Book Review: Death Note Vols. 5, 6, and 7 by T. Ohba and T. Obata

Death Note Volume 5: Whiteout story by Tsugumi Ohba and art Takeshi Obata

In a bold move, Light has voluntarily had himself put in prison to prove he's innocent of the crimes he has committed. In a bolder move, he signals to Ryuk (the shinagami that gave him the Death Note) to take back the Death Note, thereby erasing all of Light's memories in reference to the Death Note and what he has done with it. Now Light is sincerely convinced that he is innocent. Too bad the killings stopped as soon as he was imprisoned, meaning L and the investigators all think Light is guilty. Relief comes when a new killing spree starts. A group of bankers has a Death Note (though it is not clear which one) and they use it to make their bank more profitable. Can L and Light figure out who this new Kira is?

The story takes an intriguing twist as the Death Note passes on to someone with a different agenda. I thought the character Misa was dropping out of the story but L is too convinced she is the second Kira (which she is) to let her have her freedom. Her shinagami, Rem, is working with the bankers, so that leaves Light's shinagami unaccounted for (and probably due to reappear soon). In the investigation, some people make guesses about what's going on that seem like large, unjustified leaps, except that readers know the guesses are right. I have mixed feelings about those jumps. The book isn't reading as clever as at the beginning, but I will keep going.

Mildly recommended.

Death Note Volume 6: Give-and-Take story by Tsugumi Ohba and art Takeshi Obata

L and Light hatch a scheme to catch the new Kira who is working for the bank (well, really for himself). They use Misa to infiltrate the group, along with a con-man and a tech expert. The elaborate plan is designed to reveal not only the identity of this latest Kira but also how Kira kills. A lot of information comes out by the end of this volume which also includes an action-packed chase scene.

The story has picked up some momentum and interest for me. My initial disinterest in the corporate baddies has changed thanks to the writing. The balance of drama and action is good since the drama is less compelling. There's hints that Light has been planning how things are turning out, leading the reader to expect a return of the Death Note to him soon.

Recommended.

Death Note Volume 7: Zero story by Tsugumi Ohba and art Takeshi Obata

The police have run down the third Kira, corporate executive Higuchi. As they bring him into custody after a car chase, a lot of the police officers handle Higuchi's Death Note, including L and Light. So they all see Higuchi's shinigami (the other-dimension demon who is connected to the Death Note). In yet another added Death Note rule, Light gets his memories back while he's holding the notebook. He remembers his plan and cleverly kills Higuchi before he can reveal too much more about the Death Note. L now has a lot more information to process which puts him very close to the truth. Light's plan has been thoroughly worked out, leading him to new safety and the ability to become Kira again.

As I read this, I felt there were too many arbitrary rules added just for the sake of drama. The story did not naturally unfold, the development felt forced. The big surprise in this volume caught me off-guard, though the resolution of the twist felt more like a reset than a step forward in the story.

Mildly recommended--the story is starting to collapse under the weight of its own complications.