Death Note, Volume 11: Kindred Spirit

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Kindred Spirit is the eleventh and penultimate volume in the immensely popular and successful manga series Death Note, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. Death Note has developed into quite a franchise with multiple anime adaptations, games, live-action films, novels, and merchandising in addition to the original manga series. Kindred Spirit was first released in Japan in 2006. The English-language edition from Viz Media was initially published a year later in 2007, but it is also included in the sixth and final omnibus edition of the series, released in 2011. For the most part I have been enjoying the Death Note manga (I haven't pursued the series in any of its other incarnations), so it was about time I got around to reading Kindred Spirit.

As Light comes closer to bringing the world under his control as the god-like Kira, Near draws closer to exposing Light and his schemes. Near is already convinced that Light is Kira and that he is also posing as L, who is leading the Japanese task force responsible for investigating Kira. All Near now needs is some actual proof that ties Light, Kira, and L together. Light is well aware of Near's efforts to capture him and that he must be more careful than ever executing his plans. Because of Near's inquiries, several members of the task force are once again beginning to suspect Light and his motives. Because of this Light is currently unable to directly act as Kira, but he is still a skillful manipulator; there are others he can maneuver into carry out his will. Even so, there will always be some things that are outside of his control.

While some of the previous volumes of Death Note had a nice balance between action and the more cerebral aspects of the series, Kindred Spirit is almost all plotting, planning, and analysis on the characters' parts. As a result, Kindred Spirit is very text heavy. The internal dialogues overwhelm what little external action is going on. Obata seems to be running out of ways to make the tremendous amounts of thinking that occurs in Death Note visually interesting. The most engaging and dynamic sequence in Kindred Spirits is an all too brief eight pages that has absolutely no narration or dialogue at all. Frankly, it was a welcome break. Despite the fact that the series is quickly approaching its conclusion, the preponderance of text makes it feel sluggish and not much actually happens in this volume. Still, there is some important setup for Death Note's finale.

Both Near and Light put complicated plans into motion in Kindred Spirit, each trying to out-think and out-maneuver the other. What was once a battle between right and wrong, and to some extent good and evil, has now simply become a battle of wits and even more so a battle of pride. Unfortunately, I found those particular battles to be much less compelling. Light seems to have lost sight of his original intent and purpose of making the world a better place, granted in ethically complicated and questionable ways. His conflict with Near in Kindred Spirit has become a game rather than a moral calling. I personally found that to be a disappointing development, but it does go to show how out of touch with reality Light has become that he can be distracted like this. I am very curious to see how things will play out in the final volume of Death Note, Finis.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 10: Deletion

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Deletion is the tenth volume in the widely successful twelve volume manga series Death Note, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. Death Note also has a thirteenth, companion volume in addition to anime, live-action, and prose adaptations and spin-offs. Deletion was originally published in Japan in 2006 and Viz Media released the English-language edition in 2007. Viz is also now re-releasing Death Note in two-volume omnibuses called Death Note: Black Edition (because the covers are black), so Deletion will be found in the fifth omnibus. The series has its ups and downs, but for the most part I have really enjoyed it. The story and themes are interesting and Obata's artwork, as always, is excellent. Deletion picks up the story immediately where the previous volume, Contact, leaves off.

Just when it looks like Light, who is also acting as Kira and posing as L, has finally gotten a one-up on his adversaries Near and Mello, he quickly loses much of the ground he has gained as the two young men start grudgingly working together and sharing information. Near has determined that the new L is most likely Kira and that Kira is most likely Light. Mello shouldn't be far behind him in reaching the same conclusions. Now, they just need the proof. Near begins by attacking the trust that the members of the Japanese taskforce investigating Kira as built amongst themselves. As they begin to suspect each other and especially Light, who is leading the taskforce, Light has fewer and fewer options left to him for escape, none of them particularly good.

Teru Mikami is probably one of the most interesting character to be introduced in Death Note, certainly in recent volumes. He is also the only characters to have his entire past revealed. To do so, Ohba and Obata resort to a flashback sequence which feels a little out of place at first but ultimately I think it works. Plus, it gives Obata a chance to show off great skill at drawing a character at different stages of maturity while still remaining recognizable. The tone of the flashback also shifts away from the surrounding narrative. It almost reads like it could be a religious text. If Kira is God, as many people want to believe, Mikami is his prophet. Mikami is undeniably intelligent, smarter than even Light expected, making his adherence to extreme moral beliefs even more terrifying and disconcerting. It is obvious that he could be a very dangerous person working on his own. The question remains whether Light will be able to control Mikami's fanaticism or not.

