A Studio Madhouse original, Death Note blends the dark fantasy and procedural thriller genres for an enthralling experience that appeals to anime fans and anime newbies. Apart from the titular notebook, one of the most notable elements in the anime is the transformation of its central antihero Light Yagami from a righteous school student to a raging serial killer.
Even though the show has had its share of fantasy elements, Death Note also makes good use of the police procedural format in of the investigation around Light's illegal antics. For those fans of the anime who are looking for something similar to watch, these crime dramas and thrillers share similar elements, but in live-action format.
Dexter (2006-2021) - Available On Prime Video
Much like Light Yagami's two-faced existence, Dexter Morgan leads a double life in this crime drama mystery series. Dexter finds its protagonist serving as a forensic technician by day and a vigilante serial killer by night, with targets who are often criminals who were let loose by the criminal system.
Exploring his addiction to murder and his self-styled moral crusade, the show interprets the lows it is possible to go to in the name of vigilantism. As his murderous encounters increase, Dexter Morgan gets worse and worse. This evolution from man to monster might impress fans of Death Note as Light Yagami, too, feels that his actions might be unwarranted but they still give him a sense of moral superiority.
Ash Vs Evil Dead (2015-2018)- Available On Netflix
Serving as a direct sequel to the original trilogy, the horror-comedy Ash Vs Evil Dead finds Bruce Campbell's Ash Williams battling the so-called 'Evil Dead' yet again.
Even though the show is tonally different from Death Note, a reason for fans to check it out is the unique focus on deadly notebooks. Apart from Death Note's eponymous notebook, the most terrifying book in pop culture might easily be the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead from the Evil Dead series. And just like how the root of Light's problems is the supernatural Death Note, Ash is also unwillingly asked to be the custodian of the Book despite the horrors it can unleash.
Mindhunter (2017-) - Available On Netflix
For those who are interested in knowing the psyche of a murderer, Mindhunter makes for a must-watch. Based on real-life psychological texts and interviews of serial killers by the FBI, the psychological thriller features hauntingly detailed conversations with killers like Charles Manson.
However, rather than just detailing their crimes, Mindhunter's darkest, spine-chilling moments attempt to thoroughly understand what drives such people towards heinous crimes. On the surface, even Light might be killing off criminals as a part of his own moral crusade against crime. The god complex that comes out of this is enough for him to shatter his own notions to the point that he starts enjoying the violence. This concerning mental transition is what Mindhunter attempts to unravel.
Constantine (2014-2015) - Available On DIRECTV
Matt Ryan's take on the DC Comics exorcist John Constantine has been popularized with the Arrowverse version in Legends of Tomorrow, but the character first appeared in a short-lived standalone series.
Largely solving demonic cases, Constantine bears a traumatic past from his time at hell. Even though Death Note is mostly focused on its human antihero, the Shinigami (spirit) known as Ryuk also plays a pivotal part. Constantine's spiritual adventures to Hell might attract Death Note fans who wish to know more about the realm of spirits. Both characters are increasingly tormented by their supernatural encounters with the only difference being that Constantine wishes to give up this life of pain while Light embraces it.
Legion (2017-2019) - Available On Hulu
Both psychological and supernatural monsters torment the titular character in FX's Legion, an offbeat spin-off from the X-Men films. Dan Stevens plays David, a mutant with extremely volatile telekinetic powers who ends up drawing the ire of the telepathic villain Shadow King.
While David never becomes an antagonist like Light Yagami, his mental transition and perplexing trysts with violence are what would excite Death Note fans. Then, just like Ryuk guiding Light's fatal decisions, David too is mentally manipulated by the parasitic Shadow King and his sidekicks who control him.
Girl From Nowhere (2018-) - Available On Netflix
The Thai horror anthology series Girl From Nowhere offers a delightful twist to high-school drama cliches. The title refers to an immortal entity that is disguised as a schoolgirl called Nanno. She ends up visiting several schools while unearthing dark secrets in every episode. With her evil subtlety, she exposes the misdeeds of several students teaching them a lesson or two.
Nanno's self-styled path of vengeance is amusing to watch as it unravels with dark humor and moral conflicts on the notions of good and evil. The transition in her personality from a naive schoolgirl to a thrill-seeking troublemaker resembles the metamorphosis of Death Note's lead character. Both are mentally convinced that their path of revenge gives them a moral authority over others.
Sherlock (2010-2016) - Available On VUDU
When it comes to cat-and-mouse games between a detective and a criminal, BBC's actors who have played Sherlock Holmes.
The mental conflicts between Sherlock and the antagonistic character Moriarty are quite reminiscent of Light and L's continuous rivalry in Death Note. In both cases, the opposing forces are equally smart and engage in mind games leaving behind a trail of clues for each other. Even the fan fiction in both cases are similar given how both the hero and villain are shipped as "frenemies".
The Sinner (2017-) - Available On Netflix
The Sinner finds a police detective investigating heinous crimes that are more than often committed by unlikely culprits. Even though the show is largely a police procedural anthology, Bill Pullman offers one of his best performances as the consistent protagonist Detective Harry Ambrose.
The procedural thriller elements might remind some viewers of the case that Light's father pursued against the unknown mass-killer (who turned out to be his own son). Such surprises are common in The Sinner too with its choice of unexpected criminals.
How To Get Away With Murder (2014-2020) - Available On Netflix
A highly skilled criminal defense attorney and professor along with her students is drawn into a murder conspiracy. This is How To Get Away With Murder's storyline on the surface which only includes more and more nuances with time. With enough twists and turns, the series is delightfully binge-able.
Further, Light Yagami literally figures out getting out of murder throughout the entirety of Death Note. So, all the unique ways of running away from crime as seen in this show might excite fans of the anime. While viewers wish that Light pays for his crimes, they would only root for Annalise Keating to not get caught for murder. The contrast is what makes the comparison more exciting.
Death Note (Live-Action) (2015) - Available On Crunchyroll
Diehard Death Note fans would be disappointed by Netflix's live-action film. However, once they are done with the anime and manga, a few other live-action options are available like Japanese film adaptations and miniseries. The latter largely retains the premise of its source material, allowing fans to relive the best moments of the anime once again with the same thrilling pace.
The live-action adaptation wraps up the cat-and-mouse chase between Death Note's main characters Light and L (and later Near) within the span of 11 hour-long episodes.
