Death Note Episode 7 Discussion / Poll

[Kinny Riddle]

Normally one wouldn't find an episode where most of the time is spent on just two people talking to each other exciting, but Madhouse handled it superbly.

Spoiler for episode 7:

There goes Naomi. Light shows his awesome evilness once again. He may be an evil bastard, but at least he's our evil bastard. While Naomi's tragic road to her death is to be lamented, in a perverse way, the audience is actually enjoying rooting for Light just as much as they're rooting for L.

[bergman]

Originally Posted by Kinny Riddle

Normally one wouldn't find an episode where most of the time is spent on just two people talking to each other exciting, but Madhouse handled it superbly.

They sure did, i thought it was was exiting the hole chat since it could take any turns.

[Reppa]

Light is still too much of a smooth Criminal. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed rooting for the bad guy. Light strait mind raped her then tossed her away. This guy is just too briliant. Even Ryuk could hold hold back on how hard Light played her like nintendo.

[musouka]

Originally Posted by Kinny Riddle

There goes Naomi. Light shows his awesome evilness once again. He may be an evil bastard, but at least he's our evil bastard.

No, no, he's allll yours. <spoiler> and <spoiler> are the only bastards I need from this series.

[Kisuke06]

This episode was very good. As Kinny Riddle said, Madhouse did a great job with this episode, basicaly the whole ep was about 2 people talking, but it was just awesome. I felt so nervous when that guy from the Task Force was getting closer to Light and the girl(I forgot her name). Light is a lucky bastard. =P

And Ryuuku's laugh is very annoying. =P

This episode deserves a 10. Just perfect, IMO.

[Shay]

I honestly think that was the best 20 minutes of anime I have ever watched in my entire life...

(Blame it on the spliff? I don't care!) What I just watched was so awesome my jaw literally dropped.

Just out of curiosity, compared to the manga, how was this episode? I know as well as the next person how an anime can be lacking compared to its manga counterpart and sometimes I can even tell how an episode would have been better in the manga and that is what often spurs me to search it out. But with this example I couldn't help but think, "wow, this looks like it has been brought to life perfectly, if not more so…"

I know I'm sounding weird here as I have not read the manga but I'm sure some of you out there understand what I am trying to convey.

I also feel that if there is any negativity at all from manga followers that it can only be that you felt it was rushed?

[Guido]

Note: I Have NEVER Read the Manga!

Honestly, I disliked how Naomi was portrayed with little common sense on giving away her identity or not becoming wary of Light's nervous quirks when she sighted them.
I also disliked Light's sexist comment regarding his sticky situation that he was so sure to find out Naomi's real name under the alias, because she's just a woman.

Please!

First of all, someone like Naomi, who was a former member of the FBI and with a prodigious analytical mind, will inspect carefully and realize with discretion every tiny detail and quirk regarding to any people that suddenly approaches her in a gentle manner and tells her the elaborate story about the L investigation team, like Light did.
Naomi had plenty of chances to suspect Light, but the writers had her to either dismiss them or overlooked them. The most obvious was when she casually turn her eyes to look at Light watching his watch the first time; that moment and quirk should just had to ring any bells on her that something was cooking up.

Light may be a genius and smooth-talker, but Naomi in no way with a former career in the FBI would have fallen for that embellishing story-tale given the obvious fact that Light told her he's a HIGH-SCHOOL student employed for the case.
Please, do a top and confidential investigation team would use a teen or kid to help on a delicate, dangerous case of Kira's?

Hell, no! That was more than a second point for Naomi to immediately suspect Light but didn't.
The only reason I can think of that Naomi bought Light's tale was because the post-effects of her depression over Ray's death were still lingering on her, which was something that Light used on his advantage to literally disenmasquerade her.

Naomi's a late-20's/early-30's woman not a mid-teenager girl who would become smitten by the smooth talks of a gentle stranger; more reason to turn suspicious without becoming paranoid.

I greatly believe this reason was the DEUS-EX-MACHINA that allowed Light to pull out from danger of being found out.

On another note, the climax was just as dense and foggy for Light struggling for a way-out not to look suspicious or unnatural to give himself away. I truly loved the tension all the way until Naomi was finally convinced to give her name.

The OMEN soundtrack song heightened the climax, but kudos go to Ryuk's laughter that sent shivers all the way down my spine.

And what we have for the L's investigation team....

I can't believe it. The awesome gizmos and gadgets with the transmitters hidden inside the buckle belts.

L is Batman, and Watari is Alfred!!!

[LonelyMachines]

I haven't read the Manga, so I could be off-base on this, but this one felt like a real turning point. He's not just killing "evil" people anymore, but anyone who he deems a threat. We've come a long way from, "I am justice."

