5 reason why you need Death Note in your life
I’m a big fan of visual aids, especially in the form of pretty-colored charts, so before I even get going… Let us begin with a little flowchart, shall we?
So, Death Note. What is it?
Death Note is a Japanese manga (written by Tsugumi Ohba, illustrated by Takeshi Obata) that got so popular they turned it into an anime series (written by Toshiki Inoue, illustrated by Madhouse Inc.). And THEN they made a few live action movies to accompany the series, because people just kept wanting more, you see.
Death Note
During just another normal day, Yagami Light stumbles upon a black notebook known as the Death Note. This notebook belongs to a shinigami, Ryuk, having the ability to kill anyone who has their name written in it. As the new owner of the Death Note, Light's true desires surface, yearning to cleanse the world of evil by murdering a large number of criminals. When the world begins to notice the existence of this unknown killer, legendary detective L is brought onto the case; starting a war between "Kira" and L. Whoever is able to find out the others identity first will be the one to survive.
5 Reasons Why You Need Death Note in Your Life
I don’t normally do this, but today I am illustrating my post with gifs, because… well, because it’s necessary, okay?(I found all of these gifs on this awesome and amazing tumblr. Thanks, person!)
Reason #1: The intensity and tension will kick your ass.
When my husband first suggested we watch Death Note (he’d “heard it was really good”), I was definitely not convinced by the cover art and description provided by Netflix. However, by episode one, I was intrigued enough to keep watching. By episode two, I was completely hooked. And you know what? My level of interest just continued to ramp up with successive episode.
I love stories about intelligent people who are very good at thinking things through and making incredibly difficult decisions, and Death Note is FULL OF THIS. Each episode, each decision, you’ll be on the edge of your seat, because OH MY GOD this shit is CRAZY. Like, intensity in ten cities*. You might think you know what’s going on, but then you realize that you totally don’t — and then when you get comfortable with that situation, shit blows up in your face again. But trust me, this is the GOOD kind of intensity and chaos.
*If you get this reference, I love you.
Reason #2: The story will make you hate people, and restore your faith in humanity at the same time.
There are some despicable characters, and many a despicable choice made, in this story. Often while watching, I alternated between being outraged by something a character did or said (let’s face it, the main theme of the story is a notebook that lets you kill anybody you want, just by writing their name in it), and feeling all sparkly because of something another character did or said. Most notably: the character I fell in love with — and surely you have/will too — L. More about him in #4 down there. But the fact is, these characters are some of the smartest people on the planet, and having them on opposing sides of a showdown is fascinating, infuriating, and exciting.
Reason #3: It raises interesting moral questions and will challenge you to stretch your beliefs.
All that intensity and difficult decision-making going on? Yeah, it’s going to leave you wondering what YOU would be doing in those situations. I love stories that make me think and question my beliefs, and challenge me on what I think I know. Here is where I could liken Death Note to Dexter — sort of. Dexter’s methods are obviously a lot more gory than writing someone’s name in a notebook, but some of the themes philosophical questions are the same. If a serial killer is only taking out “bad guys” — is it so wrong to just let him continue? Is it really bad to kill someone if you’re saving multiple lives by doing so? How far would you go to protect yourself or those you love?
Reason #4: Cute characters and funny moments.
With so much heart-pounding being induced, you definitely need some lighter moments to ease the tension, and Death Note does this beautifully. Two of my favorite characters are Ryuk and L. Ryuk’s observations about human behavior, unabashed disinterest/neutrality, and obsession with apples are just a few of the things that had me prepped for giggles every time he came on the screen. And L is even better! His quirky mannerisms and addiction to sweets make him one of the most lovable characters ever (and combine that with his stunning intellect, and I’m head over heels!). The show also has some great moments of Japanese tropes and humor, especially later on in the series when Misa shows up.
Reason #5: Death Note is going to be the theme for the next round of THE BOOKISH GAMES!!!
That’s right, friends! I love Death Note so much that I convinced Asti to let me build the next version of The Bookish Games around this story! If you’re interested in participating, but aren’t familiar with Death Note yet, here is your forewarning! Sign-ups will begin soon, so keep an eye out!
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