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Death Note 36 and 37 Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2026-09-15 16:00:15
Imported:
2026-09

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Full uncut reaction to the ending of Death Note.

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JT

How to Write - Tsugumi Ohba Q: When did you decide on the notebook switch at the Yellow Box Warehouse? Ohba: Around the end of 2005, when we decided to conclude the series. I thought up numerous ways for Light to lose and decided that switching the notebooks was best. But even after deciding that I still had to struggle with how and when to do it and also over how much Light and Near would know about each other's plans. Q: What were the other ideas besides switching the notebooks? Ohba: Laminating the pages so you couldn't write on them... stuff like that. Sorry, the rest are very bad, so I can't tell you much about them (laughs). Q: What was the hardest part of writing the notebook switch segment? Ohba: I didn't want Light to lose because of a total mistake on his part. So I had the mistake come from Mikami instead. Q: Had you always planned on Mello heroics at the end? Ohba: I didn't decide on that until the last second. After Sidoh returned to the Shinigami realm, there was a period in which I struggled over what to do with Mello. After L's death, the idea that Mello would be the character to defeat Light was really strong in my mind. I figured that since Near was the best at Wammy's House, it would be more interesting if Mello were the final victor instead. Q: Why did you decide against it? Ohba: He learned too much about the notebook early on, so I had to fade him out to sustain the intensity of the story. Because of this, I wasn't able to give him a large role at the end and instead switched to him hurting Light indirectly. That's why his end was very plain, depicted in only one panel. I thought that if he died too dramatically, the truth behind his death would be revealed. Q: What's behind the line that appears after Light's death: "After they die, the place they go is MU (Nothingness)? *JT: this was moved to be ep 37's second eye catch* Ohba: For me, one of the premises of the series was that once a person died, they could never come back to life. I really wanted to set a rule that bringing characters back to life is cheating. That's why death equals "nothingness". Q: Is there a theme you wished to express through the series? Ohba: Not really. If I had to choose something, I'd say, "Humans will all eventually die and never come back to life, so let's give it our all while we're alive." Given that, I don't think it's very important to debate whether Light's actions are right or wrong. Personally, I only look at it as, "Light is very evil", "L is slightly evil", and "only Soichiro is good". Q: Meaning that Death Note is not meant to push an ideology or make a statement about good and evil? Ohba: I didn't think about that at all. Near's words toward the end about how justice is something that we all think about and decide for ourselves would probably be closest to my own beliefs (JT: these words were cut from the anime). I understand that the series brings up questions about right and wrong, but because the answers to those questions always eventually become ideological, I decided from the beginning that they wouldn't be a part of Death Note. It's dangerous, and I don't see it being interesting in a manga. Q: So the series is meant to be all about enjoying the plot twists and psychological warfare? Ohba: That's why I'm very happy I was able to tell this story in Weekly Jump. Because it's aimed at the young, you're able to naturally push back ideology and focus on pure entertainment. If the story were aimed at an older audience, they would expect more debate over the issues and therefore it would have had to go in that direction.

JT

How to Draw - Takeshi Obata Q: The scene of Light's final speech at the warehouse is really powerful. Obata: For that, I pretty much knew that Light was about to crumble, so I put a lot of effort into making it perfect. Because Light had hidden his true expressions throughout the series, I really wanted them to burst free here. I just knew that would make the scene really good. Plus, this was the only place in the series where we could really have Light reveal his emotions. However, since this is a scene that is read slowly because of the dialogue, I struggled a lot with the panel layout with the panel layout and many other things. Light's facial expressions were especially important; I would discuss them with my editor while drawing them. In the rough pencil stage Light had a much more evil face, but I realized that he's still calm at the beginning of his speech, so I changed various parts. Q: Why did you change his expressions? Obata: Since he's saying stuff that could possibly convince someone like Matsuda, I figured he should still have a normal expression on his face. This was in order to keep the reader thinking that perhaps Light's plan still had a chance. Also, I was really happy with the art of Light flailing pathetically after being shot by Matsuda. I think it captured well how a desperate person would act. Q: There were times when you changed characters' expressions for the volume release, correct? Obata: That's true. The thing with preparing pages for a magazine is that you often do the pages out of order based on what will get things finished the fastest. That's why I'll sometimes go back and fix things I missed before the series is released in the volume format. For example, sometimes I won't like the angle of a character's face. Basically, if there's something that I have a problem with, I'll try and correct it as best I can. Q: What about Light's death scene? Obata: That was more than just difficult: it made me sick to draw it. But the two black pages (eye catches in the anime) indicating "nothingness" were something I really wanted to do, so I was happy about that. By the way, I'm personally very scared about what happens to us after we die. Ever since I was young, I would think about going to hell and get really scared, but at some point I started thinking about how "nothingness" is even scarier than hell. Drawing this chapter reminded me of that. Q: So how is it now thinking back on the experience? Obata: Right when it ended, I was really pumped up and felt like I wanted to keep drawing it. But after about a month, the strain really caught up to me... serialization is a very stressful experience. Q: Was there anything that you really wanted to draw in this work? Obata: Not really. I saw my job as supporting Ohba-sensei's creation as best I could. Though I was really thankful that I was given the challenge of drawing things like Shinigami, which I love, and also people dying, which is something I usually don't draw. Q: Finally, is there a theme you hope to draw in the future? Obata: I've always wanted to work on something sci-fi. Or, conversely, maybe something that's very realistic. Also, and this isn't a theme, but I'd like to draw realistic human muscles. Recently, when I've read fighting manga, I've realized that drawing realistic muscles and drawing muscles that give the reader a sense of speed are totally different things. So if I were to draw a fighting manga I know I'd have to study how it's done. I plan on working really hard on my next project, so I thank you for your support.

