What's in an OP? - Death Note's Heavy Christian Symbolism
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- A way too deep analysis of Anime Openings. This week, as requested by Patrons, we break down the ways Death Note references Renaissance-era Christian Art.
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Songs Used: The World by Nightmare.
Instrumental cover by Alter Bandai: • Death Note -The World ...
Death Note created by Studio Madhouse based on an original manga by Tsugumi Ohba. Series licensed for distribution in North America by Viz Media.
This dude's essays in school must have been legendary
I will take this comment... *AND LIKE IT!*
I will take this reply...AND LIKE IT!
@@RatChad I will take this reply to a reply... AND LIKE IT!
@@devenbattish5701 I will take this reply to reply to a reply... AND LIKE IT!
@@GreatestLeaf I will take this reply to a reply to a reply to a reply to a reply... *AND LIKE IT!*
I always thought there was some Christian symbolism surrounding the scene where L offers to help Light dry his feet
Lmao
Because Jesus dried Juda's feet, too, even if he betrayed him. Same with L and Light, I think?
@@maranegrii4780 Damn that makes a lot of sense
@@perke7456 it is lol L symbolises Jesus
I think it's L admitting defeat to Kira
I think that the Jesus and Mary imagery for Rey Penbur and and his fiance was significant because they were the first "innocents" that Light killed to cover his tracks. They were "martyred" for God's will.
dang I never read into this stuff I just thought wow cool op xd
@@inkllama5445 yeah where the fuck was Lind in the OP
InkLlama Even though Light thought Lind was an innocent, he still didn’t kill an innocent man. Raye and Naomi were actually completely innocent, and light knew it
@@ThePapaDragon Yeah right
I feel it was the first time Light completely turned evil. When Light killed the criminals, he had a reason (ethically wrong, but a reason nevertheless). Light killing Lind L Taylor symbolises his destabilisation. Taylors speech was deliberately created by L to goad Kira into killing him.
On the other hand, Rey and the other FBI agents were murdered by Light proactively. It wasn't even true self-defence. In all honesty, Light would have been better off if he didn't kill Rey, and I'm sure he could've figured it out. The Death Note is magic, and people don't see what they're looking for. Those killings were symbolic of Light's belief that he is right because he is God.
Naomi's death is somewhat different. She had information pertaining to the Kira case that would almost certainly incriminate him, or at least cripple his ability to kill. However, the way he killed her and taunted her at the end shows how evil and depraved he has become.
I like to compare Light's fall from grace with that of Macbeth. Much like Macbeth, Light first kills in righteousness, without the intention to become evil. Light kills Taylor much like how Macbeth kills Duncan. They both then fall into an endless spiral of murder to protect themselves and lose their conscience and morality with each murder.
This whole thing happened because the teacher put light by the window
Lol The teacher is Ryuk in human form xD
THATS IT IT HIS FAULT
Don’t forget how Light was sitting like a cliche anime protagonist and Ryuk wanting some drama
True
Yeah this is big brain time
Can we talk about the floor in a plaid pattern resembling chess, obviously about the strategy of the deadly game Kira and L are playing with each other
yes
it was in tokyo ghoul too, it must symbolize something beyond chess i think, like,,,,,,,,,, i really have no idea but im sure it does
@@ziinepctnkaya5969 a checkered pattern commonly symbolizes a balance of good and evil because of the contrasting black and white. It's common in freemasonic temples.
It's interesting how at one point in the OP the checkered pattern is red and black. Red, the color of initiating one's self into corruption and black, representing evil(as I said earlier).
Then it's followed by light crashing into the ground and shattering, as if it's representing that his fragile mortal form combined with his corruption and the dark nature of his actions have resulted in his downfall.
First 26, yes. The rest of them, no. After L died, the show noticeably declined, and the ending didn't live up to expectations. It wasn't terrible, but after everything going on with the whole series, it fell short. Still a good anime though.
I think a lot of people didn't understand this when it happened but when L washes Kira's feet its a reference to the bible when Jesus washes Judas's feet. Judas was one of Jesus's disciples, a man Jesus trusted, but then Judas betrayed him and was the one responsible for Jesus's death. Also, Jesus knew that Judas had betrayed him which fits with L saying "Its nearly time to say farewell" This definitely fits with the fact that L trusted Light but then Light betrayed him and sent him to his death.
Yes, exactly. Jesus foreshadows and predicts His death multiple times. Also, Jesus calls Judas out in the middle of the Last Supper in front of the rest of the disciples.
Bro don t give bible spoilers man
Nope...L never trusted him....Light just outsmarted 'world's greatest detective'
YES PERFECT
@@fl1xy785 best comment here lol
if i remember correctly, the killing of ray penber was the first time Light killed a completely innocent person.
nonamed _ ray Wasn't completely innocent. He tried to catch kira.
AwesomeExplosion FTW cause kira evil.
No. He killed lind l tailot who he thought was a detective.
GreyArc VG lol Lind L. Tailor wasn't an innocent man
arun kumar for light he was.
"in the next scene you see light and kira staring each other down" go home, you're drunk basement
+Ramses shhhh only dreams now *snaps neck*
*falls limp*
I noticed that too
wait one second...LIGHT WAS KIRA THE WHOLE TIME?!?
Andrew West Yeah it was such a shocker!
