Ryuk

Voiced by: Shidō Nakamura (Japanese), Brian Drummond (English)

Ryuk (リューク Ryūku) is the Shinigami who dropped a Death Note in the human realm, which was then discovered by Light. It was revealed that Ryuk did it out of boredom, as there was little to do in the Shinigami realm. Ryuk was also found to have tricked the Shinigami King into receiving a second Death Note that would be used by Light, as well as access to the human realm. Ryuk has a great fondness for apples, and will behave unusually if he goes for too long without eating one (for example, he does hand stands or his body twists randomly). He says apples are to Shinigami as cigarettes and alcohol are to humans. He also states that he is shy around girls. For a time, he was Mikami's personal Shinigami.

At the end of the series (and the movie), Light begs Ryuk to use the Death Note to save him. Ryuk, however, reminds Light that he will never help him, and that it will be Ryuk who will end Light's life. Ryuk then tells Light that humans go nowhere (to nothingness) when they die and after writing Light's name in the Death Note, returns to the Shinigami Realm. In the anime, Ryuk watches from atop a tower and writes Light's name in his Death Note, causing him to die in an abandoned building