Death Note is a fantastic animated supernatural thriller that was first released in 2006. This 37-episode plot evolves with many twists and turns while maintaining amazingly realized characters thanks to sleek art and animation. There’s a good reason why this is one of the top anime shows available.
Beginning with Light Yagami, a pessimistic teenager at school who stumbles into a mysterious book called Death Note, the narrative’s many turns begin. Light resolves to take it upon himself to rid Japan of crime by assassinating every criminal in the nation, making the bold claim that he will kill anybody whose name is listed in the book within 40 seconds.
With the help of Ryuk, a Shinigami (a supernatural being from the shadow realm), Light makes the decision to create a new, lawless world for himself. An odd private eye named L steps up and challenges Light’s violent rampage as the death toll rises and Light starts to lose his humanity to the book.
What happens next is a perilous game of cat and mouse between Light (now going by the nickname Kira) and L as they attempt to slowly uncover one another’s identities while keeping their own identities a secret.
For the most part, it’s a solid formula, and as the episodes go on, Death Note surprises viewers with a few clever plot turns that throw the story on its head.
Following so much story development, one episode in particular, “Renewal,” shrewdly serves as a recap, outlining everything that has happened up to that point, before launching into the show’s breathtaking finale.
Death Note manages to break up the oppressive atmosphere with occasional, cleverly executed spurts of humour that serve as some much-needed brightness, despite the majority of the series’ episodes having a gloomy, moody tone. It keeps the action from drifting into melodramatic waters while not being overbearing either.
But ultimately, what makes this series so lovable are the characters. The main character, Light Yagami, is such an intriguing choice. Long stretches of the series are continually infused with his pessimistic sentiments.
There is still some sympathy for his cause, even though his motivations become more unstable and aggressive as the story goes on. In contrast to that, L starts out as a strange character when he is initially presented to us but quickly develops into a lovable character as the series goes on.
With a book that relies so largely on the idea of death, there are a good number of big and minor characters in Death Note that meet their doom. The supporting cast is just as endearing. The intriguing themes of mortality and morality are undoubtedly addressed in this series, which is maturely written. These themes are seamlessly woven into the primary plot without ever getting in the way of the main narrative.
Death Note is a lengthy series with 37 episodes, but the strong characters and cleverly crafted story make the journey incredibly unforgettable. You’re engaged the entire way through to its satisfying conclusion since the animation and art style are consistent.
Death Note is a must-watch; make a note of it in your calendar.
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Writer:
Risalat Rahman Hridoy
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE