Death Note Ownership Transfers

[Kinny Riddle]

Source - Death Note Official Guide Book - How to Read pp144 - 147

SPOILERS all the way till the end! Read at your own risk!

Transfer of Ownership Rights Between the Various Death Notes

In total, there are four Death Notes. Of which three are seen throughout, the fourth is Ryuk's own DN and he rarely uses it. (Since he's too lazy to. :D )

First Arc

1. In the beginning

DN1 (The first in the story, the one with English instructions on it)
Shinigami - Shidou
Human owner - N/A

DN2
Shinigami - Jealous
Human owner - N/A

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

2. Ryuk cons Shidou of his DN, in which he deliberately drops it into the human world. And the story begins here

DN1
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light

DN2
Shinigami - Jealous
Human owner - N/A

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

3. Jealous falls in love with Misa. When the time comes for Misa to die, Jealous extends Misa's life instead and dies in her place. Rem retrieves Jealous's DN and gives it to Misa.

DN1
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light

DN2
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

4. Misa gets captured by L. She relinquishes ownership of her DN rather than talk, and Rem comes to Light asking him to save Misa by giving him DN2.

DN1
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light

DN2
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Light

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

5. Light begins his masterplan. He first asks Ryuk and Rem to exchange their DNs...

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Light

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

6. ...He then relinquishes ownership of DN1 and sends Rem off. He buries DN2 in a forest but has Ryuk follow him. Afterwards, he voluntarily has himself imprisoned.

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

7. Once the time was right, Light relinquishes ownership of DN2 as well.

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - N/A

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

8. A few weeks later, Rem chooses Higuchi as the new owner of DN1. The amnesiac Light joins forces with L to track Higuchi down.

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Higuchi

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - N/A

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

9. Once Higuchi is captured, and upon recovering his memories, Light promptly has Higuchi killed off and ownership of DN1 is transferred to Light. Thanks to the fake rules, DN1 falls into the Investigative HQ for "safekeeping".

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - N/A

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

10. Light has Misa recover DN2 and begin her killing spree again.

DN1
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - Rem
Human owner - N/A

11. In order to protect Misa from getting captured again, Rem has L and Watari killed, at the cost of her own life. Light recovers Rem's DN from her "ashes".

DN1
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Light

Second Arc in next post

[Kinny Riddle]

Continued from above

Second Arc

1. The beginning. After L's death, HQ has decided that Yagami Souichirou will keep the DN for safekeeping. Since Light hasn't been using this note for quite some time, ownership was transferred to his dad as well. Light and Misa mainly use DN3 for their killing spree.

DN1
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Souichirou

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Light

2. Mello kidnaps Yagami Sayu. Souichirou is forced to hand over DN1 to Mello's gang. Mello's lackey, Snyder was designated as its new human owner.

DN1
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Snyder
Custody - Mello

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Light

3. Shidou decides he wants his DN back, so he comes to the human world looking for it and comes across Mello.

At the same time, Light has Ryuk possess DN3, relinquishes control of DN3 and then sends him and DN3 to the Japan HQ in the name of Kira. Souichirou volunteers to become its new owner and possess the Shinigami eyes.

To make sure he doesn't lose his memories, Light has DN2 secretly strapped to his body.

DN1
Shinigami - Shidou
Human owner - Snyder
Custody - Mello

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa
Custody - Light

DN3
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Souichirou

4. DN1 was recovered, but at the cost of Souichirou's life. Light regains ownership of DN3. As DN1 is of no use to him, he returns it to Shidou, and DN1 is no longer relevant to this story.

DN1
Shinigami - Shidou
Human owner - N/A

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

5. Light sends a bunch of Kira fanatics to try and smoke Near out, but was outsmarted by Near instead. Now the Japan HQ suspects Light. Before they decide to place him under heavy surveillance, Light instructs Misa to transfer ownership of DN2 to Mikami.

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Mikami

DN3
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

6. SPK agent Giovanni begins to stalk Mikami and eventually discovers his DN. Upon learning this, Near orders Giovanni to steal Mikami's DN and replace it with a fake. Unbeknownst to Near, Light has already anticipated this and has Mikami hide the real thing in "somewhere safe", while deliberately allowing Near to swap a fake with another fake.

