Death Note (object)

The Death Note is a supernatural notebook which has the power to kill any human whose name is written into it. It is this premise which forms the central plotline in the series. Shinigami normally use Death Notes to kill humans from the Shinigami Realm, thereby adding each human's remaining years of life to their own. Rogue Shinigami are gods of death who drop extra Death Note(s) from the Shinigami Realm down to the human world in order to allow humans the use of their spare killer notebook(s). Historically, humans have either killed other humans with the Death Note(s) or ended up burning and therefore destroying the Death Note for any number of reasons. Ryuk is the first Rogue Shinigami that is shown in the manga, yet it is stated early in the series that there have been other Death Notes dropped in the human world before.

The Death Note is regarded to by Near as the most deadly weapon ever used in the history of mankind.

One of the eyecatch rules of the Shinigami Realm states that only 6 Death Notes can exist in the human realm at any one time. However, it is unknown how many killer notebooks exist in the Shinigami Realm, as well as how Death Notes are created (the King of Death, perhaps).

Light Yagami's Death Note
Light Yagami found this Death Note in the courtyard of his high school in Kyoto, Japan. It first belonged to Sidoh, but Ryuk stole it and dropped it into the human world because "he was bored." After testing the Death Note for the first time by killing a criminal, Light was clearly scared. However, after killing a second criminal whilst the man was attempting to commit rape, Light Yagami was mentally disturbed by the murders. It was at this point that he became the "entity" known as Kira, a name derived from the Japanese pronunciation of "Killer," given to him by the people of the country. Thus, Light Yagami became the first human to use a Death Note with the intent to rid the entire planet of all evil in the name of Divine Justice.

Misa Amane's Death Note
Misa Amane's Death note was owned by Gelus, but Rem took it to the human world when the Shinigami died after saving Misa's life. It was then given to Misa by Rem.

Kyosuke Higuchi's Death Note
Kyosuke Higuchi's Death Note was previously Light's Death Note. Light gave ownership of this notebook back to Ryuk, who gave it to Rem, whom was instructed by Light to give it to a greedy human who would use it for his own gain. It was given to Kyosuke Higuchi by Rem. After Higuchi's death, Light coincientally touched the death note and recovered ownership of the death note.

Jack Neylon's Death Note (Mello's Death Note)
Jack Neylon's Death Note was previously owned by Sidoh, who traveled to the human world to retrieve it from Ryuk, who had given ownership to Light. One of Mello's henchmen traded the Death Note (which was, at the time, owned by Soichiro Yagami) for Sayu Yagami's life. It was given to Jack Neylon by Mello.

The following information is about all the Death Notes featured in the series. The information is listed chronologically - from who owned the Death Note to its last appearance.

It was typed by Murali Thaya :

Sidoh's Death Note (Light Yagami's Death Note, Ryuk's 2nd Death Note, Kyosuke Higuchi's Death Note, Jack Neylon's Death Note, Mello's Death Note, Soichiro Yagami's Death Note) :
Ryuk, a rogue shinigami in the Shinigami world, steals a Death Note from a careless Shinigami named Sidoh. The Death Note was plain black but Ryuk writes “Death Note” in English on the cover and the rules in English inside. Ryuk, who is very bored, drops the Death Note into the human world. It lands in a schoolyard in Kyoto, Japan. A 17 year old straight A-student named Light Yagami sees it fall from the sky. When school finishes, he takes the Death Note home, thinking it’s a joke. After some experiments, Light discovers that the Death Note’s powers are real, and meets Ryuk afterwards. After meeting the Second Kira, Misa Amane, Light is suspected of being Kira by the world’s greatest detective, L. Light, realizing the suspicion, forces Misa to relinquish ownership of her Death Note, thus erasing her memories of the Death Note. Light gives his Death Note (Sidoh’s Death Note) back to Ryuk, the shinigami who possesses it. (When a Shinigami takes a Death Note from another Shinigami, that Shinigami gains possession of it). Ryuk gives Sidoh’s Death Note to Rem, Misa’s Shinigami. Rem now owns three Death Notes (her own, Misa’s, as Misa gave up her Death Note, and Light/Sidoh’s).

