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ファイト／ステイナイト 
November 29, 2006 | 
41 Comments
Before I start, I wonder if anyone knows if the painting included in this episode actually exists in reality? If it does, what is the name of the painting? I suppose the author could have drawn it in such a way so that it looks like a Renaissance piece of art but for some reason it reminds me of a famous painting which I've seen before but I can't recall the name anymore. The reason I'm asking is because I'm interested in the quasi-religious references scattered within the series and wonder if the author had inserted them so that later on the readers/viewers can look for background information on them. For example, I've mentioned before that the series compares Light to the infamous fallen Angel Lucifer by showing Light posing in front of what looks like a painting of an angel in the OP. And of course there is the symbolism of Apple as the forbidden fruit, one which Ryuk craves and can't live without.
The episode begins with Light asking Ryuk if he's sure that no one follows them so Ryuk confirms this and urges Light to buy him an Apple soon. Light points out that the news claim that the FBI had sent 1500 agents but Ryuk counters this by telling the guy that Light himself believed that was just a bluff. Light eventually agrees to buy Ryuk some Apples and this for some reason, restore Ryuk's body back to the way it used to be. Inside L's room, Souichirou inquires the genius if he still suspects his family even though they know nothing about the criminals when they died two days ago. L agrees that while Kira can control the time of death, he can't kill without getting information from news report. Their conversation then comes to a halt when they notice Light returning to his room and turns on the television. Light believes that if other minor criminals died as well while he's watching TV, their death won't be considered special by L and the police.
In addition to this, Light decides to memorise the name of the criminals so he can kill them while he's outside the house using a Death Note paper he's inserted in his wallet. A few days later, L tells the police that after viewing the surveillance videos, he concludes that there were no suspicious activities happening in Kitamura's family or Yagami's family. Because of this, he asks the police to remove the camera. Souichirou is visibly relieved about this but L tells him that while there's nothing suspicious based on the tapes, he believes that Kira was simply being careful while sending criminals to their death. L still believes that there is 5% likelihood that Kira is someone from the two families. Since Kira managed to continue killing the criminals even under heavy surveillance L wonders if Kira can kill just by thinking about it. If this is true, then there should be some change in the facial expression.
The problem is, everyone in the family behaved naturally during the surveillance so the natural conclusion that Kira is not one of them. However, if Kira is one of them then it means his willpower must be at a God-like level to the point that he can remained emotionless while killing the criminals. This causes L to think that maybe there is no Kira at all and this is simply God's judgement. On a second thought, a God who needs to know the name and face of a person sounds like a joke. Because of this, L concludes that Kira is just a childish person playing God, a human that he can catch. However, as long as they keep Kira under surveillance, he'll never show himself up. L believes that the best way to expose Kira is to have him confess his crime as he kills someone. Meanwhile inside Yagami's household, Ryuk tells Light that he can't find the camera in the room any longer. Light, however, refuses to talk since he's afraid that the microphones might still be around.
Light thinks that he is no longer a suspect although L probably still on the lookout for Kira. He also believed that L managed to tap his room because his father allowed it. This means that L and the police trust each other again now. Light believes that this means he can kill L by using his father. Once that happens, Kira is one step closer to become the God of the new world. A few days later, Light leaves the house to go to his university examination and tells himself that he'd have more time to hunt L after he enters university. During the exam, however, he hears the teacher complaining about a student who's not sitting properly on his bench. When Light turns around, he realises that the student in question has been observing him from his seat. He, however, has no idea that the student is question is none other than L. Fast forward a few months later, Light comes to the university's entrance ceremony in order to give a speech to his fellow students.
Another student, however, has also been selected to deliver speech together with Light and his name is Ryuuga Hideki. This surprises the other students momentarily because Ryuuga Hideki is the name of a popular idol. Much to their disappointment, this Ryuuga Hideki looks completely different from the idol. The other students also believe that those selected to deliver the speech are the students who received the highest mark in their test. This weirded them out because while the first looks like a sheltered prodigy, the other looks wild and peculiar. After the speech is over, Light is surprised when the other guy tells him that he knows Light is the son of Police Chief Yagami Souichirou. He thinks Light's sense of justice must be as great as that of his father. Light is annoyed with this sudden conversation but the guy continues to say that he knows Light has helped solving crime in the past and that he is interested in Kira's case now.
