Death Note is definitely a critique of the Japanese justice system. Light is a supercop that just takes their existing system further: mass executing convicts. I just don't know if Death Note *knows* that it's a critique of the justice system, or if the author also believes the same thing as Light. - ThreadSky

boringkeith.bsky.social • 3 days ago

Death Note is definitely a critique of the Japanese justice system. Light is a supercop that just takes their existing system further: mass executing convicts.

I just don't know if Death Note *knows* that it's a critique of the justice system, or if the author also believes the same thing as Light.

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brickzed.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's kind of hard because Death Note has some great storytelling, but then you read the author's later works and start to wonder if the author does actually believe in Light's philosophy...

haleyct.bsky.social•1 day ago

I also feel like the anime is only further confused in its treatment of Light. The more Messiah-like imagery doesn't...feel super self-aware, and there's some tonal stuff that bothers me.

zelph.bsky.social•3 days ago

The only thing that I didn't like in the original series is that Light beat L
It was a shocking moment but the story became a bit less interesting without L
Tho Light did die in the end so maybe it knows it is a critique? Been a while since I saw the series

laughinggaster666.bsky.social•3 days ago

Allegedly, the manga is a lot better in the post-L part of the story. Anime has less episodes than it should for that part.

odlansolaz.bsky.social•3 days ago

Hmmm...I'd say that it does know, given how a) despite all of light's intelligence and literal magic power, L figures him out in pretty much no time b)Kira's cult is always shown in a bad light in the manga and c)Light is shown to be very falible, specially towards the end

boringkeith.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's very obvious that the author isn't on Light's side, but it's unclear if the author knows that Light's behavior is a dark reflection of L and the police force.

cetus.bsky.social•3 days ago

IIRC it's reported that L's mannerisms of shrinking in a chair is based on Ohba's habit of doing the same thing while thinking of the story. The guy really likes inserting himself in his stuff, especially as the big brain mastermind dude.

And also the way he writes women is... Well...

xanderhworks.bsky.social•3 days ago

I remember Mother’s Basement putting out a video on Platinum End a few years back. And while the manga and anime are…quite bad, he highlights a lot of the ways Ohba inserts himself into his work, sometimes in surprisingly self aware ways.

xanderhworks.bsky.social•3 days ago

As a result, I think ‘Ohba sees a lot of himself in both Light and L’ and ‘but he also still definitely thinks Light is wrong’ aren’t mutually exclusive.

…But yes, the man cannot write women, holy shit, the misogyny in his work is buckwild.

xanderhworks.bsky.social•3 days ago

Though the other thing that makes Death Note as a criticism of the Japanese justice system messy, is that while the way Light acts like a supercop and worms his way into the police force is a strong critique…

He’s also taken down by Matsuda, the quintessential ‘good cop’ and ‘good guy with a gun.’

cetus.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yeah I was referencing Mother's Basement's video on the subject. It's weird because Geoff makes an interesting point that Ohba's "self-insert" in Platinum End is a mastermind but also really visually off-putting and even self-reflective?
What this says about Ohba idk because it's... Weird.

brickzed.bsky.social•3 days ago

"I'm gonna read Bakuman, I've heard it's go-"

ultimasgamer.bsky.social•3 days ago

I mean when you put it that way, that means ACAB applies to Light as well. Based take ngl

tinycatfriend.bsky.social•3 days ago

i think it knows its a critique, but i can't be sure what side it's on. if anything, it's showing the complexities of the subject in general (how well it does this is... debatable), and that seems somewhat intentional imo.

and i solidly don't think the author is on light's side!

tinycatfriend.bsky.social•3 days ago

light is egotistical and cruel, and his arrogance is what gets L on his trail so quickly. he dies due to his own hubris scared, alone and begging for his life. i don't know, i always read that as signalling the classic tale of fuck around and find out.

zid.bsky.social•3 days ago

I do think the story knows it's a critique. It can seem like it's endorsing Light's actions at first, but the more the story progresses, he becomes more unlikable and more selfish, and he betrays his "ideals" more and more to avoid being arrested. But that's just my opinion.

kemberchip.bsky.social•3 days ago

i mean L figures out that Light is a high schooler because he's like "no way this is the worldview of anyone over the age of 18", so i think the author definitely isn't on Light's side lol

boringkeith.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's very obvious that the author isn't on Light's side, but it's unclear if the author knows that Light's behavior is a dark reflection of L and the police force.

kemberchip.bsky.social•3 days ago

ah true

kitowolf.bsky.social•3 days ago

Death note is my favorite I have also the books of Death note but the Death note movie is not that good at all

redpandering.bsky.social•3 days ago

Iirc in a complementary art book the author talked mad shit about Light and how L was "thinking mean things about him" when he said Light was his only friend. So I don't think he liked Light at least.

boringkeith.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's very obvious that the author isn't on Light's side, but it's unclear if the author knows that Light's behavior is a dark reflection of L and the police force.

redpandering.bsky.social•3 days ago

I doubt it. Author seems to love L a lot in multiple media formats.

laughinggaster666.bsky.social•3 days ago

In an interview, I believe the author explicitly referred to Light as "evil" and L as "a little evil".

That's the closest he ever got to *taking sides* though. Probably knew that a ton of readers were Light supporters and didn't want to piss them off.

tomfoolerri.bsky.social•3 days ago

sometimes I think authors will save their darkest power fantasies, things that they know are wrong to want, for their villains.
idk if Ohba ever stated this specifically, but I wouldn't be surprised if at one point in his life he had similar world views as Light

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