Bibliographic Information: Kaneko, Shusuke. Death Note. Sony Pictures, 2006. ISRC-CN-F219800510.
Genre: Foreign films
MPAA rating: NR, Not rated
Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Producer: Sony Pictures
Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC, 1 disc.
Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Ken’ichi Matsuyama
Special Features: N/A
Run Time: 126 minutes.
Language: Japanese, Cantonese. Subtitles in English, Traditional Chinese, Simple Chinese.
Note: Nisio Isin, called Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. The novel was released by Shueisha on August 1, 2006;
Death Note was licensed for publication in North America by Viz Media,[13] and the first English-language volume was released on October 10, 2005.
Reader’s Annotation: When a Death note (notebook) falls into the hands of Light, the police chief’s son, death has a whole new meaning.
Plot Summary: Death notes are sacred notebooks that are used by shinigami (death gods), extra dimensional creatures that use the Death Note to kill off humans in order to extend their own life. The Death Note that belongs to Ryuk, accidentally falls out of his hands and into the mortal realm where Light, finds it laying in the street. The instructions on the Death Note claims hat if a human’s name is written within it, that person shall die. Since Light picks it up, he is now has this power. A skeptical Light tests the notebook out on few criminals and, to his surprise it works. Following in his police chief father’s footsteps, Light, also known as “Kira”, (that name uses with association to the notebook), decides to use it for good and eradicate crime from the city. With so many unexplained killings, the International Police recruit detective “L” to hunt down “Kia” and stop the killings before it is too late.
Critical Evaluation: I was very interested in Ryuk, the main shinigami, who is the one responsible for dropping the Death Note into the Earth realm. As Light begins to figure out how the Death Note works, Ryuk begins justifying to Light, the killings of others besides criminals. The power of the Death Note builds, Ryuk’s stands in the sidelines enjoying Light’s struggles with death and dying. It is at this time that finding this notebook was a purposely crafted plan for the amusement of Ryuk. The only problem is that Ryuk, not being able to navigate this realm but must stay with his Death Note. The author uses this character to get into the mind of Light as he begins to take on many of the unnecessary killings. Ryuk will ask Light ask what his next move will be or have Light explain to him the point of a certain action. Surprisingly, Ryuk, this very supernatural looking dark god figure ends up to be Light’s moral compass when things begin to get out of hand.
Booktalking Ideas:
Why do you think that about “L”’s strange eating habits? What was the significance?
What was Ryuk’s motivation for dropping a Death Note into the Earth realm?
How does the inclusion of rules effect the powers of the Death Note?
Challenge Issues/ Defense:
Challenge Issues: Paranormal characters
Challenge defense ideas: Other worldly creature, excessive death.
•In Japanese Mythology, the equivalent of our Grim Reaper. Many Japanese shows (i.e. Bleach, Death Note, Naruto, Descendants of Darkness, Zombie Powder etc.) use Shinigami in their plots, carting off the dead souls to the Meifu (Spirit Relem). Only a Shinigami can put this lost soul to peace. (Retrieved from: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shinigami)
Why was this item included?: A great foreign film based on a teen manga.
Author Information: The Death Note process began when Ohba brought thumbnails for two concept ideas to Shueisha; Ohba said that the Death Note pilot, one of the concepts, was “received well” by editors and attained positive reactions by readers.[5] Ohba described keeping the story of the pilot to one chapter as “very difficult” and he said that he remembered it took over a month to begin writing the chapter. He added that the story had to revive the killed characters with the Death Eraser and that he “didn’t really care” for that plot device.[11]
Obata said that he wanted to draw the story after he heard of a “horror story featuring Shinigami.”[4] According to Obata, when he first received the rough draft created by Ohba, he “didn’t really get it” at first and he wanted to work on the project due to the presence of Shinigami and because the work “was dark.”[11] He also said he wondered about the progression of the plot as he read the thumbnails, and if Jump readers would enjoy reading the comic. Obata said that while there is little action and the main character “doesn’t really drive the plot” he enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. He stated that he drew the pilot chapter so that it would appeal to himself.[11]
Ohba brought the rough draft of the pilot chapter to the editorial department. Obata came into the picture at a later point to create the artwork. They did not meet in person while creating the pilot chapter. Ohba said that the editor told him he did not need to meet with Obata to discuss the pilot; Ohba said “I think it worked out all right.”
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