JT

Anime Changes This right here is the pinnacle of where the manga and anime differ. The chapters that these episodes tried to cover contained TONS of essential dialogue, leaving very little wiggle room for Studio Madhouse to continue making arrangements that could be made under the episode limit. I'm talking several back-to-back panels that are like 50-80% words. I genuinely don't think I've ever seen such a massive concentration of text in any other manga I've read. To fully articulate what was removed would take me effectively cutting out pages and gluing them to this comment. Ergo, this is where I'd really suggest reading the final chapters of Death Note (101-108) to anyone who is even remotely willing to do so. My comment can only do them so much justice. * Teru's writing of names is hella dramatized in the anime again in episode 36. * The anime added in Aizawa telling Near he's not going to follow his orders, effectively dismantling the cooperative dynamic they had in the manga. * The anime cut a scene where Light lets out this massive scream upon being cornered by Near closing argument that happens right before he does his iconic "Kira laugh". Light's fall from power is symbolized as him being naked and having the pages of his plan falling around him. Here's the panel: https://share.google/n5hASnQRTKKhWhSyb * The anime cut down rationale given through the inner monologue from Light and Near's closing argument by a titanic amount. I'm only gonna expand on this point if it relates to any confusion in the commentary about the episodes. * For the last point on this list, I've made the insane decision to transcribe the manga's version of Light's "Kira speech" and Near's response to it because it serves as such an incredible endpoint that epitomizes the story of Death Note, which was just trimmed so much. So yeah, buckle up: Light's Speech That's right. I'm Kira. So now...what? Are you going to kill me here? Listen. I'm Kira.. and.. the God of this new world. In this world, I am the law, and I am the one maintaining order. That is the truth. Now, I am justice. The world's... only hope. Are you going to kill me? Is that really the right thing to do? Capturing Kira. That may have been the just thing to do in the past. But now, it's obviously evil. The mentality of the world has changed. Are you sure you want to capture Kira just for your own satisfaction? It's been six years since Kira appeared. War is a thing of the past, most of the worst criminals have died, and the world's crime rate has gone down by 70 percent. But... this world is still rotten. There are too many rotten people, so we must get rid of them. Humans have the right to pursue happiness and be happy. But because of a handful of rotten people, that right is easily snuffed. This is no accident. It is inevitable as long as those rotten people are alive. From the moment I got hold of that notebook - no, even before that... the world had fallen as far as it could fall, and humans had rotted as much as they could rot. It all boils down to those who interfere with people's pursuit of happiness or those who did not. Those who are worthy of living and those who are not. Evil only gives birth to evil. And if those wicked people commit sins and run wild... then the weak will learn to commit crimes, and even try to justify their actions in the end. The evil... the rotten people... must be done away with. Evil people who are beyond saving have no choice but to die. But rotten people do not equal death. So I must cut deeply into the root evil that has shaped the world into what it is today. Justice will be brought upon evil people. Justice will also be brought upon those who harm others. That is all you have to do to change people's way of thinking. They'll start realizing the right way to live as a human being. The right to be happy, that is something that everybody has equal claim to. It must be so. But that is not something you get by harming, deceiving, or even killing other people. To pursue your happiness without getting in the way of others, while respecting the rights of others, that is the way humans should lead their lives. Once the world changes, people begin to change. They become kinder. But those who still commit sins even after that are failures. Under ordinary circumstances, humans should have continued to evolve as the greatest creatures upon this Earth. But we are actually regressing. A rotten world. Politics, law, education... was there anybody around who had the ability to correct this world? But someone had to do it. From the moment I got hold of the notebook, I knew that I had to do it. No... I knew I was the only one capable of doing it. I knew that killing people was a crime. But that was the only way to correct this world, and one day, people will accept that as being righteous. I had to take the role of Kira and do it. This was a mission that was entrusted to me. I was chosen to make amends for this rotten world, and to create a truly safe and ideal world. With this notebook... would anybody else have been able to do this? Come this far? And continue doing it? Would anybody else have been able to use just one notebook and lead the world to the right path? There are only those stupid people of low caliber, who would have used it for personal interests and selfish motives. I never thought of making any profit from this. I am not like those crooks who make money by forcing their ideals upon the weak. Those are the type of people who harm this world. That's right. Only I can do it... I am the one who can create a new world, be on top of it, and guide it correctly. Think about it. Do you want to return the world to the rotten way it used to be? Do you want the minds of the people, which have already started to change, to change again? You know it as well as I do. There are those in this world who are better off dead. There's nothing wrong with exterminating pests, so why is it wrong to kill people who are pests to this world? Do you really want to put an end to Kira here? Is that really for the good of this world? What good will it do to arrest me now? It's only going to make YOU happy, right? Don't you think you're being egotistical? If you claim that this is to avenge L's death... then that is an act of folly. What you see before you is Kira... but also the God of this new world. Near's Answer No. You... are just a murderer. And this notebook here is the worst murder weapon in the history of mankind. If you had been a normal person... and had used this notebook once out of curiosity... and never used this notebook again...To speak of extremes... I can actually understand those who would use this notebook for their personal interests and kill a couple of people, and even think that they're normal. But you have yielded the power of the notebook and Shinigami and have confused yourself with a god. You're just a crazy mass murderer. Nothing more. And nothing less. (Light interjects: Near, you're wrong. I'm the icon of justice now.) You may be right. Nobody can tell what is right and what is wrong, what is righteous and what is evil. Even if there is a god... and I had his teachings before me, I would think it through... and decide if that was right or wrong myself. I'm no different from you. I believe in what I think is right, and believe that to be righteous. You are no god. And I feel that the whole idea of you setting the path for people to follow is neither peaceful nor righteous. And anybody who claims to be God and kills people from left to right is definitely evil by my standards. But what do the other people here, besides you and me, feel is righteous?

