The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.
What Is It?
This anime series follows brilliant high school student Light Yagami, who discovers a mysterious supernatural notebook called the Death Note that allows him to kill anyone simply by writing their name in it while picturing their face. Believing he can create a better world, Light begins secretly executing criminals and adopts the identity of “Kira,” attracting worldwide attention. As authorities struggle to stop the mysterious killings, the eccentric genius detective L takes on the case, leading to an intense psychological battle between two masterminds trying to outwit each other. Based on the manga series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.
Aired: NTV, 2006-07, 1 Season Totaling 37 Episodes
Voice Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Kappei Yamaguchi, Shidô Nakamura, Aya Hirano, Noriko Hidaka
Developed By: Toshiki Inoue
Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows:
This anime entry took a relatively simple supernatural premise—a notebook that allows a person to kill anyone whose name is written in it—and turned it into one of the smartest and most intense psychological thrillers ever produced in anime or television in general. Rather than relying on action and spectacle, the show built its tension through mind games, moral dilemmas, and intellectual warfare between the self-righteous Light Yagami and the driven detective L. The series constantly forces viewers to question justice, power, corruption, and whether good intentions can justify horrific actions.
But what really elevated Death Note was its execution. The writing was razor sharp, the pacing during its best stretches was incredibly brisk, and the atmosphere blended horror, crime drama, fantasy, and psychological suspense into a unique and engaging drama. It also became one of the gateway anime series for Western audiences during the 2000s, with its presence on early streaming services like Hulu, helping push anime further into mainstream pop culture. Few genre shows have maintained the same level of cultural impact, discussion, memes, and debate years after release, and its cat-and-mouse dynamic between Light and the detectives (particularly L) remains one of the best rivalries in television history. This one not only stands out as a superior example of anime, it also deserves to be counted among the best sci fi and fantasy TV shows of all time.
Argument Against:
Death Note is certainly a notable work of anime, but it ultimately falls short because the series loses much of its momentum after the midpoint of the story, particularly following a major character departure that many fans consider the emotional and intellectual peak of the show. The later episodes are often viewed as rushed and less compelling, with replacement characters failing to capture the same chemistry and tension. The show also turns overly melodramatic and self-indulgent at times, leaning heavily into exaggerated internal monologues and increasingly implausible schemes. And while its central moral themes are interesting, the series starts to rely on shock twists instead of providing deeper exploration of its philosophical concepts. It is certainly an engaging series early on, but it meanders and derails as it progresses and falls short of counting as an all-time genre great.
Johnny Jay’s Take:
I recall watching this series during the early days of streaming, when it was available on Hulu (still a free streaming service at that time) along with several other anime entries. I had mostly lost interest in the genre at that point (though I did watch a good chunk of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing several years prior), but Death Note proved quite engaging and helped bring me back to anime. Fortunately, they kept the original dialogue and added English subtitles, which is what I prefer when watching Japanese shows and movies. There may also have been a dubbed version, but I was not interested in that because I find that the translations to English often seem awkward, and the Japanese voice actors are usually very good with their dramatic emphasis.
But what really drew me to this series were the moral dilemmas at its core. Light Yagami wants to do the right thing with this power he has discovered, and he believes he has the moral integrity to make those decisions, but he finds that things quickly get out of his control. And while L seems to understand that the person behind the deaths he is investigating may have a motive to do what he believes is right, the detective is driven by the belief that people should not act outside the law. This all made for an interesting dynamic and also delivered some good and engaging drama when the show was at its best.
I will agree that Death Note seemed to go a bit too long, and the change in major characters did have a notable impact. But overall it still delivered an excellent tale rife with moral quandaries and philosophical challenges. It is certainly a superior example of anime (I would say an all-time great, though I am not as well-versed in that genre), and it stands up quite well compared to some of the most notable sci fi and fantasy TV entries.
Where Can You Watch It?
Death Note is one of the most widely available anime shows, still streaming on Hulu and also available on Prime video, Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, and, of course, the primary anime streamer CrunchyRoll. It is also available to stream for free (with ads) on The Roku Channel and it has been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Do you consider Death Note to be one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy TV shows of all time or did it derail and prove too much of a disappointment? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.
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