Thoughts on Death Note *spoilers*

[QuantumT]

Warning

This thread will contain spoilers about the anime Death Note. If you do not want the plot to be spoiled, then leave this thread at once.

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So I recently finished watching Death Note, which I started watching because it seemed to get a lot of positive feedback. After watching the whole thing, all I can say is meh.

The show has too many shortcomings to be anything more than mediocre. Here are some of them.

Almost the entire cast is ridiculously inconsistent.

Light - Flipflops between sheer genius and utter stupidity. He pulls off incredibly elaborate plans to get what he wants done, but which were only necessary because he led the investigation right to himself.

Police force - Claim that justice must be done within the confines of the law, but then repeatedly break it. They use all kinds of illegal surveillance, intentionally use criminals as test subjects for Kira, and torture suspects (specifically Misa). It's also worth noting that by the time they actually catch Kira, what he's doing is no longer even against the law (as he's been accepted by the government).

L/Near - Both pull ridiculously specific numbers out of their ass for how likely it is that Light is Kira (I mean come on 7%), which is annoying in its own right. However, instead of looking for the remaining 90+%, they just hyperfocus on the small chance that it is Light. What kind of crappy detective work is that?

The rebirth of L

So the author decides to have Kira kill L, only to introduce a new character that is almost exactly the same (Near) 20 minutes later. It takes away basically possible emotional impact of L's death, and just leaves a feeling that the author just wasn't creative enough to come up with an actually new character.

The ending

I had a feeling that the ending was going to be disappointing about ten episodes before it actually came, and boy did it deliver. It was a complete deus ex machina. The writer basically wrote himself into a corner and couldn't follow through, so he had to make up some ridiculous nonsense in order for the good guys to win. Would have been much better if Kira had been victorious in the end, because that wouldn't have felt completely contrived.

Long story short, I can in no way recommend Death Note for viewing. This is a bit disappointing, because the concept really has the potential to be good.

[Nepycros]

Ironic. I'm watching it as you speak, for the 2nd time. I had even been discussing with Bloodshadow about it yesterday.

Yeah, the ending sucked. Nothing was gained out of it. We didn't even get an epilogue on how the world was recovering. Freaking annoying. I felt the entire thing was a slap to the face.

When the Yotsuba group gets the Death Note, doesn't it seem like a game of Mafia? Secret meetings, trying to figure out who Kira is... I just find it ironic.

Yeah, N and M being introduced ruined L's death. I really felt that, above all, the characters that are essential to the plot oughta STAY essential to the plot.

Light could've planned things out better, and the way the world reacted to Kira's killings are far from what they would normally be.

[Dm]

I didn't watch the Anime, but I read the Manga (Which probably wouldn't change the story much, but.. who knows.)

The ending was a bit meh, but the story was pretty cool with the turn-arounds.

Light - Flipflops between sheer genius and utter stupidity. He pulls off incredibly elaborate plans to get what he wants done, but which were only necessary because he led the investigation right to himself.

While I agree, there are times where Light didn't exactly understand what was happening. For example, after he lost the Death Note, all his memories of being Kira were erased, and as such, he led the investigation with L to the second owner of the Death Note (That company guy.) Eventually he came down to a corner and got all his memories back, but that was only because he didn't remember that he was Kira until he touched his Death Note again.

Claim that justice must be done within the confines of the law, but then repeatedly break it. They use all kinds of illegal surveillance, intentionally use criminals as test subjects for Kira, and torture suspects (specifically Misa). It's also worth noting that by the time they actually catch Kira, what he's doing is no longer even against the law (as he's been accepted by the government).

On the Manga, the Cameras installed in the Police's Officer's house  (A Police Officer, in the manga, is Light/Kira's Father.) were installed by L (the detective.) Let's also not forget that the Police, in the beginning of the MANGA, at least, broke up with Light's Father and the other Officers because they were tracking down Kira, and Kira was too dangerous. After they Broke up with the police, they aren't Officers anymore and they don't need to follow the police conducts. However, they didn't even do anything illegal as everything Illegal (At least on the manga, if memory serves) was provided by L.

By the time they capture Light/Kira, countries accepted him out of fear. Lots of other countries however, were still against L. The country they lived in being one of them.

So the author decides to have Kira kill L, only to introduce a new character that is almost exactly the same (Near) 20 minutes later. It takes away basically possible emotional impact of L's death, and just leaves a feeling that the author just wasn't creative enough to come up with an actually new character.

