Death Note Review

Unfortunately, I can’t use an accent within a blog, due to the fact that you are reading it instead of listening to it (well done, Captain Obvious), but, when I say the words “Death Note”, please read it in a Japanese-y accent.

That’s right, I’m reviewing Death Note! (The TV series that is, as that is all which is available on Netflix…)

Firstly, Death Note is a Japanese anime which I watched with English subtitles. It was also available as English dubbed, but I found the accents to be too weird and entropic for the character. The plot line is centred on the lead character, Light Yagami, as he aims to cleanse the world of evil using the Death Note. The Death Note is a book which fell to the Human World, and when a person’s name is written in the Death Note they die. Obviously, more rules of the book are explained as the episodes progress and the plot thickens, but due to the fact that many criminals are dying, authorities begin to investigate and call upon a mysterious detective, known only as ‘L’, in a desperate attempt to stop the killings.    

Obviously, the best place to start the review would be with the animations (if that’s what they are called). I didn’t really know what to expect, as the only anime I have probably ever seen is Pokemon, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. Not only were the characters movements smooth and fluent, but the visuals as a whole were stunning. Characters looked very realistic, to the point where I actually thought that Light and L were being played by Dan and Phil (Danisnotonfire and AmazingPhil).

This realistic nature is also carried on to the characters reactions, particularly Light who takes full advantage on his new-found ability to potentially cleanse the world of crime. Light is technically the evil character, thus giving an interesting insight as we follow the ‘baddy’ in a game of cat and mouse. I found myself rooting for both L and Light though, due to the fact that they are both similar and likeable, as well as both being very intelligent. The exploration of the evil character, alongside the concept of the Death Note, is a vital combination for this shows engaging plotline.

Their intelligence means we are never quite sure on what will happen next, especially due to the fact that there are characters in the dark about everything and each keeping secrets from one another. On top of this, we can hear thoughts and theories in the characters heads, thus, for me, making the story more exciting due to the fact that you know something that another character may not. This was particularly used between Light and L, thus keeping the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats. It is also worth crediting some of the other characters, such as Ryuk, who is hilarious and definitely adds a strong sense of comedy, which I felt was a large factor to the show’s success.

The only criticism that I have for the show is its progression. Once the show’s title sequence changed (which I was not happy about!), I found that I enjoyed it a bit less, largely due to the fact that different characters were being introduced, but also because more Death Notes were falling to the human world (which was far too complicated for me to then understand and keep track of). With that point aside though, it is, as a whole, an enjoyable series. I must admit that this is one of the few animes I’ve actually watched, but it has definitely evoked an interest for me in regard to the genre, thus making it, to me, a success.