Death Note 13: How to Read

Death Note: How to Read 13 (aka volume 13) is an encyclopedia-like guide to the Death Note manga series, including character bios, storyline summaries, interviews with creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, production notes and commentaries, and a bonus: the pilot chapter of the manga.

Everything that is contained within this book is official, written by the original author and artist, and is considered canon across all spectrums of the Death Note universe. Included in it is a character card of L, which shows his real name.

The Japanese release also includes 5 finger-puppets that are seen in the Death Note series:
 * Kira
 * L
 * Misa Amane
 * Near
 * Mello

Reviews
Leroy Douresseaux from ComicBookBin wrote, Death Note: How to Read 13 [is] billed as the "ultimate Death Note encyclopedia." It's basically everything a fan of the series would need to know. There are illustrated character biographies, which are so detailed that they really could be called dossiers. Artist Takeshi Obata appears in an interview section which includes sketchbook material. Obata later joins writer Tsugumi Ohba for a discussion about the final mysteries of Death Note's "Chapter 108." Thorough storyline summaries and production notes: what more could a Death Note reader need?

Death Note: How to Read 13 also offers something that is essential to attracting new readers to a manga—-actual comics! Inside this encyclopedia is the Death Note pilot, an original, 55-page storyline from 2003 that introduced the concept in a rather chilling, but utterly engaging and entertaining way.

Product Details
Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: VIZ Media, LLC; English edition (February 19, 2008)

Language: English, Japanese

ISBN-10: 1421518880

ISBN-13: 978-1421518886

Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches