The anime series was produced by Madhouse and consists of one season with 37 episodes. There is also a spin-off film, "L: Change the World," which serves as a prequel to the series.

The Death Note anime, produced by Madhouse and directed by Tetsurō Araki, aired in Japan on Nippon Television from October 3, 2006, to June 26, 2007. The series ran for a full two seasons (or "cours") without interruption, concluding its run at 37 episodes.

Understanding the episode count is easier when you break the series into its two major story arcs: