It can be said thatDeath Note is one of the most iconic Japanese animes ever produced. The reason this dark and fanciful story about a teen tech genius turned dark god-like vigilante captured the imagination of manga enthusiasts is because the series delivers a very succinct ethical commentary in a rather simplistic way.
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The series is also renowned for some of its monologues and exchanges which are not just dramatic but also really power-packed. It helps that the characters are all so fleshed out which really adds an edge to each personal arc. Here are some of the most iconic lines from Death Note:
I Would Create A New World Of Earnest, Kind Humans
These words spoken by Light Yagami to Ryuk actually depict him as someone with a wonky idea of a better world. Light aspired to create some kind of a ‘perfect’ world with good humans, not realizing that his vision actually makes him a killer in and of itself.
Although later on in the series Light adapts a self-awareness, he also suffers from a god complex since hebelieves himself to be above everyone else.
Laws Aren’t Perfect, Because Humans Who Created Laws Aren’t Perfect
These words are spoken by Light’s father Soichiro who takes great pride in his sense of duty. He is a police officer and at one point, he led the Japanese Task Force. But Soichiro is also a complex man and despite putting his work over his family all his life, he understands that laws made by humans can only do so much.
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This doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe in the powers of justice but eventually, he takes the law into his own hands when he kidnaps his son Light and his girlfriend Misa Amane to prove Light's innocence.
In This World, There Is Only Good And Evil
Of course, Death Note unravels many layers to this argument and this sentiment doesn’t describe the essence of the manga series. But Mikami’s quote sheds light on his rather extreme perspective on good and evil.
It’s also important to note that, unlike Light who has many shades to his character, Mikami wanted to use his powers to establish his own brand of justice on anyone who has ever done wrong since he does not believe in redemption or change.
Someone Has To Do It, So Why Not Me?
Light’s full quote as part of his monologue was, “This world is rotten, and those who are making it rot deserve to die. Someone has to do it, so why not me?”
These lines explain Light’s perspective effortlessly; he was a teenager driven by angst and to him, his agenda was completely justified especially after he found the notebook and realized its superpowers which made it easier for him to believe that he was the chosen one.
Keep Speaking The Truth. Especially When It’s About The Things People Hesitate To Bring Up
Soichiro struggled to find the truth about Kira’s identity and one could obviously understand his helplessness as a father. So his advice to Matsuda spoke to the readers on many levels because Soichiro is a man of the law and has spent his entire life prioritizing his work over his family.
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But after Light became Kira, he became hellbent on finding out the truth when he realized that worldly justice couldn't help him save his son.
Death Is Equal
“There is no heaven or hell. No matter what you do while you're alive, everybody goes to the same place once you die. Death is Equal,” the detective L said in the series.
These words may sound familiar because the poet John Donne’s ‘Death comes equally to us all,’ is already quite famous and echoes the same sentiment as L’s line. Even though L fought on the side of the human realm, he had very little respect for the sanctity of human lives which made him a really effective truth-seeker.
All Humans Die The Same
Ryuk’s words actually draw a parallel between how he and L both perceive death. Interestingly, they both think death is an equalizer, however L’s approach is cold and quite unsentimental, whereas for Ryuk, death is a weapon.
He uses the mythology around death to lure people towards the dark side. “All humans die the same, the place they go after death isn’t decided upon by a god it is Mu,” Ryuk said.
I Am Justice - Light
The theme of justice is central to Death Note; the manga series is shaped largely around how the different characters define justice. Light, for instance, thinks of himself as the ‘decider,’ or someone who, much like a god can decide someone’s fate based on their actions.
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His ‘I Am Justice’ monologue highlights his warped sense of fairness. Interestingly, Light and L are not that different, but it’s Light’s imbalance sense of ego is what makes him so intimidating as an anti-hero.
If Kira Gets Caught, He Is Evil. If Kira Rules The World, He Is Justice
This line actually is even more poignant than it sounds because it sums up the ethos of the series. Light considered himself above human law, even more so after he became Kira.
So he essentially believes that being Kira is what legitimizes his actions irrespective of how wrong they are, so he believed that if Kira becomes the god of the new world, he will have the last say on what is fair and what is not
Sometimes, The Questions Are Complicated. The Answers Are Simple
L Lawliet is not someone who overthinks, he is in fact quite clear over what his priorities are. His icy, calculative approach to his duties also steers him away from ethical dilemmas because unlike many characters in Death Note, L has very clear answers to what he wants.
He wants to catch the serial killer Kira and put an end to his reign. The issue is complex, but the answer is simple.
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