Creation Of Death Note

Death Note is a manga series created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata. The series centers on Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook dropped on Earth by Ryuk, a shinigami (death god), that allows Light to kill anyone by writing the victim's name in the notebook. The story follows Light's attempt to create and rule a world cleansed of evil using the notebook, and the complex conflict between him and his opponents.

Death Note was first serialized in 108 chapters by Shueisha in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006. The series was also published in tankōbon (paperback) format in Japan starting in May 2004 and ending in October 2006, and since then has been translated internationally. The series was adapted into live-action films released in Japan on June 17, 2006, on November 3, 2006, and on February 2, 2008. The anime series aired in Japan from October 3, 2006, to June 26, 2007. A novel based on the series, written by Nisio Isin, was released in Japan on August 1, 2006.

Production

Ohba said that he decided to create a suspense series because he did not feel that he could have created a normal fight-style series and that the genre had few suspense series. Ohba said that he did not derive the Death Note concept from any single source. He said that one day he thought of a concept involving Shinigami and specific rules. After publication of the pilot chapter Ohba said that he did not expect for the series to be approved as a serialized comic as he thought it did not fit with Jump. Ohba said that when he learned Death Note received approval and that Obata would create the artwork he couldn't even believe it. Due to positive reactions to the series Death Note became a serialized manga series.

Ohba created thumbnails, consisting of dialog, panel layout, and basic drawings, to be sent to Obata; the editor reviewed the thumbnails and sent them to Obata with the script set in stone and the panel layout mostly done. Obata determined the expressions and camera angles and created the final artwork. According to Ohba he concentrated on the tempo and the amount of dialog; he added that he had difficulty in keeping the text from being too long. Ohba said that he tried to make the story concise and did not want too much text as he believed that reading too much exposition would be tiring and that it would negatively affect the atmosphere and air of suspense. Ohba set the basic characteristics of his characters while he allowed for Obata to influence the actual character designs. According to Ohba he did not derive the actual plot idea from one particular source. Regarding the backgrounds and props Ohba said that he put descriptions such as abandoned building and let Obata wield most of the creative power regarding the backgrounds and props.

Ohba said that when he decided on the plot he internally visualized the panels while rolling around in bed, drinking tea, or walking around his house. Ohba said that he needed to feel relaxed while visualizing the panels. After that he drew the panels on white paper in a very simple manner. The writer added that on many occasions the draft consisted of too many pages and he had to write drafts two or three times to find the desired tempo and flow for the chapter. Ohba added that he liked to read the previous two or four chapters very carefully to ensure consistency in the story.

Ohba said that his general weekly schedule consisted of five days to create and think about the creation and then use one day pencil and insert dialog into the rough drafts; according to Ohba, after this point he faxed the drafts to the editor. Obata also described his weekly schedule. He said that he usually took one day with the thumbnails, layout, and pencils and one day with additional penciling and inking. His assistants usually worked for four days and Obata used one day to add final touches. Obata said that sometimes he took an extra day or two to color pages and that this messed with the schedule. Ohba said that on some occasions he took three or four days to create a chapter while on other occasions he took a month to create a chapter. Obata said that his schedule remained consistent except when he had to create color pages.

Ohba and Obata rarely met in person during the creation of the serialized manga; instead the two met with the editor. The first time they met in person was at an editorial party in January 2004. Obata said that, despite the intrigue, he did not ask his editor about Ohba's plot developments as he anticipated the new thumbnails every week. The two did not discuss the final chapters with one another and they continued to talk with the editor. Ohba said that when he asked the editor if Obata had said anything about the story and plot the editor responded '"No, nothing".

Ohba said that the series ended more or less in the manner that he intended for it to end; Ohba considered the idea of L defeating Light Yagami with Light dying; he instead chose to use the Yellow Box warehouse ending. According to Ohba he had the details set from the beginning. Ohba wanted an ongoing plot line instead of an episodic series because Death Note was serialized and that Ohba wanted a series focused on a cast with a series of events triggered by the Death Note. How to Read 13 states that the humorous aspects of Death Note originated from Ohba's enjoyment of humorous stories.

General Creative Process

For each chapter the creative process began with Ohba and moved to Obata; both took advice from the editor.

Ohba began each segment by creating a rough draft; he said that his main weakness was including too much information in each panel. Once each draft goes through a few rounds and the elements are decided on Ohba split the panels and solidified dialog, monologues, and everything else. Ohba included specific art in thumbnails if he believed it was needed. Obata took the thumbnails and edited camera angles and expressions exhibited by characters. Obata used the thumbnails as models for his final panels. When Obata decided on the content he began drawing. At this point in many cases Obata determined designs of newly-introduced characters and items. After that point, the editor takes the pages and lettering, special effects, and other type are inserted into the pages; at that point the final drafts are finished.

