The Simpsons will continue the custom of producing a special episode for Halloween in Season 34, The showrunners chose to split the horror celebration into two parts, the first of which was a complete spoof of Stephen King’s It that aired last week. But The Simpsons also made an unexpected choice for the customary “Treehouse of Horror XXXIII“: It adopted an anime aesthetic to parody the hugely popular anime series Death Note.
The Simpsons will soon feature a Death Note parody, following a recent parody of Stephen King’s It in which Krusty the Clown was transformed into Pennywise. A future episode of The Simpsons will mimic Death Note in an anime style. Homer (Dan Castellaneta), Marge (Julie Kavner), Lisa (Yeardley Smith), and Bart (Nancy Cartwright) all have new looks in the FOX photos as they change into recognizable spiky-haired anime characters. A sample video is provided below.
A little teaser clip that was posted online depicts a disgruntled Lisa becoming disenchanted with the extent of the world’s pollution and animal abuse. Then a curious book appears out of nowhere and rests at her feet. Any person whose name is listed in this “Death Tome” will meet their death…and be DEAD, according to the book’s opening pages. “You may not kill the same way twice, and you must describe how the victim will die.” Which names will Lisa inscribe on the notebook for murder?
— Out of Context Simpsons Couch Gags (@OOCCouchGags) October 25, 2022
Additionally, three photos from The Simpsons’ Death Note spoof have been made public, featuring additional Springfield characters from the animated series. Disco Stu is seen in one shot from the Treehouse of Horror episode, and there may even be a glimpse of anime Ned Flanders in the background, while Homer and Marge are first seen in the same visual style in another frame.
First look at Lisa, Marge, Homer and Bart in ‘The Simpsons’ parody of ‘DEATH NOTE’. pic.twitter.com/9b0AMHNG9L
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 25, 2022
A South Korean animation company called DR Movie, which also created the original Death Note anime series, animated the upcoming episode. The Treehouse of Horror special will also be “packed” with Easter eggs, claims Simpsons writer Carolyn Omine.
Get ready for #TreehouseOfHorrorXXXIII this Sunday!
I've never worked harder on an episode and loved every minute. Everyone involved — the writers, actors, animators, editors, musicians — operated at the top of their game. @TheSimpsons fans are going to be very happy. pic.twitter.com/Q0BF9x07eX— Carolyn Omine (@CarolynOmine) October 25, 2022
The episode, titled Treehouse Of Horror XXXIII, will include three distinct parts. The Death Note special Death Tome will be the second, followed by The Pookadook, a tribute to The Babadook, and Simpsonsworld, a spoof of Westworld.
Get ready for #TreehouseOfHorrorXXXIII this Sunday!
I've never worked harder on an episode and loved every minute. Everyone involved — the writers, actors, animators, editors, musicians — operated at the top of their game. @TheSimpsons fans are going to be very happy. pic.twitter.com/Q0BF9x07eX— Carolyn Omine (@CarolynOmine) October 25, 2022
This Sunday, October 30, “Treehouse of Horror XXXIII” from The Simpsons will premiere on FOX.