Death Note is one of the most intense psychological thrillers that you’ll find. Filled with twists, turns, and constant suspense, it’s become a fan favorite among anime lovers around the world! But the intriguing game of cat and mouse doesn’t come without its fair share of tension-filled cliffhangers.
We’ll be taking a look at the top ten cliffhangers that kept viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the show, so keep reading to discover what they are!
About Death Note
Death Note is a 37-episode anime series that premiered in 2007 after the release of its Manga of the same name came out in 2003. The premise of the series revolves around a notebook with supernatural abilities—whoever’s name is written in it will die. When the notebook ends up in the hands of Light Yagami, who is determined to cleanse the world of all criminals by getting rid of them permanently, he adopts the alias, ‘Kira’, and goes on a killing spree. But when an enigmatic genius detective called L attempts to figure out who Kira is and stop him once and for all, Light must attempt to continue his killings without revealing himself as Kira while working closely with L.
Warning: This Article Contains Spoilers
10. ‘L’ Appears On TV
In episode 2, ‘L’ appears on television and is immediately killed off, leaving viewers to believe that the beloved character is already gone upon making his first appearance. However, the highly intense moment only leaves viewers wondering for a short time as it is soon revealed that ‘L’ is actually Lind L. Tailor, an already convicted criminal who’s been sentenced to death. He acts as the perfect bait for the real L to use to uncover Light’s location.
9. Light Tries To Uncover Naomi’s Name
In Episode 11, a former FBI agent named Naomi Misora suspects that Light may be connected with Kira. Light tries to figure out her full name to eliminate her before she can expose his identity, and the high-stakes situation causes the viewers to wonder throughout the episode whether Naomi will be able to avoid Kira’s wrath or not.
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8. Soichiro Yagami Discovers the Truth
In Episode 24, Light’s father, Soichiro Yagami—who is the head of the task force that is investigating the Kira case—finally discovers that Light is connected to Kira. When Light owns up to his involvement with Kira, Soichiro is left feeling heartbroken and conflicted about what to do, and viewers are left to wonder how he will confront the situation.
7. Rem’s Ultimatum
In Episode 14, Rem promises to help Light eliminate L as long as Light promises to take care of Misa. This moment leaves the audience wondering whether Light will actually accept Rem’s offer—and if he does, is L in even more danger than before?
6. Misa Amane Is Captured
In Episode 25, Misa is captured by L, and the task force, which makes the audience wonder how Light will manage to revise his now-foiled plans while keeping Misa safe in the process.
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5. Higuchi, The Second Kira
In Episode 28, L comes up with an elaborate scheme to stage a bus hijacking in order to confirm his suspension that Higuchi is the second Kira. It turns out that he’s correct, but the audience is left to wonder how the task force with confront Higuchi.
4. Mello’s Attack On The Convoy
In Episode 33, Mello plans a high-stakes operation on a well-guarded convoy, and viewers are left wondering whether his attack will be successful and how the task force might respond to it.
3. L Reveals His True Identity
In episode 25, L finally reveals his true identity after hiding it throughout the whole series. This move leaves viewers wondering how Kira will respond—will he eliminate L once and for all, or will he hold out so as not to risk revealing his own identity?
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2. Near Is Introduced
In episode 26, the controversial character, Near, is introduced. This is the beginning of the second part of the series, and with it comes many questions. Will Near be able to successfully discover Kira’s true identity? How will he fit in with the rest of the task force, and what will his dynamic with Light be like? You have to keep watching to find out!
1. Near Confronts Light
In episodes 37 and 38, the two-part finale episode, the suspense is out of this world! Throughout the high-tension episodes, Near meticulously plans to confront Light. As the two continue to have their psychological battle, the evidence of Light being Kira continues to pile up, and viewers are left to wonder how he may respond.
After watching 36 episodes and witnessing Light’s ability to turn every situation around and somehow manage to always come out on top, even when it seems impossible for him to escape his fate, one has to wonder whether he’ll actually be able to pull it off one more time and get away with everything once and for all.
Final Thoughts:
The Death Note anime is a great choice for those looking for a suspenseful show with compelling characters and plenty of plot twists, and it’s great at keeping its viewers on their toes! If you’ve already watched it, which of these cliffhangers was your favorite? Let us know in the comment section!
As always, thanks for reading. Stay Gritty, Gamers!
