DEATH NOTE MOVIE 1

Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto?) is a series of two live-action Japanese films released in 2006 and based on the Death Note manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The films primarily center around a university student who decides to rid the world of evil with the help of a supernatural notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. The two films were directed by Shūsuke Kaneko, produced by Nippon Television and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Japan.

A spin-off film directed by Hideo Nakata by the name of "L: Change the WorLd" was released on February 9, 2008.



Plot
Light Yagami is a university student who resents the crime and corruption in the world. His life undergoes a drastic change when he discovers a mysterious notebook, known as the "Death Note", lying on the ground. The Death Note's instructions claim that, if a humans name is written within it, that person will be killed. Light is initially skeptical of the Death Note's authenticity, believing it is just a prank. However, after experimenting with it and killing two criminals, Light is forced to admit that the Death Note is real. After meeting with the previous owner of the Death Note, a Shinigami named Ryuk, Light seeks to become "the God of the New World" by passing his judgment on criminals.

Soon, the number of inexplicable deaths of reported criminals catches the attention of the International Police Organization and a mysterious detective known only as "L". L quickly learns that the serial killer, dubbed by the public as "Kira" (derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the English word "Killer"), is located in Japan. L also concludes that Kira can kill people without laying a finger on them. Light realizes that L will be his greatest nemesis, and a race to prove mental superiority between the two begins.


[edit] History
The first film, simply known as Death Note, premiered in Japan on June 17, 2006 and topped the Japanese box office for two weeks, pushing The Da Vinci Code into second place.[3] It is mostly faithful to the manga, starting in medias res with Light in a university and flashing back a year or so to when he received the Death Note. It ends with his first meeting with L.

The second movie, Death Note: The Last Name, premiered on November 3, 2006, and instantly topped the Japanese box office,[4] remaining at number one for four straight weeks,[5] and grossed 5.5 billion yen in Japan by the end of the year, making it one of the year's highest grossing Japanese films.[6] It combines elements from the rest of the storyline creating an outcome similar to the manga, but with a few key differences.

Both films star Takeshi Kaga, who is best known by North American audiences as host Chairman Kaga of the original Japanese version of Iron Chef.

There is a spin-off, featuring L as the protagonist,[7] entitled "L: Change the World",[8] directed by Ring director Hideo Nakata and set in the United States, which was released in 2008.[8]

Death Note (死亡筆記) was released in Hong Kong on August 10, 2006, Taiwan on September 8, 2006, Singapore on October 19, 2006 & Malaysia on November 9, 2006 with English and Chinese subtitles. The sequel was released in Hong Kong on November 3, 2006, in Taiwan on November 24, 2006, in Singapore on December 28, 2006, and in Malaysia on January 25, 2007, with English and Chinese subtitles. The world premiere was shown in UA Langham Place cinema in Hong Kong on October 28, 2006, and this film is the first Japanese movie to have its world premiere in Hong Kong. It is also available in American specialty stores. Although the dialogue is still only in Japanese, the Hong Kong release of the DVD has English subtitles (the Japanese release only has Japanese subtitles).

Also, as announced in the May issue of Shonen Jump, the Death Note movies will be arriving in North America sometime in 2008. Presumably in July or August. These films will be dubbed with the anime voice actors.


[edit] Plot differences between the manga and the films

[edit] General changes
There is no time jump, so the events of the films all happen over the same time span as the first half of the manga. As a result, Higuchi, Near, Mello, Mikami, and Matt do not appear in the movies. (However, the film's inclusion of chocolate bars to the sweets enjoyed by L reminds viewers familiar with the manga/anime of Mello.) Many of the characters that did not appear, particularly Near, played major parts in the anime and manga series, and thus the ending is also very different.
Instead of the Death Note being passed to Higuchi, it is passed to Takada, who kills her predecessor and becomes the anchor woman. After being captured by the Kira Investigation Team in the Sakura TV Station, she is killed by Light after he regains his memories in a manner similar to how he killed Higuchi in the manga.
A movie-exclusive character, Shiori Akino (秋野 詩織, Akino Shiori?) is introduced as Light's girlfriend. An additional detective, a female named Sanami, is added. Raye Penber is renamed Raye Iwamatsu.
L writes his own name in the Death Note, overriding the time Rem writes in hers by twenty days. L subsequently outlives Light.
They do not change the locations for L's investigation between different hotel rooms. A single hideout is made.
Sanami (佐波, Sanami?), a character exclusive to the film, is the only female member in the Kira Investigation Team, as opposed to the all-male team in the manga and anime.
While Mogi survived in the entire course of the manga and anime series, he was killed off in the film. Coincidentally, his death resembled a scene in the manga and anime where Ukita, another member of the investigation team, was also killed.

