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Death Note - completely overrated.

I am aware that there is already an active Death Note thread but I think this thread will be discussing another topic about the same series.

Pretty much, I'm fed up with Death Note and the hype surrounding it. Mainly because the series just isn't that good. It has some major flaws and the only thing keeping it alive is it's dramatic storyline,which, for me just doesn't cut it.

First off the series should have ended where spoiler[Ray Penbar's wife died, or thereabouts. Misa should never have been introduced and everything after that seems like a sensationalist trap. I haven't read the manga and I'm sure it's good as well, but for the series to be here is just absurd in my opinion. There are many series out there that have much more appeal to them than Death Note. DN lacks depth - every plot twist, character complex, anti-climax, climax, conflict or solution is served to the audience on a silver platter. In the other Death Note thread people have discussed possible outcomes to the story and other theories and that's all well and good but I just don't see the significance in any of it. Every 3 or 4 episodes the plot will take a dramatic turn but most of the time it's all spontaneous, such as Misa's sudden appearance and Light's disposal of his scrapbook. It all seems wonderfully unpredictable but apart from that the series is a bit of a bore. There are no high points meaning that there's no relief from the onslaught of new twists - there's no satisfaction knowing that there's been a solution to a certain sub-plot (which are incidentally non-existent).

One other thing is that it's over-dramatic to the point of having a comedic effect. When Light excitedly starts scrambling names into his notebook and the screen zooms in and the music gets louder I just got embarrassed (sorry I can't remember the episode#). Also when L discovers something unprecedented like when Misa mentions Shinigami in her message. These little quirks of the series seem a little immature to me.]

Although I really enjoy the series and will watch it until the very end I do think that it is not nearly better than the other titles underneath it here. Death Note certainly does not own 2007/06 anime, there are better titles out there for sure.

Death Note is just a fun and easy watch, I don't have to try to think about any character relationships or plot subtleties and this, I believe, matches every characteristic of a sensationalist drama. This series is not better than:
2 Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal (OAV)
3 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV)
4 Cowboy Bebop (TV)
5 Spirited Away (movie)
6 Mushishi (TV)
7 Fullmetal Alchemist (TV)
8 Monster (TV)
9 Princess Mononoke (movie)
10 Honey and Clover II (TV)

Amasa wrote:

Death Note certainly does not own 2007/06 anime, there are better titles out there for sure.

Of course not, it's just a phase, it's ultra hot when it's still running. After it's finished it's broadcast, I'd surmise it'd drop down a rank or four. I don't think it will stay above Haruhi for that much longer, I guess you could say that "owns 2007/06 anime" instead.

It's true there is a huge amount of hype since the live actions movies are such a huge success over in Japan. I saw videos where the cast went over to Taiwan (or maybe it was Hong Kong) for an interview so apparently it's popular overseas too. I personally prefer the live action over the manga over the anime. I really enjoy the realism of the plot and story that the live action presents, which the manga nor anime can truly portray due to the nature of their presentation.

One thing that disappointed me about the manga is what you mentioned. spoiler[the fact that the plot drags on with new twists that go off in opposite directions so that little progression is made really annoys me. I don't want to spoil anything from the manga but you will know what I mean once the "kids" come into play. Comparing to Monster, it simply lacks any kind of unified direction of the twists and turns towards a peak to give a climax. But the live action did just that because of its time restriction.]

/Misa = Toda Erika. Just that fact makes it worth seeing for me. :D

It completely comes down to what you want to see in an anime -two years ago when people raved on FMA like it was a Godsend, I found the thing completely sucks and therefore didn't understand the hype and all the praising that surrounded it; the story didn't keep my interest and I failed to care about the characters, I then checked the manga to give the overly popular thing another chance and though the story was better presented in it, it too didn't keep my interest for more than two volumes.

