Death Note: Rewrite

[BeautifulAlone]

I know I'm late to the game, but I only just saw DN this past December. I saw the Rewrites in April, and ever since a few things have been buggin' me. Most people brush off the Death Note Specials as a mere recap, which it is, probablly just to give fans something more. But I loved the Rewrites, myself! They weren't meant to alter the story but to give you a little something more to think about for the characters. That's how I viewed it, anyway. And as an L fan, I liked this scene where L and Light first meet for this very moment:


(by the way, this would be an awesom sketch to own. Not only is it a pan, but L looks so personable here!)

Here's why:

I felt like it was an explaination to one of L's quirks. His signature touch. What I always referred to as his "Eewww..." grab. I had actually thought upon first watching DN that with his introduction in a solitary, empty, nondescript room that L had issues with personal contact. Not that he was "in hiding" professionally but it was physical, you know? Well, in the Rewritten Intro Scene, upon formal introduction which includes a hand shake, L pulls forth a handkerchief from his jean's pocket and proceeds to wipe off his hand (the one that held Light's) as he continues to speak, as if it's habitual. That suggests that L is in fact germaphobic (as I thought!). It also adds that twist on him being secluded. But I've never read anywhere that confirms this, or that anyone else even picked up on it. However, the director clearly made a point to focus on this action in the Special.

Did anyone else think this?! Or do I just think to much?! Idunno...like I said, it was buggin' me. Thanks for listening.

[duotrouble]

I actually haven't watched the rewrites yet or at least I don't remember watching them. I just bought the season boxsets and the rewrites are next. I love Death Note! It's my second fave anime of all time. That's an interesting point of view you have on L's character. I tend to agree with you but I also haven't read any "proof" of your theory. I'm a big Light fan. I wish the anime would have ended like the live action series. The anime felt off after

L died.

[BeautifulAlone]

I actually haven't watched the rewrites yet or at least I don't remember watching them. I just bought the season boxsets and the rewrites are next. I love Death Note! It's my second fave anime of all time. That's an interesting point of view you have on L's character. I tend to agree with you but I also haven't read any "proof" of your theory. I'm a big Light fan. I wish the anime would have ended like the live action series. The anime felt off after

L died.

Oh geez...I didn't realize anyone actually looked at my topic to make a reply! Sorry...but thanks! Like I said, I didn't see anyone else pick up on this either, which seemed odd to me because it seems so obvious. More obvious than some other DN fan theories in my opinion. Oh well.

My other favourite moment from the second Rewrite, the flashback to Wammy's House.Which was a call back to this moment in the series

One of my favorite moments in the series is when L is brought the idea of shinigami being actually involved with the case. To which he has a very strong emotional reaction, physically breaking down in a startling display. I took this as L not being able to compute such data, being that he is all analytical and his mind works off of cold hard facts. What the Rewrite shows us is a scene where the orphans at Wammy House are being given a lecture by L via his usually means of laptop audio. "What are you scared of?" one little girl asks of him. L thoughtfully mulls over the term 'fear' then responds "I'm afraid of Monsters." The children giggle, but L continues to tell them which monsters that scare him...describing the criminals he's apprehended. But the Monsters he is most afraid of are the ones that hide themselves as normal human beings, and lie to people. And that truly terrifies him because if they were real, it would mean that he is one. Which then had me thinking...The creators state that L is in fact a liar, using as an example the fact that L uses percentages in his theories. He does this a lot when speaking to Soichiro Yagami (head of the Kira Task Force) about his sons' involvement in the Kira case. Again, I took this as his analytical side (taking it at face value because I believe he does denote percents in his inner monologues as well), but perhaps the truth is he is "sugar coating" what he means (especially to Light's father) to save face - of those implied as well as his own pride, because as L admits he has a childish nature and doesn't like to lose, and without hard evidence he can't be 100%. He also admits to Light, in a knowing out pour, during the rainy roof-top scene in Episode 25 of the series that no one should believe the things he says. I also liked how the final Note stated "Once they are Dead they cannot comeback". Perhaps the creators are letting fans know (since these specials are fan service, really) they had no intent on continuing the story. Which I'm thankful for. I like that it ends!

