Shonen manga are notorious for spunky teenage protagonists with superpowers. The industry remained effectively bound to this trope until one of the first game-changers appeared in December 2003. Shonen Jump previously found success marketing toward younger children, but it eventually spawned a new fandom of edgy teenagers with Death Note.
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For years, Death Note, with all of its gritty mystery, has been heralded as one of the greatest manga/anime. In harmony with its aging concept and weakly anchored storyline, Death Note contains dozens of extremely edgy (and equally iconic) lines of dialogue. Although most Death Note quotes come from the main characters, there are a few side-character quotes worth mentioning.
Update on June 23rd, 2023 by Louis Kemner: the Death Note anime is packed with thought-provoking, deep, and debate-worthy quotes that will keep anime fans talking for years about this intriguing series. The protagonists and antagonists alike all have fantastic dialogue that raises serious questions or simply says a lot about the speaker. Let's go over a few more Death Note quotes that prove why this is a high-IQ philosophy anime of a lifetime.
20 "The Real Evil Is The Power To Kill People."
Soichiro Yagami
As Uncle Ben famously told Spider-Man, "with great power comes great responsibility." Unfortunately, Light Yagami doesn't have the slightest clue what that statement means. That said, Light wasn't nearly as chaotic when he found the Death Note for the first time. However, the realization of his newfound power transformed him into a monstrous nightmare.
This quote comes from Soichiro Yagami, Light's father, which makes it even harder to believe as he does not know his son's murderous legacy until it is too late. Soichiro adds that anyone "with that power is cursed [...] no matter how you use it."
19 "To Win, You Must Attack."
L
L is Death Note's secondary protagonist, but he would often act as an antagonist to get what he wanted. This includes imprisoning both Misa Amane and Light under suspicions of them possibly being the mysterious Kira.
Although L eventually turned out to be right, the manner in which L treats Misa — tying her up and leaving her alone in a room — can only be considered drastic. On the other hand, L understands that defense alone isn't enough to secure victory, and that it's imperative to go on the offensive to increase his chances of success.
18 "Kira Is Childish And He Hates Losing... I'm Also Childish And Hate To Lose."
L
This particular Death Note quote helped remind fans that the battle of wits between L Lawliet and Kira was not just based on trickery and intellect. The two of them were fighting a personal battle, and L knew what kind of person, not just what kind of criminal, he was up against.
Much of L's investigation was based on Kira's evident behavior and mentality, and at times, L was testing Light Yagami's personality rather than his intellect. This quote also represents how the two of them are personally similar even if their ideals of justice are in sharp contrast.
17 "I Put Faith In My Own Convictions As To What I Believe Is Right, And Consider Them To Be Righteous."
Near
The white-haired detective Near may have felt bland on a personal level compared to L and Mello, but he did have some meaningful Death Note quotes to share. Near once commented on the apparent subjectivity of good and evil, so the only reference he has is himself.
Near's full quote stated that even if there was a definite god of the world, Near wouldn't take that god's ideas of right and wrong at face value. No matter what, Near would put faith in his own conclusions, which may sound selfish but also gives him stable ground to stand on.
16 "All Humans Die The Same."
Ryuk
Ryuk may be an apple-loving death god, but he is still a death god, nonetheless. He should know where humans and other living things go when they die, which means he has no reason to lie about their fates.
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Ryuk mentions that "the place [that people] go after death isn't decided upon by a God, it is Mu" — an ineffable concept that could be interpreted as the void or "nothingness." To those people who believe in going to either Heaven or Hell, the very idea their souls would be condemned to an eternity of nothingness is nothing less than horrifying.
15 "Laws Are Evidence Of The Human Struggle To Be Righteous."
Soichiro Yagami
Although fans usually remember Light, L, or Ryuk's quotes, they're not the only characters capable of making astute observations or philosophical realizations. Soichiro may never be as iconic as his son, but his police officer career offers him an interesting insight into justice and criminal behavior.