Death Note may not be what you would vote the best anime of 2006/2007, but I'm sure there are people who feel differently, since I'm currently reading the manga, I don't care much for the animated version and I would vote Haruhi as my favorite anime of 2006 instead, but I have to admit that DN is the first work of fiction that got me this hooked in years -it has good storytelling and enough mystery and mind games to keep me eager to know what happens next. If you don't like the hype or the series itself, I suggest that you do what I did in FMA days and just ignore it and focus on what you currently like and personally, I'm glad that FMA isn't currently as hot as it used to be two years ago

Azathrael wrote:

I saw videos where the cast went over to Taiwan (or maybe it was Hong Kong) for an interview so apparently it's popular overseas too.

Not in Taiwan but in Hong Kong, and it was for the premiere of The Last Name. Video (narration in Cantonese).

Amasa wrote:

Mainly because the series just isn't that good. It has some major flaws and the only thing keeping it alive is it's dramatic storyline,which, for me just doesn't cut it.

Major flaws... such as? It's one thing to just say the show didn't appeal to you, it's quite another to say it had flaws (though I know it does, as no story is perfect by any means) in a generic all-encompassing way and dismiss the show without taking into consideration what it does well.

Amasa wrote:

First off the series should have ended where spoiler[Ray Penbar's wife died, or thereabouts. Misa should never have been introduced and everything after that seems like a sensationalist trap. I haven't read the manga and I'm sure it's good as well, but for the series to be here is just absurd in my opinion.]

Why should it have ended there? I can see the lack of appeal for people who are looking for direct storylines, but that is one of the appeals for me. The fact that the primary concept behind the show is the psychological battle between L and Light, that is thrown for twists and turns that are completely unpredictable and yet still very believable spoiler[aside from perhaps how Misa got her Death Note, but aside from how she got it, even her aspect was well within the realm of believability]

Amasa wrote:

There are many series out there that have much more appeal to them than Death Note. DN lacks depth - every plot twist, character complex, anti-climax, climax, conflict or solution is served to the audience on a silver platter.

Oh, and what shounen doesn't do that? It's part of the genre.

Amasa wrote:

In the other Death Note thread people have discussed possible outcomes to the story and other theories and that's all well and good but I just don't see the significance in any of it. Every 3 or 4 episodes the plot will take a dramatic turn but most of the time it's all spontaneous, such as Misa's sudden appearance and Light's disposal of his scrapbook. It all seems wonderfully unpredictable but apart from that the series is a bit of a bore.

... I don't see your point. It's because we can't predict what is going to happen that makes it so fun to see how wrong we were. I for one don't like to know how a show will end before I even start it.

Amasa wrote:

One other thing is that it's over-dramatic to the point of having a comedic effect. When Light excitedly starts scrambling names into his notebook and the screen zooms in and the music gets louder I just got embarrassed (sorry I can't remember the episode#). Also when L discovers something unprecedented like when Misa mentions Shinigami in her message. These little quirks of the series seem a little immature to me.[/spoiler]

Ok, hard to argue with this one at times Honestly though, those moments are quite few and far between.

Amasa wrote:

Although I really enjoy the series and will watch it until the very end I do think that it is not nearly better than the other titles underneath it here. Death Note certainly does not own 2007/06 anime, there are better titles out there for sure.

And I think Spirited Away was not very good, and although Monster was awesome, doesn't deserve to be on that list, does that magically make it so? You're entitled to an opinion for sure, and more than welcome to express it as you have, but remember to keep it in perspective. If you have an opinion, back it up with as much evidence or arguments as you can, don't just blindly repeat that it's overrated (you've certainly articulated yourself much more than many others... but personally I'd like to hear a lot more of why someone would think this).

Amasa wrote:

Although I really enjoy the series and will watch it until the very end...

How is something you feel to be so overrated and flawed still worth your time?
Your argument doesn't make much sense. If the storyline doesn't cut it for you then why are you still watching it? How are you still enjoying it?

I would certainly agree that Death Note does not deserve its current #1 ranking given some of the other contenders on that list, and especially since the anime isn't even finished yet (I can't be the only person out there who thinks that the ending is the easiest part to mess up). I'm hoping the hype will die down soon though, and allow the ratings to normalize a bit.

