Popular manga series Death Note first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2003. With its anti-hero protagonist, dark psychological themes, and innovative premise, Death Note was an instant hit, amassing an avid readership in its three years of serialization. In 2006, the manga was adapted into a two-part film series with the first film, Death Note, released in the summer. Starring Fujiwara Tatsuya (Battle Royale), Matsuyama Kenichi, and a CG death god voiced by Nakamura Shidou (Be With You), the film was a blockbuster success, topping the Japanese box office for two weeks and starting a Death Note trend in Asia. A few months later, the thrilling conclusion was revealed in the highly anticipated sequel, Death Note: The Last Name, which opened simultaneously in Hong Kong and Japan; this time, the film held the top box office spot for four straight weeks in Japan. Full of unpredictable twists, probing mind games, and gallows humor, the Death Note series is as enthralling as it is challenging, bringing a new level of wit and tension to popcorn entertainment.

One day, bored death god Ryuk leaves his Death Note in the mortal world, just to see what will happen. A Death Note is a death god's weapon for killing; as the instructions within clearly state, the human whose name is written in the notebook dies. Ryuk's Death Note is picked up by Light (Fujiwara Tatsuya), a bright and restless student who assumes the notebook is a joke - until someone drops dead. Realizing the power that has been bestowed upon him, Light adopts the name Kira (Killer) and sets about ridding the world of criminals. His callous renegade justice, however, is not tolerated by the authorities. Faced with so many unexplained deaths, the police enlist the assistance of L (Matsuyama Kenichi), an eccentric young genius with a taste for sweets and detective work. And so begins a dangerous battle of wits between the mysterious L and the increasingly calculating Light.