9:49 “We see Light and Kira staring each other down” I didn’t know L was Kira.
plot twist
@I so wanna die he would just burn it i guess.
Rimuru Tempest no way you fool, L would experiment with that thing all day.
was looking for this
I mean if you think about it after L died.... He was L...
Lets be honest: the first 26 episodes of this anime is a masterpiece.
And the last 11 are not?
Edit: What I meant was the whole thing was a masterpiece, even if the quality worsened at _some_ parts.
You cant imagine my disappointment in the last 12 eps! Especially the final ep 😓
what the fuck the last episode is the best episode in the whole series and i agree that the first half is better but still with many flaws and imperfections حسام عبدالقادر
@@aleksatomic3167 Tbh it left me disappointed! I expected its going to end with Light getting caught and ryuk writing his name but the events that led to this made the outcome feel forced or cheap! Things like mikami disobeying a direct order from his god or Light shouting like an idiot when he tries to write near name on a scrap or not having a back up plan?! Light the person who defeated L making these mistakes felt unbelievable
@@tomstarmot nope! Light ordered mikami to not make any move before the meeting
didn't know that the people who created this OP put so much thought into this. i just always thought it was a cool intro o.o
Utkarsh I. It's Death Note. The one Anime you have to put a lot of thought into just to follow along. Boi.
Utkarsh I.
*Cheers*
! ! ! ! I Love your profile photo ! ! ! !
Many works of art including anime always have a lot of thought put into it... A lot, just like this OP, and its great because it really makes you appreciate it more
Theirs no proof it means any of this but this is called literary analysis. God bless!
10:00 L and Lights standoff in the underground tunnel also symbolises that the battle is not only directly between them, but it's also waged hidden from the others. It's an internal war of tactics of the mind, and one which only L and Light know they're playing.
nice observation man!
fuuucking hell the layers just dont stop
@@turnleftaticeland you gotta really ask yourself, do you think whoever came up with the opening really thought up ALL of these references, or do you think some of them are intense contemplation from others?
I can't express how much a masterpiece of a shot that is . Like god damn . The way they both face down and staree at each other is absolutely great!
Death Note was such a good anime, so many fond memories coming home from school eager to watch it
I'm surprised there are no replies taking about how you are everywhere.
@@zacharypreval3186 Well now there is.
You again
Hello again! So, how have you been since your last appearance in the videos I’ve been watching?
I literally see you in every damn video i watch
I thought the apple was there because Ryuk likes apples XD
Because he can't stand windows.
phoxxentswrath BADUM TSS
phoxxentswrath LMAO
same, i'm pretty stupid so these kind of symbolism is too far from my thoughts xD
Literally I thought the heavy handed symbolism was just a cool thing they threw in cause it looked cool. I'm a fool
He forgot to mention that Lucifer is holding what seems to be some sort of notebook hmmmmmm
Nate Blazek HMmmMMMMMM
and also a pen.And doesn't light with the angel behind him gives a similar picture drawn by michael angelo or someone ..... i don't remember but that picture had a human with 4 arms and 4 feet in the same directions as shown
@@moviecrew3336 vitruvian man
Woahh I didn't catch that
@@izzywizzy2673 me neither lmao
First Light hair is blue in op But when We He got Death note His Hair turned Red
Because he's...
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiil
Red oni blue oni
Blue represents his first good intentions, and red is the evil
wow you noticed it
turning from Justice to Justice huh >.>
i also think that light's name is the reason for all that moon shots. light is written using the kanji for moon or moonlight (月). and i think its because light thinks of himself as the equivalent of god on earth. like moon lights up the earth in the dark times aka the nights.
and as basement said, ryuk is in the sunlight at first. before meeting light
Or yagami means im a gay
夜神月
He is not that far from being an actual god. He posses the power of The God.
Shinigami = God of death
Yagami = God of night
10:55 the angel in the painting behind light literally has a book in his left hand and pen in his right hand. This painting is probably about how light sees himself.
Yess100%
Might be Icarus, with the sun and him falling to his death bc of his ego.
Or it could be a reference to misa
@@Sh6sTh6Smok6 how is it misa?
How did I not notice this?!
Something more to consider: Light's name is written with the kanji that's usually used for the word moon. This may give more meaning to the scene of Misa looking at the moon with Light standing in front of it. It may also give contrast in the comparison of Light to Lucifer where Lucifer is the "bringer of light" and Light, like the moon, only seems bright but is actually just reflecting or imitating the light that is brought by the true power represented by the shinigami.
Simna ibn Sind very interesting!
NICE
yagami backward is imagay
So what you’re saying is that this is Light’s opinion of himself: “I’M THE LIGHT BRINGER! I’M THE F*CKING UNIVERSE!”
Simna ibn Sind Also the Kanji in Light's last name is, in his own words,'Night and *god.* Pretty weird, right?'
His eyes are red in some scenes to reflect how, despite not having the shinigami eyes, they glow as if he had become a god of death in his pursuit for “justice”
good afternoon to all the deathnote fans who actually watched the whole show and didn’t stop after episode 26
Thank you
I’ve watched the whole anime like 7 times in total lol it’s my favorite by far
THANK YOUUUU-
the entire time I knew Near existed, but all I knew is that his eyes were like L's, he had white hair, and played with toys, and I thought his name was N
So when that death happened, I knew he would be Near by, and I got extremely excited and I wasn't disappointed and just like L, he became a major comfort character for me. I love Near and Mello and just Death Note in general :')
Good afternoon to you too, as well as anyone who did stop watching after episode 26
I watched passed 26, but I wish I didn't
11:30 I could be wrong, but in the painting, Lucifer is holding a book in one hand and a feather, probably a pen, in the other.
