Death Note is a classic psychological thriller; arguably, it's one of the greatest anime shows. The show's plot centered on the witty mental battle between the justice-inclined character, L, and Light, the main character who possesses a god complex.
In anime, fans and critics constantly use Light to measure the intelligence level of smart characters, revealing the high standards set by Death Note. Death Note is based on the manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and has been revered as one of the best anime ever created. The show even has a movie adaptation by Netflix, which fans disliked because it failed to properly capture concrete details from the anime.
The Plot of Death Note
Light Yagami is a genius high school student with an intense dislike for criminals or people who go against the law. He genuinely believed that getting rid of this category of people would make society better. Soon, he discovers the Death Note, a tool capable of mass murder. Upon discovering this mysterious-looking book, Light doubted its credibility, suspecting it to be a ruse. However, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he tests the power of the Death Note.
After testing the note's genuineness and discovering that the power it possessed was real, Light embarked on a killing spree, eliminating criminals and offenders publicized on the news. Light also meets Ryuk, a death god that offers more insight concerning the Death Note’s capabilities. However, his actions leave a string of unsolved mystery deaths, and soon L, also known as "Ryuuzaki," shows up, claiming that he can discover the cause of these deaths. L, despite sharing similarities with Light: hating to lose, exceptional intelligence, and profound deductive abilities, he has a strong sense of justice; he believed that apart from the law, no one had a right to sentence people to death.
Consequently, L sets a trap for Light, which he falls for, helping L narrow down Light's location; Kanto region. This scene in the anime signified the start of a mental battle between the two genius characters: L and Light. After a series of development, Light manages to kill L with the Death Note but is stomped by his successors: Near and Mello.
Why Light is an Exceptionally Smart Character
Light is one of the smartest characters in Death Note, and with good reason. After discovering the Death Note and its capabilities, he realizes what was at stake if someone finds the note intentionally or by mistake. To prevent unpleasant situations, Light creates an ingenious failsafe to hide the note. What makes this failsafe exceptional is that if forced open, the Death Note underneath would be blown to pieces. This way, Light eliminates the possibility of anyone discovering his dangerous secret.
Light's observation of even the smallest detail is remarkable. After the police suspect that he may be Kira and hides bugs and cameras in his room, on his arrival, he manages to instantly deduce that his room safety has been compromised. He later discusses with Ryuk, a Shinigami, the reason for his suspicions.
At this point, the show becomes really interesting because if criminals don't die mysteriously while the police monitor light, their suspicion will increase significantly. However, Light handles the situation masterfully. He purchases a portable TV, which he places inside a pack of chips; this way, he can be abreast of the news and still kill criminals under the observation of L and members of the police. From a camera's POV, Light would simply be studying while eating chips, but in reality, he was killing people using the Death Note.
Light Yagami - A Manipulative Mastermind
Later on in the anime, Light kills Ray Penber, a member of the FBI tasked with monitoring him. This causes his wife, Naomi Misora, an ex-member of the FBI, to suspect that Kira can kill using other ways than heart attacks, incriminating Light. Coincidentally, Light meets Naomi Misora at the police station, where he manages to convince her that he is a member of the police tasked with the Kira investigation. Initially, she uses an alias, aware of the danger involved in revealing her real name. Light discovers her trickery and manipulates Naomi into revealing her true name. In the end, Light kills Naomi using the Death Note by forcing her to commit suicide. Light’s ability to handle this unforeseen obstacle portrayed his ability to think and act intelligently on the spot.
After a series of events, Light works with L in the Kira investigation while being under suspicion from him. Shockingly, Light suggests that he may be Kira since most of the evidence of the Kira case was linked to him. Despite his father’s constant disapproval, he is imprisoned by L. However, unknown to most members of the Kira investigation team, this was another carefully planned scheme orchestrated by Light. Before he was imprisoned, Light discussed a plan with Ryuk and Rem on his memory wipe, which soon happened during his stay in prison. Consequently, L’s interrogation proved fruitless since he could not establish any concrete evidence. This way, Light exonerates himself, and after he recovers his memories, he manipulates Rem into killing L, winning the long battle between the two characters.
The many intellectual feats performed by Light are the primary reasons the show is still ranked high, despite its release in the early 2000s. Hopefully, another psychological thriller can eventually match what it brought to the table.