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blueink2k · 3 years

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Propaganda in Death Note and How It Played Into Light’s God Complex

[This is based on information from the anime, as I have yet to read the manga for myself. Caps from or references to the manga may be included to emphasize points or provide visuals, but the version of the plot I'm referring to is taken from the anime.]

Light Yagami does not pick up the Death Note knowing he’s going to use it to commit mass murder and become the God of his New World.

Actually, he does the opposite. He kills someone to test it as he’s under the impression it isn’t real, convinces himself it was a freak coincidence, and decides to try it out in a way that will provide a more concrete conclusion. When it does end up working he’s stunned, to say the least.

“I killed them both...I killed two men. Those were human lives. I-It won’t be overlooked. Besides, who am I to pass judgment on others?”

Light Yagami, the perfect, straight-A, model student, has just confirmed he killed two people using some strange supernatural notebook that just happened to fall into his hands. He’s always believed strongly in his morals. He’s been on course his whole life to join the police force like his father an deliver justice, and here he is, an indirect murderer.

So what does he do about it?

...He comes up with a reason to justify himself.

The people he killed were criminals. Mere scum who do nothing but rot and infect the world. Wouldn’t everyone be better off without them? It isn’t that he’s never considered this before, he has, albeit not to the same degree as taking their deaths into his own hands. But now that he has the power to do so, why shouldn’t he? He’s smart, he’s determined. He’s capable of it.

In fact, in his mind, he’s the only one who is.

He’s kind of right. He’s the top of his class, he comes out on top in national tests, he barely even has to try. Plus, he’s the only one that has a Death Note, and therefore the power to do this.

At this point in time, he doesn’t consider himself a god. He doesn’t want to rule the world, he just wants to change it. Something else important to note is that he doesn’t refer to himself as Kira or anything other than Light.

...That is, until...

Websites start popping up all over claiming that whoever this mass murderer is is named “Kira”, a god among men risen to punish criminals and save the world.

Two things to note here;

Apparently, “Kira” is returning, meaning there must have been some kind of previous belief in an entity that either did something similar to Light or had the same beliefs. There isn’t any other canon mention of a previous Kira, and this in and of itself is pretty vague, but given that there’s tons of religions in real life that have never had a big breakthrough, it’s reasonable to believe this could be something similar. That, or a creepypasta. Or a cult.

Light created this understanding that he had to be the one to change the world to cope with his murders. Actually - that might be the worst way to put it, since we know how strongly he feels about justice and being given an outlet to carry out this wish of world peace just enhanced this, but nonetheless... It’s impossible to assume he’s doing all of this without even a speck of guilt. Therefore, this is the first hint of appreciation or even just acknowledgement that what he’s doing is right.

Disregarding the first point (as interesting as I find it), this is really the first time Light is ever told what he’s doing is good. His own father - who he idolizes -considers Kira evil. His sister flat out says she hates him. Of course, this is all after Kira actually does become popular, but still, all he receives from that point on is disapproval from the people he cares the most about. The online love for Kira is all he has.

So, yeah, he probably internalizes it.

He thinks he’s doing the right thing. He thinks he’s giving others justice. He thinks he’s the only one who can do this. Others agreeing is only enhancing this. They’re the ones who call him God.

As the story progresses, Kira’s power and popularity grows. He gains direct news coverage, people begin sending him names of people to kill, his following grows. So much so, that when someone gets a Death Note and figures out that must be what he’s using, their immediate response is to find a way to contact him.

Cue Misa Amane and Sakura TV.

Sakura TV is a news program known for its unreliability. Demegawa, the director, even says he’s willing to make things up for publicity. And that’s when the Second Kira tapes arrive.

This, however, is only the first encounter with Sakura TV.

After this, the only direct involvement the police has with it is in the Yotsuba arc, when it’s used to lure out Higuchi. Otherwise the program promotes Kira all on its own, even going so far as to create Kira’s Kingdom - half a scam for viewers’ money, half a way to get more people to see Kira as God. And it works. He gains a following of people who believe he will create a new, better world, and will even give themselves up to help him.

An example of this following is when a mob of followers attacks the SPK under Kira’s orders. They’re so quick to join in, and are even willing to put their names and faces on TV in trust that Kira will not kill them.

All of this publicity sparks fear in the general public. People begin fearing that if they do something wrong Kira will kill them, causing crime rates to drop nearly 70% over Kira’s 6 year reign, as well as completely stopping wars.

Demegawa is eventually killed. Other news programs begin scrambling to claim the voice of Kira, topped by NHN, where we are reintroduced to Kiyomi Takada as Kira’s spokeswoman as well as one of his greatest supporters.

Light, as much as he hates Sakura TV and NHN’s depictions of Kira, uses them to his advantage as much as he can.

But really, imagine what this is all doing to him.

At the beginning, he struggled with grasping what he was doing as right. His sense of justice, righteousness, and perfectness shattered by a single notebook. But this is perfect, he figures that if he really wants to fix the world, this is one surefire way to do it. And yeah, his family hates Kira, but online he’s worshiped as God. We already know he has a pretty decent ego, and all of this is doing nothing but fueling it.

To top it all off, as he continues with his killings, his following grows. More and more people begin to support him, every single day there’s news stations upon news stations covering his story, some negative, some positive. People from all over express admiration towards him, even the President of the United States sides with him. He is literally worshiped as Kira, as God.

This all makes it sounds like his god complex starts later in the series, so to clarify; no, he does not pick up the book with plans to become God, but the second people start fueling his ego, the more twisted his ideals and motivations become. He’s the only one who can fix this rotten world. He holds the power of a god in his hands, he does what only a god can do, and everyone treats him accordingly. He is Kira, he is God.

Between websites, news programs, and his cult-like following, Light had enough attention to feed into his ego for a lifetime. He was perfect pre-Death Note. Smart, charming, set for success. There never was a time where he was particularly not narcissistic, it was just that he only felt this way inside of himself. The way he presented to others? A perfect, cool guy persona with an - in all honesty - annoying prickly jerk hiding inside. But no one ever knew this, he never let them know, and because he was always naturally successful it was more of an expectation he just met rather than surpassed, so he wasn’t consistently praised and this incredible self-esteem wasn’t propped up by anyone but himself.

To cycle back to the title of this rant-essay-analysis-whatever you’d like to call it, I want to share some examples about exactly why I even classify this news coverage and whatnot of Kira as propaganda.

Kira’s supporters cause a riot at SPK HQ under Kira’s orders and Demegawa’s direction.

Mikami providing his insight as to why he supports Kira on television, openly promoting Kira and encouraging others to join him.

Takada announces her new role as Kira’s spokesperson on NHN.

Mikami uses his power as Kira to kill members of Kira’s Kingdom, supposed followers of Kira who have been using his publicity to gain money and attention.

Most of this doesn’t exactly look like your standard propaganda posters or news story, but it does fit the overall criteria;

Information from a biased viewpoint used to promote/publicize a certain view (accepting Kira as God)

Shows exclusively positive views on Kira

Assigns Kira positive adjectives and makes him appear as good (God, savior, messenger from Hell), never considering or showing the bad

Presenting only positive statistics (Light does this in his monologue where he brings up the 70% crime rate drop, and given there’s no way he could have calculated this on his own he likely got it from one of these media sources. Not that it’s incorrect, per se, but he does fail to mention how many innocent people he’s killed in order to do this.)

Appeals to regular, everyday people by talking about how he’s doing this for the betterment of the whole world. People who are directly affected by crime are also likely positively impacted by this.

Initiates and spreads fear by explaining how Kira only attacks those who do wrong.

In the end, Light’s personal descent into his god complex, as well as his effects on the world can be attributed to many things, but it would be a crime to ignore just how big of a role news and other types of media played in this without his direct input. To think, if Light had won and overtaken the police like he was going to, he’d have absolutely no problem stepping into his shoes as God. Everyone else already set the stage, he just had to get there first.

This is my first Death Note analysis, so please excuse any errors, I just watched the anime for the first time and am doing my best to piece together all of the plot and especially Light’s deep characterization the best I can. If I ever read the manga or find something new, chances are this will be updated. But as for now, it’s finally finished after a week or so of procrastinating. Thank you for reading if you got this far! <3

#death note #light yagami #kira #analysis #anime analysis #rant #essay #hitoshi demegawa #do people even care enough about him to have a tag #💀#death note anime #teru mikami #kiyomi takada #yagami light #mikami teru #takada kiyomi #long post #meta

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mikami · 3 years

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Between Mikami and Light who do you think is most likely to fall for the other first? And what would be their reasons to like eachother (at first)?

Oh! (Sorry) Also who do think notice first that they have feelings for the other and who do think would make the first move?

I’m going to answer this as set in a mild AU where they meet at work (prosecutor and NPA agent, woo) rather than as Kira and disciple. I always think this ship has a lot more going for it when you don’t START on that note. Light being Kira and revealing it later on is a different and more interesting idea, too. My thoughts below still roughly apply to such a scenario.

The exact details of relationship build-up of course depend on the story you put them into, but in most cases I think the answers are something like this...

Who falls for the other first? Why do they like each other? Mikami falls faster, but with many misgivings. Light outwardly presents his ideal in many ways - intelligent, well-adjusted, tidy and clean, working towards justice, very collegial and outgoing towards him... Light is the Man Of His Dreams (tm) to an almost comical degree. And Mikami doesn’t know if he can trust it - in his life, he’s always eventually been let down by people. With Light seeming so perfect, opening himself up to the man is setting himself up for a very deep fall when Light eventually disappoints him as people tend to do. So... Mikami has some pretty immediate underlying attraction going on but he’s honestly just... angry at that. He hasn’t felt conflicted about a person in years, how dare this guy come in and make his life more complicated!!

Light thinks Mikami is amusing. The fact that Mikami is kind of mad at his whole existence is easy to see, Mikami is not much of an actor, and Light thinks this is low-key hilarious. Between getting amusement out of teasing Mikami a little and finding Mikami a genuinely intelligent man whose opinions and insights aren’t worthless, Light has good enough reasons to keep in touch with him. This is initially entirely superficial - he values conversation and entertainment, but he is not angling for any deeper bond. Light’s falling in love is a very gradual process. From harmless teasing to flirting, not with intent but just to see what would happen, to winding up in a friendship with romantic tension... and then ultimately to finding out just how much he actually relates to Mikami’s hatred of society and feeling of deep detachment from the world around him. Light doesn’t fall in love so much as sliiiiides into it slowly and by the time he realizes, it’s too late.

Who notices first and who makes the first move? The order is kind of like this... Light notices that Mikami likes him before Mikami admits as much to himself. Amused by the notion, Light starts flirting a little. Mikami picks up on the flirting and wonders if he’s insane for thinking that is what it is - but with Light expressing interest, he has an easier time recognizing as having interest in turn. The flirting escalates! Their outings start being dates! They kiss! Maybe they even start a casual relationship!

And then, finally, Light realizes he actually has feelings for Mikami.

That’s at the very end of the chain, possibly months into dating.

#the ship #answers #i love them your honor #mikalight

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eyecicles · 4 years

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what do you think about the idea that near and l are just the way they’re (isolated, socially inept etc) bc of wammy‘s?

It’s a) not supported by the text and b) not how I personally interpret them.

If we look at it from an outside perspective, it’s rather the other way around: eccentric genius type characters are very often cast in these sort of roles (isolated prodigies). Even when there are vague references to trauma, we are mostly meant to accept that they were always like that. Which is precisely why they’re written that way, not to make a meaningful commentary on Watari, or whatever, who’s treated as a mostly inconsequential character.

Near - and even Mello - stick out because they‘re inherently eccentric. They are like that before L picks them, very obviously contrasted with the other Wammy‘s kids who are, while only shallowly & collectively characterised, intelligent/talented but otherwise „normal“. It’s hilarious how mundane Wammy’s House comes across in the manga when you compare it to „Another Note’s“ version. It’s not overbearingly fantastic even when you don’t make that comparison; it’s just slightly less trite than, say, the portrayal of the Kira Task Force. (It still feels slightly out of place for me, but that’s another topic altogether.)

DN is not about trauma. It’s, in fact, something they actively gloss over, especially when you consider what Light and Misa went through. The only exceptions I can think of are Mikami and Sayu, but in these cases it’s anything but subtle.

As much as we can criticise Wammy‘s House (and for good reasons), it’s just not meant to be this horrific orphanage fans and „Another Note“ make it out to be.

And there’s another thing to consider: writers create eccentric character that are self-isolating all the time, for various reasons. It’s a trend for the fans to then pathologise them and everything they do, even when they don’t seem unhappy.

I suppose I never felt the need to do that because I’m a bit like them too. Most socially integrated people think I’m lonely or think of my behaviour as „socially inept“ even when I consciously choose to live the way I do. It can be difficult to fathom, but it’s something one of my therapists supported because she understood me as a person. Which is why I feel confident in saying that collectively pathologising this sort of life style is pointless, if not harmful.

I have seen so much sadness projected onto L, while I personally always understood why he seems in actuality quite content with his life. It’s partly the anime‘s fault, but not solely.

Near’s a bit different, because he does at least seem more miserable than L, though especially after Wammy‘s and particularly after the Kira case. And I’ve seen this discussed to death, but it’s a fact that the story never even attempts to „explain“ why Near and L are they way they are.

