Death Note, Volume 8: Target

The 5-year jump in the story definitely gives this volume a different vibe, and the story feels a bit less focused than it has been, but Death Note remains one of the most suspenseful comics I've ever read.

Like always, Panini Comics Mexico has done an excellent job with the translation and release of their manga. Curiously enough there is one minor spelling blooper in one text box of this comic, but otherwise the Spanish translation is fluid.

As for the manga, the series is starting to go downhill after what happened to L. The author should have prolonged the inevitable and perhaps have L and Light as the final showdown of the story. Instead, he went in a different direction and has two rival detectives named Near and Mello in an outright competition to obtain the death note that the Japanese police have.

Whereas Near wants to cooperate with the FBI, Mello decided to join a gang and pulled a gutsy kidnapping of Sayu Yagami. The actual show more rescue of Light's little sister is awesome and the highlight of this volume.

However, things start to get really confusing with the addition of a third shinigami named Shidoh. The scene where Mello now knows a lot about the death note thanks to Shidoh seems sort of convulted and the story is getting even more confusing instead of brilliant.

Misa parades around in sexy lingerie without being able to impress Light and Souichiro just sort of went back to Japan like it was no big deal. The artwork is exquisite like in every volume, but Mello and Near aren't even remotely as charming as L and it seems like the author doesn't know what to do with the story anymore. I liked it more when it was just a mindgame between Light and L. show less

Although I have been enjoying Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's popular Death Note manga series, I was mostly disappointed in Zero, the seventh volume. Still, there was plenty of good stuff going on and I definitely wanted to finish the series. I was looking forward to seeing where Ohba would take the story in volume eight, Target, especially considering the major plot developments that occurred in the previous book. Target collects chapters sixty-two to seventy of Death Note and picks up immediately where Zero leaves off. There are four more volumes after Target, five if you count the readers' guide, but Death Note hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet. The series is in a very different place than when it first started, which is to show more be expected, but I still find the books to be engaging.

Four years have passed since the death of L. Light is now able to pose as his deceased opponent, making his secret identity as Kira even easier to maintain while serving as a primary investigator on the case. Public opinion has begun to favor Kira and Light has grown complacent in his relatively secure position. But L's intellectual heirs have joined the game and Light will once again have to do some quick thinking. Mello has kidnapped his sister and is demanding the Death Note held by the Japanese police be turned over to him in exchange for her life. Light reluctantly join forces with Mello's rival Near while striving to keep his multiple identities hidden. Near and Mello are both after Kira and the notebook, although for very different reasons, and Light will have to do all that he can to maintain his quickly dwindling advantages. And just as it looks like he might be in the clear, interference from the Shinigami realm changes everything.

Near and Mello make for interesting characters, but I'll just come out and say it--I really miss L. The interaction between him and Light was fantastic and without L around to keep him on his toes Light seems to have lost some of his spark. Both Mello and Near come across as being rather young and I find their leadership roles and the amount of responsibility given to them hard to believe even considering their brilliance. The two of them will present Light with some decent challenges, especially since Light appears to be out of practice and Mello is more than willing to be ruthless in his methods to get what he wants. Although neither Mello nor Near are yet on par with L in regards to their intelligence, their general strangeness certainly is. Even with L gone, the conflicts between Near, Mello, and Light should prove to be interesting as they all try to outwit one another.

For the most part, Target hits on the major plot points from the previous books fairly well, but the series has progressed far enough now that it would be difficult for a new reader to jump in without being confused by some of what is going on. Death Note can be a bit text heavy at times since much of the story's tension comes from characters' internal dialogues as they try to out-think one another rather than from dramatic action sequences (although there are some of those, too.) However, readers are nicely led through the sometimes convoluted thought processes and Obata's strong and consistent artworks greatly supports the story. I still prefer the series' earlier volumes, but Target has helped regain some of the confidence I lost in Death Note while reading Zero. I'm not entirely sure where Ohba and Obata are heading, but I look forward to finding out in the ninth volume, Contact.

Experiments in Reading show less

Like always, Panini Comics Mexico has done an excellent job with the translation and release of their manga. Curiously enough there is one minor spelling blooper in one text box of this comic, but otherwise the Spanish translation is fluid.

As for the manga, the series is starting to go downhill after what happened to L. The author should have prolonged the inevitable and perhaps have L and Light as the final showdown of the story. Instead, he went in a different direction and has two rival detectives named Near and Mello in an outright competition to obtain the death note that the Japanese police have.

Whereas Near wants to cooperate with the FBI, Mello decided to join a gang and pulled a gutsy kidnapping of Sayu Yagami. The actual show more rescue of Light's little sister is awesome and the highlight of this volume.

