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Title: Death Note vol 2
US Distributor: Viz Media
Author: Tsugumi Ohba Artist: Takeshi Obata
Suggested Retail Price (SRP): £5.50
Number of Pages: 204
ISBN: 9781421501697
Reviewed: 19th November 2006
Reviewer: Tom (Webmaster)
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In volume 1 of Death Note we were
introduced to the cool and calculating Light Yagami who possesses a Death Note -
a notebook in which the names of people you write will die and you only need to
know their name and have seen their face to do it. The intelligent student
then embarked on a crusade to rid the world of evil by writing down the names of
the world's most notorious prisoners as he felt that they deserved death.
Interpol soon noticed something odd was happening and started to investigate.
Light's character then changed when expert detective 'L' appeared and Light
started to eliminate those who might catch him. His genius and his evil
were growing fast and that was just at the end of the first volume, volume two
is even more fascinating.
In volume 2 we begin to see Light using and toying with his victims like never
before. He clearly starts to revel in his murder spree and even reveal
himself to some of his victims before they die. He enjoys them seeing the
creator of their death as the last person they will ever see, a clear example of
him believing that he is some kind of God. You can hardly blame him as he
really does, after all, have the power to control the death, and actions before
death, of people but despite this he shows no signs of insanity. Instead
Light becomes increasingly more intelligent when challenged by the police and
his nemesis L by avoiding most of the obstacles they attempt to put in his way.
The arrival of the fiancée of one his victims provides Light with one of his
biggest challenges yet however and this meeting proves he may not be able to
elude the authorities forever.
As with the previous volume, volume 2 of Death Note is a fascinating read
and impossible to put down. Every action by every character is integral to
the plot and you will find yourself turning back to previous pages to check up
on certain plot elements in order to keep up with the ongoing battle of minds
between Light and L. What also impressed me with volume 2 is that it did
not fall into a predictable formula. With other manga I could have
expected other people who possessed a Death Note to have shown up by now, for
Light to join them and for him to undertake a more just crusade. But no,
Light joins no such group and continues his macabre mission alone, never showing
need for human contact. By the end of the volume you will really believe
that he would be willing to kill anybody who gets in his way, even members of
his own family.
Even more dark and compelling then the first volume, volume 2 of Death Note
is proof enough to me that it is a classic manga and certainly one of the
best I have read in years. The twists that are revealed and questions left
unanswered leave me eager to read volume 3. Fantastic.
Extras:
Another short haiku introduction from the
author (less good this time) and the usual adverts in the back. No short
four-panel comic at the end either, a great shame.
Once again at the end of certain chapters Death Note rules unveiled in the
chapter just passed are recapped, which serves as a handy reminder as you go
into the next chapter.
Ratings
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Extras:
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