25 Secrets The Creators Of Death Note Want To Bury
Table of Contents
The minds behind Death Note have some DARK secrets they want to bury.
You Are Reading :25 Secrets The Creators Of Death Note Want To Bury
In the early 2000s, anime lovers were introduced to some ancient Japanese lore. Before people knew it, they were experts on death gods and Japanese grim reapers. Death Note, the manga, and eventual hit anime, added some new creepiness to the anime world. The story of a concerned but arrogant teenager who decides to use a death notebook to become a vigilante is considered to be one of the best anime in the past fifteen years.
It forces viewers to come to terms with how they would react if they could control the fate of any and everyone. Will they let the power corrupt or will they resist the urge to use the book for evil? This question comes up consistently in Death Note. Questions of whether “good citizens” have the right to control the fate of criminals, or if the main character, Light Yagami, is a hero still sparks debates today.
Regardless of how readers and viewers feel about the theme of the story, no one can deny the uniqueness and detailed storytelling of Light’s fight for power, and the police who are trying to stop him from bringing chaos to the justice system. Plot twists, significant character deaths, and a showstopping finale make Death Note a favorite among anime enthusiast. However, all is not roses behind the scenes of the creation of this story. Any franchise has secrets the creators would not mind keeping hidden. Here are 25 secrets the creators of Death Note probably want to bury. Much of the information came from Death Note: How To Read It 13, an encyclopedia of the series.
25 Thought Ryuk’s Fascination With Apples Meant Something?
Ryuk, is a Shinigami, a death god who gets bored with his life and decides to drop his Death Note onto the earth to watch the results. A creature this sadistic would seem to choose something unappetizing for his snack, but for some reason, this thing loves the taste of apples. A lot of fans had significant theories as to why Ryuk was obsessed with apples. Apples have great symbolism and religious meaning in many texts and stories, and Takeshi Obata, the artist for Death Note, informed the creator, Tsugumi Ohba that apples would likely be interpreted as having significance. Ohba replied that he did not put that much forethought into the process and just thought “apples were cool…that’s it.” Kinda disappointing for those who thought it meant a little more for everyone’s favorite grim reaper.
24 L Made So Many Mistakes In Death Note
No one can deny L’s intelligence and overall detective prowess. He is world-renowned and has put a lot of the world’s worst criminals away. However, for L to be considered one of the best detectives in the world, he made a lot of mistakes and risks that ultimately led to his death. He made the foolish decision to tell Light’s father that he suspected his son to be Kira, which put tension on his relationship with the police force. He also showed his face to Light and eventually missed clues that Kira(s) could subsequently figure out names without them being volunteered. The smartest detective was outgunned. No one can blame him; Light is a criminal genius in his own right. However, L could have played his hand a little closer to live a little longer.
23 About Her…
There are a ton of men in Death Note, and most all of them are known as super intelligent. They each have multiple layers that reveal more about who they are. The same cannot be said for the women in the series. The main female character is a pop star, described as unpredictable, and unintelligent. Misa Amane has nothing but devotion for Light who shows no emotion for her and does not have her best interest at heart in any of his decisions. The writer of Death Note, Tsugumi Ohba, wanted a “cute female who was spontaneous and not too bright,” to break the all-male character roster. These descriptions are a little demeaning to women, and with the death of Naomi Misora so early in the series, there is not a strong female lead to also carry the plot.
22 Death Note Was Accused Of Contributing To An Actual Death
A fifteen-year-old girl in Russia took her own life in February 2013, and the manga version of Death Note was found among her belongings. As a result, a local parents group even asked President Vladimir Putin to get involved and ban the book because they felt it aroused interest in death. A year later, investigators could not connect the girl’s death with the book, but it still raised a lot of concern. This is an incredibly tragic occurrence, and the argument about the role media and art play in society will continue to play out for years to come. Even though Death Note has a very mature story, it appeals to children and teenagers. In America, and many other Western nations, many cartoons are still seen as family friendly, so this can create the conditions for children to become interested in anime with more adult heavy themes.
21 L Was Supposed To Be The Ultimate Victor
A hunch says that the creators were expecting Light to be the main character, but they might not have seen the audience eventually rooting for him to win. Many people were rooting for Light Yagami because of his charm and personality, but there were others who did want to see good win out over evil. When Light killed L, the character was seen as unstoppable at that point, and the ultimate detective chess master, L, was no more. The original idea was for L to beat Light Yagami without the events of the yellow warehouse occurring. This would have taken away the most compelling event in the anime between Light and L. It would have also impacted later spinoffs of the series. L was an excellent character, but for the story to move forward, his death had to occur.