Yeah, probably a quill
It's Niizuma!
Good eye! I never noticed that before. Also, he describes the painting behind him as "Renaissance style," but to me it seems more like a vague allusion to William Blake... all those "Red Dragon" figures and the like.
I just saw that too
Also, I reckon the way Light's posed in front of the painting is an allusion to Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, symbolising that Light sees himself as the epitome of humanity. With the painting representing a fallen god, possibly referring to Ryuk, it's quite a nice metaphor - when Light is combined with godly power (supported because the painting angel carries a quill and a book, like OP mentioned, a definite reference to the Note), he becomes superior to all humanity. Or, at least, that's how he sees himself. Especially because the camera angle used implies that we're gazing up at Light, that he's above us all.
I also think it's important to note that the first time we see Misa in the opening, she is wearing a cross necklace -- and the necklace is upside down. The upside down cross is often seen as a symbol of evil or perverted Christianity, and can also be seen in the first ending, where light is lying upside-down on his bed, as if he is being sacrificed on an upside-down cross. This shows that he is resembling God's sacrifice, but only portraying some skewed version of it. :)
Amelia Edwards it's funny because the actual symbol is Peter's symbol, because Peter was crucified upside down.
Not bashing your theory, which I liked enough to like your comment, just spreading some correcting info
According to Christian tradition, Simon Peter was crucified upside down. I don't really know where the idea an upside down cross is evil came from but that's what is generally thought.
In the Manga, she has cross earrings but they swapped them/censored them.
Actually upside down cross is symbol for satanism
First Op: Christian and God references, making Light look like the God he pretends to be
Second Op: _ryuk on drugs_
The whole opening was on meth lol
Ryuk without apples*
About the skyscrapers.
This might just be me here but they might a sort of modern day Tower of Babel.
The Tower of Babel was supposed to be a tower big enough to reach heaven itself. But god said "lol no" and scattered everyones languages.
But here Light being seen on near the top of skyscrapers could mean that he is climbing a modern "Tower of Babel" so he could reach his god status.
But that could just be me.
I see them as literal reflections of the modern "current" world. Death note is a tale about morality, and how it's white, black and gray hues intertwine and interact with the world itself. Placing light onto tops of buildings cements his position as a god "of justice" but it also ties the allegorical story of Death Note back into our world. It's story might not apply in real life, but it's themes do.
This makes more sense considering the elevator animation.
That's really good analysis
soul shield brilliant
soul shield It could also be a symbol of Light's rebellion- he ascends the tower to become the God of the New World but to do so, he stands in opposition to another God in the judicial system.
So what does the potato chip symbolize?
buneter eating it
buneter One of the seven deadly sin? Or god's omniscent presence?
buneter Ass
buneter comedy
*A N D E A T I T*
The "Lucifer" shot could also be a reference to Icarus, a human being who was granted wings but who flew too close to the sun, causing his wings to burn and plunging him to his death (made the mistake of thinking he was above his condition)
Ooh interesting! I’m a sucker for Icarus references in media so this is a great interpretation by my standards
I forgot how fucking awesome the song was for this OP
so many many cocks so many many cocks from rngland
ikr
Yeah I recently rewatched the show and now listen to this song almost daily
"We'll definitely be getting to the second one at a later date-"
Oh yes, tell me more.
"That'll come at a later date"
*Half a year later*
Me: "So... When exactly is that later date? I'm still waiting!"
Kirai senpai still fuckin waiting
Samuel Jackson waiting...
FU
Loading...
Yea i spent an hour searching for it....
This show was so good, I always recommend it to people who just started getting into anime.
SPOILER: a lot of people stopped watching after L died though
That's when I stopped watching, but this video made me want to pick up Death Note again. I started from the beginning, and now I'm all the way to episode 24.
I waited to watch. Did in 2015 now its one of my top anime.
Only if they like detective stories though with lots of internal monologues. This series always spark debates on morality which makes it so relevant today.
For newbies, my first recommendation is Rave Master. It's good (SAO), not overwhelmingly long (One Piece), covers the basics of its genre without requiring you to already be familiar with it (Madoka).
It's interesting to note that in the 2nd to final scene, Lucifer is holding a book and quill.
Oh snap i never noticed that.
@@somaraid yeah!
timestamp?
@@nope4909 11:05
Someone mentioned that it might be Icarus actually, since the sun is behind him. Icarus fell to his death bc of his ego. And Icarus was human like Light. I think this idea works better than Lucifer.
no one:
light:
I think it will be cool if go up to another SkYScRaPeR
*S k Y S c R a P e R*
😂😂😂
Lmfao 😂😂😂😂
I think the second Light/L staredown actually has a bit more meaning than he gave it credit for. The first showdown was far above the city, and the camera movement was rotating around the two, showing that initially, when the two were dancing around each other trying to figure each other out, the conflict was lofty, intellectual, elevated from the sordid truth of the killings. Whereas in the second the camera goes straight towards each of them, showing that they've become completely focused on the other as their target has become clear. And this showdown is underground, probably in the police basement, showing that they've both literally been dragged down to reality and forced to fight on the same level as the rest of the world. The conflict isn't a lofty intellectual pursuit any more, it's a matter of life and death. Also, in the first conflict they were separated from each other, each isolated in their elevated intellects - now, they can reach out and touch the other. They're much closer to each other, and so the conflict is going to end soon, one way or the other.
