Near

"Nobody can tell what is right and what is wrong, what is righteous and what is evil. Even if there is a god, and I had His teachings before me, I would think it through, and decide if that was right or wrong myself."

- Near (chapter 105, "Impossible")

Near (ニア, Nia) is the younger of L's two successors, raised in Wammy's House—Watari's orphanage for gifted children in Winchester, England. After L's death, Near begins his investigation of the Kira case, gathering evidence over a period of four years. Near takes his findings to the President of the United States and reveals himself to be the true successor of L. Soon after, Near becomes the head of the Special Provision for Kira and continues the hunt for Kira. After making contact with "L" (Light Yagami), Near begins to suspect that the current L is also Kira.

Appearance
Near has white hair and gray eyes. He is only seen wearing a white, long-sleeved pajama top and white pajama pants. In the anime, Near's pants are light blue. In the Death Note One-Shot Special, which takes place three years after the end of the Kira case, Near is shown to have sharp bags under his eyes, slightly longer hair, and to have undergone a growth spurt.

Character
Near is very intelligent, although his childish appearance and demeanor can cause others, such as David Hoope, to question his abilities. He has an obsession with solving complex problems and views the investigation as like solving a puzzle. He is highly observational and was once seen piecing together a puzzle that was almost entirely colored white. He is proficient when it comes to multitasking and is able to monitor multiple computer screens at once. Near also appears to be ambidextrous, playing darts with his left hand and stacking dice with his right.

Despite his genius abilities, Near has a low social knowledge and is bad at interacting with others. As stated in Death Note 13: How to Read, "he is only able to display his true deductive powers when he has the support of his members." The book also states that Near is distant from people because he is sensitive. Near is rather codependent, as seen when he asks Rester to accompany him on his flight to Japan due to having never flown alone.

Near is very calm and stable, a trait that is described in Death Note 13: How to Read as being "above that of L's." He is also rather devious and isn't above using tactics that are "barely within the law," as he "values results above all else." Although a seemingly straight-faced individual, Near will often smirk when getting something right and does so many times while trying to corner Light during their conversations. He is also shown to have a sense of humor, stating that Light was "popular with the ladies" while discussing with Rester the roles of Misa Amane and Kiyomi Takada in the Kira case. Near shows much more emotion and displays far more facial expressions in the manga than he does in the anime. For example, when the SPK members were killed around him in the anime, Near keeps a stern look, but he is visibly upset in the manga.

Tsugumi Ohba, the writer of Death Note, said that Near becomes less likable as the story progresses, citing the upcoming plan to have the notebook at a later point in history. Ohba added that Near's cheeky behavior, intended to reinforce his childishness, had been construed as annoying. The author said that a negative reaction led to a difference in their attitudes and that people may have seen Near as a cheat or wannabe L.

In the post-series one-shot chapter, Near is shown to have a great respect for L, basing much of how he solves crime on L's methods, even to the point where he only takes cases that he has a personal interest in rather than trying to pursue justice. Much like L, Near shows various unusual mannerisms during his day-to-day life. He is usually seen hunched over rather than sitting, and he also constantly plays with various toys, which he uses in his theories.

With extremely childlike interests, his surroundings always have toys, dice, or darts strewn about. Even though he is only playing, piecing together a patterned puzzle starting out of nowhere and the like easily shows a sample of his abilities and intelligence. Normally, his fixation with toys is light, but he does seem to have favorites, such as the toys he took with him when escaping the SPK headquarters while it was under attack by Hitoshi Demegawa and other Kira supporters. Three years after the main story, Near takes an interest in building Tarot card stacks. Of course, these structures are far beyond normal size, easily covering an entire room. It appears that Near would despise anyone who knocks down these structures, accidentally or intentionally. He also seems to have a love for dice. Although Near is always surrounded with toys, few of them are electronic. Most of his toys are the types that need to be moved manually, such as his action figures, darts, and dolls. His electronic toys include his remote-control rubber ducks and a battery-powered train.

While L uses the Old English Text MT/Cloister Black font text "L," Near uses the Wedding Text BT/ClerestorySSK font text "N" to represent himself during the Kira investigation. In the one-shot chapter, he is shown conducting investigations as "L", and uses the Old English Text MT/Cloister Black font text "L."

History
Near is introduced to the story as a child at Wammy's House. He is first seen sitting alone in a room piecing together a white puzzle, with the puzzle's only design being a black letter 'L' in the corner. As some children run by the room, a young girl named Linda asks Near if he wants to play with them. Near replies, "No, thank you, Linda," and continues to put together his puzzle. Soon after, Roger Ruvie comes by the room with Mello and brings the two children to his office. There, Roger informs the two boys that L has died.

