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Death Note news articles

Tragic Murder of TV Celebrity, Singer and L Cosplayer Christina Grimmie

13/6/2016

348 Comments

 
Our interest here in singer, songwriter and US NBC The Voice competitor Christina Grimmie is rather peripheral, which makes news of her fatal shooting by a previously unacquainted killer no less saddening.

Police investigators in Orlando, Florida, have yet to uncover a motive for gunman Kevin James Loibl's actions. He had apparently set out to kill her on June 10th 2016, armed with several weapons and travelling two hours across the US state to reach her.

Outside concert hall The Plaza Live, Christina Grimmie and rock band Before You Exit were signing autographs, posing for pictures and chatting with those who had come to watch them perform that night. Or merely to be there meeting them afterwards.  A voracious updater of social media (wherein she'd grown to fame as a star on YouTube), Christina had encouraged folk to pop down and say hello, if they could.  It was fun, exciting, a happy and friendly event; eye-witnesses said she opened her arms to hug Loibl as he approached upon his turn to do so.


He opened fire and killed her, then shot himself dead too.

A sickening, senseless story, as I'm certain most here will agree.  But what has it got to do with us?

The fact is that Christina Grimmie was one of us.  For all her celebrity and meet and greet press of crowds vying for a moment in her company, she was also a Death Note fan.  Who got excited when she was able to wear her L cosplay while recording a music video.

That's what she took to social media about at the time, that's what she wanted to share - not the fact that she was making the promo for her own song Shrug. 

A notion no doubt met wryly by more than a few of us with the ability to chuck an L cosplay together from the contents of our wardrobes, but not film a music video to transmit to thousands, who wanted to actually hear us sing our songs.
Christina Grimmie Death Note L cosplay for Shrug
Seventy weeks before she was killed, Christina Grimmie sat with friends and watched the last episode of the Death Note anime.  As so many of us have done, and like us all, it was viewed with gleeful anticipation, as her Instagram snapshot confirms.  An event worth recording.  An excuse for a party.  One of us.

Watching the Death Note ending.......

A video posted by Christina Grimmie (@therealgrimmie) on Feb 6, 2015 at 1:18pm PST

Christina Grimmie Death Note computer background

Just over a year ago, she was showing us Mello, L and Near on her computer's wallpaper and telling us it makes her happy.  I don't know about you, but I've got Mello on my PC background image and it makes me happy.

For the record, I've also got Matt as a theme on my browser.  It also makes me happy.

The purpose of all this?  No matter how remote and star-studded, scratch the surface and we're all the same.  If not in the specifics, then the generalities certainly: one fan likes Mello, another L, a third is Team Kira, a fourth is for Mikami, a fifth prefers Naruto and the last can't stand manga/anime, but has a passion for NASCAR.

In the passion, we find points of commonality with all humankind, regardless of its focus.  In tears and love too, we touch the same, no matter that we might not grieve or infatuate our hearts upon identical loves.  Different subjects irritate; things distastefully seen or grinding sentiments heard might drive us to fury according to our own perspectives; yet she share with all that well of anger ready to propel us into attempting to improve our world as per our lights.

No-one is so alien to our very own humanity that they should be hunted down and shoot for whatever motive.

Christina Grimmie might have been a glittering star in the limelight and a vivacious entertainer. But she was also somebody's daughter, somebody's sister - her brother nearly died trying to save her - somebody's friend and confidante. 

And she was a Death Note fan just like us. We are bereft, one down tonight, and that has to do with us all.
348 Comments

MCM London Comic Con Anime Karaokers Belt Out Songs from Death Note

30/5/2016

6 Comments

 
MCM London Comic Con May 2016 logo
MCM London Comic Con 2016 is currently in full swing with convention goers able to wow the crowds with Death Note theme tunes, if they so wish.

The Manga UK stage has been taken over by Anime Karaoke, which is precisely what you think it's going to be.  Punters called up into the spotlight get a choice of over 150 songs from anime across the board.

Their tuneful menu includes two helpings of Death Note music - The World and Alumina both by Nightmare, both made famous as Death Note theme songs.

Let's hope that any fan brave enough to try it knows what they are doing.  Each track has the potential to trip folk up - The World by being faster than intrepid songsters might fancy; while Alumina on the surface seems much the easier option, while being pitched an octave higher than most routinely recall.  Until it's too late and there's a microphone in their faces and expectant hordes of Londoners looking right up at them.

