The End of Death Note: Last Rites for Light
While the live-action Transformers movie totally disrespected its villain, the final episode of the Death Note anime gave its villain final respects. Light Yagami meets a much more poignant end in the anime than he does in the source manga: chasing the sunset and seeing the full extent of his fall from grace, contemplating his life instead of begging for it. As the man who would have been God of the New World closes his eyes for the last time, he is reunited with the only real friend he ever had: L Lawliet, the great detective he murdered in his mad quest for godhood.
Judging from the time on his watch when he received five bullet wounds from the betrayed Matsuda, and the color of the sky when he closed his eyes, Light must’ve been bleeding all over the place for at least four hours before he died. Kira was clearly one tough bastard.
The deaths of L and Light were the pivotal moments for Japanese animation studio Madhouse to add value to their anime adaptation of this hit manga, and they delivered in spades on both counts. The cruelty of L’s final moments made me hate Light, but the melancholy of Light’s final moments made me pity him. The source manga had a deliciously Hitchcockian twist at the end which some fans missed in the anime — but the anime’s final scenes of realization, resolution, and renewal were so beautiful they brought a tear to my eye. Congratulations to Madhouse on improving upon an already fantastic manga. See, this is how you use creative license on a hit property: with utmost respect for beloved characters.
Tags: Animation, anime, Death-Note, L, Light-Yagami, Madhouse
June 28, 2007 | Filed Under Animation | 1 CommentDeath Note: Farewell to L
His sacrifice was already foretold in writing. He agonized alone before his betrayer came for him. He even dried the feet of the one who would betray him. This Lenten Season, the anime community mourns the loss of its beloved son: L Lawliet from Death Note.
Part of me is still in shock. I just cosplayed the guy at the Internet Cafe Congress last month.
Goodbye, gentle genius. Justice will prevail.
-
About the Author
Mike Abundo serves as Vice-President for Online Services of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society. He also writes for Inside Online Video and Tech Side Up. Email him at mike@mikeabundo.com.
Subscribe to this blog