Recommended order
1. Death Note
Watch the 37-episode television series from episode one through the finale.
2. Recap films
The compilation films are optional and mainly useful as alternate summaries rather than replacements for the full series.
Quick advice
For a first viewing, use the main television series in release order unless an official release or licensed platform presents a different intended sequence. Avoid skipping canon episodes simply because a list labels them as optional without checking the context.
Explore more
Episode availability and regional catalogs can change. AnimeZax provides spoiler-light editorial guidance and does not stream episodes.