Misa Amane/Drama

"Isn't it awful? Rem said if I came to see you I'd end up dead. So stop messing around and say it: I think our meeting was destiny!"

- Misa meets with Light for the first time, Episode 5

Misa Amane (弥 海砂, Amane Misa) is a main character in the 2015 television drama Death Note. A popular idol, she receives her own Death Note and uses it to help Kira.

Appearances
Misa is a young Japanese woman with light auburn hair and dark brown eyes.

Character
Misa has a bubbly and upbeat personality, which she shows both in her work as an idol and in her personal life with her friends and fans. She is generally optimistic. She quickly believes that she can trust Light and they can work together, despite Rem encouraging her to be cautious.

Misa is prone to following her heart. She visits Light because she eagerly wants to see him, despite Light's concerns that it's risky. She supports Kira's ideology, but when she's lost her memories she supports Light catching Kira because she's in love with Light, and that love is more important to her.

Misa carries a lot of grief from the murder of her parents. When she learns that Kyu Nishida is getting out of prison on parole, she breaks down in front of the prosecutor Teru Mikami, crying out that she wants her family back. After Kira kills Nishida, she becomes a Kira supporter and even makes a vague announcement at her Ichigo Berry concert about someone protecting her heart.

History
About ten years before the start of the series, Misa came home from tennis practice to find her mother and father murdered. Their murderer, Kyu Nishida, was still there. Nishida went to prison.

Misa later became an idol and formed the girl band Ichigo Berry with Serina Kudo and Mako Kitano.

Rem
Rem appears to Misa, at first, out of respect for the departed Jealous. She makes the Shinigami Eye deal with Misa, but is frustrated to learn it was only so the latter could meet with Kira. Rem thinks Misa should use the eye power consistently and to her advantage, rather than for one dangerous meet-up. Over time, Rem becomes more attached to Misa, and eventually threatens to kill Light to ensure her safety. Misa seems to care little for Rem, aside from a novelty and exploitable source of information.

Light Yagami
Light is a fan of Misa's, but initially Misa doesn't know who he is. When Light tries to warn her about her fated death, she thinks he's an overexcited fan and dodges him. After she gets the Shinigami Eyes, she sees Light in the crowd but doesn't see his lifespan, so she realizes he's Kira. While looking into him, she saves his life by killing Mark Dwellton. She eventually introduces herself to him and they begin working together. Misa wants to date, but Light doesn't think it's a good idea because it might draw suspicion. Undeterred, Misa visits Light at school, which causes conflict with Light's friend Masaru Kamoda, who is obsessed with Misa. After Misa gives up the Death Note and loses her memories, Light wraps a piece of Death Note around her wrist so that she can remember without owning a Death Note, allowing her to continue working with him and Teru Mikami.

Ryuk
Ryuk becomes aware of Misa by following Light to her concerts, and is mildly fond of her. He notices her lifespan is about to run out, and in a rare intervention tells Light her presumed death date. He is seen dancing to one of Misa's music videos while in Light's room. Ryuk and Misa rarely interact directly, but late in the series he expresses concern at her making the Eye Deal for a second time, though still lets her do so. When he and Light are alone, Ryuk often refers to her with objectifying nicknames.

Quotes
“Listen Misa, those who come to possess a Death Note grow paranoid.”

“Rem…"

"If you understand, then use the Death Note for yourself.”

“…what does ‘paranoid’ mean?”

(Episode 4)

Character changes
Misa’s role in the TV drama is largely the same as in the manga; she is a popular idol who falls in love with Light after he punishes her parents' murderer. However, the dynamics of Light and Misa's relationship are different because Light in the drama adaption is a fan of Misa, causing him to have romantic feelings for her as well. Misa also proves to be much useful to Light than in the manga, being the one to finish Raye Penber when Light's plan to kill the FBI agents is botched.

Misa's fate is much more optimistic in the drama. Whereas Misa commits suicide in the manga continuity, in the drama she is last seen happily going out with her friends after having lost her memories of the Death Note, although she has not yet learned of Light's death.

Trivia

 * The game Othellonia uses the same lifespan as this version of Misa, although she had a different lifespan in the anime.