The Simpsons' Death Note Parody Honors Japanese Customs To A Tee
"The Simpsons" has been lampooning spooky television shows, books, and movies for years in its annual "Treehouse of Horror" episodes. The long-running sitcom has made a Halloween special going all the way to Season 2, Episode 3 ("Treehouse of Horror"), with the very first edition focusing on Edgar Allan Poe, aliens, and "The Amityville Horror" as its subjects (via IMDb).
Since then, the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes have become fan favorites, returning every year all the way up to modern times. Famous parodies of everything from "The Shining," to "Bram Stoker's Dracula," to "The Monkey's Paw," have gone on to become classic moments in the long history of "The Simpsons," and this year's efforts have lived up faithfully to that pedigree.
Take "Death Tome" from "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII," for example. Not only does the latest edition in the long-running tradition honor the anime on which it's based, but it also manages to capture the Japanese customs featured within "Death Note."
The Death Note parody is faithful to Japanese culture
The latest set of Halloween parodies from "The Simpsons" features a segment based on the beloved anime series "Death Note." The subject of an American remake on Netflix by Adam Wingard as well as an upcoming adaptation from the Duffer Brothers, "Death Note" is one of the most celebrated anime of all time and is centered on a teenager who receives the ability to kill anyone by writing down their name in an accursed notebook.
Lisa Simpson (Yeardley Smith) naturally becomes the successor for Light (Mamoru Miyano/Brad Swaile) from the original series, as both are highly intelligent moral crusaders. Though "The Simpsons," of course, makes many of the deaths and situations in its parody ridiculous, the segment is still incredibly faithful to the anime, right down to its references to Japanese culture.
For instance, Homer (Dan Castellaneta) is commended by Marge (Julie Kavner) for getting drunk with his boss Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer), a clear reference to a Japanese custom that employees should never turn down drinks with a superior (via BBC). Furthermore, Lisa can be seen going barefoot through the house — another nod to Japanese culture (via Guidable), as viewers will note that most American television characters will either wear socks or shoes at home.
To make matters even more impressive, fans were ecstatic about the parody based on the comments on a YouTube video of the full segment. Though later seasons of "The Simpsons" have been increasingly criticized by some fans, it looks like the latest "Treehouse of Horror" featured at least one segment that landed well.