Death Note Short Stories is a fun addition to any Death Note fan's collection but when separated from the rest of the series, these stories fell a little flat. But it was still a good and entertaining read.

I read the original Death Note series and really enjoyed it. This collection felt like something was missing. The characters were hard to like. The timeline was unclear. Overall, could have been done better.

3 out of 5 stars.

I am a huge fan of death note so I was thrilled to see that there was a short story collection.

One of the things that always impressed me with death note was how long the events of death note spanned and so I was intrigued when the short stories started in 2013 and tuen went to 2019. The inclusion of how the death note could work in our current society was really fascinating and also showed how light could “easily” get away with being Kira in a world that was not as technologically advanced as our current one. Also the depiction of Trump had me rolling.

Also spooky that no matter how smart you are, you will always die at the hand of a shinigami (if you hold the death note).

The four short story panels had me giggling, thinking how exactly did light and L find themselves on the edge of a cliff. It was honestly bittersweet seeing how L and Light were actually good friends… maybe in another world they could have been those best friends trying to figure out what color Misa’s socks were (except you Light, 🤮)

I hated Near when I first read Death Note (I was sad that L was gone) but found myself invested in what he was doing and why he didn’t take on the initial case at the beginning of the story. Also Near is killing it with long hair 10/10.

Being as L was and is my favorite character, I enjoyed the little snippets of him in this collection. I am desperately fascinated with L’s character and do intend to find papers that others have written about him because I think there are connections to be made. One paper could surely just be written about how we now know for sure, L was an iPad kid.

The last story confused me a bit via the timeline. My assumption is it happened before Light or this is an alternate timeline? I might have missed something but I was confused about that story. HOWEVER, I find it fascinating seeing how other people would handle receiving the death note and how many books Ryuk has dropped. That not everyone is like Light. Some become horribly guilty over those they killed and kill themselves. Others realize the intensity of having the Death Note’s power and seek to destroy it such as Taro.

Overall this was a great collection, I loved seeing more stories about the Death Note and their characters and I think my students will love it too. I will definitely be buying for my library!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ for this ARC

I actually read this in magazines and the Viz app didn't realise it was the same story!

Loved it so much! I read Death note early 00's and again when translated in English. I must admit I was wary of it because I was worried that it would taint the original series but I am pleased to say that my worries were misplaced!

Read a few times enjoyed it every time!

Just a note: Do not read unless you have finished the original series!

I really enjoyed this collection of stories. The only thing that knocked it down a star for me was the short 4 panel comics in the center of the book. They didn't seem to fit and they definitely weren't as interesting as the full-length stories. I really enjoyed those because we learned a lot more about the rules of the Death Notebook and the other users of the notebook, as well as the impact Light had on the world during his time. I would love to read more short stories from the Death Note world. Ryuk is still my favorite!

3.5 stars
So Death Note is one of my favorite “old school” manga series. I followed it as it was being released… While I did read one of the short stories in this when it was globally released I guess I just expected more. Adding new rules for these short stories was interesting, but I kind of miss Light!

Fun return to a familiar world, glad to have these all translated and available together in the US. Will be purchasing for our collection.

Death Note: Short Stories is a new collection of previously published shorts being translated and collected for a western audience for the first time. Being published by Viz Media, written by Tsugumi Ohba, art by Takeshi Obata, and translated by Stephen Paul, Death Note: Short Stories is a delight for any fan of the series. Within this collection is the "a-Kira" short story that was released in 2020 that revolved around a new Kira who sought wealth distribution and political upheaval. Alongside this, there's "C-Kira", 'Taro Kagami", and the Death Note "Four-Panel Comics".

It's hard to look at Death Note material and not feel immediate nostalgia for a world-wide phenomenon. Death Note was the first anime I ever watched from start to finish, and it holds a special place in my heart. The moral dilemma between Light Yagami killing people who 'deserve' to be killed for the sake of the greater good will always be thought-provoking and timeless. What Death Note: Short Stories does is provide fans with context around a society post Light Yagami and L or provide fan service for those who love the series.

