Written in 2003 by Takeshi Obata, Japanese manga Death Note soared in popularity. As it was later animated in 2006 by company Madhouse, the manga was turned into an anime that continues to be one of the best mystery/thriller animes.
Death Note takes place in Japan, starting at a high school where the viewer is introduced to top student of his school, Light Yagami. Light Yagami excels in all his classes, causing life to be boring and plain. His daily routine changes though when he comes across a black book on the ground labeled Death Note.
The Death Note was dropped into the human world by a shinigami(death god) named Ryuk. The Death Note has the ability to kill anyone who’s name is written into the book. While Light’s life has been normal up until now, the book changes his life, as he believes he now the ability to kill criminals, but also change the rules of the entire world. (And yes. As a high school student.)
As he goes continues to kill off criminals, giving them heart attacks, detectives begin to suspect that someone is behind the deaths, introducing Light’s new arch enemy, L, the best detective in Japan.
L is often seen as Light’s other part, and many times in the anime they are given the colors of red and blue, resembling the a good and evil side. They continue to rival each other throughout the show, evening each other in mind games and strategy as Light tries to hide his identity and continue his killings. Internally, Light enjoys the thrill of almost getting caught, and towards the end of the show after finally killing L, finds no purpose in killing. L was apart of Light’s identity when it came to his crimes because no one else could match his intelligence except him.
Light has another identity besides L, and that would be his public stage name Kira. Kira means killer in Japanese, and often times when Light speaks to the public, he presents himself as Kira. While Kira is Light, the personality of the two personas completely differ. While Kira is a psychotic killer with obviously evil intentions, Light has to hide that side of himself, acting as an innocent student who continues to excel in school.
Death Note is one of the most complex animes, relating the human world to religion, and showing a break down of the mentally insane teenager Light. While you watch gruesome crimes be committed, but from the villain’s perspective, it is difficult to ignore the two identities of Light Yagami and his nemesis L.