The mystery of Death Note continues with Volume 5. Though not as exhilarating as the previous installments, it is a hinge upon which the story is making a distinct turn.

Death Note Vol. 5
2008, TV Series (four episodes). Director: Tetsuro Araki. 100 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $24.98. Distributor: Viz Media.

Well, as I've said before, Death Note is one of the best anime series around. The story of Light Yagami, the bored teenage genius who acquires the notebook of a shinigami death god, is fundamentally the familiar tale of human weakness, arrogance and greed, qualities that often emerge when positions of power are attained. The notebook, after all, is a source of great power; one can kill simply by writing down a name.

Light's quest to rid the world of criminals springs from a utopian vision. But it soon becomes tyrannical, a new world order under Light, as the detective L and his police team begin tracking down the elusive killer called Kira (a.k.a. Light). And although it is by no means an action-packed series, the mental combat waged between Light and L seems to be a never-ending source of fuel for this intricate crime drama.

When Volume 4 ended with Light and the heroine Misa being excised from their shinigami and notebooks, and along with them the memory of all prior events, I was curious how the story would proceed. If Light is no longer the killer, how will his dynamic with L -- the lifeblood of the story -- play out? Honestly, I was somewhat worried. Stark moves like this can sometimes kill a series, if it can't get back on track.

But, as I should have known, Death Note is just too smart. In Volume 5, L is so convinced that Light and Misa are the killers that he believes the power of Kira will return to them. Subsequently, L places them in all kinds of precarious positions in order to learn the truth. Thus we don't lose any of the tension between the two men as they play their game of mental chess. On top of this, Kira is still killing, and a business outfit called the Yotsuba is now involved. Simply put, the shinigami are still at work. And although we don't learn how they are operating, a new story arc is emerging. Fortunately, it is as complex as anything we have seen thus far. Not only must the mystery of the Yotsuba be unraveled, but also Light's grand scheme; he did, after all, choose to give up the notebook and his memory. So, much like L, you can't help but obsesses over, as well as try to figure out, Light's plan.

The mystery of Death Note thus continues. Volume 5, though not as exhilarating as others, is a hinge upon which the story is making a distinct turn. Moreover, as the story grows, so does its cast. Misa is now always around, providing cuteness and comedy. The police team undergoes drastic changes in its operation and staff. And L brings in two professional criminals to help with the manhunt. You better keep up with this series! It's starting to move in new directions, as well as lay the groundwork for numerous story arcs in the future.

Tapping into the Japanese tradition of supernatural horror, Hell Girl tries to produce vignettes that are both compelling and scary and for the most part, the stories are complex and the victims, believable.

Hell Girl Vol. 1
2007, TV Series (five episodes). Director: Takahiro Oomori. 125 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $29.98. Distributor: Funimation.

What do you do when someone is making your life a living hell? Well, if you're already in "hell," call Hell Girl! That is, go to HellCorrespondence.com and type in a name. Afterward, a freakishly cute albino girl will appear and offer you a straw doll. She will provide retribution, if you agree to abandon your soul to a hellish fate. Once the scarlet thread around the doll's neck is loosened, the contract is final.

Hell Girl has been out for some time now, and I have been aware of it. Honestly, I just haven't taken the time to watch. But after spending some time at the Funimation booth at this year's Anime Expo, I was persuaded to take a look. Overall, I'm glad I did.

Tapping into the Japanese tradition of supernatural horror, which has been recently made famous in the West by films such as The Ring and The Grudge, Hell Girl tries to produce vignettes that are both compelling and scary. For the most part, the stories are complex, and the victims are believable. We see bullies, a stalker, a murderous opportunist, and even a careless veterinarian get their due. Moreover, the human suffering that would lead to such a gruesome agreement is thoughtfully represented. And each time you don't feel as though the story is being hastily pushed to its obvious end (these offenders must be punished). But the horror is somewhat lacking. These tales are not as frightening as one might expect, especially since we are dealing with agents of hell.

Be that as it may, I like Hell Girl. There is a lot of mystery around Ai, our freakishly cute antiheroine, that is just waiting to be revealed. For example, she lives in a picturesque country house with her grandmother, who seems to send her on her missions. Ai also has a group of mysterious figures working for her. Since Volume 1 doesn't explain Ai's backstory, there is a lot to work with here in terms of story development. But I am afraid of the repetition that may beset Hell Girl over the long run. Two episodes of Volume 1, after all, deal with bullies. But as long as each episode contains a well-thought-out, intricate story, the series should be fine.

For the most part, Hell Girl seems to be getting good buzz; the IFC Channel is even airing it. If you haven't seen it already, give it a look. You'll probably enjoy it.