During this time, the actual killing of criminals is done by official Kira spokesperson Takada Kiyomi using some of the torn pages sent to her by Mikami, while Mikami pretends to play dumb and even allows Giovanni see him "kill" someone using the fake DN he carries.

Once everything is in place, Near makes an appointment to meet Light......

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Mikami
Custody (some pages) - Takada Kiyomi
DN2 now hidden in Mikami's safety deposit box

DN3
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

7. A few days before the showdown between Light and Near, Mello decides to make his move by kidnapping Kiyomi. Light has anticipated something like this may happen, and after confirming that Kiyomi has killed Mello using the DN pages she has with her, he kills her off, destroying all evidence in a blaze of fire. Apart from this diversion, everything seems to go according to plan for Light......

But then Mikami decides to be clever and goes to his safety deposit box where he also writes down Kiyomi's name, "just to be safe". Agent Giovanni reports on this unusual behaviour by Mikami, and this got Near suspicious. Near orders Giovanni to search for Mikami's deposit box, where he finds the real DN2.

Thus Near obtains the real DN2, and has Giovanni replace it with another fake one in Mikami's deposit box.

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Mikami
Custody - Near (both Mikami and Light are oblivious to this fact)

DN3
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Light
Custody - HQ

8. The final showdown. Light's hubris and overconfidence leads to his spectacular downfall. Mikami kills himself out of dejection (so does Misa after some time) and Ryuk writes Light's name down using his own Death Note, which has never been used before until now. The remaining two DNs in the human world are burnt at Near's orders. Thus ends the Kira Incident.

The End

Note: The two live-action movies more or less follows the first arc, only that it replaces Higuchi with Kiyomi instead. There is no "second arc". The ending combines elements from both arcs:

L survives Light's trickery and wins, though still dying "peacefully" not long after.

[cardslash02]

I have to say this is TREMENDOUSLY helpful. All the ownership changes are so confusing! But I have a question: as in the last case, where Ryuk is responsible for both the Notes, where should he be? Should he stay at HQ or go to Mikami? I know in the end he goes to where Mikami is, but he has just as much of an obligation to stay with Light at HQ, doesn't he? And when he suddenly does leave, surely that would make the people at HQ suspicious....

[Kinny Riddle]

I have to say this is TREMENDOUSLY helpful. All the ownership changes are so confusing! But I have a question: as in the last case, where Ryuk is responsible for both the Notes, where should he be? Should he stay at HQ or go to Mikami? I know in the end he goes to where Mikami is, but he has just as much of an obligation to stay with Light at HQ, doesn't he? And when he suddenly does leave, surely that would make the people at HQ suspicious....
That question will be answered as the story progresses.

And WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE!? 61 views and just one single bloody reply? I might as well ask Pellissier to merge this in the Q&A thread if interest in discussing this is so much lower than expected.

[Shiroth]

And WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE!? 61 views and just one single bloody reply? I might as well ask Pellissier to merge this in the Q&A thread if interest in discussing this is so much lower than expected.
Its not really a topic to strike up a huge conversation --- you're just naming out the facts that have already been told in the series. It is good help for people who have forgot though. More like a sticky.

[Kinny Riddle]

Its not really a topic to strike up a huge conversation --- you're just naming out the facts that have already been told in the series. It is good help for people who have forgot though. More like a sticky.
I guess you're right. I too believe this thread is better off as a locked sticky, but I'm not sure about the mods.

[Samurai Edge]

Thanks for the clear explanation. I was able to understand all the transfers until point 4 of the second arc.

[Nate-Rivers]

Wow...i knew all that but like to take the time to type it out would be confusing. I'd get lost along the way. Very nicely done.

[lommm]

this is the best thing anyone could have written in the Death Note sub-forum. this cleared up about a dozen questions i was having. all the death notes flying all over the place had left me a little perplexed. this is such a clear and thorough explanation//timeline. thank you so much for posting this!!!

