Death Note Coming Soon!

I'm a huge manga fan and love Anime naturally.  Death Note is a much beloved manga that has been turned into both anime and live action films in Japan and now this story is coming to America.

Written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, Death Note was originally published in Japan and later collected in 12 trade paperbacks that have sold more than 38 million copies worldwide. The protagonist, Light, is a bright student who stumbles across a mystical notebook that has the power to kill any person whose name he writes in it. Light decides to launch a secret crusade to rid the streets of criminals. Soon, the student-turned-vigilante finds himself pursued by a famous FBI criminal profiler known only by the alias L. Death Note is wildly popular in Japan and has been turned into live action and animated films, an animated TV series, novels and vidgames. The trio of live action films were distributed by Warner Bros Japan. Warner Bros acquired the manga rights from Shueisha and previously got a script draft from Charley and Vlas Parlapanides.

Shane Black has been tapped by Warner Bros. to direct this flick and Black has to oversee the script being kicked out by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry.  That shouldn't be a big deal since he is working with them on Doc Savage.

I like Death Note it is well written or rather well translated since I don't read the original.  It's very Spider Man for the modern age.  My theory of life is that things go in cycles and with the new millenium it's not just fashion that's a throw back to previous ages but beliefs as well. The current upswing to more naturalistic thinking is a sign of that.  People are now trying to be more turned in with nature but that comes with a belief in spiritism and ghosts.

Kind of sucky when you're stuck at a party with people who are talking about vibes and connecting with the universe ad nauseum but makes for good TV (shout out to BOTH versions of Being Human *Holla*).  Manga especially taps into this with it's visions of one corporation taking over the earth with the rich and beautiful being moved to the sky while the freaks and poor struggle below in their waste.  Death Note takes Spider Man's and Batman's willingness to take on all comers in the fight against good and evil.  The problem is the kid is all powerful with this and he is a kid.  This manga would have been boring but the inclusion of L adds to the action and it's a great read.

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