[edit] First film
In the climax of the film, Misora kidnaps Shiori and asks Light to come to the art museum and confess that he really is Kira if he wants to save her. He goes to the museum, but denies that he was Kira, and said that he is upset at seeing his girlfriend being taken hostage. Misora told Light that unless he started to write her real name, which was "Naomi" written in katakana, she would kill Shiori. Light adamantly insists that he is not Kira. Soichiro, upon seeing this, sends the police. Misora immediately becomes upset and distracted, allowing Light's girlfriend to break free and run away from her. Misora fires her gun and shoots Shiori, who dies in Light's arms shortly afterward, and then afterwards commits suicide by shooting herself.

Later, Ryuk finds that Light had actually engineered Naomi's death using the Death Note, as he had already found out her name by checking with the church since she revealed to him she was Iwamatsu's fiancée and he reasoned that nobody would use a fake name in marriage and written a scenario whereby Misora would commit suicide after shooting Shiori. Obviously, Ryuk was confused, as by doing this Light would end up killing her, but Light reveals that he had written her name in the Death Note as well, which shocked Ryuk. When questioned by him, Light gives no certain answer and implies that he was not certain if he had even loved her.

Using these events to foster hatred for Kira, he asked to join the investigation team when his father checked on him. While Soichiro is slightly reluctant, L immediately grants his wish.


[edit] Second film
The second film continues the events from the first movie, and uses plot elements from the Yotsuba arc as well as the series' ending. The role of Higuchi is replaced by Takada, who is eventually captured as Higuchi is in the manga. Also, Sakura TV held a festival during the incident at the station. Misa, using her Shinigami eyes, killed Mogi (not Ukita, who was killed in a similar way in the manga and anime) and two policemen. Sayu was also almost killed until her father Soichiro crashed into the festival wearing a motorcycle helmet. Light kills Takada to regain ownership of his Death Note. Light then manipulates the investigation towards Misa, forcing Rem to kill L and Watari. As L is dying, Light admits to him that he is Kira. However, it is revealed later that L faked his death. L had already written his own name in Misa's Death Note (replacing the Note with a fake copy), setting his death for the maximum of 23 days, thus overriding Rem's Death Note. The investigation team surrounds Light, shooting him when he attempts to write on the hidden piece of Death Note in his watch. In a final gambit, Light asks Ryuk to kill the investigation team, but Ryuk writes down Light's name instead. Light dies in his father's arms. L obtains possession of both the Death Notes and burns them. Twenty days later, he dies a peaceful death after being congratulated by Soichiro. Soichiro agrees to not tell his family that Light was really Kira.

The film concludes with events that take place one year later on the anniversary of Light's birthday. Light's mother and sister are making a cake in the kitchen in his memory. When Sayu is told to bring her father an umbrella because it's snowing she reveals her belief that he [Light] died in the fight against Kira. Soichiro hopes that she will never find out the truth. Misa wonders about the gaps in her memory, unable to remember something important about Light. Ryuk, still in the real world, flies past Tokyo Tower laughing incessantly.


[edit] Soundtracks
Main article: Death Note original soundtracks

[edit] Theme Songs
Death Note

"Manatsu no yoru no yume" by Shikao Suga
Death Note the Last name

"Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Snow ((Hey Oh))" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
L change the World

"I'll Be Waiting" by Lenny Kravitz


[edit] Cast
Light Yagami/Kira: Tatsuya Fujiwara
L/Ryuzaki: Ken'ichi Matsuyama
Ryuk (voice): Shidō Nakamura
Soichiro Yagami: Takeshi Kaga
Misa Amane: Erika Toda
Raye Iwamatsu: Shigeki Hosokawa
Naomi Misora: Asaka Seto
Shiori Akino (original character): Yū Kashii
Rem (voice): Shinnosuke Ikehata
Sayu Yagami: Hikari Mitsushima
Sachiko Yagami: Michiko Godai
Watari: Shunji Fujimura
Tota Matsuda: Sōta Aoyama
Shuichi Aizawa: Shin Shimizu
Hirokazu Ukita: Tatsuhito Okuda
Kanzo Mogi: Ikuji Nakamura
Sanami (original character): Miyuki Komatsu
Kiyomi Takada: Nana Katase



Information from Wikipedia.org