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Death Note
Cover of the first tankōbon for Death Note featuring Ryuk and Light Yagami
デスノート (Desu Nōto)
Genre	Mystery, Psychological thriller, Supernatural thriller
Manga
Author	Tsugumi Ohba
Illustrator	Takeshi Obata
Publisher	Shueisha
English publisher	Madman Entertainment Viz Media
Other publishers: JBC Egmont Kana Animation International Mangafan Tokyopop Anubis Manga Panini Comics Editorial Vid Larp Editores Japonica Polonica Fantastica Comix-ART Chuang Yi Publications Daiwon C.I. Glénat Tong Li Comics Nation Edutainment M&C Comics
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Other magazines: Arena Komik
Original run	December 2003 – May 2006
Volumes	12 (List of volumes)
Novel
Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases
Author	Nisio Isin
Publisher	Shueisha
English publisher	Viz Media
Published	August 1, 2006
TV anime
Director	Tetsurō Araki
Writer	Toshiki Inoue
Studio	Madhouse
Licensor	Madman Entertainment Viz Media Warner Bros. Television Manga Entertainment
Network	NTV, Animax
English network	ABC2 YTV, SCREAM Cartoon Network (Adult Swim)
Other networks: MCM , Virgin 17 TVB Jade, Animax Animax, AXN Sci Fi MTV Italy GMA Network AXN Sci Fi Selecta Visión (Direct to DVD), Animax SIC Radical, Animax ChampTV CTV, Animax TrueVisions 2x2 tv network Spacepower
Original run	October 3, 2006 – June 26, 2007
Episodes	37 (List of episodes)
Anime film
Death Note: Rewrite
Director	Tetsurō Araki
Writer	Toshiki Inoue
Studio	Madhouse
Released	August 31, 2007
Runtime	130 minutes
Anime film
Death Note: Rewrite 2
Director	Tetsurō Araki
Writer	Toshiki Inoue
Studio	Madhouse
Released	August 22, 2008
Runtime	100 minutes
Game
Death Note Kira's Game
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami
Genre	Action
Rating	CERO: A
Platform	Nintendo DS
Released	JP February 15, 2007
Game
Death Note: Successor to L
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami
Genre	Action
Rating	CERO: A
Platform	Nintendo DS
Released	JP July 12, 2007
Game
L the Prologue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami
Genre	Action
Rating	CERO: A
Platform	Nintendo DS
Released	JP February 7, 2008
Anime and Manga Portal

Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto^?) is a Japanese manga series created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The series centers on Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a shinigami (death god) named Ryuk. The Death Note grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose face they have seen, by writing the victim's name in the notebook. The story follows Light's attempt to create and rule a world cleansed of evil using the notebook, and the complex conflict between him, his opponents and a mysterious detective known to the world only as L.

Death Note was first serialized in 108 chapters by Shueisha in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006. The series was also published in tankōbon format in Japan starting in May 2004 and ending in October 2006 with a total of twelve volumes. The series was adapted into live-action films released in Japan on June 17, 2006, on November 3, 2006, and on February 2, 2008. The anime series aired in Japan from October 3, 2006, to June 26, 2007. Composed of 37 episodes, the anime was developed by Madhouse and directed by Tetsuro Araki. A light novel based on the series, written by Nisio Isin, was released in Japan. Additionally, various video games have been published by Konami for Nintendo DS.

Viz Media licensed the Death Note manga in North America and has published all the twelve volumes from the series as well as the light novel. The episodes from the anime first appeared in North America as downloadable by IGN. Viz later licensed the anime series and it aired on Bionix. The live-actions briefly played in certain North American theaters since 2008. However, none of the video games titles have thus far been published in North America.

Several publications for manga, anime and other media have added praise and criticism on the Death Note series. The plot and violence from the story have been praised, noting it to be very entertaining. However, the series was banned in China due to various problems people had with children altering their notebooks to resemble a Death Note.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 2.1 Pilot chapter 2.2 Adaptation 3 Media 3.1 Manga 3.2 Live-action films 3.3 Soundtracks 3.4 Light novels 3.5 Anime 3.6 Video games 4 Reception 4.1 Banning by People's Republic of China 5 Copycat crimes and imitations 6 References 7 External links

Plot

Light Yagami is an intelligent young man who resents what appears to be a relentless increase of crime and corruption in the world around him. His life undergoes a drastic change when he discovers a mysterious notebook, known as the "Death Note", lying on the ground. The Death Note's instructions claim that if a human's name is written within it, that person shall die. Light is initially skeptical of the notebook's authenticity, but after experimenting with it, he realizes that the Death Note is real. After meeting with the previous owner of the Death Note, a shinigami named Ryuk, Light seeks to become "the God of the New World" by passing his keen judgment on those he deems to be evil or who get in his way.

Soon, the number of inexplicable deaths of reported criminals catches the attention of the International Police Organization and a mysterious detective known only as "L". L quickly learns that the serial killer, dubbed by the public as "Kira" (キラ^?, derived from the typical Japanese pronunciation of the English word "killer"), is located in Japan. He also concludes that Kira can kill people without laying a finger on them. Light realizes that L will be his greatest nemesis, and a game of psychological cat and mouse between the two begins.

Misa Amane, another Death Note owner, finds Light. Obsessed with Kira after the death of her parents' murderer, she devotes herself to helping Light, but is captured by L. Light makes a plan involving renouncing ownership of both Death Notes, and all of his memories of them, and turns himself in to L for surveillance. Together, Light and L investigate eight people from the company "Yotsuba" who are using a Death Note for their own profit. While arresting them, Light recovers all his memories when he touches the Death Note. He remembers and continues his plan of compelling the former owner of Misa's Death Note, the shinigami Rem, into killing L and his aide Watari.

After L's death, Light is given the position of the "new L" by the Japanese Task Force. Four years later, Near and Mello - two children who were raised to be successors to L - appear, with the goal of finding Kira. In the meantime, Kira has gained much public support, and has contacts. Mello, one of L's successors, kidnaps Sayu Yagami, Light's little sister, as a bargaining chip to get the Death Note. The Japanese Task Force plans to go to Los Angeles to rescue Sayu but ends up losing the Notebook. The Task Force later attempts to retrieve, it and succeeds in doing so. However, as a result of an explosion that Mello uses to cover his escape, Light's father Soichiro Yagami dies.

Near begins to suspect the second L of being Kira thus causing some members of the Japanese task force to also openly suspect him. Realizing the risk of being caught, Light has Misa give up ownership of her Death Note. He then finds his next successor, Teru Mikami, a strong, almost crazed Kira supporter. Mikami later recruits a new spokesman for Kira, Kiyomi Takada, a newscaster and one of Light's former college girlfriends. Teru Mikami and Kiyomi Takada continue killing criminals while Light is unable to do so himself. Kiyomi is later kidnapped by Mello and is forced to kill him with a hidden piece of the Death Note. Light kills Kiyomi to avoid her implicating him after she uses the note to kill Mello. In a final confrontation between Light and Near, Near proves that Light is Kira. Ryuk then fulfills an earlier promise, made at the beginning of the series, which is to write Light's name in his Death Note, thus ending Light's life due to a heart attack.

