Even a brief flirtation with power can radically transform a benevolent and selfless individual into a presumptuous egoist. Such tragedy is the very essence of the anime series “Death Note” which devastatingly depicts the malformation of protagonist Light Yagami from a dignified idealist into a haughty murderer. The moral ambiguity of the story encourages the viewer to critique their own ideals of what constitutes good and evil, leading to a thoroughly compelling narrative. This exceptional story is fundamentally centred on how lofty ideals are easily corrupted and the extent to which an individual can be conquered by the pursuit of power. The character of Light Yagami is essentially Shakespearean; just like Hamlet and Macbeth, Light’s fate is ultimately poignant and reflective of human nature. The complexity of the main character and the harrowing journey that he takes underlies an immensely sophisticated plotline and justifies why “Death Note” is rightfully regarded as one of the finest anime series of the last decade.
Whilst the world is abundant in hope and inspiration, it is equally resourceful in crime and injustice; a sort of equilibrium between tranquillity and savagery. “Death Note” depicts a zealous idealist who attempts to radically alter this balance in order to establish a utopia in which crime is eliminated. The central character Light Yagami is a quintessential prodigy who is among the most exceptional students in Japan; he is seen as a hard- working and respectful honour student with decent moral standards. Yet, he is also a bored and frustrated young man who fanatically derides the devastating consequences of criminality on society. When a Shinigami (a being that instigates death) by the name of Ryuk, who also happens to be disentranced in his own world, drops a death note into the human world that Light stumbles upon, the fate of the protagonist is destined for tragedy. A single rule governs the use of the Death Note: “the human whose name is written in this note shall die”. After much introspection and mental conflict, Light decides to become an enforcer of justice who uses the death note to eliminate all criminals in order to usher in a new world in which crime is non-existent and he is worshipped as a deity. Within days the brilliant idealist turns into a supercilious murderer as he kills hundreds of people using the notebook and employs the most ingenious of methods to prevent being caught. Amidst all of this chaos the viewer is left to question the morality of Light’s actions and whether he is indeed passing righteous judgement; this is the seminal and ground-breaking aspect of this series as Light ruthlessly, excessively and narcissistically employs the death note to create a world free of crime. Light’s methods become increasingly Machiavellian and his approach becomes devoid of empathy as he begins to systematically eliminate not just criminals but also anyone who opposes him. One is always left to question whether Light’s methods are a necessary evil or simply the brutal machinations of a megalomaniac.
This debate is accentuated as the Japanese police quickly suspect that the string of murdered criminals is the work of a serial killer. At this point the Japanese police, which happens to be spearheaded by Light’s morally immaculate father (Soichiro Yagami), seeks the help of a world renowned detective by the name of L. L is the eccentric genius who detests Light’s methods and exerts every effort in his attempts to apprehend him. Crucially, L is the pronounced antithesis to Light Yagami as he is opposed to the moral foundations and rationalisation of the man he is attempting to capture. The series is exceptional at presenting the contrast between the points of view towards reforming the world that devastatingly collide as L and Light clash. It is as compelling to discern the similarities of the two men as they both obsessively conspire to foil the schemes of the other. Their respective fanaticisms, L’s desire to capture Light and Light’s attempts to create a utopia, facilitate a thoroughly fascinating narrative that has rarely been seen in anime. Juxtaposition has been used elegantly in anime as the methods of Lelouch and Suzaku conflicted in “Code Geass” and the ideologies of Akane and Makishima collided in “Psycho Pass”. Nonetheless, the rivalry between L and Light is unparalled given the fanaticism and intelligence of the two foes who leave no stone unturned in their attempts to outwit one another. Once episode 25 reaches its riveting conclusion the viewer is immersed by a captivating masterpiece of a level that is rarely seen in anime. From that point onwards the series continues to potently combine suspense with intelligent mystery but there is a noticeable decline in the quality of the storytelling as L’s protégés Near and Mello are introduced. It must be said that the two protégés are nowhere near as enticing and idiosyncratic as L and this means that the story in general begins to decline in the last twelve episodes or so. The series’ finale can also be criticized since it is overly dramatic and is devoid of the emotional elements that were such a pivotal aspect of the first half of the story. Whilst the climax is certainly not a failure it is somewhat tedious and unconvincing which is not what a series of this calibre deserved.
Other than the central main characters the viewer is introduced to a diverse and intriguing cast that galvanises the story and gives it greater depth. Soichiro Yagami is an admirable character given his assiduousness and indefatigability as he seeks to capture Kira, the name the media uses to refer to Light Yagami. He is also immensely tragic in that he does not realise that the killer he is looking to apprehend is the very son he loved so compassionately. Ryuk is amusing in that he fulfils his yearning for excitement by sending the human world into mayhem by dropping a death note; the Shinigami is indeed a fascinating character with intriguing motivations. Misa Amane is the integral female character who also happens to possess a death note; she is obsessively infatuated by Kira and eventually begins to cooperate with Light Yagami as she aspires to help him achieve his dream of a utopia. It must be said that Misa can at times be greatly irritating as she has a tendency to slow the story and her unwavering loyalty to Light Yagami, who is conspicuously manipulating her, borders on sheer stupidity. The main cast is completed by the police officers Matsuda and Aizawa who provide broadness and even an element of effective humour to the series. A major criticism of the series is the stagnant character development which means that the emotional attachment of the viewer to a large majority of the characters is fairly limited. The transformation of Light Yagami from an idealist seeking a paragon to an egocentric murderer with a definitive “god complex” is frightening and exceptionally well portrayed but this is the limit of the character development that takes place in “Death Note”. The other characters, whether they be Misa or Ryuk, remain constant and do not develop or even mature in any shape or form. This is the underlying weakness of the series that prevents it from standing alongside “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and “Cowboy Bebop” as a titan of anime.
The animation of the series does not compare to anything produced by a studio like Kyoto Animation but it is effective and pleasant to view. Character designs have been approached meticulously and this leads to a well -crafted series. The soundtrack is efficacious in that each character has a particular theme that resonates powerfully with their personality and role in the story; this only serves to heighten the impact of the character cast.
Idealistic ambitions have a tendency to be tainted by corruption as has been seen in history. Students of history will turn to the mutation of the French Revolution into a reign of terror whilst students of literature will refer to the tragedy of Hamlet. This feature of humanity applies to Light Yagami and “Death Note” is able to exquisitely portray this transformation. Whilst the series has its flaws it is tremendously effective in depicting how far a man can fall when he can no longer handle power. “Death Note” is a compelling and poignant series that is certainly worth watching and its beauty lies in its ability to encourage the viewer to question their own convictions.
