History Film / DeathNote2006

* SurprisinglyGoodEnglish: An actual American played Lind L. Tailor ([[spoiler: L's decoy]]). The news broadcast had a Japanese voiceover, but his [[DeepSouth Dixie]] accent was still clearly audible.

* AdaptationalVillainy: In the original manga, Takuo Shibumaru (Light's second victim when he was testing the notebook out) was a lecherous asshole who sexually harassed a woman but never went further than teasing. In the anime, he was [[AttemptedRape trying to rape her]], likely so we wouldn't feel bad when he dies. Taken to an even more extreme level here, where he's a sadistic, remorseless murderer and ''definitely'' deserved to die.

** During Light's and Shiori's visit to the art gallery, the two spot a couple kissing. When Light asks Shiori if she wants to do the same, she refuses, stating that she'd only do it in private, unless if it's their last one. [[spoiler:Before passing away from a fatal gunshot in the third act, the last thing Shiori does is kiss Light in that same location, [[{{Irony}} as armed policemen enter the building]]]].
** When Naomi [[spoiler:kidnaps Shiori]] in the art gallery, they are standing aside a painting, Ekusuhso Kenak's Mask and Death. It depicts the Grim Reaper being stabbed by his own scythe, with the weapon being guided by many masks. [[spoiler:This is [[RuleOfSymbolism symbolism]] of Light eventually losing to L and the Investigation Team in ''[[Film/DeathNoteTheLastName Death Note: The Last Name]]'']]. As a bonus, look where the scythe is embedded. It's in the chest, [[spoiler:alluding to Light's death by heart attack, caused by Ryuk in the next installment]].

* {{Ubermensch}}: Light is seen reading Nietzsche's 'Beyond Good and Evil' shortly before being approched by Naomi Misora for the first time. In German even!

Light Yagami used to be a normal university student, resenting criminals who constantly defied the flawed Japanese justice system. This all changes when a Shinigami, Ryuk, drops a notebook that Light finds. [[ArtefactOfDoom With the notebook's newfound power of killing anyone whose name and fate are written,]] he decides to rid the world of all criminals, eventually assuming the identity of 'Kira'. But one single man stands in his way: L, one of the greatest detectives in the world, igniting a showdown between the two greatest minds where no one is safe...

Light Yagami used to be a normal university student, with one single hatred: criminals who constantly defy the flawed Japanese justice system. This all changes when a Shinigami, Ryuk, drops a notebook into the human world, with Light finding it. [[ArtefactOfDoom With the notebook's newfound power of killing anyone whose name and fate are written,]] he decides to rid the world of all scum, being known as 'Kira' to the world. But one single man stands in his way: L, one of the greatest detectives in the world, igniting a showdown between the two greatest minds that will leave no one safe...

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: As Light calmly explains how [[spoiler:he got Naomi to kill Shiori, Ryuk throws one at him that actually gets Light to ponder his dark actions]] This causes Light to '''almost cry''' when he responded.

* DownerEnding: If one views Light as the [[VillainProtagonist villain]]. [[spoiler:The ending has Light pulling off a successful plan that has pursuer Naomi, and Shiori dead due to him writing both of their names in the 'Death Note'. And since Light now has an alibi, [[ItsPersonal and a motive to stop Kira due to Shiori's death]], he is easily able to join the Investigation Team. The worst part is that he doesn't even care about his girlfriend dying, only seeing it a means to an end, showing us that he has embraced being 'Kira'. Misa also ends up receiving another 'Death Note' that falls from the sky, which will complicate things for the authorities. The only consolation is L hinting to Light in their first meeting that he still suspects Light is Kira, but that isn't definitive proof]].

** During Light's and Shiori's visit to the art gallery, the two spot a couple kissing. When Light asks Shiori if she wants to do the same, she refuses, stating that she'd only do it in private, unless if it's their last one. [[spoiler:Before passing away from a fatal gunshot in the third act, the last thing Shiori does is kiss Light in that same location, as armed policemen enter the building]].
** When Naomi [[spoiler:kidnaps Shiori]] in the art gallery, they are standing aside a painting, Ekusuhso Kenak's Mask and Death. It depicts the Grim Reaper being stabbed by his own scythe, with the weapon being guided by many masks. [[spoiler:This is [[RuleOfSymbolism symbolism]] of Light eventually losing to L and the Investigation Team in ''[[Film/DeathNoteTheLastName Death Note: The Last Name]]'']]. As a bonus, look where the scythe is embedded. It's in the chest, [[spoiler:alluding to Light's death by heart attack, caused by Ryuk in the next instalment]].

