History Series / DeathNote

A live action TV drama series of the ''Manga/DeathNote'' franchise. The story follows Light Yagami (Masataka Kubota), an ordinary college student with no ambitions beyond living a quiet life working for the government. One day after dealing with an old classmate known for harassing other people, a Shinigami named Ryuk (voiced by Creator/JunFukushima) drops a notebook called the Death Note in front of Light, with the notebook possessing the power to kill someone by writing their name down in it. While Light initially dismisses the notebook as ridiculous, when he sees his classmate is dead after writing his name down, Light begins to acknowledge its power is real. After being tempted to use the power of the notebook a second time in order to save his father, Light decides its burden is too much to bear but when Ryuk convinces him that the notebook could end up in the hands of someone evil, and that Light can use it however he wants, Light decides to use the notebook to purge the world of criminals becoming a SerialKiller known as Kira. When his activities catch the attention of a world-famous detective named L (Creator/KentoYamazaki), an all-out battle between the two begins to see who can find the other first.

* AdaptationalJerkass: L. Though not exactly a 'hero' (with WordOfGod admitting that he's a bit evil), he usually comes across as ALighterShadeOfGrey when compared to Light and a few spin-offs (namely the film ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' and the light novel ''Literature/AnotherNote'') [[AdaptationalHeroism portray him more sympathetically]]. This series by contrast draws more attention to the amorality of his actions and he is generally far more smug and arrogant than most portrayals. [[spoiler:However, when he finds out that Light is Kira, he wanted him to atone for his crimes.]]

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: While Sayu wasn't exactly the perfect daughter/sister in the original series, here, she's a little more over privileged (watching TV while texting a friend, calling her brother stingy when he refuses to make dinner for her, expecting him to make dinner for her in general, etc.).

* AdaptationalJerkass: L. Though not exactly a 'hero' (with WordOfGod admitting that he's a bit evil), he usually comes across as ALighterShadeOfGrey when compared to Light and a few spin-offs (namely the film ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' and the light novel ''LightNovel/AnotherNote'') [[AdaptationalHeroism portray him more sympathetically]]. This series by contrast draws more attention to the amorality of his actions and he is generally far more smug and arrogant than most portrayals. [[spoiler:However, when he finds out that Light is Kira, he wanted him to atone for his crimes.]]

* AdaptationalHeroism: Our VillainProtagonist is brought down to AntiHero levels in the early episodes of the series. He deeply cares about his family (even though he has a strained relationship with his father), kills the murderer of Misa's parents on her behalf and actually saves people using the Death Note, like getting rid of JerkJock Sakota and saving his father from the criminal arguably responsible for the pair's strained relationship (Soichiro chose to book him instead of being at his wife's deathbed). [[spoiler:He does eventually lose sympathy by the end of the series, at which point Light has allowed his own father to commit suicide because he was, in Light's own words, "in my way".]]

A live action TV drama series of the ''Manga/DeathNote'' franchise. The story follows Light Yagami, an ordinary college student with no ambitions beyond living a quiet life working for the government. One day after dealing with an old classmate known for harassing other people, a Shinigami named Ryuk drops a notebook called the Death Note in front of Light, with the notebook possessing the power to kill someone by writing their name down in it. While Light initially dismisses the notebook as ridiculous, when he sees his classmate is dead after writing his name down, Light begins to acknowledge its power is real. After being tempted to use the power of the notebook a second time in order to save his father, Light decides its burden is too much to bear but when Ryuk convinces him that the notebook could end up in the hands of someone evil, and that Light can use it however he wants, Light decides to use the notebook to purge the world of criminals becoming a SerialKiller known as Kira. When his activities catch the attention of a world-famous detective named L, an all-out battle between the two begins to see who can find the other first.

** Episode 10's denouement has Soichiro [[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide writing his own name in the 'Death Note', to test Light's lie on whether that notebook is a fake willingly given by Himura]]. As his [[FamousLastWords last words]], he tells light that he will do one last thing as a father... [[KillItWithFire by opening a flask, splashing flammable liquid on the 'Death Note' and brandishing a lit lighter]]]].