After a few volumes with some very significant action sequences, Deletion is a return to the more cerebral elements of Death Note. Instead of running in with guns blazing, the men battle it out with their minds as they try to out-think and out-maneuver their opponents and sometimes even their allies in order to take control of the situation. This doesn't mean things have become any less intense, dangerous, or deadly. Near has forced Light to take risks he would rather not and Mello is just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike to appear. Even Mikami is proving problematic as his ideals quickly diverge from those held by Kira. Panels do become a bit text heavy through all of this as characters explain things or think things through. While some are spelled out very thoroughly, other leaps of logic are difficult to follow. Usually the characters end up being correct, but I can't help but feel that they are making some unfounded assumptions or conveniently forgetting things as needed. Still, I am very interested in learning what happens next in the following volume the series, Kindred Spirit.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 9: Contact

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Contact is the ninth volume in the ever popular manga series Death Note, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The book was initially published in Japan in 2005 before being released in an English translation by Viz Media in 2007. Death Note is complete at twelve volumes. Generally, the books have been well received although as with any series Death Note has its detractors as well. I really enjoyed the earlier volumes, had some misgivings about a few of the middle books, but have by now had my confidence mostly restored in the series. Overall, at least so far, I would recommend Death Note. It’s definitely more of a series for people interested in mind games rather than action, although there's certainly some of that to be found in the books as well.

After the first attempt to take down Mello and his crew fails, Light is more determined than ever to regain the notebook Mello holds. Mello and his counterpart Near are much greater adversaries than Light first realized and now he has another Shinigami to deal with on top of them. Devising a plan in which the Japanese taskforce investigating Kira will raid Mello’s hideout, Light feels completely in control of the situation. But he didn’t count on Mello’s willingness to use unusual, unsavory, and drastic means to reach his goals. Outside of this violent battle of will, society has begun to accept and admire Kira and his work to make the world a better place. Even the members of the taskforce are no longer convinced that Kira is entirely evil even if he is a murderer. It looks as though the tide may be turning in Kira’s favor, but there is no way that Mello or Near are willing to allow that to happen.

It is Light that continues to fascinate me the most in Death Note. He is trying to balance three different personas--Kira, Light, and the new L--and does so mostly successfully, although the strain is starting to show. He’s beginning to slip up and make small mistakes and some of his previous machinations are proving to be problematic.  While Light is still very confident in his own capabilities, he is no longer able to anticipate the results of his and others’ actions as well as he once could. Mello’s unpredictability in particular has thrown him off. Light remains very calculating and it is difficult to determine which of his reactions are simply for show and which are authentic, and even if he knows himself. There is a superbly executed scene between Light and his father that exemplifies this. He has shown repeatedly that he is willing to sacrifice those closest to him in order to protect himself. His true feelings and how these decisions are affecting him as a person are slowly being revealed.

Because Contact is one of the later collections in the series it relies heavily on the volumes that precede it, so understandably it doesn’t make a very good entry point for a new reader to the series. The first half of the volume is very quickly paced as Light and the remainder of the Japanese taskforce confront Mello and his gang head on. Even when there’s not a lot of action going on, Obata’s artwork captures the tension in the story. The emotional intensity and character’s stress is readily apparent just by looking at their faces. The second half of Contact, while still interesting, unfortunately bogs down a bit. Although, I do get the feeling that something big is going to happen, and soon. I want to be there when it does, so I’ll certainly be picking up Death Note, Volume 10: Deletion.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 8: Target

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Although I have been enjoying Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's popular Death Note manga series, I was mostly disappointed in Zero, the seventh volume. Still, there was plenty of good stuff going on and I definitely wanted to finish the series. I was looking forward to seeing where Ohba would take the story in volume eight, Target, especially considering the major plot developments that occurred in the previous book. Target collects chapters sixty-two to seventy of Death Note and picks up immediately where Zero leaves off. There are four more volumes after Target, five if you count the readers' guide, but Death Note hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet. The series is in a very different place than when it first started, which is to be expected, but I still find the books to be engaging.

