r/anime • u/Holofan4life • 11d ago
Rewatch [Spoilers] Death Note 20th Anniversary Rewatch -- Episode 5 Spoiler
Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.
Welcome to the Death Note 20th anniversary rewatch discussion thread!
I hope you all have a lot of fun <3
Episode 5
Tactics
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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)
What are your thoughts on Light deciding to kill all police officers in Japan who are working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on the show revealing what L looks like?
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Series information
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Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode or past the LNs or mangas out of respect to the first time watchers and people who have not read the LNs or mangas. If you are discussing something that is ahead of the current episode please use spoiler tags(found on the sidebar). Thank you!
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Ways to watch
Streams – Netflix
Schedule
| Date | Episode |
|---|---|
| 10/04/2026 | Death Note Episode 1 |
| 10/05/2026 | Death Note Episode 2 |
| 10/06/2026 | Death Note Episode 3 |
| 10/07/2026 | Death Note Episode 4 |
| 10/08/2026 | [Death Note Episode 5]() |
| 10/09/2026 | [Death Note Episode 6]() |
| 10/10/2026 | [Death Note Episode 7]() |
| 10/11/2026 | [Death Note Episode 8]() |
| 10/12/2026 | [Death Note Episode 9]() |
| 10/13/2026 | [Death Note Episode 10]() |
| 10/14/2026 | [Death Note Episode 11]() |
| 10/15/2026 | [Death Note Episode 12]() |
| 10/16/2026 | [Death Note Episode 13]() |
| 10/17/2026 | [Death Note Episode 14]() |
| 10/18/2026 | [Death Note Episode 15]() |
| 10/19/2026 | [Death Note Episode 16]() |
| 10/20/2026 | [Death Note Episode 17]() |
| 10/21/2026 | [Death Note Episode 18]() |
| 10/22/2026 | [Death Note Episode 19]() |
| 10/23/2026 | [Death Note Episode 20]() |
| 10/24/2026 | [Death Note Episode 21]() |
| 10/25/2026 | [Death Note Episode 22]() |
| 10/26/2026 | [Death Note Episode 23]() |
| 10/27/2026 | [Death Note Episode 24]() |
| 10/28/2026 | [Death Note Episode 25]() |
| 10/29/2026 | [Death Note Episode 26]() |
| 10/31/2026 | [Death Note Episode 27]() |
| 11/01/2026 | [Death Note Episode 28]() |
| 11/02/2026 | [Death Note Episode 29]() |
| 11/02/2026 | [Death Note Episode 30]() |
| 11/03/2026 | [Death Note Episode 31]() |
| 11/04/2026 | [Death Note Episode 32]() |
| 11/05/2026 | [Death Note Episode 33]() |
| 11/06/2026 | [Death Note Episode 34]() |
| 11/07/2026 | [Death Note Episode 35]() |
| 11/08/2026 | [Death Note Episode 36]() |
| 11/09/2026 | [Death Note Episode 37]() |
| 11/10/2026 | [Death Note Overall Series Discussion Thread]() |
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
Hey, guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the 20th anniversary rewatch of Death Note.
Names need not be written down.
Very few anime transend the medium it is a part of. One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Speed Racer. Those are really the four where even non anime fans know of it. I would argue there was a point in time where Death Note was like this as well where even if you weren’t an anime fan, you knew what Death Note was.
I of course have experienced Death Note through various memes and the like. I even remember checking out a Treehouse of Horror episode of The Simpsons specifically because they parodied Death Note, and I’m not even a modern Simpsons watcher. But despite being familiar with the show for the better part of almost 15 years, I’ve never actually seen Death Note. It’s just one of those things that escaped me.
I’ve heard Death Note is notorious for having a dip in quality. That with the conclusion of part 1, the show isn’t as good as when it started. This rewatch is less a matter of deciding if the show is good or not and more is part 2 really as bad as it reputation suggests. My prediction will be no but it’ll be a show that goes from 9 out of 10 to 8 out of 10.