* AdaptationDyeJob: Since this is a live-action adaptation of an anime, there will be a few changes in hair and eye color.

* CreepyDoll: Near is communicates with Mello through a ventriloquist dummy in the early episodes when all he really has to do is hang around alone.

** In Episode 3, Light orders Raye to write down the names of all FBI agents on a provided sheet of paper, including his own (Indicated with a red box on that sheet). He does this, and walks into an abandoned factory to drop off the 'Death Note' and die, like the red entry said. But when Light secretly goes to the factory to retrieve his paper, passing by Raye's corpse, [[FakingTheDead the corpse's hand grabs Light's foot]].
** Episode 8 has Light [[spoiler:get L's real name, and having stopped L from attempting to kill him with the retrieved 'Death Note', writes L's name down. 40 seconds passes... and L gets up, weakly laughing all the while. This meant that Light's writing in that 'Death Note' never affected L, with the next revealing that with the help of Watari, L swapped the notebook with a fake]].

** Episode 10's denouement has Sochiro [[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide writing his own name in the 'Death Note', to test Light's lie on whether that notebook is a fake willingly given by Himura]]. As his [[FamousLastWords last words]], he tells light that he will do one last thing as a father... [[KillItWithFire by grabbing a flask, splashing flammable liquid on the 'Death Note' and brandishing a lit lighter]]]].

** Episode 8 has Light [[spoiler:get L's real name, and having stopped L from attempting to kill him with the retrieved 'Death Note', writes L's name down. 40 seconds passes... and L gets up, smiling all the while. This meant that Light's writing in that 'Death Note' never affected L, with the next revealing that with the help of Watari, L swapped the notebook with a fake]].

** Another one in that same episode. [[spoiler:Light wrote Himura's name down, ordering her to give him the 'Death Note' and drive off to her fate]]. During the credits, we see what happens: Himura goes back to [[spoiler:Mello's hideout, covered with [[StringTheory pictures and strings about the Kira investigation]]. As Mello asks her what she's doing here, the latter reaches into her bag, pulling out and activating a grenade. In that close-up shot revealing the grenade, C4 can also be seen strapped to her jacket. [[PsychicAssistedSuicide She ends up fulfilling the final part of Light's writing: to kill herself]] and destroy all evidence relating to Kira, much to [[OhCrap Mello's shock]]]].

* BookEnds: Chronologically, [[spoiler:a flashback showed Soichiro being to late to make it to the hospital before his wife died. When he opened the door, Light and Sayu were standing over her covered corpse, with Light [[CallingTheOldManOut angrily asking why he didn't pick up his calls]] and ending with Sayu crying for her mother. His eventual death is confirmed when we see Sayu crying for her father over his corpse in a hospital, only his face is uncovered and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil Light is emotionless during this time, a far cry from the person he used to be]]]].

* BookEnds: Chronologically, [[spoiler:a flashback showed Soichiro being to late to make it to the hospital before his wife died. When he opened the door, Light and Sayu were standing over her covered corpse, with Light [[CallingTheOldManOut angrily asking why he didn't pic up his calls]] and ending with Sayu crying for her mother. His eventual death is confirmed when we see Sayu crying for her father over his corpse in a hospital, only his face is uncovered and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil Light is emotionless during this time, a far cry from the person he used to be]]]].

->''"Do you really believe justice always wins? IT DOESN'T! THAT'S WHY KIRA WAS BORN!"''

** The final episode has Light finally cornering Mello in a warehouse after the latter had [[spoiler:kidnapped Sayu just days before]]. He tells Mello that the jig is up, and that it's time to turn himself in... [[spoiler:until Mello takes off his helmet, revealing it to be Near instead]].

* DrivenToSuicide: Light nearly pulls this off after realizing the Death Note's powers are real. [[spoiler:His dad does so after realizing that Light is too far gone to turn himself in, blaming himself for ignoring what he perceived as cries for help early in the series.]]

