Death Note Volume 1

LABEL: Manga Entertainment
RUNNING TIME: 176 mins approx.
RATING: 15
VIDEO FORMAT: 16:9 Anamorphic
AUDIO FORMAT: English 2.0, Japanese 2.0
SUBTITLES: English
DVD REGION: 2
AVAILABLE: Out Now!


Synopsis
Light Yagami is an ordinary college student* who happens across a mysterious notebook whilst walking home from classes one afternoon. Promising the power to kill anyone in the world instantly, the Death Note is a tremendous temptation for someone as tired of the modern world as Light, and it isn't long before criminals are dropping like flies. This activity doesn't go un-noticed, however, and soon Light's father, a Police Detective, is leading the investigation to find the culprit. Meanwhile, Light unexpectedly finds himself with a new roomate – Ryuk, the Death God who dropped the Death Note in the first place...

Review
Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last couple of years, odds are you've at least heard of DEATH NOTE in passing. Frequently billed – quite fairly – as The Next Big Thing (TM), it introduces a moral grey to the oft black-and-white world of anime, forcing the viewer to sympathise with someone who is, in many ways, a complete psychopath and posing a question as old as philosophy itself – namely, is it right to kill in the name of peace and justice?

Our protagonist is the improbably-named Light Yagami, a gifted university student who comes across the titular notebook whilst walking home after classes. With an instruction page written in English, the document claims to have the ability to kill anyone in the world, instantly, provided their true name and face are known to the wielder. Initially sceptical of these claims, Light nonetheless takes the notebook home, lasting a short while before he succumbs to the temptation of trying it out. When he discovers – to his understandable horror -- that it works, he begins upon a dark path of murder and destruction, all committed in the name of creating a peaceful and perfect world. Dubbed “Kira” by the public, and egged on by a succession of internet posting boards and an overzealous media, Light begins executing the world's deadliest criminals one by one, each death bringing him closer to the utopia that he craves. Meanwhile, the local police – led by Light's father – begin investigating the deaths as more than mere co-incidence and Ryuk, the Shinigami (Death God) who dropped the Death Note in the first place, turns up to keep a close eye on its new owner.

Of course, every good protagonist needs his nemesis, and just as Moriarty has his Holmes (note the reverse order there), so Light has L. A borderline sociopath in his own right, L is young, intelligent, and a paragon of deductive reasoning – in other words, Light's peer in every conceivable sense. Introduced in the series' second episode, the detective scores the first major victory in uncovering Kira's true identity without breaking a sweat, forcing Light to rethink his efforts and act with more caution in order to remain hidden. This small act marks the beginning of perhaps the most entrancing antagonistic relationship yet committed to animation, as Light and L dance around one another, each waiting for the other to slip up; just as Light cannot eliminate L without knowing his true name, neither can L arbitrarily have Light put away without evidence. The situation makes for a fascinating game of cat and mouse, and one which keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.

The key theme that permeates the series is *obsession*, and it's one that permeates the entire catalogue of characters. Light is obsessed with creating a perfect world, and with his quest to unmask (and murder) L; both L himself and Light's father are consumed by solving the Kira case; Light's mother and sister are obsessed with his academic achievements, perhaps missing any negative aspects of his personality along the way, and Misa-Misa – a Japanese idol with her own connections to the Death Note – is compulsively preoccupied with romantic feelings for Kira. Even secondary characters, like junior Police Detective Matsuba, have their own obsessions, making the whole cast feel flawed, and all the more real for it. Nobody is ever what they seem, and everyone has the capacity to shock and surprise.

It's highly possible that DEATH NOTE will become the next anime hit to breakout from its niche demographic and wow audiences with little or no experience of the medium, until then, however, it replies on word of mouth of fans and enthusiastic journalists. Don't be amongst the last to discover how fantastic this show is – go out and buy it today. And don't forget to spread the word!


Picture
It's really difficult to go wrong with modern anime, and DEATH NOTE is no exception – the dark colours are blighted only by the occasional unavoidable bout of artefacting, which is easily taken care of by an upscaling DVD player. Otherwise a flawless picture, as we have come to expect.

Audio
The original Japanese stereo track is joined by a fairly good English dub; great care has been taken to match the new voice actors to their Japanese counterparts, resulting in a relatively smooth handover for anyone who's been watching fansubs for the last few months. Over the two, however, the original just edges it in terms of quality and acting.

Special Features
An episode commentary (episode 7 only), cast & crew interviews, production art gallery and “behind the scenes” featurette join the usual clean opening/closing credits, adding up to a fantastic package.




Matt Dillon


*Aren't they always?


Death Note Volume 01 is available now from all good stockists, including Play.com and Amazon.co.uk.