Death Note backdrop
Animation•Mystery•Sci-Fi & Fantasy

The Worst Episodes of Death Note

Every episode of Death Note ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Death Note!

Binge this in 13h 27m•Peaking at 9.6/10

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any

Airs on
Nippon TV
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons1

All1

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
    Click to reveal
    Death Note Season 1 Episode 26 - Renewal
    7.0/10(7514 votes)

    #1 - Renewal

    S1:E26

    After L's death, the world needs a new great detective. Is Wammy's house, where L comes from, able to find a new super detective who can complete L's hunt for Kira?

    Director:Tomohiko Ito
    Writer:Tomohiko Ito

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Death Note Season 1 Episode 33 - Scorn
    7.1/10(5390 votes)

    #2 - Scorn

    S1:E33

    Near goes to Japan, allegedly as bait for Kira. Following Light's instructions, Takada asks Mikami to send her five pages of the Death Note. She tells him that he will continue his work in a fake book made to look like the real one.

    Director:Tetsuhito Saito
    Writer:Shouji Yonemura

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Death Note Season 1 Episode 27 - Abduction
    7.2/10(5651 votes)

    #3 - Abduction

    S1:E27

    A new investigator steps forward-Near, a central figure in the SPK, an organization that is trying to catch Kira without relying on L. Near is aware of the existence of the Death Notes and wants to get his hands on one.

    Director:Tomio Yamauchi
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Death Note Season 1 Episode 34 - Vigilance
    7.2/10(5304 votes)

    #4 - Vigilance

    S1:E34

    Aizawa figures out what's going on and tells Near, who already knows about the notes. Near instructs Aizawa to continue watching Light, and then puts in motion a plan to separate Misa from Light.

    Director:Eiko Nishi
    Writer:Shouji Yonemura

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Death Note Season 1 Episode 18 - Ally
    7.3/10(5968 votes)

    #5 - Ally

    S1:E18

    Though L is still suspicious, Light and Misa, their memories of being Kira wiped clean, return to headquarters, where Light notices a strange connection between the recent Kira killings and the Yotsuba Group.

    Director:Shinji Nagamura
    Writer:Shouji Yonemura

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Death Note Season 1 Episode 20 - Makeshift
    7.3/10(5836 votes)

    #6 - Makeshift

    S1:E20

    L's team discovers that the Yotsuba Group meet in secret to discuss the elimination of individuals who are troublesome to their company, and concludes that Kira must be one of the eight executives. Can Light posing as L ferret out the right one?

    Director:Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of Death Note

    READ
  7. Death Note Season 1 Episode 28 - Impatience
    7.3/10(5499 votes)

    #7 - Impatience

    S1:E28

    Light, acting as L, reveals to Near that his sister Sayu has been kidnapped by someone wanting to trade her for the Death Note. Near finds out that the trade will happen in Los Angeles and promises to help, while secretly planning to steal the Death Note and capture Kira.

    Director:Eiko Nishi
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Death Note Season 1 Episode 19 - Matsuda
    7.6/10(5912 votes)

    #8 - Matsuda

    S1:E19

    Matsuda, the task force member assigned to watch Misa, is eager to distinguish himself, and while on a job with Misa, he decides to do a little snooping on his own at the Yotsuba Group’s Tokyo headquarters.

    Director:Eiko Nishi
    Writer:Yasuko Kobayashi

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Death Note Season 1 Episode 30 - Justice
    7.6/10(5394 votes)

    #9 - Justice

    S1:E30

    Mello busts into SPK headquarters to retrieve a photograph of himself to make sure he won't be killed by Kira. In exchange for Near giving him the picture, Mello drops an important hint about the Death Notes: some of the rules are fake.

    Director:Hideki Ito
    Writer:Shouji Yonemura

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Death Note Season 1 Episode 31 - Transfer
    7.6/10(5405 votes)

    #10 - Transfer

    S1:E31

    Near contacts the Japanese task force and determines that Kira is among their members. He asks for insider information, and Aizawa, beginning to doubt Light, responds. Near suspects that the new L is really Light Yagami and that Light is Kira.

    Director:Hisato Shimoda
    Writer:Yasuko Kobayashi

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Death Note Season 1 Episode 21 - Performance
    7.7/10(5783 votes)

    #11 - Performance

    S1:E21

    The Task Force uses Misa as a way to get closer to the Yotsuba corporation. But things get complicated when Rem tries to communicate with her.

    Director:Mitsuhiro Yoneda
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Death Note Season 1 Episode 32 - Selection
    7.8/10(5487 votes)

    #12 - Selection

    S1:E32

    Star newscaster Kiyomi Takada becomes Kira's spokesperson to the world, after Demegawa is deleted by Mikami, and she just so happens to have been Light's girlfriend in college. Aizawa's suspicions about Light grow.