Good luck, brave and beautiful Death Note karaoke singers!  Ignore the cockneys and sing like Kira's coming tomorrow!

Staged at ExCeL London, May 29th 2016 is the third and final day of MCM Comic Con, but the website reports that there are still tickets left.  Anime Karaoke kicks off at 11am today.  We dare you.

6 Comments

Indie Band Speedy Ortiz Release Death Note - Anime Inspired New EP Track

14/5/2016

1 Comment

 
Announcing their newly released Death Note, Massachuttets band Speedy Ortiz
American Indie Rock band Speedy Ortiz, active since 2011, announced a new four-track EP to be released June 3rd. Moreover, they shared one of the new tracks included on their Foiled Again EP. It's called Death Note.

Frontwoman Sadie Dupuis confirmed the track is named after the anime, and we can even tell she’s probably not a fan of Light’s New World.

In the press release, she explained the title by pointing out the actual death note in the anime was an 'about an evil supernatural notebook that causes the death of anyone whose name is written inside of it'.

Although the title is meant as a reference, the actual song isn’t about Death Note. The lyrics are meant to touch on a more delicate subject. As Dupuis explained: “The song is about writing through your depression as a way to get better, and how in that way a death note can be kind of love letter to yourself.”

The song is available on Soundcloud.  Or you can give it a whirl below too.  If you love it lots, then buy the MP3 - download Death Note now, or wait until June 3rd to purchase the entire Foiled Again EP.
1 Comment

Casting Call: Fan-Dub Auditions to Sing Death Note 'The World'

18/4/2016

3 Comments

 
The audition site Casting Call has an opening listed for singers amongst the Death Note fandom to flex their tonsils for a cover of The World.

Vocals can be in English or Japanese and the project appears to be some kind of anime cover album or play-list.

Before anyone gets excited thinking they're going to be on an official Death Note music release - otherwise in one of the forthcoming movies - let us reiterate here that this is a fan created project.  Yet no less wonderful for that.

There's scope for another Death Note tune to be covered, if you'd prefer.  As the call out lists the opportunity to record instead the anime track of your choice.  Other tunes requiring singers include:
  • Fight Together from One Piece
  • Super Driver from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
  • Memories of You from Persona 3
  • Never More from Persona 4
  • Irony from Oreimo
  • Yowamushi na Honoo from Yowamushi Pedal
  • Let Me Hear from Parasyte
  • One Reason from Deadman Wonderland

A track from Bleach has already been cast.
Anime singers wanted on Casting Call
Deadline is May 6th 2016.  Anime vocalists may be male or female, but must own a good microphone through which to record their work.  For more information visit audition listing itself - Casting Call Club: Anime Cover Singers Needed!
3 Comments

Taylor Swift Cosplaying Mello?  Dubious Death Note Nod at the 2016 Grammys

23/3/2016

1 Comment

 
It's been pointed out to us that Taylor Swift was sporting a Death Note Mello hair-do at the 58th Annual Grammy Music Awards last month.  Take a look, see what you think:
2016 Grammys: Taylor Swift Death Note Mello hair-style
Mello Death Note anime
Death Note Mello
Death Note: Taylor Swift Mello hair-style Grammy Awards 2016
I don't know.  It wouldn't be the first time that Taylor Swift's Death Note fan credentials have been highlighted.  But on this occasion it does all seem a little tenuous!
1 Comment

Anime Fan Soulja Boy Names Death Note as his Favourite

18/3/2016

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Self-styled legend - and otherwise styled Father of Modern Rap Music - Soulja Boy has come out as an anime fan in an interview today with magazine Complex UK.

The US singer is known for classic hip-hop hits like Crank That (Soulja Boy) and Turn my Swag On; platinum selling albums such as Souljaboytellem.com; as well as films about his life Soulja Boy: The Movie, and television documentaries concerning the same, as in the current Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.

He was in Complex UK discussing his new album Stacks on Deck, which came out on March 15th 2016.  Yet somehow the conversation turned to anime in general, and Death Note in particular.
“You ain’t ready for this,” Soulja Boy tells me. He’s wrapped in a tight white t-shirt, elegantly ripped Robin’s Jeans, and a small, tasteful chain. His blunt, thick and taut, resembles a pterodactyl’s leg in a land before man, modernity, and swag. We’re sitting in a Burbank studio, a few blocks from the Disney and Warner Brothers lots. I tell him I was born ready.