Pfftt let's me make it more sense and simple
First staredown : World perspective towards them.
The Battle of Kira and L. (Whos going to be defeated in Mind Deathbattle)
Second staredown : Their own perspective.
The Battle of Justice ( as they want to proof each other that their action is justice). (L want to arrests Kira for his Justice while Kira want to eliminates L from his way to Justice.)
This is actually a really good analysis! That makes a lot of sense, honestly. I just appreciate how ell does the zooming animation is
OH. MY. GOD!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAA-
I really hope i can get such a deep understanding of things as you and Geoff Thew has, its impressive and makes we appreciate great shows like this as much as they deserve, its awesome! It is being able to understand all of what is being expressed in this work of art!
For some reason, I thought you were gonna cover What's Up People in this video as well.
yeah exactly
he specifically says he's going to do the second one another time
I thought that *before* watching the video.
same
Yea me too
I'm surprised you didn't mention the Red Oni/Blue Oni interplay between the characters. One of the things that I like about Death Note is how it uses classical Japanese theater/writing tropes, and is very important to the series on the whole.
Could you elaborate on this more? I’d love to read it
@@mayachristian33did you eventually learn about it?
@@bituinlseeing as i hardly recall this i fear not 😭
First when you talked about how you didn't like Death note and considered it a huge disappointment I was kinda sighing but I was waiting for the "but" because I have faith in your judgement and we agree on most things, then you talked about how great it was and I was happy.
But really it's really bad
not really deciding anyone else's opinion, just stating their own
Jewell TH
you don't have to say "in my opinion" before you talk, when someone says what they think about something, its obviously their opinion lol
Jewell TH
"Totally excuses you deciding someone's opinion for them"
"Not stating an opinion"
(being desperate and petty)
Jewell TH i quoted you because you said that he wasnt stating an opinion, then when i said that he was for the second time, you said that i was "randomly spouting bullshit"
anyway man, i dont want to debate with you, grow up if shit like this triggers you as much as it does. its just a comment on youtube, no need to get offended lol
Fun Fact - "Lucifer" means "Bringer of Light"
Hense why the picture behind Light may genuinely be Lucifer.
Yea that is true and Lucifer is Latin.
The word Lucifer can also mean morning star.
@@shanestrickland5006 have you seen the lucifer show
@@dimitris1601 No I haven't
@@shanestrickland5006 u should
@@dimitris1601 Thanks for the recommendation i will keep it in mind.
i never noticed how that one shot of ryuk handing light an apple is a legit weeb version of that one michaelangelo painting
i want to order a lettuce sandwich please U knew that...But suspected if that's the reference
@@ChimeraLotietheBunny what u mean
I actually liked the ending for the anime......
Oh crap.
ITS THE OPINION POLICE!
OH, SHI-
I thought it was OK as well.
I thought the ending was good with Ryuk killing Light with his one weapon and Light realizing how far he has fallen. However, everything building up to it (which is basically everything after L's death) was terrible. But that's just my opinion.
Ranger Linkseye I wouldn't say Death Note after L's death was bad, just not as good as when he was alive. L was one of the reasons the show's first half was so good. His and Light's rivalry to achieve each of their own respective sense of justice were what kept the show super entertaining. I didn't really like how they tried to make Near like a kid version of L when he really wasn't.
the ending was good. but it was even better in the manga. Near and Mello didn't feel like shoehorned in
Glad that I'm not the only one. The live action movies were fine, too imo. The TV Drama, however....
seriously, this 13 minutes video worth more than 1 semester i learn semiotics in college, thanks alot :D.
9:40 turning on ur cellphone on a dark bedroom be like
The FBI are a bunch of lolicons true XD
That is really funny tbh
I’m just gonna guess ur talking about the part on the 2 op when light looks at the sun;-; I didn’t even look yet tell me if I’m wrongxD
God I love this manga/ Anime it's really got me thinking about life
God Of Air
Am i the only one who thinks Death Note's ending is a masterpiece?
Its the most appropriate conclusion when a human plays god.
Azraelseraphim Exactly, plus Ryuk killing Light is so apropiate.
Masked lunatic
Its funny because Ryuk told Light at the very beginning how it would play out in the end.
lmao it was the most unimaginative ending possible
Nope
9:49 "we see light and Kira staring each other off" I didn't see two lights :P
This made me rewatch Death Note. Fuck I love this series.
Nick Edelmann the
I'd like to propose my theory for the wilting rose imagery at 5:20.
In Christian mythology, Jesus is the messiah. The ultimate savior of the world and all repentant sinners. I think that the wilting rose is L recognizing that Light/Kira is a false messiah. Despite his justice rhetoric, Kira is NOT trying to save the world, he's trying to rule it.
To focus on the thorns indicates that he's also opened his eyes that the "rose" of justice Kira presents to humanity comes with more than it's fair share of thorns. You'd be living in a world of constant fear, never knowing if something you did would be out of line until Kira comes to claim you for your crime.