Death Note was at one point arguably the most mainstream anime in the entire world. And so it’s time we revisit what I’m sure got many people into anime.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
I’m watching the dub, by the way. Because potato chips.
My little sister just told me she hates death.
Same, little sister. Same.
Picking up where the last episode left off.
Music gives me Halloween vibes
Light promises to Raye to not tell anyone he came into contact with him.
Who is that?
Raye's wife?
She kinda looks like Hana from Fruits Basket.
Raye recalling what happened
The woman this isn't all just a coincidence.
Oh, she's a former FBI agent?
Raye wants to meet her parents
The relationship has massive death flags (Sorry, sis)
Light at home
He plans to eventually write Raye's name down, but waiting along while so it is less obvious.
Oh. L is apparently the dark haired guy.
Kinda an anticlimactic reveal
Talks of Gods of Death
Light and Ryuk now in like a shopping district.
Hey, there's Raye
Light identifies himself to Raye as Kira.
And now he's like holding him hostage.
Someone dies
Repeatedly charged with sexual assault
Kira is showing he has all the cards.
The music here is exquisite, by the way.
Kira says he is investigating Raye.
Gotta do what he says or everyone he cares about dies.
I'm starting to think this Light fellow isn't a good person.
Raye at a train station
Not enough anime ads
12 agents currently in Japan, Raye reveals.
Kira wants Raye to write down the name of his superior.
Gotta write down the name of each FBI agent.
Leave the envelope on the train as he gets off.
And as he gets off, Raye has a heart attack.
And Light reveals himself
Raye knows who Kira is
So cold
A death warrant for all of his colleagues.
Light is kinda a heartless bastard
L getting a call from the director of the FBI.
All of the agents in Japan are dead
Gonna call off the investigation? What?
L is suspected on spying on the FBI.
Kira even sent a note
Poor Raye's fiancé. She doesn't deserve this.
Light’s family gathered around the table.
Dad says he's in charge of the investigation.
He mentions all the agents that died.
Meanwhile, Light sitting there like :|
Light says he's proud to call his dad his father.
My dad the father, my mother the car
Light’s dad at his work force
Have to be willing to fight against Kira even if it means the ultimate sacrifice.
Raye's fiancé walking about
She's still reeling over what happened.
Light’s dad and others talking to L.
They seem to be getting testy with him.
What is that?
Is Kira communicating with them?
No, L is asking for their help
The police is important to this case.
They need to cooperate together
The remaining police officers seem to want to trust L.
L in a room by himself
He is going to make his first public appearance.
Why is he barefooted?
Light feels the real battle is only just beginning.
And we end things with Light’s dad about to meet L.
Overall, this was decent. It's more Light asserting his dominance as the police officers continue to scramble. I think Light killing Raye is the first death he's done that was objectively bad. It was solely done to protect himself. I also thought the Raye stuff might've went on longer than it did. Oh well.
Probably the weakest episode we've seen. The biggest compliment I can give it is it went by fast and never dragged. But it teased some important stuff like Light continuing to descent into madness and L going to reveal his identity.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
What are your thoughts on Light deciding to kill all police officers in Japan who are working on the Kira case?
I was expecting this to eventually happen, but I don't think I would've done this here. I think there was more to do with Raye. And I don't think killing all the police officers in Japan working against Kira needed to be in the same episode as the Raye. I would've had Raye dying be its own episode and then the next episode have everyone perish.
What are your thoughts on the show revealing what L looks like?
Very anticlimactic. I feel like it removes a lot of the aura of L. I was hoping we'd see things from like Light’s perspective where the identity of L is kept a secret to the audience. I feel like this takes a lot of the wind out of the show's sails.
I know I'm being super negative with my thoughts, but I think the things I'm complaining about would've made the show more gripping. Why are we rushing through these plot points? It's like the show is pacing itself like it only has 12 episodes to work with.
