DEATH NOTE’s Near and Mello Return for New Official 20th Anniversary Collection
Bandai has officially revealed a first-look at their second Death Note Ichiban Kuji collection, with Near and Mello confirmed to return as the first two figure prizes.
The announcement arrives just before a major milestone for the series, with the Death Note anime beginning its 20th anniversary celebrations in October 2026.
Based on the manga created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note follows Light Yagami after he discovers a supernatural notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written inside.
Light begins using the Death Note to eliminate criminals under the identity of Kira, setting off an increasingly complicated battle of wits with the detectives determined to expose him.
Near and Mello become particularly important during the latter part of the story as two potential successors to L, having both been raised at Wammy’s House with the possibility of eventually inheriting the legendary detective’s position.
Despite sharing the same goal of uncovering Kira’s identity, the pair approach the investigation very differently, with Near relying heavily on careful deduction while Mello is much more willing to take dangerous and unpredictable action.
“Ichiban Kuji DEATH NOTE 2” will feature prizes ranging from A through I alongside a Last One Prize and Double Chance Campaign, although Bandai has only so far revealed two of the prizes.
Near appears as the C Prize in the new collection, with his figure recreating the artwork from Death Note Volume 9 (“Contact”).
Mello is confirmed to be the D Prize, with his figure recreating his appearance on the cover of Death Note Volume 8 (“Target”).
With Near and Mello being the first confirmed prizes, it appears that the intention is to shift some attention away from Light and L, who have traditionally dominated Death Note merchandise alongside other fan favorites like Misa Amane.
The A and B Prizes remain completely unannounced, while Bandai has also yet to reveal the E through I categories, Last One Prize or Double Chance reward.
Each ticket for “Ichiban Kuji DEATH NOTE 2” will cost ¥850 (approx. $5 USD / £4 GBP), with participating retailers and further sales details in Japan expected to be announced closer to launch.
The collection is scheduled to begin releasing from January 16, 2027, which falls into the first few months of DEATH NOTE’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
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