Production

The Death Note concept did not derive from any single source but rather a general concept involving Shinigami and "specific rules."^[1] Tsugumi Ohba wanted to create a suspense series because he did not feel that he could have created a fight-style series and that the genre had few suspense series. After publication of the pilot chapter the series was not expected to be approved as a serialized comic by the author who did not consider it to "fit with Jump." Ohba said that when he learned that Death Note received approval and that Takeshi Obata would create the artwork he "couldn't even believe it."^[2] Due to positive reactions to the series Death Note became a serialized manga series.^[3]

"Thumbnails" were created incorporating dialog, panel layout, and basic drawings, and were sent to the illustrator. The editor reviewed the thumbnails and sent them to back to the illustrator (Obata) with the script set in stone and the panel layout "mostly done." Obata then determined the expressions and "camera angles" and created the final artwork. Ohba concentrated on the tempo and the amount of dialogue, making sure that the text was as concise as possible. Ohba commented that he believed "reading too much exposition" would be tiring and would negatively affect the atmosphere and "air of suspense." Significant artistic license was given to the illustrator who worked on basic descriptions, such as "abandoned building",^[4] and this extended to the design of the Death Notes with Obata possessing free rein. Obata originally thought of the books as "'Bible-like'...something you would automatically think was a Death Note." He also felt this design would seem "difficult to use" and instead opted for an easy-to-use college notebook. At a later point the concept of Death Notes looking different from one another, depending on the human era (such as Death Notes in ancient Japan looking like scrolls and Death Notes in medieval Europe looking like The Old Testament) was conceived.^[5]

When Ohba decided on the plot he internally visualized the panels while being on his bed, drinking tea, or walking around his house, needing to feel relaxed while visualizing the panels. On many occasions the original draft was too long and needed to be refined various times before the desired "tempo" and "flow" for the chapter was finalised. The writer remarked on his preference for reading the previous "two or four" chapters carefully to ensure consistency in the story.^[1]

The typical weekly production schedule consisted of five days for creating and thinking and one day using pencil to insert dialogue into rough drafts; after this point the writer faxed any initial drafts to the editor. The illustrator's weekly production schedule involved one day with the thumbnails, layout, and pencils and one day with additional penciling and inking. Obata's assistants usually worked for four days and Obata spent one day to finish it. Obata said that sometimes he took a few extra days to color pages and that this "messed with the schedule." In contrast, the writer took three or four days to create a chapter on some occasions, while on others he took a month. Obata said that his schedule remained consistent except when he had to create color pages.^[6]

Ohba and Obata rarely met in person during the creation of the serialized manga; instead the two met with the editor. The first time they met in person was at an editorial party in January 2004. Obata said that, despite the intrigue, he did not ask his editor about Ohba's plot developments as he anticipated the new thumbnails every week.^[2] The two did not discuss the final chapters with one another and they continued to talk with the editor. Ohba said that when he asked the editor if Obata had "said anything" about the story and plot the editor responded '"No, nothing" [laughs].'^[4]

Ohba claims that the series ended more or less in the manner that he intended for it to end; he considered the idea of L defeating Light Yagami with Light dying but instead chose to use the "Yellow Box warehouse" ending. According to Ohba the details had been set "from the beginning."^[3] The writer wanted an ongoing plot line instead of an episodic series because Death Note was serialized and its focus was intended to be on a cast with a series of events triggered by the Death Note.^[7] 13: How to Read states that the humorous aspects of Death Note originated from Ohba's "enjoyment of humorous stories."^[8]

Ohba said that he did not have a theme that he wished to express throughout the series but that, had he been required to choose one, it would be that "Humans will all eventually die and never come back to life, so let's give it our all while we're alive." He said that he did not intend for Death Note to push an ideology or make a statement about good and evil, and that Near's statement in Volume 12 about deciding right and wrong is closest to his own personal belief. Ohba also remarked that he understands how debate can form from the story; the answers to the questions raised become "ideological" and he believed this development would be "dangerous" and not "interesting in a manga." This aspect was ultimately omitted from Death Note.^[9]

When the writer was asked, during an interview, whether the series was meant to be about enjoying the plot twists and psychological warfare, Ohba responded by saying that this concept was the reason why he was "very happy" to place the story in Weekly Shōnen Jump. He said that because Death Note is aimed at "the young" the reader can "push back ideology" and focus on "pure entertainment." He also said that if the series was aimed at an older audience he would expect "more debate over the issues" and therefore believed the story would have had to develop in that direction.^[9] Death Note 13: How to Read states that debate about good and evil "sometimes" appears in the series and that the "answer" to the debate is left for the reader to decide.^[10]

Ohba was also asked what he considered the most important thing in Death Note, and he responded by saying, "the human whose name is written in this note shall die"; in contrast, Obata responded to the same question by answering "impossible to say."^[6]

Pilot chapter

The Death Note process began when Ohba brought thumbnails for two concept ideas to Shueisha; Ohba said that the Death Note pilot, one of the concepts, was "received well" by editors and attained positive reactions by readers.^[3] Ohba described keeping the story of the pilot to one chapter as "very difficult" and he said that he remembered it took over a month to begin writing the chapter. He added that the story had to revive the killed characters with the Death Eraser and that he "didn't really care" for that plot device.^[11]

Obata said that he wanted to draw the story after he heard of a "horror story featuring Shinigami."^[2] According to Obata, when he first received the rough draft created by Ohba, he "didn't really get it" at first and he wanted to work on the project due to the presence of Shinigami and because the work "was dark."^[11] He also said he wondered about the progression of the plot as he read the thumbnails, and if Jump readers would enjoy reading the comic. Obata said that while there is little action and the main character "doesn't really drive the plot" he enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. He stated that he drew the pilot chapter so that it would appeal to himself.^[11]

Ohba brought the rough draft of the pilot chapter to the editorial department. Obata came into the picture at a later point to create the artwork. They did not meet in person while creating the pilot chapter. Ohba said that the editor told him he did not need to meet with Obata to discuss the pilot; Ohba said "I think it worked out all right."^[2]

Adaptation

Tetsuro Araki, the director, said that he wished to convey aspects that "made the series interesting" instead of simply "focusing on morals or the concept of justice." Toshiki Inoue, the series organizer, agreed with Araki and added that, in anime adaptations, there is a lot of importance in highlighting the aspects that are "interesting in the original." He concluded that Light's presence was "the most compelling" aspect; therefore the adaptation chronicles Light's "thoughts and actions as much as possible." Inoue noted that, to best incorporate the manga's plot into the anime, he "tweak[ed] the chronology a bit" and incorporated flashbacks that appear after the openings of the episodes; he said this revealed the desired tensions. Araki said that, because in an anime the viewer cannot "turn back pages" in the manner that a comic reader can, the anime staff ensured that the show clarified details. Inoue added that the staff did not want to get involved with every single detail, so the staff selected elements to emphasize. Due to the complexity of the original manga, he described the process as "definitely delicate and a great challenge." Inoue admitted that he placed more instructions and notes in the script than usual. Araki added that because of the importance of otherwise trivial details, the notes became crucial to the development of the series.^[12]

Araki said that when he discovered the Death Note anime project, he "literally begged" to join the production team; when he joined he insisted that Inoue should write the scripts. Inoue added that, because he enjoyed reading the original comic, he wished to use his effort.^[12]