Pilot Chapter

The Death Note process began when Ohba brought thumbnails for two concept ideas to Shueisha; Ohba said that the Death Note pilot, one of the concepts, became received well by editors and attained positive reactions by readers.

Ohba described keeping the story of the pilot to one chapter as very difficult and he said that he remembered taking more than a month to begin writing the chapter. Ohba added that the story had to revive the killed characters with the Death Eraser and that he didn't really care for that plot device.

Obata said that he really wanted to draw the story after he heard of a horror story featuring Shinigami. According to Obata, when he first received the rough draft created by Ohba he didn't really get it at first and that he wanted to work on the work due to the presence of Shinigami and that the work was dark. He also said that he wondered about the progression of the plot as he read the thumbnails and if Jump readers would enjoy reading the comic. Obata said that while there is little action and that the main character doesn't really drive the plot he enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. Obata stated that he drew the pilot chapter in a way that would appeal to me.

Ohba brought the rough draft of the pilot chapter to the editorial department. Obata came into the picture at a later point to create the artwork. Ohba and Obata did not meet in person while creating the pilot chapter. Ohba said that the editor told him that Ohba did not need to meet with Obata to discuss the pilot; Ohba said "I think it worked out all right.

Conception And Design Of The Death Notes

Obata said that Ohba did not give him suggestions regarding how to design the Death Notes, so Obata possessed free rein. Obata said that he originally thought of the books as "Bible-like" something you would automatically think was a Death Note. Obata added that he felt that this design would seem difficult to use so he opted for an easy to use college notebook. Obata said that at a later point he thought of a concept that Death Notes could look different depending on the human era, such as having Death Notes in ancient Japan looking like scrolls and Death Notes in medieval Europe looking like The Old Testament.

Ohba said that he randomly selected numbers for use in various situations. He said that in some conditions he wished to use the number four since the word "four" in Japanese sounds like the word for "death".

Intent With The Series

Ohba said that he did not have a theme that he wished to express throughout the series. Ohba said that if he had to choose one, he would select "Humans will all eventually die and never come back to life, so let's give it our all while we're alive". He said that he did not intend for Death Note to push an ideology or make a statement about good and evil. Ohba said that Near's statement in Volume 12 about deciding right and wrong is closest to his own personal belief. Ohba said that he understands how debate can form from the story. Ohba says that since the answers to the questions raised become "ideological" and that he believes this development would be dangerous and not interesting in a manga Ohba decided not to include this aspect in Death Note.

As a response to the interview question "So the series is meant to be all about enjoying the plot twists and psychological warfare?" Ohba responded by saying that the statement is the reason why he was very happy to place the story in Weekly Shōnen Jump. He said that, because Death Note is aimed at "the young" the reader can "push back ideology" and focus on pure entertainment. Ohba said that if he aimed the series at an older audience he would expect more debate over the issues and therefore he believed that the story would have had to develop in that direction. Death Note: How to Read 13 states that debate about good and evil sometimes appears in the series and that the answer to the debate is left for the reader to decide.

Ohba responded to the question "If you had to say what the most important thing in Death Note is, what would it be?" by answering "The human whose name is written in this note shall die" while Obata responded by answering "Impossible to say."

Production And Intent In The Anime

Tetsuro Araki, the director, said that he wished to convey aspects that made the series interesting instead of simply focusing on morals or the concept of justice. Toshiki Inoue, the series organizer, agreed with Araki and added that, in anime adaptations, there is a lot of importance in highlighting the aspects that are interesting in the original. Inoue concluded that Light's presence was the most compelling aspect; therefore the adaptation chronicles Light's thoughts and actions as much as possible. Inoue noted that, to best incorporate the manga's plot into the anime, he tweak"ed "the chronology a bit and incorporated flashbacks that appear after the openings of the episodes; he said this revealed the desired tensions. Araki said that, because in an anime the viewer cannot turn back pages in the manner that a comic reader can, the anime staff ensured that the show clarified details. Inoue added that the staff did not want to get involved with every single detail, so the staff selected elements to emphasize. Due to the complexity of the original manga, Inoue described the process as definitely delicate and a great challenge. Inoue admitted that he placed way more instructions and notes in the script than usual. Araki added that because of the importance of otherwise trivial details, the notes became crucial to the development of the series.

Araki said that when he discovered the Death Note anime project, he literally begged to join the production team; when he joined he insisted that Inoue should write the scripts. Inoue added that, because he enjoyed reading the original comic, he wished to use his effort.