Death Note - The Complete Series (9 Discs)

I'll admit that it's hardly a guarded secret that 'Death Note' (the anime) is one of the best series of the decade. But for slow-coaches like me, a complete box set is the perfect opportunity to join in with the wave of appreciation for what is, quite simply, one of the best anime shows ever.

I haven't seen the live action movies so have no idea how the anime compares, and in truth I haven't read the manga so for me, this set was also something of an introduction to the alternative reality that is 'Death Note'.

As a series it mixes the best of crime detection (with 'L' almost Sherlock Holmes like in his quirky ingenuity) with the best of imaginative fantasy sci-fi shows like 'Heroes'. This isn't mere entertaining escapism - it's intellectually satisfying too.



Despite the series running for a surprising 37 episodes it manages to maintain a level of interest usually reserved for thrillers packed into a mere 90 minutes. Its length allows for some fairly elaborate character study too with some great observations and nuances that give the show's central characters a depth that you just wouldn't think would be possible in an animation. There is undoubtedly a period (after the death of 'L' who was the most entertaining character in the series by far) where it looks like it's going to run out of steam but it manages to re-gain its early momentum in the final episodes and delivers a final punch that makes the whole thing seem more cohesive then perhaps it really is.



As ever, for the wise words of anime wisdom that a hard-core fan might need, check out Jitendar's reviews of the individual volume discs that make up this set. They are identical to those housed in this collection and perhaps more of a purist than I; Jitendar will give you a good insight into the original Japanese dubbed series, whereas, for my own viewing, I stuck to the US dub which I thought was excellent. Jitendar also brings out a broader and more knowledgeable perspective than you'll find in this review as his frame of reference is substantially wider. Yes - I'm afraid when it comes to anime I am something of a fair-weather, part time supporter of the cause.



You will also find perfectly penned episode synopsis and descriptions of the extras - and those extras will not excite anyone but the obsessed or those with way too much time on their hands. (Audio commentaries, textless opening and closing credits et al).

If you are intrigued by the genre and don't know where to start then I would strongly advise that you look no further and buy this set. It reflects everything that is great about the genre and is a fantastic example of just how powerfully entertaining good anime can be when it is intelligently written, carefully animated and superbly dubbed.






Right - now for the near impossible. An indication of what the narrative is and who the principal characters are without spoiling it for those who want to watch it. And this is a show with twists and turns that, if described, could easily spoil it. So bear with me!

Light Yagami is a bright student who, when walking through the streets, discovers a mysterious looking notebook - the 'Death Note'. The instructions claim that if a human's name is written in the book, they will die. Naturally, he thinks it's a hoax but when he witnesses the near rape of a girl in the streets by a brutish gang he gives it a go. By touching and 'owning' the notebook he and he alone can see the previous owner, a monster-styled 'shinigami' who advises and escorts Light as he starts to wreak havoc on the criminal population of his city.



To begin with, the killing is easy and seems to be morally justifiable. But the soaring death rate of criminals in prisons attracts the attention of a brilliant but highly secretive detective known only as 'L' who works for the International Police Organisation.

The serial killer (actually 'Light') becomes something of a cult hero, feared by most and worshipped by some and he soon becomes known as 'Kira'. 'L' realised that Kira can kill without ever laying a hand on his victims but at first he cannot figure out why. When Kira appears to always be one step ahead of the investigation team, 'L' suspects that it must either be someone on his task force or someone related to them.



It turns out that he is right. L's Dad is one of the team leaders and he has been accessing his secure computer files. And thus starts a game of cat and mouse between L and Light, both equally brilliant, with 'L' never quite giving up his suspicion that Light is Kira, even when Light joins the investigation team.

To add to the complexity, a young model called Misa Amane, who worships Kira as he killed her parent's murderers, finds a death note of her own and becomes a second 'copycat' Kira.
From here on in, the plot twists and turns with Light utilising his knowledge of all the nuances of how the Death Note works to achieve his end - to become a 'god of a new world order'.



Despite the plot complexity, spread out across 37 episodes it all makes perfect sense and anyone from teens to ...well, a hundred and twenty will be able to follow. Picture quality looked excellent to me (despite probably being sourced from an NTSC original) and audio was top notch with a great soundtrack. I should warn that half way through the series, the opening title track, an upbeat grungy pop song is replaced with what is, I suppose, something close to 'death metal' but I got used to that eventually too.



As I said earlier, the US dub was great and there's a nice little video extra on one of the early discs where you get to see some of the characters being dubbed in the studio. It's a subtle and clever job they do.

All in all, I would wholeheartedly recommend the set. Despite a mid-season lull, the overall package is superb and is certainly a show that I'll return to again before long.