I frankly believe that it doesn’t need an explanation, meaning that I don’t see how there are in-universe events that could‘ve possibly „made“ them like that.

Does this mean Wammy‘s and the L role didn’t shape their behaviour at all? No, of course not. It just means that they likely wouldn’t be well-adjusted social butterflies under different circumstances either.

#asks #anon #near #l lawliet #mello #death note #wammy‘s house #meta

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13eyond13 · 5 years

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Okay sorry I meant if Light and Misa were both genderbend, What would there relationship be like? With light being a strong working women and misa being a famous actor/male model, and do you think they be good parents if they were to have children, I’m sorry For not being pacific I just want to hear your opinion, thank you.

Ah ok!

Well, I will always see Light as gay, male or female. I just can’t read the character any other way. And I think part of the reason I do enjoy the awkwardness of their relationship so much is because I spent a long time trying to have straight relationships that I wasn’t actually into myself, so there are many familiar feelings there to get squirmy about, hahaha. So they’d probably never have a legitimate romance as a m/f pair, but honestly I don’t think they would have one even if Misa was the same gender as Light. I just don’t think Misa is Light’s type at all, and the creepy and forceful way Misa came onto Light was a gigantic red flag and a turn-off for Light that shut down any chances Misa might’ve had for a legitimate romance from the start.

Anyway, I’m not sure how differently Misa would behave if he were a male model/idol/actor instead of a female one. I assume his personality would still be similar, bubbly and ruthless and extremely infatuated with and loyal to Light no matter what. And Light’s personality would probably be similar as well, she’d still mostly call the shots in the relationship and find Misa very easy to manipulate.

The two of them as parents probably would not change all that much either; it would only ever happen if Light thought she needed an heir for her Kira legacy, and I can’t see her ever wanting to be a stay-at-home mother. She’d get Misa to do most of the practical childcare and probably play favourites if they had multiple children depending on which one was chosen to be her heir. But I don’t think Light would actually want to have children with Misa unless she had absolutely no other choice. She’d probably pick someone else secretly, similarly to how she went about selecting Mikami and Kiyomi and her other followers without consulting Misa about things.

#genderbend #light yagami #misa amane #misaxlight #headcanon #myhc #p #i don't have all that many thoughts about this stuff tho sorry #fem!light

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thatonekawaiigirl13 · 5 years

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Who Said Death Was Easy? [Death Note] Chapter Fifty-two

Chapter Fifty-two: Deceit

L’s POV:

“I can count on you, yes?”

“First…you know how risky this plan is, right?” the voice on the other end replied. “I’m confident in my abilities, Ryuzaki-san, but this is a longshot.”

At this, L gave a slight smirk. It hadn’t been that long ago that he had spoken similar words to Keiko himself. He felt a twinge of amusement as he recalled Keiko’s response to him, “I know, I know…there’s a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t let me do this. It’s a long shot, it’s risky, and I’ve let Light manipulate me before, I’m still a rookie, I can let my emotions get to me…but please…let me do this. For you. This might be the only chance we have at saving your life.”

Truth be told, he had been hesitant to let her go through with her plan from the beginning. It had not been because of any of the reasons she had listed, but rather, it was because he cared about her. He didn’t want her to get hurt again if things went south. He didn’t want anything happening to her, especially if it was because of Light Yagami.

I was being truthful when I said I had nothing left to lose…but she…she has everything she could potentially lose. She’s already suffered a lot just being here and working on the investigation. I don’t want her to suffer anymore…but there was no way for me to refuse her…something in her eyes…that determination, that spark…and I’d be lying if I were to say that I wasn’t moved by her motivation to try and keep me alive. She quite literally gives me emotions I haven’t had for anyone else…and she’s mainly doing all of this for me…this is the only thing I can do for her, to help her with her plan. If possible, I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly.

“Ryuzaki-san?” the voice on the other side of the line repeated.

“Yes,” the detective replied. He knew what to do, and he was confident that they would help him. “I’m well aware of the possible risks. However, this whole investigation was a risk from the start. With any luck, the information you gather will help us finally put an end to it.”

“Very well,” the voice replied. “As long as you’re sure.”

I have to admit, Keiko was right, it isn’t like there are a lot of options left. Given the circumstances, this is all we can do. I know for a fact that Light’s already gotten in contact with Misa again…which means there isn’t a lot of time left. The sooner we can go through with Keiko’s plan, the better.

L opened his mouth to speak, “so, once again, I can count on you right?”

“Yes, you can count on me…” the voice confirmed, “you’re lucky that I’m damn good at my job, Ryuzaki-san.”

“Great, thank you. Watari will be in contact.”

With that, the other person hung up.

That settles that…now it’s time for my other contact…

“Well, well, well,” the voice spoke on the other line spoke once they picked up. “I was wondering when you would get a hold of me gain.”

“You’re inviting as always,” L responded, chucking a moment. “I’m calling because I will be needing your assistance once more.”

“Again? I’m intrigued, Ryuzaki-san. What’s going on now?”

“A lot,” the detective's tone was dry. He filled them in on the current ongoings of the investigation, slowly leading into Keiko’s plan. “It’s not perfect, but it’s the best plan we’ve got given the circumstances…there’s over a sixty percent chance that something will go wrong, but if we can pull it off, the case will be solved once and for all.”

“Sounds dangerous,” the voice replied. L could hear their intrigue. “You know I like dangerous…”

L chucked, as suspected, they’ll be willing to help…

“You know I’m in, Ryuzaki-san.”

/meanwhile/

Light’s POV:

“Misa-chan,” Light whispered into the phone as he stepped into the hallway. He spoke in a hushed tone. “What is it? Any updates?”

“You’ll be happy to know I managed to get in contact with Mikami,” Misa announced, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. “He said, as long as you’re truly Kira, then he’s willing to do anything you tell him.”

“Good,” Light replied. A grin spread across his face, “I’m glad to hear that. Listen, I can’t talk for long without arousing suspicion. I will get a hold of you two as soon as I can so the exchange can take place. Just be patient for now and wait for my signal.”

“Sure thing, Light-kun! Is there anything else you want me to do?”

“For the time being, no. Just take it easy, keep on killing criminals, and don’t arouse any suspicion, alright? I’ll talk to you later, Misa-chan.” Before Light could listen to Misa’s protests about ending the call too soon, he hung up.

Good good, everything’s going all according to plan…Rem’s demand put a dent in my plans, but soon it’ll be worth all this trouble. Soon I won’t have to deal with Misa at all, not after I get the new Kira situated…and once that happens, I can finally get rid of L once and for all…

/slight timeskip/

Keiko’s POV:

The first thing Keiko noticed when her boyfriend entered the room was the slight gleam in his eyes. Though his expression appeared to be normal, there was a twinge of arrogance in the way he walked over toward her. She swallowed hard, fighting to ignore the nerves growing in her stomach. It’s funny…in the past, I’d be swooning right about now. Everything I loved about him was all a lie. A lie to keep me from figuring out his true identity. A lie to keep me from discovering that he’s Kira. Everything I used to love about him somehow turned into everything I now hate about him…isn’t that ironic?

“Keiko-chan,” Light called out to her. Out of the corner of her eye, Keiko could feel L’s watchful eyes looking between her and her boyfriend.

Does he also sense something’s off about Light? Or is it just me imagining things? I’m not sure…ever since I discovered the truth I can’t bring myself to trust him again. I find myself questioning everything he does…I suppose that’s what finding out that your boyfriend is actually Kira does to you.

“You seem to be in a good mood,” Keiko remarked. Like Light, she also had to put on a show. She had to be the loving girlfriend, pretending that everything between them was okay. “What’s the occasion? Discover any new leads for the case?”

“Unfortunately no,” Light responded. He stopped short of where Keiko was sitting, a smirk appearing on his face. “But I was wanting to talk to you in private.”

You want to talk to me in private, eh? That’s certainly high on the list of things I don’t want to do…

“If that’s alright with you, of course,” he added, running a hand through his hair. Keiko figured he didn’t want to appear too eager, but she could still sense his prideful manner.

I see. Way to play it cool, Light Yagami...remind me again, what did I ever see in you?

“Sure, Light-kun,” Keiko stood up, letting her boyfriend lead her out of the room and into the hallway. With every step she took, she could feel the pit in her stomach growing larger and larger. Light stopped once the two were near the end of the hallway, which gave them just enough privacy.

But there’s one thing still bothering me. I know for a fact there’s still cameras hidden around in this hallway that L carefully monitors…Light knows that…that can only mean one thing; Light’s putting on another show!

A chill ran down Keiko’s spine as she realized.

So now he wants to play the doting boyfriend huh? I must have been right in my assumption, there’s something off about Light. Does this mean that he’s found someone to replace Misa as the second Kira? Does this mean he’s gotten in contact with them? Either way, I don’t like this…I know I have Rem on my side, therefore I shouldn’t worry too much, but…he’s far too confident right now! He must want to show L that he’s not worried about being caught or something. It’s off putting…

He took a step toward her, his close proximity was enough to make Keiko’s stomach churn.

“Keiko-chan.”

“Yes?” Keiko looked up at him. Despite her anxiety, she forced herself to smile. After all, it was imperative that she appeared normal in front of him. “What is it, Light-kun?”

“I know that you were hesitant about getting back together with me,” Light started.

Hesitant is quite an understatement. I never wanted to get back together with you. In fact, I swore I wouldn’t…but unfortunately, things have changed. I didn’t take you back because I wanted to be with you, but because it was safer for me and for L if I did. This is the only way I can keep a watchful eye on you.

“And for good reason, too,” Light added. “I know you thought that there was possibly something going on between Misa and I. And with the case…I know things didn’t look good. I just wanted to tell you that I’m happy you decided to give me another chance.”

Of course things didn’t look very good before! All the evidence pointed toward you! Things still don’t look good because I know that you’re Kira!

Keiko wanted to scream. Instead she said nothing. She could hear her heart thudding in her chest, this time out of worry and not out of love. Her romantic feelings for Light had been shattered long before Rem had officially announced his true identity. All the previous hope she had held was gone. The only emotions Light could make her feel now was fear and disgust.

“Are you alright?” Light questioned, noticing her silence. “Is something wrong? You don’t suspect that I’m seeing Misa behind your back, do you?”

Yes. In fact, I know you are…but don’t worry, I know it’s not because you want to date her…it’s only because she’s the second Kira! It’s only because you’ve deemed her useful!

“N-no,” Keiko managed to stutter out after a moment. She swallowed, attempting to put on a nice face for her boyfriend.

Think of something! Fast! You don’t want him thinking you distrust him, do you? You can’t wreck the progress you’ve made with him.

“I…” she trailed off, fishing for words. “It’s been hard lately, Light-kun. The investigation is taking a toll on me, I guess. After all, we’ve been at this for months…we thought we were so close to the end with Higuchi…and here we are, starting from the beginning again. It’s disheartening, to say the least.”

That will satisfy him, right? As long as he doesn’t think I’m mad at him or anything, I should be good…

Light reached forward, lightly grabbing Keiko’s hand. The touch was enough to make Keiko shiver, but not in a good way. Fortunately for her, it appeared that her boyfriend didn’t notice the difference.

“I know things are rough right now but I’m sure we can get through it. No, I know we will get through it,” Light told her. “We were able to track down Higuchi, and I’m sure we’ll be able to track down this new Kira.”

You mean to say that we’ll track down your next puppet…and this time, we’ll track you down as well. I will catch the two of you, together…after all, you think you’re fooling me…but I’m the one fooling you right now…it’s hard, as I’m not one for manipulation, but it’s a little easier if I just imagine myself as an actress playing a role. He’s playing a doting boyfriend, and I have to play a doting boyfriend. At least this time we’re more evenly matched…

This thought was comforting to Keiko. She could feel herself starting to relax a little. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, “you’re right as always, Light-kun. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Light responded, giving her hand a squeeze. He raised an eyebrow, a playful expression crossed his features, “would you like to know a secret?”

Keiko matched his gaze. “Hmm? What is it?”

Light leaned forward, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. “My secret is…this whole time, I’ve missed you, Keiko-chan.”

At this, Keiko mentally snorted, oh how cheesy. I sure bet you did…

“That’s hardly a secret,” Keiko found herself saying. She gave her boyfriend what she hoped was a flirty smile, not a grimace. “I’ve missed you too.”

I haven’t, but you don’t need to know that…

“Good,” Light remarked. “Do you want me to tell you another secret?”

Not really.

“Yes?”

Before Keiko could properly process what was going on, Light gently pushed her back up against the wall. Keiko gave a small gasp in shock, which caused him to smirk at her. He leaned forward, his face brushing her own.

“You’re cute when you’re caught off guard, you know,” he commented.

“Is that your secret?” Keiko responded. Though she somehow managed to keep her tone light, she was fuming on the inside.

What’s his motive?!

“No,” Light whispered. “But this is.”

With that, Light closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers. She wanted nothing more than to shove him away, but against her better judgement, she kissed back. There were warning bells ringing in her mind and she was hyper aware of the fact that she was, quite literally, kissing the enemy. Both her heart and her head was racing.