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u/Second_Cour 11d ago
Even worse than killing Raye was killing the other FBI agents. If Light is operating under the greater good principle which I'm confident he is, then getting rid of the biggest tangible threat to being discovered makes sense from his perspective. He knows that L is the biggest overall threat and the other FBI agents aren't investigating him. So logically eliminating them as well was just to make a statement rather than for much personal benefit. Then again he still did receive some benefit by having most people quit the investigation so the outcome was still beneficial for him
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Him eliminating them was never a question in my mind. I figured that's where we were ultimately heading. But it feels sudden for this ro happen in episode 5. I'd almost wish it occurred in like episode 7.
I don't think there was enough transition between Light doing things for the greater good to doing things for himself. It's like these massive mood changes he experiences, like he has bipolar disorder or something. I think him killing the police officers in Japan in a later episode could make it this dramatic moment. Instead, I can't help but laugh at the quickness to which Light goes from one extreme to another. He's already betrayed his own coda.
At least in Fruits Basket, the characters were consistent. Everything Akito did was because she was worried of losing the family. There is something in Light losing touch of reality, but it doesn't feel earned and as such it almost feels satirical.
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u/Second_Cour 10d ago
Whle you bring up a FruBa comparison, it's funny that your complaints are basically my exact issue I had with the Fruba ep 4 or 5 - is it doing too much, too quickly, before we get to like and feel something for the characters. Is it earned?
And same as my cirticism of FruBa, I completely agree with your criticism of Death Note here.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Except with Fruits Basket, you can argue they didn't know whether or not they were gonna get canceled. I think everyone knew Death Note was continuing past this.
I just can't move past this feeling there's not enough of a reason why Light is suddenly asking so scared. They don't even frame it as him saying one thing and him doing another, which honestly would be an easy thing to do.
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u/Second_Cour 10d ago
Why would fruba get cancelled after 4 episodes. I think both were ultimately commercial decisions which might have worked for tv but for a rewatch like this both feel like they come on too fast
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I meant the manga it's based on. The first five episodes was an adaptation of the first volume and had they not continued after it, that would've been a good place to end on.
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u/Second_Cour 10d ago
Weird, I tried to do some research into that for my interest, and it seems like all factors point to there being far less cancellation pressure on something like FruBa (given it's not in Shonen Jump which is far more competitive and prone to earlier cancellations). It's also insanely rare for a published manga to be cancelled after just 5 chapters.
I also haven't found examples where the writer will typically write assuming cancellation is possible and bases the story off that. Typically the author will find out that their story will be cancelled, and tries to wrap it up based on that.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I don't know the validity to it, I just know that's been a rumor that's circulated over the years that Fruits Basket was maybe facing cancelation if it wasn't popular enough.
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u/Second_Cour 9d ago
Isn't that the case for every manga ever? So yeah putting some big beats early on is a common commercial technique
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u/AgentOfACROSS 11d ago
Watching Dubbed
I guess we’re following around Ray Penber now.
Ray should listen to his wife. It sounds like she’s got better sense about this case than him.
Light is now sending messages to L through his murders. He’s really leaning into full blown serial killer territory now.
Light sounds like such an edgy dweeb when he’s threatening to kill Ray. Especially with his disguise he has on.
Okay the morality of Light killing this cafe worker is interesting. Since according to Light he had been charged with sexual assault multiple times but was let go due to lack of evidence. Light seems to fully believe that this man is guilty but if there’s not enough evidence that means Light has chosen to kill this man on his gut feeling. Before Light could argue that he’d only been killing people who were actively convicted, on the run from the law, or in the middle of committing a crime, but this is the first time Light has killed a criminal without fully knowing if they’re a criminal.
I still want to believe Light is bluffing about being willing to kill Ray’s wife but I’m not sure.
How is an FBI agent getting outsmarted by a teenaged boy?
