The first thing that immediately stands out is the artwork and the animation. It is definitely the best quality I have seen yet. Even Darker than Black, which I consider to be the best overall anime of the ones I've seen so far, didn't have art of this caliber. It's a fairly unique style that just somehow fits perfectly with the story. You get a true sense of understanding a character by looking at their expression, and it gives a sense of realism that makes all their actions seem even more plausible.
For the characters overall, they're characterized exceptionally well. This anime puts a lot of emphasis on reading into a character's thoughts. For an anime that's based around mind games between two different people, this is an excellent tool for figuring out just what is in the heads of L and Light as they continue dancing around each other. Light's mental degradation as he continues getting possessed by power is incredibly realistic, even giving several hints throughout that he truly becomes heartless. He becomes willing to do anything to protect his secret from those looking to find him. L is a world-class detective who becomes the best character in the story just by his sense of humor and unique habits. I'd even go so far as to say that L does a huge part in making the anime as great as it is. He provides a lot of the comedic value of the anime, since his humor fits perfectly with the overall dark theme of the story. The supporting characters are mostly solid as well, although Misa and Mello didn't seem to be quite on par.
The only blight on this excellent cast of characters is Near. Without spoiling anything that happens within the story, Near is a character that appears fairly late within the story. He gets very little characterization from his initial debut straight to the ending of the show. He fits into the story just as well as the other characters do, but he doesn't have anything that the viewers would like about him or remember him by. He's mostly just there, which is very discouraging since he's a huge part of the last arc in the series.
However, every arc before the last one is incredibly strong. They all cleverly tie together and give the sense that the story is progressing. As mentioned before, L and Light's constant dance around each other is compelling and never seems to get stale, even though it's a large focus of the show. It's always fascinating to see how these two young geniuses interact and try to figure each other out. Their plans and ideas are always explained with just enough detail to make their intentions clear, but still remain complicated enough to make the viewer ask themselves what the two of them are going to do next.
The last arc was overall disappointing, but the last episode was just as much an ending that I could have wished for. The story winds down to a final showdown that would result in either Kira's demise or ultimate victory. It's built up well and is resolved just as strongly. It's the big climax that brings a faltering storyline to a blazing finish.
Overall, this series gets a strong recommendation for anyone from me. If Near was a stronger character and the last arc a little less dull, this would have easily gotten a full ten out of ten. However, for anyone who likes a strong cast of likable, intelligent characters, a mystery told from both sides, or an art style that is both unique and effective, this anime is definitely a must watch.
