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Impressions:

(Remember, my Death Note entries are spoiler-y. I’ll try to make these posts more non-manga-reader-friendly next time) You learn something new everyday. I knew Misa would be voiced by Hirano Aya, but I didn’t know that Light was voiced by the same voice actor as Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club. But now that I compare the two, they do sound exactly the same. He’s also voicing Aoba from Tokimeki Memorial, but that’s not as significant. The thing is, this guy hasn’t had that many roles in anime and other media. This is sort of like Bleach where quite a few of the main characters are actually…newbies of sorts (including Kurosaki Ichigo). Meanwhile, L is being voiced by a voicing veteran, who’s most notable cast in anime (to me) is Inuyasha from the show, Inuyasha! Another thing, L’s real name is L Lawliet apparently. I don’t consider that a spoiler since it doesn’t ruin anything from the anime plot-wise. It seems Garten got his hands on some Death Note related book, which had L’s real name in it. Then some guy posted it as a comment below…Well, I for one don’t really care about his real name as it doesn’t ring any bells. What WOULD have caught my attention is if, for example, L’s real name was something like Yagami Lawliet. THAT would be mind boggling, though L and Light do think almost identically…

Anyway, you think this episode was good with that plan of Light’s? Well, next episode you get to see Light in REAL action one more time as he takes care of Penber (don’t call that a spoiler, I mean come on, everyone knows he has to die!). You also get to see Light’s expression when he kills Penber in the preview…so cool! As some of you have already pointed out, Light’s plan was flawed pretty badly, but of course, anime is anime. And it doesn’t matter that much if Light failed anyway, as he himself said that it would be at least a month of investigating him before Penber or L would starts suspecting (he didn’t know that Penber would take him of his suspect list that time). Also note that Yuri, the girl who went on the date with Light, is voiced by the same VA as Tenma from School Rumble! It’s a shame Yuri won’t appear again as she’s pretty cute. Ah, but there’s still Misa to look forward to. ~Misa!!! The thing is though (going on from my rants about Penber), I don’t like how the anime/manga throws in random characters, kill them off and be done with it. I wish they would survive longer and be of some importance to the story. Well, I can’t say they have no significance to the story, but a larger and longer-lasting role would be nice. After Penber there’s also his wife…

Aside from all the intellect and battles-of-wits, I really like Death Note’s music. Both the OP and ED are awesome, but some of the background music is really fitting as well. I think this episode had the most music so far, which adds to the (rather dull, in my opinion) art style quite effectively. The quality isn’t as good as the first episode, which had Light’s awesome pen action and the detailed motor accident. I wonder how the quality will hold out for the 37 episodes. As this episode covered the last two chapters of volume one in the manga, it is possible for 37 episodes to accommodate all volumes of the manga, if things speed up a bit. I wish the anime ending will be better than the manga’s though seeing how closely the anime is following the print version, it’s most likely the ending will stay the same. Unless of course, the anime stops halfway through the manga and the producers decide to create a second season, just to leech some more cash for themselves. I, as always, prefer fast plot movement in these types of shows, but that is also attributed to the fact that I know all the good parts in the manga and just want to see them animated. I can’t wait till volume three – it’s going to be spectacular (not animation-wise, just the plot I’m talking about). Judging from the episodes so far, volume two should conclude in just 4-5 episodes!

Plot Outline:

- Light rejects Ryuk’s offer of trading his eyes for half Light’s lifespan
- Light decides to test his Death Note by specifying the victim’s actions before they die
- From experimenting on some criminals, he determines that the Death Note is very accurate in its dealings, but can’t do the physically impossible
- L tries to find some hidden meaning in Light’s doings, but Light made it just to throw L off as there is no secret meaning
- The next day, Light goes on a date with Yuri, an admirer, but only to use her to get his follower’s real name
- After meeting up with Yuri on a seemingly guiltless date, the two get on the bus to Spaceland
- The follower follows suit and sits down in the seat behind Light and Yuri

- The bus gets hijacked by a criminal, as according to the specifics of his death written into the Death Note
- Light shows Yuri a note saying that he will jump the criminal and makes it visible to his follower who is behind him
- The follower tells Light not to do anything, but is asked for some proof that he is not the hijacker’s accomplice
- The guy shows Light his ID, which reveals him as Ray Penber of the FBI
- Light then drops a piece of his Death Note, which attracts the criminal’s attention and he comes to pick it up
- After touching it, Ryuk immediately becomes visible to him and he goes psycho at the sight
- When he runs out of bullets from shooting at Ryuk (which all have no effect), he runs out of the bus, only to be hit by an oncoming car (which was also specified in the details of his death)
- Now that Light knows his follower’s real name, he plans to get rid of him once and for all

Preview:

Next episode - #5
Light strikes again!

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