A guy this smart should have been able to misdirect Ray and Naomi. Heck, he could have just laid low for awhile, and that would have been enough. But no, he's got the taste of blood now...

Originally Posted by Ptolemi

I STILL WANTED TO SEE SOME TALKING BETWEEN THE TWO DAMN IT

Spoiler for avoiding emotional cruelty:

Actually, I think the silence, followed by the walk to the gallows was tragic in and of itself. Anymore dialogue would have been repetitive. We're given a wonderful recognition shot, and the stillness of the animation is quite poignant. Still, between Naomi and Ray, I find myself disgusted with Light.

Of course, that only seems to make him more fascinating

[myopius]

Originally Posted by Guido

I also disliked Light's sexist comment regarding his sticky situation that he was so sure to find out Naomi's real name under the alias, because she's just a woman.

He meant that he believed he could overpower her.

Spoiler for From the Death Note novel, a detail about Naomi's character that has no relevance to the plot of the anime/manga:

Little did he know she's a very skilled capoiera user, so that wouldn't have worked.

I do have confidence he would have been able to, in that critical moment--after he realizes she can beat him and she realizes that he is either Kira (if he asked her what her name was before he tried to attack her, that would have tipped her off to that) or a Kira sympathizer, but before she is able to subdue him--pull of the eyes deal and save himself, however. He would've just had to take a look at her face once, write her name and the word "now" while running away or whenever he has the chance, and then control someone else so that he would act to hide both their bodies, before anyone noticed (if he had tried to attack her in the first place, I'm sure he would have taken the conflict somewhere they wouldn't be noticed, in the first place).

But since he was able to find another way to kill her, he didn't have to sacrifice half his lifespan; very fortunate for him.

LonelyMachines, nice avatar; that's a perfect moment to display, though it's too bad those snowflakes couldn't appear seamless.

[Kageh]

I am really happy the anime interpretation. I like the director's use of colors. Like when Light goes into "kira-mode" and the visual effect is for his hair and eyes to turn red.

I also like the liberties they have taken to add things to produce a more pronounced effect. Like Ryuk laughing his ass off or Naomi walking up the stairs at the end. The best instance by far though is showing Naomi's face after the Death Note takes effect. That combined with that evil, smug look on Light's face.... it's just too powerful. Awesome stuff.

[indicatoto101]

This episode should remove any doubts that Light may be working for justice, that he's killed people to build a "better" world. That the means justify the ends. Well, he's only a sociopath who has better means to kill people than serial killers that use guns or knifes because he can remain anonymous.

Naomi, so pretty, yet oh so stupid. To think that she knew how her fiancee died, by revealing his name, and yet she does the same and ends up getting killed by the same method her fiancee did. Those two were a match made in heaven. Is the author trying to say that FBI agents are a bunch of dumbasses. I think so. I just don't think Light is that smart anymore, his subjects are just incredibly stupid at times.

[s[H]sIkuA]

True, for someone who u have just knew and talked for about 10 minutes or so, revealing her name is plain ... stupid, even though she knew Kira can't kill people if they don't know their name.

[Zanzamar]

Greetings all.

I've been a lurker for this forum for a long long time but this is my first (or perhaps second) post.

Did anyone else noticed that when kira looked at his watch the first time (using the name Maki) it was 1.25, and the time he looked at this watch again (using her real name) it was still 1.25?

This is a great series and overall a great ep, but that is a rather careless animation mistake.

[Zyphen]

I just got into the series recently. What a great anime!

I'm rather surprised by the Naomi discussion. According to quite a few people, the writer screwed up or made her really stupid. I disagree. I think people need to re-examine the facts she has to work with and eliminate their own biases.

1. Naomi doesn't know that Kira needs a name (and face). She could have seen the broadcast by L but all that tells her is that Kira can kill out of nowhere.
- Why would she deduce the name being a necessary component?
- L didn't even find out about the name thing until it was found that criminals that had their name incorrectly reported, survived (so a group of 6 robbers get targeted, 1 lives cause media screwed up name)

2. Ray made sure that Naomi gave up her life as an agent. She knows nothing about the case. You should not assume the information available to the investigators is known to her. This is faulty logic.

3. She knows Light is the police chief's son and has also worked on other police cases from a trustworthy 3rd party (the police receptionists).

4. She knows that Light can get her into contact with the police chief.

5. She is in revenge mode after her loss and is more inclined to suggestions that will further her goals.

6. Light reminds her of L (women's intuition or whatever). And she's right! They are remarkably similar in terms of their reasoning capabilities.

7. Her mental profile of Kira is probably different from L's and probably much less specific. L only came up with his profile because Light responded to L's prodding by killing only Japanese criminals and writing a secret message to L. This taunting gave L a personality profile. None of this is public information. Try to look at Light without seeing the psychopath. He's a bright high school student that's an aspiring detective.

