REVIEW FREE OF SPOILERS!
DEATH NOTE one of the most well-known anime worldwide and highly ranked.
Let's start! :)
-STORY: 8-
Don’t get carried away, the story isn’t really unique, after all it is –almost- your typical “vigilante” –or hero of justice- anime with a twist. The “lore” –to call it somehow- used in the story IS what makes it unique.
Enter Death Note, a book that falls from the sky, a book that is able to kill people by picturing the person on your mind and writing his or her name on the book –probably the most original thing in the shows-.
The story starts with a bang, a very well-grounded “myth” and focus but after some episodes it becomes dull, repetitive and unimpressive -thing that usually happens with some mystery/police/detective anime shows- losing the decent ambient showed on the first episodes.
From the start of the “second” part of the show it becomes predictable. I understand what they were trying to do; displaying a bigger and more intricate situation and world but what the writers achieved was to create a boring way to create the climax that would lead to the ending of the show –a very predictable ending if I may add-.
The beginning of the “third” part, “the real climax and ending” –the last 10 episodes- are probably the “best”. As I’ve stated before since the beginning of “part 2” the show becomes predictable and it doesn’t promise anything more but a great, expected yet graceful ending. The climax starts from the episode 30 –more or less- leading to an ending of “fireworks and explosions” –I mean this. You’ll need to see the show to know if it’s symbolically or literal-.
To be completely honest, I was disappointed that the “myth” in which the story is based –the book and gods- doesn’t evolve it just gets “stuck in the back” of most of the story, like an inconvenient thing that will be used when it becomes convenient.
The thing that saved –in my opinion- the story department in the show is three things: One: the ambition of the writers, a very interesting premise that will lead eventually to better things –in the end of the show-. Two: the suspense carried through the entire show. As I said before some episodes are dull and repetitive, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no interesting or good closing scene. And three: Something so small yet so important in the whole show the debate of what’s right and what’s wrong. Or in other words Light or L?
-ART: 7-
Outdated. That’s a word that I would use for the art in this show but let us remember that it was aired from 2006 to 2007. Death Note doesn’t have one of those art styles that “immerse” you into the show. It’s just generic. Does this means is bad? No, not at all, it just means that the art isn’t the most important thing in the show and that the art isn’t something memorable. The dark “palette” is good but it’s just there to give the mood and not to amaze the viewer.
As a psychological show, most of the time the characters are talking and there isn’t really “that much” action making me believe that the ART team could have done something more or something better.
In the last episodes the art becomes –really- much better, the “palette” changes from dark colors to brighter color giving a better sensation that in most of the show.
-SOUND: 6-
The voice acting isn’t a role model nor inspiring, it isn’t imposing something good. It’s typical and not passionate –until the last episode-. Meanwhile, the soundtrack is forgettable and uninteresting with some good choirs or piano compositions thrown at key moments. There’s nothing left to say except for the main themes that slightly save that department.
-CHARACTER: 6-
Disappointing, That’s the word I will use, other word would be “wanting”.
The presentation of the characters is great. Here you have Light, a character that looks amazing and really interesting but the through the show becomes typical.
The rest of the characters regretfully as it may sound, are boring and plain. With the understandable exceptions of “Light” –of course- and “L”. Characters that are incredibly smart, making the rest of the characters look dumb and ordinary with no business there; this in my opinion is short from all the potential they could have “squeezed” from most character (ex. Touta Matsuda).
Being a show that depicts very intelligent people such as L and Lightning, to be honest, I’ve seen better portrayed “masterminds” in other anime -predominantly Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass) character usually compared to Light-
The most disappointing part of the characters is their development which is your typical “development” in a psychological show. The typical cold and calculating characters that turn into the obsessive and mad characters, nothing new there. What started as a great mastermind character –Light- ended as an average psychological MC.
-ENJOYMENT: 8 & OVERALL: 7-
I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t enjoy DEATH NOTE, the waiting –through some boring episodes- to see how the -obvious and unavoidable- ending would unveil itself. The show isn’t bad, the premise as I told before is good, it promises something great, but the journey from begging to end its just boring in most episodes and the ending –expected I’m sure by most- is beautiful and as I said “poetic”.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but it doesn’t reach the potential it promises.
