The Simpsons Fans Have Nothing But Praise For The Death Note Parody In Treehouse Of Horror XXXIII
Out of all the things to love about "The Simspons," for some fans, the traditional "Treehouse of Horror" episode rarely disappoints, and "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" appears to have been a hit with viewers, especially in regards to the "Death Note-themed" anime segment titled "Death Tome."
There are arguably many reasons that make the over 30 hilarious seasons of "The Simpsons" so enjoyable to watch, but one thing for many that definitely stands out as a worthwhile occasion is the show's three-segment Halloween special. From "The Shining" to "Parasite," the Emmy-winning series has brilliantly parodied an array of intellectual properties over the years. The 34th season decided to take things up a notch, releasing two "Treehouse of Horrors" — the full-length "Not It" take on the Stephen King novel and an entry with three stories.
"Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" featured "Simpson" versions of "The Babadook" and the HBO series "Westworld." It also went full anime for "Death Tome," a take on "Death Note." Lisa Simpson assumes the role of Light and tries to use the "Death Tome" for its ability to kill a person once their name is written on one of its pages. Of course, things don't go as planned, resulting in some pretty funny moments within the beautifully animated section of the "Treehouse of Horror" special.
While it's safe to assume many viewers found "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" wickedly funny from start to finish, a robust amount of fans have an ample amount of great things to say about "Death Tome."
Death Tome is a hit with Simpsons fans
It's no secret that "Death Note" is one of the most-watched anime shows (via Anime News Network), making it unsurprising that so many people would relish "The Simpsons" version of the source material. Several users on Reddit have expressed how much they loved it, especially concerning the stunning animation style. U/Sonia341 praised the character design and overall look, saying, "Death Tome segment looks great. Love Lisa's look." U/Porphyrin_Ring also revered the style, posting, "The Deathnote segment was just amazing all around! The animation was beautifully done." The user also praised the storyline of the parody, writing, "They did an awesome job hitting the plot beats of Death Note, and I felt completely drawn into the story."
And it wasn't just individuals on Reddit that were excited about the entry. Several users on Twitter posted their praise for the visually impressive animation style of "Death Tome," with @TheAurizen posting, "This was an amazing episode of Simpsons. I hope to see more Japanese Anime inspired Simpsons!" Some even wished it wasn't so brief, like @MrIppikodoku, who wrote, "If only this segment was longer. I'd kill to see more of this in this style!" And it feels safe to assume that a post from @tacotrader1 arguably sums up how most fans that enjoyed the "Death Note" take felt, above all else, with the sentiment, "ayo, why does "The Simpsons" anime style slap so f***ing hard." And it isn't just "Death Note" fans that love "Death Tome."
Fans that don't watch Death Note absolutely love it
A few individuals on Twitter made sure people knew that it wasn't just "Death Note" fans handing out significant praise for "Death Tome," like @headbutt76, who wrote, "I thought that was awesome and I have absolutely no familiarity with the source material. In addition, u/ShootaIMP posted, "I've never seen an episode of Death Note, but they went Above and beyond with that parody." But that isn't the end of the extent of the acclaim the "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" segment has garnered.
Those that have not been a part of "The Simpsons" fandom in some time have found themselves returning to the fold enamored with the "Death Note" parody, such as u/TheLeagueOfOwls, who posted, "First new Simpsons episode I've watched at broadcast in 12 years. The voices may be worn and the stories may not be what they once were, but that Death Note segment was gold." What is even funnier is the fact that "Simpsons" executive producer Matt Selman predicted this reaction when he spoke to Variety in July 2022 about the "incredibly authentic 'Simpsons' anime." Selman told the outlet, "So I really think people were gonna freak out over that." It turns out he was right on the money with that bold prediction.
Overall, "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" turned out to be a solid addition to The Simpsons catalog, and it's probably wise to presume that parts of "Death Tome" will end up making the list of most pause-worthy moments the series has to offer sooner than later.