Rem, however, gives Misa’s Death Note to Ryuk, thus swapping possessions (Rem used to be the Shinigami who owns/possesses Misa’s Death Note while Ryuk possessed Light, however now Rem possesses Light’s and Ryuk possess Misa’s). Ryuk buries Misa’s Death Note, and Light instructs Rem to give his Death Note to a greedy man who would use the Death Note to attempt to gain a higher status. Light is then apprehended by L and the task force, who lock him and Misa up for fifty days. Light tells Ryuk to “get rid of it”, meaning to give up all ownership of his Death Note, and Light loses his memories. L finds out that after locking up Light and Misa, the killings have stopped. However, the killings start the next day. L releases Light and Misa from their cells, however they must be handcuffed to L. L finds out that a Yotsuba corporate executive named Kyosuke Higuchi is the new Kira. Light, who is now innocent (as he has no memory of being Kira), helps L in many ways to apprehend the Yotsuba Kira. L sends Misa and Matsuda (as Misa’s manager Taro Matsui) into the Yotsuba office. During a meeting, Rem (who is now following the owner of the Death Note she possesses, Higuchi) sees Misa. Rem rips a piece of Light’s Death Note (which is now Higuchi’s) and taps Misa, allowing her to see Rem. (If a human touches a Death Note or a piece of a Death Note, they can see the shinigami who possesses it). Rem tells Misa that Higuchi is the owner of the Death Note, and Misa tells L that she “suspects” that Higuchi is Kira.

Matsuda (Taro Matsui) is now being suspected by Higuchi as a spy, pretends to get drunk at a Yotsuba party and jumps off the balcony (he is saved by L and the task force, though). This leads Yotsuba to think that Matsuda is dead. However, Matsuda appears on TV in the next few days, talking about Yotsuba having connections to Kira. Higuchi, angered, writes the name ‘Taro Matsui’ in his Death Note. Realizing that Taro Matsui is not his real name, he goes to Sakura TV to kill Matsuda. At this point, L and Light are sure that Higuchi is Kira (Misa tells Higuchi that she is the second Kira and proposes to him, and on tape she records Higuchi revealing that he is Kira). L and Light chase down Higuchi. Higuchi, after realizing that Matsuda is not there, trades in half his lifespan to gain the Shinigami eyes and escapes the police. However, the police and the task force interfere, and Higuchi is captured. The existence of the Death Note is revealed to L and the task force. Light, upon touching his original Death Note, regains his memories. However, if he lets go of the Death Note, he loses his memories again. Light kills Higuchi using a scrap of the Death Note hidden in his watch earlier and regains ownership of the Death Note. However, L and the task force have also touched it, and now they can see the Shinigami that possesses Light’s Death Note, Rem.

Light tells Misa to go to a place in the woods and dig something up.

Misa digs up her old Death Note and regains her memory. However because of the Shinigami ownership swap, Ryuk possesses her Death Note, not Rem.

After making the eye trade with Ryuk, she returns to Light and taps him with a piece of her Death Note, allowing Light to see Ryuk again. Light tells Rem that L and his assistant Watari have cleared their suspicion against him, but not against Misa. Rem realizes what Light is saying – she must kill L and Watari or Misa will captured as the Second Kira and die. Rem kills Watari and then L himself, before dying. (If a Shinigami saves someone’s life by killing that person who might end their life, the shinigami dies).

Rem dies because she saved Misa’s life by killing the persons who might have ended her life (L and Watari, respectively). Rem’s original Death Note, the Death Note that she owned, is dropped onto the floor in a secret room in the task force headquarters (this is where Rem killed L and herself, so her Death Note, which was in her hands, dropped onto the floor when she crumbled to ash).

At this point, Light/Sidoh’s original Death Note is kept safeguarded by the task force and Light starts using Rem’s Death Note to continue his killings as Kira, and as the newly appointed L (in order to hide L and Watari’s death from the world, the task force appoint Light as the Second L and the new Watari).

Sidoh’s Death Note is kept in the task force headquarters for three years untouched until Mello (one of L’s true successors) captures Chief Yagami’s daughter Sayu (Light’s sister) and demands the Death Note for her. The task force give the Death Note to Mello and is now used by his gang, mostly by Mello and one of his henchman, Jack Neylon. However, Sidoh (the shinigami who was the original owner of Light’s Death Note) finds out that he is about to die unless he writes some human’s name into the Death Note. He finds out that Ryuk stole his Death Note more than three years ago, and returns to the human world to retrieve it. He traces his Death Note to Mello’s hideout and is intimidated by Mello. Sidoh makes the eye deal with Jack Neylon, the new owner of the Light/Sidoh’s Death Note and Neylon continues killing more people, such as the police. Light and the other task force members decide to take action.

Soichiro Yagami, who made the eye trade with Ryuk before giving Mello the Death Note, now has the Shinigami eyes. Light presumably uses Misa’s Death Note to write down one of Mello’s henchman’s name, instructing him to send Light the address of the hideout before dying. Light and the task force break into the hideout, and Light can now see Sidoh, the owner of his Death Note. The Chief also sees Mello’s real name from his Shinigami eyes, but Mello blows up the hideout in order to escape from the task force.