In the 'Four-Panel Comics' which is translated by Akira Shiwawa and lettered by Gia Cam Luc (originally from the 2008 Death Note 13: How to Read), readers can see comical interactions between Ryuk, Light, Misa, and L. Have you ever thought about what it would be like if Light and L went to the beach with Misa? Did you ever wonder what could have happened if Light and L were just catty best friends instead of rivals? "Four-Panel Comics" deliveries that alternate universe vibe that gives fans both a slice of nostalgia and happiness.

The bulk of Death Note: Short Stories is the "C-Kira" and "Taro Kagami". "C-Kira" shows how Obha and Obata are a dream-team. This short story focuses on life in Japan 3 years after Kira's influence seeped the nation. The death note is being used once again to kill off the 60+ old demographic. Near is the new L and readers explore a new moral dilemma. Is it wrong to systematically kill older people who are suffering and on their death beds? While Near deals with his first big case since replacing L, readers get a small glimpse into L's backstory. It frames why L was so fascinated with the original Death Note case and provides further context for a fan-favorite character. The thrill of the chase, the call backs to L, and the conversation around Kira is fascinating and a wonderful addition to this universe.

It's hard to say whether or not a casual fan would appreciate the depth that Death Note: Short Stories provides. It's a fully formed collection that lives and breathes as an extension to the original source material. It's comedy sketches, new stories, and throwback content all comes together for an ultimate Death Note experience. For fans of the series, I don't think there's anything more you could want and reminds me that outside of nostalgia, Death Note is truly an amazing manga experience. This collection has readers jump straight into these stories and these characters.

A perfect addition into any manga collector's collection and, hopefully, a reminder to get around to reading the original source material if you haven't yet,

Death Note is the quintessential shonen mystery series of the 21st century. It’s a shame that quite a lot of material hasn’t made an official western release yet. This volume of (mostly) republished Death Note side stories is a good way to tide you over for now, though!

As the cover states, this is a collection of short side stories from the Death Note franchise. Notably, the headliner on the cover is the A-Kira one shot from 2020. This was a great addition to the series, and I wished that Minoru had a bigger appearance afterwards. I’ve had a couple years to stew over the ending, and while I think it’s cheap, I feel it’s poignant. After all, the house always wins, and Shinigami are no different.

If the newest addition doesn’t impress you, you’ve also got the C-Kira epilogue chapter here as well. This was previously published in the all-in-one Death Note omnibus that’s out of print, and it’s in a larger format. This story delves into Near’s stint as the next L as he solves a string of copycat Death Note casualties. It’s not as striking as the 2020 one shot, but it’s a nice inclusion nonetheless. It doesn’t conclusively end the narrative, but gives us a look at a world sans Light and (the original) L.

I think the main issue I have with this collection is how much of it isn’t republished. The only stories that are new to the west are a couple of L flashbacks, which are admittedly charming. It’s a cost-effective way to grab the epilogue and 4-koma strips, since they’re only in two out-of-print titles. Grab this manga if you’re a diehard Death Note fan, but it’s meaty enough for a standalone purchase.

This book collects the short stories that are set in the Death Note universe that have been published throughout the years. Overall all the stories were great and added more depth to the world that has been established in the original novels. My favorite stories from this collection were that of a-kira and Taro Kagami. The first is set in more of a modern setting which causes complications in that surveillance and technology have advanced to the point of making it difficult for the new death note holder to get what they want. The second story of Kagami was interesting in that it added a new twist to the story and serves as sort of a prologue of sorts to the series.

I would definitely recommend this to fans of the series.

Thanks to net galley and vizmedia for an advanced e-galley of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This short story collection honestly just reaffirmed to me how the Death Note series is such a classic, which I will always enjoy reading about. It was really interesting to see how the events of the main story effected the world years later. I also really enjoyed seeing how new characters used the death note, especially in ways that we didn't see in the original.

I'll be breaking this rating down by story.