Four years have passed since the death of L. Light is now able to pose as his deceased opponent, making his secret identity as Kira even easier to maintain while serving as a primary investigator on the case. Public opinion has begun to favor Kira and Light has grown complacent in his relatively secure position. But L's intellectual heirs have joined the game and Light will once again have to do some quick thinking. Mello has kidnapped his sister and is demanding the Death Note held by the Japanese police be turned over to him in exchange for her life. Light reluctantly join forces with Mello's rival Near while striving to keep his multiple identities hidden. Near and Mello are both after Kira and the notebook, although for very different reasons, and Light will have to do all that he can to maintain his quickly dwindling advantages. And just as it looks like he might be in the clear, interference from the Shinigami realm changes everything.

Near and Mello make for interesting characters, but I'll just come out and say it--I really miss L. The interaction between him and Light was fantastic and without L around to keep him on his toes Light seems to have lost some of his spark. Both Mello and Near come across as being rather young and I find their leadership roles and the amount of responsibility given to them hard to believe even considering their brilliance. The two of them will present Light with some decent challenges, especially since Light appears to be out of practice and Mello is more than willing to be ruthless in his methods to get what he wants. Although neither Mello nor Near are yet on par with L in regards to their intelligence, their general strangeness certainly is. Even with L gone, the conflicts between Near, Mello, and Light should prove to be interesting as they all try to outwit one another.

For the most part, Target hits on the major plot points from the previous books fairly well, but the series has progressed far enough now that it would be difficult for a new reader to jump in without being confused by some of what is going on. Death Note can be a bit text heavy at times since much of the story's tension comes from characters' internal dialogues as they try to out-think one another rather than from dramatic action sequences (although there are some of those, too.) However, readers are nicely led through the sometimes convoluted thought processes and Obata's strong and consistent artworks greatly supports the story. I still prefer the series' earlier volumes, but Target has helped regain some of the confidence I lost in Death Note while reading Zero. I'm not entirely sure where Ohba and Obata are heading, but I look forward to finding out in the ninth volume, Contact.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 7: Zero

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Zero, the seventh volume in the wildly popular manga series Death Note, collects chapters fifty-three through sixty-one and picks up immediately were the previous book, Give-and-Take, left off. Like so many others, I have been very fond of the series thus far. And since Give-and-Take ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger, it didn't take me too long to get around to reading Zero. The series' premise is engaging and supported by strong artwork, making it easy to like. While Zero is definitely not my favorite installment, the book marks a significant turning point in the series. Several major and very important plot points happen in Zero which does make it difficult to discuss without spoiling things, but I will do my best.

The capture and arrest of Kyosuke Higuchi, determined by the investigation team to be acting as one of the Kiras, is the key to the return of Light's memories of the Death Notes. The only thing that now needs to happen to ensure the success of Light's plan and to initiate his endgame is Higuchi's death. Much will happen before victory is guaranteed, but even then the question is how long will Light be able to hold onto it?

The first three quarters of the book are spent unveiling the details of Light's plan (implemented several volumes ago) which have been a mystery up until now, even to him, and then watching how it plays out. Unfortunately, despite the rapid pacing of the revelations, the story has almost no tension. Light states at one point that he "spent every second thinking up every possible scenario and how to deal with it," which is certainly impressive but a little boring when everything goes according to plan and he's never shown to worry that there's even a chance that it might not. Light and the story simply feel very passive at this point in the series. Through all of this, L remains convinced that Light is the most likely suspect contrary to much of the supposed evidence. He furiously continues to try and figure it all out before it's too late. The last fourth of the book reveals the aftermath of Light's machinations and manipulations, effectively fast-forwarding through five years. The Kira investigation is still underway, though not much is said about it, and new players enter to challenge Light's control over the situation.

The artwork in Zero continues to be very good; I also appreciate its consistency. A few things that were done particularly well in this volume were the aging of the characters, the shift in Light and Misa as they regain their memory, and, as always, the portrayal of the Shinigami. Light really seems to have lost it in this volume and his facial expressions, while at times a little over the top and never nearly as subtle as earlier in the series, certainly get the point across and then hammers it home.

I knew when I began reading the Death Note series that there was a point about halfway through in which the tone of the story significantly changes and that fans are very divided over this. I will admit that I was mostly disappointed with Zero even though there is still some great stuff going on. However, at this point, I'm going to reserve my final opinion about the shift until I finish the series, which I fully intend to do. Because, while I found the seventh book ultimately disappointing, it wasn't because of the major events in the plot. The story is still very strong and thought provoking, although some elements introduced in Zero really seem to come out of nowhere; it just wasn't executed as well as I have come to expect from this series. I'll just have to see how things go with the eighth volume of Death Note, Target.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 6: Give-and-Take

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

It seems that I've been putting off reading Give-and-Take, the sixth book in the Death Note manga series, and I'm not entirely sure why since I've really liked the books. Granted, I didn't enjoy the last book I read, Whiteout, quite as much as the ones previous. So, despite having picked up Give-and-Take soon after finishing Whiteout, it took me a while to actually get around to reading and reviewing it. But, I'm glad that I did and I still have plans to read the entire series--not that that has ever been in doubt for me.

