I thought Death Note is a good series. The first arc is definitely the highlight, though, when you see the cat and mouse chase between L and Light while both try to outwit each other, and I like the stuff with Ryuk and the dark aura he brings to the storyline itself, and more characters are introduced to the plot with a good pace so that things don't become too confusing as long as you're paying attention.

The Yotsuba arc gets occasionally a bit lame compared to the previous arc because of (SPOILER)"Good" Light (there just isn't that much thrilling stuff going except for the identity of the Yotsuba Kira), but it's still interesting to see the interaction between Light and L and to to see some of the other characters get more screen time. However, the ending of the second arc is quite dramatic (SPOILER)with L's death, and I really like the anime's Christian symbolism when they show Light and L in a similar manner to Jesus and Judas, which I thought was a nice inclusion.

Because of the events of the second arc the third arc doesn't quite have the same intensity as the first arc, which is a shame, although I really like the way how the new characters, namely (SPOILER)Near, Mello, Mikami and Takada, are developed and don't stay as cardboard cutouts but actually change as the show progresses. However, it's somewhat disappointing that in the end (SPOILER)it all comes down to chance, and in some ways it's satisfying but in other ways it could've been written better. The difference in the ending between the anime and manga versions is interesting, and in some ways the anime does it better but loses some nice moments from the manga in the process.

The storyline moves quite quickly in some cases, but thankfully many of the conversations are given the time they deserve. The dialogue is often brilliant, and it's a joy seeing the story told from both sides' point of view. Animation is quite good and detailed, and I like the mood it creates with the way it uses different colours, light and shadow. The music isn't bad either, having a nice mix of traditional orchestra and choral power in dramatic spots while also having the more instrumental-oriented character themes for L, Light and the others, and the interesting mix works for the most part and manages to enhance the storyline.

Death Note relies more on dialogue than action, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has nice and thrilling moments, and it's interesting to watch the characters interact with one another and see what happens next, and the story keeps itself focused most of the time. All in all it's worth watching.