Desu Noto (Death Note)

[MYKAYEL]

I just decided to inform you guys about this series, seeing how the story is really awesome and the graphics are also cool.

Death Note

Story:

Yagami Light, a student who sees the world as a rotten place filled with corruption, comes across a mysterious notebook. The instructions written on the first page of the notebook claim that the person who's name is written in the notebook will die. Also that the writer must have the persons face in his mind, that way, people with the same name won't be affected. The writer can also decide on the cause of death, and unless he does, the target will simply die of a heart attack within 40 seconds after the name is written.
Light decides to use the notebook to kill criminals using heart-attacks, that way the world will realize that someone is passing judgment on them. The media soon call this "entity" Kira, and the world's greatest detective known only as L is called on the case in order to capture this vigilante and bring him to justice. This putts Light in a tuff spot, since he doesn't know L's real name or even what he looks like. Now a battle of inteligents and psychology begins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWUdFyHbD8k

[lo_res_man]

do you know where I could get this on DVD? the idea sounds breathtaking, and with art that beutiful I want to experiance it in its fullest. It is interesting, with so many vigelantes 'heros' out there it is interesting to see a story where someone is trying to bring one to justice. I am rooting for L.

[Radiant]

It's originally a manga, which would be available in any decent comic store.

That is to say, the comic version goes a lot further than the movie version.

I don't really like the style myself (it's too much of a Xanatos Roulette) but it is admittedly very well written.

[auriond]

I'm a fan of the movies. I think the comics were a little convoluted, and a certain twist in the plot made me feel cheated. The movies wrapped it all up rather neatly.

[MYKAYEL]

Radiant is right about it being originally a manga, but this is about the series, not the movie, and lo_res_man is right, it does have beautiful art. The movies where kinda short and a lot of those 'analyzing' moments were cut in order to save time. There are only about 2 scenes that they did not add from the manga, and Matt only appears in one scene, I wont mention witch one since it would be a huge spoiler. I'm not sure how you can get it on DVD lo_res_man, but I do recommend that you get it. I found it DivX version with great quality and extremely well subbed in English. So I suggest you search for the torrent in Japanese with English fan subs.

And the series was better created, I mean the way the show what the character is thinking, when everything starts to turn dark around him and the world stops, the his eyes glow while he is talking inside his head, analyzing, plotting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93vZEzVdLG8 - This is what the opening of the series looks like. The series has about 37 episodes in all. (plus an epilogue showing how the other characters go on after the events of the anime)

One last thing, does of you who have seen it, please don't put any spoilers up unless you use the little spoiler box, let's try not ruin the story for those who haven't seen the anime yet. Thanks! ^^

[Gilbert]

If you are talking about the animated series, it just ended last week on local TV here.

I think the TV version was okay, just a bit rushed and there're jumps in stories, obviously because of the limited number of episodes. I'd never read the comic, but I'll expect it would be more detailed, I heard that it's a bit slow and boring in the middle part though.

[MYKAYEL]

Yes, the manga did drag a little in the middle part of the story. But the anime really doesn't jump that many scenes, just a few related to Matt and Mello, but nothing really vital to the plot-line, and we get all the 'plans' Light uses. You know what I'm talking about so I won't go into details. I've seen this series way back when it was ongoing, I use to download each episode as it came out. That's the best part about anime, it's not illegal to get it off the internet as long as you don't distribute it. It even says so in the fan-subs during the parts where the commercial breaks should be, you get a 5 second image and the words, "Not for Rent, Sell or E-Bay" and "Please do not distribute this after it gets licensed in the UK", so you can practically watch it every week as it comes out.

[Gilbert]

That's the best part about anime, it's not illegal to get it off the internet as long as you don't distribute it. It even says so in the fan-subs during the parts where the commercial breaks should be, you get a 5 second image and the words, "Not for Rent, Sell or E-Bay" and "Please do not distribute this after it gets licensed in the UK", so you can practically watch it every week as it comes out.

Now, I think that's the problem on your part, how can you be sure just by their claims?
I know nothing about copyright laws (even though I'm working for a publisher) so I have no concrete idea on the truth, but at least, try to avoid talking about these kind of stuff in a public forum like here, and no, everyone, don't start a discussion about copyright here (again).

[MYKAYEL]

Don't worry, I looked it up a long time ago. ^^ As long as the specific anime is only published in japan and is only copyrighted there, it is not illegal to download it, that's why people are making so many Anime Music Videos and launching them online without any fear of the police. And after it is licensed in your country, you don't have to delete it, you just have to keep it for YOUR personal enjoyment. The only illegal thing would be selling it since it isn't yours to sell. It's different than with movies or video-games, so that's why I'm so sure of it when I say that you can easily obtain it. And just so you know, in most cases the RAW (unsubtitled) video is launched on the official website of the anime house, and is available for free-download, thats how subbers get them.

But let's keep this as it is. My lips concerning copyright matters are sealed.  This topic is about Death Note, not copyright laws.

[Radiant]

As long as the specific anime is only published in japan and is only copyrighted there,

Copyright doesn't work that way. It is automatic, not something you have to register for.