According to the MANGA, 2 years had passed. On those 2 years, Kira was accepted by countries, while Light had turned into the new L and continued the "Investigation" at Kira. It would be 2 years of Void were Light would lead his father and the others to dead ends.


I wouldn't say that it's bad. I's just say that, compared to what it COULD HAVE BEEN, it's.. a little bit off. It sure has potential for way more, but..

[QuantumT]

The best examples of Light/Kira's (I use them interchangeably, but I suppose I mean Kira here) stupidity are seen right at the beginning. Basically everything he does for the first 10 episodes directs the investigation right towards himself. First he takes L's ridiculous bait and kills the convict. Then he shows that he's a student by only killing in the off hours. Then he shows that he has connections with the police by changing what he's doing immediately after they suspect he's a student. Then he kills off Raye Penber, when all he had to do was sit tight. It's almost like he's trying to get caught.

Just because they're no longer police doesn't make what they're doing any less illegal. They may not have actively participated, but they certainly didn't have any qualms about L doing it.

I'm fairly certain that Japan's acceptance of Kira is mentioned offhand somewhere in the anime, but that could be a difference between the two.

When, I say 20 minutes had passed, I mean for the viewer. It's also something like 2 years for the characters in the anime. When N is introduced, so little time has passed (for the viewer) that it just comes off as a cheap ploy for attention, and has almost no actual impact on the story.

[Dm]

 Sure, Light could have waited a little to kill the guy, but it's faster that way. Taking the Death Note to school would be too risky, and lastly, Raye Penber knew too much about Kira, since her husband was working to get Kira (On the Manga, it was like that.) and then Light/Kira tricked him, got the pictures and names of all those spying him and the other Police Officers families, and then got rid of him too. Since Raye could help on the investigation.. well, he got rid of her too.

On the manga, they DID disagree to L putting the Cameras on the house (that is illegal.), but then L reminds them that they're doing that to see if any of the Officers family is Kira. So..


On the Manga, it just says a few countries accepted him. And then it shows Light and his team trying to capture Light himself.

And like I said, he could waste another chapter on Light's take - over after L's death, but it would just be a episode that would be, honestly, kind of boring and would look like it's there just to fill up a space.

[QuantumT]

Sure, Light could have waited a little to kill the guy, but it's faster that way.

Being impatient is a sign of stupidity, especially when it's so painfully obvious that it's a ploy.

Taking the Death Note to school would be too risky,

It's established that he can kill someone at whatever time he wants, so he could have them set to die while he was in school (like he did after they started to suspect Kira was a student).

and lastly, Raye Penber knew too much about Kira, since her husband was working to get Kira (On the Manga, it was like that.) and then Light/Kira tricked him, got the pictures and names of all those spying him and the other Police Officers families, and then got rid of him too. Since Raye could help on the investigation.. well, he got rid of her too.

Raye is the man, can't remember the fiancée's name right now. At least in the anime, he was about to clear Light of suspicion, if Light had just had a little patience.

On the manga, they DID disagree to L putting the Cameras on the house (that is illegal.), but then L reminds them that they're doing that to see if any of the Officers family is Kira. So..

They aren't supposed to be ok with breaking the law in the pursuit of justice. That's exactly why they claim what Kira is doing is wrong in the first place.

That wasn't even the worst example of it though. None of them seemed to have any qualms at all about torturing Misa for 2 solid months.

On the Manga, it just says a few countries accepted him. And then it shows Light and his team trying to capture Light himself.

In the anime, I got the impression that a fair number of countries had come to accept Kira (including Japan), but Light's team was still trying to catch Kira.

And like I said, he could waste another chapter on Light's take - over after L's death, but it would just be a episode that would be, honestly, kind of boring and would look like it's there just to fill up a space.

My point was that you don't kill off a character only to immediately replace him with a carbon copy. Either kill him off or don't, you can't have it both ways.

[OldTrees]

2 details:

1) The reader (or at least the ideal audience) of Death Note has the benefit of detachment from the events and a knowledge of the genre of the story and what that entails. This means that the reader has more time to think, has more information and is more objective. This means that the ploys should be obvious to the ideal audience even if they would not be to the same audience if they were the protagonist.

2)

Draco had said it was to teach him to be as cunning as Light and Lawliet when he grew up.