Soichiro says that "laws aren't perfect because humans who created laws aren't perfect" before stating that the very existence of a legal system is "evidence of the human struggle to be righteous." This belief is partly why Soichiro refuses to believe in his son's villainy for the longest time.
14 "If Kira Gets Caught, He Is Evil. If Kira Rules The World, He Is Justice."
Light Yagami
Light's belief system was rather extreme, to the extent that he was willing to murder everyone in order to become the divine ruler of his so-called "new world." Most stereotypical anime villains share Kira's traits, such as All For One in My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's Father.
As a result, Light's inflexible ethical stance didn't really come as a surprise. When he takes control of the Death Note, he begins to kill not only criminals but any innocent person who happens to get in his way. Despite his moral transgressions, Light firmly believes that justice is on his side, and he has Death Note quotes like this one to prove it.
13 "When You Die, I'll Be The One Writing Your Name In My Death Note."
Ryuk
Ryuk may look like a terrifying demon, but his behavior is actually benign fort the most part. He rarely threatens anyone, even Light, although he does refer to Kira's inevitable death using the least macabre inflection possible.
In fact, this Shinigami's vocal tone is a combination of loving, giddy, and sad*stic, explaining why this quote sent chills down the collective fandom's spine. However, when Ryuk declares he would "be the one writing [Light's] name in [his] Death Note," Kira merely scoffs at the possibility. As it happens, that's exactly how it plays out for Light.
12 "In This World, There Are Very Few People Who Actually Trust Each Other."
Light Yagami
It takes a lot more than a black-clothed emo teen anime protagonist to make an edgy story. In other words, Light Yagami portrayed the angsty energy belonging to this stereotype, despite simultaneously radiating an aura of competence and professionalism.
Edgy adolescents are rarely as determined as Kira, but that doesn't make him any less provocative. Besides, it's easy for young fans to misread Light's talk about distrust. What Light really meant to say was that he's the only person worth trusting, implicitly suggesting that everyone should place their faith in him.
11 "All You Will See Are People The World Would Be Better Off Without."
Light Yagami
On top of having a cut-throat attitude towards personal connections, Light is just a generally spiteful person who obtained the perfect opportunity to exercise his darkest thoughts. Light spends his days with a bright smile plastered across his innocent-looking face, but that's a mask hiding the darkness within.
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Light genuinely wants to rid the world of unwanted people. He's secretly staring at his family, his classmates, and basically anyone in his vicinity, with bile rising in his throat. That said, he fails to realize that his actions technically make him the ideal candidate for the Death Note, as this Death Note quote of his would suggest.
10 "An Eye For An Eye, My Friend."
L
To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, "an eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind." On the contrary, L ignores the latter half of Gandhi's statement while expressing his emotions. There could be an entire dictionary dedicated to the different ways in which Light says "I hate you."
Much like Light, L was an egotistical genius who treated his unique situation with a hardcore gamer's ambition and obsession. As such, there's no reason why his sense of justice should follow a different set of rules. L presumes that every action should be followed by an equal and opposite reaction, no matter the consequences.
9 "Careful What You Do, Because God Is Watching Your Every Move."
Misa Amane
Misa Amane is far from being the Death Note fandom's favorite female character. While a lot of that is chalked up to her co-dependent and insecure behavior, it simultaneously reveals more about the audience than Amane herself.
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Light didn't become vastly more dangerous because of any power boost, but because his dark nature could attract a genuine cult following, as embodied by Misa's support for Kira. Then again, the fact she invokes God while making such a seemingly absurd statement is enough proof of her edgy identity.
8 "In The End, There Is No Greater Motivation Than Revenge."
Mello
Revenge is everything to an anime character. In Vinland Saga, Thorfinn wastes his entire childhood chasing his father's killer, whereas Kurapika avenges his beloved clan in Hunter x Hunter. The characters in Death Note aren't immune to feelings of vengeance, although Mello wisely notes that "there is no greater motivation than revenge."
