Death Note eps 1 & 2 Review

I was originally planning to write a review of just the first episode of Death Note. But it took a while before I finally had the time to watch it, and by then the second episode was already out, so I figured why not write a review on both instead =P Anyway, just so you know, this review is written by someone who has never read the Death Note manga. I’m not as big a fan of the style of manga as I am of anime, so I decided to wait until the series was made into an anime. Before I watched the episodes, I only had a vague idea of what the series is about and that’s it, so my mood is that of a very satisfied new fan ^^ The series sounded interesting and I heard good things about the anime, so I decided to give it a try…

…and I have to say, I’m very impressed. The story is just so interesting and the “feel” of the show is so unique. It’s a bit creepy and “dark,” but at the same time, it’s realistic and nothing seems out of place. There isn’t any random gags or hyperbolic characters to interrupt the show’s seriousness. Light is one of the most realistic main characters I’ve seen in a while. For a lead Shounen Jump character, he’s not your typical hot-blooded, arrogant “yakuza” guy with super powers. Ryuuku is also interesting. For a shinigami, he doesn’t seem incredibly evil and murderous, but he doesn’t seem like a “good guy” either. We only got to see L a little bit(he’s voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi! Yay! ^^), so I’m looking forward to more of his character and others to come.

As for the plot, I’m totally engrossed by it, even with just two episodes. We’re given a ton of information in these episodes, but even so the pace is easy to follow, it doesn’t seem rushed, and the mystery and complexities leave you wanting more. Is killing criminals and bad people in order to “cleanse” the world an act of justice? I think this is a pretty deep theme for a Shounen Jump series. And of course, the ability to secretly kill people by writing their names in a book is just a bit enticing too ^^

The music is great as well. The opening and ending are nice and “dark” to match the mood of the show and the background music fits well too. I especially liked the music that was playing towards the end of the first episode, while Light was writing down the names of the criminals as they dropped dead one by one. There really isn’t much humor or flashy action in the show, but it doesn’t need it. The main driving force of Death Note, at least from what I’ve seen in these episodes, is how the story unfolds. How many people will Light kill to create his “perfect world”? Will he ever be found out? Will Ryuuku end up interfering? Will L ever catch him? These are the kinds of questions I have now, and I’m looking forward to watching the rest of this great new series ^_^