JT

To help round out the ending of Death Note as Ohba and Obata envisioned it, I've also put together these summaries of the main characters' fates based on info I've synthesized from the manga (especially the final epilogue chapter that was thrown out of the anime), guidebook statements, and a few story details from Death Note side stories that came out after the main series concluded. Light Yagami: I'll start with the big one. In the manga, Light never manages to leave the Yellow Box Warehouse and his death is even more undignified. After getting shot by Matsuda, Light enters a state of complete desperation and begins asking where Misa is, and commands Misa to kill Near and co (to which Near reminds Light that she is at the Teito hotel). Light then asks where Takada is, and tries telling her to kill everyone (to which Near reminds Light that she is dead). Light then begins crawling toward Ryuk, who is looking down at the young man with a monstrous smile on his face. Light pleads with the Shinigami to write down the names of everyone in his Death Note as a last ditch effort of getting out of the corner he's been put in. Ryuk answers with: "Sure, I'll write it", causing the Japanese task force to begin opening fire on him to no avail. Light, believing to have won, gets a crazed grin on his face and mocks Near for not taking the initiative of killing him right away. However, his moment of celebration does not last long when Ryuk reveals that to Light that the only name he is writing in the Death Note is, in fact, his. Overcome with what is most likely the most panic he's ever felt in his life, Light screams at Ryuk to stop and tries to tackle the Shinigami despite his gunshot wounds (which ends with him phasing through Ryuk and falling face first on the floor). Ryuk laments that he was sort of expecting Light to find a way out of his predicament, but no matter how he looks at it, the young man has lost. Unlike the anime, Light gets to hear Ryuk directly tell him "You've eased my boredom for quite a long time, haven't you? It was a lot of fun.", followed by the proof of his imminent demise as Ryuk flips the Death Note around to show Light his own name. Light begins throwing a complete fit, repeatedly yelling "I'M GOING TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" (which he does while climbing up Ryuk's leg, (mplying Ryuk is at least giving him the courtesy of letting Light touch him). Ryuk tells Light that such a display is really not like him, reminds him of the condition that a Shinigami who lends a human their notebook must be the one to write the human's name, and that he really doesn't feel like waiting for Light to die in prison. With his end fast approaching, Light's memory of the beginning of his deal with Ryuk flashes before his eyes, most likely regretting that he ever picked up the Death Note in the first place. The final words of Light Yagami, one of the most iconic protagonists in all of manga and anime, simply being: "AAAAAARGH, I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO GO! D ....damn it.... Everyone in the Yellow Box Warehouse can only watch as his heart stops, his body collapses on the floor, and the life fades from his eyes. The last image of Light the reader sees being this two-page spread: https://share.google/8r6sO0EWY9FXgKGST As per the rules of the Death Note, his soul will not be facing Heaven or Hell. Just nothingness. Near: With the conclusion of the Kira case coming to a long awaited close and Light's death, Near becomes the new L. Like the original L, Near takes on cases as a hobby and investigates criminal matters that he himself finds interesting to solve. While he may not possess the grit that L had when it came to taking risks in his investigation process, he does try to approach his detective work by thinking about "what L would do". His habit of playing with toys while he handles cases doesn't leave him, and he also follows in L's footsteps of putting in the bare minimum when it comes to self-care. Kid seems to never get a haircut in his life, look: https://share.google/2ojzr2oabI9BE7GP0 Misa Amane: The events of the finale left Misa without her memories surrounding the Death Notes or Shinigami, but her burning love for Light remained. However, her loss of memories is not enough to save her from the misfortune that those who use the Death Note are cursed with. It's not specified how or exactly when, but Misa ends up hearing about Light's death after a slip-up from Matsuda. This leaves her overcome with despair and drives her to take her own life (the anime implies this happening with Misa standing in front of the safety rail, though the means of suicide were never specified). As a user of the Death Note, her soul will not go to Heaven or Hell. Teru Mikami: Teru's actions in the ending of the manga are far different. Upon seeing Light get shot by Matsuda