Death Note - Episode 37 [END] Discussion / Poll

[Echoes]

Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking as well. Although some may argue that L's justice is not true justice, I still endorse it.

Spoiler for Episode 37 ending:

Reasons behind Mikami's suicide.
Some speculation can be done with regards to why he did it, and it boils down to two major reasons. The first being desperation, he realized he had failed his God, and that loss was certain, he took his own life because he did not want to live in a world without Kira/in jail.
Others claim he did it to provide an opening for Light, which allowed him to escape the premise and make a run for it.

I personally think it was out of desperation and because of the utter disappointment of their unforeseen defeat. Several points lead me to this conclusion, the first being Mikami's current mental condition. Mikami had become increasingly unstable since he got a hold of his death note, and towards the end he truly acted in a psychotic and sadistic manner. A person in this state of mind can easily become so irrational as to just take his own life as a spur of the moment thing.

The look in his eyes also made me think he did it for no strategic reason, as he looked quite disturbed. Now, I realize anyone who's bleeding to death at a rapid rate wouldn't have a stern expression, but he still resembled a madman, which to me left me thinking he just did it without much thought to the consequences.
He had let down his God, and Light was clearly not pleased, you could see Mikami shatter and break into a million little pieces as Light yelled at him.

This very reasoning can work against my conclusion as well, though. It could be said that Mikami made all this commotion (the screaming, the drastic method of suicide) because only that would create enough havoc and confusion for Light to escape.

[mishka]

Yeah your explaination makes perfect sence....I was so overwhelmed by everything else that was happening that I pretty much zoned out when he did it, and I didn't really register the meaning behind Mikami's action!

[Echoes]

Yeah, it's hard to grasp everything that happened in that episode, I gave both both Mikami's actions and the outcome of Mello's "sacrifice" some serious thought after I was done watching

[Tenbatsu]

By the time episode 37 aired I had already read the manga so I was very much prepared for what was about to happen, so I could stomach it well.
Nevertheless, I could help being slightly irate at Near's little meaningless speach on how Light was supposedly nothing but a crazy mass murderer, nor another of Matsuda's pseudo-emotional tirades. Those characters (in fact, all members of SPK and the investigation team) are absolutely repulsive and I'd be glad were they to perish on that spot.

On the positive side, I liked the way the staff ommited the 'Please write their names in your Death Note, Ryuk' part. It was ridiculous and I'm thankful they removed it.

Regarding L's sense of justice prevaling over Light's...I couldn't disagree more. L failed miserably and died at Light's hands back in episode 25. He lost, period.
Then Near and Mello came along. Light would have won had his father been more of a man and written Mihael's name on the note. Furthermore, even Near admitted Light won at heart, because the only reason they managed to sabotage the real note was because of a slight slip on Mikami's part, fueled by his paranoia.

[Echoes]

Near continued to work the same way L had, though, carrying on the torch, so to speak. With that being said, I really despised Near as well, he didn't live up to my expectations at all. I really hoped that Light would walk away victorious when I watched it, but I knew deep in my heart that it was not to be. It is quite sad that Light's fall was due to someone else's mistake, and not his own, though you could say it was his mistake trusting Mikami in the first place.

[Crazy_O]

i didnt like the end, im a fan of anti-heroes.

well kira shouldnt be sad, he was the stongest and best thinker in this anime. He surpassed L, Near and Mello but not both together and their incredible luck ~_~

he wont live on phisically, but he became a god in the anime.

[Esayah]

Didn't read the manga, but so many people had suggested this anime that I just powered through the series in 2 days.

Honestly, while my friend was a DN fan, I was a Code Geass fan. Very similar main characters, but I still feel Geass wins out on pure excitement and cliffhangers. I'm sure if I was watching DN on a week-by-week basis that I would've felt the same, but I digress.