So it seems that Light is trying to get Ray to kill all his FBI agents. This feels like another big moral line that Light is crossing pretty casually. This is a move entirely out of self preservation for him, these FBI agents have not committed any crimes that he’s aware of. He simply is doing this for his own protection.
Even him killing Lind L. Taylor (who he thought was L) you could say that was a sudden spur of the moment decision he was goaded into. But this decision is very much premeditated.
Light’s laying it on a bit thick with his dad at dinner.
Ray’s wife investigating the murder is an interesting continuation.
Honestly, I get why the other cops are annoyed at L not showing his face.
I’ll be honest, none of Light’s dad’s cop buddies stand out to me.
L looking over the city like this is pretty cool.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
I guess we’re following around Ray Penber now.
Why not?
Ray should listen to his wife. It sounds like she’s got better sense about this case than him.
For real
Light is now sending messages to L through his murders. He’s really leaning into full blown serial killer territory now.
Very unsettling
Light sounds like such an edgy dweeb when he’s threatening to kill Ray. Especially with his disguise he has on.
And yet as he shows he isn't messing around.
Okay the morality of Light killing this cafe worker is interesting. Since according to Light he had been charged with sexual assault multiple times but was let go due to lack of evidence. Light seems to fully believe that this man is guilty but if there’s not enough evidence that means Light has chosen to kill this man on his gut feeling. Before Light could argue that he’d only been killing people who were actively convicted, on the run from the law, or in the middle of committing a crime, but this is the first time Light has killed a criminal without fully knowing if they’re a criminal.
This episode is basically Light crossing the moral event horizon of any semblance of moral high ground.
I still want to believe Light is bluffing about being willing to kill Ray’s wife but I’m not sure.
Hmm
How is an FBI agent getting outsmarted by a teenaged boy?
Because it's Light
So it seems that Light is trying to get Ray to kill all his FBI agents. This feels like another big moral line that Light is crossing pretty casually. This is a move entirely out of self preservation for him, these FBI agents have not committed any crimes that he’s aware of. He simply is doing this for his own protection.
Light really is such a dick in this episode.
Even him killing Lind L. Taylor (who he thought was L) you could say that was a sudden spur of the moment decision he was goaded into. But this decision is very much premeditated.
Very much so.
Also, Raye was the most likable character in the show so far. To kill him here is a very bold choice.
Light’s laying it on a bit thick with his dad at dinner.
It reminds me of Dexter a bit
Ray’s wife investigating the murder is an interesting continuation.
I'll be curious to see where that leads to.
Honestly, I get why the other cops are annoyed at L not showing his face.
I mean, he seems open to it here
I’ll be honest, none of Light’s dad’s cop buddies stand out to me.
Yeah, me neither
L looking over the city like this is pretty cool.
This is the first time he's been identified as L, yes? We've seen him before, but we didn't know this was L until this episode, correct?
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call his his father?
What are your thoughts on L planning to make him first public appearance?
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u/zeltheturtl https://myanimelist.net/profile/zeltheturtl 11d ago
First Time Note Taker, subs
o7 Raye, you seemed like a great guy, at least you were the first one to know Kira's identity, if only for a fleeting moment.
But the entire FBI execution was merciless. Also incredibly daring, considering Raye's movements were "controlled" by the Note only for the last ~6 minutes. Nevertheless, torn pages make appearance again. My jaw dropped a little when he took them out of the file and Light's plan clicked into place.
Light crossed a meaningful threshold today (I won't count the fake L at the beginning, even if he couldn't have known that was a criminal as well) - he began killing innocent people for the sake of his cause. In my eyes it's important because it shows cracks in his justice, because he needs to create injustice to enact his (again, if we forget in the first place that even criminals have human rights).
Oh and the secret messages were just a way to fuck with L hahahahahaha.
QOTD:
What are your thoughts on Light deciding to kill all police officers in Japan who are working on the Kira case?
Oh, I already answered that one, nice!
What are your thoughts on the show revealing whar L looks like?
Both parties are starting to take bigger risks, and we're only on episode 5!