Many of the mafia members (Mello’s gang) die, and Soichiro Yagami is wounded. Light tries to persuade Soichiro to write down Mello’s name in the Death Note. The Chief looks at Light at sees his lifespan. (If you have Shinigami eyes, you cannot see the lifespan of another Death Note owner – Light gave up ownership of Rem's Death Note) and the Chief dies, thinking that his son is not Kira.

Light gives his original Death Note back to its true owner, Sidoh, and tells him not to interfere anymore. Sidoh takes a look at all the names in his Death Note and is surprised. (The first name written in it is Kurou Otoharada, the first person Light killed).

Sidoh leaves the human world with his Death Note. This the last time the original Death Note is ever seen.

Gelus' Death Note (Misa Amane's Death Note, Teru Mikami's Death Note, Rem's 2nd Death Note, Near's Death Note) :
In the Shinigami world, a white female Shinigami named Rem sees her friend Gelus/Jealous looking at the human world. After joining Gelus, she sees that an actress/model named Misa Amane is being stalked by her manager.

By looking at Misa’s lifespan, Gelus and Rem both know that the manager is going to stab Misa with his knife, thus ending her life (The manager wants to kill Misa and then himself so that they can be together forever). Gelus, however, falls in love with the young girl, and against Rem’s protests, Gelus writes down the name of Misa’s destined murderer. Gelus starts turning to dust and ash, and Misa’s lifespan has now extended – the remaining lifespan of Gelus is added to Misa’s. Rem now discovers one of the hidden Shinigami secrets, the secret of how to kill shinigami. Gelus dies because he extended Misa’s lifespan, and Shinigami exist to take it, not extend it.

Rem then inherits Gelus’ love for Misa, and takes Gelus’ Death Note to the human world so she can give it to Misa.

Misa, who now has a Death Note, sees on the news that there is now a criminal named Kira who kills other criminals by heart attack. Rem tells Misa that Kira must have Death Note then. Misa then finds out that the criminal who killed her parents has been killed by Kira. She starts worshipping Kira, and sets out to find him. She sends in tapes of herself acting as ‘Kira’ to Sakura TV in order to gain the real Kira’s attention.

L, the world’s greatest detective, deduces that there is another Kira out there – he discovers that this Kira can kill without knowing the victim’s name. This is because Misa made the eye deal with Rem. However, the rest of the public believe that the two Kira’s are one.

Misa and Rem are in Aoyama one day, and Light Yagami (the real Kira) is with his friends. Because Death Note owners cannot see another Death Note owner’s lifespan, Misa uses her Shinigami eyes and discovers that she cannot see Light’s lifespan, thus discovering that Light is Kira. Rem, who can see other Shinigami as well, sees Ryuk floating above the crowd. In a couple of days, Misa and Rem find out where Light lives, and Misa shows Light her Death Note. Light now knows the identity of the Second Kira and can also see Rem. Light also starts using Misa as a pawn, but Misa doesn’t care, as she has fallen in love with Light Yagami.

After becoming one of Light’s girlfriends, she goes with Light to To-Oh University, and Light sees L, who is another runner-up. L suspects Light of being Kira. L reveals himself as Hideki Ryuga (the same name as that of a Japanese singer) and both he and Light play an intense game of tennis. L reveals to Light that he is ‘L’. Misa comes along and sees L’s real name, and Light thinks he won (If Misa writes down L’s name in her Death Note, there is no one in Kira’s way). L steals Misa’s phone afterwards and kidnaps her. At this point, Light knows that L suspects he and and Misa are Kira.

Light and Misa renounce ownerships of their Death Note, and Misa/Gelus’ Death Note is buried in the woods. After the Third Kira’s death, Misa is (somewhat) cleared of her suspicion as the Second Kira. She digs up her Death Note (who is now being possessed by Ryuk – Light makes Rem the shinigami of his Death Note) and regains her memories. Because she lost her memories in the first place, she lost her Shinigami eyes. However, she makes the deal again with Ryuk, angering Rem.

Light tells Rem that even though the task force has cleared their suspicion against Misa, L and Watari haven’t. In order to save Misa’s life, Rem kills L and Watari, thus ending her life. Light becomes the new Watari and the Second L. Misa keeps her Death Note while Light uses Rem’s – Light’s original Death Note, which was used by Kyosuke Higuchi, the Third/Yotsuba Kira, is now in the possession of the task force.