"Mythology" nice
@@pelluski Triggered Christian.
@@GodisgudAQW No u
@@pelluski I'm not a Christian, if you couldn't tell. But I didn't expect you to be able to make such a complicated deduction. Using logic might be a sin.
@@GodisgudAQW r/woooosh
11:25 I just realized
What if Lucifer is The king of the Shinigami? In the image that Light is standing in front of, Lucifer is holding a Death Note and Quill. Probably the first time he used a NoteBook, to which God did not approve, casting him to hell (Shinigami Realm)
Lucifer would probably be in hell and the shinigami realm is not hell so probably not
@@wuskraken6187 it was just a fun What if
At 9:50 ish you said Light and Kira staring eachother down. I think you meant L
YUP.
I think verbal typos are becoming, like, my thing.
+Mother's Basement Good video anyway, can't wait for the next
Damn, I was about to comment that, but it was the first comment I saw when scrolling down. Lol
+MrSlaide Jesus-kun
Vanilla Fox don't suit ya, go find another.
I can't believe it took me this long to see Light Yagami was heavily based on Lucifer.
Another cool part of this opening: in the part where Light's in front of the painting of the angel, the angel has an open book in one hand and a quill in the other. Once again, if the angel in the painting is Lucifer, it's showing him ominously holding a book and writing implement, like Light is prone to do.
9:49 "Once again we see Light and Kira staring each other down".
That's L. Don't you mean "L and Light/Kira"?
9:45
plot twist!
L was Light all along!
Everyone knows what he meant -_-
LOL, pipo berber
Shit theory light and L both has the letter L in it...
Light is L
Been waiting for this
Yay
I was also kind of disappointed by death note it's still amazing but it only got worse after episode 16
+Lily i've never actually finished deathnote I only got to episode 18 XD After that I just lost interest
It only got worse after L died. Specifically that moment. L dying isn't bad, it is just the final good moment before the quality of the story went down.
+Dorian Costley that's just how Jump mangas tend to be. They're supposed to go on as long as they remain relevant (they can go on forever if they're popular enough, just like Bleach), so they're usually the kind that tend to suffer from seasonal rot and end on an unsatisfactory note once the editors decide its time to cancel it. that being said, I really loved death note and I really commend Tsugumi Ohba for ending it the way it was meant to this whole time. I just can't help but wonder if Mello and Near were meant to be part of the mix from the beginning or they were shoehorned at the editor's request.
On a semi-related note, I wonder how Eichiro Oda, the author of One Piece,or Hirohiko Araki, the author of Jojo's Bizzare adventure, can keep producing good content, where nearly all other long runners suffer decay (or, in the case of HxH and Berserk, long hiatuses, which is better because a rushed bad thing is bad forever, ).
too bad twilight ruined apples forever
Inspector Spinda underrated comment lmao
Inspector Spinda
Yo momma.
@Whited Out a vampire love story that make me want to die.
Stay in the light
@Whited Out stay safe. i hope don’t search it-
Author: "he held an apple."
Teacher: *this video*
"We'll definitely get to the second op at a later date"
Still here, 1 year later.
Still waiting in 2020.
welp
Still waiting 2021
@@cyberduck9022 Still bloody waiting haha
@@jessicapandapaw178 haha lol
Lmao it looks light yagami from the thumbnail wants your sushi
I think the lyrics are a huge part in OPs/EDs, I wonder why you never touch upon that.
He's touched on this back in his DBZ retrospective, pointing out that his inability to actually speak Japanese and reliance on other peoples' ( not uncommonly dodgy ) translations means he doesn't really feel as if he can speak on the lyrics in detail.
*****
I thought OP/ED songs were all made specifically for anime…
+ALAKTORN A lot of the time, they just get bands to make songs for the ops or use new ones without making them specifically for the shows. There are exceptions, as these ones probably are and all of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure op's, but the majority only have a similar tone to the series their paired with.
sometimes they are, sometimes they arent
ALAKTORN well I know none of the Bleach ones were.
Deathnote is really good if you don't count in the epilog after L's death
But then the way L died sucks if it were to be the actual ending of the show.
Not really. It would have a sense of finality. Light would have won and L would have lost. It would have been a great ending if it cut to Ryuk writing lights name in the indicating while he does win over L, nobody wins over death. It would have been a way better ending than the garbage that is season 2
True Facts
+Ash Not True Facts
+darkfur3 L dying because Rem loved Misa would have been a terrible ending. It completely cheats L because of divine intervention. To have the whole show be a battle of wits and then have a shinigami end it almost deus ex machina like would have been even worse than Light losing because his underling messed up.
If Light actually outsmarted L then it would be satisfying. But he only outsmarted Rem.
11:15 Actually, at this moment I remembered of Icarus, his ambitious reminds a lot of Light.
Why would Icarus’s feathers be black? And why would they suddenly switch from Christian mythology to Greek mythology?
9:48 *L and Kira; or *Light and L
nah man thats light and kira :D
RoyalViolin That's L and Lawliet duh
I think it's interesting in 2:59 how Light's hair is blue but his eyes are red. It's before he becomes corrupt and it shows his similarity to L (who's always been shown with blue in contrast to Light's red). I feel like it might be telling us that while that was before he had committed any crimes and was therefore "good" like L, his eyes were always red, showing he's always had that lust for power and not that it was just suddenly born in him when he picked up the Death Note.