(c-Kira: 3.5/5 stars)
Since I never got a clear look at "C-Kira's" face or any sort of connection to him outside of what outside characters mention, and what I as a reader could assume based on his actions like Near mentioned, it wasn't anywhere near as interesting for me as the original Death Note. However, that's not all bad, considering this is only a short story. However, I will say that my rating is pretty high for this because I actually liked Near here. I was a huge fan of the Death Note anime in the past. I watched it more times than I can count, but I absolutely hated Near and almost all of Season 2. I thought he was a cheap imitation of L (funny that he's the one who calls this "kira" c-kira, or "cheap kira" here), and I found him incredibly boring in comparison. With a little more backstory and looking into his thought process of his own ideals/desires vs L, he definitely became more interesting to me. In the end, though, this short story only made me want to go back and rewatch Death Note again. Perhaps that was the purpose it served, though.

(a-Kira: 4/5 stars)
This one was an intriguing take on Death Note if it had been set closer to present day with the rise of surveillance on the internet, and in general. a-Kira was, of course, much more tricky and took more care with his plans than c-Kira, which added to my score for this one. A teenager who was just interested in making enough money to live peacefully in the future without having to dirty his own hands is about what I'd expect from an average teen, to be honest. His plan was just enough to bypass any of the tools the police or Near could've used to catch him, but he still met his downfall in the end. It would have been interesting for Near to have his own longer-term "Kira" that could give him the real challenge he desires in the future, but it would still be hard to recreate a fresh/new dynamic that isn't simply a rehash of L and Light. Overall, a neat (if a bit comedic) short story.

(L, One Day & L, Wammy's House: 4/5)
I combined these two shorts into one score since they weren't very long. Both neat peaks in to L's day-to-day life and childhood outside of his game with Light. L has become a bit more endeared to me after this, and I can really see this being how he spent his time. An odd, introverted guy with a love for solving complex puzzles, who only takes on cases he finds fun. That's what makes L enjoyable.

(Taro Kagami: 4.5/5 stars)
You can obviously tell this was written before the long running Death Note series due to all of the questions such as "would you do ___ if you had the Death Note?" + how tidy the ending was. The original owner doesn't die & everyone they killed came back to life due to that handy eraser. The eraser was a neat addition, but for the darker story of Death Note, I don't think it would've had a place in L & Light's cases. However, Light was nearly an adult with pretty solidified (albeit twisted) sense of justice & individualism. A teenager with a massive ego from his constant streak of academic achievements & with little to challenge him before L arrived. He was someone who thought he knew what was best for the world from the start, while Taro was much younger & without such a massive god complex. I like the contrast between these 2 protagonists, though it's really not the same without our eccentric L.

The wait is over and we as English readers have the pleasure of diving headfirst back into the universe of Death Note. Yes, back to Kira and Ryuk and even L. From series creators, Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata we get a chance to experience Death Note from a whole new angle. We all had our questions and we all pondered the question how else can you use the Death Note. Well, this compilation of short stories will give you the answers you have been waiting for.
The art for Death Note is really something else, it has a way of creating atmosphere even in the dullest of panels. It sets the mood and perfectly captures the emotions of the characters. The art fits the style and it sets the pace for the world of Death Note. This is art at its best.
This is one for the fans of the original series or dare I say fans of the anime as well. Hear me out, even though some anime fans don’t read the manga they will grasp what is actually going on. As to people new to the series, this might seem a bit baffling. But for fans of Death Note, this is a must. A welcome return to one of the best manga series ever.

I went into this collection hesitant, but was pleased at the range covered between these stories. Seeing three distinctly different approaches than Kira used was interesting and fresh enough to be enjoyable. I have two main complaints about this: First, that once again our protagonists are all male. It would have been nice to see some different representation considering the portrayal of the holders of the Death Note in the original series. Second, they added a bunch of 4-panel comics to the middle of the book, which had me thinking I was mislead and half the book was just random short filler. I wish these had been placed at the end, so that I would have had a more positive outlook going into them.

This was such a good conclusion to the world of Death Note! It answered so many questions, and presented so many situations I never even thought I would want to have!! I love the creative uses for death note in these stories too.