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Decades after its liberation , Death Noteremains my preferent gum anime of all time for one big understanding that many Western viewers missed completely . Many considerDeath Notethe quintessential anime experience . From anti - hero protagonist Light Yagami to L Lawliet ’s memorable grapheme design , Death Notehas become one of the most recognizable gum anime in the 21st Century . However , what keepsDeath Noteso relevant in today ’s culture is n’t what fan think .
Tsugumi Ohba ’s complicated blow mystery is condense into 37 episode . While Death Note is shorter liken to long - running anime likeOne PieceorNaruto , its premise and execution are just as beloved , and not just in Japan . The anime has inspired both westerly and easterly creative person for years . Death Note - inhale cosplays and buff artistry are always swerve on societal media . Furthermore , multipleDeath Notemovie adaptationshave been produce , admit a film by Netflix in 2017 .
There is also amusical interpretation ofDeath Note , with an original soundtrack in English star Broadway actor Jeremy Jordan as Light . While a live stage yield in the U.S. has not yet been announce , fans are direct to conceive that a U.S. premiere is inevitable with the musical ’s new - find out popularity . However , despite the countless attempts at recreating the originalDeath Noteanime , none carry a candle to the 2006 anime series , thanks to one immense reason that many fans missed : its deeply rooted scriptural and Buddhist aspiration .
Death Note Still Holds Its Place as the Face of the Anime Industry
Death Note is Known as the Classic Anime Starter-Series, and For Good Reason
demise Notefollows the story ofhigh - school bookman / prognostic Light Yagami . One daylight , out of the blue sky , a mysterious pitch-dark notebook go down from the sky , left to be found by none other than Light . With the words “ Death Note ” inscribe jaggedly across the Word of God ’s leather covert , Light shortly discovers that it has the ability to wipe out anyone whose name is indite within its varlet . Alongside the notebook computer ’s proprietor , Ryuk , a Shinigami from the region of the stagnant , Light takes on his ego - bring down calling of rid the earth of criminals .
Despite being almost 20 geezerhood honest-to-god , Death Note is still one the most easily recognizable anime of all clip , for one unexpected reason .
However , while the protagonist ’s goal may seem apologise from the outside , he shortly falls into fury as the narrative advance , believing that he is undeniably destine to become the “ god of the new world”which he will create by eradicating anybody who resist in his way , including his own Fatherhood and baby , should he view as it necessary to succeed . Unsurprisingly , Light ’s delegation goes far from unnoticed . Soon , a brilliant , albeit hermitlike tec , L Lawliet , joins the case to chase down the illusive justice principal , who is somehow able to belt down without being present .
Death Note’skiller plot of land is what get to the serial so culturally impactful , which realise double-dyed sense , consider itshome studio is Madhouse Inc. Established in 1972 , Madhouse Inc. is a Nipponese liveliness studio apartment based in Nakano City , Tokyo . While the studio has been successful since its design , it became specially relevant in the early 2010s when they adapted series such asDeath Note , Hunter x Hunter ( 2011),andOne Punch Man . Additionally , the studio is menage to various anime legend such asDeath Parade , No Game No Life , Overlord , Parasite , and many more .
Madhouse is a unparalleled aliveness studio for one specific metier : the stories it choose to adapt . Anime such asDeath NoteandHunter x Hunter , in particular , are not inevitably know for their animation styles or fight back sequence . However , Death Note , Parasite , andOverlordare some of the most outstanding Zanzibar copal plots of all meter . Madhouse may not have the most alone animation style or quality , but the level they extend are systematically intriguing , thought - agitative , and systematically relevant .
Religious Symbolism in Death Note
Death Note Pulls Inspiration From the World’s Two Most Practiced Religions
When Ifirst watchedDeath Note , I beak up on a snatch of the spiritual symbolism that the series bear . However , I confessedly pretermit more than I should have , considering how predominant it really is on close inspection . Death Notecenters around Light ’s attack to make and rule a world cleansed of evil using the notebook computer and the efforts of a detective known as L to blockade him . As Light gets used to his newfound ability , he becomes drunk with power , and obsessed with reshape the world according to his figure of speech .
Death Notecontains both scriptural and Buddhist themes . However , they are each prominent in differing part of the series . The Biblical themes remain unremitting throughout the series . Yet , despite their notable impact on the story , they are wide unnoticed by westerly anime fan . When comparingDeath Noteto the Bible , Light Yagami represents the human race and/or Judas . According to the Bible , since the first wickedness committed by Adam and Eve , the human backwash remains in a fallen land , split up from God .
Death Note’s Most Uncomfortable Scene is Actually Its Most Important
The Notorious “Foot Massage Scene” is Death Note’s Crown Jewel
According to some readings of the Bible , people often believe their own worldviews are optimum , guess that if they could only change the macrocosm fit in to their vision , life story would be better . While that ’s a tempting reading of Light , it ’s also possible he constitute Judas . During Jesus ’ time on earth , he had 12 adherent who followed Him faithfully and assisted with His ministry . However , one of his followers , Judas , turned Him into the authorities .
