The Simpsons Death Note Anime Parody Looks Better Than Expected

The Simpsons have celebrated Halloween every year for decades now, and for this year's Treehouse of Horror special, the animated series is grabbing some anime inspiration with a Death Note parody. Titled "Death Tome," this mini-episode will see Lisa Simpson stumble upon the deadly book that allows her to kill anyone simply by writing their name and cause of death within it.

What sets this parody apart is that the episode will go all in on its Japanese animation influence, creating a Halloween tale that is designed to feel like an authentic Simpsons anime. The first opening scene and images from Death Tome have appeared online, showcasing a version of The Simpsons that was animated by Korean studio DR Movie. the production house has a long list of animation credits, including The Animatrix, several DC Animated Universe films, and support work on the actual Death Note anime series.

Other segments in this year's Treehouse of Horror will see the show poke fun at classic Australian horror film The Babadook and a Westworld parody when it premieres on October 30. Beyond the Halloween special, you can also expect season 34 of the long-running series to take on Ellen, It, and QAnon. One of the guest stars for this season is Melissa McCarthy, who'll play a rival for Grandpa Simpson's love.

As for Death Note, another stab at adapting the cult-classic anime series into live-action is in development at Upside Down Pictures, a new studio formed by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer.