Death Note: New Generation

Conceived as a lead-in to the fourth feature, this short series spans three roughly twenty-minute episodes directed by Shinsuke Sato, written by Katsunari Mano, and scored by Yutaka Yamada. Announced in August 2016, it began streaming on Hulu Japan that September and later joined the Complete Set home-video edition of Light Up the NEW World the following April. Its aim is to connect the original films, set around 2005 and 2006, with the sequel's 2016 timeframe by detailing how the new characters arrived at that point.

The opening chapter, Rebirth, traces Tsukuru Mishima's entry into the Death Note Countermeasure Task Force, the unit still watching for notebook-related deaths under Touta Matsuda's leadership, and introduces fellow recruit Sho Nanase; its title nods to Kira's resurgence. The second, Dying Wish, centers on L's heir Ryuzaki as he examines a locked-room killing at the urging of J, another Wammy's House member, with encouragement from Near, and brings in the film figure Sakura Aoi. Its name points back to a request L made of Ryuzaki before dying ten years earlier. The final entry, Fanaticism, explores Yuki Shien, the loss of his family, and the reasons he turned to cyber-terrorism and Kira worship, while featuring the remorseful ex-criminal Taichi Amazawa and a brief appearance by Ryuk.

The miniseries proved popular on its platform, claiming the top spot in Hulu Japan's rankings for September 2016, and the response from reviewers was generally favorable. A special creditless ending set to the Namie Amuro track Fighter accompanied the release.