I also agree with you...the quote-unquote second half of DN wasn't nearly has good as L's arc. It got too wild and global. I was bothered by the fact that everyone knew of the Notebook and shinigami and was like, okay with it. The story itself should have been kept contained (which is how L kept it...it felt much more "real" and was able to keep the psycho-crime drama interesting as well as personal) and then the series could have fleshed out the characterizations of Near, Mello and Matt more. I think that would have helped because everything was solved, they just had to stick it to Light, yah know? As it stood, in the end I just felt like Near was piggy-backing off L's work, and was rather put-off by it so in the end I can't say I liked Near...though I adored his "little boy" tendencies. And Mello definetly needed more screen time!! That being said, there was a moment in the Rewrites that made me appreciate Near more:

The scene where kira takes out the members of the SPK. They die or kill themselves at head quarters around Near. And after, the reanimated scene shows Near contacting Light, in an all-knowing manner. As Light asks N what's wrong, Near sits glaring, covered in blood, his finger on the 'talk' button...yet he makes no respose. You just feel the boy seething with anger. The boy who says emotions get in the way and therefore it's assumed that he generally has none. I thought that was well done!

Thanks for the conversion, duotrouble!

[kizu]

I thought death note had a lot of promise. I basically agree that L kept the series contained and more believable for me. Once -that- changed, the series seemed to have lost its tightness and veered off in so many directions that quality of the story just degraded. Actually there were times (even during L's time) that I felt the show tried to pull off something and instead 'settled' to continue the story.

[spoiler]The whole Light and Misa forgetting their memories just totally felt like a cheat to me. Ever since then - even with L there I felt little affinity for the story. It would've been better if the characters actions had consequences when L pretty much caught "kira". But instead I felt the show shy'd away, opting to prolong the story instead. Huge turn off for me. Sure Light had to face the consequences in the end - but by then it was just too late to reel me back in.

[/spoiler]

[Keropi]

Wasn't the story originally supposed to end earlier but the creator got asked to be prolong the story by higher ups? I thought I heard that from somewhere. Might have even been from someone here.

That would explain why the second half felt so different from the first.

[BeautifulAlone]

I thought death note had a lot of promise. I basically agree that L kept the series contained and more believable for me. Once -that- changed, the series seemed to have lost its tightness and veered off in so many directions that quality of the story just degraded. Actually there were times (even during L's time) that I felt the show tried to pull off something and instead 'settled' to continue the story.

[spoiler]The whole Light and Misa forgetting their memories just totally felt like a cheat to me. Ever since then - even with L there I felt little affinity for the story. It would've been better if the characters actions had consequences when L pretty much caught "kira". But instead I felt the show shy'd away, opting to prolong the story instead. Huge turn off for me. Sure Light had to face the consequences in the end - but by then it was just too late to reel me back in.

[/spoiler]

I totally agree w/you!

My major disappointment w/Light losing his memories was that it totally changed his persona, too, instead of just forgetting his time w/the Notebook. That didn't jive. I liked that he plotted and gave up his ownership until that happened. He got so corny afterwards...a total "Let's Go, Team!" player when prior he was a quiet, aloof kid and was a text book NPD character. Then it hit the Yotsuba Corp. arc and that's where it all starts to fumble for me. Misa I loathed so who cares about her...heh. She should not have outlasted L. I swore I wasn't going to finish the series if that happened...maybe I should have. That being said, though I hate those types of female characters I think she played her part in the story and met an appropriate end.

[BeautifulAlone]

Wasn't the story originally supposed to end earlier but the creator got asked to be prolong the story by higher ups? I thought I heard that from somewhere. Might have even been from someone here.

That would explain why the second half felt so different from the first.

Hhmmm...I've never heard that. I was under the assumption that the story went the way team Ohba/Obata had envisioned. That would explain a lot, however. I'm also not as familiar w/the manga, so perhaps the film process affected it somewhat. I go off a little on such ideas in the description for my L fan cel.