Although Mello reacts rather violently to the news, Near remains quiet, sitting on the floor piecing together his puzzle. Mello begins questioning Roger, asking how L could say that he would catch Kira but end up dead himself. Near picks up his completed puzzle and turns it upside down, causing the pieces to fall about. He states, "If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the puzzle, you are just a loser." He immediately begins putting his puzzle back together. Mello asks Roger if he or Near was chosen as L's successor, and Roger replies that L had not decided yet. Roger asks if the two boys could work together. Near responds with a positive "alright," while Mello says it will never work because they "don't get along." Mello decides that Near should take the position of L because of his ability to stay calm and refrain from getting emotional, saying Near "uses his head" to solve the puzzle. Mello leaves the orphanage, and Near stays at Wammy's House for an unknown period of time.

In the time between learning of L's death and the creation of the SPK, Near gathers evidence related to the Kira case. Because all of the data gathered by L had been deleted, Near starts from scratch.

Plot
On March 5, 2009 (2012 in the anime), nearly four years after the death of L, Near and the Director of the FBI, Steve Mason, meet with the President of the United States. The Director informs the President that the current 'L' is false and was created by the Japanese Police to avoid disorder. The President is informed that the murders performed by Kira were done with a Death Note. The Director asks Near if these statements are correct, and Near replies that they are. Near explains that on November 5, 2004, L pursued Higuchi, and Higuchi was surrounded by police cars in his vehicle within forty minutes. Near says that L warned the police to not get near Higuchi's car, meaning that there is no doubt that Higuchi had the ability to kill. The President asks Near if he thinks Higuchi killed with a Death Note, and Near responds that the notebook has the power to kill those whose name is written in it. Near explains that a policeman at the scene reported hearing Higuchi mention a notebook that could kill someone whose face you know if you write their name in it. Near says that afterwards, a notebook was removed from the scene and taken away via helicopter. Near says that this indicates that with L gone, the notebook is most likely in the hands of the Japanese Police. The Director tells the President that Near began his own investigation with no prior evidence, but his research materials that he brought for the President support his theory. The President asks the Director who this boy is, and the Director responds that Near is the rightful successor to the name of 'L.'

On March 12, 2009, the United States of America created the Special Provision for Kira, an independent organization consisting of FBI and CIA agents established to investigate Kira. Near worked for the United States as the head of the SPK. After making contact with "L," he managed to deduce that Light Yagami, the head of the Japanese Task Force and the person posing as L, actually is Kira.

Near identifies Teru Mikami as Light's proxy. Shortly after, Mello kidnaps Kiyomi Takada, revealing Light's deceptive plan to have Mikami use a fake Death Note to lead Near on. Near's subordinate Gevanni was able to switch the real Death Note with his own forged copy, allowing Near to set up a final confrontation between the SPK and the Task Force that leaves Light exposed as Kira. Near claims neither he nor Mello could have surpassed L alone, but together they had surpassed L by inadvertently working together. Near soon takes on L's name and keeps on the surviving members of the SPK as his subordinates.

In the one-shot chapter taking place after the series, Near is shown as the new L (the third chronologically). A new Kira emerges who has gained a Death Note from the Shinigami named Midora, who had received the additional Death Note from the Shinigami King by bribing him with 13 apples she had taken from the Human World. The new Kira murdered elderly people in Japan to "relieve their pain." When Near's SPK subordinates asked him why he was not taking action, he replied that he was trying to think what the previous L would have done. He finally reaches a conclusion that the prevailing Kira was just a killer without a purpose, and he labeled the killer "C-Kira" for "Cheap Kira." He announces on national television, under the alias "L," that he is not interested in the case and has deduced that this Kira is not the real Kira but only an "abominable murderer." This results in C-Kira's suicide. Throughout the 40-page manga chapter, the identity of the new Kira is not revealed.

L: Change the WorLd (live action film)
In L: Change the WorLd, L gives a talented Thai boy with a gift for calculations the name "Near." L hopes for the boy, the sole survivor of a Thai village ravaged with a deadly disease, to succeed him as L as he knows that the rules of the Death Note will kill the experienced detective within a short period of time. Near does not speak much in the movie (during the movie, he only says numbers and letters) and when he does, he speaks only in English. Like many of the characters during the transition from animation to live action, Near is portrayed with black hair instead of white hair as seen in the anime. Near is portrayed by Narushi Fukuda in the film and voice by Michael Strusievici in the English dub. For reasons unknown, even though L was shown giving him the name of "Near," he was listed as "BOY/ニア" in the credits.

L: Change the WorLd (novel)
In L: Change the WorLd, the novel based on the film, Near is described as being the original Near as he appeared in the original Death Note series. However, due to the plot in which Kira killing L is absent, the requirement of an immediate nominee as a successor is not necessary until L's final days are over. Despite this, Near assists L in the capture of Blue Ship from behind the scenes. The plot in which Near was a Thai boy is also completely absent from the novel.