The guy claims to trust Light's sense of justice and investigation skill and willing to share informations about Kira's case with him if he doesn't tell this to anyone else. The guy then drops the bombshell and tells Light that he's L. Light is shocked at this piece of information. He can't believe that L will give away his identity so easily. Eventually, however, Light manages to calm himself down and tries to act like the son of Yagami Souchirou by telling L that he's admired his work. L thanks Light and tells the guy that the reason he contacts Light is because he wants Light's help in Kira's case. L then thinks to himself that although the likelihood of Yagami Light being Kira is only 5%, his gut feeling tells him that Light is Kira. The reason is because Light is too perfect. Moreover, if Light is Kira, then he must be feeling pressure right now. Ryuk laughs upon seeing this and tells Light that if this guy really is L, then this would be fun.
Light is frustrated about this since he can't kill this guy. He believes his father knows L and if L is to die now, he'd become a primary suspect. To complicate matters, this guy uses a fake name, Ryuuga Hideki, the name of the idol. If Light tries to kill him using this name, there's a likelihood he'll remember the real Ryuuga Hideki's face and kills him. On his way back home, Light stays quiet and only unleashes his frustration after he's back in his room. When Ryuk tries to offer the eye exchange deal, he ends up getting Light's wrath instead. Light tells him that if he kills the guy and the guy is a fake, L would know that he's Kira. Light is also angry that Death Note won't allow him to control someone to kill L. He also can't force L to commit suicide until he's sure that this guy is L. Eventually, however, Light is convinced that he and L can pretend to be friends while they try to guess each other's identity. He'll then find L's identity and kill him.
Impression:
I really like this episode although I wish the animators did not alter the original manga scene. In that version, L actually tells Light about his true identity as they step down from the podium. I always love that scene because it's one of the few moments where Light is caught off-guard. To make things worse, he was standing up, on his way down the podium. If he suddenly loses his balance even just a little bit, L can easily tell that Light is nervous. In this version, however, Light is sitting quite comfortably when L informs him about his identity. Admittedly, L sits next to Light in this version so it can be argued that he's in a more position to observe Light's body language more thoroughly. Speaking of Light, I think it's a nice twist that the antagonist of the series is actually a good-looking character. Popular culture media always have the tendency to associate unattractive features with evil characters so it's nice to see the reverse here.
I do wonder though if Light's attractiveness makes his crime a lot more tolerable to some. Lately I've noticed that people seem to be more forgiving of evil-doing that is done by an attractive character. For example, those who watch Monster probably know that the main antagonist, Johan, is not too different from Light when it comes to physical attributes. For some reason, people find him fascinating while a similarly evil character called Roberto (who's not given similar attractive feature) is deemed to be repulsive. There is even another fandom where for some reasons its fans believe that a repulsively evil character is redeemable regardless the kind of action that the character does. Not surprisingly, the character in question is good-looking. Going back to Death Note, I noticed that there are a few frames in this episode where Light is drawn in such a way that he reveals the hideous nature within himself. It makes me wonder how people would have reacted to his idea if Light had been depicted as an unattractive character right from the start.
Preview
if this is a real painting, I believe it's something not from the Renaissance, but from before it.
I've seen similar ones, but I don't remember the era or the artists...sorry.
Compared to previous episodes, how's the animation quality?
I haven't watched the episode yet--I'm way too exhausted to tackle it tonight, so I'll just save it for the morning--but it saddens me to hear that they changed the famous scene of L declaring himself. I don't really understand why they'd alter that when they've stuck so closely to the manga in pretty much everything else. A sign of more changes to come, perhaps? Who knows. I just can't think of a good, deep reason for writing it in, I guess--since it doesn't exactly affect the progresion of the plot, it doesn't seem like the sort of thing that would allow them to gradually build in more significant alterations. Meh.
Hehe, since I'm male, I'm rather immune to the prettyboy aura. I was neutral about his actions from the getgo, which rapidly turned worse, when he started to kill innocent people to save his own skin. When he killed Penbar's fiancee he crossed the line for me and I actively started rooting for his downfall. Kill the innocent babe = lose my support. ;)
While Penbar's demise was on an equal moral level, he didn't have my symphaties, because of lacking attraction and because I thought he was a prick for that "You're not an agent anymore, now make me some pie" line. I know those reasons are quite shallow, but for fictional characters, it's those little things that make or breath the image for me.
Animation quality seems to be okay but there are many static images. It can't be helped though since the majority of the episode is about battle of wits.
