This post includes all the best reasons you must watch the “Death Note” anime.
Based on a manga series by Tsugumi Ohba, the Death Note has become a must-watch in anime pop culture. It is an absolute masterpiece that no one should miss. I mean, even if for someone new to the anime world, Death Note is what they should start with because their anime culture journey would then be just amazing.
For today’s generation watching animes is the new cool. Animes have a much better ideology, storyline, details, and characters, for that matter. And some anime are insanely popular among everyone, and Death Note anime is one such.
So, in this article, we will give you the reasons for the massive popularity of the Death Note anime and tell you why you should watch it if you haven’t already.
Why is Death Note Anime so Popular?
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Did you know that Death Note anime has been adapted to games, musicals, light novels, and even live-action films? And why wouldn’t there be? It is simply because of the craze over this anime series. The Death Note anime has changed the world of anime for everyone.
For most, the animated series was all about Dragon Ball-Z, which was and will always be a childhood favorite, but then masterpieces like the Death Note anime completely changed the concept of anime culture for all.
It has always been evident that animated content is likable as it is full of what we usually don’t see in other tv series. And the Death Note anime surely fits into this notion. This dark-themed, mystery-based narrative touches every niche of life.
Death Note anime is one of those shows that people have watched during their early stages of entering into the anime world, so the younger generation could probably connect and hit it off with the main characters and theme of the series.
Despite that, no matter when you decide to watch the Death Note anime, you will always love it because it is so brilliantly crafted. The mystery, the intense stare-downs, the psychoanalysis, everything is worth giving it your time.
Is Death Note Anime Based on a True Story?
When a series is really popular, fans tend to dig a little deeper into its history. And the same happened with the Death Note anime; fans had the urge to discover the true origins of the anime.
It so happened that in 2006, some hard-core fans discovered a one-shot story by Shigeru Mizuki that went by the name “The Miraculous Notebook,” which was claimed as the inspiration behind the storyline for the Death Note anime.
However, recent archaeological findings suggest an interesting concept. It says that the “Death Note” may have been in existence in ancient China way before the dawn of Japanese comics. It is believed to be China’s oldest “book of death.” But the exact origin of it is not clear yet.
Before moving on to the reasons to watch the Death Note anime, let us go over a few facts on animes.
5 Most Interesting Facts About Anime
So, if you a new to this genre, these facts will surely take you by surprise. So let’s see what’s in store.
1. Anime is not a “cartoon.”
There is a popular belief that anime is just the same as cartoons; however, this is very offensive for die-hard anime fans, as contrary to this belief, anime is not the same thing as “cartoon.” But why is that?
If you notice anime characters, you will see that anime characters have more human-like details than cartoon characters. They look as human as possible. Moreover, cartoons do not have a storyline; they are just a series of different episodes.
And the best reason of all, cartoons are designed to suit the younger audience, but anime is not for a certain age. It goes beyond that.
2. The term “anime” refers to Japanese computer or hand-drawn animation.
Japan is known to have the back for animation and anime. The word “anime” itself means Japanese hand-drawn animation. However, when the term is used outside of Japan, it often represents colorful graphics and dynamic characters.
3. Anime culture is huge
The genre of anime culture is huge, and it is mostly in Japan. According to a document from the Japan External Trade Organization, from 2004, anime has accounted for about 60% of the world’s total animation-based entertainment.
It is such a major deal in Japan that almost 40 schools have announced anime as an individual subject. That is not even the best part. The best part is that more papers are used to print Manga than make toilet paper in Japan.
4. The longest-running anime has over 7,000 episodes
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Over 7,000, can you believe it? Whether you believe it or not, this is true. The longest-running anime to be ever made, Sazae-San has over 7,500 episodes. Although each episode is of just 6 minutes, still 7,500 is a pretty big number.
5. KIMI NO NA WA is the highest-grossing anime film of all times
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Most people do not watch anime films. But the anime movie Kimi No Na Wa stands out in terms of its unique storyline. It is one beautiful film. And the best part about this anime movie is that most of the places shown here are real and not fictional.
This anime has brought in over $355 million worldwide.
So these are some of the most amazing facts about anime. Now, without any further ado, let’s move on to our actual point of interest, which is the top reason why you must watch the Death Note anime.
Disclaimer: Spoilers for the series might be ahead. So, read at your own risk.
Best Reasons to Watch Death Note Anime
If you are still not sure about watching the Death Note anime, or any anime for that matter, go through the reasons below, and you will see for yourself what you are missing. Animes have a very captivating plotline, dark themes, interesting elements, and lead characters, so do not mistake them to be just some sort of cartoon character.
So, let’s check out the reasons then:
1. The Impactful Storyline
Well, there’s no better reason to watch the Death Note anime than for the impactful storyline itself. A storyline plays a major role in deciding the fate of any movie or series, and in this case, the storyline is the reason for success.
