Both anime fans and newcomers watch the series Death Note, and they fall in love with it. Its mystery, crime, psychology, mental gymnastics, and twists and turns captivate viewers. If you want more anime like Death Note, we have created a list of shows that feature stories filled with suspense and psychological tension. Along with unfolding characters who capture your attention with their unique personalities and appealing styles. So, open your notes and mark these top anime like Death Note, that you won’t want to miss!
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Anime Like Death Note
1- Code Geass
- IMDb: 8.7/10
- Release Date: October 6, 2006
- Genre: Alternate history, Mecha, and Military
The beloved Mecha anime Code Geass takes place in the predicted period when the Britannian Empire has surmounted Japan. The story revolves around Lelouch Lamperouge, an exiled prince seeking revenge against Britannia for brutally murdering his mother and blinding his sister. As the series progresses, he meets a mysterious girl named C.C., who grants Lelouch a supernatural power known as Geass. This ability enables him to control anyone with whom he makes eye contact. Thus, he decides to fight and fulfill his desire for vengeance.
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In comparison to Death Note, this anime also features an anti-hero main character who seeks revenge for a crime and acquires supernatural powers, which leads to a dark theme. The story includes strategic elements used to take revenge, a tragedy that befell the Lelouch family, and intense psychological battles between Lelouch and Britannia.
2- Monster
- IMDb: 8.7/10
- Release Date: April 7, 2004
- Genre: Crime, Mystery, and Psychological Thriller
About the Monster Inside the Human, this story follows the lives of a brilliant neurosurgeon named Dr. Tenma, who works in Germany. One day, two urgent cases arise, forcing him to choose between saving the life of a young boy, Johan Liebert, and a prominent political figure. After recognizing the value of every life, he decided to protect Johan’s life. However, this faithful decision alters Tenma’s life, as that young boy transforms into a serial killer. With regret, Tenma embarks on the journey to stop Johan, which challenges his beliefs and forces him to accept the darkness of humanity.
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By showcasing the psychological thriller activity, that involves a serial killer and confronting the harsh reality of humanity, this series can secure its place on the list of anime like Death Note. Additionally, it presents a dark concept and explores the nature of evil.
3- Psycho-Pass
- IMDb: 8.1/10
- Release Date: October 12, 2012
- Genre: Crime, Cyberpunk, and Psychological Thriller
The updated world establishes the journey, where a system called the Sibyl System employs its powerful monitoring capacity to predict criminal behavior by analyzing citizens’ mental states. The plot centers on Akane Tsunemori, a rookie inspector in the Public Safety Bureau, who must enforce the law based on these predicted data. This process assigns a Psycho-Pass score to each citizen to determine what kind of crime they might commit. If someone’s score is high, authorities directly arrest or even kill them. As the series unfolds, Akane confronts a person named Shogo Makishima, who challenges their justice system by prioritizing thought over action.
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The conflict narrative, similar to Light Yagami and L, revolves around Akane and Shogo in an anime like Death Note. It also demonstrates how the powerful system redefines the meaning of justice based on its beliefs while incorporating suspense and criminal activities.
4- Steins;Gate
- IMDb: 8.8/10
- Release Date: April 6, 2011
- Genre: Psychological Thriller and Science-Fiction
They greatly blend sci-fi with a psychological thriller adventure, featuring the mad scientist Okabe Rintaro and his friends Mayuri and Itaru. Together, they work on a PhoneWave, a microwave device that sends messages to the past. The story starts when Okabe, one day, goes to a conference in Tokyo. There he discovers a girl named Makise Kurisu lying in a pool of blood. As he tells his friends about this incident, he experiences a strange sensation as time appears to shift around him. After realizing this reality, they inadvertently draw the attention of a secretive organization. This leads him down a challenging path that comes with tampering with time.
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Overall, the theme of consequence, the intelligent protagonist, and psychological tension connect both series. In Death Note, Light’s actions create unwanted challenges, while in Steins;Gate, Okabe’s invasion places him and his friends in unexpected danger.
5- Fate/Zero
- IMDb: 8.2/10
- Release Date: October 1, 2011
- Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy, and Tragedy
The last anime suggestion showcases the concept of war between two powerful opponents in the city of Fuyuki. The plot revolves around the Fourth Holy Grail War, a secret and deadly tournament. In this tournament, seven mages, called Masters, summon iconic historic heroes, known as Servants. This narrative centers on a powerful artifact called the Holy Grail, which grants anyone the ability to fulfill any desirable wish. It primarily highlights the journey of a skilled mage named Kiritsugu Emiya, known as the Mage Killer. The story reveals each character’s identity and ideals, showcasing the intense clashes between different alliances. Additionally, it explores dark themes such as sacrifice, morality, and the consequences of one’s choices.
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This Fate/Zero also explores the power and its consequences, along with complex characters entwined in the theme of psychological warfare. This battle action series presents a life-and-death concept with a dark theme similar to that of Death Note.
Book Mark!
Please mark out these anime similar to Death Note, which won’t leave you regretting your choice. Each one shares similarities with the dark-themed series by featuring extremely interesting psychological thrillers and potential main characters. They all boast unique narrative setups, different beliefs, conflicting personalities, and various consequences. That makes these selected shows more appealing and lovable to every fan!