*** How does Light kill [[spoiler:Shoko Himura]] in Episode 10? By [[spoiler:blowing herself up with a grenade to destroy Mello's Kira evidence]].

A live action series of the ''Manga/DeathNote'' franchise. The story follows Light Yagami, an ordinary college student with no ambitions beyond living a quiet life working for the government. One day after dealing with an old classmate known for harassing other people, a Shinigami named Ryuk drops a notebook called the Death Note in front of Light, with the notebook possessing the power to kill someone by writing their name down in it. While Light initially dismisses the notebook as ridiculous, when he sees his classmate is dead after writing his name down, Light begins to acknowledge its power is real. After being tempted to use the power of the notebook a second time in order to save his father, Light decides its burden is too much to bear but when Ryuk convinces him that the notebook could end up in the hands of someone evil, and that Light can use it however he wants, Light decides to use the notebook to purge the world of criminals becoming a SerialKiller known as Kira. When his activities catch the attention of a world-famous detective named L, an all-out battle between the two begins to see who can find the other first.

** Another one in that same episode. [[spoiler:Light wrote Himura's name down, ordering her to give him the 'Death Note' and drive off to her fate]]. During the credits, we see what happens: Himura goes back to [[spoiler:Mello's hideout, covered with [[StringTheory pictures and strings about the Kira investigation]]. As Mello asks her what she's doing here, the latter reaches into her bag and pulls out a grenade. [[PsychicAssistedSuicide She ends up fulfilling the final part of Light's writing: to kill herself]] and destroy all evidence relating to Kira, much to [[OhCrap Mello's shock]]]].
----

** Speaking of Misa, she's even stupider than her original counterpart. She messes up left and right as the Second Kira and almost reveals Light as Kira while there were still cameras and microphones set up in his room. It certainly doesn't help her character when she asks Rem what "paranoid" means while Rem was warning her the dangers of owning a Death Note and she only took the eye deal just to find out who Kira is and decided that she didn't want the eyes anymore after that.

->'''Lind L. Tailor:''' Kira, I will destroy your childish plans.\\
'''Light:''' You think the police can do something like this? YOU CAN'T! YOU HAVEN'T MADE A DENT IN THE CRIMINAL POPULATION!\\
'''Lind L. Tailor:''' Do you really think you're needed?\\
'''Light:''' It's making people happy. It's saving a lot of people. THAT'S WHAT KIRA DOES! THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO... KIRA '''CAN''' DO!

** This line from Sochiro to Light in Episode 6, after one views [[spoiler:the former's death in episode 10]].
-->''"[[spoiler:If you turned out to be Kira, I was prepared to die here]]."''
** Episode 7 has L and Near work on a jigsaw puzzle together. L gives the last piece to Near, claiming that he may not be the one to complete the puzzle (The Kira case). [[spoiler:He's right on all counts: L dies two episodes later, and in the finale, Near beats Light and exposes him as Kira]].

*** After his engineered busjacking test ended with him [[HoldingYourShoulderMeansInjury injuring his left shoulder, and he holds it]] until he writes down [[spoiler:Raye's fake name]]. It's made clearer that this referenced [[spoiler:his pose after his left hand was shot by Matsuda in the last episode]].

** Episode 7 has L and Near work on a jigsaw puzzle together. L gives the last piece to Near, claiming that he may not be the one to complete the puzzle (The Kira case). [[spoiler:He's right on all counts: L dies three episodes later, and two episodes after that, Near beats Light and exposes him as Kira]].

'''Lind L. Tailor:''' Do you really think you're needed!\\

->''"I already chose this path. The things the police can't do... Kira can change the world. No... I '''will''' change the world."''
-->-- '''Light Yagami'''

->''"I already chose this path. The things the police can't do... Kira can change the world. No... Only I '''will''' change the world."''

->''"I'm going to create a peaceful world. A world with no criminals. Kira can change the world."''

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Justice always wins!"'']]
->''"That's right, this is a battle. I may not be able to do it but Kira can. Kira can change the world."''