Death Note II: The Last Name (Talkback)

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issa

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Death Note II: The Last Name
Original Japanese Release Date: Noveraber 3, 2006
US Theatrical Release Date: October 15, 2008
US DVD release Date: February 10, 2009

Cast (Live Action):
Light Yagami: Tatsuya Fujiwara
L/Ryuzaki: Kenichi Matsuyama
Soichiro Yagami: Takeshi Kaga
Misa Amane: Erika Toda
Kiyomi Takada: Nana Katase

Cast (Voice Actors):
Light Yagami: Brad Swaile
L/Ryuzaki: Alessandro Juliani
Ryuk: Brian Drummond
Rem: Micheal Dobson
Soichiro Yagami: Chris Britton
Misa Amane: Shannon Chan-Kent
Kiyomi Takada: Lisa Ann Beley
Watari: Ron Halder
Saeko Nishiyama: Venus Terzo

Synopsis: "Light Yagami has joined the investigation team in pursuit of the serial killer known as "Kira." While L strongly suspects Light is "Kira", Light continues to seck out L's real name so he can kill him using the Death Note. Things get more unpredictable with the appearance of a second "Kira" who posses the "Shinigami Eyes", enabling the owner to see the true identity and lifespan of any person."

This was just released to DVD in the US about a week or two ago, so I figured a talkback was needed. I recently purchased and watched this, and overall it was a nice conclusion to a live action adapation of Death Note. Like the 1st movie, quite a few changes were made compared to both the manga and anime. One thing that surprised me was that for the dub cast, they casted a male voice actor (Micheal Dobson) as Rem, when he was voiced by a female voice actor in the anime dub, but I guess they did this because Rem had a male voice actor in the Japanese version of the film too.
 
It was very slow moving after the first hour, as it did not need to be more than 2 hours, but it was pretty solid overall. I loved the alterations made so those who have not read the manga or seen the anime will not be spoiled, but at the same time, I wish it had Near and Mello. Say what you will about them, it took both of them corabined to be L, and that is what I liked about the second half to the series.

I am not so sure what I think about L's own movie though. It does not seem like it fits at all in the Death Note world, as it seems too cheery and what is the point when there are no Shinigamis?

Anyway, I give this movie a 3.5/5 stars, and Rem and Misa continue to be my favorite characters.
 
Okay, let's face it: this was very poorly done.

Reasons?

1) No Higuchi. I rather wanted to see a live action take on Higuchi's twisted character, and the filmmakers barely make up for that with the eye candy we get in Higuchi's place. I mean, it would've made more sense to use MIKAMI!

2) Rem is male - WTF?!?! Okay, I'm sorry but of all the things that could, and SHOULD, have been dubbed out, that was it.

3) L's fate - I thought that was a cheap way of ending his character. If they're going to kill L off, have it happen like it did in the manga and anime.

On the other hand, this movie does show a detail the manga and anime never fully explored - that Light would go so far as to write his own father's name in the notebook. Light was shown to, on occasion, wonder if he would have to kill his family, but here, he actually goes that far. And that ending - at least, the part with the Yagami family - was very emotional, I'll give it that.

Meanwhile, unless Viz is miscrediting, I'd wondered if Takada had the same voice in the movie for some time. I need wonder no more.
 
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