Give-and-Take follows directly after Whiteout. Light is still chained to L and Misa is still under strict surveillance. Even though they are both considered suspects for being one of the first two Kiras, they are doing all that they can to assist the investigative team in tracking down and capturing the third Kira. So far, the investigation has been able to determine that this Kira is connected to a small group of people at the Yotsuba Corporation, but narrowing down it down even further is going to be tricky without showing their hand. It doesn't help that the team has split into two groups over a disagreement in how to proceed. But the closer they get to Kira, the more dangerous it becomes for all involved and the team members must decide how far they are willing to go and how much, and who, they are willing to risk to capture Kira.

Takeshi Obata's artwork is as great as ever and continues to be consistent. Light's personality changes come across very well, but I will admit that I miss the intensity of the old Light. I also miss Ryuk; the apple-loving Shinigami is nowhere to be found in Give-and-Take. However, the other god of death, Rem, does show up and has a fairly important role at this point in the story. It does feel like a personality shift may have happened with this character as well--and I'm not sure I completely buy it yet. I know that Light's charismatic, but he seems to have an awful lot of control over others. Given that, it should be interesting to see how his plan to regain a Death Note works out, especially as he is currently unaware of what that plan is since he has no memories of being Kira, though he is becoming more and more convinced of that possibility. L doesn't seem nearly as strange to me as he used to. I'm not sure if it's just that I've gotten used to him, or if he simply isn't acting as outrageously as he once was. He still has some rather odd, and amusing, moments though.

While I didn't enjoy Give-and-Take as much as some of the earlier books, the series is making a strong comeback. The book did start out slow, but then I was never that interested in the "evil corporation" as Kira. Fortunately, Give-and-Take explores the individuals that make up the Yotsuba group, revealing just how freaked out they are about the whole situation--sure, they're willing to go along while it's advantageous for them, but they also realize how dangerous it is and they're frightened for they're lives. This more personal approach is what gets the series back on track. And once the third Kira has been identified, the pacing is put back into full speed and the tension skyrockets as the chase begins. Of course, it all manages to end in a cliff-hanger, so I suppose that it would do to pick up the seventh book, Zero, sooner rather than later. I'm looking forward to starting the last half of the series.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 5: Whiteout

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

I've only recently really been getting into manga but have definitely been enjoying my foray into the genre. Death Note has consistently been among the best series I've found so far. The first four volumes were fantastic and I was looking forward to reading the fifth, Whiteout. Although still very good, ultimately I wasn't taken by it as much as I was by the previous books. But I'm not going to let that stop me from reading the rest.

At the end of the fifth installment, Love, Light had turned himself in to the investigation team for observation in an attempt to convince L that he wasn't Kira. Whiteout begins with both Light and Misa imprisoned under suspicion for being one of the Kiras, which leads to the voluntary imprisonment of Light's father as well. Eventually, all three are released, but L still hasn't been completely convinced of their innocence so Misa is put under constant surveillance and Light is literally chained to L. While he was under observation, Light secretly gave up ownership of the Death Note (although I suspect only temporarily), resulting in the loss of all of his memories directly relating to it. Since he is still assisting with the Kira investigation, this puts him in an awkward position. He is now unknowingly trying to outwit himself while insisting upon his innocence, sometimes despite the evidence and occasionally even hiding it. And on top of that, the investigation is only going to get more complicated when the existence of a third Kira is discovered.

The pacing in Whiteout has definitely slowed from that of the previous books. However, there are still some absolutely fantastic and exciting scenes. Additionally, a little more humor is introduced into the story, though it still has a predominantly serious tone. Whiteout continues to develop and introduce human characters, but we hardly get to see the Shinigami at all. I expect the volume mostly serves as a transition between the feel of the first four volumes and what's to come; while the still very interesting, it almost feels like a placeholder.

The art in Whiteout remains excellent. What especially stood out to me in this volume is how the character's appearances change after they have been held in solitary for so long. In particular, the change in Light is subtle but extraordinarily effective in portraying his personality shift. I'm continue to be impressed by the artist's skill. The Shinigami, which have always been the most interesting visually, don't really make much of an appearance in Whiteout. Unfortunately, even Rem and Ryuk only show up briefly in a few panels.