and Light's request to kill everyone, Teru is filled with nothing but resentment for the man he considered God. His final words being:" How could I write their names down... in a situation like this... and with a fake notebook... YOU'RE NOT GOD! What the hell is this? Look what you've gotten me into. You're no God, you're just... damn you!" Ten days after being apprehended and imprisoned, Teru goes crazy and dies from shock, his soul also not being able to go to Heaven nor Hell as another user of the Death Note. Aizawa: As a result of having connections to both the police and Near, Aizawa manages to replace Soichiro Yagami as the new chief of the Japanese NPA. Having worked so closely together on the Kira case, Near occassionally cooperates with Aizawa on cases that require detective work in Japan. He's also Near's go-to ally when it comes to taking on investigations involving Death Note/Shinigami activity (more on this in another comment). Matsuda: Despite the events of the end of the Kira case, Matsuda remains as a detective under Aizawa and the NPA. His fondness for Light never really leaving him, for even one year after Light's death he still expresses contention on whether or not stopping Kira was really the righteous thing to do. He also seems to have an underlying feeling of resentment toward Near and doesn't like having to work with him. His grudge actually driving him to put together a sort of conspiracy theory that Near may have actually been behind Teru Mikami's death (which I won't get into the specifics of, given that even Ohba suggests it's not meant to be clear whether Matsuda's theory is right or wrong). Japanese Task Force: Ide and Mogi continue to work together as investigators for Japan's National Police Agency with Aizawa and Matsuda. Despite being subjected to Matsuda's theories on the "truth" of Light and Near, Ide in particular holds firm that they made the right choice regarding the Kira case, for in his words: "The only reason I say that we did the right thing is because if Near had lost there... we'd all be dead right now. That's all." With Aizawa serving as the new head of their team, a young new recruit named Yamamoto is shown to have managed to work his way up to joining their meetings. Matsuda is implied to have become something of a troublemaker now that he has a "new guy" that he can boss around, but he does invite Yamamoto out to drink with him. Sayu & Sachiko Yagami: The poor wife and daughter of the Yagami family. Survivors of the damage dealt because their son/brother just happened to pick up the worst murder weapon in human history on a walk back from school. Due to the Japanese task force and the SPK holding absolute secrecy over the truth of the Kira case, these two never find out about the truth regarding Light's identity as Kira nor about the existence of the Death Notes. Aizawa tells them that Light and Soichiro sacrificed themselves to defeat Kira, unable to inform them on the reality of the Kira case. Given the state Sayu was left in after her kidnapping and Soichiro's death, it's very likely her mental recovery has only been prolonged, to say the least. Ryuk: Having killed Light, Ryuk lost his reason to stay in the human world and returned home to the Shinigami realm, with the worst criminal case in human history being nothing much else other than a fun little excursion to him. He also tells the Shinigami how good apples from the human world are, causing more gods of death to venture out and bring them back to the Shingami Realm. This creates a new form of commerce among them, for the Shinigami King begins handing out extra Death Notes if bribed with enough apples. Having little to do and with more Death Notes in circulation than ever before, the likelihood of Shinigami lending humans their Death Notes in exchnage for entertainment (and apples) rises. Ryuk himself eventually picked a second human to feed and entertain him (see DN short stories comment). Kira: In the end, the true identity of the man who was Kira and his means of killing are never made known to society at large. With the collective threat of Kira being put to a halt by Ryuk, humanity's fear of the mysterious killer subsides and people go back to their old ways about one year later. The spectrum of human impurity returns from teenagers deciding to get wasted together to national governments waging war agaisnt each other. However, Kira's legacy is not as quick to die. Rumors of Kira resting instead of being dead continue to circulate. History books record him as being one of the worst criminals ever known to man. Matter of fact, at the end of the manga, Light's wish for Kira is granted in an ironic sort of way. The final scene of the story being a group of Kira followers gathering together under a crescent moon to praise Kira as their god, and Yagami being the Japanese equivalent of saying "night god".

