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Reviewed by Michael Aronson I’m very hesitant to give this volume, the conclusion to Death Note, an A-. Perhaps a B++ would be more appropriate, as it’s too flawed to be worthy of an A but still rewarding enough to surpass a B. Readers of my previous Death Note review may remember that I’ve got a problem with Near. Even Light agrees, “You are far below L.” He’s a cocky albino child who stepped up where L had failed and somehow gave Light even more of a run-around despite looser plot and logic mechanics. He makes extreme leaps in logic, usually based on wild paranoid assumptions that nevertheless act as perfect thorns in Light’s plans. He even validates to a degree the mad kidnappings and threats of his rival Mellow. I can’t stand Near. But despite Near’s crucial role in the final confrontation between his own task force and Light’s, Light is the star of the finale, even while put on the defensive. The closer his plans come to fruition and as he gradually gains the edge over his opponents, he has to expend greater effort to keep his maniacal victory celebration in check. Not that he wins or loses (I’m not spoiling anything, although I will say that the book ends very conclusively), but he nearly celebrates too soon on more than one occasion. Considering that all the other interesting characters have already been swept off the stage (L, Rem, Light’s father, Misa is confined to but a few panels), it’s all up to internal and external monologues by Light to keep the suspense peaking, and for the most part it’s accomplished. And really, that’s all we’ve been waiting for: Light justifying his cracked means to a broken end. The resolution of all outstanding threads is handled well enough, but all the creators had to do was let Light rant and rave for fifty or so pages for us to all go home happy, regardless of whether he succeeds or fails. I’m not thrilled that Near is essential to the conclusion, but I especially liked Ryuk’s singular moment of glory, one that’s been silently building for the past eleven volumes. I still assert that Death Note could have ended with volume seven and been a pretty perfect series, and that the shift from volume eight on was a huge misstep. That said, given what we’ve been left with since, this is about as good a conclusion as I’d hoped. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
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