And while I understand that different people like different anime, personally I got tired of the whole smarter-than-thou tone to the show. Yes, Raito is a genius, that's fabulous; doesn't change the fact that he's a homicidal bastard with a god complex. And look! That L guy, he's a genius too, but he's a freak! No way! How weird! And then the whole story declines into an endless back and forth of "if I do this, then he'll think that I think that he thinks that I think that he thinks that I think he knows!" It's riveting. Truly.

That being said, I do think the animation looks good (usually), but eye candy isn't enough by itself to make me watch. No offense if you're a DN fan, but I don't see it maintaining its position as King of Anime Hill for very long. Or God of the New World, either. Sorry Raito.

I kept up with Death Note until it was licensed, simply because I had almost nothing else to watch (GRR, hurry up, NANA subbers!). I've already finished the manga, and I don't think I'll be buying either. Death Note is one of those series where once you've seen it through it completely loses its edge, so why own it? Sure, the animation is pretty, but without the suspense of 'what's going to happen next', it's really boring. There's no emotional connection to anyone, no light moments that would make it worth watching again, unlike FMA or Haruhi, which I could watch all day and never get bored with.

I did like the montage in episode 1 where Light was writing in the notebook and everyone was dying, though ^^;

Heh, funny that although I have not read the manga I have rewatched all the episodes thus far at least once. Even all the spoilers I have read can't keep it down. Certainly there are plenty of great shows out there, but thus far Death Note has shown amazing consistency of quality and the battle between L and Light is really the best edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride I have experienced in a solid 5 years, in any medium.

I guess, I just love watching Light and wonder at how bloody brilliant he is, even if he can be a cold bastard.

Personally I'm one who is loving the series. To say the least it's a different type of shounen series, yeah the elements are still there but the abilities of the Death Note are a very fresh concept (power blasts are fun and all but it does get old). Like selenta said, the 'action' in the series comes from the (to quote Cartman) "battle of minds" between Light and L. I'll admit, that sometimes L figures things either too quickly or it at least seems like he takes some significant jumps logically and declares that what he surmises is fact. But then you remember that L and Light have very similar minds if not identical so it's forgiveable. Yes at the moment Death Note is the hot new thing, and given the crap that everyone's other favorite 2 action shows have been (with one only just starting to return to it's former glory) it only makes sense that the series has risen to the top. The brilliance of the show is that every week it manages to keep viewers on edge, and unlike other thrillers when cliffhangers come out of left field they at least make sense. Personally I haven't been so on edge to week after week anticipating the next episode like I have with Death Note. Sure it's probably drawn out, but at least the story feels like it's constantly moving forward and isn't just stalling for time.

Also I thought Light's montage of him killing everyone was really cool. First thing that came to mind when I saw that scene was "Wow, I had no idea writing could be that badass."

Azathrael wrote:

It's true there is a huge amount of hype since the live actions movies are such a huge success over in Japan. I saw videos where the cast went over to Taiwan (or maybe it was Hong Kong) for an interview so apparently it's popular overseas too. I personally prefer the live action over the manga over the anime. I really enjoy the realism of the plot and story that the live action presents, which the manga nor anime can truly portray due to the nature of their presentation. One thing that disappointed me about the manga is what you mentioned. spoiler[the fact that the plot drags on with new twists that go off in opposite directions so that little progression is made really annoys me. I don't want to spoil anything from the manga but you will know what I mean once the "kids" come into play. Comparing to Monster, it simply lacks any kind of unified direction of the twists and turns towards a peak to give a climax. But the live action did just that because of its time restriction.] /Misa = Toda Erika. Just that fact makes it worth seeing for me.

Ugh.

I absolutely hated the movies. They were abysmal on every level. The writing was terrible, the acting was horrid, the direction was downright embarassing, etc. They were an embarassment.

