DEATH NOTE Volume 2 DVD(2008).
© Viz Media

Mania Grade: A
Title: Death Note Volume 2
Episodes: 5 to 8
Rating: T+ (Older Teens)
Story By: Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
Directed By: Tetsuro Araki
Anime By: Madhouse Productions
Distributor: Viz Media
Languages: English, Japanese
Original Year of Release: 2006
Extras: Behind the Scenes with Voice Actors, Japanese Animation Director and Character Designer Interview, Production Art, Audio Commentary

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DEATH NOTE Vol. 2

      Already cool and arrogant due to his intelligence and popularity, with the Death Note Light feels invincible. However, in this volume there are signs that the stresses of leading a dual life are wearing on him. Light reflects on the events of the past couple weeks and identifies a key mistake he made when he spoke with Ray Penber, the FBI agent who was forced to reveal his identity due to the bus-jacking. Since this mishap he has spent days on end plotting future deaths in the Death Note with very little rest. Even Ryuk gets annoyed by his obsessive behavior, and pleads with Light to play video games with him. This is amusing because while Light and Ryuk have no loyalty to each other, they do have a bizarre type of friendship, one that Ryuk in particular appears to enjoy. While Light is under more stress, his analytical skills are improving, a necessary tool for keeping up with his continued use of the Death Note. He grows more confident in his Kira persona and completely changes his physical disposition while in the Kira mindset.

      This volume of Death Note introduces L in person for the first time to the detectives. L is nothing like what they were expecting. L is young, lanky, has dark circles under his eyes, appears unkempt and sits in strange, yet childlike positions. L also has a weakness for junk food, another fact the detectives find odd. However, after just a few minutes of discussing the Kira case with L, the detectives realize his brilliance and gain each others’ trust. L appears to be wealthy since he has the financial resources to consistently move to new accommodations and for the equipment for himself and the detectives.  While physically L is a direct contrast to Light’s conventional good looks, they are both strikingly similar in their thought processes and emotions, a fact that L admits when he says “Kira is childish and hates to lose” and he knows this because he is also “childish and hates to lose”. L’s constant companion is an older man named Watari, who serves as his caretaker and his assistant. With the exception of his nerdy appearance and habits, L is reminiscent of Bruce Wayne, in intelligence, mysteriousness, wealth and even his own Alfred.

      As long as Light stays a step ahead of L and the investigators, which includes his own father, Police Chief Yagami, he can freely use the Death Note. This leaves viewers to wonder where will it stop for Light; will he tire of the Death Note? Ultimately will he relinquish control of the Death Note by choice or by force?