Some time after three years, Misa gives up ownership of Gelus’ Death Note to a crazed Kira supporter named Teru Mikami as per Light’s request. She loses her memories again and her Shinigami eyes. Light does this because one of L’s successors, Near, is now suspecting Light and Misa. Mikami, however, is now continuing the killings.

Near and his team, the SPK (Special Provisions for Kira) have discovered that Light and Misa are the two first Kira, and that Mikami is the fourth (a Yotsuba executive was the third). Near uses his companion Giovanni to trace down Mikami, and finds out that when Mikami goes somewhere, he puts the Death Note in his locker. During this time, Giovanni breaks into the locker and takes Gelus’ Death Note and makes a duplicate, copying down all the names from the original Death Note and onto the fake one, forging the same writing as Mikami. As per Near’s requests, Giovanni replaces the pages in the real Death Note, some of it being the real Death Note pages and some being normal paper. Giovanni puts the duplicate Death Note, which has some real Death Note pages but mostly normal paper, back into Mikami’s locker. This involves in Near now having a Death Note.

Near and his SPK call Light and the task force down to a warehouse because Near tells them that he knows Kira’s true identity. Near tells the task force that Light is Kira, but Light denies it. However, before coming, Light tells Mikami to hide in the warehouse, and by using his Shinigami eyes (Mikami made the eye trade with Ryuk) to kill Near, the SPK, and all the other members of the task force. Mikami writes down Near’s name (Nate River) and some of the names of the SPK but is interrupted, as the SPK have now found Mikami hiding behind the door. The task force is scared that they are going to die, but Near assures them that no one is going to die. Near reveals that he switched the Death Note, and that Mikami wrote down their names in a fake Death Note. To prove it, Near shows the fake Death Note to the Light and the task force, and Light sees the first name written down (Nate River), and is sure that that is Near’s real name. Near pulls out the real Death Note (Gelus’ Death Note), and says that because he touched the real Death Note, he was able to see Ryuk behind Light the whole time. Near and Ryuk have small talk, and Light admits that he is Kira in a crazed, maniacal voice. The SPK handcuff Mikami, and Light walks to the other side of the warehouse, giving a small speech about him being Kira and his objectives. While turning around, Light opens his watch, which has a piece of his original Death Note, the one which belonged to Sidoh, hidden inside.

He takes out a fountain pen and writes ‘Nate Ri-’ on it before Matsuda pulls out his gun and fires shots at Light. Light, screaming, continues writing down Near’s name in his blood before Matsuda fires multiple shots, seriously wounding Light. At this point, the scrap of Death Note says ‘Nate Rive’, as Light didn’t get a chance to write the ‘R’.

Light begs Ryuk to kill the others using his own Death Note, since he is invincible. Ryuk writes down ‘Light Yagami’ in his Death Note, saying that he thought Light could worm himself out of this situation, but now that he asks him for help, he knows Light is over. Since Ryuk doesn’t want to stay around Light while Light serves a lifetime jail sentence, Ryuk fulfills his first promise and kills Light. Light then dies of a heart attack, and Ryuk goes back to the Shinigami realm. Mikami is thrown in jail, but dies of a heart attack a few days later. Matsuda then says that he thinks Near wrote Mikami’s name in the Death Note. Near then burns both Death Notes (Gelus' and Rem's).

Misa Amane, who lost her Shinigami eyes and her memories (she gave up ownerships of both Death Notes), is wondering why there is such a large gap in her life (she cannot remember three years of her life because she gave up the Death Notes per Light Yagami's request). However, she still remembers her love for Light Yagami. Matsuda tips off to Misa that Light died, and on February 14th 2011, Misa Amane commits suicide.

Ryuk's Death Note
This Death Note is the Rogue Shinigami Ryuk's original Death Note, given to him by the Shinigami King. There are only a couple of names inside - the names of humans Ryuk killed to extend his lifespan, and the names of the human Death Note owners when their time was over - Ryuk used this Death Note to kill Light Yagami, the first Kira. This Death Note is also in English.

Rem's Death Note (Light Yagami's 2nd Death Note)
This Death Note is the Shinigami Rem's original Death Note, given to her by the Shinigami King. There were probably only some names on this Death Note before, the names of humans that Rem killed to extend her lifespan. Rem uses this Death Note to kill L and Watari. However, after Rem's death, Light Yagami finds and gains ownership of this Death Note, becoming his second Death Note. Light uses this Death Note for about more than two years, as his original Death Note is in the possession of the task force. The rules in this book are in Japanese, but are the same as the other Death Notes. Light used this Death Note to kill Aiber (Thierry Morrello) and Wedy (Mary Kenwood), and other criminals for over two years. At one point near the end, Light Yagami gave up ownership of this Death Note to Misa or Mikami (can't remember). At the end, Near has Misa/Gelus' Death Note and Rem's Death Note, and incinerates them both.

