The best Death Note characters

Nearly two decades after its release in 2006, Death Note has maintained its cult status in the minds of anime fans. It's an epic battle of wits and cunning that keeps the tension and stakes high in the story from start to finish.

In 37 episodes, the anime has produced some of the most iconic and unforgettable characters written for the screen. From the sinister but intelligent Light Yagami to his equally brilliant nemesis L, Death Note is a masterpiece of storytelling, character building, and an in-depth look at the ancient concept of “Good versus Evil” through the lens of its characters.

10 Noemi Misora

Even though Naomi Misora's screen time was short, she really shined in her quest to get justice for her fiancée. A former FBI agent, Naomi demonstrated how sharp and quick her mind was in connecting the dots surrounding her fiancée's death.

She was rightly cautious and was wise enough to use a pseudonym during her investigation, but she was ultimately deceived. During the intense conversation with Light that lasts almost the entire episode, she lowers her guard in the face of Light's charm and charisma and makes the mistake of showing him her ID. It marked the end for Naomi, a character who had so much unrealized potential.

9 Soichiro Yagami

Light Yagami's father, Soichiro Yagami is a valiant police officer and leader of the task force responsible for taking down Kira. A determined individual, Soichiro cares about the lives of his family and the men who serve under him.

Despite having a strong moral compass and an analytical eye, Soichiro's hectic work life blinded him to what was happening under his nose. He was in deep denial that his son was Kira, and to the end Soichiro was deceived, believing in his heart that Light was innocent.

8 Misa Amane

An idol and avid follower of Kira, Misa Amane is introduced during the Two Kira arc. She becomes obsessed with Kira after he kills her parents' killer, posing as the Second Kira to help him. She has her own Shinigami, Rem, who cares deeply for Misa.

Considering how obsessed and in love she is with Light, Misa willingly allows herself to be used as a tool in his plans. After trading half his life for the Shinigami Eyes, he becomes instrumental in Light's plot to kill L and continues to aid Light even until his fall.

7 Touta Matsuda

A police officer and member of the task force initially led by Soichiro Yagami, Touta Matsuda initially strikes one as optimistic, eager, and respectful. He is younger than the rest of his peers and as such feels lacking and feels the need to prove himself to the other titans in the field.

Matsuda becomes more and more skilled as time passes, becoming involved in infiltration missions during the debacle with the “third Kira”. His utmost loyalty to Soichiro Yagami and his legacy is what causes Light's betrayal to affect him badly during the finale, showcasing his sniping skills by quickly disarming Light.

6 REM

Rem is a Shinigami who grew up to care for Misa after another Shinigami, Gelus, sacrificed his life to protect her from harm. Although she doesn't care about humans and their plans, Rem helps and protects Misa throughout the story.

Rem's affection for Misa is evident, so much so that Light takes advantage of it, manipulating Rem to kill L. Light manipulated the situation and deliberately put Misa in danger, to the point that Rem had no choice but to break a key. The Shinigami rule by saving and extending Misa's life, thus ending her own.

5 Mello

An orphan raised to be L's successor, Mello – real name Mihael Keehl – is undoubtedly brilliant but chafes at constant comparison with his fellow protégé, Near. He turned to the mafia and quickly rose through the ranks, determined to take on Kira himself. Mello does not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goals, including kidnapping Light's sister Sayu.

At first, it seemed that Mello was not only fighting Kira, but was also engaged in a bitter feud to outdo Near in investigating Kira. Although he was ultimately killed, his death was what allowed Near to obtain physical evidence and reveal Light as Kira.

4 Near

Nate River, otherwise better known by his alias Near, grew up alongside Mello and other orphans to become world-class detectives on par with L. Upon his introduction, Light took L's place on the task force. Near led the American task force, the SPK, created to stop Kira and was at loggerheads with Mello over who would be L's true successor.

Gradually, Near begins to convince the members of the Japanese task force that Light is Kira, prompting them to work with Near in his investigation. It was thanks to Mello's death, Light's ego, and the SPK's collaboration with the Japanese task force that led to Kira's revelation and death.

3 Ryuk

One of the most iconic characters in anime, the events of Death Note could be said to stem from the Shinigami Ryuk. It was due to his boredom and need for entertainment that led him to drop his Death Note where Light accidentally stumbled upon it. Ryuk makes no secret of the fact that he is only here as a spectator and that he will take Light's life as soon as the fun ends.

Ryuk is obsessed with apples and loves playing video games, and at times, Light uses this to his advantage to get more information out of him. Ultimately, Ryuk sees the human world as one big playground, where his humans serve as delightful entertainment for him.

2 Light Yagami

One of the smartest villains depicted in the anime, Light Yagami obtained Ryuk's Death Note by accident. He initially had good intentions, writing down the names of the worst criminals in his notebook. Nicknamed Kira by the public, Light quickly becomes corrupted by the Death Note's power and considers himself a god.

His reckless activities attracted the attention of the world's foremost investigative mind, L Lawliet. For the rest of the show and until L's death, Light devises plans to outsmart and divert L's attention regarding Kira's identity. The moment L dies, however, Light begins to lose confidence and becomes overconfident, relying too much on others like Mikami, which he wouldn't have done before.

1 L Lawliet

The world's greatest detective and Light's rival, L Lawliet made his name when he baited Light on live television. L made quick deductions about Kira, her personality, her occupation, and her geographic location. He even hit the nail on the head in his belief that Light Yagami was Kira.

He had been tracking Light at his house and despite Light's plots to cover his tracks, L never stopped believing who Light was. There was no doubt that L would have outsmarted Light at his own game if not for the supernatural elements working against him. But his legacy lived on in Near and Mello's combined efforts to defeat Kira once and for all.