Explaining the Death Note anime controversy

“Death Note” is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The story follows Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a mysterious supernatural notebook called the “Death Note.” The notebook has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it, as long as the writer knows the victim’s face. Light sees the Death Note as a tool to rid the world of evil and create a utopia where he can reign as a god-like figure.

The “Death Note” anime series has been incredibly successful, both in Japan and internationally. It has sold over 30 million copies in Japan alone and was adapted into an anime television series that gained a huge following in the United States. The series centers around Light’s attempt to carry out a worldwide massacre of immoral individuals, mainly criminals, so he can live in a crime-free society.

However, despite the show’s popularity, it has been embroiled in controversy since its release. One of the most significant controversies surrounding “Death Note” occurred in China, where the manga was banned for its graphic content.

In 2005, students in the Chinese city of Shenyang began creating their own “Death Notes” after reading the manga. They purchased stationery notebooks and followed the manga’s instructions by writing the names of people they disliked on its pages. The school banned the use of stationery notebooks entirely in response, a move that was met with mixed reactions.

While many felt that the ban was an overreaction and completely unnecessary, Chinese parents and teachers approved it, describing the Death Note as “a poison that creates wicked hearts.” They stated that the ban was meant to protect innocent children from the “evil notebook.” A middle school student even told the Shenyang Night Report that many of his classmates owned Death Note notebooks and wrote down names of teachers they disliked when they got tired of studying.

The controversy surrounding “Death Note” didn’t end there. In 2007, the manga’s popularity was at an all-time high, and an extensive news report from a Chinese publication detailed how “Death Note” was driving notebook sales in connection to its popularity among students in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. The well-known notebook found in Takeshi Obata’s manga became a preferred toy among elementary and middle school students.

When parents and teachers were made aware of the new trend among young students, they began voicing their concerns over the impact it could have on children, expressing their apprehensions about it negatively impacting a child’s growth. Days after the report was published, the Cultural Market Administrative Enforcement Department confiscated over 187 Death Note books from toy and school utensil stores in the city. Chinese authorities further banned stores from producing the notebooks, deeming them illegal products and threatening severe punishment if they were continued to be sold.

Despite the controversy, “Death Note” remains a beloved anime and manga series for many fans worldwide. It explores the theme of how power can corrupt even the most kind-hearted and how rapidly a good man can make his descent into evil. However, whether or not the series deserves to be banned remains a question that continues to be debated by critics and fans alike.

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Yagami, L, Kiyomi, Misa, Teru, Ryuk