In short, there is no reason for Naomi to suspect Light of anything. He's the closest she can get to the investigation at that point in time. He also seems to be a bit of a boy genius (to be trusted in 2 other police cases). Why would she close off on him, risk alienation on her one (albeit weak) contact to the investigation team, and go off on her own?

The FBI alternative proposed is unrealistic. The Kira investigation is in Japan. Why would Naomi go to the U.S. to rejoin the FBI (which I wouldn't think is a fast process, can anyone just join up after quitting?), have them put her on a team, and then go back to Japan without first doing all she can to get out what she knows? The fastest way to help her cause is through the investigation team already in place (and on location). Light is her only point of contact and in fact he offered to let her talk to his father.

The only reason Naomi gave a fake name in the first place is because of a reflexive instinct from being an agent. She is a civilian right now so there is no reason to continue hiding her identity especially since she's basically applying for a job right there in the street and Light is an impromptu interviewer. Why would Kira even be aware of her? That's what she's thinking much like most informants in criminal cases.

Light is playing on Naomi's need to be instrumental towards avenging Ray's death. He stroked her ego perfectly by complimenting her theory. He acts very serious about pursuing this angle and offers her a way to help, directly. Then he masterfully pulls back by saying she has her own life and should go back to the U.S. soon. Why would she distrust what he has to say?

1. Light is recognized on sight by the receptionists.
2. He was instrumental in 2 previous police cases
3. He is the son of the police chief
4. He is recognized as being very bright by Naomi (compared him to L)
5. He claims to be on the investigation team
- if this is a lie, it would be very easily found out... Naomi just doesn't know she's about to be killed soon (so she won't be finding out)... think about it... wouldn't you take this claim at face value coming from the chief's son?
6. The claim confirms Naomi's idea that Light is similar to L. L must have approved of Light in order for #5 to be true, so L respects Light's abilities in Naomi's mind.
7. He says Naomi can talk to his father as soon as it's possible

[indicatoto101]

Originally Posted by Zyphen

I just got into the series recently. What a great anime!

I'm rather surprised by the Naomi discussion. According to quite a few people, the writer screwed up or made her really stupid. I disagree. I think people need to re-examine the facts she has to work with and eliminate their own biases.

1. Naomi doesn't know that Kira needs a name (and face). She could have seen the broadcast by L but all that tells her is that Kira can kill out of nowhere.
- Why would she deduce the name being a necessary component?
- L didn't even find out about the name thing until it was found that criminals that had their name incorrectly reported, survived (so a group of 6 robbers get targeted, 1 lives cause media screwed up name)

While I do agree with some of the points, I still think the writers screwed up when they basically forced Naomi to give her name for the sake of the story. During their conversation (where she did 95% of the talking), she had a theory that Ray met Kira on the bus AND that Ray gave Kira HIS NAME, which gave Kira a mechanism in which to kill. She then concludes (if I remember correctly ) that Ray is responsble for the deaths of 11 other FBI agents because he let the person he met on the bus, Kira, know his identity (or something like that, my memory is really murky).

Basically, she knows or at least has some indications that Ray died because he disclosed some rather imporant info such as his name and that he was an FBI agent. Naomi, knowing this, goes and blabs to a total stranger AND she tells him her name. How many of us meet a total stranger and in practically a minute, spills everything. The writers made her very smart by deducing blah blah blah, but when faced with Kira, she's suddenly stuipd. How could she have lost so many brain cells in a matter of minutes. It mus be a plot device where everyone must die by the hands of the villain and only the protaganist can save the day.

[Zyphen]

Originally Posted by indicatoto101

While I do agree with some of the points, I still think the writers screwed up when they basically forced Naomi to give her name for the sake of the story. During their conversation (where she did 95% of the talking), she had a theory that Ray met Kira on the bus AND that Ray gave Kira HIS NAME, which gave Kira a mechanism in which to kill. She then concludes (if I remember correctly ) that Ray is responsble for the deaths of 11 other FBI agents because he let the person he met on the bus, Kira, know his identity (or something like that, my memory is really murky).

Basically, she knows or at least has some indications that Ray died because he disclosed some rather imporant info such as his name and that he was an FBI agent. Naomi, knowing this, goes and blabs to a total stranger AND she tells him her name. How many of us meet a total stranger and in practically a minute, spills everything. The writers made her very smart by deducing blah blah blah, but when faced with Kira, she's suddenly stuipd. How could she have lost so many brain cells in a matter of minutes. It mus be a plot device where everyone must die by the hands of the villain and only the protaganist can save the day.

Oh, I see where you're coming from. I was rather confused about people's interpretations of that scene. I re-watched it just to make sure I didn't miss anything myself because I was pretty sure she didn't mention anything about Kira needing a name.