Whiteout was the first volume of the series that I don't feel improved over those that came before. (Don't get me wrong--it wasn't a bad book by any means.) I missed the intensity between Light and L as they each tried to outwit and out-think the other. While Light's ploy was brilliant in throwing the investigation off, it results in a significant decrease in tension plot-wise. Which is not so say Light and L being chained together isn't' amusing and that there aren't other interesting and intriguing developments--because there are quite a few. I'm certain that Light's plan hasn't completely unfolded yet, and look forward to seeing what happens. I still have great confidence in Death Note and have already picked up the sixth book, Give-and-Take.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 4: Love

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata

I've been making a habit lately of buying gifts to give away from my favorite comic book shop, and Death Note was a perfect choice for my brother's birthday. I gave him the first three volumes, which I had just finished reading and thought he would enjoy--the series is smart and complex, and I've been enjoying it myself. Plus, I like being the cool older sibling. The fourth volume, Love, collects chapters twenty-six through thirty-four of the manga, picking up where Hard Run leaves off.

Ever since L invited Light to join the Kira investigation, Light has had to be especially careful. While it gives him some insight into the progress of the case, it also allows more opportunities to slip up and reveal himself as Kira--the killer of criminals worldwide. But the appearance of a second Kira has complicated things even further. Light hopes to discover the identity of the new Kira before L and the rest of the investigation team can. This Kira displays powers even beyond Light's and he is determined to use this to his advantage and kill L once and for all.

L isn't nearly as creepy to me as he used to be. He's still a bit strange and awkward though, making it more difficult to really know what's going on in that brilliant mind of his. Light, on the other hand, is a little easier to read. But this doesn't mean he doesn't have a few surprises in reserve. Since L is closing in on Kira, Light is more concerned than ever to protect his identity and that of the second Kira. In previous collections, we've seen the lengths Light is willing to go to from a distance in order to implement his plan, but this is the first time we've really seen such intimate and personal manipulation. Frankly, it's a bit frightening to watch Light's descent and ruthlessness.

The artwork has really settled in by the fourth volume, with very little continuity or consistency issues. The Shinigami death gods are perhaps the most visually interesting. Besides Ryuk, who we already know, Rem is introduced as a major player in this volume. I particularly enjoyed examining the similarities and differences in the portrayal of two characters, those both subtle and obvious. It was also interesting to compare their attitudes, which was captured quite well by the artist.

I am thoroughly enjoying the Death Note collections and Love is no exception; it may even be my favorite so far. I remain impressed by the story's depth and complexity. This is the only "unflipped" manga that I'm reading at the moment, but it doesn't take too long to settle in, thanks mostly to the strong artwork and design. (And a little bit of practice, of course.) There were a few translation quirks in this volume, but nothing that was too distracting. Also, a few cultural references might pass over some readers, but these aren't paramount to understanding or enjoying the book. Death Note continues to improve with each volume and I'm very much looking forward to the next one, Whiteout.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 3: Hard Run

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata
2007 ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Hard Run is the third volume in the Death Note manga series, collecting chapters seventeen through twenty-five. Hard Run, along with the first two collected volumes (Boredom and Confluence), was included on the Top Ten list of the 2007 American Library Association's Great Graphic Novels for Teens. This is not to say that older audiences won't enjoy the series as well--its sophistication is sure to win the appreciation of many adult readers in addition to teens.

Despite being the main suspect in the Kira case, Light has so far been able to avoid leaving any concrete evidence leading to him as the killer of criminals worldwide. In fact, his alibis come across as being too perfect and L, the brilliant detective heading the case, becomes even more interested in him. So much so that he follows Light as he begins college, posing as a fellow student. Surprisingly, he ultimately reveals his identity and invites Light to join the investigation even though he is suspected to be Kira. But the battle of wits is cut short, or at least put on hold, due to a family emergency. It appears another Death Note may have been dropped and now there is a second Kira on the loose.

Hard Run was a little more quickly paced than the previous volume, Confluence. Light and L still seem fairly equally matched, but when it looks like the eccentric investigator might be starting to get the upper hand, the possibility of a Kira copycat complicates everything for both him and Light. The introduction of a second Death Note in the human realm ensures the continued complexity of this series and I expect that things will be kicked up another notch at least in the upcoming volumes.

