The upcoming reboot of Death Note by Netflix presents a significant opportunity to address one of the major storytelling criticisms that plagued the original anime. While skepticism about this new live-action adaptation is understandable, it has the potential to succeed if it addresses key issues effectively.
As Death Note is often regarded as a perfect entry point into anime for many viewers, it is fitting that Netflix selected it as one of the first series to receive a comprehensive live-action adaptation. Unfortunately, the initial live-action version of Death Note faced considerable backlash due to its excessive creative liberties.
Despite the disappointing reception of the first adaptation, Netflix is attempting to revive the franchise with a new version. With the Duffer Brothers at the helm, this reboot of Death Note already shows great promise. However, to truly succeed, it must revise one character’s story from the original anime.
Netflix’s Death Note Reboot Can Reverse One Character’s Fate To Fix The Anime’s Biggest Issue
The portrayal of female characters in Death Note has often faced criticism. Although the anime is well-crafted, it tends to either sideline female characters or depict them as hypersexualized love interests for Light Yagami.
The first live-action adaptation by Netflix did not rectify this issue, but the upcoming reboot could by altering Naomi Misora’s fate. Naomi, a former FBI agent, is introduced early in the anime series and quickly deduces how Kira might have killed her husband, Ray.
Her ability to uncover Kira’s involvement in her husband’s death showcases her intelligence. When Light first encounters Naomi Misora in Death Note, he struggles to outsmart and eliminate her, indicating that she poses a real threat. Unfortunately, Light ultimately discovers her name in the anime and kills her before she can contact L.
The new reboot could change her fate, allowing her to become a formidable investigator in the Kira case. By teaming up with L, she could present Light with a greater challenge than he faced in the original anime. This change would not only heighten the stakes for Light in Netflix’s Death Note reboot but also grant a female character more agency and narrative significance.
Netflix Can Redeem Itself If The New Death Note Reboot Does Things Right
While Netflix successfully adapted One Piece, it continues to address the fallout from many previous anime adaptations. In retrospect, Netflix’s first attempt at Death Note was not entirely flawed. However, its primary flaw was that it strayed too far from honoring the original anime.
Did You Know: The illustrator of Death Note, Takeshi Obata, is a fan of Tim Burton and drew inspiration from Edward Scissorhands when designing Shinigami Ryuk.
If Duffer Brothers’ Death Note reboot comes to fruition, it must find a balance between maintaining the essence of the source material and addressing story elements that hindered the original narrative. Achieving this balance could lead to its recognition as the best live-action adaptation of an anime and foster viewer trust in Netflix’s future live-action projects based on anime.
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