Watching it again, I still have to say she doesn't know anything about names. Her theory is that Kira found out someone was tailing him. Kira wanted to know who he was and who he works for. Kira used Ray to find out what other agents are after him. She probably thinks Kira can kill Ray at any time. Kira just kept Ray alive long enough to deal with the FBI.

I don't think she can decisively conclude anything about needing a name. In her situation, I would assume that Kira can kill on sight and would be able to kill Ray at any point in time, even before the bus-jacking. He didn't because he needed information from Ray. A name isn't just for killing you know. That's a Death Note specific idea. I would want to see someone's ID so that I can research them.

Naomi and Light met at the police station. Light overhears that she is an informant. In Naomi's mind, if Light is Kira, she should have been dead not long after they left the station. In fact, Light jokes: "You're going to have to trust that neither I nor my father are Kira if I let you talk to him about the case. Hahahah"

Light is a total stranger. Chief Yagami is a total stranger. Yet, Naomi is ready to blab to the Chief and none of us would call her stupid for doing so. There's mitigating circumstances here and I think those opposed to Naomi "blabbing" are over-downplaying the factors in play.

Light is Chief Yagami's son. Light worked for the police in the past. Light is recognized on sight by police receptionists. Naomi has been denied direct contact with the investigation team. Light has direct contact with the Chief who's a part of that team.

That's not all. Light reveals to Naomi that he's been investigating Kira as well. In fact, HE's the one who first presents the theory that Kira can control people's actions before they die. She immediately agrees and starts talking about her ideas. He starts "blabbing" first. It's a calculated blab to get her to share her own theories. She feels safer about doing that at this point. Plus, she probably thinks it's best that anyone investigating Kira should know her important info. This info will pass on to the Chief eventually. She would still like to blab in person, but this acts as a release for her and she feels that she's finally doing something of worth, sharing her knowledge.

I really think people's knowledge about Light needing a name is clouding their perception of the situation. I assert that Naomi knows nothing about Kira needing names at all.

[White Manju Bun]

Originally Posted by indicatoto101

While I do agree with some of the points, I still think the writers screwed up when they basically forced Naomi to give her name for the sake of the story. During their conversation (where she did 95% of the talking), she had a theory that Ray met Kira on the bus AND that Ray gave Kira HIS NAME, which gave Kira a mechanism in which to kill. She then concludes (if I remember correctly ) that Ray is responsble for the deaths of 11 other FBI agents because he let the person he met on the bus, Kira, know his identity (or something like that, my memory is really murky).

Basically, she knows or at least has some indications that Ray died because he disclosed some rather imporant info such as his name and that he was an FBI agent. Naomi, knowing this, goes and blabs to a total stranger AND she tells him her name. How many of us meet a total stranger and in practically a minute, spills everything. The writers made her very smart by deducing blah blah blah, but when faced with Kira, she's suddenly stuipd. How could she have lost so many brain cells in a matter of minutes. It mus be a plot device where everyone must die by the hands of the villain and only the protaganist can save the day.

The writers didnt screw anything up, its the way its done in the manga as well. So it wasnt for sake of story it was correctly following the manga.

Obviously Naomi giving out her name wasnt the best idea but see where she is coming from. Her fiance is dead and she wants to get Kira. Now she's been approach by someone who is telling her (even tho he's lying) that there is a chance she can join the task-force to catch Kira. If she wants to be true to Ray then obviously she's gonna do it. Sadly she gave her name and id to the wrong person but its easy to see why she did it finally at the end. She wanted to catch Kira, too bad he caught her first.

[Rheinhard]

Light is still too much of a smooth Criminal. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed rooting for the bad guy. Light strait mind raped her then tossed her away. This guy is just too briliant. Even Ryuk could hold hold back on how hard Light played her like nintendo.

A question for the various people on the forum that have made remarks like this:

Would you still be supportive of Light if her weren't so hot and smexy?

If he were, say, a balding overweight otaku doing exactly the same things, would you still feel the same way?

[Shay]

Originally Posted by Rheinhard

A question for the various people on the forum that have made remarks like this:

Would you still be supportive of Light if her weren't so hot and smexy?

If he were, say, a balding overweight otaku doing exactly the same things, would you still feel the same way?

No, probably not.

[Austin1]

A lot of you are saying "Hey he isn't just killing bad people anymore." I don't really think he cares about that as much anymore. I think this is more like game for him now. A game between him and L with whoever kills who first wins, and he doesn't care anymore how he wins as long as he wins. Like L said Light is childish and never wants to lose. Light will do anything to win because if he does win that means he is the best and smartest, and only "God" can be the best. Well that is what I think anyways great eps I love rooting for evil main characters.