A 20th-anniversary reprint of the supernatural thriller by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata!
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Tsugumi Ohba/Takeshi Obata
Translation/Adaptation: Pookie Rolf
What They Say
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 now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. Will Light’s noble goal succeed, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Twenty years have passed since Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata released Death Note, and the series still remains high on my list of recommended titles. To celebrate this masterpiece thriller, Viz released a special 20th-anniversary reprint of the first volume of the manga.
Viz did something similar with Bleach when that manga celebrated its 20th-anniversary last year. However, unlike the Bleach reprint, which is available through your local book supplier, the Death Note commemorative release is a convention exclusive. It was sold at the Viz booth during Anime Expo a few weeks back. I’m not sure if the Death Note reprint will be available at subsequent anime conventions, but the bottom line is that is not available through usual book channels.
In terms of the product itself, it’s a reprint of Volume 1 with an alternate cover. The front features art from the January 1, 2004 series launch in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The back cover features a color version of the title page illustration for Chapter 3 “Family,” with the words “20th Anniversary Convention Exclusive” printed lengthwise in silver.
And…that’s it. I thought this exclusive might have additional extras honoring the series’ 20th anniversary, but it pretty much is Volume 1 of the manga dressed up in a different cover. However, if you’re a big fan of the series and a collector, this is another item to consider for your collection.
Content Grade: A+
Art Grade: A+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: Anime Expo 2023