[Content that comes later which I know from the usual Death Note memes] Considering that meme where L literally stares right into Light's face, it had to come sooner or later didn't it haha.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 11d ago
To be honest, the escalation from "I'm going to kill thousands of evil people unilaterally with no oversight in order to save the world" to "I'm going to kill people who are opposing my plans to save the world and also trying to kill me" isn't that massive. It's a significant leap, but considering the starting point...
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u/zeltheturtl https://myanimelist.net/profile/zeltheturtl 11d ago
I can see that, but it's also a big step in his mind's detoriation. Another boundary that he had crossed.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
And for the record, I think this was always the end goal in mind. I actually like Light having a specific vision only to essentially get lost in the sauce and believing his own hype. That's basically what happened with Walter White and it makes for a good story.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
But we're missing the why as far as the escalation. Like, why does Light feel the need to kill those who go against his vision? Does he feel threatened? Does he feel he's about to get caught? Raye doesn't feel that big of a threat to make Light feel he's in danger.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 10d ago
Well, if he gets caught, he's going to be executed, he knows it. He even brought the idea up this episode. Even if he somehow avoided the death penalty, it would certainly result in going to prison for life and the end of his plans. If there's a reasonable chance of Penber finding evidence of his identity, he's a danger. If there's a chance of him finding enough circumstantial evidence to result in heightened scrutiny, that's still very dangerous. Also, his actions had the effect of pushing away FBI (and possibly other international police) support and gutting the Japanese task force, both of which are things that could be predicted. Like I said, I do think it's an escalation, but I'm not as convinced it's a fundamental paradigm shift.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I guess I just have a hard getting emotionally invested in Light killing all these police officers when I barely know who these police officers are.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 10d ago
To be honest, I have no idea how that's relevant to what I was saying in my previous comment.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
You are saying why he feels the need to kill all those officers. I'm saying that may be true, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. I feel like there’s a better show buried deep within than what we're actually seeing.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 10d ago
Well, that's kind of a separate conversation, but also I don't think they're trying to make you care about the agents. They're (metaphorically, obviously, given the premise of the series) nameless and faceless grunts just like all the criminals who were killed before and serve as a plot device more than characters. You're given reason to care about Raye and his fiancée to an extent since they get some narrative focus, but the focus is on the plot and Light's actions and mindset.
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u/Holofan4life 10d ago
And I think the focus given to Light’s mindset is mostly well done. I enjoy seeing what's going to happen next with him. But like I said elsewhere, I think the show has a problem giving the audience to care about the characters.
Light is pretty unsympathetic but he's fun so there's that. L just wants to capture Light but we don't know how his mind works. And the big hook with his character, him being anonymous, was already killed off after only a couple episodes. These are the two main characters we're seeing and even though they're engaging on like a surface level, I'm kinda hoping for more backstory. Like, why are they so quirky?
To get back to what you're saying, there is an escalation that makes this show work. It makes sense for Light to be at odds with the police. L wanting to catch Light makes sense. This game of cat and mouse is fun on a surface level. But the show also lacks that character we the audience are rooting for and wanting to see succeed. And all the best shows have that.
And I think there's a way you could make Light the person the audience roots for. Give him some sad backstory or something relatable like something he cares for and suddenly I can gravitate more to him. Accelerator was originally an antagonist in A Certain Magical Index. And then they gave him a loli he befriended and he became easy to root for. Vegeta was this unstoppable force who was responsible for the deaths of probably millions. But then he became a family man and it was sweet to see him be there for his wife.
The show is entertaining because you want to see how far Light is willing to go. But I can't say I want to see him succeed or I want to see L succeed. I don’t really have anyone I'm currently rooting for and I think that's a major problem. It's like the pieces are there and it does enough of the bare minimum to work, but I need more from it to truly be something special. And I think this show can be something absolutely incredible.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
I was surprised by how quickly the show made Light an unlikable dickhead. Really, the show is gonna have to do something soon because they haven't really given us a reason to root for L. He's not as mean as Light, but I also don't want to see Light get caught.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago edited 11d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call him his father?