Calm down, Keiko, you have to calm down…just think, it’s normal for a boyfriend to want to kiss his girlfriend and vice versa…but…he’s not who I want to be kissing…he’s not L. Wait a moment! That’s it! L! Keiko smiled into the kiss as the perfect solution rang through her mind, just imagine that you’re kissing L! He’s the one who you want to kiss! Don’t imagine Light, but L! Come on, Keiko! You can do this...think about how you felt that night when you shared that kiss with him…

Taking Keiko’s reaction as a positive sign, Light deepened the kiss. His hands roamed her body, finding their way to her waist.

It’s not Light, Keiko reminded herself as she matched Light’s enthusiasm. She wrapped an arm around him, pulling him slightly closer, it’s L…

When Light finally pulled away, Keiko was feeling a little dizzy. “L,” she breathed out. Upon realizing what she had said, her eyes widened. She could feel the blood rushing to her face. Keiko was quick to correct herself, feigning a stutter. “L-L-Light-kun.”

I think I corrected myself in time…but that was close! At least it’s not as though Light would suspect I have feelings for L, as far as I know he thinks I only look up to him. But…still, it’s too risky to let my true emotions show like that! I can’t let a slip-up like that happen again, one too many times and he’ll start to suspect something’s up…

“T-that’s some secret,” Keiko commented. She figured she looked as nervous as she was on the inside.

Luckily for me, my nerves are probably working in my favor…

Light chuckled, “I figured you’d say that, Keiko-chan.”

It looked like Light had more to say, but their flirty conversation was cut short by a sudden cough coming from behind them. Started by the sudden noise, Keiko detached herself from her boyfriend, her gaze now fixated on the man standing before her.

It’s L! Keiko could feel her heart pounding in her chest once again, but this time not out of fear or disgust. Her thoughts raced through her mind, it’s one thing to know that he’s watching us from the cameras, but it’s another thing entirely knowing that he’s standing right there watching us! How much did he see? How much did he hear? Did…did he perhaps hear my little mishap?! This situation is already embarrassing enough, and if he heard that bit, I’m not sure I’d be able to recover…

“I’m sorry to interrupt such a tender moment,” the detective said, looking between the two of them, “but I’ve just received word from Watari-san that Kira struck again. There were more victims killed within the last few hours.”

Keiko studied Light’s reaction to this, but he kept a cool demeanor. “All within the last few hours? Hmm…yeah, we’d better look into this. With any luck, maybe we’ll find some sort of clue or patterns concerning this new Kira.”

“Exactly, Light-kun,” L replied, “we should get back to work.”

“Let’s go,” Light grabbed Keiko’s hand, starting to lead her down the hallway. The two were about to walk into the main room when she felt someone tugging on her arm.

“Kagami-san,” L started, “I’d like to have a quick word in private first.”

At this, Keiko gulped, me alone with L right now of all times? Can I really face him not knowing if he overheard me or not?

“Don’t keep her too long, Ryuzaki-san,” Light responded. He gave Keiko’s hand a quick squeeze before exiting the hallway, leaving her alone with the detective.

“Why is it you seem more scared to be alone with me, hm?” the detective questioned, leading Keiko to a private interrogation room. “Should I be worried?”

Ha, very funny. Does that mean he didn’t hear what I said? Or is he just trying to make light of the situation? On second thought, do I even want to know which one it is?

“What is it, Ryuzaki-san?” Keiko questioned, deciding it would be best to ignore his comment.

Let’s just focus on the investigation...even though that’s easier said than done.

“I wanted to give you an update.”

“Update…?” Keiko raised an eyebrow, “eh? Do you mean they agreed to help?!”

L nodded. “Yes. They both agreed…however, it still won’t be easy. We need solid evidence to convict Light Yagami. If Light or Misa notices they’re being tailed that’ll be an impossible task. But I thought about your plan…from what I figure, we should be okay as long as we get a lead about this new Kira from Misa…”

“And then the new Kira will give us the evidence we need to convict Light,” Keiko finished for him. She thought for a moment, “I doubt Light would slip up, but this new Kira…is he’s as loyal as Misa is, then all we need to do is trick him into giving us the information we need…”

“Exactly,” the detective chucked. “I came to that same conclusion.”

“So that means we wait until we get a lead?”

The detective gave a nod, “yes. I assume it’s only a matter of time.”

The two stared at each other for a moment, silence filling the room. Keiko was now blaringly aware of the situation; she was alone with the world’s greatest detective who may or may not have witnessed her making out with her boyfriend while imagining it was him.

Great. Just my luck, eh?

“I, uh,” Keiko started. She fished for the right words, “is that all?”

“I suppose it is, Kagami-san,” he replied. “Unless there’s something you’d like to tell me.”

Something I’d like to tell him? Does he mean….?! No, no, no, no…please don’t tell me he knows I was thinking about him while making out with Light! As much as I’d hypothetically love to be alone with L, I think it’s time to leave.

“Nope!” Keiko’s response was almost immediate. She flashed the detective a quick smile. “Nothing at all! I should go, Light-kun’s waiting for me!”

With that, Keiko gave a nod before exiting the room, attempting to regain her composure before she had to face Light.

L’s POV:

The detective gave a slight chuckle as he watched Keiko scramble out of the room. Her embarrassment was as clear as day, something that rather amused him. She always seemed to find some way to melt the ice in his heart.

My, my, looks like someone’s jumpy…however, this means I was right…there’s no second guessing or mistaking it, that was my name I heard her say.

He raised an eyebrow, so…she imagines me while kissing Light Yagami…? I can’t believe it. It wasn’t easy for me to admit, to realize, that I’m jealous of him for getting to kiss her. In fact, one of the reasons I interrupted them wasn’t because I had to update them on the Kira situation right away…that could have waited until after they returned to the main investigation room…and yet...I couldn’t stop myself from getting up. While he’s technically her boyfriend at the moment, I didn’t want to watch her kissing someone else.

The detective started his walk toward the main investigation room, still deep in thought. The kiss between Light and Keiko was now stuck on repeat in his mind, these feelings are new to me, but at least a part of me can remain happy because, unlike Light, I know Keiko’s true feelings…I’ve known from the start how Keiko feels about me, and it’s obvious from her plan to save me…but hearing her say that…which was quite clearly an accident, a mere slip of the tongue… shows just how deep her feelings toward me are.

Wait a moment, the detective’s eyes widened as a sudden realization dawned on him. He reached up, his finger lightly grazing his lips. He couldn’t stop his thoughts from wandering, perhaps…does that mean…Keiko would like it if I were to do what Light did to her? Would she like it if I pinned her against the wall and kissed her? Does she...does she want me to do this? Is that why it was so easy for her to imagine it? Has she imagined it before?

A shiver ran down his spine as he stepped into the main investigation room, his gaze lingering on Keiko. Her hair became slightly tousled as she shook her head, deep in a conversation with Light and his father. When she noticed his presence, she flashed a quick yet shy smile in his direction, causing L’s chest to tighten.

I have to admit, the thought of holding her close and kissing her...well, it’s almost too much to handle…

He sat down in his chair, still watching her every move, I’ve completely fallen for her…I know I realized it before but…after walking in on them, my feelings are once again confirmed; I really am in love with Keiko Kagami. Deeply in love...since I’ve already admitted it, there’s no going back now…

But, a shiver ran down his spine as the thought sunk in, based on both her words and actions, I can deduce that she’s in love with me, too.

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casuistor · 7 years

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Hi! I am currently a student studying social work and the DSM-V and was reading your Mikami analysis being a schzoid and I wanted to add I feel he may lean more on having delusional disorder? I don't think he meets the criteria for schizoid simply because of his capacity to befriend Takada. I think he's a reculse for sure but I feel his delusions of being God's chosen is his biggest highlight. Well I just wanted to give my $0.02! Good analysis though!

:Cont.. though I mean I know you mentioned his schizoid personality disorder is comorbid with delusional disoder but I meant to say I dont think he exhibits enough symptoms in manga canon to be classified as schizoid .. sorry if my ask seemed confusing!

Hey, no worries I understood you, anon!!

First just to get the obvious out of the way – “diagnosing” fictional characters generally speaking is pretty iffy imo, and I say that as the person who wrote the analysis in the first place, lmao. Please take that analysis with several grains of salt as I really don’t personally feel comfortable labeling Teru as clinically schizoid or as having delusional disorder.

But putting my feelings to the side, I think I see where you’re coming from though I’m not really sure how much I agree with the outlined reasoning as we don’t really see much of Teru’s relationship with Kiyomi at all to say that they’re definitely friends. If anything, the fact that Teru picks Kiyomi to be the spokesperson (and thus puts her life and safety at risk) suggests to me that he isn’t all that emotionally invested in their friendship. Overall I think this point really relies a lot on how you headcanon or interpret their relationship because canon doesn’t really make it clear. The impression I got, at least, was that he found her agreeable since she’s in the same echochamber as he is.

As for your point on Teru’s delusions…. I think this one is much more complicated because of the nature of Kira’s influence in that world. Similar to how religious people aren’t actually considered clinically delusional due to the sociocultural prevalence of their beliefs, I don’t really think you could call Teru’s belief that Kira is “god” on those grounds as that’s not an isolated belief at all. So if you grant that, then receiving a death note from said “god” wouldn’t make you delusional for thinking you were “chosen” – that’s a (self-aggrandizing) fact, even if it feels totally off to people outside that universe… if that makes sense, haha.

But yes, overall I do agree that there’s a very good point to be made in just thinking Teru’s just a recluse and I wouldn’t argue against that at all. Thanks, anon, and best of luck with your studies!!

#anonymous #Anonymous #asks

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light-kun · 7 years

Note

hi, just found yr blog. what do you think are the biggest differences b/w light in the anime/manga and light in the live action drama? (and are you looking forward to the netflix movie? lol)

hey ❤︎ sorry for getting to this late but i’m so glad i rewatched the drama recently so i can remember the major differences i had in mind while observing drama Light’s actions, though it’s impossible for me to tackle them all at once right now because there are too many. i’ll make a cut from here.

drama Light wasn’t so supposed to be the perfect adaptation of manga Light in the first place, and the major difference you can find is that manga Light is the perfect son that soichiro’s always been proud of; ever since early childhood, he wanted to be a police officer / detective just like his father and his strong sense of justice has never once left him. he brought honor to his family and was always simply perfect, with perfect school records, perfect academic and athletic performance (not to mention perfect outward appearance) his parents couldn’t have possibly wished for a better son. this and the fact that Light has never suffered from any childhood trauma (presumably) and had a perfect life despite being tedious and monotone for someone of his intelligence, at least before he picked up the death note. whereas drama Light wasn’t exactly the perfect son that soichiro was very proud to have, and this has a lot to do with the fact that Light’s mother, sachiko, had passed away when Light was still a child. this is a VERY important plot twist that ought to change Light’s character altogether and inevitably made him grow up to be someone a little bit different than he was in the manga. shaken by his mother’s sudden death—which is a tragic childhood experience manga Light was lucky enough to have never gone through—drama Light grew up feeling enraged with his father’s field of work, because in some way it had been the reason that stole his mother from him (even if Light was smart enough to know that it was just bad fate, he blamed his father for not being there for his mother when she was dying) and his respect and admiration for the japanese police have considerably decreased ever since. drama Light had the chance to notice the police’s shortcomings way before manga Light did, and thus found out that there was something very wrong going on with the world from such an early age. the police isn’t doing its job properly, and isn’t promising the perfect justice everyone awaits. this is accentuated by the fact that drama Light was exposed to its failure in person. if anything, it was somewhat the reason that ruined Light’s home, making his father rarely ever show up and leaving him and his sister alone. my point is that drama Light had more reasons to be angry with the world than manga Light did.

another major difference is that manga Light is more intelligent and a better strategical planner than drama Light, which means that his motives were stemmed from his boredom and not only his twisted sense of justice and uncontrollable ego. drama Light, however, wasn’t shown to be bored of his life or faking enjoying other people’s company; he’d seemed to lead a perfectly normal, happy life while maintaining friendships in college, going to concerts and social events and interacting with others as well as doing good in his part-time job. drama Light is normal, therefore less intelligent. this is not to imply that manga Light displayed any abnormal behavior pre-kira, but he’d certainly made it obvious that he was faking his way through life until the very moment he’d decided to be god (and even after that, he kept doing so, but this time with purpose behind it). i believe that the drama makers wanted Light to be more realistic and relatable to the audiences that are undoubtedly not on manga Light’s intelligence level. of course, drama Light is still gifted with extraordinary intelligence as well, as he was able to carry all the plans that were set by original Light in canon. examples of instances that show he might not be as good as original Light are the entire scene prior to L’s death, in the way that Light did not predict whatsoever that L could’ve faked the death note. had mikami not been the one to kill him, L would’ve been able to arrest light yagami as Kira. another instance is also not predicting that there was a chance the agent raye penber ‘mark dwellton’ might’ve simply not written his own name down or any name down for that matter, and if it weren’t for misa’s interference, Light would’ve ended up dead. not to mention that drama Light is less of a good actor; he’s a great actor, true, but not as good as canon Light. drama Light showed obvious panic when L informed him about misa’s arrest, and although it is normal for him to show worry about her as his girlfriend, he should be able to know that L would know better, and would take note of his every action. he couldn’t keep his cool around the people that have bust him out; mark dwellton, L, and eventually his father, every confrontation of these led to Light’s confession of being Kira, and these characters being able to discover his identity in the first place only proves that Light’s plans had been flawed. in the manga, there was never someone who ended up exposing Light as Kira, except for raye penber whom Light had planned would be dead by the second he found out, the same goes for naomi misora, and misa was on his side from the very beginning and had the unfair advantage of the shinigami eyes. drama Light’s own shortcomings could’ve killed him on more than one occasion, and his intelligence is to be admired for coming out of it successful every time and managing to find a way out, but manga Light was a true mastermind for never allowing it to happen in the first place. of course, it is VERY important to note that the character light yagami in general is ABNORMALLY lucky, so lucky in fact, that anything could’ve gone wrong at any given time and yet he’d always end up a winner. it could only go on for so long before he was exposed, though.