The annoying thing about the "I'm L" scene is that it started out the same (L starts talking as they step down the podium) but in the anime version, they sit down way too early before L gets to utter that word. In the manga Light looks like he's about to slip down the steps after he heard the revelation. In this one, if Light is in a much better position to keep up the poker face.
I tend to like the "bad guys", though usually only if there is human element to them that I can still relate to -- for example -- to leave the world of anime, I've always loved Snape in Harry Potter, even after his actions in Book 6 (not that most people find the result of that book to be a totally conclusive take on his character, anyway). Or a lot of the baddies in FFVII -- I mean, everyone thinks Sephiroth is awesome, sure, but I've always had a softspot for Reno of the Turks and Rufus Shinra (I cried during what I thought was his death scene way back when I played the game as a teenager). And while Rufus certainly seems reformed in the movie, in the game he really is a horrid person who does absolutely despicable things. There is just something very human and weak about him though that I find compelling. Same thing with Akito in Fruits Basket. I'm able to forgive that character's awful actions at the beginning of the manga (and I seriously hated Akito for the first thirteen or so volumes) because the end reveals a perfectly flawed and vulnerable human being underneath everything.
I don't find that in Light at all. I've perhaps gotten a little fond of him since the anime started, mainly because I love Mamoru Miyano, but it's mainly in a "Oh ... stupid Light ... it's so enjoyable to mock you ..." sort of way. I maybe have an ounce of sympathy for him during the final chapters of the manga but that's about it. I've come across quite a few Light fans, and I can't relate at all, though I'm not going to bug them about it, unless they start to espouse his ideology -- in that case, PSYCHO! But I can't blame them for having sympathy for him even if I don't.
I've been thinking about this lately because I adore L and it's quite apparent to me how similar he is to Light in many ways. There is a lot of the moral subjectivity that Light has in L also -- there are several scenes in the manga where you can tell L is pondering doing something which, ethically speaking, would be wrong, though it would be a means to an end. But he doesn't chose to do these things. L is aware of his own flaws and accepts them ("I too am childish and hate to lose"). He is also aware of the boundaries between right and wrong and personal responsibility and he choses to tread those lines carefully. Light could never observe those rules, because to him, whatever he does IS right. He can't conceive of himself being wrong. He would never call himself childish. And I think that's what I despise the most about him.
Sorry to babble so much! ;)
I don't think that's a real painting. I would say it's a bit similar to Mannerism, though not entirely. But I could be wrong. =X I think the painting you're being reminded of is God Creates Adam by Michelangelo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:God2-Sistine_Chapel.png
This was the first thing I thought of when I saw the painting from Death Note.
I'm 99% sure it is not a historical piece. The artist does have a knack for Renaissance pieces, although the effectiveness of their usage is questionable.
The 'Creation of Adam' is in the OP of Death Note, if I remember correctly, with Light being Adam and Ryuk being God.
I've never seen a piece depicting both God and horses with wings at the same time (or at least, I don't remember ;D). It could quite possibly be the artist's own creation. Or he may have taken liberties with an existing piece (such as the one mentioned of the Sistine chapel) as the angle is quite often used (God looking down).
I've been thinking about this lately because I adore L and it's quite apparent to me how similar he is to Light in many ways. There is a lot of the moral subjectivity that Light has in L also -- there are several scenes in the manga where you can tell L is pondering doing something which, ethically speaking, would be wrong, though it would be a means to an end.
That's true. He's very focused on the result and doesn't care so much about his method. I wonder if he'd still go through with tapping the two family's house even if he didn't get permission from Souichirou.
As for the painting, I think it tries to mimic The Four Horseman of the Apocaplypse stylistic-wise. That's probably why I believe that I've seen something similar before.
That's just the way it is with mankind I guess. We naturally gravitate toward good looking people and find them easier to forgive. There are times where I wonder if we'd be better off if we were all born blind. But then we'd probably find other ways to judge each other through voice or something. We have to find ways to differentiate from each other or we'd get confused.
On a less serious note, I wonder if L will find a way to put himself in every single one of Light's classes... But then that's probably too obvious. Hey, does anyone else think that L looks like the type that won't wash his hair unless told to? Ah well, his disheveled look is so adorable, I don't mind!
Just being a little nitpicky over here, but though the protagonist can be taken to mean the 'hero' the story, it's a rather broader term that just means 'character the story revolves around'. In this sense, Light is the protagonist (not the antagonist, though we're inclined to believe otherwise) and certainly is an anti-hero. L is the antagonist, or the one who impedes the protagonist's goals.
haven't watch this one yet. So thanks for the heads up.
painting in the op is not a real one. At least not from all the ones I study about before.