This is so cool! I love how detailed you are in your analysis, and I can’t believe how much thinking and art went into the opening of Death Note. Just another reason why I love Death Note so much :)
The second half of death note never bothered me, not as good as the first half but still decent. Most people hate it because L died and they're used to shows not having the balls to do anything to a main character people like. I respect them for killing L, sure i liked him but they could only drag out the cat and mouse routine for so long, someone had to win and someone had to lose or else it would just be L vs light indefinitely. Another reason people hate the second half is because they don't like near and mello because they feel like they were trying to replace L. They were ok characters, but no where near as good as L, so people hate them. My favorite though is when people say the ending is shit because light died, this isn't some shitty show like naruto or one piece where the main character always wins. Death note has one of my favorite endings, light got too cocky and got what he deserved. Just my opinion obviously, feel free to disagree.
I think people tend to overlook that L's death and Kira's eventual failure were related incidents. It was because of L's death that Light was presented with four years of judging unopposed and a seemingly inadequate rival, Near. Probably the most important line in the Yellow Box at the series' conclusion is when Light thinks to himself that Near is below him, when in fact Near got a lucky break in Mello and managed to get a step ahead. The truth is that L was more than just a rival for Kira, he was someone who kept Kira in check. L had demonstrated many times over that in addition to being as smart as and more experienced than Light, he also had the support of multiple organizations. Light knew that he was fighting an uphill battle, and had to always double-check himself. All he had to have done before the final scene was spend maybe 20 minutes preparing in case Near found out about the notebook swap. And even in the final scene, he could have just laughed off Mikami as a convincing actor, hired by Near. Hell, even afterwards, he could have gone quietly into custody and found a better time to write out the SPK and investigative team's names. However, he had become too full of himself and had become too accustomed to being the one in control.
on the second half, light wasnt as smart as he was when L was alive.
in the last chapter matsuda expose a theori about Near using the death note to manipulate Mikami and win the final figth, and this is so logic, but in the anime, they cut the last chapter so people dont understand how Ligth lose against N when he win against L.thats why people dont like the ends.
also Ligth wasnt as smart in the second part, cause he dont aknowledge his opponent.
I agree but light got way too cocky knowing it was just kinds and thinking L was the formidable opponent that he beat and the rest were bottom barrel crap
The reason I hate the second half was because near knows everything already without evidence it is like he have watched deathnote and also light was not that smart when he was fighting against L.
The moments when Ryuk takes off flying and when Light gets blasted with a gust of wind are synced so perfectly with the music, it gives me goosebumps every time
Did you notice the Lucifer painting was holding a book (deathnote) in the left hand and a quill in the right
Thats cool
Fun fact: The fruit of "good and bad" was never mentioned as an "apple" in the Bible. Why pop-culture began referring to the "fruit" as an "apple" is beyond me...
The apple was already an established mythological symbol in the Mediterranean long before the spread of Christianity. Just look at the eleventh labour of Hercules to see it.
adaption3 wasn't apple a joke Latin translators used for the bible?
adaption3 wasn't apple a joke Latin translators used for the bible?
I think the latin word for "evil/bad" and for "apple" were very similar
Robby H. Malus and mala right? Went to a Catholic high school.
Something you forgot or may not have noticed: The Deathnote is constantly represented by an apple. Apple is a symbol of temptation because of the Adam and Eve tale. What was it that damned humanity? Eve taking a bite of temptation, thus we can infer that the bitten apple is a sign of Light taking the temptation that the DeathNote is and that was provided by a devilish character (Ryuk). The bitten apple is a sign of Light's humanity being damned because of the DeathNote (he can neither enter heaven nor hell after writing in it). Besides that a lot of the things you mentioned I never noticed, I was just amazed that the one that was so obvious to me had almost no mention in your video.
That's just obvious to most people. The apple is one of the most commonly known representations of sin and temptation.
You would think a lot of this was obvious and yet here we are
I mean they take great pains to show apple = Death Note. Hell, Ryuk handing Light the apple is fairly prominent. I don't think Basement spent too much time on that because it wasn't really all that obscure.
Love how I was stating something I thought was cool (not many of my friends who are Atheists noticed this detail) and am getting attacked by silly fan boys. Nice.
Just because some things are obvious to some cultures and religions, those that follow other ways may not pick up on it believe it or not.
I just want to add some more context on the symbolic significance of apples. Most Christians believe that God created an objective morality that defines what is good and what is evil. When God separates the light from the darkness in Genesis 1:4, this is symbolic of God separating good and from evil and defining morality. Now, when humans come into the scene in the Garden of Eden (which is not actually a real place. This story of Eden is not literally true but is instead an explanatory story) they are told not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil which bears fruit that is usually depicted as an apple. Now, the serpent comes along and convinces Eve to eat the fruit saying that it will make her like God. Wanting to be like God, Eve eats the apple and Adam does the same thing shortly after. Now, this story is suppose to be symbolic. Eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represents redefining the definition of good and evil. The serpent talks Eve into going against morality saying that she can be like God and make the rules for herself and instead of being bound to God's laws. Now, this is exactly what Light is doing throughout the series. He redefines good and evil to fit his personal image of justice and justify killing people.
Damn
You can also interpret Genesis 1-3 as being a Literal account of Creation and the origin of The Universe
would a printer be able to use the death note
thecreatorofthedark like a machine printer? probably not they dont have a mind to immagine the face of the victim
r r What if someone printed using Death Note paper with the intent to kill?