    Director:Hironori Aoyagi
    Writer:Yasuko Kobayashi

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Death Note Season 1 Episode 29 - Father
    7.9/10(7723 votes)

    #13 - Father

    S1:E29

    Mortified over allowing the Death Note to fall into Mello's hands in order to save his daughter, Soichiro puts himself into harm's way in order to get it back.

    Director:Tomohiko Ito
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Death Note Season 1 Episode 35 - Malice
    7.9/10(5577 votes)

    #14 - Malice

    S1:E35

    Light and Near agree upon a meeting place for the final confrontation. A key player is kidnapped and the end results are shocking.

    Director:Tomohiko Ito
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Death Note Season 1 Episode 17 - Execution
    8.0/10(6116 votes)

    #15 - Execution

    S1:E17

    After fifty days of confinement the killings continue, and Misa and Light are released. But L has devised a plan to ensure no more murders occur, and has Light's father, Soichiro, take the two for a ride that may be their last.

    Director:Ryosuke Nakamura
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Death Note Season 1 Episode 10 - Doubt
    8.1/10(6506 votes)

    #16 - Doubt

    S1:E10

    L's suspicion of Light deepens, compelling him to invite Light into the investigation. But then a phone call alerts them that Soichiro Yagami has suffered a heart attack!

    Director:Shinji Nagamura
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Death Note Season 1 Episode 6 - Unraveling
    8.2/10(6934 votes)

    #17 - Unraveling

    S1:E6

    Light meets a woman at the Police Department with an urgent message for the Kira task force. As son of the chief investigator, Light listens to her story, and is startled to discover she may have information that could lead to his arrest.

    Director:Oyunam
    Writer:Yasuko Kobayashi

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Death Note Season 1 Episode 14 - Friend
    8.2/10(6185 votes)

    #18 - Friend

    S1:E14

    Light and Misa show each other their Death Notes, and Light asks Misa to have her shinigami Rem get rid of L. But Misa asks something of Light in return—to fall in love with her!

    Director:Tomohiko Ito
    Writer:Shouji Yonemura

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Death Note Season 1 Episode 22 - Guidance
    8.2/10(5847 votes)

    #19 - Guidance

    S1:E22

    Thanks to Misa, the Task Force now knows the identity of the new Kira and L plans an elaborate scheme to smoke him out of hiding.

    Director:Naoto Hashimoto
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Death Note Season 1 Episode 12 - Love
    8.3/10(6353 votes)

    #20 - Love

    S1:E12

    With a second Kira now on the loose, L asks Light to join the task force and pose as the real Kira in order to catch the copycat. Light agrees, hoping to divert suspicion from himself. To his surprise, this new Kira has a special ability even Light lacks…

    Director:Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Death Note Season 1 Episode 13 - Confession
    8.3/10(6261 votes)

    #21 - Confession

    S1:E13

    Light goes to Aoyama to discover the identity of the second Kira before L becomes more suspicious. But Misa Amane, the new Kira, uses her unusual gift to find Light before he finds her.

    Director:Mitsuhiro Yoneda
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Death Note Season 1 Episode 16 - Decision
    8.3/10(6124 votes)

    #22 - Decision

    S1:E16

    Misa is in confinement, though her memories of the Death Note have been completely wiped away. When Light is confined as well, the murders stop and suspicion of Light grows stronger. Then suddenly, the killings resume.

    Director:Makoto Bessho
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Death Note Season 1 Episode 1 - Rebirth
    8.4/10(9181 votes)

    #23 - Rebirth

    S1:E1

    Brilliant but bored high school student Light Yagami suddenly finds himself holding the power of life and death in his hands—the power of the Death Note. He decides to rid the world of evil—by killing off criminals one by one. When the murders start to pile up, genius detective L is on the case, and an epic battle of wits unfolds.

    Directors:Kei Tsunematsu, Tetsuro Araki
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Death Note Season 1 Episode 3 - Dealings
    8.4/10(7475 votes)

    #24 - Dealings

    S1:E3

    Ryuk, the Shinigami, or god of death, who dropped the Death Note into the human world, warns Light that someone is on his trail. Light is troubled that he can’t find out the identity of his tracker, and Ryuk suggests an amazing deal...

    Director:Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Death Note Season 1 Episode 8 - Glare
    8.4/10(6717 votes)

    #25 - Glare

    S1:E8

    L insists on setting up bugs and cameras in the homes of Chief Yagami and Deputy Director Kitamura—whom Raye Penber was tracking. But Light is a step ahead as usual—he knows he’s being watched.

    Director:Makoto Bessho
    Writer:Toshiki Inoue

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Worst Episodes Summary

"Renewal" is the worst rated episode of "Death Note". It scored 7/10 based on 7514 votes. Directed by Tomohiko Ito and written by Tomohiko Ito, it aired on 4/11/2007. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Scorn".