I don't think Light being attractive makes his action seen less "evil". Maybe that's just because I'm too old to care. Ha!
Glad to find your blog/site. Being keeping track a lot of new release anime and glad to see a site like yours. Thanks!
xoxo michelle
Yeah, i haven't watched this either. I need to know HOW you get the episodes so much earlier than most of us can! You work on the subbing teams or something?! LOL
Yeah, i haven't watched this either. I need to know HOW you get the episodes so much earlier than most of us can!
The raw actually already available amongst the Japanese P2P network one day ago but most people simply don't see it around until someone distribute it at Tokyo Tosho or some place like that.
Thanks for the side-splitting captions as usual.
Light's face in that last screenshot before the preview looks wonderfully evil. It feels very real.
The painting to me is very similar to many of the renditions of St George fighting the dragon, which always have him mounted fighting the dragon with a polearm. A good representation can be found here.
hey hey this painting was on an episode of Matantei Conan! So if two animes have featured it I wonder if that could stand as proof that it's real?
at the first time i see light got frustrated
and he always smile creepy or laughing at the last
it's funny to see L join the exam and his sit and take something sytle
I also wish they hadn't changed it, but the anime shows Light's reaction more subtly: just a -split- second of his legs shaking and eyes flashing in wild panic before he visibly calms and turns to look at L.
Len: now that you mention it, I remember it too! The art-museum episode, wasn't it? Googling a bit, it was called 'Heavenly Punishment' .
I can't find a screencap... it was episode 8 though -___- *gives up*
Btw, next episode: the tennis match! *squeals*
haha i love the little comments on the pics
"nooo, my bishounen face!" XD
I can't wait 'til the sub is released!
P.S. I love the "What would Tamaki do?" image comment :D.
The painting looks like this one but it's different...
Picture
But the area is restricted so you might not see the picture... It's the first picture I saw when I've put Bindman on Google to search.
I love coming to this site and seeing intelligent conversation about the series I watch. Yeah, it's fun to joke around about meido and harem anime and "melonpan" like on some other sites, and I'm a big fan of that approach as well, but it's nice to work the brain every once in a while and it's wonderful that so many good series (DEATH NOTE, Mushishi, etc.) make it so easy to do.
That said, I've got to disagree that Light is an "anti-hero," as someone stated. He may look that way on the surface, and certainly started that way, but the only part left resembling a hero was the part that didn't want to accidentally kill the idol whose name L was using. And that was only because L would know he did it, not because of its inherent moral ramifications.
No, he's not an anti-hero because one thing that ties all anti-heroes together is that they are people who would otherwise be bad (or at least shady) guys, but for whatever reason (revenge or team-up against the "real" bad guy, attack of conscience following commission of a particularly heinous crime, defeat by Son Goku) are doing good or working toward a good goal. Their methods often tend to skirt the edge of morality (if not occasionally carom right over it), but their results are for a greater good. Light may have started that way, and certainly thinks of himself as an anti-hero, if not an outright hero (and god, of course), but he's straight-up evil at this point.
Lately Code Geass has been getting a lot of comparisons to DEATH NOTE for having similar protagonists (yes, irredeemable villain or not, Light is the protagonist of the series), but Geass' Lelouche starts out more like Light's current anime character and has gradually changed into a truer anti-hero as we have learned more about him, seen what is his eventual goal, and found out what he is willing (and not willing) to do to reach it. Light has no such code (pun not intended, but I'll take credit for it), and his actions have been tempered only by caution and cowardice.
Light's actions makes him unattractive to me.
People generally favour those who look better/dressed up better, etc. It's probably because they think good-looks/good-mannerism = good personality. The thing is the opposite is usually the truth. The thing with Light is that not only he's good-looking, his intelligence is also high. It's not surprising that he developed God complex when he acquired Death Note.
I love the expression on Light's face after he goes back to his room. It's nice to see him being outwitted by L for a change. It shows how much of a control freak he really is and how unhappy he can be when he doesn't have that control.
After watching it for myself, when Light showed very little reaction to L when L told him who he was, I thought that was a BAD move on Light's part. If L told any innocent person, their reaction would be something like "O_O WHOA!!! SERIOUSLY?!" or "Dude, stop kidding around. Just because you got the highest score on the entrance exam doesn't make you like L." It's just as L says. Light is too perfect and cool-headed and that's why he is the most suspicious (and ironically enough, that's why he makes these kinds of mistakes.)
