Japanese YA Week review- L Change the World by M

Title: L Change the World

 Author: M

Series:  Death Note Light Novel

Published:  October 2009 by Viz

Length:174 pages

Warnings: gun and knife violence

Source: Library

Other info: Death Note was created by Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata. There are 12 volumes of manga reviewed here, another light novel reviewed here, and three films. And a lot more merchandise and a crazy fanbase and such... 

Summary : an alternative continuity in the DEATH NOTE setting, ace detective L's name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world...by killing off most of humanity. In an alternative continuity in the DEATH NOTE setting, ace detective L's name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world...by killing off most of humanity.

Review: Death Note fans, listen up-this isn’t following the manga or anime canon at all. To understand why L’s last days are spent like this, you need to watch the live acton films, Death Note and The Last Name. If you’ve watched L Change the World, also remember this isn’t an exact novelisation of the film as Boy (revealed to be Near, the albino one with a lot of toys) does not feature in the book, and certain parts have been changed a lot.

This book follows L, the world’s top detective, during his last 23 days. During that time he picks up Maki, a ten year old girl whose father was shot down by Blue Ship, bioterrorists looking to unleash a virus on the world that could very easily wipe out everyone. L’s last mission is to keep the virus contained and to pruducde an antidote and stop Blue Ship from getting hold of the recipe for the antidote.

As a Death Note enthusiast, I had to read this book. I read it straight after I watched the film though, so I spent half of the time I was reading it comparing it to the film. I shall try and keep this review to the book though.

L was kept in character for this, with his intelligence at his normal high levels and his love for sweets as prevalent as ever. Maki was a great character biring an excellent child’s innocent point of view in and complimenting L throughout.

The character introductions for the Blue Ship bioterrorists were terrible. As an example, Hatsune’s name was dropped in the middle of a paragraph and we just had to go with it. It would have been nice to have alittle more backtstory to the new characters.

The mystery levls were almost as high as those in the canon manga. L’s bluffing and schemes, as well as Blue Ship’s, were intriguing to watch develop and play out.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to another addition to the well-loved Death Note franchise

Links:  Goodreads | Death Note US  website | 

Book Review- Death Note: Another Note by NisiOisin

Title: Death Note: Another Note or the LABB murder cases

 Author: NisiOisiN

 Series: N/A

 Published:19 February 2008

 Length:176 pages

 Warnings: Gore, profanity, 12+
Other info:  this is set a few years before the death note manga, a review of which can be found here, you don’t need to read death note to read and enjoy this, but of course, feel free. Read it or Kira will get you! NisiOisin has also written light novels for other manga series such as xxxHolic.

 Summary from Goodreads: There's a serial killer on the loose in Los Angeles and the local authorities need help fast. For some reason the killer has been leaving a string of maddeningly arcane clues at each crime scene. Each of these clues, it seems, is an indecipherable roadmap to the next murder.
Onto the scene comes L, the mysterious super-sleuth. Despite his peculiar working habits - he's never shown his face in public, for example - he's the most decorated detective in the world and has never tackled a cased he hasn't been able to crack.
But this time he needs help.
Enlisting the services of an FBI agent named Naomi Misora, L starts snooping around the City of Angels. It soon becomes apparent that the killing spree is a psychotic riddle designed specifically to engage L in a battle of wits. Stuck in the middle between killer and investigator, it's up to Misora to navigate both the dead bodies and the egos to solve the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases.

 Review: [side note: We (Nina and Katy) wrote this together, edited it together etc. That’s what makes it a joint review. Nina and Katy

Death Note: Another Note is a side story to Death Note. It follows detective Naomi Misora, aided slightly by L, solving the case of a series of murders. They are completely unrelated, apart from the fact there are a varying amount of Wara Ningyo (basically Japanese voodoo dolls [I didn’t know there were any Wara Nigyo in Death Note]) left at the scene. With the help of Rue Ryukzaki, strawberry jam eating and sarcastic “unprivate detective”, Naomi follows a set of (seriously) cryptic clues to hunt down and capture killer Beyond Birthday, culminating in a surprise twist. Yes, surprising for some but the only hints I pick up is in mystery stories. I knew, and so did the rest of the world from when the character was first introduced, who the killer was. It is actually pretty easy to work out who the killer is. Read it for yourself and see if you can work it out.

The whole thing was generally very good. Fans of death note will want to read this, as will crime enthusiasts. This however was not written Death Note style but something rather different. Death Note is not predictable; it is does not have stupid names and it has the character depth and intense situations that Death Note: Another Note clearly lacks completely. It was interesting to follow, with long intricate clues. It was very easy to imagine these things happening, as the descriptions were detailed and varied. 