Amasa wrote:

First off the series should have ended where spoiler[Ray Penbar's wife died, or thereabouts. Misa should never have been introduced and everything after that seems like a sensationalist trap. I haven't read the manga and I'm sure it's good as well, but for the series to be here is just absurd in my opinion. There are many series out there that have much more appeal to them than Death Note. DN lacks depth - every plot twist, character complex, anti-climax, climax, conflict or solution is served to the audience on a silver platter. In the other Death Note thread people have discussed possible outcomes to the story and other theories and that's all well and good but I just don't see the significance in any of it. Every 3 or 4 episodes the plot will take a dramatic turn but most of the time it's all spontaneous, such as Misa's sudden appearance and Light's disposal of his scrapbook. It all seems wonderfully unpredictable but apart from that the series is a bit of a bore. There are no high points meaning that there's no relief from the onslaught of new twists - there's no satisfaction knowing that there's been a solution to a certain sub-plot (which are incidentally non-existent).]

Ending the story after Naomi? That would have been horrible. That was volume 2 of a 12 volume series. The manga should have ended on volume 7...believe me, you'll understand around episode 21, I believe.

The twists are what make the series to fascinating.

Amasa wrote:

spoiler[One other thing is that it's over-dramatic to the point of having a comedic effect. When Light excitedly starts scrambling names into his notebook and the screen zooms in and the music gets louder I just got embarrassed (sorry I can't remember the episode#). Also when L discovers something unprecedented like when Misa mentions Shinigami in her message. These little quirks of the series seem a little immature to me.]

The manga was rather restrained and cerebral when compared to most of its shonen brethren. Most of the "huge twists" took the form of a brief revelation, or a single line of dialogue. Replicating the intensity of the manga requires such absurdly dramatic depictions of relatively simple actions. Besides, what's not to like about EPIC POTATO CHIPS?

Amasa wrote:

Although I really enjoy the series and will watch it until the very end I do think that it is not nearly better than the other titles underneath it here. Death Note certainly does not own 2007/06 anime, there are better titles out there for sure.

Code Geass is quite good, as well. It's a lot like Death Note, too...check it out.

Amasa wrote:

2 Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal (OAV)

Death Note, as a whole, is considerably longer than Samurai X, thus a comparison is difficult. Comparing the story of the manga to Samurai X, though, I must say I prefer Death Note.

Amasa wrote:

3 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV)

I'm one of the heretics who absolutely hated it.

Amasa wrote:

4 Cowboy Bebop (TV)

Once again, comparing the manga to Cowboy Bebop, I prefer Death Note...but they're certainly on similar levels.

Amasa wrote:

5 Spirited Away (movie)

I prefer Death Note.

Amasa wrote:

6 Mushishi (TV)

I haven't seen it.

Amasa wrote:

7 Fullmetal Alchemist (TV)

FMA dragged at times. I prefer Death Note.

Amasa wrote:

8 Monster (TV)

This one is superior to Death Note.

Amasa wrote:

9 Princess Mononoke (movie)

I haven't seen it, for some odd reason.

Amasa wrote:

10 Honey and Clover II (TV)

Haven't seen it.

Others I'd say are superior to Death Note, though...Wolf's Rain and Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex. I love those series. Also, Berserk. Berserk is God.

I do agree it doesn't deserve a number one spot, probably a number three or four spot. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya should probably get a number two or three spot. Mushishi to me would be the top contender. I would not say that Death Note has any major plot holes (as far as the 16 episodes I have seen). I think you should look at what Death Note does well instead of just bashing it, I mean you have your opinion but you got to give its due...right. I personally would like to see Outlaw Star in the top ten since I actually enjoyed it more then FMA but I can't deny the fact that FMA is pretty darn good.

Course even though you put it down so badly you say that you enjoyed it so it must not have been all bad to you...add some lighter points to it, I don't think it is that over rated.

I don't know if Death Note deserves to be number one but I do believe it is a top 5er.

I really like Death Note. It has so many cliffhangers and blindsighters in it that it keeps you on edge, all-the-freaking time!

Just when you think somethings going to happen, something else happens.

It certainly is one of my favorite animes so far.

i am another that is enjoying this anime very much. Its different that most of the anime that im watching right now. alot of anime is starting to get alittle repetitive and its good to see a more original theme. I agree that it shouldnt be ranked highly with anime that is already finished but i would rank it high with the anime that is currently airing.