I think only Gintama and Neon Genesis Evangelion are better than Death Note. Hajime no Ippo comes very close, and while I dislike some things in Death Note but love everything in Hajime no Ippo, I can't bring myself to put it any higher. I guess that's because Death Note was one of the first series to really captivate me so I have huge respect for it. But the way New Challenger is going I may just have to say that Hajime no Ippo as a whole is better than Death Note.