Media

Manga

The Death Note manga series was first serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump published by Shueisha in December 2003. The series has since ended in Japan with a total of 108 chapters. Later, the individual chapters were collected into twelve separate tankōbon. In April from 2005 Death Note was licensed for publication in North America by Viz Media,^[13] and the first English-language volume was released on October 10, 2005.^[14] In February 2008, a one-shot special was released. Set two years after the manga's epilogue, it sees the introduction of a new Kira and the reactions of the main characters in response to the copycat's appearance.^[15] Several Death Note yonkoma (four-panel comics) appeared in Akamaru Jump. The yonkoma were written to be humorous. The Akamaru Jump issues that printed the comics include 2004 Spring, 2004 Summer, 2005 Winter, and 2005 Spring. In addition Weekly Shōnen Jump Gag Special 2005 included some Death Note yonkoma in a Jump Heroes Super 4-Panel Competition.^[11]

In addition, a guidebook for the manga was also released in October 13, 2006. It was named Death Note 13: How to Read and contained data relating to the series, including character profiles of almost every character that is named, creator interviews, behind the scenes info for the series and the pilot chapter that preceded Death Note. It also reprinted all of the yonkoma serialized in Akamaru Jump and the Weekly Shōnen Jump Gag Special 2005.^[16][17] Its first edition could be purchased with a Death Note themed diorama which includes five finger puppets inspired by Near's toys. The five finger puppets are Kira, L, Misa, Mello, and Near. In North America, 13: How to Read was released in February 19, 2008.^[18]

Live-action films

Death Note was adapted into a series of live-action films in 2006. The films were directed by Shūsuke Kaneko, produced by Nippon Television, and distributed by Warner Bros., Pictures Japan. The first film, simply titled Death Note, premiered in Japan on June 17, 2006 and topped the Japanese box office for two weeks, pushing The Da Vinci Code into second place.^[19] The first movie briefly played in certain North American theaters on May 20–21, 2008^[20] The film was broadcast in Canadian theaters for one night only on September 15, 2008. The DVD was released on September 16, 2008, one day after the Canadian showing.^[21] The sequel, Death Note: The Last Name, premiered in Japan on November 3, 2006.^[22] It was featured in U.S. films on October from 2008.^[23] A spinoff from the films named L: Change the World was released in Japan on February 9, 2008. It is focused on the final 23 days of L's life, as he solves one final case involving a bio-terrorist group.^[24] Two dubbed versions of the film were shown in the United States on April 29 and 30, 2009.^[25]

Death Note has been optioned for a live-action Hollywood remake. A 2007 article in The Star (Malaysia) states that more than ten film companies in the United States expressed interest in creating a remake.^[26]

Soundtracks

There have been several soundtracks released for this series, such as the ones for the film adaptations and also for the anime adaptation. Sound of Death Note is a soundtrack featuring music from the first Death Note film composed and arranged by Kenji Kawai. It was released on June 17, 2006 by VAP.^[27] Sound of Death Note the Last name is the soundtrack from the second Death Note film, Death Note the Last name. It was released on November 2, 2006.^[28] Death Note Tribute is a tribute album dedicated to the live action movie for the Death Note film. Published by BMG Japan on June 21, 2006 Japan, it contains 15 tracks performed by various artists, such as Shikao Suga, M-Flo, Buck-Tick and Aya Matsuura. The soundtrack came with a cosplay Death Note notebook.^[29] Another tribute album is The Songs for Death Note the movie～the Last name Tribute dedicated to the second film. Published by Sony Music Entertainment Japan on December 20, 2006, it contains 14 tracks performed by various artist, such as Orange Range, abingdon boys school, High and Mighty Color, Doping Panda and Galneryus.^[30]

The music from the anime was composed by Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi, while the CDs were also published by VAP. The first one was Death Note Original Soundtrack, which was released in Japan on December 21, 2006. It contains music from the series with the first opening and ending themes sung by the Japanese band Nightmare in the TV size format.^[31] Death Note Original Soundtrack II was first released in Japan on March 21, 2007. It features the new opening and closing themes by Maximum the Hormone in the TV size format.^[32] The third CD, Death Note Original Soundtrack III was released on June 27, 2007. The tracks 1-21 were composed and arranged by Taniuchi, while the tracks 22-28 were composed and arranged by Hirano. The album features one track sung by Aya Hirano, who was also the seiyū of Misa Amane in the anime series. Also appearing on this soundtrack is the ending theme Coda～Death Note, which can be heard at the end of the final episode of the anime as the credits are shown.^[33]

Light novels

A light novel adaptation of the series has been written by Nisio Isin, called Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases (アナザーノート — ロサンゼルスBB連続殺人事件^?). The novel was released by Shueisha on August 1, 2006.^[34][35] It serves as a prequel to the manga series, with Mello narrating the story of L's first encounter with Naomi Misora during the Los Angeles "BB Serial Murder Case" mentioned in volume 2 of the manga. Beside Naomi's character, the novel focuses on how L works and one of the criminals L has to chase down. Insight was given into Watari's orphanage and how the whole system of geniuses such as L, Mello, Beyond Birthday, Matt and Near were put to work. Viz released the novel in English on February 19, 2008.^[36] The film L: Change the World was also adapted into a light novel with the same name on December 25, 2007 by "M",^[37] While the novel is similar to the movie, there are many significant changes to the plot (for example, Near is not a Thai boy, but the same Near that appears in the manga). It also reveals more information about L and his past. Viz released it on October 20, 2009.^[38]

Anime

The Death Note anime, directed by Tetsurō Araki and animated by Madhouse, began airing in Japan on October 3, 2006, and finished its run on June 26, 2007, totaling 37 twenty-minute episodes.^[39] It begins in the year 2006, instead of beginning in the year 2003. The series aired on the Nippon Television network "every Tuesday at 24:56".^[40] The series was co-produced by Madhouse, Nippon Television, Shueisha, D.N. Dream Partners and VAP.^[41]

In North America, the series has been licensed by Viz for residents in the United States to use "Download-to-Own" and "Download-to-Rent" services while it was still airing in Japan. This move is seen as "significant because it marks the first time a well known Japanese anime property will be made legally available to domestic audiences for download to own while the title still airs on Japanese television."^[42] The downloadable episodes contain the original Japanese audio track and English subtitles,^[43] and is available through IGN's Windows-only Direct2Drive service.^[44] DVDs of the series are also being released,^[43] containing both an English dubbed audio track, produced by The Ocean Group, and the original Japanese audio track with optional English subtitles.^[45] Viz announced at Anime Expo 2007 that the first DVD was officially released on November 20, 2007, in both regular and special editions,^[46] and also confirmed at Comic-Con International 2007 that the first 15,000 copies of each DVD contains collectible figures.^[47]

Death Note was slated to make its North American television premiere in Canada on YTV's Bionix programming block on September 7, 2007;^[48] however, the show was removed from the schedule at the last minute.^[49] The Canadian premiere was pushed back to October 26, 2007, at 10:00 p.m., when it finally premiered. Death Note premiered in the U.S. on October 20, 2007, at 11:30 p.m. on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim^[50], until January 10, 2010, when the contract expired.^[51] The last episode aired on Canada's YTV channel on July 4, 2008, with Adult Swim airing it 2 days later. YTV took away the show on July 5, 2008, with the last airing being the last episode rerun @ 1:30am ET, as part of YTV moving the Bionix block to a 2-hour only block on Saturdays.^[52] The show also streamed online for free on Adult Swim Video, with a new episode uploaded every Saturday afternoon, on the day of its broadcast premiere.^[53]

