Story (9/10)
The story is quite intricate at times and can best be described as a battle of wits. Practically every action taken by a protaganist/antagonist (however you define them) is meticulously planned and thought out. The story can be compared to a game of chess, but unlike chess, both players do not have perfect information, making their positions much more interesting and complex. The one and only qualm I have with Death Note, however, is the ending of the story. Despite the ending being logical and inevitable, it is oddly unsatisfying. Mainly due to the fact that the viewer is not entirely sure if the information that the characters portray about the ending is indeed accurate. We are given an explanation of occurrences by one of the characters, but we do not actually know if what they're telling us is completely accurate. This has lead to various theories and does leave an air of mystery surrounding what actually happened.
Art (9.8/10)
I absolutely love the art style in Death Note. It does not fall prey to incessant fan service but actually takes the opposite approach and pours an exorbitant amount of detail in more mundane clothing and objects, such as suits and pencils. Additionally, the characters are all very unique visually and easily recognizable. The manga had a dedicated artist and a dedicated writer, which I believe was quite uncommon at the time. I haven't kept up with manga trends recently, but it does serve to illustrate the fact the a lot of effort went into the art as well as the story.
Sound (9/10)
I am rarely impressed by soundtracks, but this one is fantastic. Madhouse has an uncanny ability to make even the most mundane tasks or events seem absolutely epic and this is achieved largely through the soundtrack. However, there is one specific track that tends to play in the background during the more intellectual moments or during a character's scheming/planning. It's certainly not a bad track and it's quite fitting, but it does start to stand out after a while. Also, can we give a standing ovation for Mamoru Miyano's voice acting? Absolutely stunning. I recommend that you watch the sub, for that experience alone.
Characters (10/10)
Death Note houses a wide variety of characters whose personalities all contrast each other. There is the visionary narcissist, the paragon of justice,the awkward yet genuine loner, the love-smitten loose cannon, the dedicated disciple, the no holds barred criminal, the calm and rational analyst, and lastly, the neutral observer. Among all of these personalities, there has to be at least one that the viewer can relate to, right?
Enjoyment (9.5/10)
This show is just a thrilling ride. Even if some of the battles are just mental battles, they are being played not only with the participant's lives on the line, but also the lives of many others. When faced with death, one's true character shows itself. Many of the characters are lovable and many are easy to hate. I enjoyed myself simply rooting for certain characters to die or survive.
Overall (9.5/10)
The only way that somebody could not like any aspect of this show is if they think its ugly and they hate thinking. There's something here for almost everybody in addition to raising some pretty serious and legitimate philosophical questions. Should we be able to kill people who have demonstrated a lack of respect for others through mass murder, serial rape, etc. Is it okay for a citizen to take the law into his own hands when the government fails him? These are generally the types of questions that make people uncomfortable because there is some legitimate consideration. It's just a classic that I recommend to anybody interested in anime.
