Death Note, a very popular series that serves as the gateway anime for many viewers. It is considered as a highly entertaining and thrilling anime, with battle of intellect between our two main characters (and more). Well, we all know these things, but have we ever thought about what might be beyond what meets the eyes? I found that ‘reading between the lines’ can result in finding more merits in the series, which many of you probably have found. In this article, I’ll try to mention some points that I feel are in need of being addressed.

Before we proceed, I’d like to inform you that this article contains spoilers from within the series. So, you might wanna check out the anime if you haven’t already before reading this. Also, it contains discussion of subversive contents that many might not be comfortable with. So proceed with an open mind.

First of all, let’s see what Death Note is. Death Note is an utopian dilemma with a megalomaniac main character. In this series, we see that our main character, Light Yagami finds a way to clean this world of evildoers. But the process is not really a pleasant one as it requires killing these people along with those who stand in his way, innocent or not. The very first aspect we’re faced with is the dilemma of an utopia, you can’t change the world without staining your hands.

So from the most noticeable aspect of this anime, we can see that this anime subverts the theme of utopian vision. But that’s not the only thing it carefully twists. Death Note subverts the theme of ‘Justice’ itself.

We see both sides of this tactical battle claiming themselves as justice. But how is this justice when seen from an ethical standpoint? Light’s method of executing justice includes killing the evildoers, but he also kills those who stand in his path of justice, his justice. On the other side, we see L, his enemy also resorting to unorthodox tactics, risking others’ lives (baiting Kira by using Lind. L. Taylor, for example), overusing his powers in the name of justice and using many other underhanded measures. We see that they both execute their Justice through unorthodox measures.

Their actions are reasonable as well as practically effective. Light/Kira succeeded in stopping war and reducing the global crime rate by 70%. This is a huge achievement that Light can show for justifying his actions. And L’s unorthodox measures are taken to bring the killer, Kira to justice, which L uses for justifying his own sense of Justice. While it shows how practical effectiveness transcends the moral value, it also shows how ‘Justice’ can be dangerously depicted as ‘justification’.

We can also see in this anime that being a detective is not that noble as we think. If reasonable enough, this profession can extort more power and authority than the generally accepted limit. L went way beyond the limits of detective works and acted more as a tactician who would go to any length to achieve his goals. And I’ve previously mentioned how he takes unorthodox methods of obtaining his goals. This anime, thus, is a deconstruction/subversion of detective fiction as well.

Now, let’s give deconstruction some rest and look at the other things this anime provides. Death Note has some bits of very interesting symbolism here and there. One of those interesting points is the Foot Massage Scene at episode 25. L gives Light a foot massage saying that it’s the least he can do to compensate for his sins, which was a metaphorical sarcasm of L compensating for defying Kira. But it has deeper Biblical reference.

This scene resembles the incident described in Bible, Book of John, Chapter 13, where Jesus washed his disciple, Judas’s feet right before Judas betrayed him. We also see that Light manages to kill L right after that. L had anticipated his defeat and death, and that’s why made this act to send Light several messages including the one about Light’s betrayal. The Biblical incident is also referred to as Jesus showing his disciple the last/full extent of his love to him. So it can also symbolize that L truly had loved Light as a friend.

Also, Light’s final resting place bears symbolism as well.

Light dies on a staircase of an abandoned facility. One of the rules of the notebook says that the human who used the notebook can neither go to Heaven nor Hell for eternity, however, the place they go to is “Mu”/Nothingness. Light dies in the middle of the stair, the bottom of which symbolizes Hell and the top symbolizes Heaven (see the rays coming down from the top?). Furthermore, he dies in an abandoned facility which symbolizes Light being abandoned into the nothingness. Another interesting thing that we see in the end is that L was standing at the bottom, which could pretty well mean that he went to the Hell for the sins he committed.

Then there’s the Apple Symbolism. Death Note uses this symbolism in different manner to extract different meanings out of it.

Apple is often considered to be the forbidden fruit of Heaven. In the OP, we see Ruyk handing an apple over to Light in a manner paralleling Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. Firstly, it symbolizes Devil giving Adam the forbidden fruit. The death note is depicted as that forbidden content. At the end of the OP, we can also see the notebook replacing an apple, which confirms it.