A two-hour animated Death Note Rewrite: Visions of a God' (DEATH NOTEリライト·幻視する神, Desu Nōto Riraito: Genshisuru kami^?) TV special aired on Nippon Television in Japan on August 31, 2007, at 8:00 PM. It is a recap which takes place after the series end, where a Shinigami approaches Ryuk in the Shinigami realm in order to learn more about the human world. Instead, Ryuk tells him of all the events leading up to the last story arc, about Light Yagami and his rival L. Originally, this special was advertised as a retelling told from Ryuk's point of view, but it does not give a different point of view from what was originally told. However, it contains updated dialog, as well as a few new scenes.^[54]

The Japanese broadcaster NTV has aired the Death Note: Rewrite 2: L's Successors (Death Note Rewrite 2: L o Tsugu Mono) special on August 22, 2008. Like the first special, this new compilation summarized a part of the 2006–2007 television anime series. Specifically, it recounted the final half of the suspenseful supernatural story, including the investigators Near and Mello's confrontations with the vigilante Kira. This version notably features more updates than the previous one, most notably omission of the mafia plot, moving Light's meetings with Mikami and Takada to earlier and having them be the ones to kill the SPK.^[55]

Video games

A Death Note video game developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo DS, titled Death Note Kira Game (デスノート キラゲーム, Desu Nōto Kira Gēmu^?), was released on February 15, 2007.^[56] Kira Game is a strategy game where the player takes on the role of Kira or L. These are just titles, as any character can be Kira or L. The player will attempt to deduce who their enemy is (Kira will try to uncover L's identity and vice versa). This will play out in 3 phases: Investigation, where the player will discuss the case and clues with other characters; Voting, where each member of the investigation team casts a vote on who they suspect is L or Kira based on the player's performance in the previous phase; L/Kira, where the player can either focus their investigation on one member to see if they are Kira (L part) or force a member off of the team (Kira part).^[57] A sequel to the game, Death Note L o Tsugumono (デスノート Lを継ぐ者, Desu Nōto Eru o Tsugu Mono^?, literally "Death Note: Successors to L"), was released in Japan on July 12, 2007. The storyline is based on the second part of the manga, featuring characters such as Mello and Near.^[57]

A third game, L the Prologue to Death Note -Rasen no Trap- (L the proLogue to DEATH NOTE -螺旋の罠-, L the proLogue to DEATH NOTE -Rasen no Torappu-^?, literally "L the Prologue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap"), was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on February 7, 2008.^[57][58] The player assumes the role of a rookie FBI agent who awakens in a strange hotel and attempts to escape with the help of L, who provides assistance via an in-game PDA. The story is set before the Kira investigation in the original series.^[58]

Several characters from Death Note appear in Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars, a fighting game featuring a plethora of characters from Shōnen Jump titles. Light, Ryuk and L appear in Jump Super Stars as support characters. In Jump Ultimate Stars Misa, Near, and Mello are added as support characters as well.^[59][60]

Reception

As of June 2006, Death Note has sold around twenty million copies in Japan.^[61] On December 31, 2008, Comipress reported that the twelve volumes from the series had sold 26,500,000 copies.^[62] It was also nominated for Best Manga at the 2006 American Anime Awards but lost.^[63][64] In 2007, the first three volumes of Death Note were on the American Library Association's 2007 Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten list.^[65] On ICv2's "Top 10 Shonen Properties Q2 2009", Death Note was the third best manga property from North America.^[66] During January from 2007, Oricon made a poll in which they asked Japanese fans from manga and anime which characters from any series they would most like to see in spinoff series. The overall winner from the poll was L, who also ranked first in the women's poll and second in the men's poll.^[67]

Various publications for several types of media have commented on the Death Note manga, adding praise and criticism. Anime News Network (ANN) writer Zac Bertschy noted that the difference between Death Note and other manga from the same genre was very big due to the murders the main character (Light Yagami) commits as well as how he hides his identity of Kira. Although Bertchy mentioned some readers from other shonen would be surprised with the dark themes of Death Note, he praised the series for its "great art, great story, compelling characters."^[68] Julie Rosato from Mania Entertainment found the story to be very entertaining, having liked Light's development in the story and L's introduction as well as how the latter starts suspecting of the former's identity. Additionally, he praised the story as it is "building a climax" with each detail introduced in the first chapter, making the reader to look forward to upcoming chapters.^[69] Briana Lawrence from ANN liked the series' ending as most of the characters from the story were "given a chance to shine" and due to the fact the notebook and other aspects from the series had little importance in the focus of Death Note and now they play a more important part. However, she did not like how the epilogue made no mention of what happens with Misa Amane and how Near and Mello were still treated like parts of L.^[70] Shūsuke Kaneko, director of the film versions of the series, said that the manga series "barely touches" pain felt by the Death Note's victims, so he decided to use a different focus with the film series.^[71]

Douglas Wolk of Salon said that a rumor circulated stating that the creators intended to create Death Note to last half as long as its actual run; according to Wolk the rumor stated that Ohba and Obata had been persuaded to lengthen the storyline when Death Note's popularity increased. In addition he said that fans wrote "thousands" of Death Note fan fiction stories and posted them on the internet.^[72] Carl Kimlinger, in Protoculture Addicts, called Death Note "morally repellant" and said it "presents a worldview that is both shallow and repulsively misanthropic."^[73]

The anime was also commented with Tom S. Pepirium of IGN saying that Death Note's "heavy serialized nature" is what "makes the show so engaging and discussion worthy."^[74] Pepirium, saying that translating Death Note is "no small task," said that Stephen Hedley created a dub with "nothing clunky." Pepirium added that Karl Willems, director of the dub, assembled a "stunning voice cast of professionals" with a "solid tone minus some of the cheesy yelling and screaming of other dubs."^[75] John Powers of the NPR show Fresh Air finds the show "addicting" and equates its similarity to the American TV series Lost.^[76] It was also listed as the 51st best animated show in IGN's Top 100 Animated Series.^[77]

"Running over thirty-seven 20 minutes episodes, the anime sticks much closer to the manga so takes a far more languid approach to storytelling, better fleshing out the fantastic characters of Light and his nemesis, L. Light in particular is one of the most layered characters to appear in anime in a long time. -Hyper^[78]

The novelization L: Change the World became the second top selling light novel in Japan during 2008.^[79] A.E. Sparrow of IGN reviewed the novel Another Note and gave it a 9.5 out of 10. Sparrow said that the author understood "what made these characters click so well" and "captures everything that made the manga the compelling read that it is." Sparrow said that fans of Death Note who read Another Note will "find a welcome home" in the Nisio Isin's work that "adds a few more fun layers" to the Death Note franchise.^[80]

Banning by People's Republic of China

Early in 2005, school officials in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province (People's Republic of China), banned Death Note.^[81] The immediate cause was that students had been altering notebooks to resemble Death Notes and then writing the names of acquaintances, enemies, and teachers in the books.^[82][83] The ban was designed to protect the "physical and mental health"^[84] of students from horror material that "misleads innocent children and distorts their mind and spirit."^[85] Jonathan Clements has suggested that the Chinese authorities acted partly against "superstition" but also against illegal, pirate publishers of Death Note.^[86] The ban has been extended to other Chinese cities including Beijing,^[84][87] Shanghai and Lanzhou in Gansu Province.^[88] Legally published Chinese language versions of Death Note are published in Hong Kong and in Taiwan.^[86]