20 Obata Was Not Comfortable Drawing Minor Female Characters
In an earlier entry, there is mention that female representation is lacking in Death Note. Viewers briefly see Light’s mother and sister, his first girlfriend, the anchor, and Naomi. All are relatively minor characters except Misa Amane. It was stated in in the Death Note encyclopedia: How To Read It 13, that Obata was not comfortable with drawing female characters who are not central to the storyline, which could be the reason why more of them do not show up in the manga or anime. What would have happened if Light’s mother had a more prominent role in his development as Kira? Could Naomi Misora have been an accomplice to L? It would be interesting if the creators fleshed out these characters, not only because they are women, but because their roles could have added extra depth to the story.
19 Both Creators Felt The Yagami Family Were Pitiful
Pitiful is such a strong and negative word, and it is one the creators of Death Note assigned to the Yagami family in Death Note: How To Read It. It could be because of what ended up happening to Light, but both creators remarked that they felt sympathy for Light’s mother and sister and regard them as the most “pitiful” characters in the story. Ouch! This is a huge statement considering who else was negatively impacted by Light’s actions. What about L’s ultimate sacrifice after all the hard work he did, Naomi’s tragic death at the hands of Light, or Misa Amane’s blind devotion that also led to her death? If they are not regarded as needing to be shown pity, then they may need to adjust the definition a bit.
18 Shuichi Aizawa Exists Because of Some Late Development Laziness
Hey! We all get tired on a project. It’s the last shift, and instead of sending that email you hold off until tomorrow. You could add a few more bullet points to that presentation, but decide that it can work without it. We hit that breaking point in our professions all the time. However, some fourth-quarter fatigue can change a storyline in an anime production. Shuichi Aizawa is a part of the Kira investigation and eventually leaves because of family concerns and what Kira might do next. He returns after L’s death and helps to beat Light. His return in the story is due to Ohba not wanting to create another character in so late in the final chapter. One thing is for sure, Ohba knows how to work smarter not harder, and for that, he gets some respect.
17 Soichiro Yagami Did Not Want To Believe The Obvious
As Death Note goes on, it becomes complicated for people not to see that Light is Kira. Some late tricks like clearing his memory of the book does buy him some time. However, Light’s absence to work on the death note, his son’s intelligence, the fact that L, the most intelligent detective in the world, believes that Light is Kira should have been enough. The fact that Soichiro is still alive (a usual killer would want to take out the head of the police department to cover his tracks) is a slam dunk to show Light is Kira. For too long of the story the creators allowed Soichiro not to suspect his son, which made no sense in light of the evidence. It might have been painful to come to terms with this, but it was more realistic than an all-out denial of his son’s true identity.
16 There Was A Real “Kira”
What would the world do if there was a real Kira on the loose? How would the police react? How long would it take to get the FBI on board? Would the whole thing play out on social media? In the early days of Twitter and Facebook, in September 2007, police found an individual who was ended in Belgium. Near the body, there was a letter that read “I am Kira,” in Latin. In 2010 the perpetrators were found, but there have been other copycat attackers. We live in a society where pop culture easily blends into real life, and sometimes the results are not so pretty. While gruesome, this speaks to Death Note’s subject manner impacts the authentic reality of crime.
15 Mello And Near Were Switched At Creation
Near and Mello were tasked with picking up where L left off in finding and defeating Kira. Even though they are known as “brothers,” Near and Mello were not biological brothers but were only known as this since they were raised together in the same orphanage. During their creation, the two were switched at “birth.” According to the Death Note: How To Read It encyclopedia By mistake, the design, personalities, and mannerisms of Mello and Near; the heirs to L’s detective legacy were given to the other in the design process. By the time Takeshi Obata, the artist of the manga figured it out it was too late to change them back. So each one is holding the characteristics of the other. Considering how well the second half of the series came out, the switch apparently happened for the best.
14 Takeshi Obata Relates To The Most Average Character in The Manga
Touta Matsuda is seen as the most amateur detective in the squad that is going after Kira and is called an idiot by L and Light numerous times. Because everyone else in the story shows tendencies toward high intelligence, bravery, and staying balanced under pressure, Matsuda’s lack of detective skills and his penchant for reckless behavior in tight situations make him stand out like a sore thumb. Surprisingly, Obata relates to this character the most, and also hated the character for that reason. In Death Note: How To Read It Obata discusses how he felt Matsuda represented the two things he does not like about himself: the feeling that he is not unique or consistent. Considering his vast body of successful work with Death Note, this statement could not be further from the truth.
13 Ryuk Was Originally Supposed to Look Like an “Attractive Rockstar”
Nothing against the “good-looking” people in anime, but sometimes you need a particular look —in this case monstrous—to better sell a character. That is why it is surprising that Shinigami were initially slated to look like attractive humans with wings. Ryuk was supposed to have black hair with wings. The only reason they decided to change Ryuk is that they were afraid he would be more attractive than Light, and viewers would treat him like the main character. Viewers were close to losing out on the monster they came to know and love so he could potentially look like a boy band member. This is one change everyone should be grateful for. His snarl wouldn’t feel the same coming from a toned down Light Yagami clone.