It'd probably be faster and more efficient to use it that way
@@anhsu4854 When you write a name you have to imagine the face while you write, If i print off 100 names I am not the one writing it, cannot think of 100 faces while its printing with accuracy
Lol you just can't kill anyone with any other page
RanRazzle well you can print both names AND faces...
The last panel is supposed to depict Icarus gaining wings and flying too close to the sun and falling to his death after attempting to reach too far up.
Holy shit, the image of the task force is intense. Everyone is searching for something except Lights father who looks firmly ahead, like he doesn't want to find it and he's trying to ignore all the evidence.
for people who don't like Death Note after the new.antagonist...then...just pretend it ends.when the L arc ends. problems with death note. fixed
That's what I did.
What do you mean Light faces new rivals and ends up dying? No he doesn't, he kills L and takes over the world.
But then L dying because the power of love would be terrible.
But I also disliked L's death
+musictiggers then your shit out of.luck.for a.finale.
New antagonist? But the antagonist never changes in Death Note. It's always Kira. :P
Death Note is one of my favorite anime, and you just opened my eyes to it all over again *-*
Death Note was the anime I was convinced to watch when I didn't like anime, period. The concept of it just didn't strike me. But every now and then I heard that Death Note was one of, if not THE, greatest anime of all time. So I took some time in my head to sit down for the next few weeks and watch it...and I finished it in two days. When the last episode was over, I sat back and physically applauded the show. It was amazing, and it was the segue to me watching more and more anime. Granted, i am still in the transition phase. I've watched Death Note twice, I'm watching My Hero Academia, and I just finished Assassination Classroom, but i have a feeling i'll be watching even more
Watched Fullmetal Alchemist/Brotherhood yet? I found those phenomenal.
Yuna McHill FMAB is greattttt
@@natanickii99 Totes.😁 But I have to admit I liked FMA too, even though the ending was much more heartwrenching. I haven't gotten around to watch the Conqueror of Shamballa, but I hope I can do it soon, even though I know I'll cry like a sissy...
@@yunamchill9169 i havent acc watched FMA because ive heard that FMAB is better. will consider watching it. ooh conqueror of shambala?? i havent even heard of it, will try to watch it too.
is it any good?
@@natanickii99 I'd recommend you giving FMA a shot. It's darker and grittier than FMA:B with a bleaker ending, but it's very good as well. Conqueror of Shamballa is a sort of sequel to FMA, resolving the ending, but be warned, it's supposed to be quite sad. I haven't watched it yet either, but the general public seems to like it.
Deathnote's easily one of the best anime that's ever existed. It's a shame the ending's so FUCKING SHIT!
+Hououin Kyouma Glad to hear it, that ending was a blemish, a tumor upon the face of an otherwise fantastic show. I mean, Light Yagami, the guy who outwitted the Japanese police force with a miniature T.V. and a bag of potato chips was done in by THE OLD SWITCHEROO?!
+Hououin Kyouma I'm actually living in a state of denial. I've a hypothetical ending that makes so much sense that I'm surprised it wasn't used. So, for the time being, I'm imagining that that was the actual ending when looking at the quality of the show. I mean, why let one fuck up ruin an otherwise deftly made product.
+Hououin Kyouma I didn't think it up personally, (I honestly wish I did) but it's the one thought up by youtuber KevinHilt, in the video titled 'How Light Could've Beaten Near (Alternate Ending).
+Hououin Kyouma Why though? It's ridiculous that the anime would put us in a perspective where we route for the homocidal maniac, but still stand by such a flimsy and outdated ending archetype as 'good always prevails'.
+Hououin Kyouma Then why should he be stopped? Yes, he's choosing who gets to live and die, what's right and wrong, but, so are his pursuers. The government deemed that what he's doing is illegal, and that he should be stopped, and yet there are so many sympathizers as well. Light murders people with the Death Note, but Matsuda shot him to near dead in the show's ending. And the person who always leads the assault is just that, one person. L and Near chased down Kira because he was a mass murderer, but that wasn't what mattered to them. They wanted to prove that their justice was superior, that they were right, that they were smarter. You see, it would have been impossible to end the show without somebody pushing their perception of justice on someone else.
This is just a little thing I noticed that I liked to point out. If you look at the close up shots of the pen strokes light makes in the death note, you can see a highlight of red that's produced from the pen first before it's just a simple black pen stroke. I was just thinking it was to emphasize light drawing blood from his victims.
this was such a good analysis and hit me right in the feels and opened my eyes because I never realized how full of meaning it was. its always been my favorite opening but now watching this video it made it 100x better. wow
I think the blue eyes at 5:25 symbolize the fact that Light refused the Shinigami eyes. If he accepted, they would have been red. Since he refused, it’s blue.
But ....... how about What's Up People?
+Forj Flynn (Syed Faisal Faheem) very accurate
Madness
+Forj Flynn (Syed Faisal Faheem) I came out early, I was only 6 months.
Forj Flynn I am happy I came out early, nobody wants to be born in september, medical issues aside~
What happens if you're born in September?
Let's be honest (whole show) was a master piece.
"I'm the anime Pope" - Mother's Basement
I thought that wind is more like... The obstacles he's struggling with while carrying the Death Note... Running against the wind.