this is a trivial distinction but drama Light is also less good-looking than manga Light, who’d seemed to actually take his looks to his advantage and use them to further his necessary purposes. this should also start me talking about the fact that drama Light might’ve not been okay with using something as shallow to manipulate people in the first place, which makes him just a little less corrupt than original Light. he’d never seemed to directly manipulate misa into getting him what he wants; she’d always seemed to jump into the opportunity completely voluntarily. he never kissed her or showed her affection to lull her in (the only time he did, he was trying to save both their lives, so that was an exception) not to mention that DRAMA LIGHT CARED ABOUT MISA MORE THAN MANGA LIGHT EVER DID. the stunt he pulled by giving her that unexpected letter and telling her that she was going to be attacked—that had been extremely dangerous, especially since L was monitoring his moves at the time (i think) and anything so conspicuous might’ve led to suspicion. manga Light didn’t even want to be seen with misa in public. drama Light literally created a public scene just to be able to save her life; he cares just the slightest bit about her. not to mention that he was/is a fan of hers, even if going to her concerts was merely peer pressure—a reasonable assumption. still, drama Light cared about misa to an extent, and showed he really wanted her out of those restraints and wanted L to release her when she was put in confinement (mostly so that she wouldn’t be able to expose him, true, but you’d have to be blind not to see that he was genuinely concerned about her).

drama Light had a softer side for both misa and L. he’d mentioned he wanted to be L’s best friend forever, which was extremely unnecessary and cheesy and gay, but the point is drama Light STOPPED for a second and let himself think of what he and L could’ve been had they not met under these circumstances. manga Light was too busy trying to kill L to let himself dwell on such thoughts, because L was the ultimate enemy. drama Light put his emotions in front of reason at particular times, and this was one of them (along with what i just discussed about trying to save misa). drama Light was more empathetic, and never considered ordinary people to be lesser than him; he had a better hold of his ego, because he didn’t have reasons to think he was above people in the first place, at least not before the death note. meanwhile, manga Light ALWAYS had this in mind, before and after the death note. drama Light realised he wanted to be god halfway through the series, after being fully exposed to Kira’s powers—he’d never let himself think about this before. manga Light realised he wanted to be god literally from the very first chapter of death note. this is due to the fact that, as i said, drama Light is less perfect, less intelligent, less good-looking, more normal, more realistic. he’s not a perfect sculpture that didn’t even seem to be real, the way manga Light was. he was greatly affected by his circumstances and a bit older when he found the death note, and didn’t immediately start thinking the world would be better if he used it—it took him some time to rationalise it, this is because his sense of justice has been dormant ever since his mother died, a very noticeable difference. manga Light didn’t take his time because his sense of justice and WAITING to do something for the world have been boiling inside of him for quite some time, and the death note only made it erupt at last. pay attention to the fact that this is not saying that any one of them is 2D because they’re both VERY complex (manga Light even more so) but overall, there is a considerable difference in personalities and past that made them not share the same exact character. it would be better to view each one separately, because drama Light has certainly made mistakes that manga Light would never allow himself to make, and you can’t even blame him for this because he grew up differently, and was designed to be different from the very beginning.

#i wrote a LOT #i hope this satisfies all drama light fanatics out there #i made sure the pros and cons are handled fairly #also i'm sure there are so many points i was thinking of and didn't end up writing cuz there are just so many details i can't possibly writ #but i was WAITING for someone to ask me about this so i can properly talk about it once and for all #thank you so much nonnie!#ask me about light yagami #light yagami #death note drama #death note #Anonymous

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samtheflamingomain · 7 years

Text

welcome to death note, where the plot makes no sense and the rules don’t matter

Unless you've been living under a rock the past few months, you're aware that there's a live-action American Death Note movie on Netflix.

I wasn't going to watch it because I knew it would be bad and I am a MASSIVE DN fan. I didn't want it to ruin one of my favourite things.

While I wouldn't say it did that, I will say that it was, without exaggeration, the worst screen adaptation of anything I've ever seen.

I went in with low expectations and knowing they'd have to change the plot around to fit into 90 minutes. The bar was so low and yet they managed to disappoint me at every turn.

So let's get into the details. Spoilers ahead, but who cares this movie is garbage.

I'll break it down into several aspects: acting and characterization, pacing and plot, visuals and sound, and finally, the sheer amount of nonsense and bullshit this film vomited into my face.

Okay. I hated every single character's personality. NONE of the characters were even remotely similar to the characters in the manga/anime. Light is a stupid, naive teenager who thinks with his dick. Mi(s)a is a sociopathic, manipulative cunt, Light's father is EXTREMELY stupid, Ryuk is not a neutral character (which is extremely important), and, finally, L. Oh, lord, L.

L is a cold, detached, calculating super genius detective. In the original. In the movie, he's a ballsy, irrational, emotional mess who somehow knows how to drive and wield a gun - unthinkable of OG L.

And to touch briefly on the acting: Nat Wolff is the only one I really have a problem with. He wears a constant look of confusion the whole movie and acts like a troubled child, not like a fucking serial killer.

Now, to your immense surprise, there is one character that I found was nearly spot-on: Watari.

And finally, the movie lacked in sheer number of characters. The ones I listed are, quite literally, the only ones in the film who speak. I get it, they didn't have time to do the Near, Mello, Takada, or Mikami plots. But I guarentee this movie would've greatly benefited from a Matsuda character, a Rem character, and Light's mother and sister.

Onto pacing and plot.

Again, I know they only had 90 minutes, but within the first ten minutes, Light has the notebook and hooks up with someone he barely knows (Mia), shows her the notebook, and they’re instantly dating and having some creepy murder sex. Within the first 30 minutes, nearly everyone knows Light is Kira.

Now to the main problems with the plot itself: there is no reason to give Light more motive to become a killer. It's his personality and his worldly outlook that causes him to take up killing. In the movie, they sloppily throw in some bullshit about his mom being killed, but they don't make that the actual motivation for killing. How do we know this? Well...

In the movie, his first kill is a bully at school (something OG Light was smart enough to realize is fucking stupid) and when told to add a cause of death, he immediately jumps to "decapitation" - revealing instantly that he's a sick fuck. Sure, bullies suck, but do they deserve to be fucking decapitated? Light Yagami only killed actual criminals (until he has to kill people investigating him).

This might seem petty, but it's actually super important: Ryuk shows up before Light kills anyone. In the original, Light needed no prodding from a Death God to begin his murder spree. In the movie, it's Ryuk that goads him into his quest. This goes back to the fact that Ryuk is supposed to be neutral. It takes away Light's agency and makes it feel like Ryuk is controlling him.

L makes WAY too many guesses with little logic or evidence. It takes a lot longer for L to deduce Light is Kira in the original. Movie L makes some very uncharacteristic leaps of logic just for the sake of driving the movie on.

There's a scene pretty early on that mimics a similar scene in the original with Light and L sitting in a diner together. In the original, it’s not super important. Movie version involved L outright accusing him of being Kira on flimsy-at-best evidence, and then, in what might be the worst event in the movie, Light readily admits to being Kira and taunts him about not knowing how he kills.

After some bullshit about Light mind-controlling Watari (more on that later) to try and get L's name and Watari dies, L goes on a destructive car/foot chase with Light. In the original, it's important for L to figure out how Kira kills before killing him. This movie L doesn't seem to care about anything but revenge and being proven right.

I keep saying this, but another horribly-written thing happens that might be the worst part: L has Light cornered with a gun on him and someone randomly comes and knocks L over the back of the head, the very epitome of a Deus Ex Machina.

Then we get to the climax, which is an extremely long scene where Light and Mia hijack the Seattle ferris wheel, take it to the top and fight over who should own the book. They've both written each others' names down and the pages need to be burned by midnight if they want to live (groan, unnecessary race-against-time). They spend a good 5 minutes dangling from the wheel when RYUK causes it to collapse; something OG Ryuk would have NEVER EVER DONE, because, as the movie fails to explain, Ryuk’s motivation is supposed to be boredom. I’ll touch more on why this happens in a bit. Mia falls to her death, Light falls into the water, into a coma, and wakes up two days later.

Okay, now I do have to give the movie a bit of credit here: it seems at first like a bunch of ridiculous coincidences that lead to Light outliving Mia. Turns out he saw all this coming (somehow) and had quickly used the book to ensure that: the wheel collapses, Mia falls from the wheel and dies, the page with his name is burned so he will live, that he's rescued from the water after his fall, that he's in a coma but murders continue via a random criminal writing in the book before delivering it back to Light just as he wakes from the coma. I'll pick this part apart in a minute because there is just so much wrong with this sequence of events that I can’t even.

And finally, the ending, if you can call it that. The writers were VERY clearly trying to be clever and leave us with a cliffhanger.

L is "proven wrong" about Light being Kira because the murders continued while he was in a coma, and is supposed to go back to Japan, before he suddenly remembers that Mia has a page of the book at her house. He gets there and finds the page she used to kill invesigators behind Light's back. The movie ends with L, shaking in uncharacteristic anger, about to write Light's name. Fade to black.

Finally, one last thought on the plot before I touch on other elements: this is a terrible adaptation, but an even worse movie. As a stand-alone movie, viewers new to Death Note would no doubtedly leave feeling confused and like nothing important was said in the movie. It does nothing to touch on the ambiguity of Kira's actions vs. L's. It has no underlying takeaway besides "Hey look at this cool book!"

Okay, quick thoughts on visuals and sound. Visuals are great (minus whatever bullshit paper mache project that is Ryuk). They dont' shy away from gruesome depictions of murders. I'd cite the incredible series of events that lead to Kenny being decapitated as the best example.

Hated the audio. Random songs start playing where score would've been better.

Okay, now onto the nitty-gritty details that make this movie absolutely fall apart.

Most of them are to do with the mechanics of how the Death Note is supposed to work. The original only has one page of rules and no names in it yet. Movie Book has pages and pages of rules and names filled in. There are rules that don't exist in the original (like the burning of the page to save the life of the victim, the fact that Mia can't see Ryuk after touching the note*, and most deplorably, the rule about "must be physically possible" being shattered into pieces at every turn.

*When Light first shows Mia the book and has her touch it, he assumes she’ll be able to see Ryuk WITH NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS. In the original, Ryuk has to tell Light about this rule. In the movie, Light GUESSES that that’s how it works. And he’s wrong: unlike the original where Mia would’ve seen Ryuk, Ryuk claims in the movie that only the owner of the book can see him - super convenient for Light, who walks around school with the book in full view.

But there's a lot of other bullshit that ruins this monstrosity. There's a turning point in the movie where Mia tries to convince Light to kill his own father. The prompting event doesn't happen in the original, but I have no doubt that OG Light would've killed him without hesitation, as he outright says in the original. Because OG Light would be smart enough to know that leaving his father alive in that situation would immediately implicate him.

Here's one of the worst offenses (again, I know): Light writes the name "Watari" in the book. And it works. Watari is not his real name, and even if it were, who only has one name?

L does the whole "taunting Kira to kill him on TV" as in the original, but this event leads him to the conclusion that Light needs a name and a face - something that makes absolutely no sense for him to instantly know after one test.

Now, about the ending sequence at the ferris wheel and the hospital. The police are chasing Light and Mia, the two threaten the wheel's operator with a gun to take them up. And then he's later "officially" exonerated because the murders continued while he was in a coma, but because Light killed his mother's killer, his father "knows” he's Kira, which, of course, Light admits. If he's "officially" not Kira, why did he run from the cops and hijack a ferris wheel? L knows the power of killing can be transferred to another, yet doesn't explain this fact to anyone when the killings continue during Light’s coma.

And the biggest shitshow of nonsense? The way Light kills Mia and ensures he lives and ends up with the book again. Waaay too much of it is contingent on luck, along with some great rule-breaking.

Light writes: Mia takes the book, the wheel collapses, she falls to her demise, and the page with his name on it is burned. That's not how it works. There cannot be a passive action in a Death Note murder. He would've had to write: Mia takes the book, burns Light's page, then falls to her demise.

He also writes that he himself falls but goes into a coma, set to wake up in two days. Also impossible. You can't create a sequence of events that affect someone other than the murder victim. And you especially can’t use it to (directly) save someone’s life.

Essentially, Light is writing things he'd like to happen in the book. It's a Death Note, not a Life Note, and certainly not a Wish Note.

