Recognizable political figures never made an appearance in the original manga, yet in “Death Note: Special One-Shot,” several political leaders are featured as governments compete for the notebook. Soon enough, Minoru’s auction for the Death Note goes beyond individuals, with entire governments placing bids. Minoru points out that Light’s strategy of staying hidden as Kira during the original manga’s run would not work in today’s society of increased surveillance, both online and offline. Ryuk offers Minoru the Death Note, but he decides to sell it to the highest bidder. Surprisingly, the special one-shot chapter shifts focus from the Death Note’s murderous powers to its tempting nature to whomever comes across it. Using the notebook, Light takes it upon himself to rid the world of criminals and proclaims himself to be a god known as Kira. The Death Note, given to Light by a shinigami – a Japanese god of death – named Ryuk, allows him to kill anyone by writing their name in the notebook, provided he knows their face. The original manga, which ran from 2003 to 2006, follows protagonist Light Yagami, a genius student who finds a mysterious notebook called a Death Note.

Author Tsugumi Ohba’s and illustrator Takeshi Obata’s return to the series acknowledges how today’s technological society, combined with political tensions, would drastically change the Death Note’s influence and power. The new chapter, simply titled “Death Note: Special One-Shot,” takes place in the present day and follows a new character, a Japanese student named Minoru Tanaka. The Death Note has returned – but not the Netflix adaptation.Īfter the success of the critically acclaimed manga and anime adaptation, the story of “Death Note” is continuing with a new one-shot chapter, released Monday.

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