History Film / DeathNoteSeries

* {{Expy}}: Due to many characters being removed from the films, many other characters take their place

** The new human Death Note user, Sakura Aoi, as well as the Shinigami Bepo, are seen and hyped up in promotional material such as stills or posters. Ironically enough however, [[spoiler:Sakura is killled off in the film's first act]] whereas Bepo is seen in only one scene.

** Also in the same film, L replaces Near's role as the one to finally capture and corner Kira. Though Near does appear in ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' so an {{Expy
Coexistence}} is at play.

** Also in the same film, L replaces Near's role as the one to finally capture and corner Kira. Though Near does appear in ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' so an {{Expy Coexistence Expy Coexistence}} is at play.

** Also from the same film, the Shinigami Arma, is essentially a {{GenderFlipped Gender Flipped}} version of Sidoh from the original series. Bepo, another shinigami in the film, is also an expy of Armonia from the manga and anime.

** Also in the same film, L replaces Near's role as the one to finally capture and corner Kira. Though Near does appear in ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' so an [[Expy coexistence]] is at play.

** Also from the same film, the Shinigami Arma, is essentially a {{GenderFlipped}} version of Sidoh from the original series. Bepo, another shinigami in the film, is also an expy of Armonia from the manga and anime.

** Also from the same film, the Shinigami Arma, is essentially a [[GenderFlipped]] version of Sidoh from the original series. Bepo, another shinigami in the film, is also an expy of Armonia from the manga and anime.

* AdaptedOut: Multiple characters from the anime and manga are removed and sometimes replaced with an [[Expy]] in the films. Groups and organizations such as the Yotsuba Group or SPK are notably absent from all films. Individuals like Matt and Mello are omitted, though Mello is mentioned briefly by Near in ''Series/DeathNoteNewGeneration''. Many Shinigami's from the manga and anime are also removed.

* [[Expy]]: Due to many characters being removed from the films, many other characters take their place

* Expy: Due to many characters being removed from the films, many other characters take their place

** Also from the same film, the Shinigami

* AdaptedOut: Multiple characters from the anime and manga are removed and sometimes replaced with [[Expy]]s in the films. Groups and organizations such as the Yotsuba Group or SPK are notably absent from all films. Individuals like Matt and Mello are omitted, though Mello is mentioned briefly by Near in ''Series/DeathNoteNewGeneration''.

* {{Deconstruction}}: To both the idea of Death Note itself and the character Light Yagami. If the medium is the message, then this film series shows how terrifying it would be if people like Light Yagami exist in real life. [[WordsOfGod Shusuke Kaneko, the director of first two films,]] admitted that this was intentional since he not only wanted to show how dangerous to undermine the corrupting influence wielding such power, but also explore the Japanese youth's desire to have such. He also compared the use of the Death Note to how users attacked one another on message boards and blogs.

* ''Film/LChangeTheWorld'' (2008)[[note]]A LightNovel [[LightNovel/LChangeTheWorld adaptation]] was also released, containing a heavily altered plot.[[/note]]

For the American Netflix Movie created in 2017, see ''[[Film/DeathNote2017 Death Note (2017)]]''.

* AnAesop:In the climax of the second film, Soichiro delivers the ultimate message of the series: an justice systems are imperfect because they are made by imperfect people, but they are a culmination of trying to define such a concept.

* {{Deconstruction}}: To both idea of Death Note itself and the character Light Yagami. If the medium is the message, then this film series shows how terrifying it would be if people like Light Yagami exist in real life. [[WordsOfGod Shusuke Kaneko, the director of first two films,]] admitted that this was intentional since he not only wanted to show how dangerous to undermine the corrupting influence wielding such power, but also explore the Japanese youth's desire to have such. He also compared the use of the Death Note to how users attacked one another on message boards and blogs.

-->-- '''Light Yagami'''

** The live action movies have another, subtle example. In the first film Light for the most part wears casual brown clothing, switching to all black in the sequel as he has fully embraced his Kira persona. He ends up wearing white once he loses his memory, then starts dressing in black again once it's back. Takada also starts wearing all black once she actively starts using the Death Note.

* {{Deconstruction}}: To both idea of Death Note itself and the character Light Yagami. If the medium is the message, then this film series shows how terrifying it would be if people like Light Yagami exist in real life.