However, things start to get really confusing with the addition of a third shinigami named Shidoh. The scene where Mello now knows a lot about the death note thanks to Shidoh seems sort of convulted and the story is getting even more confusing instead of brilliant.

Misa parades around in sexy lingerie without being able to impress Light and Souichiro just sort of went back to Japan like it was no big deal. The artwork is exquisite like in every volume, but Mello and Near aren't even remotely as charming as L and it seems like the author doesn't know what to do with the story anymore. I liked it more when it was just a mindgame between Light and L. show less

Ho hum! More Death Note - after awhile, these volumes start to blur together. Either I'm reading them too fast and too close together or they're reiterating the plotting and twists and turns of disguising themselves and their motives. Spoilers again for people who haven't read this far...

So here we are in a world dominated by Kira and his growing numbers of supporters. We ended the last volume with Mello (one of L's heirs) and his gang kidnapping Sayu (Light's sister - remember her?) and holding her ransom for a Death Note. With much hemming and hawing, they do indeed make the trade with the task force (specifically Soichiro). Meanwhile, we learn that Ryuk has not been terribly forthcoming with information. Over the years, he's never show more once mentioned that he stole one of his Death Notes from another shinigami, Sidoh. Sidoh realizes that he needs to write another human's name in the Death Note if he wants to extend his life, and goes on a search to find the owner. Light must contend with this shinigami interfering with his plans while also trying to outmanuever Mello and Near.

Unlike vol. 7, we're back to the slow-paced opening, overly elaborate plans, and eventual rise in action half-way through. I'm really liking Mello, perhaps because his weakness is that he's overly emotional, unpredictable, and competitive. He contrasts Light, who seems to have grown comfortable in his position as Kira and L. If you feel for anyone in this series, it's for Soichiro and Misa - Misa has been neglected by Light since she first met him and she still sticks by his side. This isn't one of the best volumes out there, but you do get to learn more about Mello and Near, which is a welcome break from Light. I miss L!!!

Oh, and have a chocolate bar handy while you're reading. You'll want so much chocolate! show less

2014 Review:

Death Note #7-9 (Manga Monday)
This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com by express permission of this reviewer

Synopsis
Light and L's battle comes to a shattering end but Kira's dream to rule the world is still being opposed by geniuses who take up the fight.

My Thoughts
L was simply out maneuvered by Light/Kira. And pays the price. Contingency plans are brought into play and L's successors, Mello and Near, come on board as main characters.

Mello and Near are L divided into 2 people. Mello show more is passionate, willing to go to extreme ends to prove his point and he has a sweet tooth. Near is much more emotionless, taking a disinterested view of everything and he likes to play with toys.

These 3 volumes were an almost literal wall of text. I felt like I was reading a novel instead of manga.

A couple of things struck me. First off, guns. Or the lack there of. Watanari had a sniper rifle and you see the police force having hand guns, but they never get used. And Light's father preaches about it not being legal for him to carry a gun when he resigns from the force. Made me thankful for our 2nd Amendment.
Second, the whole right and wrong of what Kira is doing. Everybody takes the stance that popular opinion is what makes something right. So if Kira can convince enough people to support him, then he'll be in the right and his cause just. What a pack of bologna! That pissed me off.

Thirdly, Light is getting more and more willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. He is willing to sacrifice his dad, his sister, his girlfriend, everyone in fact, to get what he wants. Selfish beyond belief.
I felt kind of burnt out after reading volume 6 and wasn't sure how I was going to react to more volumes. And when L dies and Light has won, and then successors to L show up, my first reaction was "Come on, get it over with". But with 2 volumes of Mello and Near, I am liking this. They "do" so much more than L. And this series needed an action villain.

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Author: Tsugumi Ohba
Artist:Takeshi Obata


2007 Review:

L dies, Light takes his name, but there is a whole orphanage filled with talented youngsters being trained as potential "L"s. The 2 front runners take over where L left off, in trying to uncover Kira. Another Shinigami enters the picture, but is dispatched quickly enough. The new two "L"s are young, and not truly "L"s, but one takes the name of "Near" and the other, who turns out to be a practical sociopath, goes by the name of "Mello". " show less

Is it sslowing down by the eighth volume? Are the authors running out of plot ideas? Possible, just possibly. At times this is a highly enjoyable read and rattles along at a fair old pace. Of course the drawings are up to their usual standard. My only real issue with this whole series are the (in my opinion) overly long segments where characters are thinking to themselves and running over the last few pieces of action in the plot. They then proceed to examine every possible course of action open to them. Come on - you know the parts I mean. Is there a way that these ca be done away with and I ould still understand and enjoy the story? Maybe I am totally wrong.