The ending was almost a huge disappointment to me. All of Light's actions in the final episode seemed completely out of character. Yes, I understand that he was desperate, but when has he ever, even under pressure, let go of his cool or jump the gun (such as announcing his victory after 40 seconds). He always had a plan B or a way to turn the tables around. I can't say I wanted him to win either though, I hated how much he backstabbed and lied to the people that were so honestly pure and in love with his ideal. But at the end, when he was dragging himself towards a hopeless end, I felt a twang of pity and remorse. All that he was, all that he became, so much had happened since the day he picked up that black book. And when he lay there on the stairs in the warehouse, note that the redness from his eyes were gone and he was just Light, not Kira. His acceptance of death in the anime seemed almost tragic, and the more I pondered the ending the more I began to think that it wasn't so bad after all.

Overall still an awesome series, better than the rest of the lot by a long shot.

[Echoes]

Many people are displeased with the ending. I can't say it was exactly the outcome I had hoped for myself, either, but it was a good conclusion nevertheless. Fits the harsh reality theme of the show.
Light's actions were, however, not as out of character as you make them out to be.
If you recall the incident from an earlier episode, where he managed to obtain the true name of the late Raye Penber's wife, Naomi Misora. After he'd written her name in his note, he casually replied her inquiry as to why he was keeping such a close eye on his watch with; "That's just because... I'm Kira."
He announced his victory here as well, it is basically the same scenario.
Of course, he did lose his cool when he realized he was done for, and that was a side of Light we'd never seen before. His character was dynamic, he slipped farther and farther into dementia, as his lust for power grew and justice eluded his mind.

[Esayah]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Many people are displeased with the ending. I can't say it was exactly the outcome I had hoped for myself, either, but it was a good conclusion nevertheless. Fits the harsh reality theme of the show.
Light's actions were, however, not as out of character as you make them out to be.
If you recall the incident from an earlier episode, where he managed to obtain the true name of the late Raye Penber's wife, Naomi Misora. After he'd written her name in his note, he casually replied her inquiry as to why he was keeping such a close eye on his watch with; "That's just because... I'm Kira."
He announced his victory here as well, it is basically the same scenario.
Of course, he did lose his cool when he realized he was done for, and that was a side of Light we'd never seen before. His character was dynamic, he slipped farther and farther into dementia, as his lust for power grew and justice eluded his mind.

I suppose so. It's just he's virtually never wrong, and it sucks how the story just conveniently ended because Giovanni happened to get a hold of Mikami's real notebook. I guess seeing him snap was what I hadn't expected.

[Echoes]

It was unfortunate the way it ended, yes, it was less than Light deserved in my opinion. Near got lucky, this was not really something he had concluded based brilliant deductions, but something he stumbled upon due to Mikami's disobedience.
I never liked Near from the get-go, and to see Light supposedly outwitted by him wasn't exactly the ending I had in mind either, but if I put my personal biases aside, it's a good ending.

[mishka]

Yes Near did get lucky. And yes Light's death was unfortunate, and in my opinion unfair. But this is how it is in the real world. I have been a Light/Kira fan from the start, so don't get me wrong when I said "L's justice prevailed." What does really define justice? There's no true justice. It's what the majority believes that makes it "justice." Light's way made the world a better place, and some might argue that it was because of "fear," but who cares?! As long as the criminals don't commit crimes either because they fear death or because they really believe in Light's justice, then why does it matter!! All I know is that L/Near/Mello all annoyed me very much!

[Souten no Seigyoku]

Couldnt read all 16 pages.

The anime was so good that theres even a Death Note japanese parody floating around in youtube. So I thought they'd do an open ending for a possible 2nd season/series like they did in Jigoku Shoujo (possible 3rd series there). They didnt though. So that suprised me.

Perhaps you guys know something I dont?

Edit:
As for the ending: Since I didnt read the manga, I was thinking maybe Light would end up as a Shinigami himself. That being the 'sad punishment' for using DN. After all, they kept saying how the Shinigami world was horrible, and shinigami lives were pitiful. It wouldve been nice since it'd leave an open ending for Light returning with his own DN Oh well wishful thinking

[Echoes]

There was a period where I believed Light was to become a shinigami after he'd passed on as a consequence for using the death note as well. This idea was reinforced when Ryuuku said "And don't think humans who've used the death note can go to heaven or hell." It turns out it was just something he said because he thought humans believed in that stuff, and there's no alternate past-life dimension for death note users. It would have been pretty neat if he did become one, though, I'd love to see him as a shinigami, and of course, I'd love a second season as well, but I just don't see that happening at all. Even if the included totally new characters, it wouldn't be the same. Since that world has already been exposed to death notes once, it would be awfully repetitive.