What are your thoughts on L planning to make his first public appearance?
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u/zeltheturtl https://myanimelist.net/profile/zeltheturtl 11d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé? Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
This is a trope right? Someone coming home to their more competent (?) significant other, who will become a more prominant figure in the show. If that's the case, I'm kinda bummed that it couldn't have been Raye himself, but we'll see how his gf turns out.
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Very ballsy, also makes for great content to watch. Even Ryuk was left speechless, we haven't seen him at all during the entire incident, we've seen him only at the start of it.
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
Same as killing any other criminal.
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
Pure insanity to have someone else write on the Death Note paper. Pure insanity makes for great viewing experience tho.
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Well technically he didn't break that promise... yet...; It also elevates Raye as a good friend/close person in your life. It also makes him an unreliable agent, when he handed out info about his comrades. Good relationships and good dangerous-work relationships don't mix well in these stories.
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
It's been a thing since his introduction. Just like the 3 people resigning immediately, I perfectly understand it and would do the same, most likely.
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Another case of good relationships and good dangerous-work relationships not mixing well. It creates a liability for the case (but Light is there anyway, so in this case it's a nothingburger).
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call him his father?
They're family, so their personalities will probably rhyme in many ways. Therefore I think that he's genuinely proud of him, despite the circumstances.
What are your thoughts on L planning to make his first public appearance?
Finally!
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
The whole stuff with Raye and his fiancé reminds me of the Ballerina sequence of Dandadan. Here's this person trying to do right by the people he cares about only for him to be caught in some nonsense.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 11d ago
Is that second question not something that should have been asked days ago?
Trevor Devall, the focus of Aizawa, has a YouTube channel, completely unrelated to anime or voice acting, that I became a fan of a long time before I ever started watching anime. I can't remember if I was immediately able to recognize him back when I first watched this or if it took time. That's one of a handful of places where I heard anime VAs before I started watching, along with Fallout: New Vegas being absolutely full of 2000s-era dub actors and one other place that I will not be elaborating on.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
Isn't this the first time he's been identified as L by name? We've seen him before, but isn't this the first time we've had a name put to the face?
I'm sad to see Raye be no more. I like the idea of there being a middle man caught in the middle of Light and L.
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u/awesomenessofme1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/kta_99 11d ago edited 11d ago
I'm not sure I understand what you mean. We see him in private talking to himself right after seeing him talk as L all the way back in episode 2. What else could have been going on?
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
I dunno, I definitely didn't think as a first timer that's what L looked like. I thought i t was some computer hacker.
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u/Hartzilla2007 11d ago
First Timer
So we get Light's plan to deal with the FBI agents investigating which of course is more murder. Yeah given he figured out something about the Death Note Ryuk didn't know and how impressed Ryuk seemed by that its safe to say he's in this for the entertainment value. Meanwhile the local investigation has shrunk down enough that L is going to be putting in personal appearances now. Oh yeah I can tell Light is going to have no problems using the murder book on his dead if he feels he has to.
Look I'm not going to think Light had to many moral lines when after first using the Death Note the first he immediately wants to do another one just to be sure and followed that up and followed with wanting to kill lesser criminals with horrible deaths while calling himself a god.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
This is the first time we've seen Light use the Death Note to protect himself. Before, it was used to protect others.
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u/Holofan4life 11d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call him his father?
What are your thoughts on L planning to make his first public appearance?
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u/Second_Cour 11d ago
Damnn the plan getting the agent to write the names of the FBI agents is crazy. Genius idea (though of course if Light wasn’t a maniac, he wouldn’t go after those agents given it gives more heat, but at this stage, Light is the main character in a game of his own making).
I wonder how he got the supervisor to send that email. I suppose if Light found out who the boss is, he could have created a notebook scenario such as “send email to Raye with your roster, then die from a heart attack”.
