All of the Different Death Note References in Anime

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Yukiko Tanaka

The Death Note series focuses on a high school student who has discovered a supernatural notebook. This book allows him to kill any person, just by writing their names inside it while thinking of that person’s face at the same time.

The plot follows his campaign to cleanse the world of evil through the usage of the book, all while dealing with conflicts between himself and his assailants.

It’s no surprise that Death Note is as popular as it is, ranking among the highest of any anime tier lists. Due to its popularity and unique concept, it’s easy to see why it’s been parodied so many times.

Here’s a list of all the Death Note cameos, references, and parodies showing up in other anime and manga.

Assassination Classroom

In chapter 63, when bringing up her love of shounen manga, Fuwa (an imaginative and enthusiastic classmate) daydreams about having a Death Note in front of a silhouette of Ryuk.

Binbougami ga!

In the twelfth episode, there is a short scene of L’s death and the scene where L battles with Light at the inn while being chained to one another, wherein the part of L is L’s while Light is Momiji, and the rest assume the roles of the Task Force and Rem.

Death Parade

Death Parade, which is an anime series based off the 2013 short film Death Billiards, is about Quindecim; a bar where humans go as soon as they die before they are sent to either heaven or hell.

In the eleventh episode, an individual who looks like Light Yagami is seen while anticipating judgment in Ginti’s bar.

Fudanshi Baby

This manga features a college couple, where Mutou Keigo tries to understand their partners love for otaku culture, and even sets out to read Yaoi manga and novels. In the second chapter Tae pulls out a book that says “Homo Note” and poses like Light Yagami.

Full Metal Panic!

In one of the episodes, Light, Misa, L, and Soichiro are shown exercising.

Gintama

The entire 25th episode of the anime is a homage to Death Note. Ryuk even makes an appearance toward the finish of the final scene.

A remarkable line is: “You should hate me more, curse me, and detest me! Then you should take the power of that hatred and use it to survive this rotten world.”

Hajimete no Gal

On episode two of this romantic comedy that focuses on a higher schooler’s well-endowed new girlfriend; after effectively finishing a task, Junichi grins and says, “Just as planned.”

This is a reference to chapter 53 and episode 24, where Light recaptures his memory, smirks, and says the same.

Hayate the Combat Butler

Chapter seven makes a reference to Watari and later a girl holds the Death Note. There is also a poster that has the caption Birth Note on it and an apple.

Hetalia

After an emergency, Germany reveals to France that he sort of anticipated (with emphasis on the prediction, like Light’s “Just as planned”) the current emergency.

France gets dubious and envisions Germany writing in a notebook, like the Death Note, which has “Budget” on the front and shows Germany thinking “Just as planned.”

Hunter × Hunter

In section 377, during one of the Phantom Troupe’s gatherings, Chrollo says he can’t disclose to them their fortunes because of the name being off, inferring that the young lady had passed on. In the wake of hearing this, Shizuku analyzes his book to be that of a Death Note.

Keroro Gunso

Similar to Gintama, episode 185 of Keroro Gunso features a Death Note theme. The end of the episode parodies the final episode of the Death Note anime.

This series is about a group of frog-like aliens that is tasked to conquer Earth, with several pop culture references to other anime such as Gundam, Space Battleship Yamato and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Kurohime

Kurohime has a cameo appearance of a shinigami, who is supposed to be similar to Ryuk. A Shinigami is a supernatural spirit that invite humans toward death in Japanese culture, similar to a grim reaper.

Mawaru-Penguindrum

In episode six, the character Ringo has a book labeled “Death Note” on her desk.

Orange Marmalade

In chapter 118, one of the people at the fair is doing a cosplay as Ryuk.

OreShura

Masuzu came to have an old notebook of Eito’s from middle school that is loaded up with humiliating content. In the anime, the notebook is seen in a few scenes and looks to some extent like a Death Note.

In spite of the fact that the shading isn’t equivalent to a regular Death Note, the style of the content is like Ryuk’s penmanship, explicitly the letter “o” having a dot in it.

Renai Boukun

The plot is based around a notebook known as the Kiss Note. If you write the names of two individuals in it, they will quickly begin to fall in love with one another and kiss.

Guri is an angel who is supposed to go about as a cupid, however she unexpectedly endangers a human named Seiji with her Kiss Note by writing his name in it. If Seiji doesn’t kiss anybody inside the following 24 hours, he will die.

Guri sits Seiji down to disclose the situation to him, and she inquires as to whether he knows what the notebook is, giving it to him. Not understanding what it is, Seiji surmises that it is a Death Note.

Seitokai No Ichizon

Seitokai No Ichizon has a scene that parodies Death Note with a notebook that shouldn’t be touched and something unseen with the silhouette of Ryuk eating an apple out of midair.

They Are My Noble Masters

In one episode, the character Yume (which means “dream” in Japanese) acquires a notebook titled the “Yume Note“. The scene where she uses it is a parody of a scene in episode eight of the anime.

WataMote

In the first episode, Tomoko starts scrolling through websites on how to be appealing to boys. She begins to have a montage of camera angles that match the scene when Light begins to write in his Death Note.

There you have it, all of the different Death Note references and cameos in other anime and manga. Tell us your favorite or if we missed any in the comments below!

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