For anyone who loves the popular Death Note series, fans will be excited to hear a new collection of short stories called Death Note: Short Stories! Even for brand new readers, Death Note: Short Stories is an exciting and addicting read, accurate to the thrill of the original.
Released May 10, 2022, Death Note: Short Stories is a unique compilation of never before printed tales set in the Death Note world. Original creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata feature six new stories. Except for the one-shot story a-Kira released in February 2020, each short story is brand-new to readers.
As a newbie in the world of Death Note, I was initially hesitant to read this short anthology. I was concerned that I hadn’t read the previous mangas, nor even watched the anime or movies, and would probably be greatly confused. While I had, of course, heard of the general story, I barely knew anything of the world or even the lore.
However, I was pleasantly surprised as I read the new manga. Though I first had to piece a little bit of it together, it was relatively easy to do so. Beyond a couple of pages of the first short story, the plotlines are unique and separated from each other. I was quickly transported into a new world, and though it followed similar details to the original Death Note series, everything was brand new.
Although, short stories each have a complete and finished plot, readers aren’t left with any sense of dissatisfaction. I felt the rise and fall of the build-up and climax and never felt short-changed throughout the entire novel. The stories are exciting and dramatic, filled with the thrill and darkness I expected. They featured addictive writing that quickly drew me in, and I found myself eagerly soaking up the story.
The artwork itself perfectly complements the writing, likely because the same creators continued the saga together. Dark and edged, the art adds the right amount of gloominess and horror while still being realistic.Â
Though not highly detailed in most scenes, it doesn’t need to be to enhance the writing, and the rough shading and dark tones set the settings perfectly. But details do come into play in some scenes, adding a bit of specialty and enhancement in the right places to show off important information.
Though horror and thriller manga themes tend to be the opposite of my favorites, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this collection. The stories were not only easy to understand even as a newbie Death Note reader but were also quickly addicting and very well-created. Readers certainly don’t have to be existing fans to enjoy this read, and it might even entice them to dive into the original mangas. I, for one now, can’t get enough of the world and will be quickly searching for them myself!
The original Death Note series ran in Shonen Jump from 2004 to 2006. The top-rated franchise initially follows an intelligent high school student who finds a notebook dropped by a Shinigami death god, which allows him to murder anyone whose name he writes secretly. Vowing to change the world for the better, the story follows his endeavors as he attempts to rid the world of evil.
