In this post, we take a closer look at the current status of the series “Death Note”, also known by the following titles:
- デスノート
- DN
Status#
Based on our analysis, the series is NOT FINISHED. ❌
Here’s how we reached that conclusion:
- All related entries are marked as finished on MyAnimeList
- The series is listed as ended on Trakt
- The original source material has not been fully adapted, according to MangaUpdates
Taken together, these points indicate that Death Note is still ongoing in some form.
Watch order#
Death Note ↗ ↖
Summary
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.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Background
Death Note ranked second in the 2006 and 2007 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! for the Male Readers division. It was nominated for the 38th Seiun Award in the Best Comic category in 2007. In the same year, it was also nominated for the 11th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. As of April 2015, over 30 million copies of the manga are in circulation. The manga was published in English by VIZ Media under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint from October 10, 2005, to July 3, 2007, and again in 2-in-1 omnibus volumes subtitled Black Edition. There have been several more rereleases of the series: a special hardcover edition of the first volume; a complete box set, which included a guidebook titled Death Note 13: How to Read; and a complete omnibus. It was also published in Italian by Panini Comics from October 19, 2006, to September 18, 2008; in Brazilian Portuguese by Editora JBC from June 2007 to June 2008; in German by Tokyopop from September 2006 to March 2009; in French by Kana from January 19, 2007, to October 9, 2008; in Dutch by Kana; in Argentina by LARP Editores from May 20, 2009, to April 2012; and in Spanish by Glénat España from June 30, 2006, to September 30, 2007. The series was adapted into three live-action films, a TV drama series, and a stage musical. It has also inspired other works and copycat crimes outside Japan, leading to various controversies.
Death Note Another Note: Los Angeles BB Renzoku Satsujin Jiken ↗ ↖
DEATH NOTE アナザーノート ロサンゼルスBB連続殺人事件
Summary
A serial killer terrorizes the streets of Los Angeles. This brilliant psychopath commits seemingly perfect murders, brazenly challenging the police with cryptic riddles. The enigmatic and world-famous detective L has been hired to crack the case. However, to keep himself out of the public eye, L seeks out FBI agent Naomi Misora to carry out the investigation for him.Misora agrees to aid L’s endeavors, but soon finds herself caught up in an intense battle of wits between L and the culprit. Who is this mysterious killer, and why do they leave clues for the LAPD to decipher? Death Note Another Note: Los Angeles BB Renzoku Satsujin Jiken follows Misora on her journey to solve these mysteries and bring the indiscriminate murders to an end once and for all.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Background
Death Note Another Note: Los Angeles BB Renzoku Satsujin Jiken was published in English as Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases by VIZ Media on February 19, 2008. It was also released in Brazilian Portuguese by Editora JBC on July 4, 2011; and in Polish by J.P. Fantastica on May 18, 2018.
Death Note ↗ ↖
DN
Summary
Brutal murders, petty thefts, and senseless violence pollute the human world. In contrast, the realm of death gods is a humdrum, unchanging gambling den. The ingenious 17-year-old Japanese student Light Yagami and sadistic god of death Ryuk share one belief: their worlds are rotten.For his own amusement, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world. Light stumbles upon it, deeming the first of its rules ridiculous: the human whose name is written in this note shall die. However, the temptation is too great, and Light experiments by writing a felon’s name, which disturbingly enacts his first murder.
Aware of the terrifying godlike power that has fallen into his hands, Light—under the alias Kira—follows his wicked sense of justice with the ultimate goal of cleansing the world of all evil-doers. The meticulous mastermind detective L is already on his trail, but as Light’s brilliance rivals L’s, the grand chase for Kira turns into an intense battle of wits that can only end when one of them is dead.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Death Note: Rewrite ↗ ↖
ディレクターズカット完全決着版 〜リライト
Summary
When approached by a fellow death god tempted to visit the human realm, Ryuk recounts his own journey to the other side and the story of Light Yagami—a brilliant young man who impressed him there.One day at school, Light stumbles upon Ryuk’s lost Death Note and realizes it is not an ordinary notebook. He learns that it has the ability to kill every person whose name is written inside, provided that the user can visualize the victim’s face. Having long deplored the decadence of current society, Light believes this sinister weapon offers him an unexpected opportunity: to eradicate all evil and bring about a new ideal world.
Following a string of fatal heart attacks, the authorities start to suspect that the alarming number of dead criminals is not coincidental. Determined to uncover the mysterious culprit, they join forces with L, an internationally renowned detective. As the death count escalates, Light and L clash in a breathtaking confrontation of wits and deception—a duel that will decide the future of humanity.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Background
Death Note: Rewrite is a recut version of the Death Note anime series, comprising two movies. The first film, titled Death Note: Rewrite Genshi Suru Kami or Death Note: Relight Visions of a God, condenses the events of the series' first half. The second film, titled Death Note: Rewrite 2 L o Tsugu Mono or Death Note: Relight 2 L's Successors, does the same for the series' latter half. In addition to being shorter, the story's setting and timeline have also changed. Some new scenes and dialogue were introduced—especially in the second film—and the first film is now presented as a reminiscence of the death god Ryuk. Death Note: Rewrite Genshi Suru Kami was released on DVD on March 19, 2008 in Japan and on June 23, 2009 in the US. Death Note: Rewrite 2 L o Tsugu Mono followed on November 21, 2008 in Japan and on October 27, 2009 in the US.
L Change the WorLd ↗ ↖
Summary
L Change the WorLd is a sequel to the Death Note movie based on the popular anime. This movie is entirely dedicated to L, and his last 23 days on Earth after having caught Kira. This is a novel version of that movie and contains many events that do not take place in the film.Background
L Change the WorLd was published in English by VIZ Media on October 20, 2009. It was also released in Brazilian Portuguese by Editora JBC in September 2011.