Jennywocky

Kenkira is a monster!

Logan Prime

Its not everyday you get a villain as a main character, but did such a good job. One of the first animes i watched growing up and tends to be the anime most anime veterans recommend to first time anime watchers for obvious reasons. This was a fun rewatch with you guys.

JT

So I won't lie, one of the key reasons that Death Note ends up losing a lot of staying power for me after first watch is because most of the psychological warfare really doesn't maintain its thrill once you know how things will play out. I still appreciate the characters, the art, and the thought Ohba put into crafting the narrative. But a thriller story like Death Note, where action scenes are fairly limited and often revolve around characters standing still and speaking to each other just isn't as engaging the second+ time around for me. That being said, the chapters that these episodes covered still remain as some of the most exhilarating I've read throughout manga, despite the fact that I know exactly what will happen. I couldn't imagine having to wait almost two months for the entirety of these episodes to unfold (since they adapt chps 101 - 107, aka 7 weeks).

JT

Wanted to throw in a comment to give a shout out to the Death Note Italian dub's Kira laugh. Brad Swaile and Mamoru Miyano both did excellent in their own rights, but Flavio Aquilone's took the cake for me ever since I stumbled upon it online. Have a listen: https://youtu.be/XVq8ygJ_Ysc?si=Gk2l5FgC59uDu2Xm Btw, he was just 18 when he recorded this.

JT

L watching Light's defeat from heaven:

JT

20:30 Me in a countless number of moments that have, are, and will continue to happen as a member of this community

Jennywocky

E36: Awesome cliffhanger!! Love it!! Light is gonna start cackling maniacally into the sky any moment! Reminds me of the final quote that ends Watchmen -- "It would be a stronger world, a strong and loving world to die in." (John Cole) Will this be that world, or Light Yagami's horrific "perfect" world? We're about to find out. I'm reassured that Near doesn't look fazed. Plus... don't count Reigen out!! (Secret Move DROPKICK)

JT

Oh yeah, figured I'd use my new Patreon image powers for both chaos "and" good by sharing the cover art for the final volume of Death Note. Been admiring it since I'm about to shelve my copy for a good while, now that my work here is done. Goes hard as hell

JT

Sparks

Im a simple man Im here for the most legendary evil laugh in all of anime

Ash

Fun fact. I forgot to mention this, but L’s voice actor also voiced Ken of the Barbie series. Imagine that

Chris Collier

JT do you hear that? It sounds like..chainsaws in the distance?

Ash

And that was it for Death Note. Since then, there’s some manga and light novels that explain certain characters, like L’s life before the Death Note came. I believe there’s a story of him and Naomi (the ex FBI detective who’s fiancé died in Japan) working together in a previous case that L mentioned before. Officially, there is a one shot manga that takes place years later after the main series. I won’t say what it’s about but it does mentioned what happened to some of characters years later, their fates. Maybe one day they’ll animate it.

Valalalla

So much... POTENTIAL? Like some kind of.. potential man.

JT

How curious

Ash

Also SIKE. Hell yeah you guys were right. Mello is the ruthless side of L. When he realized that there might be more than meets the eye, he kidnapped her in order to see what happens, knowing that he’ll died. So N was right to some extent, that together they could be equal to L.

Wingus

With this treasure, I summon….

Jennywocky

E37: So freaking satisfying! I knew Light would wig out-- i stumbled across a Death Note VA Con panel on YouTube a few days ago and they asked each VA to say (in character) their favorite line they voiced from the show. Light's VA was last; he slowly tilted his head back, eyes bulging wildly... and just started cackling maniacally in triumph. It was great for Light to lose his shit when he was caught -- just a sniveling coward when he lacked control. And then his five stages of grief essentially... including his walk down memory lane as he stumbled off. So early on I had asked what Ryuk got out of this and suggested by the end he'd be the only "true winner." I was right on that count. What did he win? Why, the name of one of the most effective and notorious DN user's name in HIS notebook! All of his shinigami friends will be jealous. Gratz, Ryuk. You knew how to pick them. And it was gratifying to see Light die from HIS name being written down, after he callously murdered so many in same vein. Misa was a killer too, but I still felt bad for her -- she was so fragile that she couldn't see a life for herself past Light. And it makes Rem's sacrifice seem so hollow as well. It was just sad to me. I liked how Near outwitted Light, then was still a brainy kid willing to let Light flee because he has no common sense past the cerebral battle.... but the cops were like, "yeah, no." The battle of wits was over, but a practical resolution was still needed. Too bad Mello and others had their arcs cheated. I totally agree with Bethany that they needed to tie L a bit more to the final victory over Light by Near, I really wanted to feel more of L's presence over that whole victory. Bethany was a hardened criminal at age 5??! "SILLY crimes" roflmao! My mind is bouncing around imagining varieties of that. Sounds kinda Monty Pythonish. Poor Chief Yagami. He was a good man. I agree about the outrage for Misa at the end, after Light treats her like crap this entire time. There is a world out there where she lives happily and NEVER THINKS OF LIGHT AGAIN... but I fear this wasn't it. And yeah, Naomi (the widow agent) was one of my favorite characters.

