Death Note Complete Box Set

This box set arrived in flawless condition, with all 12 volumes neatly packed and protected. As a longtime Death Note fan, I’ve already read it twice – and it’s just as gripping as the first time! The story’s psychological depth and iconic art make it a centerpiece of my manga collection.

When I got this box set of the whole Death Note manga, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Never having read the manga or seen the anime before, I really didn't even have any specific expectations for this product to begin with. However, from the second I opened this box and rifled through its contents, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that this has to be one of the best things I've ever bought here on Amazon.com. I'll go through some of the reasons why I consider this a great, no, a FANTASTIC buy and why you should get it if you're into Japanese manga, Death Note, or are just bored and would like something fun (and very entertaining, might I add) to read. Let's begin:THE BOX: The set itself is a 5.5 x 10.2 x 9.1 inch, 6.8 pound (yes, I had to look that all up) box with a carrying handle on top. There are a pair of Velcro circles on top where you can open the box up in two folding sections and easily close it up again. When opened up, the inside is divided into 2 sections: a very large section for volumes 1-12 of the manga and the How to Use It booklet, and a small space for Death Note Vol. 13 - How to Read. There is just enough space for everything in here, so unless you have several books out of it at a time, you won't have to worry about anything falling over or getting jostled around when carrying it. Plus, being the size and weight it is, it isn't too bulky or heavy and should be quite suitable for traveling. Also, there's a lot of (what I presume to be) Obata's original artwork on the outside, which, in my opinion, is some of the best out there.MANGA VOLUMES: All 12 volumes of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's addictive series are included in this box. Each volume is about 210 pages in length and, with the exception of volumes 1, 11, and 12, all contain 9 chapters of the total 108 in the series. Volume 1 only has 7 chapters while 11 and 12 each have 10. Within each of these volumes is a summary of what happened previously and a preview of what's to come in this volume, a table of contents for the chapters, the chapters themselves, and some of the obligatory advertisements at the end (and beginning, as well). As this is Japanese manga (translated to English, of course), the pages are both in black and white and read from right to left. The only exception to the "black-and-white" rule is the front/rear covers of each volume, which have beautifully colored illustrations drawn by the series' artist and co-owner, Mr. Takeshi Obata. Many people who enjoy anime/manga will admit that Death Note was their "starter" series, or the series that originally got them hooked on the genre in the first place, and this is perfectly understandable. On one hand, Mr. Obata's writing is brilliant and incredibly detailed. One of the things Death Note is famous for is its heavily dialogue, and the manga can definitely attest to that. Not only is there a lot of character-to-character dialogue, but a lot of focus on their thoughts and emotions, as well. The character development, dialogue, plotline, and other certain themes make the series come together in a most amazing manner and will definitely have you hooked by the end of the very first chapter. On the other hand, Mr. Obata's illustrations will amaze, thrill, and maybe even scare the hell out of you. It's not your typical manga drawings where you expect everything to look cartoon-ish and sort of like a comic; every panel is filled with mind-blowing, careful detail that almost makes everything appear realistic. As stated before, Mr. Obata is probably one of the best, most famous manga artists out there because of his skill and incredible attention to detail that few others in the world are able to match.DEATH NOTE VOL. 13 - HOW TO READ: After having read the series, you may still have some questions or feel curious about certain aspects of the series, such as how it was started or how certain characters were created. Look no further than the 13th volume of Death Note, which is basically an encyclopedia database of the series. Slightly larger in height (maybe an inch or so) and pages (somewhere around 240-250, I imagine), this volume is filled to the brim with facts, opinions, and bonus content that will most likely help you understand and enjoy Death Note even more. Within this volume, you'll find character bios, interviews with co-creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, behind-the-scenes looks at creating the manga, fun trivia and facts you probably didn't know about yet, an extra chapter in the series, the Death Note pilot, and, probably the coolest thing in here, L's true name card tucked away behind the front cover in a cut-away section. It's definitely a really cool part of the series and a very fun addition to the box.HOW TO USE IT BOOKLET: This is a bonus booklet that contains every rule of the Death Note notebook outlined in its pages. It's pretty small, but still fun to read if you need to catch up on your DN rules. Plus, unless you purchase this online separate from the box, you have a very slim chance, if no chance at all, of finding it in a retail bookstore, so consider it a bonus for getting the box set. ;)PRICE: For just nearly $60, this complete set is basically a steal, and I'll explain why. If you purchase a single volume of this series online, it will probably cost you about $10. Get it at a bookstore and you'll probably spend at least $15 there. Altogether, if you bought every individual volume of the series, it will more than likely cost you somewhere between $130 and $200, depending on who and where you get them all from. Now consider this: by getting this box set for(about) $60 with everything previously mentioned included inside, you'll save at least 50%, if not more than that, from what you would if you got all of these separately. Really, if you're thinking about getting the complete series, there's really no logical reason why you shouldn't get this box set.All in all, this is a great buy and a great deal, and if you're a fan of Death Note and want to complete your collection for the manga, THEN BUY THIS SET! I guarantee that you will NOT be disappointed!!! ;)

Superb set. The story is really engaging.

This is one box set you NEED to own if you're going to collect manga. The Death Note series is among the best out there, and this collects the whole series in an attractive, compact box. For those of you who have already read through the series and are looking to buy, go ahead and buy it. You won't be disappointed. For those who haven't read through this series yet, I'll let you know why you should.Death Note is about a role model high school student named Light Yagami, who is tired of living in a world filled with evil. Being the son of someone in the police force, he sees the failures of the justice system daily. Criminals fall through the cracks of the system, leaving them free to commit more crimes or to escape punishment for previous ones. During school one day, while going through all of this in his head, he notices a notebook outside of the classroom window. After picking it up and taking it home, he learns that it is a Death Note, a notebook that will kill someone if their name is written on its pages. He passes it off as a joke at first, but when the person whose name he writes in the notebook dies, he starts to use the notebook to further his goals of ridding the world of evil. Criminals start to die off one by one, all by heart attacks. The public is divided in their stance on the killings. Some people revere the killer as a hero, while others say the killer is nothing but a mass murderer. The killer comes to be known as "Kira". Law enforcement agencies scramble to find Kira, and when a genius detective, L, shows up on the scene, Light's wits are put to the test. How can someone prove he is a killer when all he uses is a notebook? How will he outwit L? It is here that the series turns into a clever game of cat and mouse.Without spoiling anything, the series does have its flaws. The series takes a massive turn for the worse at the halfway point, but still manages to build up to a satisfying conclusion. Some of the characters could have used more dialogue, as the series is more about pushing the plot forward than building characters up (though it still does a good job). Some of the twists in the later half fall a bit flat, and the stakes are raised a bit too high too soon. Overall, though, these problems are far outshined by the positives. Death Note is a great thriller, with good characters, surprisingly good humor (given the dark tone of the story), and it even manages to address some real-world issues. What is justice? is it the laws we have in place now, or is it killing off all evildoers? What is considered a sin worth dying over? It manages to tackle these subject matters without getting preachy, and all the while keeping you interested past religious/political undertones. Honestly, this series is the definition of an instant classic, only bettered by the live action movies. $60-70 for this series is a steal. Why don't you own it yet?