Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: DEATH NOTE BOX SET #1 (DVD MOVIE)
EAN: 0782009239215
Format: Animated
Label: VIZ VIDEO
Manufacturer: VIZ VIDEO
MPN: DDNBS01
Number Of Items: 5
Publisher: VIZ VIDEO
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-11-18
Running Time: 500
Studio: VIZ VIDEO

A 5-disc box set containing the first 20 episdoes of Death Note!

Meet Light Yagami, a brilliant but bored high school student whose life is changed when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami, or god of death, named Ryuk. When Light discovers that any human whose name is written in the book dies, he vows to use its power to rid the world of evil. But every action has its consequences, and Light soon finds himself in a life or death battle of wits with the mysterious genius detective called L. Humanity itself becomes the battleground to determine what form of justice will prevail!

Bilingual (English/Japanese)
Some teenagers walk around with a chip on their shoulder: Light Yagami, the alienated hero of the macabre fantasy-adventure Death Note (2006) has a Shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk hovering over his shoulder. Although he's one of the top-ranked high school students in Japan, Light is repulsed by the lack of justice he sees in the world--until he finds Ryuk's notebook, the Death Note. If anyone writes the name of a human in the book, that person dies minutes later. After testing the Death Note's powers, Light launches a grandiose vigilante campaign to rid the world of criminals to create his vision of a perfect society. But the baffling string of deaths inevitably attracts the attention of the police, who turn the case over to the secretive master crime solver known only as L. Although he's as brilliant as he is arrogant, Light finds himself hard-pressed by L in their deadly game of cat and mouse. He tries to use Misa, a teen idol who's acquired her own Death Note and Shinigami, to destroy L, but is outfoxed by his nemesis. To ensure Light does nothing without his knowledge, L has them handcuffed together. Although it begins slowly, Death Note gets better with each installment, as the stakes grow higher in the duel of wits between Light and L. Director Tetsuro Araki plays up their physical differences: Light is cool, handsome and well-groomed; slovenly L seems to think with his twitchy bare feet as well as his redoubtable brain. Neither character is particularly likeable initially, but they become intriguing as the viewer gets to know them. (Rated Teen+ Older Teen, suitable for ages 15 and older: grotesque imagery, violence, violence against women, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

(1. Rebirth, 2. Confrontation, 3. Dealings, 4. Pursuit, 5. Tactics, 6. Unraveling, 7. Overcast, 8. Glare, 9. Encounter, 10. Doubt, 11. Assault, 12. Love, 13. Confession, 14. Friend, 15. Wager, 16. Decision, 17. Execution, 18. Ally, 19. Matsuda, 20. Makeshift)

Customer Rating:
Summary: A great box set of a great series
Comment: Aside from how unique and original Death Note is, I was well impressed with the price point of this set as well as the ample bonus features on each disk. I'm eagerly awaiting the 2nd Box set.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Series (first half) for a Great Price
Comment: Deathnote is simply an amazing anime series that challenges our perception of what is truly good or evil. In a nutshell, the protagonist, Light Yagami, finds a notebook called a 'Deathnote'. Thinking it is a prank, he writes the name of a criminal in it, and is surprised when the criminal dies suddenly. He tests the notebook a couple of more times to be sure, then goes on a killing spree, executing serious criminals and wanted men.

Despite his benevolent desire to create a better world with no crime; the public is divided, with police and much of the public fearful of his power. A small part of the population cheers him on in online blogs, but they are too fearful to openly support him.

What is interesting is that the viewer tends to either side with his motives or not. So the question is: is he hero or villain?

The series is very cat and mouse, being 'Kira' (Light Yagami) and 'L', who leads the investigation, continue to chase one another. Kira tries to discover who L is so that he may execute him and L tries to discover who Kira is so that he may capture him and end the killings.

So the plot is intersting, but what about the quality? Animation is fluid and clean with an interesting selection of colors. Often when Kira is performing killings, the colors are dull and dark; while Kira is at school everything is bright and cheery. It tends to set the mood appropriately.