He also writes that criminal number one retrieves him from the water and revives him. The criminal would have to know there's a kid in the water, where he is, and how to revive him. Possible, but not foolproof because of the "physically possible" rule. If dude didn't know CPR, Light would've died.

Then, he has criminal number two retrieve the Death Note and continue writing names in the book for the two days he's in the coma, and then return it to him in the hospital. This is less about "physically possible" and more about somehow being able to brainwash him. The events leading up to his death have to be something he could conceiveably do on his own. See also: the brainwashing of Watari.

Let me explain a bit more: in the original, Light experiments with the "physically possible" rule. In one test he writes: (criminal) draws a perfect likeness of L's face on his prison wall before dying. This isn't physically possible because the criminal doesn't know what L looks like, so it's inconcievable that he could, under any circumstance, draw L's face.

Similarly, there's no way that Watari would think of going back to the orphanage to get L's real name, nor is there a conceivable way that a criminal would think to go to Light's specific hospital room and leave him the book. It has to be something they could potentially think of themselves.

Now, I know these are a lot of extremely fine details, but to people who know how the book is supposed to work, it all looks messy and contrived.

Finally, let me leave you with one last gripe/thought. Death Note is an IP originating from Japan. I get that it's a purposely American adaptation meant for American audiences, but something in the movie happens that kind of pissed me off:

Light chooses the name Kira (instead of his fans choosing the name) largely because it means "killer" in Japan, then decides to try and throw people off his scent by focusing his murders in Japan. I have no doubt that this was meant to be a nod to its Japanese origins, but it comes off as... kind of like kicking the original when it's already down. You're taking a Japanese IP, taking it to America, then using Japan as a scapegoat for American Light. Maybe it's just me, but it really made me think, "Haven't they suffered enough just by the fact that this movie exists?"

I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff I've missed due to repressing the memory of ever seeing this terrible movie, but those are my major (and minor) problems with it.

Don't see it. It's bad.

And DEAR GOD, PLEASE DON'T MAKE A SEQUEL.

Stay Greater.

#death note #death note movie #death note 2017 #movie review #review #sam

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elo-pisces-blog · 7 years

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Netflix + Death Note = WTF?

Alright so I just literally finished the ‘Americanised’ version of a beloved series of mine 'Death Note' on Netflix and it was worse than I was expecting - like...so much worse.

I literally felt like whoever directed Dragonball Evolution *shudders* and M Night Shamalan made love and had a hybrid baby who created this hunk of garbage that they even dare to call a Death Note movie! At first I thought maybe William Dafoe can save this movie as Ryuk - that was honestly all I was watching this movie for and I was seriously disappointed - what a wonderful window of opportunity wasted for Dafoe on such a poor representation of our beloved Ryuk - they made him practically a bigger rival than Light in this movie - like he actually wrote people's names in the book on Light's behalf and without valid reasons or explanation - wait...did he? o.o I dunno

The whole entire story was rushed, and I mean this was all wrapped up in the course of about a week...ish? In the end Light was still unproven to be Kira - we were left on a seeming cliffhanger for a sequel which I beg and pray to the Anime Gods for them to strike down and oppose this massacre! Oh and SPOILER...L wanted to kill Light...like not figuratively...literally was willing to sacrifice his entire humanity and the sense of justice all because Light "killed" Watari - Watari's death...actually made no sense - how could they figure out his name without the Shinigami eyes? Which were also not mentioned in the story but they made sure to elaborate on virtually all rules in the Death Note - which I swear aren't in the actual Death Note itself in the anime - going back to L...this was honestly a shock factor that failed miserably - like legit (sorry I'm rambling now - angry typing! > : ( )

But the biggest shit on the franchise was the guy they chose to play Light Yagami...oh sorry Light "Turner" - where the fuck did they get this guy? Fresh out of a teenage angsty vampire movie? Maybe he's a Vegan with super powers? (Heh...Scott Pilgrim reference heh) How edgy and annoying can one little shit get? Like seriously some of the choices he made in this movie were literally comedic worthy, amateuric and not Light like at all - it was as if he wanted to get caught as opposed to surpassing and defeating 'L' - who I will talk about in a second. The scene when he first met Ryuk was seriously like watching a cartoon - and why were the chairs and tables flying everywhere? That scene made no literal sense to me - it was this scene that set the entire tone for the movie for me and I was constantly finding something to do while watching it - writing scripts - doodling - texting - instagraming - anything to rid me of this pain for a few seconds!

Oh and the girlfriend...oh the girlfriend...Mia I believe her name was? She got aroused by killing people...like literally that is how she is...she gets off on killing people using the Death Note - seriously...they (her and Light) had sex after and during killing someone and it was awkward - I think the director tried to make her seem like a fucked up chick but I just laughed the entirety of the movie watching her. Oh and when she died at the end - the director seemed to make us want to be sad about her death - like slow motion - reaching out hands and shit - fuck off I don't care.

Right...onto L - who at first I felt the actor was pretty decent - in fact you can see he actually tried to get into his role and it worked...for about thirty minutes I'd say and he got pretty...boring. NO I'm not a racist - I actually didn't mind and was open minded about a Black guy playing L as long as he could get the character and role right - but he failed to interest me after he started going all psycho and obsessively chasing Light like some deranged lunatic - why? Why did they need to make him go mad? It ruins the aspect of the character overall.

Plot holes...so many plot holes - like how did they find out Watari's true name to control him and make him go to a location that Light himself has no clue where it is and without the shinigami eyes? Why when Light picks up the Death Note does Ryuk tempt Light to kill that kid from high school who was bullying Mia - almost stepping in from time to time? I also get that it was Americanised but was there any need for so much gore? What the fuck was with the "previous Death Note holder dies and passes it on" bull crap? I thought Ryuk dropped the Death Note in the human world because he was bored? Where was Misa? Where was Matsuda and gang? Mikami? Mello? Near? I appreciate they had a tight 1 hr 30 minutes to squeeze the entire 37 episodes into - wait no...why did they try to squeeze it into one movie? Not like I want a fucking sequel or anything but why? We didn't even get a real resolve from it in the end after all that bearing with the movie.

I could just rant about this movie and rip into it more but I have to get to bed for work in the morning - if anything I've got from this movie is that I wanna watch the original again and work on my comic book a lot harder because clearly any bullshit can make the big screens nowadays >.> Also sorry if some parts of my rant made no sense...it’s 00:08am and I’ m super tired...

Good night

#netflix #deathnote #netflixdeathnote #review #movie #netflixmovie #moviereview #willamdafoe #bullshit #tumblr #deathnoteanime #deathnotemovienetflix #deathnotemovie #light yagameme #lightturner #movies

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lawlight-week · 7 years

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Lawlight Week Exchange

Title: Hear, Heart, the Beat of Goodnight

Name of creator: @silvia-aivlis

Created for: @mr-frog-man

Prompt: Coffee shop banter (This turns out to be an AU involving coffee shops and proceeds from bickering to banter… eventually. :p)

Characters: Main - Light Yagami, L Lawliet; secondary - Touta Matsuda, Hideki Ide; more making an appearance or being mentioned

Rating, warnings and no. of words (for fics): General; no warning unless you count s l o o o o w buildup; 7048

Hear, Heart, the Beat of Goodnight

‘Here’s hope that tomorrow you’ll realise coffee-making is a human art. Someone who just relies on a cheap, lifeless machine cannot become a real coffee master.’

‘Mind how you talk about My Wammy’s invention. He made a name with his coffee in London long before your father was born. I’ve been learning from the best since the age of ten.’

No one could explain why the two cafés at the twelve-level Heartbeat shopping mall were both located on the same floor with less than five metres distance between them. Nor did anyone know why there had to be two open cafés selling coffees and muffins when there was not even a proper restaurant in the shopping complex.

The arrangement simply did not sound reasonable business-wise, but it must be said that the owners of Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner were very kind people and had always wished the other café the best form of peace.

‘Rest in peace’.

Their wishes gained a new fervour when Investigation, the town’s best-selling newspaper, published the following article:

EXCLUSIVE:

Heartbeat revamp post-Yotsuba purchase

Add bistro, cut café

Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner have long been the only choices for hungry shoppers at the labyrinth that is Heartbeat. The lack of diversity has been the complaint of many. NOT ANYMORE! Your faithful Investigators, Shuichi Aizawa and Kanzo Mogi, are able to confirm the upcoming addition of a gourmet restaurant in the town’s largest shopping mall. Yotsuba Corporation, the new owner of Heartbeat, has plans to improve…

… ‘We don’t want two similar cafés. One is perfectly enough and the other will be replaced by Yotsuba Gourmet, which will provide more seats and a larger variety of food choices with increased space and investment.’ Arayoshi Hatori, Yotsuba’s Vice President of Marketing, claimed the land owner will decide which café needs to say goodbye in the next month. ‘Quality and popularity are essential criteria for consideration when we make plans for any premises under Yotsuba’s wing.’

Who will stay and who will fade? Our fellow Investigators will be checking on the ‘quality’ and ‘popularity’ of Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner in this upcoming month. The battle is on. Stay tuned to see who will survive!

‘Worthless paper. As if they actually had any influence on Yotsuba’s decision.’ At Kira Kira Café, Teru Mikami closed his issue of Investigation muttered contemptuously.

‘Light, what should we do?’ Misa Amane asked.

With hearts in their eyes, she and Kiyomi Takada (the newest of the four full-time workers) watched Light Yagami, the handsome owner of Kira Kira Café in his late twenties, rest his chin on the back of one hand while contemplating an answer. ‘A newspaper may not influence Yotsuba directly, but it can influence the public, and consumers’ opinion may affect our business and shape Yotsuba’s opinion.’ Light reasoned. ‘I wonder how Investigation is planning to do this ‘checking’. Anyhow, we have to…’

‘A wise business decision. I’ve always thought there’s no need for two coffee shops so close to each other.’ On the other side of Heartbeat 3/F, Nate River of Wammy’s Coffee Corner offered his very sensible comment regarding the Yotsuba Corporation’s business plan.

‘And that’s all you have to say? That it’s good we’re facing a survival crisis right now?’

Nate took a little time to play his hair (which, for some reason, was white despite his young age) before responding, ‘… there won’t be a crisis if we win, Mihael.’

Mihael Keehl sprang up and Mail Jeevas, who was sitting next to him, yelped in pain when Mihael’s left shoulder haphazardly bumped into his right arm.

But before Mihael could open his mouth, the last and eldest participant in this conversation spoke. ‘We should make Wammy’s as popular as possible, serving the best coffee and snacks we can. Let the reporters and other people “check on” us and attest to our superiority over Kira Kira. Anyhow, we have to…’ The dark bags under his eyes might have made another person look exhausted, but they totally failed to hide the sharpness in L Lawliet’s gaze towards the ‘enemy’s territory’.

Neither café had walls and L’s unfriendly regard soon met its rival in Light’s intense glare. Neither person bothered to greet or acknowledge the other’s existence in any way.

‘… we have to send them packing.’

‘I saw that Mrs Yagami was very interested in Wammy’s seven types of latte this afternoon, but was too polite to actually ask.’

‘She was just interested in the drawings on your banner. And that wasn’t even your own doing. You just asked that Linda girl whom River knows to draw for you.’

‘But can’t Master Kira Kira actually keep mama’s attention with his own coffee?’

‘She just happened to look around when I talked with my sister. And I should mention that Sayu doesn’t drink coffee except those that I make. She hates everything that’s on sale elsewhere but begs me to make her café au lait every day in high school. That’s why I began making coffee and getting better day by day at such a young age.’

Same as many people who visited Heartbeat for the first time, the two men ogled at Kira Kira Café on their left and Wammy’s Coffee Corner on their right, seemingly unsure which way they should head for.

‘Hey, since these two cafés have to kill the other if they want to stay after the revamp, what d’you think they’ll do? Maybe wage a price war?’ The slightly taller man wore his large rucksack in the front instead of at the back, and although he was busy searching for something inside the bag’s main pocket, it did not hinder his passion for gossip.

The other man, shorter but with shoulders a little broader, did not carry a bag but had a digital camera around his neck—a tourist?—and he was quick at dismissal. ‘No, that’d just look desperate… What are you looking for?’

Staggering as he dug into the rucksack aggressively, the taller man collided with two other walkers (who entered Kira Kira and Wammy’s, respectively) before answering, ‘I can’t find my pen… where is it?’

��Mind you don’t drop anything or bump into more people.’

The banal exchange would have completely escaped everyone’s attention—no one would have cared enough to question why a tourist would need a pen in the middle of a shopping mall—but all was changed when a 91 mm × 55 mm piece of paper chose this exact moment to leap out of the rucksack. Its spectacular consecutive somersaults would put most Olympic gymnasts to shame, but what truly captured the audience’s attention was the large, red logo blazoned on it. When it finally landed on the corridor between the two coffee shops, there was no mistaking what it was.

The signature magnifying glass printed on every issue of Investigation.

Reacting as quickly as he could, its owner stooped and covered the logo with one palm. He then cautiously picked it up, confirmed that the name Touta Matsuda was still attached to the other side of the card (as if it could run away), and slipped it back into his rucksack.