Copycat crimes and imitations

There have been various copycat crimes around the world which were based on Death Note. On September 28, 2007, two notes written with Latin characters stating "Watashi wa Kira dess", or "I am Kira" (私はキラです, watashi wa Kira desu^?)^[89] were found near the unidentified remains of a Caucasian male in Belgium. Nothing was found on or near the victim besides these two notes.^[90]

A senior at the Franklin Military Academy in Richmond, Virginia, United States was suspended after being caught possessing a replica "Death Note" notebook with the names of fellow students.^[91]

In South Carolina, U.S. in 2008, school officials seized a "Death Note" notebook from a Hartsville Middle School student. District officials linked the notebook to the anime/manga. The notebook listed seven students' names. The school planned a disciplinary hearing and contacted the seven students' parents.^[92]

In Gadsden, Alabama, U.S. two sixth grade boys were arrested for possessions of "Death Notes" that listed names of several staff members and fellow students. According to Etowah County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Lanny Handy, the notebook was found the previous afternoon by a staffer. The students were suspended from the county's schools. The students, their parents, and school officials had met with Handy and a junior probation officer.^[93]

In Gig Harbor, Washington, U.S. one middle school student was expelled and three were suspended on May 14, 2008 for having their own "Death Note" books.^[94]

References

External links

• Death Note official website (Japanese)
• Shueisha's Death Note manga official website (Japanese)
• Official anime website (Japanese)
• Viz Media's Death Note website
• Madman Entertainment's Death Note website
• Death Note at Wikia
• Death Note (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata Chapters • Episodes • Films (Death Note · L: Change the World) • Soundtracks • Characters (Light Yagami · L · Mello · Misa Amane · Near · Shinigami)

Weekly Shōnen Jump: 2000–2009 2000 Sand Land • Black Cat • Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar 2001 Gun Blaze West • Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo • Mr. Fullswing • Bleach 2002 Strawberry 100% • Pretty Face • Eyeshield 21 2003 Buso Renkin 2004 Death Note • Gin Tama • Steel Ball Run • Reborn! • D.Gray-man • Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation 2005 Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro • Mieru Hito • Yuto 2006 Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo • To Love-Ru • M×0 • P2! -let's Play Pingpong!- 2007 Ral Grad • Samurai Usagi • First Love Limited • Sket Dance 2008 Psyren • Nurarihyon no Mago • Toriko • Bakuman • Kuroko no Basuke 2009 Beelzebub • Hokenshitsu no Shinigami • Super Dog Rilienthal • Medaka Box • Anedoki

The works of Nisio Isin Bakemonogatari • Death Note, Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases • Katanagatari • Medaka Box • xxxHolic, Another Holic Landolt-Ring Aerosol • Zaregoto Series

From Wikiquote

Death Note (2004) by Tsugumi Ohba Death Note is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was serialized by Shueisha in Weekly Shonen Jump from the first 2004 issue, to May 2006, with 108 chapters in total. The series has been published in its entirety in 12 graphic novels. Death Note has been licensed for American publication by VIZ Media and began to be released in October 2005; currently all of the 12 volumes are available for purchase, however volume 13 was announced for February 2008.

Contents 1 Light Yagami (Kira) 2 L 3 Mello 4 Near 5 Ryuk 6 Others 7 Dialogue 8 Death Note rules from anime series 9 External links

Light Yagami (Kira)

• He was someone who deserved to die.

• I'm going to change the world.

• I … am … justice.

• Those who oppose that god, they are the ones who are truly evil!

• Wow, this is the first time ever since my birth that I want to hit a girl.

• I will erase him.

• L, do you know gods of death love apples?

• The real battle starts now.

• She has to be eliminated.

• That's right … I am Kira.

• Looks are all that count.

• I'll take a potato chip … and eat it!

• I'll make you trust me. And when you've told me everything I need to know, I'll kill you.

• You can't ever win if you're always on the defensive. To win, you have to attack.

• I've never considered finding that notebook and gaining that power a misfortune.

• The thing I hate the most is to trample on other people's good will.

• After I caught the current Kira, after that … I would become a Kira murderer? Do you see me as such a human being?

• For murderers, there is no good or evil. I know that.

• Is he talking to himself…?

• I've won. Exactly as planned.

• I've won. Just as planned.
  • Correct translation of the japanese phrase

• No matter what the world, the god of that world creates the rules. Eventually, you have been defeated by the rules I created. And as punishment for defying the God of the new world, you will die …

• It's been a while, Ryuk.

• Rem, I didn't think you would go so far …

• I am going to be the god of the new world.

• There are a lot of stupid people out there.

• I'll kill him.

• I feel the adrenaline coming on.

• I must protect my fledging Utopia.

• If I play my cards right, I can work this to my advantage

• But you know the saying, "playing with fire, and you're bound to get burned". I'll make you regret underestimating L … underestimating me.

• I'll need to appear full of confidence if I'm to take advantage of him.

• In your eyes lies all happiness for this new world.

• In the end, L is indeed the greatest detective on earth …

• Our battle will be concluded, and I will begin my reign from the summit of victory!

• Don't make me repeat myself.

• Well, Near … it looks like I win.

• Just as I thought. It's no fun without L here.

• Damn! Damn you, Kira!

• Sorry to catch you so unmotivated, but could you come over here for a sec?

• Kill me? Is that really the right thing to do?

• Mikami pulls out out the notebook and a someone dies

• This world is still rotten! … With too many rotten people …

• The only one who can create a new world … is me.

• Put your hands in your pocket.

L

• So, come on! Kill me if you can!
  • (Vol. 1)

• Justice will prevail no matter what.
  • (2)

• I think right now, we're even in how we're closed the distance between us.
  • (10)

• Let's value our lives.
  • (11)

• I just can't stand it when someone's cell phone rings when I'm talking.
  • (11)

• Kira is childish and he hates losing … I'm also childish and hate to lose. That's how I know.
  • (11)

• Let's show him … that the good guys always win.
  • (11)

• I have lost the battle, but I'm not going to lose the war.

• This isn't divine jugdement. It's the work of some childish killer who's playing at divine retribution. That's all.
  • (18)

• He who moves first always wins.
  • (20)

• I just can't sit any other way than this. If I sit the way other people do, my reasoning ability drops by 40%.
  • (21)

• Risking your life and doing something that could easily rob you of your life are exact opposites.
  • (23)

• I don't like his style … it's not like Kira at all.
  • (25)

• Shinigami?! You … you expect me to believe that Shinigamis truly exist?!
  • (27)

• I'm … a pervert?
  • (34)

• Amane's obsessive love toward Light Yagami is just about all we've figured out.
  • (36)

• Light, can you please make Misa-san be quiet?
  • (37)

• Will you be eating that cake? … Say what you want, but I will be taking the cake.
  • (38)

• Why are you staring at me? Are you annoyed that I am the only one who has cake?
  • (38)

• Actually, I learnt you don't gain any weight as long as you burn calories by using your brain.
  • (38)

• By chasing Kira so desperately, we just put our lives at risk for nothing. … Yes, it's just a waste of time …
  • (38)

• You know, that really hurt …
  • (38)

• I was playing cynical back then.
  • (39)

• I haven't said anything about letting them commit murder … yet.
  • (39)

• Matsuda, you idiot!