“We gon’ start it off like this. Bam!” he says, and begins rattling off his favorite anime films. “Naruto. Cowboy Bebop. Death Note. Full Metal Alchemist. Akira.” In Japan, there’s a word for rabid anime fans: otaku. I am not even a tenth the otaku that Soulja Boy is. “Death Note, that’s my favorite one. You ever seen it?”

“No,” I say, meekly. I’m certain that Soulja Boy is about to be upset with me pretending I was born ready for this. I was in no way, shape, or form ready to talk about anime with Soulja Boy. I have failed myself. More gallingly, I have failed Soulja Boy.
~ Soulja Boy is the Father of Modern Rap Music by Drew Millard (Complex UK March 18th 2016)

Soulja Boy Complex UK March 18th 2016

Soulja Boy is the Father of Modern Rap Music
- Interview by Drew Millard
(Screenshot March 18th 2016)
He actually sounds a little Kira-esque too in the back-story provided by the magazine feature.

There's talk of him starting out at seventeen and appearing Christlike to his followers.  Changing the world of hip-hop and rap forever. Writing his own Fate, at least on-line, via Wikipedia with his lines of destiny coming true as Soulja Boy hustled himself into mega-stardom through careful hacks and self-penned publicity.

Not quite a Death Note wielding God of this New World, but you can't help wondering who inspired him at 17 back in 2006.
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Lucas King Plays Light's Theme on Piano (Along with a Heads Up for a Friend)

12/2/2016

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I hope you enjoy my piano version of Light's Theme from Death Note.  Great theme for a great character. 
I loved Light as a character, but he was at such a huge advantage against L that it was nearly impossible for him to lose and yet he was still caught (he managed to get out of his capture but the rules were clearly written in the Death Note, anybody could've found a way out with help from such a powerful device). 

From what I saw, Light was an intelligent yet arrogant teenager, and his over-confidence was his downfall. I never considered L and Light to be intellectual equals.  I agree with what L said - Light's goals and views were childish, a black and white concept of right and wrong. Which was due to a lack of life experience.  That's how I saw it anyway.
Light Yagami at seventeen Death Note manga
I found the ending heart-wrenching when Coda was playing and we see Light from the start of the show. It reminds us of how young he is and how he set out with (what he thought were) good intentions, it was a curse finding that Death Note.

That's what's so sad about the story of Light Yagami for me.

Light made a life-altering decision at a time when he wasn't mentally ready to make such a decision.  If I'd found a Death Note at 17 years of age, I know I would've wrote a lot of names in it.

If I found one today I would lock it in a box and make sure nobody would ever find it.

I wonder how Light's life would've turned out if he hadn't found that Note. 

Captain FriteNite Needs Help

Captain FriteNite is a wonderful human being and I’m lucky to have come across her.  She is a CreepyPasta narrator and writer on YouTube.  Please do go check  out her work.

However she has been diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Pain Syndrome. She is receiving Chemotherapy to try and treat it. She has fallen on hard times. She’s a wonderful human being and I’m lucky to have come across her.

On top of all this bad luck, her computer has broken.  There is a donation page for her. Anything you can give will help.  Even if it’s a small help, The Captain really needs a break.
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Other Places Online to Find Lucas King Piano Music, inc Death Note Themes

I’ve started a blog where I will give tips on composition, piano playing, improvisation, playing by ear and setting up YouTube channels - Lucas King Piano Site.  I've also created a Wattpad where I upload stories. If you’re a writer yourself, it’ll be great to hear what you think!

Meanwhile, I’m taking commissions too. Head over to my website for details!!  Any donations would be really appreciated, any money donated will be used to get new instruments and other equipment to improve this channel. Here's my PayPal address - [email protected].  Thank you so much for your support.

Finally I've created a new tutorial and MIDI download channel.  Do check it out.

All of this in addition to my usual haunts:
  • Ask me a question on Ask.FM
  • Like me on Facebook
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Follow me On Soundcloud
  • Subscribe to my channel on YouTube

Light's Theme performed for

Month of Kira on Death Note News
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A Metrosexual Tribute to David Bowie by Mello

11/1/2016

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The Bowie-esque metrosexuality of Death Note Mello
Too young to have known the impact of Bowie in the 1970s, I can only imagine. It must have been immense. By the time the ripples reached me - in the early noughties, thirty years on - they still sounded as a sonic boom, even then retaining power enough to rock my world. Representing one less battle for me to win, because he'd already owned it on our behalf and done it with aplomb.

