Product Details

• Actors: Death Note
• Directors: n, a
• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: VIZ VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000T28G2I
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,349 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

DEATH NOTE VOL 1 - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Destined to be a classic, August 4, 2007

By 

trashcanman (Hanford, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Death Note - Vol. 1 (DVD)

"Death Note" the anime is finally arriving on American shores and it's about time. The manga is hugely popular in both Asia and the USA and has even been banned in China due to it's perceived bad influence on students. There have also been two live-action films. So how does this story translate to the small screen? Having not read the comic, I saw this show with fresh eyes and it practically ruled my life until I finished it. This is one of the most intriguing, complex, and unique television shows of any genre and you will be missing out if you choose to pass it by.

The story focuses on a boy, Light Yagami, who comes across a notebook at school one day. He takes it home and reads it's contents, finding instructions for using this "Death Note" (as it's labeled). Any human whose name is written in it, dies. Naturally, one would assume that this was a joke, so he tries it out on a criminal holding hostages live on television. It works, all right. A normal child would probably burn it, or at least hide it away and never use it again, but Light is an exceptional boy, one with an (almost) unrivalled intellect and a severe hatred of crime; not to mention a megalomaniacal streak a mile across. So he decides to use his new found power to rid the world of criminals and establish a new world order with him playing God and delivering justice as he sees fit. Shortly after finding the Note, Light meets it's owner, a shinigami (death god) named Ryuk who is one of the most psychotic-looking anime/manga creations ever; like the Joker had a baby with a feathered demon or something. So why would a shinigami like Ryuk want to leave a Death Note in the human world? Why, because he was bored and that's just how Ryuk rolls. He's a disturbingly likeable character with an addiction to apples -which symbolize original sin, of course, and serve as kind of a symbol for the series- and an antagonistic nature that has him constantly cackling in the background as the events of the series play out. He also gives Light somebody to talk too in his solitude, lest the series get too bogged down with voice-overs.

Soon, people take notice of the deaths and the hunt for Light is on. He is dubbed "Kira", a Japanese corruption of "killer", and a special investigation team is formed, headed by a reclusive genius detective that goes by the name "L". L's intellect matches Light's and the chess-like move-and-countermove game between them is mind-boggling to watch and forms the base of the series. As a character, L is a true original: a pale-faced boy with deep black owlish eyes, a series of of unsettlingly bizarre habits and mannerisms, and an insatiable sweet tooth. He is the closest thing "Death Note" has to a true hero (discounting the side characters such as Light's father, who risk their lives by aiding in L's investigation) since the protagonist is a cold-blooded killer who soon begins hunting and killing those sent to investigate Kira. The result of all this is a wild ride that will leave your head spinning at times and make you appreciate just how good writing can get for a television series.

Once you start this show, you will not be able to stop as the plot constantly thickens, more characters are introduced and killed off, earth-shattering developments and brilliant schemes play out before your stunned eyes, and the story just keep adding more and more layers until you feel immersed in this world of constant struggle for the future of the earth. All this from one notebook. It was a cool concept to start with, but the unbelievable writing is what makes this anime must-see material. Welcome to your new obsession.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Death Note Is All Set For Classic Status, January 29, 2008

By 

Keith A. Jones "Sonic Jones... I'm Kind Of A ... (Philadelphia PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Death Note - Vol. 1 (DVD)

This is one anime that is rediculously good. Death Note has an incredible power that only anime has held tightly. The power to take an insane concept and actually make it make sense. Vandread is one I can think of right off the bat. Let me explain, The Death Note is a notebook caried by creatures caled Shinigami. The shinigami are said not to be either good or evil. The impossible or the seemingly impossible is the death note's poweres and how to make a story out of this. Light Yagami finds the Death Note one day lying on the ground.

Light is at the top of his class, the son of a great detective, and is going to be going to college soon. When he touches the Death Note he see's the previous owner, the shinigami named Ryuk . This shinigami is not so soft on the eyes but despite this Light gets used to Ryuk very quickly. Light finds that the Death Note can be used to kill people. If you write the name of the person with his/her face in mind, the person will die. If the cause of death is unspecified then the person will die of a heart attack.

Light comes to the conclusion to use this newfound power to eliminate evil people in the world. He goes after people in prison, people suspected of criminal acts that he believes are guilty, and though he does not blieve in killing the innocent he will kill whoever tries to get in his way. Somehow by a crazy hunch, the police figure that someone is doing this. They do not believe that all these criminals are dieing from heart attacks just by chance. Honestly the police would never have a chance at even getting a thoght of who was doing this. Then a new character is introduced. His name is simply L, L is an amazing detective and seems to be just as smart if not smarter than Light and he gives him some competition. This guy will definitely remind you of Monk.

I believe that Death Note was very well written. For one, the entire plot sound crazy and impossible but they make it cool and real with the adition of good characters. L gives the show exactly what it needs and so does the shinigami Ryuk. Just when you think you know,you have no idea and the carpet is pulled from under you. Light is a great main character and the battle to come from him and L will make this series exciting. The animation is incredible and fits perfectly. Great color and light and a great usage of darkness to give a gloomy feel to it. The voice actors are hot and the soundtrack adds an edge. This is a must see and a future classic, so don't miss it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beware! Only four episodes!!, November 4, 2007

By 

John George (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death Note - Vol. 1 (DVD)

This is one of the most original series I have ever seen. The story is awesome and keeps you guessing constantly. I highly recommend this show for anyone even if you're not a fan of anime. Also, acording to The VIZ website, there will be only four episodes for the first and subsequent volumes so beware. It is still a decent price though.