Edgy as this quote sounds on the surface, Mello's analysis is spot-on. Hunger, fear, love, and power are all incredibly potent catalysts, but they all pale in comparison before revenge. That said, the results produced by vengeance may not always be satisfying.
7 "It Is Generally Bad Luck For A Person To Be Followed By A God Of Death."
Ryuk
Ryuk made it clear early on that he was an impartial observer in Light Yagami's quest to become the new god of justice, which reflected in several Death Note quotes of his. Ryuk's impartial view was also ominous, because he could comment on the danger of using the Death Note without either encouraging or discouraging Light from using it.
Ryuk remarked that it's bad luck for anyone to have a death god following them around, an omen for what was to come. Indeed, Light was playing with fire and eventually got burned, and he didn't take it seriously when Ryuk idly warned him about it.
6 "In This World, There Is Only Good And Evil."
Mikami Teru
The world comprises a vast range of philosophical colors and flavors, so dividing everyone into good and evil is a childish exercise. Yet, Mikami Teru insists that only this moral binary is valid, because "that was the first universal truth [he] grasped from observing the world."
Like Misa Amane, Teru initially came off as an inveterate follower of Light's will. As Death Note progressed, however, his rigid beliefs became more and more exposed. While Light wanted to encourage people to obey Kira, Mikami Teru exploited the Death Note to exact justice against anyone with a criminal record, no matter how inconsequential.
5 "I Can't Develop Feelings. That's How Most Idiots Screw Up."
Light Yagami
Light thinks he's the ideal choice to be Kira, since he's allegedly capable of separating his emotional and intellectual aspects. Moreover, he asserts he "can't develop feelings," implying that he's beyond emotions. This is easily one of the edgiest quotes in Death Note, particularly because many real-life teenagers make the same mistake.
It's true that Light is much more in control of his feelings than the average hormone-addled adolescent, but he's simply too young to recognize the value of emotional intelligence. Light's miserable death finally exposes him for what he truly is: an abject coward.
4 "If You Can't Beat The Game, If You Can't Solve The Puzzle, You're Nothing But A Loser."
Near
This is one of the coldest and most unforgiving Death Note quotes, and it speaks volumes about how Near sees himself and others. He has his ideological and sentimental side, but most of all, Near is an aloof, calculating person who sees everything in terms of problems and solutions.
Speaking for himself, Near believes every project or personal quest is a puzzle to solve, and all the pieces must logically fit together to arrive at the correct solution. Results mean everything to him, and he will scorn anyone, even L Lawliet, for failing to deliver.
3 "Being Alone Is Better Than Being With The Wrong Person."
L
Even if L is an asocial detective who never had any genuine friends or lovers, he still has a good grasp on human psychology and sociology. L can observe other people's lives and make sharp insights about it all, including how relationships affect individuals.
L was correct that being with the wrong person can be devastating, while being alone is merely lonely. Being alone can be painful, but an abusive friend or partner can be far worse. Interestingly, this quote may apply to Misa Amane, who got herself into a world of hurt and crime by partnering up with Light.
2 "Death Is Equal."
L
L's religious tenets are unknown, but it can be safely assumed that he's either agnostic or atheist. He mentions that "no matter what you do while you're alive, everybody goes to the same place once you die." This quote is rather similar to Ryuk's observations on human mortality and demonstrates L's rational mindset.
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At the same time, L cares very little about the sanctity of life, despite his desperate attempts to defend humanity from Kira. Even in death, L's face is basically devoid of emotion. He truly is one of the most inscrutable characters in Death Note.
1 "This World Is Rotten, And Those Who Are Making It Rot Deserve To Die."
Light Yagami
This quote comes from one of Light's greatest monologues. The very essence of Death Note and every teenager's angsty energy can be found among these words. Light casually declares that "this world is rotten, and those who are making it rot deserve to die."
The sentiment behind this line isn't necessarily problematic, especially since many others feel the same way. Unfortunately, Light decides to confer upon himself the mantle of absolute justice just because he accidentally found the ultimate weapon. Those who hero worship this character should honestly reexamine their feelings.
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