If you are into dark, intense, mysterious, psychological thrillers, then Death Note anime is for you. The storyline of this anime revolves around all these elements at their best. The storyline of Death Note is very impactful as it is power-packed and takes a genius mind to decode it all.
It is also a dark comedy and a crime thriller. The story revolves around a high school student, a teen genius Light Yagami (main character), who comes across a mysterious black notebook one fine day that brings him into a new world.
Light Yagami goes on a secret mission to fight injustice and eliminate criminals from the world as soon as he discovers that the notebook he found is capable of killing people whose name is written on it. Light Yagami uses the death note to fight evil and bring justice to the world but in questionable means.
2. The Series is of the Right Length
If you are new to the anime world, you might not want to engage in something with over 700 episodes, right?! Well, if you have that superpower, then definitely go for it. Watch Naruto: Shippuden. But if you do not have that superpower, in that case, the Death Note anime is the best choice for you.
And you know why? Because it has the perfect length for any person to watch. It has just 37 episodes, and that isn’t a tough hill to climb, right? Even first-timers would enjoy watching this length.
Moreover, every episode of the series has a hook deep into us. It has the perfect runtime for both beginners and re-watchers because when a series is too long, it can sometimes throw you off, especially when you’re watching for the first time.
So, runtime matters a lot. Death Note anime has the perfect number of episodes, neither too long that would make you feel like the story is just being dragged unnecessarily, nor too short that you would feel like “wish there was more.” They ended it on the right note.
3. Bunch of Interesting Characters
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The Death Note anime introduces a bunch of extremely interesting & mysterious characters to the human world, to us. This show gave us two of the greatest characters in the history of anime, and they are none other than:
Light Yagami & Ryuzaki aka L.
Both of these characters are equally intelligent, dark, and mysterious. Light Yagami, a studious high-school student turned serial killer with a god-like complex, is one highly interesting character. Light decides to bring justice into this world, make this world evil-free on his own.
Light considers killing criminals using the death notebook and establishes his idea of the world. In the beginning, he feels like he is the single mastermind of this whole good vs. evil thing.
On the other hand, Ryuzaki or L, as he goes by, is one of the best detectives this world can have. His eccentric personality and decoding skills are what makes Death Note anime more interesting. His anti-social personality, childhood background as an orphan, and weird sense of things around him add more to his character.
Support Characters
The other characters who do a remarkable job in the series are Ryuk, Rem, Misa Amane, Soichiro Yagami, Near, Mello, Naomi Misora, Teru Mikami, and Touta Matsuda.
Let us know a bit about these characters as well, shall we?
Ryuk:
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It’s impossible to talk about interesting characters from Death Note anime and not mention Ryuk from the Shinigami Realm. Ryuk is one of the most compelling characters in the anime world. His interest in the human realm and Light’s life is quite amusing, and it’s funny to watch.
He helps Light through everything but waits until the worst possible moment so that he can get a laugh out of it. And watching these two work together is great.
Rem:
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Rem is another Shinigami or the God of Death, but how her story unfolds is interesting. The very idea of the God of Death or a Shinigami falling in love with a human and going to extremes for that human is quite interesting, isn’t it?! Well, that’s Rem for you.
Rem develops feelings for Misa and ends up sacrificing herself to save her love. This is not something usual. A “god of death” sacrificing herself for a human.
Misa Amane
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Misa Amane first comes off as an over-possessive fan of Kira or more like someone who worships the real Kira. But her journey throughout the series, as she overcomes her possessiveness and establishes herself as a significant character, is worth watching.
Her relationship with the Shinigami Rem and Kira (Light) defines her character and is the driving force that gives the audience remarkable scenes for her developing personality.
Note:
At some point, Misa Amane becomes the second Kira.
4. The Whole Rivalry Between Light & L
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The Death Note anime is a saga of a rivalry between two extremely intelligent students, Light Yagami and L. The storyline revolves around who will outwit whom in a game of crime, life & death. The whole time you will get the vibe of “I will beat you, eventually” from both the characters.
The whole gist of the rivalry between Light & L emphasis being smart and witty and always ten steps ahead of your enemy. And that’s exactly what Light & L does; they both are always neck-to-neck. This Light VS L saga is historic.
They are an electric duo that keeps viewers hooked on the series. The clash of their incredibly strong minds and personalities is seriously fun to watch.
The story follows Light, who becomes Kira and decides the fate of those he thinks are unworthy of life and is forced to come head-on with L, an enigmatic detective who makes it his mission to catch Kira. L is determined to put a stop to Light’s reign. However, L remains anonymous, which makes things more interesting, and Light gets determined to uncover l’s identity.
L joins the police task force to help catch Kira along with some FBI agents from Japan. Both use the best tactics they can. It’s hard to tell who is smarter than whom at times, as they both swear to see the other dead and defeated.