[Souten no Seigyoku]

"And dont think that humans that have used the Death Note can go to heaven or hell."

That's exactly what made me think the punishment was becoming shinigami. The grim reaper world is supposed to be horrible. IMHO the apple Ryuk gave Misa symbolized how messed up their world is.

However, that wouldnt be punishment for Light. As he'd come back to earth more powerful than ever and be like "if you thought I was bad before...." He'd kill N and all the others.

Note: L was first. M (mello) and N (near) Would the next one be O? As in L M N O P Q R S T U V.....

a 2nd Season?
Jikogu Shoujo made 2 seasons and the 2nd one was open ended leaving the possibility for a 3rd. It too was repetitive and did well.

[Echoes]

I'm not too sure about the anime, but

Spoiler for manga:

Ryuuku definitely states that what awaits humans after death is nothingess, and nothing else.

Ryuuku explains very early in the anime how degenerated and miserable the shinigami world is, he even goes as far as to proclaim it meaningless, the apples are just the tip of the iceberg.

There is an alternate fan-made ending (I think it's French), where Light ends up in the Shinigami world and tries to make a deal with the Shinigami king, or so I've been told.

[Souten no Seigyoku]

Well Light as a Shinigami doesnt work because it'd be "too easy." They'd have to expand on the Shinigami Rules so people actually had a chance to fight back. Otherwise, It'd be like worms trying to fight you. You simply....step on them.

[sousuke21]

amen to post 311! i despise near and mello and L pales in comparison to LIGHT!

[nevermyself]

I loved that ending...not the part where Light freaked out, that just ruined my image of him but the way Ryuuku killed Light was exacly what I wanted....but one thing I would have intructed Mikami to do if I was kira would be to tear out a page of the death note long ago and make him keep it with him at all times....then when it came down to the final point in time where they met and it ended, he would be sure that the paper was real and they would die....but thats just what i think

[finalventje]

First of all this is my very first post on this forum so don't blame for acting noobish in any kind of way.

My thoughts on this episode are that it was perfect, altough the fact that Light loses is rather painfull it is in my opinion only natural that it ends like that. Alright killing criminals for the sake of justice is rather extreme but effective. But Light always had that sort of bad guy impression and that's how I would justify this ending.

Maybe some other things could have made the story go different:

1. In my opinion Light fucked up from the moment he used the death note, (when he killed the criminal that held the school hostage) because that was a rather big hint for L in the beginning to help tracking the whereabouts of Kira. Altough you can't really blame Light because who would have thought that a Death Note would really work. A better way would have been to let the criminal just kill himself.

2. What if his father wasnt a police officer, then Light wouldnt have been able to keep a close eye on the movements of the police working on the Kira case. Then L couldnt have been able to link Kira to any of the peoples families who were working on the Kira case, on the other hand Light might have fucked up some more then when he wouldnt be able to read in to the files of the police (keeping in mind that Light is very intelligent this might not be the case ).

If i'm wrong about any of this, please set me straight .

Overal impression of episode, i tought it was excellent, really, seeing Light go berserk was a new milestone in my life .

[Echoes]

Actually, Light intentionally let L know that he was connected to someone in the police force. It was part of his plan, he wanted to make L suspicious of the police, and hence, the police would also start doubting him. It worked to a certain degree, the police were not pleased when they unveiled the truth about L's secret investigations, but in hindsight it might have been better not to let him know at all.

The fact that he killed the man who held those kids hostage was indeed a mistake, technically speaking, but it was obviously impossible to predict the outcome at that time, even (maybe especially) for someone of Light's intelligence. His first real mistake was killing Lind L. Taylor the minute he issued a challenge to him, which allowed L to narrow down things severely, as well as discover how effective his methods of killing were. This was of course a result of Light's pride, a trait he shares with L.