• I could actually fall for you …
  • (45)

• My number of friends has increased yet again.
  • (45)

• … I know that line is a bunch of Bull …
  • (46)

• It proves that he is becoming rather desperate.
  • (50)

• What an idiot.
  • (52)

• Light Yagami … I wasn't wrong, but … (I suppose I've lost …)
  • (58)

• That would be convincing if I didn't already know you were Kira.

• Yipee … yay … friends …

• An eye for an eye, my friend.

• The sound of the bell is unusually loud …

• I'm distant in any relationships.

• You look so mad. I thought you might want some cake, too.

• No matter how gifted, you alone cannot change the world.

• I have lost the battle, but I'm not going to lose the war.

• It'll be lonely, won't it? You and I will be parting ways soon.
  • Anime only

• I'll give you this strawberry if you keep it a secret, okay?
  • (Episode 19)

Mello

• It's time I started living my own life.
  • (61)

• In the end, there is no greater motivation than revenge.
  • (64)

• If anything other than the chopper comes within a 2 mile radius of the spot, you're both dead.
  • (64)

• He's terribly reasonable, this new L.
  • (64)

• So, how about you tell me right now whom you'd like me to kill, and how. I'll treat'cha to it.
  • (67)

• That's right. So you've got no choice but to listen to us.
  • (67)

• Well said, Near.
  • (77)

• I'm not just a tool for you to use in order to solve your puzzles, you know!
  • (77)

• Which of us will get Kira first … it's a race!
  • (77)

• Our goal is the same, I'll wait for you there.
  • (77)

• It's my turn to use you.
  • (79)

• Matt … I never thought you'd be killed … I'm sorry …
  • (99)

• Near and the others told me that this woman was supposed to be the second Kira. But could it really be this unbelievably stupid girl?
  • (Anime, 32)

Near

• If you cannot win at the game, if you cannot solve the puzzle, you are just a loser.
  • (61)

• I'm pleased to meet you at last, L Number Two.
  • (63)

• I'm the center of the SPK. You can address me … as N.
  • (63)

• And that's precisely why it's so convenient, don't you think?
  • (63)

• Things are getting interesting now.
  • (64)

• Nope. It's over! Looks like you're beaten, L.
  • (64)

• You let them take it from right under your nose.
  • (65)

• It's not whether it's feasible or not – it's what I'm doing.
  • (65)

• I don't feel like doing that, L.
  • (66)

• You, who've taken on his name, have managed – well, nothing.
  • (66)

• I believe I'm being as clear as possible here.
  • (66)

• He became a murderer the moment he killed the pilot.
  • (67)

• … It was on purpose. He was taunting me, so to speak.
  • (67)

• To Mello, it's like playing a videogame against me, I think. "See who gets to Kira, the last boss, first."
  • (67)

• I don't know what to say. Now, I think it's just best to observe closely.
  • (71)

• I won't skip!
  • (75)

• … Rester, people in supervising positions in investigation are supposed to give too much of their opinion, and if they are wrong, all it would take is an apology.
  • (75)

• We will be removed. All because of that chicken of a president … no, he's not even a chicken … he's less than a maggot.
  • (75)

• Don't make me repeat the same thing many times.
  • (77)

• Which of us will get Kira first … it's a race!
  • (77)

• Making such a sleazebag a spokesman …
  • (77)

• What an obvious lie he is telling.
  • (79)

• For me and Mello, L has been the only person we adore, and the only person who deserves our respect.
  • (82)

• You said she's smart, but it only means she got high marks, and she's actually a stupid woman.
  • (86)

• … and I am biggest problem.

• Does she understand what she's doing, this stupid woman?
  • (88)

• To kill me, a potential avenger.
  • (89)

• I've wanted to make him taste his own pathetic failure with all my heart.
  • (90)

• No. You're just a murderer, Light Yagami.

• It's over. You've lost the game.

• Seriously, enslavement is funny …
  • (93)

• You're nothing more than a crazy serial killer. That's all you are. Nothing more and nothing less.
  • (105)

Ryuk

• Humans are so … interesting …
  • (1)

• I feel like I'm watching a sitcom.

• That was worth an academy award, Light.
  • (9)

• Humans are hilarious.
  • (10)

• For me … apples [are] like cigarettes and liquor for humans. If I'm deprived, I go into withdrawals.
  • (16)

• Apples taste so much better indoors.
  • (18)

• As a rule, they say humans haunted by a shinigami have nothing but misfortune.
  • (22)

• Hey, all it did was go around in a full circle.
  • (54)

• Sorry, but … believe it or not, I'm a male too …
  • (56)

• Like hell you do.
  • (56)

• Apples in the human world are … how do you say it? Juicy.

• Hehe. A disaster-struck family playing a happy-homey family … this is funny.
  • (60)

• Well see, it's rather complicated at the moment.
  • (60)

• You don't let up on the eye thing, do you?
  • (68)

• Heh. Are those the eyes of a man in love?
  • (68)

• What? I'm going to be possessed by such a poor imbecile?
  • (71)

• I don't want to be asked.
  • (78)

• I can understand them, because they exchange that money with tons of apples.
  • (80)

• You're using the word "destiny" for a woman again, Light. You always use a one patterned approach for women.
  • (87)

• Apples?

• It looks like you're in deep shit, Light.
  • From the English dubbed version of the movie

Others

• Matsuda: E-excuse me … I couldn't help but noticed you missed my name.

• Matsuda: You guys hit at the same time. Just call this one a draw.
  • (45)

• Matsuda: Why are you looking at me? It's not me.
  • (61)

• Matsuda: I … I wanna help too! I wanna contribute to the case!

• Matsuda: Light, what do you mean? In layman's terms …
  • (62)

• Matsuda: W-what? Is this the matter of winning or losing?
  • (78)

• Matsuda: What was it all for, then? What about your dad! What the hell did he die for?!
  • (80)

• Matsuda: … You led your own father to his death … and now he's gone, you call him a fool?!

• Matt: Damn! Those cars were lying in wait! Just exactly how many bodyguards does Takada have?! All right, time to put up another smoke screen. [he is surrounded on all sides by Takada's bodyguards] Wait a minute, wait a minute. Since when have the Japanese been allowed to carry such nice guns? I'm an accomplice in the kidnapping of Takada. Don't you have a bunch of questions to ask me? What's the point in firing –
  • (Said immediately prior to being shot to death on account of going against Kira, 99)

• Misa: I hate evil and love justice. I do not consider the police as my enemies, but my allies against evil.
  • (23)

• Misa: You just want to see me pee again, you pervert!
  • (34)

• Misa: I can't go on in a world without Light.
  • (45)

• Misa: If it's for Light, I can die without regrets.
  • (45)

• Misa: What do you mean, I use my sexual charm!?
  • (46)

• Misa: You can't buy peace or love with money.
  • (80)

• Misa: I don't even use the Internet …
  • (46)

• Misa: Does Ryuzaki-san really swing that way?

• Misa: Cake makes you fat. I'm not gonna eat any.

• Rem: Humans are truly … disgusting creatures …
  • (37)

• Rem: Light Yagami might be as pure as Misa … he was not using the death note for himself, but rather he was using the notebook in order to better humanity as a whole.
  • (47)

• Rem: Light … he can even kill a shinigami, he has surpassed us.
  • (58)

• Rem: She would never marry such a disgusting fool.

