In Death Note's case, much, much greater.
On the first day, Billy learned to ride his bike. On the second day, he learned to ride it with only one hand on the handle. On the third day, he could ride it without any hands. After that, riding without any hands is all he wanted to do. The thrill and excitement was overwhelming and he could not go back.
Hailed as one of the best anime of all time, Death Note deserves to be on a list of "Anime That Nostalgically Blind Us". For many people, it's their first exposure to the wonder of anime or at least the first one to take them on a high-octane, wild ride. Just like Billy, many viewers become enthralled by Death Note because it showed them the joy of riding a bicycle with no hands. It's one of the most well-crafted anime in history, but like every show or movie, it isn't without its flaws.
STORY - 13/15
Death Note's plot is deceptively simple: "The human whose name is written in this note shall die."...and a genius highschooler happens upon this notebook and decides to take God's judgment into his own hands by killing off criminals. Throw in equally genius detectives, dozens of additional Death Note rules, and lots of dramatic flair and you have a bona fide cat-and-mouse game wrapped up in an engrossing psychological thriller.
The writing is over-the-top but fits the adrenalized tone perfectly, aside from a few questionable lines (e.g. potato chips) that might have gone a bit overboard. Careful pacing from start to finish of each episode and melodramatic dialogue make for a rapidly accelerating rollercoaster. The latter half of the ride gets a bit bumpy with certain plot points, but the writing stays on point from beginning to end.
Often times, people talk about how large a show's cast of characters is or how much death there is as if that alone serves to improve the story. As one might imagine, Death Note has quite a bit of death in it. The problem with death in stories is that it typically serves to create emotional turbulence within the viewer's heart, but it's very difficult to achieve this without taking the time to develop the character before killing him/her/it. The bulk of the journey, Death Note hits the spot, creating very interesting and volatile dynamics between characters. It falters towards the end by introducing far too many pivotal characters for one to digest so quickly. By the final episode, the show does pick up the pieces to construct a fairly satisfying conclusion, but perhaps not upon the same solid foundation it began with.
VISUALS - 10/10
From a technical standpoint, Death Note stood in the top tier of animation when it aired. In terms of the fluidity of things happening on screen (i.e. FPS), it's still better than many anime airing at the time of this review. To reiterate, not in terms of resolution since it isn't natively in 720p or 1080p, but just talking about pure animation in the same way that Cowboy Bebop still trumps many modern anime in fluidity and detail. Studio Madhouse is well-known for their skill in creating very intense and suspenseful scenes through simple changes in camera angles and light distortion effects, both of which Death Note is a prime example of. Some people may criticize the liberal use of color filters and the tweaking of characters' hair and eye colors, but this was purposefully done to create the exuberant drama and suspense that are cornerstones of the show.
SOUNDS - 10/10
The soundtrack crackles and pops with the twists and tension of each episode. It knows when to come in loud and boisterous and when to simply flow along with a quiet or somber scene. There's a variety of electronic and orchestral tracks with multiple versions of many of them depending on the tone and pace at certain points in the show.
It's hard to talk about the music without mentioning the voice acting that compliments it greatly. Everyone from the main to the supporting characters have been cast very well. In such a tumultuous and suddenly evolving anime, the voice actors succeed in expressing an array of emotions that produce meaningful, thought-provoking moments of silence in between all the dialogue.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Here is an anime that takes a simple premise and expands upon it tenfold and in multiple dimensions of thought. Aside from the mind games it thrives on, it poses some real questions about morality and power. Complete with superbly consistent and fitting animation and a soundtrack that compliments it with its boldness and subtlety. One might almost be able to look past the few rushed and questionable plot points and lapses in characterization, but they must be taken into consideration. Certain parts of the show, namely the first half or so, do have a clearer sense of direction and tend to stand out more than the others, but it's important to weigh the entirety of the show on the same scale.
TOTAL - 33/35
NOTE: Point systems are far from perfect and shouldn't be taken at face value or compared between anime alone. To get the full picture, the review should be read since it contains the reasoning behind the score and that reasoning may not resonate with everyone. For more details on how the final score is calculated and the method of reviewing, check the About No_BiaS_Reviewer section.