When he stood up, Matsuda gave a tentative thump-up to his fellow Investigator, but Hideki Ide rolled his eyes and muttered, ‘Fool, you immediately trying to cover the logo just makes us more suspicious! If anyone has seen it, we can’t even pretend to have just received the business card from a random reporter!’

Matsuda shuddered. ‘But we’re supposed to be “secret customers”… well, no one has been looking, right?’

If anyone had really been looking, it would have been easy to recognise the card’s prominent logo—the corridor was very narrow and there was nothing between it and either café, after all. Gulping at the dangerous prospect, Matsuda looked around nervously.

A bespectacled, stern-looking waiter in Kira Kira was busy talking to a customer (answering queries?), while a lanky boy wearing a pair of goggles and looking like he had just entered adulthood was cleaning a desk in Wammy’s. None of them had actually noticed his business card giving a gymnastic performance, right?

‘Let’s hope so. Anyway we should start. Which one should we try first? And I still have no idea how we’re going to visit two coffee shops in one afternoon without arousing suspicion.’

‘Don’t worry about looking suspicious all the time, or you’ll look even more suspicious!’

‘And who just did the most suspicious thing not a minute ago?’

‘Ahem.’ Both Matsuda and Ide jumped. Amid their whispered argument, they had not noticed the approach of the goggled waiter from Wammy’s. ‘Sorry. Is there anything I can help? Maybe you’d like a cuppa coffee? We’ve got excellent cappuccino.’

One hand gesturing towards Wammy’s invitingly, Mail put his other hand on Matsuda’s shoulder and began leading the two ‘tourists’ to the entrance.

Matsuda and Ide had no choice but to walk in. They missed Mail feigning holding a magnifying glass at their back, but certainly could not miss the barista who looked like he had not slept for a year, who had seen Mail’s signal and who then proceeded to recommend Wammy’s various kinds of espresso to the two undercover reporters.

They ordered the recommended cappuccino and were seated at a pair of black and white single seater sofas. The drinks arrived quickly, but the coffee mugs had not even touched their lips when a chirpy female voice reached their table.

‘What’s so special about cold brew coffee, then?’

Matsuda and Ide’s attention was immediately caught by Misa who, though wearing a waitress uniform, was sitting on a red plush chair just next to the entrance of Kira Kira Café, with a glass of cold coffee in her hand. She asked her question in a raised voice, ensuring that everyone at Wammy’s could hear her every word clearly.

So did the person who replied to Misa. ‘Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee ground in cold water. Compared to iced coffee which is just hot coffee cooled down, cold brew coffee is sweeter, less bitter and more mellow on the stomach. Since it doesn’t need ice to cool the coffee, it is also less watery. This is another important factor why cold brew tastes so good!’

L narrowed his eyes at the sight of Light Yagami answering Misa Amane’s (undoubtedly staged) question with a smug smile on his face. The young owner of Kira Kira Café had stepped out of his usual spot behind the barista table, leaving Teru Mikami (who had finished his conversation with the customer) to perform pouring some precious cold brew into glasses as ostentatiously as possible.

‘Cold brew takes a long time to prepare. That’s why it’s usually more rare and expensive, but Kira Kira Café has developed its own unique way to make cold brew coffee efficiently and at a low cost. It is the only place in the entire Heartbeat plaza where you can taste this delicacy!’ With a grandiose arm movement, Light concluded his pompous speech, drawing applause from Misa, all other women and a couple of men in Kira Kira and—to L’s annoyance—one of the Investigation reporters at the other side of the aisle.

‘Matsuda, what’re you doing?’ Even Ide could not suppress a grimace.

‘He’s such a good speaker! I wish I could speak that well too!’ Matsuda finally tasted the cappuccino in front of him, but his unfocused gaze suggested cold brew fantasies. L just wished he could steep the reporter (and the entire Kira Kira Café) in Antarctica for a cup of cold brew malignance.

Taking after Light’s example (not that L would admit it), L slid out of Wammy’s barista station and made his way towards Matsuda and Ide. Nate caught on immediately, exchanged a high five with L and went to fill in.

It took less than five seconds for L to reach the reporters’ table. ‘Actually you can make cold brew at home as well. What you need is just time, not any elaborate equipment. It’s not that difficult. There’re plenty of recipes on the Internet you can google.’ He spoke in a low voice because unlike someone, he did not need to be heard by people in the opposite shop.

He took a second to smile innocently at The Someone (earning a death glare in return). Then, to the shock of his audience, he shook his shoes off and stepped onto a grey single seater. Crouching in his seat, he placed the objects in his hand (which Nate had just given him in their high five) on the table—a few coffee beans and a miniature coffee machine.

‘A lot of coffee tastes bitter due to a lack of precision in grinding and brewing. Coffee making is about science, especially in the case of espressos. The mixture of coffee beans and the exact time to grind them—you don’t want to grind for ten seconds too short or too long because that may destroy the beans’ flavour and aroma.’ L dangled two coffee beans right in front of Matsuda and Ide, the faint chocolatey smell getting stronger as he waved his fingers slightly. ‘But Wammy’s has long perfected the best formula for that. The heat and pressure to exert through an espresso machine also requires deliberate calculation, but thanks to the innovation of Wammy’s founder, Mr Quillsh Wammy…’

L droned on. Though perhaps not as charming as Kira Kira’s young and handsome boss, he successfully caught Matsuda’s attention with the semi-functional miniature espresso machine, and the reporter’s eyes shone with wonder when the tiny buttons clicked and buzzed under L’s command. Ide, who had been grumpy from the beginning, hid his face with one hand. He did not want to look at his naïve companion.

‘Feel free to ask me any questions.’ L concluded his demonstration with a small smile. ‘I don’t mind providing whatever information you’ll need for writing your article. There’s no point in pretending you’re not from Investigation any longer, I think.’

Ide added another hand. He did not want to look at this world.

‘Don’t talk when you know nothing! Kira Kira Café is so much more than “an amateur playhouse”. Since the day I was old enough to board a plane on my own, I’ve travelled with every penny I owned to learn about different coffees around the world!’

‘Weren’t you hospitalised for “drinking too much coffee” one day in Paris? I’m sure that’s quintessential professionalism.’

‘That was not for drinking too much coffee. That was for drinking poorly-made, unhygienic coffee! And you can bet I’ve put all the lesson I learnt into Kira Kira’s operation. Unlike you, who couldn’t even properly remember when you’ve heard the other day.’

‘The mall is going to close in fifteen minutes. Mind the time, Yagami-san!’

‘Thank you, sir. Leaving soon!’

‘The mall is going to close in fifteen minutes. Mind the time, Lawliet-san!’

‘Thanks.’

The security guard walked away while Light wiped the last water droplet off the coffee funnel. After placing both the cloth and the funnel back to their usual places, he took off his apron and grabbed his belongings, preparing to leave.

Save for the very rare days when he enjoyed a holiday, he was always the last to leave. The third floor of the Heartbeat shopping mall was almost totally silent and empty.

Except for The Enemy, the perpetual pest, of course.

Though L was acting strange. He strode out of Wammy’s, walking quickly but also deliberately keeping quiet, eyes scanning for something. He kept putting a hand behind one of his ears while circulating Wammy’s, but Light did not understand what he could be listening for—they were the only two people on the third floor now, and the faint rustling sounds they made certainly did not deserve special attention.

Apparently L did not find what he wanted to, because when he emerged from the back of Wammy’s again, he was actually heading for the other coffee shop, a most suspicious expression on his face.

Light hastened to block him when he was deemed too near Kira Kira Café. ‘What do you want?’ Light asked, clearly not welcoming the trespasser.

L blinked at the question. After looking around and then trying to stare behind Light (who tried his best to prevent that), he finally spoke. ‘Didn’t you hear anything?’

Despite looking somewhat serious, this guy was utterly full of crap. ‘I only heard whatever sounds you’ve been making.’ Light folded his arms and straightened himself, hoping he came off as intimidating. ‘And?’

L stared and looked around again, but to no avail. ‘Nothing.’ He finally deadpanned and returned to Wammy’s.

Now it was Light’s turn to become suspicious. He paid extra attention to L’s movement at the same time as he prepared to leave, but nothing happened.

L was also leaving. He usually left at the same time as Light—just before the security guard locked the mall entrances. Light had the nagging suspicion that L sometimes hid and slept in the mall at night, but he never had any proof. He just did his best to make sure L could not break into Kira Kira without him finding out (which was a difficult task because both cafés did not have doors or walls, but he had many tricks in his pocket).

L leaving the building meant Light did not have to worry about being sabotaged, but it did not automatically make his way home more enjoyable.

Even today, he still could not fathom what unkind deity could possibly make him and L Lawliet not just operate competing businesses next to each other, but also live on the same floor in the same building. Exasperation at divine nastiness was a loyal buddy when they boarded the same orange and green one-decker every night and day, throughout their three-year tenures in Heartbeat.

The two baristas always sat at the back row, one occupying the left-most seat and the other the right-most. The ride was quiet save for the sound of motion. Only a handful of other passengers scattered in the front while an awkward silence filled the air. Light never talked to L and vice versa, each preferring to look at the neon lights and street lights that forced insomnia onto the city.

The ride took less than fifteen minutes. Silence followed their steps off the bus, at the lobby and in the lift. As the door to the lift opened, they walked towards their respective apartment along the narrow and straight corridor, salmon pink ceramic tiles dull and fatigued under pale lighting.

Light stopped in front of the second closest door to the lift, opening his bag for the keys. L passed him without saying a word.

‘Hope you sleep well tonight…’ Light’s murmur was soft and sudden, but certainly loud enough to be heard.

L looked over his shoulders.

‘…so that you won’t hallucinate non-existent voices again. Watching you do that pains me so.’ Light made sure L was looking at him before flashing a scornful smile.

‘Or maybe you’ll develop better sensitivity overnight. Difficult task, I know, but senses are essential for making passable coffee. Unlike pain, which you seem partial to but is actually useless.’ The retort was quick and L did not even put up an expression. Instead, a staring match was declared and sharp, pitch-black eyes were fixed on dark brown, almond ones.

The match was intense but short-lived. A few seconds later, Light plucked out his keys and proceeded to open the door, while L resumed the way to his apartment. Both knew to preserve their strength for the next contest because their rivalry had lasted day and night and stretched from Heartbeat to home.

If they did not win this round of sparring, there would always be another one the next night. After that, they would always board the earliest bus tomorrow and continue fighting with every cup of coffee they made. The feud had trained them well and added flavour—an unorthodox but refreshing spark of spice tinting caffeinated lives with crimson. Every night they closed their eyes to rest, they had the vision of defeating each other next day to look forward to.

But they would not be looking forward to that a month from now. Competition was now not just a game in their daily routine, but a battle of survival.

‘You know what? As much as you boast your knowledge of coffee to every customer, you only ever serve yourself affogato. It’s like you’re just going after the ice cream instead of the coffee. You even went for a second scoop today without the drink.’

No response was unforthcoming, only a stare.

‘I just find it hypocritical that you open a café, yet you seem not very interested in your own coffee. Skills can’t make a barista great without passion. Why don’t you open an ice cream parlour instead?’

‘It sounds like you live off coffee alone. I thought one’d die with that, but I’m obviously ignorant of alien biology.’

‘Who…’

‘And your observation skills are simply excellent. We’ve just been neighbours for three days and you already conclude that I like ice cream more than coffee. In fact, I’m just experimenting making ice cream with Wammy’s own coffee. I haven’t even eaten anything except affogato these days.’

‘…’

‘Coffee to you is just coffee, but to me it can live in anything. Revise your slogan. Passion can’t make a barista great without imagination.’

Under the enthusiasm (read: pressure) of the two café owners, Matsuda and Ide visited two more times and acquired more than enough materials to write in the Life section of Investigation a series of articles which, spinning the angle of competition, were actually just introducing Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner to the readership. Though unskilled in masquerading themselves, the pair proved to be proficient journalists. Their appeal to ‘visit the cafés and choose the winner yourself, dear reader’ worked—three weeks saw a noteworthy increase in the customer toll of both shops.

The scythe awaited the losing shop in one week’s time, and tension and anxiety shrouded all staff members of both sides. Even without prompting, all full-time staff had opted to take no leave before they could be certain of their café’s fate. Light began to have bizarre dreams of first-class Robusta coffee beans seeking a job in employment agencies or begging for money with a coffee cup on the street.

He wondered whether his arch-enemy from Wammy’s was as dedicated to the welfare of coffee beans in his dreams, but L might not even have time for sleep these days. The number of nights Light suspected L of staying at the mall overnight had increased drastically. For nearly every day in the last two weeks, L would disappear right after the security guard’s cue call and not be seen in the last bus at night. He would also mysteriously appear at a very early time next morning without having been in the first bus, the size of his eye bags suggesting that he had slept very little or not at all. Was he hiding at Wammy’s at night, using the time when no one was in Heartbeat to invent some ‘secret weapon’ recipe?

Last night was another one like this and Light’s solitary journey to and from home was imbued with the apprehension of not knowing what L was up to. The feeling did not abate while Light, arriving at Kira Kira in the next morning just five minutes after the mall was unlocked, found L already hunched up in one of Wammy’s sofas, inspecting something tiny between his thumb and index finger.