Wingus

Huh, now that I’m listening… I really can hear the sounds of a chainsaw, man.

Jennywocky

You gotta watch the Reze movie (for CSM) after you finish s1.

Apollo

Great finale!

JT

Well, there ya have it, that was Death Note. A series that was and remains to be a pretty distinguished story as far as internationally popular anime go, and certainly by shonen anime standards. Ended up getting WAAAAY more involved on this one than I really intended. This is probably a funny thing to say after all I've said, but I still stand by what I said toward the start of this journey in that I really do just consider myself a casual fan of Death Note. Enjoyed the story and characters. The anime's music and art direction are great when they're great. But it's just not one of my personal all-time favs. I really just ended up getting carried away after realizing how much the anime lobotomized from the source material. Having read it in preparation for DN here on the channel I can easily say that the manga is the definitive version. I ain't inherently against an anime adaptation not following their manga to the letter. When done thoughtfully, an anime's changes can manage to make it the arguably superior version of a manga's story (especially when said changes are made with consultation of the story's creator). I understand Madhouse did the best with what they could, but omitting entire character arcs, story beats, and several chapters' worth of dialogue isn't the right way to go. Anyway, had some things to say about Chainsaw Man ready in my head, but I think I've said enough today. Also I'm tired.

Wingus

It’s always so satisfying watching these types of villains just completely fall apart when they’re stripped of their power(s). Goes to show how fragile they really are and that those that commit these heinous crimes or to a lesser degree are just pieces of shit in their daily lives are just pathetic (and other words that just aren’t coming forth right now… thank you brain).

Jennywocky

Damn, Near got Light monologuing!!

JT

Oh yeah, little note for the folk who'll be joining me on the CSM journey: I tipped em off about each ED being different and suggested giving each a watch. So yeah, hopefully that's covered.

Jennywocky

Yeah that was pretty wild -- that was a lot of work to change up the ED each time.

Wingus

I will say, if Light had just accepted his defeat with dignity, then at least that’s something about him (or other villains if they did the same) that would be respectable. On the other hand though, expecting any form of dignity or grace from a narcissist to this degree is a tall order. Also wouldn’t be as satisfying after everything he’s done. I know that the entire show runs on the premise that killing, no matter who it is, is wrong, and it is….. but like… what’s one more with Light, ya know?

JT

I'm so happy we can do shit like this now lol

XxKhaos VoidxX

Volume 13: The official companion guide, Death Note 13: How to Read, confirms that Misa died on February 14, 2011 (Valentine’s Day), which was a little over a year after Light passed away in early 2010. Implied she took her own life unable to cope with Light's death.

JT

Last list of post journey Death Note stuff and things Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases - Some including myself have brought this light novel up already so I won't give the synopsis. Just gonna repost this link for an audiobook fans made with it: https://youtu.be/ptOHGYbm7KI?si=sAAEtl2ae38D8zEG L: Change the World - This is a light novel that exists in weird place when it comes to canon. It's based off one of the live action DN movies but it's kinda its own thing due to the changes it makes. L is given 23 days to stop a group of terrorists after his name is written in a Death Note. Death Note: Short Stories - You can find these as a collection on Amazon or just read em off the Shonen jump app. Includes two stories that happen after the main series which were created by Ohba and Obata (meaning they're canon). One being a story about Ryuk taking on a second human. The collection also contains the pilot chapter for DN. Death Note Vol. 13 How to Read - This is the guidebook that's acted as my Bible for all the interviews and trivia for this journey. It's something I'd recommend anyone take a look at it after finishing the main series. Ofc being the 13th "volume" it's made to reflect the manga instead of the anime, and it still has to be read from right to left. Still, my comments can only share so much from it. Death Note Manga to Anime, what changed - Not official DN media but felt the need to shout this out bc it really helped out putting my notes together. Somebody on Tumblr made this megathread of changes DN's anime made to the manga's story. Did some cross referencing of my own but the person who made this really helped me out. Would feel like an ass not crediting them. https://mikami.tumblr.com/post/123396154266/death-note-manga-to-anime-what-changed

