When the genius student - Yagami Raito - gives up on the putrid place this world has become, something happens to shake him out of the boredom. A curious notebook, 'lost' by the Shinigami (death god) Ryuk, falls from the sky and catches Raito's attention. After examining a set of strange rules, written on the inside of the cover, he realises it's a Death Note. With it he can kill people, simply by knowing a face and a name. Suspecting a bad joke, Raito decides to try it himself... and is shocked to find out that it actually works. After the first taste of omnipotence, he can't get enough of it and takes justice into his own hands.
The police start connecting the different cases of dead criminals, and with the help of world legendary detective 'L', an attempt to find the serial killer begins.
This story evolves around two brilliant minds. It's a furious hunt to see who catches who first.
* * *
"Death Note" is a detective story manga, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. There were also two released live movies, and a third one focused on 'L', followed by the broadcasting of the manga based anime series.
Yagami Raito ( 夜神 月 ) - Kira ( キラ )Age: the series begin with him in highschool, later entering university.
Peculiaritiy: self-centered; a genius; arrogant and bored; a charming person on appearance, but hidden behind a twisted reality.
Ryuuzaki 'L' ( 竜崎 エル )Age: also entering university; around the same age as Raito.
Peculiarity: always squating on an arm chair or even the floor... anywhere is fine, as long as he's squating; shy, but very straight foward; has a passion for sweets that goes beyond normalcy; also a genius, but unlike Raito, he's compassionate and kind.
The plot in itself is full of little details to account for, if you don't want to miss a single clue that comes along. Yagami Raito is far from the ordinary teenage popular hero that we so often see on the screen, which makes the storyline even more exciting and original. It is a battle drawn in the thin line between right and wrong, easily broken, and one can understand - even accept - the reasons behind Raito's motivations. The world is falling apart, with criminals growing bigger in number and no one seems to care. This shows two different sides of the coin, two different perspectives of how it should be, two different senses of justice.
The artwork in both the manga and the anime series is incredibly well done...
Download: Devils-Anime
The two live movies for "Death Note" (Death Note and Death Note - The Last Name) are a bit far from what I expected, though. They're really just a resume of the whole story, a little bumpy along the way and with a set of just average actors. The only actors I actually felt like they matched the character where Ken'ichi Matsuyama (playing 'L') and Takeshi Kaga (Yagami Soichiro, Raito's father). The rest just looked forced acting to me. Might be the influence of the anime and too much expectation from my part... But that's the feeling I got. Either way, if you are curious it's good to pass the time.
I'm still finding the time to watch the 'L' movie, which will be the subject of a further review.
Peace,
Sayuri
