Death Note is something else. Get ready for an incredibly original premise with non-stop suspense and a level of intelligence that should have you on the edge of your seat. The game of cat and mouse between two truly brilliant characters provides for an entirely new way of watching and interacting with anime: unlike any storyline before it, Death Note had me constantly guessing and, thanks to the twists, I was often wrong. Animation is superb and distinguishes itself from that of comparable series by way of its use of lighting and color to set mood. Audio, too, is commendable: the OST is religious, dark, and creates a sense of suspense perhaps better than any other series that I've yet seen.
As for voice actors, the Japanese cast is perfect, particularly for Light and L. The English cast, while acceptable, is so different that it often changes the personality of the character entirely (this is especially the case for Light, L, and Misa), and for this reason I strongly recommend you view the show subbed.
Death Note does have one significant setback, though. While the last 1/3 of the series wasn't bad, the story loses some of its appeal after episode 25 and I think that it would have been held in higher regard had it ended then. This tends to be the response of other viewers, too. Still, Death Note deserves all of the attention that it receives and is one of the few shows that I insist you watch.
Animation: 8.8/10
Audio: 8.6/10
Storyline: 9.3/10
Overall Score: 9.1/10 (Masterpiece)
For snapshots and high quality episode/OST downloads, check out my blog at http://animefiend.blogspot.com