Apprehension turned to dread as Light neared the barista station that he covered with a red cloth before leaving. One look sufficed to tell him that the creases on the cloth were different. Different from what he especially arranged every night before leaving, and different in a way that could only be caused by a human. Dread burst into scorching rage at the implication, pushing an incensed Light into Wammy’s Coffee Corner without thinking.

It was so early in the morning and no one except L was at the café, so Light found himself standing in the middle of enemy territory in no time.

L seemed to take no offense at his nemesis butting in without invitation, which in Light’s eyes confirmed his guilt. But when Light tried to grab his white, round necked T-shirt in a fit of anger, he slapped the hand away and growled threateningly.

‘I don’t know how you know, but you clearly deduced that someone has entered your shop last night after you left.’ L said, standing up and moving defensively while Light scuttled left and right for a chance to strike again. ‘And you’ve somehow decided that it was me.’

Light took two more small steps, and then halted. ‘And you’re going to deny it like the liar you are, saying that I have no proof.’ The venom in his voice might be alarming, but Light did not motion further because what he just said was technically true. That L had stayed overnight was his suspicion. Though the older barista definitely had motivation to sabotage Kira Kira, he obviously would not be stupid enough to give himself away, and Light would have to find out on his own what the other man had done. ‘You better not let me find the proof, then. Sorry for disturbing.’ Light turned away tensely, without meaning his apology.

‘The culprit did not have time to do anything, because I chased him away before he could.’

Light swung back angrily at the implication of L’s words. ‘So you admit you were here last night!’

‘And why do you think I’m admitting this to you?’

‘You somehow want to win my trust, but fabricating a trespasser is hardly believable enough to achieve what you want.’

‘Ah, but there’s not an ounce of trust in you. You’re as pressed out as the coffee beans in an espresso machine.’

Light began indignantly but L continued despite that. ‘I wouldn’t fabricate an unbelievable tale because I know it wouldn’t work. I’m only saying this because it’s the truth. I have two more things to say. The second thing is that I invite you to stay behind, starting tonight. I believe the person may come back within this week, maybe on this very night.’

‘… What? And you said “second”?’

‘The first thing is that I invite you to look at this.’ L handed Light what he was keeping in his palm all this while.

‘I don’t know whether I should wish that you and Keehl would make peace or wish you be rid of him. I’ve never had this problem so I don’t really understand the hardship when even your staff doesn’t agree with the way you make coffee.’

‘I don’t really understand the happiness of having to running a bunch of drooling puppets around oneself either. But I guess some people just need constant admiration from blind followers.’

‘Will you lose your voice without spitting insult on innocent people? Everyone now working full-time at Kira Kira has all been my faithful customers at one time! My staff admire me because they appreciate my coffee! Yours can’t even be paid to praise your lousy drinks.’

‘Well, if you must know, all of my full-time staff have actually been Mr Wammy’s protégés and I’m training them to open their own coffee shops one day, to spread Mr Wammy’s coffee philosophy post-mortem. Dissonance is encouraged because it helps them learn and I don’t need the world to revolve around me. And anyway, once they give their idea more thought and taste, they’ll finally realise that I’m right.’

‘… you don’t need the world to revolve around you but “they’ll finally realise that I’m right”… very convincing, absolutely inspirational…’

‘… pot calling kettle black…’

Light’s feet trembled slightly as they touched the vinyl flooring without the protection of shoe soles. Wearing just socks in a public area made Light feel more exposed than he actually was, and he could not help but doubt his decision to stay at the mall overnight with L.

‘Don’t give me that face. We need to be as quiet as possible as we move and your boots are too loud. Wear shoes with rubber soles next time.’

As if he could have predicted this when he chose his footwear in the morning. And as if there would be a next time.

L had studied the blind spots of the mall’s surveillance cameras and the security guard’s routines very well. Working together, the two men successfully stole two spare keys from the large set in the security office and hid in the female restroom opposite it (they knew no female guard was on duty today and decided that it was the best strategic position).

Technically, they only had to wait until all security guards locked and left the building. Guards were only stationed outside the mall at night, and when the morning came, nobody would have the interest to check the surveillance feed inside unless there was any complaint about unexplained lost or damage of property.

But something was clearly different tonight.

‘You’re right.’ Light hardly believed that such words could come out from his own mouth. Opening the restroom door very slightly, Light observed the movement—or lack thereof—outside. ‘The last guard should have left already, but he didn’t. What’s he doing in the security office?’

‘Bidding for time. And if I assume correctly, he’ll probably switch off all surveillance cameras soon. Maybe he already did, so as not to leave any evidence of his activity. I’m pretty sure the feed was switched off last night, or he would have known it was me who scared him away with those card boxes near the boutique, but he didn’t pay attention to me today, and was just generally jumpy instead. He probably thinks that “accidentally” switching off the feed for one or two nights is a much less serious crime than there being evidence of him actually sabotaging Heartbeat’s shops.’

‘But why would he do that? So now you’re not totally lying, but I still don’t see why a security guard would have motive to harm a coffee shop.’

‘Two coffee shops, I believe.’

‘Whatever. If your theory is true then it’s just…’

‘We’ll find out when we catch him in action.’

L gripped at the cufflink in his palm—the same one that he asked Light to inspect in the morning. According to L, since the time he heard odd noises before the mall closed, he had tried to stay inside at night as often as he could, hiding in a restroom from which he could detect suspicious movement around the café area, certain that Light Yagami and his cronies were plotting to strike when no one was watching over Wammy’s. Last night was not any different.

Light first scoffed at the idea that he might do something underhanded at night (how distrustful must L have been to suspect such a baseless theory?), then balked when he heard about L hiding in a restroom, and was now trying hard to ignore the irony of himself doing the exact same thing.

L’s wait had not been fruitless, but he was surprised to recognise the outline of the security uniform under the dim moonlight from the window, and even more so when the approaching person did not enter Wammy’s Coffee Corner but Kira Kira Café.

In Light’s opinion, the most dubious part in L’s story was that L, upon the ‘instinct that the trespasser was up to no good’, decided to distract the security guard by overthrowing a pile of card boxes just outside the restroom. L claimed that he assumed the guard would come to inspect what happened and planned to ambush him then, but the man was frightened away instead, and did not emerge to tidy up the card boxes until Heartbeat was ‘officially open’ again. Near a chair in Kira Kira, L discovered a cufflink that belonged to a security uniform, confirming the identity of the trespasser who had nearly tripped at the exact same spot when he ran away.

‘The good news is, if he’s that weak-kneed and clumsy, it probably won’t be that difficult to get the truth out of him, once we catch him guilty on spot.’ L concluded when he finished his tale.

Light remembered being unsure whether he should believe L. ‘… let’s say that you’re telling the truth and that he’ll really try whatever he wanted to try again tonight… why would you “invite” me?’

But for some inexplicable reason, he remembered the answer that followed even more.

‘Because you’re already making a fuss.’ L continued before Light could complain. ‘Because you’re actually not the enemy this time. And because I know you would care and work with me to stop the ploy. Because you don’t make coffee for your little sister every day and get sick in France for a security guard to harm Kira Kira Café.’

Light remembered being speechless at this explanation.

Though, at the same time, he was not that surprised. Just as L picked up on who Light Yagami was from their nightly bickering, Light also understood why L would react so drastically towards any possible threat to Heartbeat’s cafés. Because L needed coffee to honour the man who raised him. Because he cockily believed that his coffee was the embodiment of perfection (like Light). And because he had devoted his life, spirit and soul to his café (also like Light).

Light understood perfectly.

He was brought back to reality by the opening of the security office’s door. He signalled to L and the game was back on.

EXCLUSIVE:

HEARTBEAT CONSPIRACY

Why is the Yotsuba Corporation poisoning everyone’s favourite coffee shops?

Loyal readers of Investigation would have been aware of the ongoing epic battle between Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner in the Heartbeat shopping complex—the war where only one can survive! Everyone in the city all have our idea of which café should stay after Heartbeat’s revamp, and are eagerly awaiting the Yotsuba Corporation to announce the final winner!

But what if Yotsuba does not intend there to be a winner at all?

In a bold midnight excursion, the owners of the two popular coffee shops uncovered the corporate giant’s egregious attempt to disgrace and oust both shops from the mall without incurring public backlash! Through employing a security guard!

Shocking? Yes! Preposterous? Well, we may not have believed it ourselves if we haven’t been there and seen it with our own eyes! Luckily, the café owners are as brilliant as the espressos and cold brews they make, and have actually asked us to be witnesses beforehand!

So this is it! The revelation of the Yotsuba Conspiracy! Brought to you first-hand by your faithful Investigators, Touta Matsuda and Hideki Ide!

…

Receiving Lawliet-san’s signal, we evaded the outside guards (who, unlike the inside one, were innocent, as far as we know!) and entered Heartbeat. One of the locked entrances was already opened for us, and we soon stationed at a safe spot on the third floor.

…

And it began! Unaware that everything he did was observed by FOUR pair of scrutinising eyes, the security guard unscrewed the pipe connecting to Wammy’s Coffee Corner’s espresso machine, pulled out a small packet and began to pour the content into the pipe!

Having the evidence of crime safely recorded by the Investigators’ superb night vision camera, it was time to reveal ourselves! Look at the security guard’s face when he saw light coming out from two other torches, and the two coffee shop heroes standing right behind it!

…

It took little to persuade the culprit to tell the truth. According to him, the Yotsuba Corporation regretted its announcement to keep one café operating and wanted its new bistro, which would be directly run by Yotsuba and was considered a project of utmost importance, to be the sole premise offering food and drinks in Heartbeat.

But by that time, Kira Kira vs. Wammy’s had already attracted much public attention thanks to Investigation, and the management thought it unwise to disclose its intention without a better excuse. Therefore, they bribed the security guard to taint both coffee shops’ water. When coffee lovers complained of food poisoning, Yotsuba would have the best reason in the world to expel Kira Kira and Wammy’s from Heartbeat!

In tears, Kurou Otoharada said he regretted accepting Yotsuba’s bribe and kneeled in front of Lawliet-san and Yagami-san to ask for their forgiveness. (Though Yagami-san was too busy putting on his shoes back to reply.) Otoharada also claimed to possess evidence that would prove Yotsuba’s guilt.

…

The Yotsuba Corporation had declined comment as of publication.

Weeks after Matsuda and Ide’s article scandalised the whole town, Light and L boarded the bus with satisfaction under a clear night sky. They had just ended a negotiation with the Yotsuba management and would soon see a considerable sum of money deposited in their bank accounts. They had agreed to settle out of court since they considered the damage to Yotsuba’s public reputation brought by Investigation’s report as sufficient revenge. The money would also allow each of them to open a bigger coffee shop at a better location.

Both Kira Kira Café and Wammy’s Coffee Corner were going to leave Heartbeat once and for all.

Light had been extremely amused during the negotiation, when one of Yotsuba’s men in suit offered a permanent waiver of rent as part of their compensation.

‘You really thought I’d been fighting this hard because I was scared of leaving your dingy mall?’ He snorted. ‘Kira Kira could have opened and succeeded brilliantly anywhere, anytime. I just couldn’t stand the thought of losing.’

Losing to Wammy’s when they had been rivals for three long and hard years had been unacceptable. But the contest had ended abruptly, without either of them becoming a clear winner or loser.

The funny thing was that they seemed to have learnt and understood a great deal about each other during their rivalry. His cold brew recipe was still a top business secret, while L’s espresso machine was still non-replicable, but otherwise their competitiveness had brought them close.

If they would look at each other’s way, the distance between the one-decker’s left most and right-most seats was in fact minimal. They would have been able to see the all of each other clearly.

But even tonight, the journey on the bus still ended in familiar silence. The wait in the lobby and in the lift was equally reticent. L and Light walked shoulder-to-shoulder, mutely, on the corridor until the latter stopped at the second door nearest the lift.

Light remained quiet. They probably would not open a coffee shop next to each other anymore. They would not compete anymore. There was no point in throwing verbal jabs anymore. Dedicated to their work as they were, they might not even see each other in this corridor often from now.

Something always disappeared along with the end of one of life’s chapters, did it not?

But he made the wrong decision of wearing his bag on the left shoulder tonight, so when he turned left, he could not help but include L in his vision, and the strangely receptive man immediately glimpsed back.

Now this was awkward. Did they really have to talk? Why did he choose to wear his bag on the left?

Silence pervaded as Light chose his words carefully, but L was one step ahead.

‘Now can I finally get a taste of that cold brew? Maybe I’ll finally figure out how to make it after tasting.’

Light did not expect that. ‘What?’ His first reply was not very sophisticated, and he quickly remedied that by adding, ‘I’m sure my cold brew isn’t something you can “figure out” just by tasting it. I’m interested in why you’d ask that, though. Oh!’ His voice became a little loftier. ‘Maybe it’s because your espresso tastes like metal and can help me work out the secret of your magic machine?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. My espresso doesn’t make people think of machines.’

‘As far as I’m concerned, you’re the dense one who just made an absurd proposal.’

‘I just tried to say something different now that the situation has changed. Do you prefer that we be rude to each other even now? After resolving our rivalry and even going through a semi-alliance?’

‘But what you said is still rude. Try again.’

