TV shows we love: Death Note
Few non-Western shows have become as iconic as Death Note. Some 20 years after its release, it has numerous adaptations, from live-action films to spinoffs and video games. It is certainly a show worth revisiting, and it is no surprise it remains timeless.
Death Note is based on a manga series which began back in 2003, written by Tsugumi Ohba, who also wrote the story for the original anime released three years later, in 2006. Artist Takeshi Obata is the mastermind behind the chilling illustrations which terrified many viewers with his distinctive art style, bringing the psychological thriller from paperback to home theatres.
The story follows high school prodigy Light Yagami, who prefers being quiet and observant. At home, various crimes are being reported via public television, putting him in deep thought. Has the world become so rotten it’s unsalvageable? The next day Light spots a mysterious notebook, with the words ‘Death Note’ written on the front page, left by Ryuk, a Shinigami – or a Japanese god of death, akin to the Grim Reaper.
Going over the rules written inside, he decides to test the waters. He writes down the name of the criminal involved in a hostage-taking on live TV. Exactly 40 seconds later, as he is about to turn the TV off, the hostages run out of the building unharmed, and the criminal has dropped dead of a heart attack. Light is left astonished as he realises the notebook’s true power.
Over the course of the show, Light is stuck in a loop of makeshift responsibility. Believing it is up to him to eliminate criminals and create a utopia free of evil, he becomes trapped in a game of cat and mouse with a criminal investigator, who searches for the cause of the mysterious deaths.
Death Note explores themes of justice, morality, free will, and the corrupting nature of power, making it a slightly heavier watch, despite the myth that animation is appropriate for all ages. Several nations have banned the show altogether, due to their objections regarding its impact on young minds. If that does not sound like a tempting watch, I don’t know what will. Available to stream on Netflix.