Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's famed manga series Death Note redefined what shonen manga can really be. This series wasn't about combat, adventure, or the power of friendship – instead, it was a top-tier crime thriller with a supernatural edge, and it explored deep themes about the dual light and dark nature of humanity, ethics, justice, and far more. This led to plenty of exciting battle of wits scenes between the antihero Light Yagami and his rival L, but it also led to endless tragedy.
In the end, it felt like everyone lost the battle in Death Note, with countless characters suffering heartbreaking losses or even losing their very lives. Between its original manga and the 2000s-era anime, Death Note kept viewers engaged with devastating and unflinchingly dark scenes where the heroes and villains alike explored the most horrific corners of the human condition.
10 Light Told Misa She Was Like Her Parents' Killer
Misa Amane idolized Kira as the new embodiment of justice, since Kira killed the criminal who murdered Misa's parents in front of her. Eventually, Misa secured a private meeting with Light/Kira, and Light put things into perspective when he commented on Misa's cold-blooded killing of Ukita and other innocents.
Misa was horrified to hear Light compare her to her own parents' killer, and it drove her to tears. Most tellingly, Misa didn't have a real answer to Light's "How are you any different from him?" question about her parents' killer, so she changed the topic to convince Light to accept her. It was a clear sign that the emotionally distraught Misa was in over her head but had no chance to back out.
9 Light Yagami Became Kira
One of Death Note's darkest scenes was also one of its earliest and most important of all. When the brilliant Light Yagami found the Death Note, he doubted it at first, then experimented with it and confirmed its power. He was afraid at first, then resolved to become the new embodyment of justice, one murder at a time.
That dark scene depicted an ordinary high schooler setting himself on a bloody and highly consequential path, and there was no going back. Light had a comfortable and good life as a Japanese teen, but once he vowed to become Kira, he set himself up for his ultimate doom, and he had no idea.
8 Sayu Yagami Was Seen Recovering From Trauma
Light's younger sister Sayu didn't say or do much of note during Light's battle of wits against L, but in the second major story arc, 19-year-old Sayu got caught in the crossfire between Light and Mello. Sayu was captured and held hostage until Soichiro traded the Death Note for her safe release.
That traumatic experience was a heavy burden for Sayu, and she needed time to slowly recover and piece her life back together. Even when Death Note fans saw her mother Sachiko supporting her, it was clear that was a horribly dark scene because Sayu lost her innocence and happiness through no fault of her own. She suffered greatly as a cost for her brother's villainous ambitions.
7 Light and Teru Mikami Killed Off Kiyomi Takada
Light Yagami often used and exploited people who trusted him, including his one-sided lover Misa Amane and later, Kiyomi Takada as well. Light cruelly used both women and took advantage of their amorous feelings for him, only to end up being thrown away.
Late in part 2 of Death Note, Kiyomi Takada got captured as Mello's hostage, so Light saw Kiyomi as a loose end and acted accordingly. Disregarding Kiyomi's loyalty and efforts, Light had her killed, and coincidentally, Teru Mikami attempted the same thing. Light coldly watched the flames of Kiyomi's explosive death, unconcerned that he had committed a huge act of betrayal.
6 Misa Decided to Die In Captivity
Eventually, L and the Japanese police found enough evidence to arrest Misa Amane as the second Kira, and they put her in confinement. L personally questioned Misa remotely with a camera and speaker, but no matter what he asked, L couldn't get any solid answers from Misa.
Misa was determined to protect her beloved Light, and she felt that her life had no meaning without him. Things got even darker when Misa decided to simply end her life, even asking Rem to perform that grim deed. However, Rem was determined to see Misa rescued, so Rem declined Misa's dark request and instead sought Light for aid.
5 Rem Was Forced to Kill L
Rem stood apart from her fellow shinigami Ryuk because she personally cared about Misa and would do anything for her sake. However, even if shinigami are overpowered in Death Note, Light still found a way to manipulate Rem and force her to kill his enemies against her will.
To protect the newly freed Misa from suspicion yet again, Rem realized she had to kill both L and Watari, and in so doing, would lose her life. Rem felt terrible about it and died with regrets, but that was the price she paid for caring about a mortal being. It was pretty tragic to see Rem forced into that position, and Light didn't regret a thing.
4 Soichiro Yagami's Death
Soichiro Yagami was mortally wounded when he led a police raid on Mello's hideout to reclaim the Death Note. He was rushed to a hospital and died there, though at least he died satisfied about a job well done and was surrounded by his son and fellow officers.
Soichiro died happy, but his death was still tragic and dark for many reasons, including Soichiro's incorrect view on Light. With the shinigami eyes, Soichiro was convinced that Light was not Kira, but that was just a trick, so Soichiro died with false happiness. He never lived to see the true Kira captured.
3 Soichiro Pretended to Shoot Light
Light turned himself in as a Kira suspect, which was all part of his plan to free Misa and "prove" their innocence. L was forced to see things that way, but he still wanted to try one more trick to be sure. L asked Soichiro to put on an act and drive Light and Misa to their execution site.
In that car, Soichiro kept up the act and claimed that he would shoot Light and then himself out of guilt, to resolve this matter personally. It was brutally dark to see a loving father forced to hold his son at gunpoint and make Light think he was about to die, but fortunately, that scene ended well. Light and Misa passed the test, and Soichiro finally explained himself.
2 Light Used & Killed Raye Penber
One of Light Yagami's earliest and best tricks involved using his FBI tail to wipe out the entire FBI task force operating in Japan. After seeing Raye's FBI ID aboard a bus, Light concocted a plan and turned Raye into his unwitting puppet. They met in person, and Light had Raye kill the other 11 FBI agents.
Then, Raye himself died of a heart attack, and worst of all, he actually saw Light Yagami with his own eyes, realizing too late who Kira had been all along. Raye was an innocent and hardworking FBI agent who was happily engaged, but it was all lost when Light wrote his name down.
1 Light Killed Naomi Misora
The most tragic and heart-wrenching scene in Death Note happened rather early, before Light and L ever came face to face. Not long after Raye Penber's death, his fiancée and fellow FBI agent Naomi Misora leaped into action to find Kira, and she got rather close, all on her own.
Light met Naomi Misora on New Year's Day and talked with her, quickly recognizing her as a threat. After a false start, Light managed to write Naomi's name, condemning her to take her own life in such a way no one would find her body. The innocent Naomi never got the vengeance she needed so badly, and not only did she perish, her distraught parents never even had a body to bury.
