Jun 18, 2010
Adapted by Madhouse in 2006 from the popular Shonen Jump manga written by Ohba Tsugumi and drawn by Obata Takeshi, Death Note is an entertaining ride if an ultimately shallow work. Unless you just got into the fandom, I’ll assume you are already familiar with the basic plot.
One aspect of the show that its fans seem to constantly praise is its writing and if you can swallow the cheesy, over-the-top dialogue (“All according to plan,” must be repeated at least a dozen times throughout the series) then you will definitely be rewarded with fan-favorite gems such as the infamous, “I’ll take a potato chip…
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and EAT IT!” scene. The writing also has a tendency to rely on unnecessarily absurd plans in order to establish its characters as geniuses. While some viewers may find these facets clever and entertaining, others will want to slap their foreheads at the circuitous logic that gets forced upon them.
As the manga was completed by the time the anime was under production, it doesn’t suffer from the common lack of an ending that plagues many anime titles. Due to this the pacing is quite deft and if you allow it to pull you in, you can find it hard to stop watching.
Due to the series premise alone, some questions on morality have to, and are, raised. But to the detriment of the work, these ideas are never explored or expounded upon. So while something like, “Is it acceptable to take human life (for the ‘greater good’)?” is presented it neglects to provide any further insight. The heralded moralistic quandaries some claim are, unfortunately, fan-created illusions.
Death Note’s biggest flaw is found within its characters. They suffer from being one-dimensionally predictable and as a result from the lack of development the relationships between characters quickly become stale. The author tried to remedy this with a twist at the series mid-point by inserting new characters, but it ultimately fails as they suffer from the same faults; character depth is not created by tacking on quirks. When the most memorable traits the characters’ have is a knack for puzzles or an affinity for chocolate it means they aren’t particularly interesting.
However, Death Note is by no means a terrible show. Madhouse’s animation, with the exception of a very few amount awkward digital copouts scattered throughout the show, is quite slick and stylized. It does an exceptional job at capturing the gothic atmosphere that appeals to the show’s targeted angsty teen demographic. The music is another highlight which serves to set the tone for the series (especially the first opening song). On top of that you really can’t go wrong with either the Japanese or the English dubs as both have their fair share of standout performances.
It’s because of these strengths that that the anime adaptation receives the recommendation over the manga. It also glosses over the previously noted much weaker second half. Other than the slightly different ending, it is faithful to the original material so much so that if you’ve already seen one version, it probably is not worth your time to experience both unless you are a huge fan.
Finally, as long as you don’t go in expecting an analysis to complicated, ideological questions or complex characters, you will likely be pleased with what Death Note delivers. It’s accessible, presents an appealing aesthetic and is a cut above your average Shonen Jump title.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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