The Simpsons: Death Note’s Ryuk cameos in 750th episode couch gag

Death Note has long been referenced on the Simpsons, but now a character is appearing in a certain couch gag.

Death Note, originally written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, is one of the most popular and iconic manga and animes out there. So much so, it’s had a live-action Netflix film, a popular musical, and even an upcoming show from Stranger Things‘ Duffer Brothers.

And now, in the wake of the Simpsons 750th episode, we are reminded of the time when the decades old animated show made a parody of the anime.

In fact, one specific Death Note character is referenced in the show’s iconic opening gag.

Ryuk appears in the classic Simpson’s couch gag

We all know and love the Simpsons’ opening couch gag. Often it’s the most memorable part of the episode, so naturally something big was needed for the show’s 750th episode, which aired on May 21, 2023.

In the opening credits and couch gag, we see practically every Simpsons character to ever exist, from the celebrity guest stars to long-gone recurring characters – Springfield is packed with inside gags for the special occasion.

As there are so many characters, spotting one specific cameo is hard. The camera moves so fast that everything is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, however, one specific cameo is striking enough that the internet has taken notice.

Watch the opening below, and you’ll see that in front of the Simpson’s house, right before Homer drives in, Death Notes’ Ryuk can be spotted. Except it’s not exactly Ryuk.

See, as we’ve already covered here at Dexerto, for Halloween last year The Simpsons parodied Death Note in its annual Treehouse of Horror Special. It featured Lisa as Light Yagami, and Bart as Ryuk. Because of this, the Ryuk in the opening credits takes of the Bart-esque form.

The special proved exceedingly popular, with many flocking just to see how the show would make fun of the animated supernatural drama. This success is likely why Ryuk appears in the opening gag, despite only appearing very recently, and only for a short time.

Other animated villains can also be spotted in the opening credits, such as Gravity Fall’s Bill Cipher. If you’re bored any time this week, just try7 to spot as many references as you can throughout the whole sequence.

The Simpsons is now on its 34th season, having ran consistently since 1989, under creator Matt Groening. While viewers have come and gone, and it may seem impossible to catch up on any episodes you’ve missed, the series is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

Meanwhile, Death Note, which only has one complete season, can been viewed on Crunchyroll.

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