- Mangaka : Ohba Tsugumi (Story) Takeshi Obata (Art)
- Publisher : Shonen Jump
- Genre : Mystery, Drama, Shounen, Supernatural, Psychological
- Published : February 3, 2020
Contains Spoilers
Discussion Time
Six years ago, Ryuk in the Shinigami Realm longed for his favorite snack…apples. After Light Yagami’s death, Ryuk has waited for a new potential user to appear and in May 2019, he found his next target. Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri is a one-shot manga special that focuses on the new Death Note handler, Minoru Tanaka. Unlike Light, Tanaka gains the Death Note and despite knowing Kira’s past and what he accomplished, he refuses to use the book to assassinate anyone. Instead, Tanaka has Ryuk wait two years while he gains more intelligence—as we learn early on, Tanaka is only smart when he applies himself at his own pace—and then regains the Death Note with a plan.
Rather than kill people like his now predecessor, Tanaka wants to sell the Death Note to the highest bidder! Using Ryuk’s powers to be unseen but still be able to interact with the world, Tanaka has the Shinigami hold a sign on live TV so the world can begin to place a bid on the Death Note. This obviously attracts the attention of police like Touta Matsuda and he gets in contact with the new L. Ryuk watches alongside Tanaka as various powerful entities begin to make bids on the Death Note—namely the superpowers like America—and, eventually, we learn how Tanaka plans to make his bid idea even work in the first place.
When the bid is won—by none other than the USA—Tanaka has the foreign power put in millions, not to one account but rather all of the accounts associated with one specific bank. L laughs as he realizes this unknown foe has pulled off a move so perfect that, for the first time ever…he admits defeat. Tanaka gives up ownership of the Death Note and it would seem as if this non-killing Kira has pulled off the perfect crime. Unfortunately, when Ryuk delivers the Death Note to the President of the United States of America—who looks very similar to Donald Trump, our current President—Ryuk lets him know of a new rule put into the notebook that changes the game entirely.
The Shinigami God was so angry at Ryuk for selling off a Death Note that he put in a new rule. The person who buys/sells the Death Note will die. In addition, the seller of the Death Note will also die the minute they receive the payment! As you can guess, the President refuses to take the note—but will claim he can use it—but Tanaka ends up dying the minute he makes a transaction from the bank. That’s right folks, Tanaka gets his name put into the Death Note alongside Light and just like that, another Kira falls. Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri was a quick read—at only 88 pages—but we can honestly say it was a nice little addition to the world of Death Note. Here are a few reasons we loved Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri and why passing over it is a big mistake!
1. Just Like Kira…
Tanaka might not have killed with the Death Note but, like Light, their intentions are both quite questionable. Knowing the book can legit cause millions of deaths, Tanaka was only interested in making money. Sure, he also ended up giving money to possibly millions of other bank patrons but imagine if the Death Note could be used by a country’s leader? That, folks, is a truly scary thought.
2. Almost the Perfect Crime!?
What was amazing about Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri is the fact that we almost saw a new Kira commit the perfect crime this time around! Even the new L admitted defeat at Kira 2’s skill and that is pretty incredible. We almost have to wonder what would have happened if Tanaka went the route of Kira and became just like him…
Final Thoughts
Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri was a quick little extra story but it was a truly entertaining one. We loved this new Kira—even if he wasn’t a killer—and were amazed at how flawlessly he was implemented into the Death Note setting. Let us now hope that maybe this one-shot signals a possible return of Death Note! Did you enjoy Death Note: Tokubetsu Yomikiri? or felt it was unneeded? Comment below to let us know! Keep stuck to our amazing hive for even more manga reviews courtesy of us here at Honey’s Anime!
Author: Aaron