43. Death Note: Volume One by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note: Vol. One by Tsugumi Ohba

ISBN: 978-1-4215-0168-0

SHUEISHA, Inc., Tokyo, 2003

200 p.

Plot Summary

Bored with his life in the Realm of the Shinigami, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the Human World, hoping that some human will entertain him once they find it.  Meanwhile, in the Human World, Light Yagami spots a notebook on the ground at school and it turns out to be Ryuk’s Death Note.  The rules included in the notebook state the owner call kill anyone by writing down their name and thinking of their face.  Also, if no cause of death is written down within forty seconds of writing the name, the person will die from a heart attack.  Five days after finding the Death Note, Light gets home from school to find Ryuk there waiting for him and he explains that the Death Note has sealed a bond between them.  Finally believing the power of the Death Note, Light initially feels hesitant about using it, but reasons that killing people that are evil would help humankind.  Feeling that he is the only person that has the guts to follow through, Light starts to cleanse the world of criminals.  The International Police Organization wonders about the increasing number of criminals dying from heart attacks and they enlist the help of the mysterious detective, L, to find the person responsible. 

Critical Evaluation

As one of twelve volumes, Death Note: Volume One is an exciting manga drawn in black and white that tells the story of a teenage boy from Japan that acquires a notebook that gives him the power to kill anyone as long as he knows their name and what they look like.  The story brings up several questions regarding the ethics of taking someone’s life.  Feeling power hungry, Light Yagami wants to use the weapon he has found, but he doesn’t want the guilt that comes along with killing.  He then decides that criminals and evil people are less worthy of living and pose a threat to humankind, so he selects a man that is holding up a nursery school to test out his weapon.  When the man dies from a heart attack, Light then tries it on a man that is bothering a woman in the street, writing that he will die from a crash and that happens, as well.  At first, Light starts to regret killing the two men and ponders throwing the notebook away.  Of course, his ego then kicks in and he believes that the Death Note will give him the ability to rid the world of evil.  This leads the reader to think of what he or she would do in the same situation.  Also, it raises the question of whether anonymously killing a criminal is actually beneficial to society.  One of the members of the International Police Organization points out that the crime rate has decreased since the killings started.  While there are certainly justifications for Light’s actions, the novel points out that murder is still murder, no matter the morality of the person targeted.  In addition, if one person is deciding what constitutes a moral person, there is an increased danger for the murders to extend beyond convicted criminals and start to include innocent people that have different beliefs from the owner of the notebook.  Overall, Death Note: Volume One is a fast-paced manga that leaves readers wanting more and it definitely makes me want to go out and get the second volume.

Reader's Annotation

Light Yagami finds the Death Note, a notebook that allows the owner to kill anyone by writing their name in the book and thinking of them.  Intent on riding the world of evil, Light makes it his mission to kill the criminals that threaten the safety of society.

Information About the Author

Tsugumi Ohba is a writer best known for the manga, Death Note.  Very little is known about the author aside from the short tidbits he includes at the beginning of each Death Note manga.  The facts state that he was born in Tokyo and collects teacups.  He also develops manga plots while holding his knees on a chair, similar to the habit of his character, L.  Ohba has released two manga series, Death Note and Bakuman, both illustrated by Takeshi Obata.

Based on the two authors’ similarities, some people believe that Tsugumi Ohba is a penname and his real name is Hiroshi Gamo, a manga writer known for his works at the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump.  However, the similarities between Gamo’s Tottemo! Luckman and Ohba’s Bakuman may merely be coincidental. (information from author’s Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsugumi_Ohba)

Genre

Manga – Shonen/Action

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Discuss the debate that Light has over whether he should use the Death Note or not.

2. Focus on the impact that L has on Light’s actions.

3. Talk about the reason that Ryuk dropped his Death Note down to Earth.

4. Address the style of the illustrations used in the manga.

Reading Level/Interest Age

13+

Challenge Issues

This manga contains violent scenes.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I wanted to include a manga to help diversify my collection and this one was recommended a lot in the chat area during our Author/Genre presentations.