Killing Raye is a bit stupid though, as they would probably investigate the person he was investigating before dying…
Raye’s fiance being an ex-agent and investigating his death is such a cliche, but I’m fine with it.
These episodes just whiz by somehow - 24 mins feel like 15. That’’s a good sign.
The over-acting is getting to me a bit though. I very much doubt that this show will keep its original 10/10 rating (I previously explained why it got that). In fact, I know it won’t get that. At this stage I think the ceiling is in the high 7s for me. It’s still an incredibly engaging show, but now that I have a lot more anime experience, I’m starting to see cracks.
1
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I was hoping Raye would stick around for a little bit because I was thinking he could make a nice everyman character. Like, he would be caught between L and Light and L would be the angel on his shoulder and Light would be the devil on his shoulder.
The thing I'm struggling with this show is we haven't really been given a reason to care about L. Yeah, he wants to capture Light, but do we the audience want to see Light get caught? I can't speak for everyone, but I don't because then there would be less excitement. What's hurting my enthusiasm for this show is Light is unlikable and L just kinda exists. We don't know what their motivations are and what drives them besides Light wanting to kill all the criminals. That's why I was hopeful Raye would stick around because he has a fiancé to go home to and so that gives us a reason to be emotionally invested in him.
But I'm still enjoying the show despite my grievances. The tension is great and the show does feel very suspenseful. You want to see what Light and L will do next and so I find myself gravitated to that.
1
u/Second_Cour 10d ago
Might be tough to have continued using Raye given he was pretty wooden, and also a non-Japanese character. He was set up to die as soon as Light foundout that he was trailing him too.
In terms of reasons to care - well, Light is meant to be the character we cheer for. He's an antihero. While he's doing some bad things, I think a lot of people can relate with some of his views. As a character though, I agree, Light is unlikeable: we hardly know much about his personality as he basically started off in psycho mode. In terms of his ideals, a lot of people can relate.
As for L, he's meant to be the good guy, but given bringing Light to justice also terminates the idea we are all obviously interested in, in some ways we should be rooting against L. But this might change as we learn more about L: right now he's basically a computer generated voice.
What would be a great balance though is if we can get to a place where we ourselves go through the moral dilemma: do we want L to win? Do we want Light to win? What outcome produces the greater good? When Light makes progress, will it make us root for L. When L does, do we start hoping for Light's evasion? That see-saw could be what makes the show definitely enterrtaining, and perhaps powerful.
1
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I guess when L was this faceless entity, that was enough for me to care about him. There was a hook to his character. But now that we're seeing L, it's like where's the hook? Why should I care about him?
It's funny because on paper, all this stuff makes sense. Light is maybe getting desperate and is worried he's going to get caught. The Kira case is so severe that L is willing to reveal himself. These things gs feel like natural directions for the show to take. I just wish it didn't feel premature. I think there's still mileage to be had with Light being this purveyor of justice and L being this sort of puppetmaster pulling the strings. Already escalating things at this point makes it feel like we're rushing through things, and in the case of L it removes a lot of his aura.
1
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call him his father?
What are your thoughts on L planning to make his first public appearance?
2
u/ItalianQuagsire 10d ago
first timer grimer
What are your thoughts on Light deciding to kill all police officers in Japan who are working on the Kira case?
you know what i actually don't find his god complex as cringe as i thought, and also holy SHIT that team-kill moment with the FBI agent was fire
What are your thoughts on the show revealing what L looks like?
im more shocked by his bare tootsie feet
---
He also traumatized the passengers, the driver that hit the criminal, on top of his date nice one Light
Oh this lady is gonna be important
He thought out even if the seat is taken, damn Kira is a kira
Oh fuck is Kira using him to kill his own boss no fucking way that's diabolical (purse guessing)
Holy fuck Light aura
NO FUCKING WAY HE USED THE AGENT HOLY FUCK
light you devious fucking bastard that's genius
Damn the imouto is so cute quit dad don't die
Oh a new detective has come
Positive mindset to say 5 are willing to risk their lives
Meeting L
He's just barefoot lol
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Light’s mindset isn't cringe, but I wish his descent into madness was more a gradual thing. He seemingly gave up on being the savior of the innocent petty quickly.
