Most Shonen protagonists are shaped by tragedy. Whether it’s Naruto’s loneliness due to the loss of his family, Goku’s lost heritage, or Eren Yeager’s traumatic fate, the tragedies and struggles that the protagonists face fuel their journeys.
In case we see a character going down a bad route, it is because they have been hurt before, leading them to forsake their values and beliefs. Be it vengeance or anger, it always stems from past events.
But Death Note took a completely different approach. The protagonist, Light Yagami, had everything going for him, yet he turned into the most notorious killer, Kira.
Light’s fall wasn’t brought about by tragedy
Light Yagami wasn’t a broken boy who was changed, twisted, and awakened to a harsh world; it is quite the opposite. He was a boy who was raised with love, care, and virtues.
He had loving parents, no financial troubles, was popular at school, good at academics, with a charming face to boot. With all he could ever want (including a brilliant career path), he spiraled into darkness while under the presumption of seeking justice.
Once he found the Death Note and made contact with the Shinigami Ryuk, Light Yagami, who should have been instilled with virtues and morals, showed his true side, one that was unfettered by any care as to the value of a life.
Usually, dark protagonists are those burdened by loss, but there is no evidence to show that Light faced the loss of even a puppy (like Baba Yaga). He had everything a person could need to be happy and satisfied, yet he couldn’t accept it and wanted more.
He threw away a loving family, a stable life, and a promising future by risking it to play God, choosing who gets to live and die. If the circumstances created the worst villains, then it could be said that Light Yagami broke the world by being innately evil and dark.
How Death Note broke the typical Shonen mold
The moment he held the Death Note, he willingly descended into darkness. This is unlike Naruto or even Sasuke, who were both defined by the loss of their families, both orphans due to the choices made by adults before them.
They were forced to face the harshness and cruelty of society and the world and to rebel against it, to destroy and restructure it. But Light had no external reason to turn evil; in fact, it was more of an inconvenience for him to do so.
His life was free of any hardships, yet he wished to inflict pain and chaos upon the world. He wanted to be known, feared, and admired as the almighty who is capable of killing anyone at any point.
light yagami https://t.co/Kg33KIv49H
— sura meow (@shuhuamilf) December 8, 2024
His corruption wasn’t the result of pain but of his own choices, choices that were not shaped by his experiences but came from his innate sense of self. The Death Note simply became the catalyst that revealed what had been hidden within him – a god complex waiting to be unleashed.
In anime, characters like this are usually rooted in tragedy as well. Lelouch from Code Geass led a rebellion due to imperial oppression. Light, however, became a tyrant simply because he could.
This distinction sets Death Note apart from many other Shonen stories. It also shows how, for such a character, there is no redemption arc; it feels more like a cautionary tale.
You can stream Death Note on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
