Synopsis: Death Note (2006)

The first major role was Light Yagami, a highly intelligent but bored university student who becomes disillusioned with crime and corruption and discovers a magical notebook called the “Death Note.” The instructions say that writing a human’s name inside the notebook will result in that person’s death. Light, who was at first doubtful, tries out the Death Note and discovers it is indeed real. He soon meets Ryuk, a Shinigami (death god) and the original owner of the Death Note, who explains that he dropped the notebook into the human realm out of boredom. Light chooses to use the Death Note to cleanse the world of evil, and be the “God of the New World.”

The mysterious deaths of dozens of criminals catch the eye of Interpol and a genius but enigmatic detective known only as “L.” L determines that the killer, named “Kira” by the public, is in Japan and can kill by mere thought. This spark ignites a battle of wits between Light and L, packed with psychological twists.

Now a suspect, Light is hunted by L and the FBI agent Raye Iwamatsu. Light orchestrates events to murder Raye and his colleagues to protect his identity. Kira’s fiancée, Naomi Misora, a former FBI agent, starts to investigate Kira herself and believes Light is Kira. Detective Naomi then takes Light's girlfriend, Shiori Akino, hostage in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, which ends with Naomi killing Shiori — and then herself. Light leverages this event to dispose of Naomi whilst maintaining his persona of innocence.

Light becomes part of the Kira investigation team to remain close (but not too close) to the investigation and manipulate from within. He continues to kill, convinced he's justified in trying to make the world a free of crime. Throughout the story, Light's sense of right and wrong dies a slow painful death and it results in one of the most intense and dark confrontations between him and L.

 

Character Details:

• Light Yagami (Tatsuya Fujiwara): The protagonist—a bright student performed by Tatsuya Fujiwara who discovers a Death Note and has a vision of a world without crime, but by using the Death Note as a tool. Consequently, he eventually becomes more cruel and tyrant-like.
• L / Ryûzaki (Kenichi Matsuyama): He is Light's nemesis and the frame for a running game of catch-and-release of the person that the real Kira is. Furthermore, Kira drives him to an obsession about catching this guy. He is a very brilliant and weird detective who is attempting to catch Kira at any cost.
• Misa Amane (Erika Toda): The leading singer in a born-pop-infused band who is presented with the opportunity to be a pop musician and then establish herself as a solo pop artist. She is then given a Death Note again. A romance with Light is her own way of expressing her own mission by helping Light to bring about justice with her Death Note.
• Naomi Misora (Asaka Seto): A former FBI agent Naomi Misora was the fiancée of Raye Iwamatsu. She conducted her personal probes on Kira after Raye dies and she bequeaths one of Light’s final victims.
• Ryuk (Voice by Shidou Nakamura):  A Shinigami who throws the Death Note down to the humans just for fun. With a poker face like that of the supernatural guardian angel, Ryuk simply takes pleasure in observing how the things are running on the Light show.
• Raye Iwamatsu (Shigeki Hosokawa): One of the FBI’s agents who is assigned the job of probing the Kira case.
• Shiori Akino (Yuu Kashii): Light’s girlfriend turned hapless casualty in the light vain attempt to dispatch Naomi.
• Soichirou Yagami (Takeshi Kaga): Light’s father and high-ranking police officer on the Kira case.
• Sayu Yagami (Hikari Mitsushima): Light’s younger sister, who doesn’t know about her brother’s secret life.
• Watari (Shunji Fujimura): L’s faithful butler and assistant.
• Kanzou Mogi (Shin Shimizu), Touta Matsuda (Sota Aoyama), Shuuichi Aizawa (Tatsuhito Okuda): The members of the task force investigating Kira.

The story is a gripping and intense exploration of morality, justice, and the consequences of absolute power, centered around intense psychological battles and moral dilemmas.