding just right, very calculated. And it also has the comedic relief to lighten the serious tone that this manga so frequently has. The artwork is lovely, the Shinigami are drawn creatively and I like that they differ from preconceptions and no two are the same. I'd love to learn more about them.

The characters are great. I love Near, Mello ...

Jun 4, 2012

Hououin-Kyoma

Recommended

Story: [10/10]
The story is amazing. Light and Ryuk both think their world is rotten so they try to make it better. Ryuk escapes his world and looks for entertainment on earth by dropping a notebook. The best entertainment he could wish for, Yagami Light, picks up the book. This is when one of the biggest geniusses on earth starts to make that world a place worth for a god to live in... by killing criminals! Of course that makes him a criminal himself in the eyes of the law and the police and detective L. Light searches for L and L searches for Light, both ...

Feb 7, 2010

Helsic

Recommended

This is so far the most awesome manga I have ever read in my life. There is a lot of good mangas that I really enjoy but this one is just epic.

I like almost everything, from the story to the art concept.

There's a lot of things I LOVE from this manga, the most important is that really makes me feel excited! the whole week I went to sleep thinking in "What the hell is going to happen next..." during the day, at my work I continuosly stopped thinking in who to resolve the puzzle... so I think the whole plot is awesome, both writer and ...

Dec 21, 2008

Kira_Shinigami

Recommended

This manga came out of left field and blew my mind away. I cannot recommend this manga highly enough- everything about it was amazing! The deep character development and the twists make you feel like your riding the craziest roller coaster from beginning to end! However if your looking for crazy, bloody action sequences you might want to look elsewhere. This particular manga will definitely crack open that mind of yours and really make you think, almost forcing you to put yourself into the shoes of some of the characters, and there is quite an amount of reading to do. But it is well ...

Previous - More Reviews