Death Note Sparks Rumors With New Trademark [UPDATE]

Death Note got its start back in 2003 at Shueisha.

UPDATE: Following the trademark's application submission, more information about the project has surfaced. Death Note: Killer Within will mark a new PC and mobile game entry for the hit franchise. 

Death Note hardly needs an introduction. Following its debut in 2003, the hit supernatural thriller has become a classic with manga and anime fans. Creators Tsunami Ohba and Takeshi Obata transformed Death Note into a must-read mystery in just a few short years. And now, the IP has fans buzzing over a mysterious new trademark.

The trademark application surfaced this week in Japan as Internet sleuths found paperwork for Death Note: Killer Within. At this time, the application features very little info on what this Death Note project is about. It could be anything from a new art book to a mobile game. But of course, fans are hopeful Death Note: Killer Within is setting up a series revival.

After all, it has been a hot minute since Death Note put out any new content. The manga ran for three years as its finale launched in May 2006. Of course, the series went on to inspire a hit anime, and Death Note ruled television between 2006 and 2007. In the years since, Death Note has also published a slew of live-action projects including a Netflix film in 2017. But since then, Death Note adaptations have been mum.

It has been more than 20 years since Death Note went live, and given the recent rise of anime globally, fans are convinced now is the time for a series revival. Death Note's original series continued to draw in new fans by the day, and that is thanks to the story itself. Despite its age, Death Note feels as fresh today as it did 21 years ago. So hopefully, this mysterious trademark is signaling the return of Shueisha's greatest thriller.

If you are not familiar with Death Note, you can always check out the series. Viz Media oversees the manga's publication in English, and the Death Note anime is streaming on Netflix as well as Crunchyroll. So for more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects-and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?"

What do you make of this latest Death Note rumor? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!