Many fans of Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop were impressed with how well it nodded to the anime’s style and how any changes made strengthened the presence of the characters and paced the movement of the story. The 2017 Death Note live-action achieves the same balance and offers fans another telling of a story they already love with new elements.

While some fans of the Cowboy Bebop anime were not impressed by the live-action adaptation, they were neglecting to consider how writing adaptations affects the story and characters involved. This must also be considered when watching the live-action Death Note, as it changes several things but all for a reason.

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When a story is written in a film or television format, it already follows a sort of formula to achieve the necessary story beats that ensure the story makes sense and has a full cycle to follow. This is further complicated when adapting a story that has already existed in a film/television format because it must offer something new to be worth making, otherwise, it’s just a re-telling.

Cowboy Bebop_and_Death Note

The Cowboy Bebop live-action did a fantastic job staying true to all of the best features of the anime in terms of its unique style, classic music, and use of colors to reflect the story. It however makes many changes to significant things, like characters, wardrobe, and parts of the story, but these were all necessary changes to cater to a modern audience, in a live-action approach. That being said, the impressive balance between original story content and new twists was not enough to save the Cowboy Bebop from being canceled after just one season, leaving fans to satisfy their live-action hunger elsewhere.

Just like with the Cowboy Bebop adaptation, capturing the tone of the anime was a vital step in recreating the story. Death Note has a very particular tone that is dark and eerie but also humorous and reflective. The music and character dynamics of this adaptation seem to capture this balance well. Stylistically, it mostly stays true to the anime and it is when the content comes into focus that the changes become clear and these changes should be noted upfront so that fans of the anime know what to anticipate.

Very quickly, fans of the anime will notice that the names and setting are changed so that they apply to Western culture. The meaning of the word Kira is altered in the story, too. Many fans have questioned why this film moved away from Japanese culture, but there may have been a reason for it. It was made during a time of intense political tension in the U.S. that questioned the intentions of authority and the changes in the film seem to reflect that.

Light_and_Mia_Death Note

These changes do, however, affect the story’s message and by doing so, seem to target the message at the United States justice system. This film explores the U.S. justice system, along with the systems of a few other countries and their serious and relevant flaws, through the eyes of a young but wildly intelligent teenager that has close connections to that very system. When considering this point, it’s actually the perfect plotline to examine such a political message with a particular target, in an entertaining fashion. As a result, it does lack some of the vibrancy of Japanese culture in the story, though.

Some viewers have often commented on the differences in some of the main characters, which as Cowboy Bebop made clear, is sometimes necessary to accommodate all audiences. Light, L, and especially Misa (renamed Mia in this live-action) undergo several changes that make them fit the movie form and appeal to a modern audience better.

For Light, rather than being suave and cunning like he is in the anime, he is more of an observant underdog which makes more sense for a character that follows a path such as his. It gives his character room to evolve. For L, there are a few changes made to his appearance that make him a better fit for the story and the mystery around him is intensified more but, in terms of his behavior, he is mostly the same as in the anime. Much like Faye was changed to reflect women more positively, Mia was portrayed in a more independent, capable, and relatable light that made her feel like more of a present force in the adaptation, rather than an accessory to Light’s storyline.

There are additionally several changes made to the story for the adaptation, solely for the sake of time. For one, the audience gets a much briefer view of Light before the Death Note than in the anime, so it’s not as clear how brilliant he is before obtaining it, which is part of what makes him such a good candidate. The rules of the Death Note are also explored much quicker in this adaptation to condense the information. Watari’s death is even changed to make it fit the timeline and the film’s conclusion. These kinds of changes are commonly seen when transitioning a story from a television series to film format, even if the story’s covered by multiple films.

The biggest change, however, between the anime, the 2017 live-action and even the 2006 Japanese live-action is undoubtedly the ending. By the end of the 2017 live-action, several characters have already died or were never even included in the story, well before their timelines end in the anime. Not only that, but Light contemplates whether or not he made the right choices, while L contemplates whether or not to take Light’s life.

Light_and_L_Death Note

Fans of the anime will recognize that the decision to end the story here leaves out many characters and many important events from the original story line but it seems that, this too, was for a reason. Ending the story here concludes the story of this film while also leaving it open enough for the potential of a sequel. Given that a sequel is now in the works, it seems that this was definitely the intention.

Changes out of the way, fans can count on this adaptation to bring them a new perspective on a fantastic story with a specific focus for its message. It is like the Cowboy Bebop live-action in that these changes are made to better the story- to make sure it can be successful in a film format, which is considerably different from an anime format.

If the promise of more exposure to the potential of the Death Note storyline isn’t enough to persuade viewers to give it a watch, the plans for a sequel soon are even more incentive. This film and the film that will come to follow it have the potential of exploring this story in a new and unique way that is inventive and holds a deeper meaning which, alone, speaks to its potential as a story.

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