Will A Death Note Season 2 Ever Happen? Here's What We Know
The "Death Note" obsession is never ending. Since premiering in 2006, this anime series has remained one of the most popular, spawning a number of video games, live-action films, spin-off novels and more. But the saga has yet to give the fans what they really want: a second season.
The thrilling series dives headfirst into dark territory, telling the story of a high school student who becomes the owner of a supernatural notebook called, you guessed it, the Death Note. Pretty much giving away its powers with the title, the book causes the death of anyone whose name is written in, kickstarting young Light Yagami's plan to rid the world of evil. He's joined by the actual owner of the book, the Shinigami Ryuk, a god of death and apple enthusiast who, bored of his existence, passes his book off to a human. And so the chaos begins. As Light enacts his plan, he comes up against tough opponents, most notably the world-renowned detective, L. Here's the series synopsis:
Yagami Light is an ace student with great prospects, who's bored out of his mind. One day he finds the "Death Note": a notebook from the realm of the Death Gods, with the power to kill people in any way he desires. With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create his perfect world, without crime or criminals. However, when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer, and a battle of wits, deception and logic ensues..
Will Season 2 of Death Note Ever Happen?
Despite premiering over a decade ago, "Death Note" continues to maintain its immense popularity and dedicated fanbase. Unfortunately, plans for a second season or sequel series have never been confirmed. While a follow-up or spinoff isn't entirely out of the question, a continuation of the original series is especially unlikely. This is in large part due to the lack of source material.
The 37-episode anime pretty much exhausts the material presented in the original 12-volume manga series. Changes were made in the process of adapting the books for screen, but broadly followed the plot laid out in the manga, ending in a very similar place. The big main issue is — spoiler alert for the 14 year old series — both Light and L die before the series concludes. A new season of "Death Note" would mean an entirely new storyline with a new set of characters. The good news is, there are a few possibilities for where that could lead.
What Could Season 2 of Death Note Be About?
A new entry into the "Death Note" universe arrived in 2020: a standalone manga titled, 'Death Note: The A-Kira Story." Set 10 years after the events of Light Yagami as the infamous killer Kira, the story introduces a brand new character, Minoru Tanaka. Here's the synopsis:
When the Shinigami Ryuk returns to Earth more than ten years after his last visit, he gives the Death Note to the top-scoring student in Japan, hoping that he will follow in Light Yagami's footsteps. He is surprised when Minoru Tanaka returns the notebook and asks him to return in two years' time. Now a high school student, Minoru accepts the notebook from Ryuk, but he has no plans to use it himself. With the Shinigami's help, and his own ingenuity, he auctions it off anonymously as his actions are followed and predicted by Near. The United States of America buys it for a sum that leaves every Japanese citizen under the age of 60 set for life, but the King of Death creates a new rule of the Death Note that thwarts Minoru and the U.S. President's plans.
This is probably the best bet for a second season, following up with Ryuk and another character from the series, Near, but ultimately introducing a new lead. Otherwise, the best way forward for "Death Note" might be in the past.
A Death Note Prequel?
"Death Note" has a prequel novel, written by Nisio Isin in collaboration with manga creator Tsugumi Ohba. The light novel "Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases" follows potential successor to L, Mello, as he recounts his time working with the famed detective and FBI agent Naomi Misora to stop a serial killer. A prequel series/movie would allow the story to follow already beloved characters, whilst avoiding the matter of their grisly deaths in the original saga. L, in particular, is a mysterious figure who built up a reputation for mystery solving long before he started on Kira's trail. There's plenty more to mine from his backstory.
Alternatively, there are also a few live-action adaptations of the "Death Note": a series of films helmed by Tetsure Araki and the American attempt, the 2017 film "Death Note." Another bid for continuation would be a sequel to any of the live-action version — but, if we're being honest, that's probably not what fans want to see.