We like the back-stories simmering underneath the main murder case plot. We get a lot of information about life in the Wammy house (the orphanage where geniuses are cultivated), that makes you want to  know a bit more, and makes you wish that NisiOisin had written a few more light novels. He did though, didn’t he? About other stuff. I meant, to tie in with Death Note.

Nina thinks it’s interesting that that the only gore that appears is the descriptions of the corpse photos, yet you’re still able to get the idea of the murder and post-death mutilation that goes on.

Katy thinks it’s thought-provoking narrative style, impatient and all knowing. Despite being a genius, Mello is not all knowing. And why would he care? I think that leaving out the actual murder makes it more realistic; most detectives do not see the victim being killed. Oh and L does look like a frog. That was my initial impression of the proper L (not the one who looks normal and has half his face covered).

Despite loving death note, and this book, there are a few (MANY, MANY,) flaws. The biggest being the narrator. It’s Mello, the chocolate loving, leather wearing genius that looks like a girl. No-one likes him. Well, actually, going round various websites, there are quite a few Mello fan girls. But we are not included. I kind of like him… Compared to Near who doesn’t move and then magically manages to run around in a police outfit… But I wouldn’t say I was a fan girl. We don’t think he was a good choice to narrate this: wouldn’t he be about ten when all this happens, or wouldn’t he be dead? He is dead: he says so early on that he died like a dog or something in the introduction chapter when he out-of-characterly says he is something like the best dresser.

Also, although the clues left behind were very clever, complex etc., at times it was a bit too complex. I.e. 4=1+3=B is a stupid idea. No one would base it one something that goes off on a tangent. 4=2+2=1+1+1+1=2^2.. [You remember?] No detective realistically would ever take the time to go through a book, going through pages, the first letter on a page etc. just to find the name of the next victim-to-be.

Another way this was ruined slightly was the names. Beyond Birthday is all right, considering it’s an alias. But Backyard Bottomslash and Believe Bridesmaid? No-one thirteen years ago would name their child Quarter, with the last name being Queen. And yes, those are their real names. The whole story revolves around that fact. These names are hilarious. Just remember everyone, when you are writing stories and you don’t know what to call them, take a look around you and name them after the things you see. For example I can see a monopoly game so I could call my character “Monopoly Macaroni”. How great is that?!

 Overall: we give this strength 3 tea, because we love the idea and the complexity behind it, yet there are a few major flaws that make it average. Those completely who eat, sleep and breathe Death Note will enjoy this lot though, and not care at all. I enjoyed it a lot… ish…

PS. Death Note: Another Note is often referred to by fans as “the LABB murder cases”. This is fine.  However, should anyone tell you this stands for “the Los Angeles beyond Birthday murder cases”, they are lying. Read the book to find out what it really means.

PPS. Should you read this and decide to share with friends, really really hope that none of them want to role play L or B 24/7. If they do, get away from them. It happened to us and it is so annoying. Hopefully you have normal friends who won’t do this to you though.

Book Review- Death Note by Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Title:Death Note
Author: Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Series: Death Note
Published by: Viz Media 2005-7
Length: 12 volumes of about 200 pages each

Warnings: the whole idea of being able to kill anyone by writing down their name, mild fanservice if you know what to look for, the big question of is it ever right to kill someone

Other facts: There is an anime. It was published in Weekly Shonen Jump, before being made into tankobon versions in japanese and english.

Summary from Goodreads: Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?
Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?

Review: A book about a talented student (Light Yagami) being bored and wanting something exciting to happen, finding a note book that fell from the sky during class a black note book and later going to see what it is (a book with a set of rules, the most important of which is that the human who’s name is in this book will die). Light decides that the people who need to die are criminals and starts writing down lots of names with the help of the death notes owner, the shinigami/death god Ryuk. But the police aren’t too happy that criminals are suddenly dying form mysterious heart attacks (not sure why though) and they send the world’s best detective, known only as L, to find the culprit, who is known as Kira. L and Light inevitably meet, and the story becomes a pressured battle to find out L’s name so Light can kill him, and proof that Light is Kira. Later on Light is joined by more Kiras and L’s successors (who have major problems: Mello (who looks like a girl) and Near (who lacks basic life skills). How simple can a plot line get? I thought death note was one of the best mangas I’ve ever read. The plot (though I’ve explained it badly) was fast paced and the tricks that were pulled were things I would never have thought of. It’s realistic in the sense that the things that must happen, do, and the artwork is amazing. One of the cleverest things done with the artwork is that Light grows visually more evil as the story goes on. Though the story is dark, Death Note contains many comic scenes so it isn’t too serious or puts readers off.

Overall: Strength 5 for the reasons above.

Katy >.<