Death Note (2006)
Kernel Score: 88% · 4,767 ratings
Genres: Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
First aired: 2006-10-04
Seasons: 1 · 37 episodes
Is Death Note worth watching?
Must-watch. A tense battle of wits between a student with a murder notebook and a genius detective. It's smart and tense, and the first half in particular is hard to stop.
Watch it if you
- love cat-and-mouse mind games
- like dark, clever anime
- enjoy stories with a morally complicated lead
Skip it if you
- want light or cheerful viewing
- dislike anime or lots of talk and inner monologue
Best for: Binge weekend
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Death Note
- Stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu
- Free with ads: Hoopla, The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home, Pluto TV, Prime Video (free with ads)
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But will Light succeed in his noble goal, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?
Death Note parents' guide: ages 14+
Parents need to know that Death Note is a TV-14 psychological thriller anime centered on a serial-killer-like protagonist who murders using a supernatural notebook.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Central premise involves a supernatural notebook used to kill people, explored through a serial-killer psychological thriller lens.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official TV-14 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Shows like Death Note
If you liked Death Note, these are the shows we'd watch next.
- Steins;Gate (2011) — 89%: Smart, tense sci-fi puzzle with a brilliant lead
- Psycho-Pass (2012) — 85%: Dark crime story about justice and control
- Parasyte -the maxim- (2014) — 89%: Dark anime with a strong hook and moral questions
- Attack on Titan (2013) — 91%: High-stakes anime with relentless twists
- Luther (2010) — 88%: Brilliant detective drama with a morally grey lead
- Hunter x Hunter (2011) — 90%: Clever strategy battles and strong character work
Cast
- Mamoru Miyano as Light Yagami (voice)
- Shido Nakamura as Ryuk (voice)
- Aya Hirano as Misa Amane (voice)
- Kappei Yamaguchi as L (voice)
- Kimiko Saito as Rem (voice)
- Naoya Uchida as Soichiro Yagami (voice)
- Ryou Naitou as Touta Matsuda (voice)
- Keiji Fujiwara as Shuichi Aizawa (voice)
- Kazuya Nakai as Kanzo Mogi (voice)
- Noriko Hidaka as Near (voice)
Death Note FAQ
Is Death Note worth watching?
Must-watch. A tense battle of wits between a student with a murder notebook and a genius detective. It's smart and tense, and the first half in particular is hard to stop.
Where can I watch Death Note?
In the US you can stream Death Note on Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu, watch it free with ads on Hoopla, The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home, Pluto TV and Prime Video (free with ads) and buy it from Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is Death Note OK for kids?
Death Note is rated TV-14. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 14+. Parents need to know that Death Note is a TV-14 psychological thriller anime centered on a serial-killer-like protagonist who murders using a supernatural notebook.
What shows are like Death Note?
If you liked Death Note, try Steins;Gate, Psycho-Pass, Parasyte -the maxim- and Attack on Titan.