Watari

Watari (ワタリ) is L's handler, as well as the supplier of logistics to the Kira Investigation. Before the team is formed, he is the only person who has seen L, and the only one capable of contacting L directly. Like L, he represents himself with an Old English "W" on computer screens. He is also a fatherly figure to L. He is a famous inventor and founder of Wammy's House, an orphanage for gifted children in Winchester, England. Watari is well trained in espionage and marksmanship. He is voiced by Kiyoshi Kobayashi in the Japanese anime and French Tickner in the English dub (except for the film, in which Ron Halder takes over). In the film, he is played by Shunji Fujimura, who felt that Watari's presence would "come alive" if he projected "the mood of this mysterious old gentleman without the air of livelihood."

Watari's name was originally going to be "Shadow" in reference to being L's shadow, but the editor disapproved, which lead to the name "Watari", which references his role as a handler. The design team decided on Watari's design during the second chapter. Obata did not put much thought into Watari's disguise because his face did not appear, but afterwards, the rough drafts had Watari as an elderly man with a single strip of hair. Obata decided to keep him as an old man because older characters were more fun to draw than younger ones because of the "weird angles" that could be created with their wrinkles, while younger characters may be designed as "attractive, normal, or ugly." Obata likes leather coats, so he had Watari wear one. Watari is Obata's third favorite human character because he likes older characters and that because Watari "seemed to be hiding a lot of ability" and "had depth." His birthday is May 1, 1933 (1936 in the anime).

Watari's Fate *SPOILERS!*

 * After Light regains his Death Note, he tricks Rem to kill Watari and L for his own personal gain. Rem disintegrates after killing L Lawliet and Watari because she deliberately increased Misa Amane's lifespan. His death in the anime is nearly identical to his death in the manga, with the exception that in the anime, Rem is shown behind Watari, stepping back into the shadows with her one visible eye glowing red. Also, in the film, Misa is with Watari when he dies. She is seen on a monitor crouching sadly next to his lifeless body.

In Death Note: Last Name and L: Change the WorLd, Watari dies of a heart attack in the elevator.