Synopsis

Light Yagami's life changes when he finds a small black book on the ground at the school he studies at. The instructions proclaim that if someone's name is written inside the book, that person will die. Initially skeptical, Light decides to find out for himself, and when he discovers this new power, he seeks to become 'the god of the new world' and pass judgement on criminals, and rid the world of corruption.

Review

I will say this right out now, Death Note is not for someone who is looking for action and explosions aplenty. This is one anime that will have you thinking with your head a lot.

The great thing about Death Note is that the plot is constantly evolving. You really don't know which way it's going to turn next, and each episode ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, making you want to watch the next one, to see how things develop.

You will have to stick with it though, as the plot does start off slow, and really doesn't pick up much pace until the final few episodes. But that's fine, as Death Note isn't about being fast-paced, it gives you time to mull things over and see if you know where the story's going to go next episode. Having said that, the plot is never overly complex. Some issues may have you scratching your head for a while, but they are revealed to their purpose a couple of episodes later. Nothing is ever missed out, and so eveything is nicely wrapped up by the end, leaving you satisfied.

The chracters are an interesting mix too, in the way that there really isn't a 'hero' or 'villain' throughout the series. Light truly believes what he is doing is right, whereas the police department are out to stop whoever's causing these horrific crimes, and try to piece together the puzzle to lead them closer to him or her. You really do feel for some of the characters, as their emotions are taken on a rollercoaster throughout the series, but on the other hand, you don't know whether to support one character or another, as the plot constantly keeps you guessing.

However, despite some great characters, there are a couple of exceptions that are added which feel totally out of place, or you really don't feel anything for. It's true that without these characters, the series wouldn't have felt the same, but they could have been done a lot better, so really, you're getting a mixed bag character-wise.

The voice-acting overall is good. Most of the voices are not overly hammed up, but again, there are a couple of exceptions where they become more and more annoying the more you listen to them. The soundtrack is very ambient and quiet, which not only adds to the tension of certain scenes, but also makes you pay attention to the dialogue more, which is essential for an anime like this.

The animation is mostly very dark and moody, but it is done in great detail. A lot of effort has been put into the visuals to make the experience as intense as possible. All the characters have their own intricate details that makes them their own person. Some scenes may be too dark to see what's going on, but this happens very rarely, and shouldn't cause too many problems.

Conclusion

If you're looking for an anime that will keep you thinking until the end, but at the same time will never throw too much at you at once, look no further than Death Note. Despite some minor flaws, this is overall a great experience that'll keep you in your seat.

-Review by Dormin87 (22 Dec, 2007)

Audio:	Quiet soundtrack, good voice-acting
Video:	Dark and moody, but pretty detailed
Plot:	Slow, but with many twists to keep you interested
Style:	Original and well thought out
Characters:	Most are believable, but some become annoying
Violence:	Moderate
Language:	Moderate (though infrequent)
Nudity:	Mild (some suggestive scenes)
Genre:	Drama
Episodes:	37
Rating:	4.5 of 5
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