How Many Volumes of Death Note Are There (2024 Edition)

Death Note is one of the most popular anime ever, and the manga is equally gripping. If you have decided to read the manga series and are wondering exactly how many volumes of Death Note are there that you’ll have to read, I’ve got the answer!

There are many genres in the world of manga. Some of the most popular ones tend to involve the shonen category as well as shoujo, romance, comedy, and, nowadays, the isekai genre, too. But the combination of mystery, supernatural, and psychological genres can get incredibly popular, and the title known as Death Note is proof of that.

Without a doubt, Death Note manga was the most popular title in this genre, reaching levels of popularity that allowed it to earn its anime adaptation, which would become even more popular worldwide among all anime fans.

Now, why would anyone become interested in reading its manga and knowing about its number of volumes when its anime adaptation was really successful?

Well, although its anime adaptation managed to capture the manga’s essence successfully, some people still adore the idea of reading manga. Knowing the number of Death Note manga volumes, they’ll have to go through helps most manga enthusiasts. Thus, we decided to provide as much information about it as possible.

How Many Volumes of Death Note Are There?

Death Note is one of the most influential titles in the world of anime and manga and a series that you should read at least once in your life!

If you are worried about starting another long manga series and thinking about how much time you’ll have to invest in it before it concludes, then you don’t need to worry, as Death Note isn’t a long series, unlike a series like One Piece or Bleach.

So, how many Death Note volumes are there? And exactly how many chapters will you have to read?

There are a total of 108 manga chapters in the series, and all these chapters are collected in 12 tankōbon volumes.

That number sounds manageable, right? Trust me; once you read a few chapters of Death Note, you will find it hard to stop because the story is unlike any you have ever read!

Is There A Death Note Manga Box Set?

Yes, there is! Since Death Note manga is completed, a box set is available containing all the published manga volumes. There’s also a new “All-in-One Edition” of Death Note manga series that you might want to take a look at!

Death Note Manga Box Set: Volumes 1-13 with Premium

When Light Yagami finds a notebook giving him power over death, will he use it for good—or evil?

The Complete Box Set includes Manga Volumes 1–12, Death Note 13: How to Read, and a "How to Use It" fold-out!

Click Here to Buy the Death Note Manga Box Set!

Death Note Manga in Order:

Now that you have decided to read the manga, there are certain things that you need to know before diving head-first into the series.

As mentioned earlier, there are only 12 manga volumes in Death Note, but the table below lists 14. You might be wondering what’s up with that! Worry not; I’m here to resolve any confusion you might have.

Volume 13, titled “How to Read,” is basically an encyclopedia-like guide to the Death Note manga series. It contains character profiles, storyline summaries, interviews with the authors, and several other bonus materials. It’s not a volume you’ll want to ignore because it expands the world of Death Note and gives you more insights into how the manga series came to be!

The final volume, technically not a volume, is a collection of short stories set in the world of Death Note. It contains six chapters, five of which are self-contained one-shots.

I hope that clears up any confusion you might have. With that out of the way, let’s see how to read Death Note manga in order!

What is Death Note Manga All About?

Death Note has an incredible setting to its story and is one of the most interesting yet charismatic main characters and “antagonists” you can find. Although the manga is relatively short, it does have a fantastic conclusion and art that is pleasing to consume.

Death Note tells the story of a young man known as Light Yagami. His peers often regard Light as a genius, as he’s academically gifted and incredibly smart. One day, while attending one of his classes, he discovers a curious notebook falling from the sky. This notebook is pitch black, except for its name, which is written in white. The words “Death Note” appear to be written on its front.

Light decides to take the notebook with him after reading one of its rules. The rules claim that if a person’s name is written in the book, that person will die no matter what. After arriving home, he takes his time to read all of the rules, and, at first, Light does not believe the implications of said rules until he tests them to see if the thing is actually real.

Five days have passed, and Light is visited by the book’s previous owner, a Shinigami (also known as a god of death) named Ryuk. Ryuk claims to have dropped the note out of boredom and to feel alive, expecting to be entertained by the human who would become its new owner. Ryuk checks the Death Note and is surprised by the number of names Light has written on it.

Light explains that, after testing the book’s authenticity, he decided to create a world free of rotten people, criminals, and those who would act against other human beings and that he would become its ruler as the God of this new world. And to attest to that, he had written several criminal names in the Death Note, with most criminals dying of a heart attack and others of unexpected circumstances.

This catches the attention of another country’s Interpol, explaining that more than 100 criminals have died of a heart attack. They decide to receive the assistance of the world’s most capable detective, a mysterious man named L.

By setting a trap on Light, now known as “Kira, the savior” by the Japanese community, L discovers that Kira is a Japanese resident and that he’s indeed living in the Kanto region of the country. They both swear to catch one another, claiming they are both on the side of justice.

Here’s where an incredible war of wits and strategy begins between the two, with Light trying to find out what L’s name is and what his face looks like and L trying to put Light behind bars.

Conclusion

As one of the most popular psychological thrillers series you can find in the media, Death Note is one of those series I would recommend reading to any manga enthusiast. It is also one of the classics, which enters the hall of fame in both the manga side of things and the anime side of things.

You are also equipped with the knowledge of how many volumes of Death Note are there, so preparing for the investment will be much easier, even more, if you are planning to get your physical copies to improve your manga collection further.

Also Read: How Many Volumes of Naruto Are There?