[innominate]

And WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE!? 61 views and just one single bloody reply? I might as well ask Pellissier to merge this in the Q&A thread if interest in discussing this is so much lower than expected.
I taste a little poison, and I feel a little pain;

but still, since the entire story revolves around the notes I'd say this' a pretty comprehensive companion timeline. =D. Well, at least, the steps of the plots are clear and covered. Good job Riddle, you gotta keep that up XD.

[Only_a_Shadow]

This cleared things up for me! Thank you!

[wingdarkness]

Why was Ryruk Light's shinigami if he dropped Shidou's DN? Was conning Shidou of his DN considered a transfer? Apparently so...

[Kinny Riddle]

Why was Ryruk Light's shinigami if he dropped Shidou's DN? Was conning Shidou of his DN considered a transfer? Apparently so...
From what I remember from the manga, Shidou lent of his DN to Ryuk in hope that Ryuk will return it to him soon, or he'll have no DN to survive on. (Remember the rule about Shinigami living by killing humans and taking their lifespans?)

Anyway, I guess if the Official Guide Book says so, it's safe to assume that ownership is also transferred as long as Shidou willingly gives the DN to Ryuk, whether it be lending or giving it up.

[Pakxenon]

I got lost when Light's masterplan came into being. Thanks for the clear ups!

[Sepiraph]

Continued from above

Second Arc

1. The beginning. After L's death, HQ has decided that Yagami Souichirou will keep the DN for safekeeping. Since Light hasn't been using this note for quite some time, ownership was transferred to his dad as well. Light and Misa mainly use DN3 for their killing spree.

DN1
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Souichirou

DN2
Shinigami - Ryuk
Human owner - Misa

DN3
Shinigami - N/A
Human owner - Light

If I'm not mistaken, I think DN2 was used for their killing spree as the anime showed that Misa usually carried out this task. DN3 seemed to be more of a last minute resort that Light uses in emergency situation (with pages hidden in his watch).

[Kinny Riddle]

If I'm not mistaken, I think DN2 was used for their killing spree as the anime showed that Misa usually carried out this task. DN3 seemed to be more of a last minute resort that Light uses in emergency situation (with pages hidden in his watch).
You are only right up until after Rem kills L off. Misa digs up DN2 and begins killing for a while, to get Rem alerted to Misa's dire situation, forcing her to kill L. With L out of the way, Light can pool both DN2 and DN3 together. The guide suggests that DN3 was used more often from then onwards, by both Light and Misa.

[Kinny Riddle]

Updated to include events up to episode 36. The rest will be revealed after next week's finale.

[Vizard.King]

hwy doesn't light just kill the team he's with using a death note then bring a gun or too and kill the SPK then he'd be god automatically

[Kinny Riddle]

hwy doesn't light just kill the team he's with using a death note then bring a gun or too and kill the SPK then he'd be god automatically
Erm, because the DN he has is being watched over by the very people that's putting him on surveillance? Why did you think he made moves to ensure Misa's DN got sent to Mikami ASAP the moment he was being monitored?

Or are you talking about before Near made the Japanese HQ suspect Light? Then that would be because of Light being over-confident.

[aurora51x]

I got lost when Light's masterplan came into being. Thanks for the clear ups!
Same here.
Thanks a lot for this.

[Vizard.King]

im now confused what happened to jealous's DN, rem's DN, ryuk's DN, and Shidou's DN
if one is with mikami the other with the team
and it mentioned above ryuk hardley uses his
shidou's w/ shidou what happened to jealous's DN, or am i just forgetting something about the story line

[Kinny Riddle]

im now confused what happened to jealous's DN, rem's DN, ryuk's DN, and Shidou's DN
if one is with mikami the other with the team
and it mentioned above ryuk hardley uses his
shidou's w/ shidou what happened to jealous's DN, or am i just forgetting something about the story line
No offense intended, but why did you think I wrote the whole list for?

The fate of each Death Note are all marked clearly with numbers (DN1, DN2, DN3) from beginning to end, sheesh.

Shidou's note is DN1, and he got it back. The one Mikami is using is DN2, which if you read carefully, once belonged to Jealous, so they're all bloody accounted for.

[Vizard.King]

No offense intended, but why did you think I wrote the whole list for?