Light found it easy slip into the familiar rhythm of banter, but he was also curious what L would do next. It was even a little amusing to watch L looking challenged by the task of saying something ‘not rude’.

Finally, L blinked and his expression cleared. ‘Goodnight, then.’

He actually seemed proud of what he came up with, and Light could not resist laughter any longer. His voice exploded in the quietude of the night. He tried to stop, but ‘… lame…’ was all he managed to say before mirth took control.

‘Now who is rude?’

‘… Well… haha… well… I guess I’m sorry, then.’ L was not at all convinced when Light still could not erase the wicked smile throughout his ‘apology’.

Light took a deep breath. For some reason, even though the day had mostly gone well for him, he only felt the most relaxed now. The unexpected shot of cheeriness lifted his heart and made him fly.

When he spoke again, his smile was softer, more sincere. ‘Indeed, we’ve been rude to each other for so long, and even the most normal greeting sounds like an improvement.’

Maybe they would board the bus together again. Or the train. Or a taxi? Or they could just invite each other for coffee, if they wanted to.

Coffee never made itself. It needed great baristas like Light Yagami and L Lawliet.

‘Goodnight.’

—Hear, Heart, the Beat of Goodnight—

#lawlightweek2k17 #exchange #silvia-aivlis #mr-frog-man #fanfic #death note #lawlight #submission

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mikami · 5 years

Text

Death Note Audio Drama 11

Disc 11: Flame - a summary / partial translation

Prior translations / an explanation as to what the fuck this is.

This disc features: a lot more infuriating debate between Mikami and Virilio (the writing team really can’t be bothered to even pretend Mikami has a point for the sake of narrative), an absolutely unreasonable amount of sex, and also someone being called a high functioning sociopath.........

_________

Aizawa and Mogi are out for drinks, because Aizawa wants to discuss Near’s suspicion. Aizawa wants to place Light under surveillance before. Aizawa is very frustrated with five years of investigation having gone nowhere yet.

Aizawa points out that the task force hasn’t been targeted by Kira for five years. They suspect the task force has been protected because Kira is among them.

__________

TITLE MUSIC

__________

We’re back on the TV debate program. Paula Virilio is giving a lengthy speech about things we don’t expect of minors and the responsibility society has over minors. She asks if criminal law regarding minors is meant to punish or to course correct and raises the thought of juvenile criminals growing up to be upstanding adults.

TAKADA: General prosecutor Teru Mikami. I am sure you have an opinion on this matter.

MIKAMI: I do, indeed, Kiyomi. And not a very popular one, I’m afraid.

VIRILIO: It is way too popular. That’s part of the problem.

MIKAMI: Please, Paula. I didn’t interrupt your lengthy answer either.

TAKADA: You’ve spoken about your personal involvement in this matter before.

MIKAMI: Yes. There are cases where I would have liked the criminal justice system to have punished more harshly. My own mother was killed by a teenager who was wasted behind the steering wheel of his car. Of course. I wish we’d have put him into jail before it got that far. My mother would still be alive then.

VIRILIO: This is bottom of the barrel and you know it.

MIKAMI: You’re the one who’s always so concerned about cases from real daily life. This was one.

VIRILIO: With all due respect, this is not a case from real daily life. It’s a personal anecdote.

MIKAMI: I was merely 14. It felt pretty real to me.

VIRILIO: And the law is in place to protect us from our feelings. I am convinced you were angry and bitter and that you wanted revenge. But in my opinion that’s no reason to put a child that stole from the neighbourhood convenience store behind bars.

TAKADA: Harsh words and raw emotions tonight on our show. We’ll be back in a few minutes with the discussion between jurists Paula Virilio and Teru Mikami. Right after the break.

___________

Aizawa calls Near. Near asks for his argument that points toward Light’s innocence and Aizawa retells the confinement. Near is really outraged by all of their arguments. (He also points out during the mock execution that maybe Kira just needed to use their hands and that’s why nobody killed Soichiro). Near ends up practically yelling at Aizawa.

___________

TAKADA: Welcome back, dear viewers. With me are still Paula Virilio and Teru Mikami. We’re arguing about today’s topics and especially about the question of whether or not lawyers are still needed in this era of vigilante justice. Teru Mikami. You’re position is more towards the right on this.

MIKAMI: I don’t believe it’s right wing to simply want justice. I think there is one thing we can all certainly agree on: a lot of adult criminals are actually juvenile criminals who haven’t been stopped. Society would do well to step in earlier.

VIRILIO: Of course it should step in! But not with punishment! There are many ways to step in. Something that deeply unsettles me about Kira’s most recent victims is that even children who were still in school are among them.

MIKAMI: It doesn’t unsettle me in the slightest. I wish Kira had already been active when I was being beaten up by the bullies in my class.

VIRILIO: Is Kira supposed to take you too, when your girlfriend whom you dumped is airing dirty laundry on social media? Because that seems to be exactly what happened last week in Saitama.

TAKADA: You are referring to the sudden death of a school boy who was wrongfully accused of bullying. Teru, your answer?

MIKAMI: If that is truly what happened, that is of course regrettable. False accusations are a crime as well though. And maybe it’s one this girl should pay with her life for.

VIRILIO: Oh please.

MIKAMI: Kira is making a better society! Without frauds, liars and thugs, we’ll all be better off.

VIRILIO: So slander is worthy of capital punishment now, yes? Quarrel on the schoolyard can cost your life?

MIKAMI: That’s not what I said.

VIRILIO: Oh, of course not! Let’s note down what my opponent is propositioning here. He thinks the poison that Kira’s vigilante justice has spread in society over the last years is already impacting the behaviour of our children.

MIKAMI: You’re putting words into my mouth. I don’t think Kira’s justice is a poison.

VIRILIO: No, you truly don’t. You think it’s the best thing to happen to us since vaccination. Because you are - and now don’t take this personally - still stuck in the thought pattern of a little schoolboy who is too angry to see the greater context.

TAKADA: Allow me to interject here. Paula is referring to what I’ll cautiously call your... wild youth. Is it alright for us to discuss this here?

MIKAMI: I have some battles behind me. I defended other children against bullies. My conscience is clear.

VIRILIO: Your criminal record begs to disagree, Teru. You’re lucky your juvenile misdeeds didn’t stop you from becoming a lawyer. You’re lucky we all believe that you’ve always been at the right side of the fight. But if you were growing up today, one word on social media would be enough for your highly revered Kira would make you feel this childish sense of justice on your own body.

MIKAMI: Kira is certainly not a child.

VIRILIO: A teenager, yes. At least that’s what he was five years ago.

TAKADA: That’s news to me, Paula. Could you explain in more detail?

_____________

Aizawa confesses his phonecall with Near to Light. He asks for Light’s permission to put him and Misa under surveillance. Light agrees, but tells them to not tell Misa.

____________

Misa welcomes Mogi and Aizawa in her... uh, Outfit. The apartment search plays out fairly similar to the manga.

____________

Now we’re back on Kira’s Kingdom. Topic is the Kira temple that they built with donation money.

___________

Ryuk heavily criticizes Kira’s Kingdom for being a propaganda machine. Light agrees Demegawa outlived his usefulness. And then Demegawa dies on live TV, hurray.

___________

Aizawa and Mogi communicate about Demegawa’s death and exchange the info that neither Light nor Misa have done anything suspicious at the time.

__________

Mikami and Ryuk talk about the Demegawa killing. Ryuk points out the difficulty of Kira no longer having a spokesperson. Mikami thinks of Takada.

__________

Swiftly done, Takada announces being Kira’s spokesperson on TV: The task force is outraged. But Aizawa recognizes Takada as Light’s college GF.

__________

Swimming pool noises.

RYUK: Your constant push for fitness really suits you, Light. The midlife crisis doesn’t stand a chance against you.

LIGHT: Very funny.

RYUK: Alright. I know why you’re really here. No bugs.

They discuss Mikami picking Takada. Both Light and Ryuk thought he’d pick Virilio as a spokesperson (he only said ‘that woman I am always on TV with’). Light is displeased because Takada is his ex and has direct ties to him. (”She’s got my number, quite literally.”)

__________

Light calls Takada. Woohoo. Light wants to meet her at a hotel, you know the drill.

__________

Meanwhile investigators are still chilling with Misa. She made popcorn.

__________

Mello calls Near again. He doesn’t think Misa is Kira II, since he’s been stalking her for a while already. Misa and the investigators are playing board games.

Near is amused. “While you’re still following the old Kira, my guys are already on the heels of the new one.”

__________

Takada and Light had sex at the hotel. Congrats on the sex, guys??? Her phone rings after that. She claims its just her alarm and goes to shower, but of course it is not the alarm. Light picks up. It’s Mikami/Kira!

__________

Near explains his theory of an X-Kira to his team. They suspect the person who picked Takada already knew she is a Kira-follower, despite her not showing this opinion in public. They search Takada’s social group.

Gevanni and Lidner suggests Mikami as X-Kira, since he’s public-ally Kira’s biggest fan.

Near and the SPK are traveling to Tokyo. Gevanni is assigned to tail Mikami.

__________

Light and Mikami communicate about plans. Then they hang up and Light confesses that he’s Kira to Takada, who’s back from the shower. Neither Mikami nor Takada actually ask for proof of his identity, but that’s fine I guess.

Takada and Light fuck again. Grats on the sex.

__________

L: Maybe Mello just got the wrong job.

RYUK: Stop sneaking up on me.

L: Look at him, down there. He’s been watching Light’s apartment for two whole days. You rarely see this level of commitment from normal policemen.

RYUK: Hah. Are you gonna tell him? Or should I?

L: Tell him what?

RYUK: That he’s wasting his time. Misa isn’t worth it.

L: That’s not very nice.

RYUK: No, I mean she doesn’t remember a thing anymore. Not a single death note she touched, no murders, nothing about the years she did Light’s dirty work.

L: I am grateful that you’re freely admitting that I was right the whole time. And this also explains why she’s such a wreck.

RYUK: What are you talking about? She loves it. She wanted this stuffy life with Light from the very beginning.

L: The person you’re describing is a high-functioning sociopath. A mass murderer. A criminal.

RYUK: Yes, I always liked her.

L: You can’t just cut out a part of such a person without them collapsing inward.

RYUK: Yes, maybe.

L: Misa has always been unstable. Kira was the center of her world, for a lot of reasons. You think this is some kind of mental witness protecting program? You’re wrong about that. It’s lobotomy.

_________

Near tells Light that he’s in Japan. He tells Light that he is using himself as bait and tells Light to tell Takada that they’re following here. Since Kira would want to finish them once and for all.

_________

Takada calls Mikami and asks for the notebook pages.

_________

Light comes home to Misa. Misa’s been drinking heavily. It’s a regular thing, every night now. She half-remembers doing something together with Light, but not what. She’s desperate to recall what they once shared.

_________

Gevanni is watching Mikami’s daily life and updating Near. Near is secretly meeting Aizawa.... in a bar. Near is in a bar. Not a drill.

Near hears that Light is fucking Takada, and he’s outraged, because that prevented bugs on their first meeting. Near is just. so fucking pissed.

_________

Misa and Takada meet at the TV station, since Misa is going to be a guest on the show. She’s supposed to talk to the death of her parents and her stalking incident on TV.

Takada lists things that are hard on Misa, and she mentions a break-up. Misa is understandably confused.

_________

Mikami killing the drunk harasser on the train, confirming his X-Kira identity to Gevanni. Mikami is somehow reading a greek newspaper???? And he’s wearing a hat. Apparently he’s famous enough that he needs this to not be approached in public.

_________

Mogi tries to pick up Misa from the TV studio, but she isn’t there. She’s been crying. The interview on the show upset her, since they treated her as a random civilian with a Kira-story rather than as a celebrity.

Misa wants Mogi to drive her to the Hotel Imperial, since that is where Takada went.

_________

Near and Gevanni discuss the possibility of Mikami having a shinigami who could warn him about surveillance.

__________

Misa approaches Lidner in front of the Hotel, asks her about her bodyguard work.

__________

We hear Light and Takada having sex. Again.

During the act, Takada confronts Light on Misa not knowing about the break-up.

Matsuda is listening in and commenting on this love triangle for a bit.

__________

Misa waits until Takada comes out from the Hotel room. She tells her that Light is hers. Takada calls bullshit and points out that Misa doesn’t even remember anything about her and Light’s story. She also calls out that Light never wanted to date Misa and only attached herself to Light.

It’s just... a giant bash-fest. In this universe, Misa never had major work again after the movie during the Yotsuba-arc. She spent the past 5 years pretty much exclusively working as Kira, but of course, she can’t remember what she did.

Also we get the absolute worst dialogue ever:

TAKADA: Also... do the Bechdel test sometime.

MISA: How dare you! I don’t have an STI!

TAKADA: You only ever talk about him. He’s all you got.

After a few more insults, Misa has to be physically held back from attacking Takada.

MISA: Light Yagami is mine!

TAKAKDA: Light Yagami? This whole time, I was talking about Kira.

MISA: ... what?

___________

Near and Aizawa figure out that Light and Takada are talking via notes in truth.

___________

Gevanni updates Near on Mikami’s gym schedule. Gevanni says he can open the locker and then does so. He takes the Death Note.

#death note #audio drama translations

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