Midora's Death Note
This Death Note was given to a female Shinigami named Midora by the Shinigami King.

C-Kira's Death Note (Midora's 2nd Death Note)
Midora gives thirteen juicy Earth apples to the Shinigami King. The Shinigami King rewards her with another Death Note. Following Ryuk's footsteps, Midora drops this Death Note in the human world, and is found by a person. This person uses the Death Note to kill elderly people, so they can die in their sleep. Near names this person 'C-Kira', or 'Cheap Kira'. Near, who is now 23, says that C-Kira is nothing BUT a murderer. Horrified that Near called him a murderer, C-Kira writes his own name in the Death Note, committing suicide. Midora then realizes that she cannot be a true rogue Shinigami like Ryuk. She goes back to the Shinigami realm and gives her second Death Note (C-Kira's Death Note) to Ryuk, telling him to keep it.

Taro Kagami's Death Note (Ryuk's 2nd Death Note in the PILOT CHAPTER)
In the Death Note pilot chapter, Ryuk steals two Death Notes and throws them down to Earth. A bully victim named Taro Kagami (later the inspiration for Teru Mikami) finds this Death Note. Thinking that it is a diary, he writes down 'A-Rou Suzuki and B-Rou Tanaka bullied me today'. Because he wrote Suzuki and Tanaka's name, they both die. Two police officers come to Taro's house and Taro is terrified. Taro then meets Ryuk, the Shinigami. Ryuk tells Taro to ask to see the police officers' badges. Taro finds out their names, but the police think Taro is innocent and leave. Taro is horrified that he killed Suzuki and Tanaka, when he didn't want to. Ryuk gives Taro the 'Death Note Eraser', an eraser that can erase names on a Death Note and bring that person back to life (as long as their body is destroyed or decayed). Suzuki and Tanaka come back to life, and everyone is surprised. The two officers who came to Taro's house go to visit the two boys, trying to ask them how they died and how they came back to life. Taro watches this on TV. However, Suzuki, Tanaka, and the two officers die. Taro wonders if someone else has a Death Note, and Ryuk reveals that he dropped another one. Taro realizes that his friend Muira must have the other one. Taro confronts Muira and gives him the Death Note Eraser. Muira revives Suzuki, Tanaka, and the two officers. Taro and Muira visit the two officers, and to prove that the Death Note works, Muira writes down 'Taro Kagami, peaceful death'. He then erases Taro's name. Muira's Death Note is burned by the police (they don't know that Taro has a Death Note himself). The Death Note's existence is revealed, and now there is going to be a movie based on the Death Note. Taro, now a 17 year old, sees a survey asking what people would do with a Death Note. The 17 year old Taro has Ryuk follow him, as Taro still has his Death Note.

In a way, Taro Kagami IS the First Kira.

Muira's Death Note (Ryuk's 3rd Death Note in the PILOT CHAPTER)
The Shinigami Ryuk drops his third Death Note down in the human world. When a bully victim named Muira finds it, he plans to kill the two bullies who always bully him. However, they have already died that night. (Muira's friend Taro has a Death Note too, and accidentally killed the two bullies). Muira is then visited by two police officers, who are finding out if anyone knows anything about Suzuki and Tanaka (the two bullies). Muira sees their badges and their real names. That night, Ryuk helps Taro bring Suzuki and Tanaka back to life. Muira, however, kills the two bullies, making them die again. He also kills the two police officers. After Taro finds out that Muira has a Death Note, Taro brings Muira and his Death Note to the police station. After showing the Death Note's power by killing Taro (who Muira brings back to life), the police acknowledge the existence of the Death Note. The Death Note is revealed to the public, and the two officers destroy Muira's Death Note by setting it on fire, thus burning it.

Muira is technically the Second Kira.

Differences between Death Notes
There are several different Death Note designs by Shinigami, including plain black (Rem's Death Note), English (Ryuk's 2nd Death Note, a.k.a. Sidoh's Death Note) and a Shinigami language (Gelus's Death Note, a.k.a. Rem's 2nd Death Note.) Other cover designs may exist as well, but that would be completely up to the Shinigami owning that particular Death Note. There are other Death Notes which are red or white as well, yet they are never shown in the manga or the anime. They are more rare than black Death Notes, however, they have the same effects as black Death Notes.

Shonen Jump also made Death Note notebook replicas which can be bought from their website, and Misa's Death Note for the Death Note movie is also purchasable, which comes with a pen.