Also, in that dove scenes, it's more like the doves are flying away from him, the holy spirit, his soul itself abandoning Light.
I already figured out myself almost all of the other symbols but still an awesome video nonetheless... I'll never get bored of Death Note, watched it 3x in last 20 months.
When I read your comment, I started thinking of something else. The wind being more like...the tacit God-like forces warning him to stop, go back, push him into the correct path one again, but Light fighting the laws anyway to surpass them.
I thought the wind was Light's struggle of getting close to L, since the scene after that would be L and Light looking at each other under a underground facility.
10:48 Lucifer is also holding the death note in one hand and a quill in the other
death note is a perfect series yes even the last 11 episodes.
I don't know if you've seen it already, but please cover the Higurashi opening(s). Higurashi is one of my favourite shows of all time and I'm sure it'll entertain you just as well. Lots of symbolism, btw ^^
I agree completely XD
I second this! :D I love those openings, especially the first!
yeah I wish I liked that show more. Watched it online a long time ago and at the end of one of the early arcs the site I was watching it on ended up skipping to the second season (part of the answer arcs i think. Whatever you want to call it) Ended up getting a lot of info before I really picked up what happened due to how the show is segmented. Then the question arcs turned into just watching ppl die instead of a mystery. Killed my enthusiasm.
+flaurne Personally, I can still go back and rewatch it even though I know what's going to happen because I enjoy the whole premise. But I can totally see what you mean.
Sterling Muse
yeah, when your first viewing is what takes the hit it gets harder to get involved with the show.
8:49 The dead Ray Penber was betrayed by his own trust in Light much the same as Jesus was with Judas. Naomi is there to literally pick up where he left off, thus making La pieta the perfect reference scene to portray their parts in the story, even if Mary herself isnt very comparable to Naomi, the pose itself serves enough of a parallel to her character's purpose for the reference to be valid.
to anyone coming off of Digibro's last vlog:
"WITHOUT FURTHER ADO"
You call yourself the Anime Pope? With _that_ Japanese pronunciation?
-____-
A TON of anime reviewers and otakus don't speak Japanese, and it is stated nowhere that the ability to speak Japanese is a qualifying factor to be a devout anime fan. I do understand your...annoyance though, because as someone who knows some Japanese, it is ultimately cringing to hear wrong pronunciations, especially of names that are seemingly easy to pronounce.
Xiran Wang
It's one thing to be a weeb that can't speak Japanese, it's another for one who calls himself the Anime Pope to be that painfully off in his pronunciation.
Especially since his comment "...excellent voice acting in both Japanese and English" implies that he has watched the JP version, and that his ears work.
'Pope' in the sense of 'good at christian symbolism as well'
+Angolin Well, I think again, one does not need to be able to speak Japanese to recognize excellent voice acting. Authentic, moving portrayals of emotion transcend language.
It's also interesting that the Lucifer painting behind Light is holding what looks like a Feather Quill and a Book in his hands, hearkening to the Death Note Itself.
one of my favorite uses of christian symbolism in Death Note is the scene after the rain with L and Light.
yes people always say its a gay scene, but as a Christian myself, I instantly recognised the relation between that scene and Jesus washing his deciples feet... including Judas, the man who would betray and lead himt o his death. L washes Light's feet, the man who would eventually manipulate Rem to kill him.
9:50 “we see Light and Kira”
i think you meant L and Kira or L and Light
one could say the skyscrapers also allude to the tower of babel
in the story, man tried to reach the heavens, only to be struck down into confusion/madness by god who mixed up their languages
this can be a parallel to how Light tried to reach for godhood, only too be struck down into madness as he used the death note
10:26 Light also makes this pose when he asks penper to join the "task force" to get her name
Light in the first op
"Wanna see me stand on a sky scraper?"
"Wanna see me do it again?"
This show nails one of the things often missed about the biblical definition of sin, i.e., it is not just terrible things humans do to each other, but more specifically it is found in the words the serpent used on Eve before the fall, "ye shall be as gods." Light's actions are drawn from his view of himself as a god. Sin, by biblical definition, is the attempt of man to become a god. Every act of evil we do is an act of worship toward ourselves by the sacrifice of others which contrasts how the God of the Bible steps down in human flesh to sacrifice Himself to save others. Few works of modern day art has had me thinking as deeply as this story. It is very, very intelligently designed and worthy to be remembered throughout history.
By far THE best Anime until Season 2.
The genius battle against L and Light, and the more than genius ideas and thoughts are plain down amazing.
L should be the one to kill light
CODA
All of it is the best anime
Also, don't forget the fact that Light Yagami shattered on a crimson-like chess board - the fact that he was depicted as glass suggests how fragile his mental state is (after all, after Light's first kill, he was much more comfortable with the rest of the killings).
I’ve always thought that the chain that light wears in the the image where Ryuk is giving him an apple is symbolic of his boredom and how it holds him back from becoming something greater. He also grabs the apple from that chained hand is if it was the key to unlocking his chains of boredom and freeing his inner Kira.
just saying, you can also interpret the painting, where ryuk gives the apple to light as light giving the apple to ryuk, who loves apples.
so in a way, you could say, by being given the apple (temptation, death note) light also gives ryuk something that he enjoys. the apple, and something to kill his time with, to escape his boredom.
the image works both ways^^