5. IMDb Rating
Some people are really into ratings and reviews first before watching any movie or series because the IMDb website has the most authentic information on anything. So, if you think you should check out the IMDb ratings for the Death Note anime before actually watching, well, you must.
You won’t be disappointed with the ratings and reviews because the Death Note anime has an IMDb rating of 9 out of 10. How good is that, right? The ratings never lie; viewers use genuine and authentic viz media platforms to express their opinions on the show.
So, if you are still unsure about Death Note anime, watch it because of its ratings, and you won’t be disappointed at all with the content.
6. There’s a Lot of Drama
For a dark-comedy, you wouldn’t expect a lot of twists and turns probably, but to your surprise, the Death Note anime has got hundreds of them. Throughout the storyline, you will get not jump scares, but surely adrenaline rush scares (if that’s a thing) at every twist and turn.
You would be expecting something, and something different would happen. Being so unpredictable is what makes it interesting. The supernatural twists it has, keep the viewers engaged. And the most interesting part is that just when you think the ship is sailing smooth, something knocks it out.
The degree of supernatural content was what people loved the most because it was never seen before.
7. No Need For Subtitles, It Has Got #Amazing Dubbing
For hard-core anime fans, subtitles are never an issue because they do not even need them. They watch the series with the original audio, but those who are new will need some time to get the hang of a new language. So, they might need subtitles.
But not all like to keep mouthing the subtitles right, so for those, the Death Note anime is a blessing because it has got the best cast for English dub. So, newcomers can watch this anime with an English dub and no subtitles at all.
And the dub artists have done an amazing job. Every character has got the perfect voice to match their personality.
8. Authenticity
When a show delivers authenticity, it beats everything else automatically. Viewers need things to feel authentic, not just something entirely made up.
And the Death Note anime truly delivers that; it has a completely real vibe despite being a fantasy show. It provides the essence of Japan in every scene. Everything in the anime, from clothing, gestures, mannerisms, to everything else, you will find a relation to Japanese culture.
You will get a taste of real Japan via this anime. It’s better not to say much and let you enjoy these on your own when you start watching this anime.
9. It Has Amazing Tracks & Theme Song
Last but not least, Death Note has got an amazing opening theme song or, say, the title track. It has a great playlist for both opening and closing soundtracks. If not for the sound, the anime would not have been this popular, maybe.
Their play track is one of the main reasons for their massive popularity. For example, all the tracks used here are original, and there are about 30 tracks.
Well, now these are the best reasons to watch Death Note. I hope now you got the gist of the whole anime and are excited to watch it. But before you watch it, brush up on some insiders on interesting facts about Death Note.
Few Interesting Facts About Death Note Anime
1. Detective L almost had a pair of twins
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A plot that never went to the running was the idea of L being a father. Mello and Near’s characters served as successors after L and were planned to be cast as L’s twin sons. However, this idea was soon dismissed after realizing that it would be difficult for the audience to picture L’s personality with a woman.
2. Naomi Misora’s character was killed off for the sake of Manga’s future
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(Spoilers ahead)
Former FBI agent Naomi Misora is the fiance of Ray Penber, a young man who was on the investigating team for Kira. Ray Penber dies during the investigation or, more specifically, is killed by Kira in the first half of the series.
So, soon Misora begins an investigation of her own as she has brilliant detective skills. She got close to cracking Kira’s killing abilities. She was so good that her character had to be killed because the writer Tsugumi Ohba felt otherwise her character would have interfered with the dynamic duo of Light and L.
Well, you can say that for the sake of the manga’s future, the character of Naomi Misora was killed. She was a little too smart.
3. China has banned the manga
Although Death Note has gained massive popularity over the years, there are some places where both the manga series and the anime are banned. One such place is China. China has completely banned the Death Note anime.
This is because some countries were extremely shocked by the materials that were used. It was mostly banned because of the increased number of students who started creating their death notes. The ban was approved based on preserving mental health.
4. The death eraser…
Not many people would know this, but manga fans would. There is a death eraser in the first chapter (pilot) of the manga series Death Note. An eraser that could be used to erase the names written on the death note.
In the manga, when protagonist Taro Kagami accidentally uses the Death Note to kill several bullies, he feels sorry for it. So, Shinigami Ryuk offers him the death eraser to bring them back to life.
Now, this would have changed the anime entirely, wouldn’t it?
Well, these are some of the interesting facts about the anime; if you are interested in more information, click here.
I hope this article could deliver exactly what you were looking for, and if not exactly, at least close to it. We can go on and on about this anime because it is that great, and there are so many things to say and know about it, but you will ruin all the fun if we say a lot.
So, you should watch it now. Let us know what you think about this post and Death Note anime after watching it in the comment section.
Last Updated on by Sathi