12 Light’s Admirers Kind Of Seemed Like Cult Worshippers
After Light’s death the death note lives on in spinoffs with people, who agreed with Light’s ideology. However, what is creepier about this is Misa’s (and others) devotion to him. She shortens her life two times to gain Shinigami eyes to get the names of people opposing him, even though he repeatedly shows no concern for her well-being. Matsuda, the young detective, does not disagree with his tactics, and only attacks Light when he sees that Light does not have any feeling at the death of his father. The death note undoubtedly inspired some cult-like devotion among supporters even though this is never mentioned in the series. Death Note is so powerful and disturbing because it shows how power can change the personalities of seemingly ordinary people.
11 Near And Mello Were Originally Supposed To Be Sons Of L
Near and Mello are some of the most interesting characters in the series. They are dangerously intelligent, and out of touch with the world around them. They are the epitome of child prodigies. Each shares qualities of the predecessor, L. What many people probably did not know is that both were slated to be the biological offspring of the sweet-eating, and chair bound L. However, there are some issues with the creators pursuing this. Considering how young L is portrayed to be in the anime, and that he can pass as a high school student with Light, this calls into question the appropriateness of L having biological children. The only way they could have made this work was to make L a lot older, something that would have significantly impacted the plot.
10 The Events of Death Note Take Place Because Of Boredom
In Greek mythology, many events occur on earth because the Greek gods could not keep their affairs and problems in Mt. Olympus. The same happens in Death Note. Ryuk, the first Shinigami fans meet in the series, drops a Death Note onto Earth just because he is bored and because he wants to see how “interesting” humans are. The events that happen after this are entertaining yet grim. Tons of human beings (criminal and innocent) are killed, a family is torn apart by the arrogance of a son, and the world is made to decide the morality of vigilante justice. All of this happens because one death god became a little bored. Because of Ryuk’s hilarious personality, it is easy to forget his cruelty, and how psychopathic he really is.
9 Death Note Is Banned By School Districts
Banning a book is a serious step for a school district, one that requires a lot of proof that the literature in question is inappropriate —especially in the United States. However, that has not stopped some from declaring that Death Note is a bad influence on children because of its serious subject matter. Death Note was such a compelling story that many young students began to mimic Light Yagami’s actions in the book and created lists of people they would like to kill. Shenyang, Beijing, and a few other cities in China banned the manga from schools. A city in New Mexico tried to do the same thing but was voted down. Regardless of how one feels about banning the book, no one can deny that Death Note is not for children or young teens.
8 Capoeira? Seriously?
There is nothing at all wrong with Capoeira; it is a Brazilian style blend of dancing and martial arts. However, it might be difficult to show this type of fighting style on screen in an anime like Death Note. Because L’s primary position is sitting or crouching, the creators listened to fans and had L become an expert in Capoeira to fight off enemies. While watching him rail off a kick is kinda entertaining it goes against L’s personality as a thinker instead of a fighter. Capoeira became a bit of a fitness and dance craze in the mid-2000s, so it feels a little silly for them to borrow from something like this. This is the equivalent to including Zumba into a battle sequence.
7 The Premise Of Death Note Has Been Done Before
In the early 1970s, there was a manga called Fushigi na Techou (The Miraculous Notebook). It has a very similar premise to Death Note. This manga was released well before Death Note was created. The story goes that someone is killed once their name is written on the pages. There is no mention ever made of this story by the creators of Death Note, so one has to wonder if they did lift the plot. There is nothing wrong with a little inspiration. Most famous works that are out today were influenced by stories or media that came before it. However, for the creators to never mention the similarity does seem a little suspicious. One has to ask if they were hiding it, and hoping no one ever made the connection.
6 The New American Adaptation Of Death Note Was Accused of “Whitewashing”
When the Netflix version of Death Note was originally announced, the reveal that none of the actors would be Asian caused a lot of controversy among fans everywhere. Translating this story to Seattle took away a lot of the Japanese lore such as the explanation of Shinigami, a concept that is so important to the story that without it, many plot holes exist in the new version. There were also questions about why an American version automatically meant “non-Asian,” since there were many Asian American actors that could have taken on the lead roles. The screenwriters or directors did not correctly flesh out the cultural implications of moving the story out of Japan, so it left a movie lacking the original character of the source material.
Chanell Turner is a content creator and digital marketing strategist with a love for all things gaming. She writes about topics ranging from art to business. On her downtime, she enjoys watching the latest video game walkthrough or planning to attend the next comic convention.
Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/secrets-the-creators-of-death-note-want-to-bury/