Light Yagami, a brilliant young student, one day picks up the 'Death Note,' a notebook previously held by a Shinigami (God of Death) named Ryuk, who was apparently bored in his own world. One simply has to write a person's name in this notebook, and they die (according to certain conditions that the Shinigami explains to Light during their meeting). Thus, with the 'Death Note' in his hands, Light decides to rid the planet of all criminals to create a just world—a perfect world. However, who is he to judge people? He consequently becomes the most wanted criminal on the entire planet...