Death Note (Japanese: デスノート Hepburn: Desu Nōto) 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 supernatural notebook from a Shinigami named Ryuk that grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. The series centers around Light's attempts to create and rule a world "cleansed of evil" as "God" using the notebook, and the efforts of a detective known as L to stop him.
Light Yagami is a genius high school student who discovers the "Death Note", a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it, as long as the writer has seen that person's face. After experimenting with the notebook, Light meets the Shinigami Ryuk, the notebook's original owner, who dropped the notebook to the human world out of boredom. Light tells Ryuk of his plan to rule as a god over a new world free from criminals, where only people he deems morally fit to live remain. Light becomes known to the public as Kira (キラ), which is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the word "killer". Ryuk, invisible save to those that possess the Death Note, follows Light around and takes enjoyment from Light's meticulous actions as Kira.
Kira's killings catch the attention of Interpol and world-famous detective "L". L, who is highly intelligent, has surmised that Kira can kill anyone by knowing their face and name, and tricks Light into revealing his location in the Kanto region of Japan. L creates a small anti-Kira task force from the local police to help discover who Kira is, including Soichiro, Light's father, requiring Light to take several measures to keep the Death Note secure. Light and L begin a game of cat and mouse to try to further their own ends.
ˡKͥᵍiͪrͭʸaͣᵍᵃᵐᶤ