In the Bible , Jesus knew the betrayal was come ahead of time but did nothing to block off it , as He knew it was His God - given destiny . His fall to the betrayal and to the government eventually led to his great forfeit : the saving of the world through His death on the hybridisation . In this caseful , L represent Jesus , betrayed by human race . Like Jesus , L was fully aware that his destruction was inevitable but amply accepted it , nonetheless .
“ The speech sound of a bell has been unusually gimcrack today … ” – L Lawliet
The notoriously uncomfortable yet highly symbolic “ foot massage view ” fromDeath Notehas two possible inspirations from the Bible as well . Judas had secernate the tabernacle guard :
“ The one I buss is the man ; arrest him . ” – Matthew 26:48 ( NIV )
Just before his arrest , according to the Bible , Jesus spoke directly to his rat and said :
“ ' Do what you came for , friend . ’ Then the men stepped forrader , clutch Jesus and arrested him . ” – Matthew 26:50 ( NIV )
L ’s offer to give Light a metrical foot massage , despite his implicit in suspicion about his oncoming death , is extremely reminiscent of this Biblical passage . Furthermore , I have found that many buff discover the vista uncomfortable . In fact , I am a high schoolfilm teacher and recently teach my studentsabout this very topic . They , too , found the metrical unit massage scene wildly out of the ordinary . That is , until I tell them about the strong scriptural symbolization . Afterward , they realized how beautiful this scenery really is , despite its societal abnormality .
While the connection to Matthew 26 is strong in this scene , some rooter ( let in my students ) may marvel why the source chose a metrical unit massage as L ’s symbolical human activity of surrender . give-up the ghost back to the Bible , it is widely known that Jesus Christ would consistently wash the foot of those he cared for . As the date for His arrest approached rapidly , Jesus often gather with his disciple .
One night , Jesus stand from the dinner party board , pour body of water into a washstand , and start to wash His disciples ’ feet . The Son of God was performing an act of service unremarkably meant for the humbled servants . Like Light , the disciples objected at first . However , they soon yield , accepting this act of unimaginable kindness . In the same way , just as Judas accepted Jesus ’ feet washing , Light contribute into L ’s request .
Light’s Death: A Buddhistic Conclusion to a Biblically-Sourced Storyline
While Much of Death Note’s Inspiration is Sourced from the Bible, Its Ending is Actually Reminiscent of Buddhist Beliefs
Despite his colossal efforts to rise above the riffraff of the solid ground , Light is unable to take to the woods the universal confines of the human stipulation . Falling from his throne as “ god of the young world,”Light dies alone , like any other man , where even Ryuk , an unfeeling Shinigami , pities him . While Light experiences many euphoric highs throughout the serial publication , some of which resemble Gojo ’s “ enlightening ” inJujutsu Kaisen , his efforts are futile . No human is divine , and playing god by inflicting your own worldview on others bring home the bacon no long - go outcome .
At the end of theDeath Notemanga , forthwith surveil Light ’s death , are two black Page , indicating to readers that his afterlife was non - existent . The rule of the Death Note state that its user will neither go to Heaven nor Hell . However , according to theorists , an unknown Shinigami appears in aDeath Note OVA , powerfully resembling Light Yagami . This appearance run many fans to consider that he was renew as a Shinigami . While fans argue that this would go against the formula of the Death Note , the Shinigami kingdom could be interpreted as “ purgatory , ” which is quite literally neither Heaven nor Hell .
Reincarnation after death is a predominant construct in Buddhism , which is one of Japan ’s most practise religion . In fact , according to the HSE ( Health , Safety , and Environment Services ) , Buddhistic teachings see aliveness and destruction as a continuum , think that consciousness ( the tone ) proceed after dying and may be converted . last can also be an opportunity for liberation from the cycle of spirit , death , and rebirth . Life as a Shinigami could be consider “ dismissal ” from the cycle when involve into account their interminable , almost senseless , existence in the afterlife .
Finally , some Mahayana Buddhists believethat a pure light of bliss appear at the point of last . loosely , it is tell that sophisticated practitioner enter this igniter , whereas lesser practician get force away into less visible light and into a kind of dream world with many beguiling or nightmarish appearances before being born-again . Light ’s iconic death scene muse these same ideas . After fight the inevitable , the admirer tardily accepts his fate , falling into an eternal slumber as the setting sun shines on his lifeless body .
I was shocked to rule out that my film pupil , many of whom were hugeDeath Notefans , had never discover the salient spiritual symbolism in the series . What once was a laughable foot massage scene in their eye became a powerful depiction of altruism pulled from one of the world ’s most large religions . Before I dive profoundly into the sheer amount of symbolism in Ohba ’s series , the gum anime remained at the top of my list for years . However , after discovering what many westerly fan completely missed , Death Notewill forever be my favorite gum anime .
Sources :
HSE ( Health , Safety , and Environment Services )
velocipede : Buddhism for Beginners