The fate of each Death Note are all marked clearly with numbers (DN1, DN2, DN3) from beginning to end, sheesh.

Shidou's note is DN1, and he got it back. The one Mikami is using is DN2, which if you read carefully, once belonged to Jealous, so they're all bloody accounted for.


i went back to read it but then it would mean that shidou took jealous's note instead of his own

[aurora51x]

About the death note which Ryuk uses for killing Light, is it Ryuk's own death note? It never had human ownerships right?

[Kinny Riddle]

i went back to read it but then it would mean that shidou took jealous's note instead of his own
Shidou never once took Jealous's note if you read my list carefully.

Shidou came to the human world looking for the note that Ryuk has conned from him (DN1), and he got that one back, the ones that remained in the human world by the end of the story are Jealous's note (DN2) and Rem's note (DN3). I seriously have no idea how you could even mix them up.

[Kinny Riddle]

Timeline updated for I believe the final time.

About the death note which Ryuk uses for killing Light, is it Ryuk's own death note? It never had human ownerships right?
Yes, that's Ryuk's own Death Note. In the official guidebook, it was designated as the fourth Death Note (DN4), but since it's never used until the end, I couldn't be bothered to waste so much typing space. :D

[DiGiTaL_SiN]

Thanks for this awesome explanation, but i have a few questions...

1)First of all, why did Mellow kidnap Takada in the first place?

2)Did Mellow and Near decide to work together before or after kidnapping Takada?



During this time, the actual killing of criminals is done by official Kira spokesperson Takada Kiyomi using some of the torn pages sent to her by Mikami, while Mikami pretends to play dumb and even allows Giovanni see him "kill" someone using the fake DN he carries.



3) How did Mikami "kill" that guy in the train if he was carrying a fake death note?

4) Why was Mikami mumbling to himself "That shinigami hasn't appeared since he gave me the death note" while he was being watched by Near?

Thanks again for this guide!

[Jaden]

1 and 2) I suppose Near had been giving Mello information before the kidnapping. If Mello knew nothing, it would have been a real stab in the dark to make Kira move by kidnapping Takada. And in the final episode Near praises Mello for his help which suggests they have been co-operating more than was shown.

3) He uses his cell phone to mail the guy's picture and name to Takada.

4) Someone that's read the manga may be able to answer better, but I suppose it's simply because he's wondering where the shinigami has gone.

[Kinny Riddle]

Thanks for this awesome explanation, but i have a few questions...

1)First of all, why did Mellow kidnap Takada in the first place?

I think I'll have to re-read the manga on this one. As far as I can remember, Agent Lidner (forgot her spelling) had a phone call from Mello days before the showdown asking about SPK's progress. Somehow Mello made a deduction that Near could be in danger as things stand, and decides to set up a plan to distract Light by kidnapping Kiyomi, so that he can buy time for Near to spot any anomalies in his plan. Fortunately for Near, Mello succeeded, but at the cost of his life.


2)Did Mellow and Near decide to work together before or after kidnapping Takada?

No, it was clearly stated during their last meeting that it was a race to catch Kira. Mello probably intended to bust Light one way or another after kidnapping Kiyomi, but he never thought he would be out of the race so prematurely.


3) How did Mikami "kill" that guy in the train if he was carrying a fake death note?

Look at the episode again. When Mikami takes out his cellphone, you can hear a clicking noise, that's him taking a photo of the guy using his cellphone camera. He then sends the image to Kiyomi, and takes out his fake DN and pretends to kill the guy just to fool Agent Giovanni when it's actually Kiyomi that did the killing.


4) Why was Mikami mumbling to himself "That shinigami hasn't appeared since he gave me the death note" while he was being watched by Near?

Thanks again for this guide!

It may or may not be intentional, at any rate, Light's plan wouldn't be jeopardized just because of one casual quote. It was only by Mikami trying to over-second-guess his god that led to Light's downfall.

[Kikio]

well, now i'm not confused on the DN ownership anymore. Thx

[(link)]

if you read the last book there is another person a child finds the death note its actually kinda creepy

[DevilSlicer]

ohhh i get it.