• Soichiro Yagami: I will not succumb to evil.

• Soichiro Yagami: The real evil is the power to kill people.
  • (22)

• Soichiro Yagami: No … anything obtained by killing people can never bring true happiness.
  • (22)

• Soichiro Yagami: I am bound by my responsibility as a parent and as chief of the NPA.
  • (36)

• Soichiro Yagami: Murderers should go to hell!

• Soichiro Yagami: Light … I trust you.
  • (72)

• Soichiro Yagami: Light, my son, from one murderer to another, I'll see you in hell!

Dialogue

Light: L.

L: Kira.

Both: I will hunt you down where ever you are hiding and I will eliminate you.

Light: I am …

L: I am …

Both: … justice!

---

Light: What was it?

L: Matsuda's acting stupid again.

Light: Well, that is his speciality.

Matsuda: I can hear you, you know …

---

L: Either we lose and we die together, or we successfully catch Kira. [to Misa] Which is it?

Misa: We catch Kira! I would never dream about living in a world without Light.

L: Yes, that would be dark.

---

Misa: Hey, Light. Wanna come sleep with me tonight?

Light: Wh-what are you talking about…?

Misa: Ha ha ha! Just kidding! You're saving me for after we catch Kira, right? You don't have to be shy about it!

L: Yes, Light. There's no need to be shy.

Light: I'm not being shy!

L: No need to be so serious either.

---

Light: Then I suppose that when I meet with Misa, it will have to be outside of here.

L: Huh, you want to meet her?

---

Light: Misa, I want you to know my feelings. I don't want you to shorten your life by doing the deal, I don't want to manipulate you like that. I'd rather live a lasting life with you in our ideal world.

Misa: [tearing] Light.

Ryuk: [thinking] Like hell you do.

Misa: [hugs] I'm so glad!

Ryuk: [thinking] All this girl does is hug …

---

Mello: [after Shidou takes the notebook] The notebook flew by itself.

Thug: It can't be.

Another thug: It's a notebook that kill a human. It's no suprise if it's alive.

---

Light: Near, try to escape from that place now.

Near: How dare you say that when you are Kira.

Light: W-what … why are you still saying such a thing? …

---

Matsuda: I wonder, is it about ten million dollars?

Ryuk: How many apples could I buy with that?

---

Near: Thank you for your useful information. You two may go back now.

Aizawa: You heard that much and just say "go back"?

Near: [pouting] And so I thanked you for your useful information …

---

Near: Lester, could you come back [from Japan] one more time to command the center in New York?

Lester: One more time?

Near: I'm also going to Japan.

Lester: So during that time you want me to come to New York and stay watch?

Near: No.

Lester: Then why do you want me in New York?

Near: I've never experienced the first class procedures of riding a plane alone, so I want you to come back so we can go together.

---

Near: What is it, L?

Light: Misa Amane and Mogi are missing.

Near: Yes. We have abducted them.

Light: Near … for what reason?

Near: For insurance.

---

Giovanni: If there are shinigami, I might die, right?

Near: Yes.

Giovanni: …

Near: If you are scared, I'll ask Lester to go.

Lester: …

---

Misa: Namikawa's pretty good. Considering his looks, I was expecting that.

L: No, that was a screw-up by Yagami-kun.

Light: [sweatdrop] …

---

Matsuda: Uh-oh, Light's in a pinch!

Ide: Why are you enjoying this, Matsuda?

Matsuda: Pinch, pinch, oh boy, he's in a pinch!

Aizawa: Matsuda, shut the hell up!

Matsuda: Yes, sir …

---

Takada: … If only … Kira were caught?

Light: What?

Matsuda: What?

Ide: What?

---

Matt: The person who lives in the room Mogi entered is a young woman … or a child-like woman.

Mello: A woman?

Matt: She looks like Mogi's girlfriend … she went shopping arm in arm with him. It may be strange for me to say this, but she's a pretty cute Japanese woman. I can't be sure of her age, but I'd say from fourteen or fifteen to twenty.

Mello: … Are you serious, Matt?

Matt: Yeah, I'm dead serious.

Mello: [thinking] If I believe what Hal said, this woman is the second Kira … at least she must have been the second Kira … [speaking] Understood. I can't make a stupid move. You begin.

Matt: Okay.

---

Mello: [calls Matt on his cell phone] Matt, how are you doing?

Matt: Bored out of my mind! No movement at all. Currently, they have their food delivered to them by stores, and both Aizawa and another Japanese man who entered a while ago still haven't come out yet. Because they haven't come out, I can suspect this place is their headquarters … anyway, it's too boring to keep watching something that has no movement.

Mello: Don't complain. It's the same here. Plus, if L is at your place, it's likely that they've moved thinking Aizawa was tailed by SPK and that their hideout's known. Stay alert, or you might be tricked.

Matt: Then why don't we swap our jobs? Yours would be better, since you can listen secretly to a cute girl …

---

Mello: [after being called on his cell phone] What happened, Matt?

Matt: Mogi and Aizawa have come out. I can't hear what they're talking about, but that have a grim expression that seems quite unnatural to be having when chatting outside.

Mello: Understood. Keep an eye on them anyway.

---

Mello: [after being called on his cell phone] What's going on, Matt? Mogi's in LAX.

Matt: Shit! I was tricked. They paid off the delivery man who carried in food yesterday and got out with their equipment on the delivery truck. A moment ago, I caught the delivery man when he came out counting lots of bills joyfully and asked him. I found the room empty and I don't know how many there were. I've been watching through video cameras on all the doorways and windows, but they hid themselves cunningly behind the door of the delivery truck … damn them …

Mello: [thinking] I warned him not to let down his guard … [speaking] Matt, I'm going to Japan after Mogi. You come later, too.

Matt: Huh? Japan? You mean it?

Death Note rules from anime series

• Episode 1:

  The human whose name is written in this note shall die.

  This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.

• Episode 2:

  If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen. If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack.

  After writing the cause of death, details of death should be written in the next 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

• Episode 3:

  This note shall become the property of the human world, once it touches the ground of (arrives in) the human world.

  The owner of the note can recognize the image and voice of its original owner, i.e., a god of death.

• Episode 4:

  The human who uses this note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell.

  If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds after writing the cause of death as a heart attack, the time of death can be manipulated, and the time can go into effect within 40 seconds after writing the name.

• Episode 5:

  The human who touches the DEATH NOTE can recognize the image and voice of its original owner, a god of death, even if the human is not the owner of the note.

  This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name.

• Episode 6:

  If a human uses the note, a god of death usually appears in front of him/her within 39 days after he/she uses the note.

  Gods of death, the original owners of the DEATH NOTE, do not do, in principle, anything which will help or prevent the deaths in the note.

• Episode 7:

  A god of death has no obligation to completely explain how to use the note or rules which will apply to the human who owns it.

  A god of death can extend his life by putting human names on the note, but humans cannot.

• Episode 8:

  A person can shorten his or her own life by using the note.

  The human who becomes the owner of the DEATH NOTE can, in exchange of half of his/her remaining life, get the eyeballs of the god of death which will enable him/her to see a human's name and remaining lifetime when looking through them.

• Episode 9:

  A god of death cannot be killed even if stabbed in his heart with a knife or shot in the head with a gun. However, there are ways to kill a god of death, which are not generally known to the gods of death.

