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If you were an anime fan in the mid-00s, you almost certainly saw Death Note. The influential Seinen series came out around the time Adult Swim was gaining a reputation for showing more adult anime, giving the adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s manga the perfect home in the US. However, with an anime series, two recap films, a series of live-action movies, and a poorly-received Netflix adaptation, there is a lot of Death Note to cover in one watch order.

If you are wondering how to approach this twisted tale of power, corruption, and death gods, then we’ve got everything you need to know about Death Note and its various spin-offs right here.

How to watch Death Note in order

Like a lot of anime, Death Note takes place largely in chronological order. Aside from a few flashbacks sprinkled throughout the series, there aren’t any episodes that are completely out of order. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any hiccups to watching Death Note in order. The two recap films cause a bit of difficulty, but it is the live-action films and Netflix series that can really confuse fans.

The best rule of thumb is to think of all the live-action Death Note adaptations as a separate continuity to the anime. Though they typically hit the same story beats, they are told in a vastly different way that doesn’t really line up with the source material, so the best way to experience all of Death Note is to watch it in release order.

The Death Note release order is:

• Death Note (2006) – This is a live-action film based on the manga that came out before the anime series
• Death Note anime episodes 1-5
• Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006) – This is a sequel to the first Death Note live-action film
• Death Note anime episodes 6-36
• Death Note Relight: Visions of a God – Note that this animated film is a recap of the first 26 episodes of the Death Note anime
• L: Change the World (2008) – This is a spin-off live-action film that takes place at the same time as Death Note 2: The Last Name
• Death Note Relight: L’s Successors – Note that this animated film is a recap of the last 11 episodes of the Death Note anime
• Death Note (2015) – This is a Japanese live-action series that retells the story of the original manga
• Death Note: New Generation (2016) – This is a short live-action mini-series that takes place between Death Note 2: The Last Name and Death Note: Light Up the New World
• Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016) – This live-action film takes place ten years after the events of the first two live-action Death Note films
• Death Note (2017) – This is the poorly-received Netflix live-action film set in the United States

How to watch each Death Note series in order

As you can see, the multiple Death Note adaptations that have been made over the years can be very confusing for fans, but each follows its own unique timeline. Once you how to separate them, it makes watching them far easier.

The Death Note anime watch order is:

• Death Note anime Episodes 1-36
• Death Note Relight: Visions of a God
• Death Note Relight: L’s Successors

The Death Note film series consists of:

• Death Note (2006)
• Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006)
• L: Change the World (2008)
• Death Note: New Generation (2016)
• Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016)

That just leaves the 2015 live-action Death Note series and the 2017 Death Note Netflix film as stand-alone entries in the Death Note series.

Where can I watch Death Note?

Where you watch Death Note depends heavily on what series you want to watch. The original anime and the 2017 live-action Death Note film are both available on Netflix, however, the two recap films aren’t available anywhere at the moment. If you want to watch the Japanese live-action films and series, you can rent them on Amazon Prime Video.

What’s next for Death Note?

There aren’t any plans for more another Death Note anime, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get more adventures with Light and L. Despite their previous attempt at a Death Note film being considered one of the worst live-action anime adaptations ever, Netflix is planning a Death Note series. The Duffer Brothers’ production company, Upside Down Pictures, will be producing the new series, so hopefully it will fare slightly better than the streamer’s first attempt.

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