I wonder if L being barefoot is a reference to Steve Jobs who would walk around barefoot all the time.
3
u/ItalianQuagsire 10d ago
i don't even think there was a descent he was just ready to nuke anyone without a moments hesitation, it's like ep 5 LOL
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Exactly my point. It's batshit insane which is enjoyable in its own right.
Like, I'm not saying I hate this direction. But it's like the creator went for the most over the top choice possible. And it's both a shame but it's also kinda awesome? I dunno lol
I described Death Note in another thread as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure meets My Chemical Romance. It feels very 2000s.
2
u/ItalianQuagsire 10d ago
they couldve had a slow character driven descent into madness
but he's just crazy off the bat and somehow that's pretty entertaining LOL
the op tracks with the 2000's, unapologetic and kinda refreshing
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Oh, it's absolutely entertaining. I'm not arguing that. But stuff like that matters in my view if you're trying to be taken seriously. The lack of explanation for stuff like that will prevent it from me putting it in elite company.
And it would be more forgiving if it was self-aware like a Kill La Kill. But you just know the creator meant for this to be taken super cereal.
2
u/ItalianQuagsire 10d ago
oh yeah im not expecting this to leave an impact on me the same way other shows do, it's a good popcorn show
the fact that it's taking itself so seriously kinda makes me like it more because of how unapologetically earnest it is LOL
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
And the thing is the show is legitimately good. Like, the pacing and suspense is pretty great. It's just a different type of greatness than the author was probably intending.
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call his his father?
What are your thoughts on L planning to make him first public appearance?
2
u/ItalianQuagsire 10d ago
Thoughts on Raye coming home to his fiancé?
i could see the death flags a mile away
Thoughts on her being a former FBI agent?
well... we know where this is going
Thoughts on Light identifying himself as Kira to Raye?
excuse me sir we're right outside a wendy's (Saizeriya)
Thoughts on Light killing someone repeatedly charged with sexual assault?
imagine if it was actually allegations
What are your thoughts on Light making Raye write down all the FBI agents in Japan working on the Kira case?
i caught that shit immediately i feel so smart, but i like that the show makes me feel like a genius and then makes itself even smarter, pretty cool stuff
What are your thoughts on Light promising not to kill all of Raye's loved ones if he complies to his demands only to still kill him?
... yeah he isn't the most benevolent god right now
Thoughts on L being suspected on spying on the FBI?
reverse uno
Thoughts on Light’s father talking about the case with his family over dinner?
I would have been slightly alarmed to hear my highschool son declare he'll catch Kira if I die, that's not even a bit suspicious?
Thoughts on Light telling his dad he's proud to call his his father?
i would be too, great guy
What are your thoughts on L planning to make him first public appearance?
without shoes no less this guy has no fashion sense
2
u/Holofan4life 10d ago
I guess Light’s dad took his son's proclamation as being this source of pride. Like, it's only natural he'd want to avenge his father's death.
It's kinda like Batman where the death of his parents made him want to fight for justice.
3
u/Holofan4life 11d ago
I feel conflicted over Light killing innocent civilians. I wish that was something that would've been developed over time. We spent the beginning of the last episode talking about how Light has a specific vision where he wants to get rid of all the criminals in the world to cultivate the world in his own image. And I kinda feel like he's already betraying what he's saying.
I would've liked had Raye stuck around for a couple episodes and Light didn't kill police officers until like episode 8 or 9. To just go right into it feels rushed a bit.
We'll see if I feel any differently as we go along. But right now, I feel killing Raye off so soon is a missed opportunity. I would've liked it to have been an act of desperation by Light instead of just immediately going full evil.