I'm not very knowledgeable about paintings but that reminds me of a similar one I saw of Sir George slaying a dragon. The postures are almost identical.
"I tend to like the "bad guys", though usually only if there is human element to them that I can still relate to"
I also am like this as well (Snape is my favourite character in Harry Potter and definitely we need book 7 to really clear up his character) but I really can't find myself actually liking Light or being able to really have any sympathy for him. I can understand to a point about what he's doing, but he takes things way to far (to go to another non-anime reference, it's like in Revenge of the Sith, I can sympathize with Anakin until he crosses the line and kills the children).
Light is interesting to watch because he's clever and so it's entertaining, but his actions are inexcusable and wrong and I am looking forawrd to the day when he is finally stopped (though I'll certainly enjoy the ride along the way).
My favourite bad guys are the ones who seem selfish at first but then slowly grows moral conscience the more time he/she spent with the hero/heroine. Light certainly is not one of those type. He had that chance when Lind L Taylor showed up but he decided to kill the guy instead. Sometimes I wonder how the series would have been if he didn't kill Lind L Taylor. I think I would have root for him in that case.
I think that nearly all of the pictures shown in the OP are real. I remember seeing them a long time ago, including the one right at the beginning where Light is lying in a strange way and the one at the end showing Light praying.
There's also the one picture in the OP that shows Misora Naomi holding Raye Penber in her arms. I think most people already know it, but it is a work by Michelangelo showing Mary holding the dead Christ in her arms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chapel_of_the_Pieta%2C_St_Peters_Basilica.jpg
There's no way that picture is from the renaissance since that time was full of joy and hope and all that good stuff. The closest I can imagine is probably during the Victorian ages.
I agree that good looking features help a character gain bonus points.. for example, greek gods, other kings, queens are always either thought to be good looking or are worshipped to be so. Its seldom that a royal blood is not good looking.. looks aide power .. similar to being well-educated. In the western world, its not such a big thing, but in the eastern world, being seriously well educated also tags you with the expectation of being more just/kind/rational .. as was expected with traditional eastern education system, where scholars were in the "trusted" group. But, just like Light, a genius may usually means its a tool for power and balancing/optimizing conditions to dead straight get to a selfish goal.
But besides all that... i wouldn't want Light to lose... or the fight to end either.. coz truly its boring to have nothing to do... challenging each other .. gives each light and L a reason for existence....
hees, first time tagging but not reading though heh. terrific site. X]
hmms, yupps, i totally support L. but it's just endlessly amusing to see light thinking and speculating over his every action, what he say do and act to avoid being suspected as kira. frankly, if he had just masked all the death of criminals with illnesses and accidents.. didnt kill any innocent ppl or made such a beeg fuss for the police and stuff.. hmm, maybe i would have supported him ehh.
but i seriously wonder how light even manages to sleep peacefully even at the start. i know i will never be able to. the fear of being caught, the death sentence and the rest of the consequences, its just not woth it mann. its such an idiotic thing to do. well, kind of.
Even after the Raye/Naomi incident, I still stand by Light. The deaths of two innocents is a small price to pay for the deaths of the hundreds of criminals Light has killed by this point. I see Light as the hero here, and L as the villain, though the manga creators (and most others) clearly see otherwise.
I really like this episode too...the anime really focuses on the contrast/similarities between Light&L. . I am a Light fan, because he's good looking? Maybe not, I mean L is cute too. One of the reasons is because I can identify with him.
He's young, he's an elite and he's bored. He guessed that being god might entertain him for a while and ends up playing with another guy who doesn't want to lose. Both are not really concerned with how many lives that are lost around them in the process.
The fact that Light is a pretty-boy is pretty much the only reason the guy has fangirls. He's really a detestable guy.
Go L!
Raito isn't even all that pretty, L's cuter if you ask me. And the fact that he got killed off is some baby back bullshit.
I can SO see Light pacing in his room and asking himself what Tamaki would do. They are both quite over-dramatic...
I agree that the manga scene was better, when Light almost tripped.
Yeah, for some reason, being attractive makes evil characters very bearable. Probably adds to the "Bad Boy" personality thing (TO THE EXTREME).
I was just looking for a traditional painting of a shinigami and I find this!! What luck!!!
Luv the L!!! Ryuuzaki!!!! And for nitpickers...Hideki Ryuga!!! Or the other way round if you're purist...
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