Rather than delaying releases, Viz’s cease and desists caused subs for Death Note to be released faster this week. Can’t say I’m surprised, shitstorms tend to cause that effect, never underestimate the power of spite as motivation I suppose.

Episode Rating: 9/10

As soon as word of Takada’s death hits the media, TV stations everywhere start to push their announcers into becoming the next spokesperson for Kira. But Light has far more pressing issues to address…

The day of the meeting between the SPK and Light’s investigation team draws closer, Near contacts Light one last time before the meeting to confirm that the events of late haven’t altered their schedule and that they’re still on for the 28th at 1 p.m. Light is literally shaking with excitement as he believes everything is going according to plan.

The day of the meeting arrives and as promised, Near releases Misa. Having met and cooperated with Near before, Light decides to let Aizawa carry the death note to the meeting.

When they arrive at the warehouse, Aizawa goes in first and confirms that is indeed Near and his team who are present. And so all the key players are gathered, everyone currently on a team to investigate Kira gathered under one roof. At first Near is wearing a mask to cover his face, he assures that it’s only a caution in case Kira has already used the note and is controlling someone in the room. After half an hour passes with no incident, Near takes off the mask and the meeting begins.

Near quickly reveals that X-Kira, the one who is carrying out the judgments will arrive on site soon. He will peek into the room and identify everyone with the shinigami eyes, at which point he will use the death note to kill everyone. Everyone panics at the news, but Near assures them there is nothing to worry about, he has already altered the death note based on Mikami’s habits to ensure that the page he is using today is a fake and asks everyone to remain calm as Mikami goes on his “sakujo” spree. After all is said and done, the person’s name who Mikami has no written in the death note will be proven guilty as Kira.

And with Near’s explanation, Light declares victory to himself. He explains (to the audience) that he knew Near would modify the death note, in fact he baited him to do so. Mikami’s habits and the blatant use of the death note in public were all deliberate, as if inviting Near to tamper with the note. The death note that Mikami is writing in outside is the real thing which had previously been in Takada’s control.

After some time, Light nonchalantly asks the person outside if he is finished writing everyone’s name in the death note, Mikami says that he has. Near notes that it’s odd that Mikami would answer him so honestly, but Light shrugs it off, as it doesn’t really matter at this point. Near and Light invite Mikami inside, seeing as he has done his job and if all goes as he thinks, he’s in no danger of being arrested anyways.

Mikami opens the door and marvels at the sight of his god, who praises him for a job well done. Light asks Mikami how many seconds have passed since he wrote the names in the death note. As the second count reaches 39, Light declares his victory to Near, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger.

Thoughts

At this point, I can’t really speculate about anything without going into major spoilers. Having already been spoiled myself, it’s not the end result that I’m curious about, it’s the means by which we’ll arrive at it. So with that in mind…

WARNING

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WARNING

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WARNING

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MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

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PROCEED WITH CAUTION

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Honestly speaking, that was a rather simplistic plan from Light. Baiting Near to tamper with the death note was a conclusion that I probably could have came to myself -IF- we had been given a bit more information. If I knew about Mikami writing exactly a page per day, no more no less, it would have been plain to see.

Though I do give Light credit for thinking so far in advance, whether he knew exactly how things were going to play out, his move to create the fake death note was made a really long time ago. To be able to read Near so well and predict exactly how he would interpret Mikami’s habits and his resulting movements is impressive. However, I know it doesn’t end there.

It is no question that the sole purpose of this meeting is to put an end to either Kira or Near. With series as complicated as Death Note, I often use the metaphor of a chess game. At this point, the outcome has already been decided, the pieces are in place and the final moves are ready to be played, victory is in sight for both players. It’s just a question of who predicted the most moves in advance, and unfortunately, I already know the answer =( this game’s winner is Near.

Thinking about it, there are very few ways this conclusion can be reached. If we assume that the death note that Mikami used in this episode is the real one, the only way that Near won’t be dead within the opening seconds of the next episode is if he has already killed himself.

Wait, what!? Hear me out.

Under the assumption that Near didn’t succeed in modifying the death note, then he’s surely a dead man. Unless, his name has already been written in a death note. Somehow managing to get someone to write his name in the death note and schedule his death for a time much later than the meeting is the only way that Near can escape the otherwise certain death that awaits him in the current situation.

However, I don’t really think that’s how Near does it. Near strikes me as a very selfish person and I’m not sure if he’d be willing to sacrifice his own life to capture Kira, especially when he has the title of L’s successor to be had as a reward.

Other than that outcome, the only obvious one that comes to mind is that Near knew that the death note Mikami had was a fake and he went to great lengths to find the real one and modify it as well, or even replace it with his own fake.

But hey, Death Note has always been full of surprises, so much so that even after having EVERYTHING spoiled for me, I found it interesting. So I’d be disappointed if my guesses at the very end were right, as long as it’s logically sound, I’m content to be proven wrong.

Misa lives! But no one cares. Useless wench.

I can’t wait until next week when everything comes together and Light’s dreams come crashing down. Prepare for epic swimming lessons everyone! The end is Near.

PS: Door Mikami is watching you masturbate.

~ Shirukii ~