Apple also symbolizes ‘life’ and is depicted as the Fruit of Life as well. So, the scene of Ryuk giving Light the Apple can also be depicted as God giving Adam the Fruit of Life. And it’s clear that Light was more lively than he would in normal circumstances thanks to the arrival of the notebook in his life. Not to mention, that scene resembling the famous painting, the Creation of Adam implies that Ryuk created the Light we see later on.

Apple is also considered the Fruit of Knowledge. And experience enriches knowledge. In episode 4, Light suggested Ryuk to use what he learns from this world to change the Shinigami realm for the better. Light is often seen giving Ryuk apples and at one scene in episode 9, he fed Ryuk. This serves as an excellent metaphor of Light providing Ryuk with knowledge. This is reflected at the director’s cut ending of the anime where Ryuk looks back at his time in the world something he learned a lot from.

Apples symbolize the universe due to their round shape. In a scene in the OP and in many other places, we see Light holding an apple. This scene symbolizes Light holding the world/universe like a God. In other words, it symbolizes Light’s God complex. The point in the OP that shows Light holding the apple in the reflection of another apple implies that his Godliness is false and he is just someone with a God complex inside the true Apple (the universe).

Apple is also a fruit that symbolizes sin. Death Note is an anime that addresses this topic at many points of the anime.

Light is often seen stretching his hands which resembles crucifixion. This is clearly a scene that implies that Light is portrayed as Jesus. And at one point of the anime, the picture of crucifixion was also shown with Light’s face turned in a position that implies him to be crucified as well. Moreover, Light considers himself a savior just as Jesus is considered to be the Savior in Christianity. Again, Light had his disciples (Misa, Takada and Mikami) whom he tried to pass his skills just like Jesus who passed his teachings to his disciples.

Not just Jesus, Light is portrayed to resemble the Messiah figure as a whole. His name bears metaphors regarding it as well, which is as intriguing as Akashi’s or Ozu’s in Tatami Galaxy. In one episode, L himself said that he can’t live in a world without Light because it’d be dark. While this was a joke by L and he definitely didn’t acknowledge Kira’s achievements, it’s clear that Light’s name was intended to hold this meaning. Light is the light of salvation.

So, considering the previous points, it is evident enough that Light is portrayed to resemble Messiah figure. But was he really a savior? Was he truly the light of salvation? This anime answers both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to this question. And that’s where the beauty of its deconstruction lies. Death Note deconstructs the Messiah Figure’s:

– ideology through Light’s twisted ideal

– goals. Light didn’t only want to save the world, he also wanted to rule the world he saved

– process of salvation through Light’s process of cleansing the world

– supports from the followers. Light’s blind followers were more often than not violent, which Light didn’t want

– conclusion. Light died in a humiliating way unbecoming of a Messiah.



Also, Light’s mindset went beyond the Messiah complex and developed into megalomania and God complex. Basically, Death Note deconstructs the whole Messiah figure.

Death Note’s atmosphere bears interesting metaphors in itself. Around the beginning, when Light used the notebook, the atmosphere had a little lighting effect to give it a vibe of salvation. But it gradually changes as the story progresses. When Light killed Naomi Misora, the atmosphere had a bit grey hue which symbolizes that Light is now standing on a morally grey line, killing an innocent to save his ideals and himself. In different points, the atmosphere when Light killed someone or walked in symbolic manner had this reddish hue which symbolizes his evil counterpart.

Death Note possesses many other metaphors, symbolism and subtexts that would require a lot more time to venture through. Some of which includes:

– the 10 basic rules of using the notebook resembles the 10 commandments of Moses.

– L hearing the bells of a funeral before his death.

– chains symbolism at many points.

– the rose symbolism in the second opening.

– Light standing on a stranded place in the 2nd OP and many other points symbolizing how he’s punished with loneliness in accordance to what Ryuk said.

– Light walking along the narrow path on a high building under construction showing the dangerous path he chose.

– the opening song is full of little meaningful visual expositions.

– L and Light’s confrontations shown through visual storytelling.

– shadow symbolism implying different personalities.

– Light passing his younger self in the end which shows his desires to be the normal teenager he was.

– Light walking down stairs, implying that he’s losing more of his humanity every passing moment.

– mirror/reflection symbolism.

– Zebra crossing symbolism.

– Depression, hopelessness, nihilism, etc. symbolism.

And so on. Well, this is it, fellas. I wrote more than I intended but still left out many things that I wanted to mention. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it.