Father had said that Draco couldn't possibly be more wrong, and pointed out that while Lawliet had cleverly concealed his face there had been no good reason for him to tell Light his name. Father had then gone on to demolish almost every part of the play, while Draco listened with his eyes growing wider and wider. And Father had finished by saying that plays like this were always unrealistic, because if the playwright had known what someone actually as smart as Light would actually do, the playwright would have tried to take over the world himself instead of just writing plays about it.

The Author of Death Note is nowhere near as bright as they intended the characters to be. It shows. The beginning and end of the book are great example of how in hindsight we can identify that someone really that smart would not have done those mistakes.

Death Note is a decent precursor to Gargoyles if you like Chessmaster Grade villians.

[QuantumT]

2 details:

1) The reader (or at least the ideal audience) of Death Note has the benefit of detachment from the events and a knowledge of the genre of the story and what that entails. This means that the reader has more time to think, has more information and is more objective. This means that the ploys should be obvious to the ideal audience even if they would not be to the same audience if they were the protagonist.

I still feel it was a stupid move. He acted from a position of little knowledge instead of trying to learn more. He had nothing to lose by spending a day to try and figure out what was going on (and in this case, he would have saved himself a huge hassle).

The Author of Death Note is nowhere near as bright as they intended the characters to be. It shows. The beginning and end of the book are great example of how in hindsight we can identify that someone really that smart would not have done those mistakes.

I feel is almost certainly the case.

I think that another issue is that the author wasn't creative enough to come up with a way to bring the investigation to Light, so Light was initially forced to make a series of stupid mistakes to do it.

Death Note is a decent precursor to Gargoyles if you like Chessmaster Grade villians.

I am a fan of villians of that aren't just blabbering idiots. Is it better on some of my issues with Death Note?

Note that I'm not particularly attached to happy endings either. I'm fine with them if it's appropriate, but I hate it when the ending is forced (as it was here).

[OldTrees]

The beginning of the Gargoyles series has the Protagonists (good guys in this case) in conflict with a Villain (Xanatos) that is clever enough to never lose.
Unfortunately for you it is a happy endings kind of series but it was never or almost never forced although sometimes it is the bad guys failing that results in the happy ending rather than the good guys succeeding.
Warning TV Tropes link: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/XanatosPlannedThisIndex
This gives a description of different types of High Intelligence villain plans.

If you liked the plans of the Emperor from Star Wars you will like the plans of Xanatos.
Unfortunately since Xanatos is not the protagonist you do not get to see as much of his plans as you say Light's.

[Nepycros]

Personally, I think this video summarizes all the feelings of Death Note. At the very least, this video holds the Death Note spirit, rather than the almost sickening ending. (

)

[Neopergoss]

The best examples of Light/Kira's (I use them interchangeably, but I suppose I mean Kira here) stupidity are seen right at the beginning. Basically everything he does for the first 10 episodes directs the investigation right towards himself. First he takes L's ridiculous bait and kills the convict. Then he shows that he's a student by only killing in the off hours. Then he shows that he has connections with the police by changing what he's doing immediately after they suspect he's a student. Then he kills off Raye Penber, when all he had to do was sit tight. It's almost like he's trying to get caught.

The idea seems to have been that he thought he could have his cake and eat it too (ie: he wanted not only to evade capture but become a god, crushing all dissent). Not only does he lead the investigation closer to himself, but he turns the Japanese police against L and himself gets closer to L. His killing of Raye Penber was a way of saying "Don't mess with me, or you die." Remember that he also killed all the other CIA agents. Appearing personally at Raye's death was obviously a mistake, but he wanted to be there to satisfy his demented psyche. The beginning was definitely my favorite part. Both L and Kira want the other dead and try to zero in on each other without becoming too vulnerable. It's a delicate chess game dance thingy. It rises to a fever pitch when they meet face to face.

Also, I don't blame L for going after Light on such small probabilities. It was the best chance he had. We also don't know whether he pursued any other leads because it is irrelevant to the series, but presumably he did. Clearly a lot of investigative work is left out because one day out of nowhere they're looking at evidence from Amane Misa's place.

I have a lot of criticism for the series, too, but I really liked the beginning. Don't get me started on Misa...

[QuantumT]

I have a lot of criticism for the series, too, but I really liked the beginning. Don't get me started on Misa...

What's sad is that annoying as she is, I like Misa more than just about any other main character, because she's about the only one who is consistent.