  The conditions for death will not be realized unless it is physically possible for that human or it is reasonable …

• Episode 10:

  The specific scope of the condition for death is not known to the gods of death, either. So, you must examine and find out.

  One page taken from the DEATH NOTE, or even a fragment of the page, contains the full effects of the note.

• Episode 11:

  The instrument to write with can be anything, (e.g., cosmetics, blood, etc.) as long as it can write directly on the note and remains as legible letters.

  Even the original owners of the DEATH NOTE, gods of death, do not know much about the note.

• Episode 12:

  You may also write the cause and/or details of death prior to filling in the name of the individual. Be sure to insert the name in front of the written cause of death. You have about 19 days (according to the human calendar) in order to fill in a name.

  Even if you do not actually possess the DEATH NOTE, the effect will be the same if you can recognize the person and his/her name to place in the blank.

• Episode 13:

  The DEATH NOTE will not affect those under 780 days old.

  The DEATH NOTE will be rendered useless if the victim's name is misspelled four times.

• Episode 14:

  "Suicide" is a valid cause of death. Basically all humans are thought to possess the possibility to commit suicide. It is, therefore, not something "unbelievable to think of".

  Whether the cause of the individual's death is either a suicide or accident, If the death leads to the death of more than the intended, the person will simply die of a heart attack. This is to ensure that other lives are not influenced.

• Episode 15:

  Even after the individual's name, the time of death, and death condition on the DEATH NOTE were filled out, the time and condition of death can be altered as many time as you want, as long as it is changed within 6 minutes and 40 seconds from the time it was filled in. But, of course, this is only possible before the victim dies.

  Whenever you want to change anything written on the DEATH NOTE within 6 minutes and 40 seconds after you wrote, you must first rule out the characters you want to erase with two straight lines.

• Episode 16:

  The time and condition of death can be changed, but once the victim's name has been written, the individual's death can never be avoided.

  If you lose the DEATH NOTE or have it stolen, you will lose its ownership unless you retrieve it within 490 days.

• Episode 17:

  If you have traded the eye power of a god of death, you will lose the eye power as well as the memory of the DEATH NOTE, once you lose its ownership. At the same time, the remaining half of your life will not be restored.

  You may lend the DEATH NOTE to another person while maintaining its ownership. Subletting it to yet another person is possible, too.

• Episode 18:

  The borrower of the DEATH NOTE will not be followed by a god of death. The god of death always remains with the owner of the DEATH NOTE. Also the borrower can not trade the eyesight of the god of death.

  When the owner of the DEATH NOTE dies while the Note is being lent, its ownership will be transferred to the person who is holding it at that time.

• Episode 19:

  If the DEATH NOTE is stolen and the owner is killed by the thief, its ownership will automatically be transferred to the thief.

  When the same name is written on more than two DEATH NOTES, the Note which was first filled in will take effect, regard less of the time of death.

• Episode 20:

  If written the same name on more than two DEATH NOTES is completed within a 0.06-second difference, it is regarded as simultaneous; the DEATH NOTE will not take effect and the individual written will not die.

  The god of death must at least own one DEATH NOTE. That DEATH NOTE must never be lent to or written by a human.

• Episode 21:

  Exchanging and writing on the DEATH NOTE between the gods of death is no problem.

  If the god of death decides to use the DEATH NOTE to kill the assassin of an individual he favours, the individual's life will be extended, but the god of death will die.

• Episode 22:

  The dead god of death will disappear, but the DEATH NOTE will remain. The ownership of this DEATH NOTE is usually carried over to the next god of death that touches it, but it is common sense that it is returned to the Great god of death.

  Only by touching each other's DEATH NOTE can human individuals who own the DEATH NOTE in the human world recognize the appearance or voice of each other's god of death.

• Episode 23:

  An individual with the eye power of a god of death can fell the name and life span of the other humans by looking at that person's face. By possessing the DEATH NOTE, an individual gains the ability to kill and stops being a victim. From this point, a person with the DEATH NOTE cannot see the life span of other DEATH NOTE owners, including him/herself. But, it is not really necessary for the individual to view the life span of him/herself nor other DEATH NOTE owners.

  The god of death must not tell humans the names or life spans of individuals he sees. This is to avoid confusion in the human world.

• Episode 24:

  It is prerequisite for the DEATH NOTE used in the human world that a living god of death makes sure that the humans in the human world use it.

  It is very difficult to consider that a god of death who has possessed a human could die, but if he should die, the DEATH NOTE that he brought into the human world will not lose its power.

• Episode 27:

  If you just write "die of accident" for the cause of death the victim will die from a natural accident after 6 minutes and 40 seconds from the time of writing it.

  Even though only one name is written in the DEATH NOTE if it influences and causes other humans that are not written in it to die the victim's cause of death will be a heart attack.

• Episode 28:

  If you have traded the eye power of a god of death you will see a person's primary life span in the human world.

  The name you see with the eye power of a god of death are the names needed to kill that person. You will be able to see the names even if than (that) person isn't registered in the family registration.

• Episode 29:

  If a person loses possession of a DEATH NOTE, they will not recognize the gods of death by sight or voice any more, If however, the owner lets someone else touch his DEATH NOTE, from that time on, that person will recognize the god of death.

  In accordance with the above, the human who touched the DEATH NOTE and began to recognize the gods of death's sight and voice, will continue to recognize it until that human actually owns the DEATH NOTE and subsequently looses possession of it.

• Episode 30:

  If a DEATH NOTE owner accidentally misspells a name four times, that person will be free from being killed by the DEATH NOTE, However, if they intentionally misspell the name four times, the DEATH NOTE owner will die.

  The person whose name was misspelled four times on purpose will not be free of death by a DEATH NOTE.

• Episode 31:

  When regaining ownership of the DEATH NOTE, the memories associated with the DEATH NOTE will also return. In cases where you were involved with other DEATH NOTEs as well, memories of all the DEATH NOTEs involved will return.

  Even without obtaining ownership, memories will return just by touching the DEATH NOTE.

• Episode 32:

  If a DEATH NOTE is owned in the human world against the god of death's will, that god of death is permitted to stay in the human world in order to retrieve it.

  In that case, if there are other DEATH NOTEs in the human world, the gods of death are not allowed to reveal to humans that DEATH NOTE's owner or its location.

• Episode 33:

  In the event that there are more than 6 DEATH NOTEs in the human world, only the first 6 DEATH NOTEs that have been delivered to humans will have effect.

  The seventh DEATH NOTE will not become active until one of the other 6 DEATH NOTEs is burned up, or a god of death takes one of them back to the world of gods of death.

• Episode 34:

  The DEATH NOTE will not take effect if you write a specific victim's name using several different pages.

  But the front and back of a page is considered as one page. For example, the DEATH NOTE will still take effect even if you write the victim's surname on the front page and given name on the back.

• Episode 35:

  In the world of gods of death there are a few copies of what humans may call user guidebook for using the DEATH NOTE in the human world. However, the guidebook is not allowed to be delivered to humans.

  It is perfectly okay for gods of death to read the guidebook for him/herself and teach humans about his contents, no matter what the content may be.

• Episode 36:

  The human whose name is written in this note shall die.

  The human who uses this note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell.

• Episode 37:

  All humans will, without exception, eventually die.

  After they die, the place they go is MU. (Nothingness)

External links