The soundtrack also suits the plot and theme very well. The series has a whole 'celestial choir' feel to the music (except the intro and closing songs).

Characters are very interesting and very well portrayed. Some of the characters can become irritating at times, though it all is part of the greater plot (Misa is in particular a rather irritating girl). The Shinigami (Death Gods) that protect the Deathnote are also very interesting and original. In particular, Ryuk provides a touch of comedy refief at times.

Overall I give this 5/5 though there are a few episodes where the show tends to grind down and putter along (parts of disc 3 mainly), but the series picks up the pace again with disc 4.

I hate to put this up against the fantasy/sci-fi animes such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Last Exile (which are destined to be classics and the best of the best), but this series does squeak into my top 10! Well worth a watch!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Bargain For Those Who Haven't Watched The Series
Comment: If you have always wanted to start watching Death Note or buy it, this is what you need to get. The price is great when others have paid around $20 for each Volume. That means that you get the first five volumes for about half price. Death Note is definitely one of the best anime series of all time and you really can't beat this price. The characters are very relatible and the story does a great job at pulling the viewer in.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A great begining, but horrible end.
Comment: What would you do if you suddenly realized you had the power to take life? Well the TV series of Death Note could teach you a thing or two. Light Yagami is an anti social prodigy that suffers from inner torment of unjustice in the world. Suddenly he comes across a strange notebook called The Death Note. Suddenly he realizes that he has the power to re-shape the world in his image, by taking the lives of criminals, rapists, murderers and all those that pose a threat to a safe world. All goes well until the police and international security teams start realizing that the mystrious constant death of evil people is not right. It is now up to Light to keep his tracks hidden from Super-cop 'L' who keeps getting closer and closer.

This show really has alot of promise. It is the first Anime I have seen that blends fantasy with true white knuckle suspence and police stories. Unfortunatly while the first few episodes are nothing short of brilliant as the story goes on the enjoyment goes down the tubes. After the character of Misa is introduced there are points where I just get sick to my stomach. The diologue gets terrible the story gets boring and there are moments when I just want to hurl the remote control at my television. I feel that the show was too long, which was the reason why there are parts of the show I dispised. The ending while I don't want to give it away was something that could have been done so much better. They could have put much better stories in the show for time fillers like back stories and character origins.

I know there are plenty of people out there that do love this show and for that all the power to you. After seeing this show from begining to end and being a fan of most anime I am glad that I did get to see the show, but it's just not my cup of tea.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Price For A Great Series
Comment: I have already gotten the live-action movie and first anime dvd of this fantastic show when I saw the price for this box set I figured to go ahead and get this box set and wait for the second box set as well. I'm sure most people know the story-plot of the series by now but if not the short info is that a young college student by the name of Light Yagami finds a shinigami's death note book and after reading the notebook and finding out that if anyone writes a name of someone and knows their face that person will die within forty seconds of having their name put in the notebook. Thus begins the great thought provoking series which is truly entertaining, since it brings to thought on what a person would do if they had a notebook like this could someone have this kind of almost godlike power and not be corrupted by it. As you watch the series you can sense that in the beginning that Light isn't truly evil an that he wants to get rid of the truly evil criminals and people that the law can't seem to either punish or touch because of the bureaucracy of the world, but as the series continues Light himself becomes corrupted believing himself a god and that his word and beliefs are what the truly righteous should live by even going so far as to kill some FBI agents sent to help Japans police force to solve the mysterious deaths of these criminals. Along the way we also see Ryuk the shinigami who dropped the notebook and the real world to see what would happen since he was bored and felt he had nothing to do, he explains to Light that there is only one great consequence to using the note book, anyone that has used the notebook can neither go to Heaven or Hell once they die. Than we have the elusive and unique genius L who is the main opponent to Light as they begin the battle of wits, Light who wishes to defeat L and continue his supposed righteous agenda and L who sees Light as nothing more than a serial killer drunk on his own power. The video is clear and sharp as expected with the newer animes and the voice actors for the Japanese/English cast did a great job for their characters. So if you're looking for a unique anime with a decent story and great animation this a good choice to check out and for the price I say get it today...

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