The critically acclaimed Death Note series comes complete into a single All-in-One edition including a chapter never before released in English. Packed with over 2,000 pages of Light Yagami’s run as Kira, the murderer with a killer notebook, Death Note has captured the hearts and souls of millions across the globe.

Death Note is a 2003 shounen manga series, it is written and illustrated by  Tsugumi Ohba &  Takeshi Obata respectively, and licensed by Viz Media. It is currently available in print and digital in English.

Editor’s Note: A Death Note Complete All-in-One Edition review copy was given to us by Viz Media.

Light Yagami meets Shinigami Ryuk.

Death Note is perhaps one of the most prominent franchises within the anime and manga industry. It’s known for it’s dark themes, characters, direction, and ideals, most of which portrayed through the eyes of lead character Light Yagami.  Upon release of it’s anime adaptation, the series blew up in popularity both in Japan as well as overseas, especially in America.

Light Yagami, once a man of justice, becomes dark and evil as he holds the Death Note throughout the years.

THE GOOD: From the start of the series we get an idea of who main character Light Yagami is, he’s a young man who’s disgusted by criminals and those who would general be deemed “evil”.  However, upon obtaining the Death Note after meeting the Shinigami Ryuk, he tends to walk a thin line between being able to stop evil doers by doing evil himself. As Light struggles with what he deems necessary to defeat evil, his character gradually changes over time and eventually becomes irredeemable as a human being himself after taking on the mantle of Kira, his public alter ego. As Light’s presence as Kira increases he catches the eye of “L” a mysterious detective working for the Interpol who engages in a game of cat and mouse. L’s talents are so high that he is able to quickly deduce Light as being Kira, though Light manages to trick him into questioning his beliefs. Light’s war with L is by far one of the best battles in anime and manga, and L’s eventual death really took a toll on the series.

Characters Mello and Near are a poor replacement for L.

THE BAD: The second half post-L’s death really hurts the story overall. Ohba tried to fill the void with Mello and Near, who are separate halves of what made L as a whole so great, yet it ends up falling flat.

Not your average shounen battle.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Death Note’s entirety is available in an affordable all in one package, and it’ll be one of the greatest manga pick ups you’ll ever buy. Each and every chapter is translated in English, including one never released to American retailers, and you’ll find yourself lost for hours within it’s world. Otaku Dome gives Death Note Complete All-in-One Edition a 94 out of 100.