Anyway, so the story of Death Note actually ends? When I stopped reading it it was jumping from convoluted subplot to other convoluted subplot with two people going Xanatos to outwit one another... it didn't seem to have a goal in the series per se (and then I saw a later bit of plot which had another kira and another Shinigami...)

[MYKAYEL]

I expressed myself badly earlier, I meant LICENSED in japan.

As for Death Note, yes and no, you did and did not see a second Kira. I cannot explain why since it would also be a huge spoiler, but if you watch every episode until that one, you will understand perfectly what was going on. But there really is only ONE Kira.

[Snarky]

Don't worry, I looked it up a long time ago. ^^ As long as the specific anime is only published in japan and is only copyrighted there, it is not illegal to download it, that's why people are making so many Anime Music Videos and launching them online without any fear of the police. And after it is licensed in your country, you don't have to delete it, you just have to keep it for YOUR personal enjoyment. The only illegal thing would be selling it since it isn't yours to sell. It's different than with movies or video-games, so that's why I'm so sure of it when I say that you can easily obtain it. And just so you know, in most cases the RAW (unsubtitled) video is launched on the official website of the anime house, and is available for free-download, thats how subbers get them.

This is complete nonsense. There are no such provisions in the law, and downloading a Japanese anime is just as illegal as downloading an American cartoon (how illegal that is varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction). The Berne Convention makes copyrights essentially universal. Now, maybe the studios turn a blind eye to fansubs in territories where their series haven't been released yet (either because it's not significant enough for them to deal with, because they realize there's nothing they can do about it, or in order to build popularity for the shows), and maybe some even give their explicit blessing. That's something you'd have to check on a show-by-show basis. The general rule that you describe is pure fantasy, just like the abandonware legal theory of "if it's off the market it's OK to pirate it".

[MYKAYEL]

The role fansubs have played in popularizing anime titles received official recognition by at least two major distributors. In the promotional video announcing the American license of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kadokawa Pictures USA and Bandai Entertainment specifically thanked fansub watchers and asked them to purchase the official release. This is the first instance of a Japanese company admitting and accepting, but not necessarily supporting the well-intended piracy among fans.

NOW CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT THE BLASTED COPYRIGHT LAWS? THIS TOPIC IS ABOUT 'DEATH NOTE' NOT COPYRIGHT! IT'S ILLEGAL, I'M GOING TO JAIL, THEY WILL SENTENCE ME 5000 YEARS OF PRISON FOR WATCHING AN ANIME I GOT OFF THE INTERNET AND THEN DELETED IT! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?
Now shut up about the stupid copyright! If you wanna add a reply, then add one related to Death Note, if you don't, THEN DON'T!

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Two anime-related threads, two all-caps out-of-temper outbursts? Loosen up, man. Your posts are well written and much more interesting to read without that sudden caps-attack.

[MYKAYEL]

Sorry, but it's just annoying to see everybody going way off-topic. I don't like having to repeat myself.

[Lamak]

@ lo_res_man : PMed you

Death Note animated series is a very well made adaptation of the comics, but I think people shoud read the comic version first. Radiant is right, it goes a lot further. Especially the last chapters : the ending is far more shocking and somewhat ambiguous.

Now, for those who like Takeshi Obata -the artist- 's wonderful work, I suggest you check Hikaru No Go, a manga about ...(wait for it) Go ! Yep, the board game. More info here

[MYKAYEL]

Actually the ending of the death note anime and the death note manga is the same. Have you taken into consideration the final episode that was released about a month ago?
Anyway, I also recommend the manga be read as well, since the scenes that were cut, were kinda fun.
As for the other manga you mentioned, I didn't read it but I know someone that watched the anime and he says it's interesting.

[LimpingFish]

The DS is home to some Death Note games:

http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/deathnote/index.html

Kira has adventure game elements, and L: The Prologue... seems it will too.

The other two seem to be an action-strategy game and a trading card game.

I have no interest in the manga or anime.

[Lamak]

Actually the ending of the death note anime and the death note manga is the same. Have you taken into consideration the final episode that was released about a month ago?
Anyway, I also recommend the manga be read as well, since the scenes that were cut, were kinda fun.

I'm not sure what you are refering to. Are you talking about the Director's Cut : Final Conclusion ?

Anyway, what I meant was :

Spoiler

By the end of episode 37, Light dies with some dignity. They tried to put some poetry by making him die alone, in front of an illusion of L (well, sort of). They even put a sweet, melancholic melody, and ... What about that parallel editing scene with Misa while the sun sets ? It's rather beautiful ! He doesn't beg for Ryuku's pity and doesn't have his heart attack in front of everybody. I mean... In the comic version, Light dies like a dog, it's a humiliating death. In my opinion, that's not the same ending.

[close]

As for the other manga you mentioned, I didn't read it but I know someone that watched the anime and he says it's interesting.

That's MORE than interesting. 

[Cino]

I liked this one a lot, but since I'm quite a stranger to anime, I'm wondering if there are any other anime series like this? What I have in mind is somewhat dark themed and with a lot of plot twists.