* MythologyGag: In the ending, when L meets Light, his way of eating consommé chips brings to mind the infamous [[MundaneMadeAwesome "I'll take a potato chip and eat it!"]] scene from the anime.

* OhCrap: During the bus hijacking, Light is ensuring that the man behind him isn't an accomplice to the hostage-taker, the latter shows Light his badge, identifying him as an FBI agent. Light reads this in a horrified manner, as his actions as Kira have invited ''international police'' to follow him.
* OnceMoreWithClarity: After [[spoiler:killing Raye and 11 other FBI agents]] in a train station, the camera cuts to Light's face as he witnesses [[spoiler:Naomi crying over her fiance's corpse]]. One may assume that he's [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone expressing subdued remorse]] over [[spoiler:destroying a romantic relationship]]. But when that scene is revisited after [[spoiler:Naomi's and Shiori's deaths]], it's revealed that he was actually looking at a Christian cross on one of Naomi's papers, giving a hint towards [[spoiler:the two's planned marriage, and to an extension, the key to finding her real name]].

* RuleOfSymbolism: After being threatened by a criminal in the opening scene, Light throws away a book he has, "The Compendium of Laws", into a bin, before he notices the 'Death Note'. In other words, he discards his faith in the outside law for a new one that can allow him to take the justice system in his hands.

* WhamLine: This line come after the second WhamShot example detailed below, leading to Ryuk reminding Light that [[spoiler:it wouldn't make sense for Naomi to fatally shoot Shiori, if only Naomi's name was written down in the 'Death Note' for her to commit suicide]]. Light corrects Ryuk on that.

* FamousLastWords:
** "But if we allow people to be judged this way, our civilization will revert to a world of brutality." [[spoiler:L decoy, Lind L. Tailor]]
** "Stop the bus!" [[spoiler:Busjacker, Kiichiro Osoreda]]
** "Naomi?" [[spoiler:Raye Iwamatsu]]
** "You want to save her? Then kill me. Like you did [[spoiler:Raye]]. Like all the criminals you've executed. [[BringIt Go on and kill without laying a finger on me!]]" [[spoiler:Naomi Misora]]
** "That was... our {{last kiss}}." [[spoiler:Shiori Akino]]

In 2009, Vertigo Entertainment, the production company behind the 2000s era American remake of Asian horror movies such as ''Film/TheRing'' and ''Film/TheGrudge'', acquired the [[ForeignRemake American remake]] right of this film, [[Film/DeathNote2017 released it on]] Creator/{{Netflix}} in 2017.

* DownerEnding: If one views Light as the [[VillainProtagonist villain]]. [[spoiler:The ending has Light pulling off a successful plan that has pursuer Naomi, and Shiori dead due to him writing both of their names in the 'Death Note'. And since Light now has an alibi, [[ItsPersonal and a motive to stop Kira due to Shiori's death]], he is easily able to join and infiltrate the Investigation Team. The worst part is that he doesn't even care about his girlfriend dying, only seeing it a means to an end, showing us that he has embraced his 'Kira' persona. Misa also ends up receiving another 'Death Note' that falls from the sky, which will undoubtedly complicate things for the authorities. The only consolation is L hinting to Light in their first meeting that he still suspects Light is Kira, but that isn't definitive proof]].

* IKnowYouKnowIKnow: L reveals himself at the end to Light, with the same bag of potato chips, revealing that he's not off the hook. Light appropriately goes OhCrap.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: After [[spoiler:killing Raye and 11 other FBI agents]] in a train station, the camera cuts to Light's face as he witnesses [[spoiler:Naomi crying over her fiance's corpse]]. One may assume that he's [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone expressing subdued remorse]] over [[spoiler:destroying a romantic relationship]]. But when that scene is revisited after [[spoiler:Naomi's and Shiori's deaths]], it's revealed that he was actually looking at a Christian cross on one of Naomi's papers at the time, giving him a hint that [[spoiler:the two were going to be married, and to an extension, the key to finding her real name]].