ArcaneAnomaly

And there we have Death Note. When it comes to Light's death, specifically, I'm torn as to how they adapted it. In the manga series, there isn't the whole running away scene that's shown here. Instead, after Light realizes he's out of options, he turns to Ryuk, and asks Ryuk to kill everyone there. Ryuk seemingly agrees, and pulls out his Death Note, and starts writing. Everyone freaks out, but there's nothing anyone can do, because he's a Shinigami. They can't stop him. Then Ryuk stops writing, and shows Light what he wrote in the Death Note - Light's own name. Ryuk tells Light that the very fact that Light resorted to asking HIM for help means that the game was over. Light lost. And I believe he mentions the same thing as the anime, reminding Light that he said he would write Light's name in his own Note at the end. Light goes absolutely insane, crying and begging pathetically to not die, asking for someone to save him. And then, 40 seconds later, he dies right there, in front of everyone. When it comes to the anime version, I do see why they changed it, and I do like what they did with it. It's an interesting visual spectacle, and they do a good job making it metaphorical as well, with Light passing by his past self, as well as dying halfway on the stairs. Calling back to when Ryuk said that someone who uses the Death Note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell for eternity. Light dies stuck between. It's quite cinematic, and fitting for an anime, but IMO, it's also too dignified a death for Light. Maybe it's malicious of me to think so, since Light is ultimately dead either way, but I REALLY like the catharsis of seeing Light be so pathetic after everything he did.

Mosh Mia

Yep, Matsuda is a legendary hero lol!

Mosh Mia

Near outsmarted the now 'deranged' Kira

Mosh Mia

Mikami looks hideous here, he stabbed himself straight in the heart.

Antoine Jones

Well when you watch the 2 live action movies (not the Netflix one) youll definitely like that ending a LOT more :p

Mosh Mia

What a satisfying finale, Good won out in the end.

Mosh Mia

Yep Ryuk said he would write Lights name in his own notebook.

Antoine Jones

Also yes its been confirmed that Misa indeed did kill herself

Winzy

Difference between the manga and the anime: The anime glorifies Light's death and it's romanticized making him a martyr in a dramatic fashion. While in the original ending he dies pathetically, begging like a commoner, no dignity, no glorification, just a regular human being dying like a rat in the slums, in the middle of nowhere. I've always much preferred the manga's ending and the way he went out.

Mosh Mia

In the anime the Misa scene on the roof is open to interpretation

Mosh Mia

Hey Bucky said keep in mind too!

Kami_Psy (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-16 03:00 Damn it’s really over and a great end 😌. I think it’s up to interpretation but I think you guys are right and Maruki came to the realization that his “god” was actually just a normal man and his “divine justice” wasn’t that divine. Also Maruki stabbed himself in the heart with his pen. The thing with his hands you saw was him gripping the pen with both hands and stabbing himself
2026-09-15 19:30 Damn it’s really over and a great end 😌. I think it’s up to interpretation but I think you guys are right and Mikami came to the realization that his “god” was actually just a normal man and his “divine justice” wasn’t that divine. Also Mikami stabbed himself in the heart with his pen. The thing with his hands you saw was him gripping the pen with both hands and stabbing himself

Damn it’s really over and a great end 😌. I think it’s up to interpretation but I think you guys are right and Mikami came to the realization that his “god” was actually just a normal man and his “divine justice” wasn’t that divine. Also Mikami stabbed himself in the heart with his pen. The thing with his hands you saw was him gripping the pen with both hands and stabbing himself

Mosh Mia

Chainsaw Man Incoming! Will re-recommend Moriarty The Patriot as another murder mystery type anime!

Ceeneon

Death Note is still kinda a one-and-done show for me, despite how foundational of an anime it is in that it really opens your eyes to what kind of stories this medium can tell. But yall are some of my favorite reactors, so I'm glad I was able to catch up on this journey and rewatch it with yall. And now... CODE GEASS FANS RISE UP. Bethany and Ken have to be able to compare some of the intellectual GOATs of the anime world raaaaahhhhhh!