Death Note is a popular manga series, and for good reason. It's smart, well drawn, and complex. The characters are engaging and the story addicting. I am fascinated by Light and how his obsession with creating a perfect world is steadily corrupting him. L still is a bit creepy although I am beginning to get used to his bizarre behavior. Ryuk (a Shinigami death god and original owner of Light's Death Note, which he dropped out of boredom) continues to amuse me, especially in regards to his supposed apathy and his delight in the whole situation. I remain impressed with this series and definitely look forward to reading the next volume, Love.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 2: Confluence

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata
2007 ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Confluence is the second American collection of the wildly popular Death Note manga series, bringing together chapters eight through sixteen. It immediately follows Boredom and is just as good if not better than that first volume. By writing the name of a person in the Death Note while visualizing their face they may be killed. The specific circumstances of their death may also be indicated, otherwise they will die of a heart attack. Of course there are some rules and limitations to the Death Note's power which must be discovered through its use.

Light initially had good intentions when using the Death Note, focusing on convicted criminals for his victims. He is determined to eradicate evil from the world. But as the investigation into the murders intensifies, he resorts to less honorable killings to keep his identity a secret. Fearing for their lives and safety, most of the investigative force has dropped off the assignment. In the meantime, the mysterious and reclusive master detective known as "L" has been forced to reveal himself to what is left of the team.

Death Note is a very clever series and I'm really enjoying watching Light and L try to outwit each other. Sometimes its hard to tell exactly who has the upper hand. It's still early enough in the story that I could imagine either of them winning out in the end. At the moment, I find Light to be the more sympathetic character, although I'm sure his descent into corruption is far from over. L I just find kind of creepy. Ryuk, a death god and the original owner of the Death Note, is still hanging around to see the show, although he is finding himself being manipulated into actions he probably wouldn't otherwise take.

As the plot grows in complexity it is also increasing in depth. The character development, especially that of Light, is fantastic. The artwork has improved over the last volume, particularly in its consistency. I didn't notice as many translation problems as there were in Boredom, but Confluence still had some translation issues in addition to a few cultural reference that some readers (myself included) might not entirely understand. These for the most part were rather minor and were not critical to the enjoyment of the book.

I can tell that Death Note is a popular series from the simple fact that the books are rarely found on my library branch's shelves as they are usually checked out (or in some instances have gone completely missing). Almost the only way to get a hold of a copy is to join the waiting list. Even though I've only read the first two volumes of the series, I'm already impressed and understand the manga's popularity. Confluence is a great follow up to Boredom, and I'm definitely looking forward to finding out what happens next in Hard Run.

Find in a library...

Death Note, Volume 1: Boredom

~written by Tsugumi Ohba
~illustrated by Takeshi Obata
2007 ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens

I'm not entirely certain where I first heard of the Death Note manga series, but I think it first began with a National Public Radio segment. Then I started seeing it everywhere and hear mostly good things about it. Well, at least about the "original" series--a fair number of fans weren't very happy with the direction it took after it was extended past its initial ending point. Finally, I discovered that my assistant at work was reading through the series and I was subsequently strongly encouraged to do so myself. So, I did.

The first volume quickly introduces the premise and main players of the story. Ruyk, a Shinigami death-god, "accidentally" drops one of his Death Notes in the human world, mostly just because he's bored. It is found by Light Yagami, the top student at his school in Japan, who quickly discovers what it is and what it can do. Any person who's name is written with intention in the notebook will die--the writer even has the option of choosing the ways and means of the death. Of course, there are rules and limitations to this power which Light must learn as he goes, because he has a plan--to rid the world of criminals and evil-doers.

But when massive numbers of inmates begin to die in prisons around the world, the world's governments launch an investigation, turning to the mysterious and brilliant detective known only as "L." L quickly begins to close on Light, but Light, too, is extraordinarily clever. The battle of wits has begun.

I enjoyed this first installment of Death Note. I wasn't blown away by the artwork, but it worked well enough even if it wasn't entirely consistent. I must admit though, the visual design of the Shinigami is quite creative. As a warning, Death Note comes "unflipped" (reading from right to left), which I think is becoming increasingly more common for manga published in the United States. It's not the first unflipped manga that I've read, but it can be disconcerting for newcomers.

The book also seemed to suffer, albeit slightly, in its translation into English. Some phrases just weren't quite right. I did very much enjoy the storyline though, and will most likely pick up a few more volumes my next trip to the library--I have a feeling they'll make for quick, entertaining reads.

Find in a library...