User blog:Mikami Teru/Musings of a Fan

So it's been over 5 years since the anime has ended. The fandom has waned, but I see it still lingers in sites like these. Occasionally, I even come upon a few posts on Tumblr dedicated to preserving the fan base and commend the posters for doing so. I for one do not expect to move on from Death Note anytime soon either. I have taken something from the franchise I could obtain from no other source.

I was introduced to Death Note by the most unorthodox way possible: remember how spoilers of the last Harry Potter book made its way into an alleged Leeroy Jenkins remix video that also happened to include some “swimming lessons” in 2007? Yeah. Got a double whammy of spoilers there. Later that year, a cousin would rent for me both of the Death Note films on DVD (only released in Asia at the time) and watching them whet my appetite for Death Note.

When I first approached the series, I had mixed feelings about its premise. I had these same ambivalent feelings towards Light Yagami, the very protagonist. It was not like any other shonen manga I had read for it was not as action-oriented as I had expected. As for Light, I was split on the morality of his actions- sure he was ridding the world of crime, but he was doing so by killing people.

As I became more and more intimate with the series, I saw myself siding with Kira and favoring his ideals. I even began to idolize Light and I, being the naïve little kid I was at the time, aspired to be in everyway just like him. Of course that failed when I realized I could never reach him as an equal in intellect. My lackluster academic standing only bolstered this harsh truth. Besides, it's not like I could kill anyone. As much as any normal human being may think about it, few will actually go the extra mile.



Regardless, I believe have since then acquired Light’s resolve to help change the world. Perhaps killing droves of people that included even innocents was not the best way to go about it, but at least it warranted results. For example, he was literally able to stop war as Kira. Since becoming more inclined to keep myself up to date with world news, I am constantly reminded of how much political turmoil ravages tens of nations. With our very own United States under constant pressure of involving itself in armed combat, I wonder if there will be an end to the conflict. I know now that one cannot simply just sit idly by and expect change to occur. One has to take matters into his own hands.

I don’t expect myself to do something radical or drastic to try to implement the change I want to see, but I know that the world will not improve itself. I am determined to do as much as I can to help in the near future. Yet keeping my head up in the face of despair proves to be just as much of a difficult task. Even as I study in a university trying to acquire the very credentials required to go out there and help, sometimes I feel it may be hopeless as the world becomes more and more decadent.

To keep me from straying, I use Death Note as a constant inspiration. When I read the manga, watch the anime or even listen to the theme songs, I am always reminded of my dreams and aspirations to make my mark in the world by making some much needed change. That is why I am still a fan to this day after 5 years. '"It's our duty to improve our society." '

-Teru Mikami