m c (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-19 15:00 Before I watch this I have to say the opening to this reaction is especially funny to me because I just watched you reaction to DMC3 the other day (had no idea you guys watched them all so that was a treat, huge DMC fan here). When they found out about Arkham and Lady's mom, Ken mentioned how he has to be Bethany's protector because she always says "look at the husband". Even though I was Team Kira throughout the series (had this ended differently it would have cemented this as one of the greatest anime ever for me personally, it's still in my top), I have to say to Ken that things are not looking good for you buddy! They're going to clip the opening of this video and say look he was also a Kira supporter. Edit: I feel like I need to clarify that I only support Kira for the show! Couldn't imagine a person like this in real life lol. But as far as the entertainment is concerned I am basically Ryuk. Coincidentally I have a possibly unhealthy obsession with apples as well. He knows good fruit! Edit 2: I haven't watched the reaction yet but since you've already concluded your journey I can say this now. It's absolute bs that a copy of Mikami's death note was forged in a single night, hand written at that. They forged two death notes. No way that happened, that's reason alone the ending should have been different. Thank y'all for reacting to this series I enjoyed every bit of re-experiencing it with you and sorry for the long message.
2026-09-15 21:09 Before I watch this I have to say the opening to this reaction is especially funny to me because I just watched you reaction to DMC3 the other day (had no idea you guys watched them all so that was a treat, huge DMC fan here). When they found out about Arkham and Lady's mom, Ken mentioned how he has to be Bethany's protector because she always says "look at the husband". Even though I was Team Kira throughout the series (had this ended differently it would have cemented this as one of the greatest anime ever for me personally, it's still in my top), I have to say to Ken that things are not looking good for you buddy! They're going to clip the opening of this video and say look he was also a Kira supporter. Edit: I feel like I need to clarify that I only support Kira for the show! Couldn't imagine a person like this in real life lol. But as far as the entertainment is concerned I am basically Ryuk. Coincidentally I have a possibly unhealthy obsession with apples as well. He knows good fruit! Edit 2: I haven't watched the reaction yet but since you've already concluded your journey I can say this now. It's absolute bs that a copy of Mikami's death note was forged in a single night, hand written at that. No way that happened, that's reason alone the ending should have been different. Thank y'all for reacting to this series I enjoyed every bit of re-experiencing it with you and sorry for the long message.

Before I watch this I have to say the opening to this reaction is especially funny to me because I just watched you reaction to DMC3 the other day (had no idea you guys watched them all so that was a treat, huge DMC fan here). When they found out about Arkham and Lady's mom, Ken mentioned how he has to be Bethany's protector because she always says "look at the husband". Even though I was Team Kira throughout the series (had this ended differently it would have cemented this as one of the greatest anime ever for me personally, it's still in my top), I have to say to Ken that things are not looking good for you buddy! They're going to clip the opening of this video and say look he was also a Kira supporter. Edit: I feel like I need to clarify that I only support Kira for the show! Couldn't imagine a person like this in real life lol. But as far as the entertainment is concerned I am basically Ryuk. Coincidentally I have a possibly unhealthy obsession with apples as well. He knows good fruit! Edit 2: I haven't watched the reaction yet but since you've already concluded your journey I can say this now. It's absolute bs that a copy of Mikami's death note was forged in a single night, hand written at that. No way that happened, that's reason alone the ending should have been different. Thank y'all for reacting to this series I enjoyed every bit of re-experiencing it with you and sorry for the long message.

Chris Collier

Is your pfp moving 🫪 I didn’t know it could do that!

JT

It was always like that Chris, u didn't notice?

Dorian Cantu

I didn't know this initially when I first watched it either (had to rewatch it a couple of times when I first saw this show) because the framing of the shot was really weird but Mikami apparently died by using the ballpoint pen he had and stabbed himself in the chest or throat. Also something I didn't notice before, Light died in the middle of the staircase, symbolizing his fate that he can neither go to heaven or hell.

Ceeneon

I joined Patreon like the first year it was up and running, haha. Don't know if they've disallowed GIFs for PFPs since then and not gonna chance changin it :D

MadeByMali

Loved you guys reaction to this from start to finish. Probably the most enjoyable reactions I’ve seen to this series ever. Just two things that were heavily implied in other media but not confirmed I believe: Misa did unalive herself after Light’s death. And Light does become a shinigami. There’s like a short or additional scene or something floating around that shows an unknown shinigami in the shinigami realm and some of the dialogue and also the design indicate it’s likely Light, although it’s never confirmed

Yoshitsune

Walter White and Light Yagami and their high intelligence and ego.

Chris Collier

It seems like you’re of the common opinion that the series didn’t quite stick a perfect landing, but that doesn’t make it less of a strong series. There’s a reason this show is a starter series for anime newbies. The dramatics, the thoughtful mind games, the excellent voice work. And with it being 37 episodes, it’s more digestible than most shonen heavy hitters. Great showcase of the medium

Wingus

I’ve definitely seen some others on YaBoyRoshi’s patreon with gifs or animated pfp’s

Definitely Not Definitive

Thank you for sharing all this with us- such an enriching experience to gain this additional info! 🙏

Definitely Not Definitive

You’re basically Ryuk 😂 that’s pretty awesome! And here is an apple 🍎 Wanna keep the Gods of Death in our community happy 😜

Definitely Not Definitive

Yeah that does sound more fitting. Kira should not be glorified, romanticized, or made into a martyr.

Definitely Not Definitive

Ooo very curious what the Light Shinigami looks like 👀 And thank you for your kind words! 🙏