It is revealed in the novel that Near was the chosen successor to L if L had to make his choice. However, there was no mention or discussion about Mello in the book. L even goes on to say that Near will be harder to deal with than him.

TV Drama
In the television drama, Near is in regular contact with L from the start of the series, and the two of them spend regular quality time together. Near is a fully capable detective who goes by the alias "B" and assists in the investigation beginning with the Yotsuba arc. Near's character is combined with Mello as a separate personality. Mello is initially embodied in a puppet that Near carries around, but later the Mello personality comes out directly in Near.

Near is portrayed by actress Mio Yūki, and the character's gender in the Drama is left ambiguous.

Conception
The following information is from Death Note 13: How to Read.

Tsugumi Ohba: Writer 

Takeshi Obata: Artist

Ohba said that he gave Near a hobby of playing with toys (mostly robots); he also stacks "things" as a development from L's hobby of stacking sugar cubes, emphasizing his childlike appearance.

The given name "Nate" comes from the word "natural," and "River" symbolizes that Near's talents flow from L. Therefore, Near is the natural successor to L. The name is "supposed" to show that Near is a "natural genius blessed from above." The nickname Near is composed of the first and last letters of Nate River then swapped around to make a recognizable word.

Ohba said that he let Obata create the character designs and asked him to make both characters look "a little 'L-ish.'" Obata said that since Ohba wanted to "include a little L" in Near and Mello, he tried to keep "the weirdness and the panda eyes."

Obata added that the designs for the characters became switched at the design phase; the final Mello had Near's design and vice-versa. Obata said that when he created a depiction of the designs, his editor wrote the wrong names accompanying the designs. When Obata received approval, he could not say that the labels were incorrect. Obata said that, for him, Near was "more evil" than Mello. He feels now that "it's better" that the switch occurred.

Obata said that when he first saw Near, he "didn't even know what the heck he was wearing." He said that "it was tough" drawing Near's apparel as he did not understand the assembly of his clothes. Obata said that when he settled for pajamas, because of the "toyish" theme Near represents, "things got a lot easier." The artist stated that as he drew Near, the concept of his immaturity became "stronger and stronger," as he believes that such traits are best revealed "gradually." Obata cited the fact that in the beginning Near's sole toy consisted of darts.

Ohba has said that the finger puppets used by Near in the final chapter did not exist in the thumbnails and that he felt the final scenes "looked cooler" with the presence of the puppets. Obata said that he felt he could express the "negative" parts of Near with the puppets. Ohba added that one could see "his dark side in his kind of puppets he used." Obata said that Near first brought the finger puppets and drew on them with a magic marker; he then said Near must have created the other puppets afterwards. Although Near respects L, Obata sees Near not liking L as a person, as Near says, "If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the puzzle, then you're just a loser." Since he refers to L as a loser, Obata had Near depict L as ugly; however, Near worked hard on Mello's puppet, as Near liked Mello.

When asked: "Who do you think is the smartest character [in Death Note]?" Obata replied, "Near. Because he cheats."

Trivia

 * At the end of the manga, Near is shown eating chocolate in homage to Mello.
 * When Teru Mikami used his Shinigami Eyes, the numbers of Near's lifespan are: 43406. (This is an incomplete number.)
 * Near's tendency to smile whenever he gets something right was used as a foreshadow in the final episode. Unbeknownst to Light, Near's smile during his direct confrontation with Light was used to indicate that he was able to see Ryuk and thus prove to himself that Light was Kira.
 * Near was one of the Death Note characters made into Nendoroid figures, but he was only made into a Nendoroid petite, as were characters including Mello, Mikami, Watari, and Rem. Light, L, Misa, and Ryuk were the only characters made into the primary Nendoroid figures but were also made into Nendoroid petites.
 * In the Italian version, when referred to as "N," rather than using the letter "N" to spell his name, the phonetic spelling "Enne" is used.

Quotes

 * “If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the puzzle, you're nothing but a loser.” (Chapter 60)
 * “Together we can stand with L. Together we can surpass L.” (Chapter 104)
 * “You abominable murderer.” (Death Note One-Shot Special)
 * “Don't worry, Commander Rester, making assumptions is part of any investigation, if we're wrong all it'll cost is an apology.” (Episode 30)
 * “No. You're just a murderer, Light Yagami. And this notebook is the deadliest weapon in the history of mankind. You yielded to the power of the Shinigami and the notebook and you have confused yourself with a god. In the end, you're nothing more than a crazy serial killer. That’s all you are. Nothing more, and nothing less.” (Episode 37)
 * “Light Yagami, L, Kira, you have lost.” (Episode 37)
 * “Keep all important information in your mind only.”

Themes
Near has three themes, each appearing on Death Note Original Soundtrack III. His themes are "Near's Theme", "Near", and "Near 2".