Bowie brought colour to a monochrome world. Without him, all would have remained painted black for me, in counterpoint to my rival's white.  Splitting our idol's hues into two; dividing them one apiece. Like they were all that existed in the rainbow prism of a fabulous spectrum.

I wore red for Bowie. I wore feathers, leather, mascara and kohl. I wore whatever I Goddamned liked, because he made it possible for all men to do so without sacrificing one iota of masculinity. Whether we traced it back to source or not, it was Bowie who took male beauty into a cosmetic artform and gave us the glitz and glamour previously only available to ladies.

If he could do that in working men's clubs, I could do it in the Mafia. He made Metrosexual sexy. He made self-pride alright. He made it so no-one could say a blasted thing about it and not seem silly in the saying.

All this while gay men were still being beaten by police in raids on shady bars. All of this out in the open, where conversations could be had over dinner-tables watching Bowie on TV.  All giving courage to countless legions of gay and bisexual individual, and those who saw gender in its glorious fluidity, and those who simply didn't care a damn.

As writer Mark Simpson - 'daddy' of the Metrosexual - put it back in 1994, “(David Bowie) gaily refused to conform to 'masculine' expectations and provocatively appropriated ‘feminine’ styles, fashions, cosmetics and sensualities – anything that would make him look and feel fabulous, and piss off 1970s dads. He understood perfectly that the world was an increasingly visual culture and sired the New Romantics, who went on to invent the 21st Century.

“The glamorous seeds he sowed back in the Seventies have borne strange and wonderful bisensual fruit, enjoyed by everyone, regardless of gender or orientation.”

There is no 'feminine' anymore. No 'masculine'; no 'androgyny'; no 'unisex'; not after Bowie. There is just us and what we will be. Each of us with the potential to be heroes, rebels, leper messiahs or stardust, but mostly the potential to be whatever we want to be. He blurred boundaries until there were none, only that which we set ourselves. He normalised the weird; domiciled aliens; made diversity the new normal.

Moreover, Bowie taught generations since that it's ok to reinvent yourself, and reinvention does not have to mean losing one atom of that self.

You may know me as Mello, 'the best dresser who died like a dog'. But it was a Diamond Dog, with a fabulous wardrobe made possible by the prior bravery of Bowie. We can be heroes, he told us, and we were.

RIP the legend that was David Bowie (1947-2016)

* Death Note Mello's David Bowie tribute written with perhaps a little help from MRSJeevas
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Is Matt a Biker?  And Other Tales from the Death Note Store

9/12/2015

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Screenshot - Death Note Gifts at Death Note News 9th Dec 2015
Screenshot of the current homepage for our Death Note Gift shop
Are you loving the Death Note Christmas gift shop gif that's over there on the sidebar being all festive?  Wonderful, isn't it? 

Orangepunch created it for us and it's been gently snowing away in that corner, calling people in to remember that seasonal Death Note decorations do exist and all that.

Whilst also reminding me that I never did get around to finishing half of the stores that it's inviting people in to visit.  Plus some of them went up with way too big images attached to every pretty product, rendering them too long to load for the average sense of patience to withstand.  If it doesn't crash the prospective buyers internet first. 

What can I say, I was young and foolish, followed by forgetful and lazy.  Swiftly introducing, 'Oh no! All of that should have been fixed months ago!' *cue pulling an all-nighter* into the bargain.  One unfathomably long night later, we have a much improved Death Note Gift Emporium (though granted, that might have been more useful a few weeks ago BEFORE you bought all your Xmas presents), plus some new departments entirely.

You will still find flaws in there (size of pics in DVDs and books pages, we're all looking at you), but I also found something quite intriguing to bring to the table.  Plus some gossip.

What's New in Death Note Gifts?

First let me run you through what's changed and sparkly new in our Death Note shopping area, plus a 'to do' list of what's coming up, so you can check if the issue you've found is already known.  If not, then naturally we'd be very grateful to get the heads up. 

The front page (screenshot above) got a redesign.  The thumbnails were all much reduced in size, in order to boost the speed at which the page loads.  Hopefully it is much more navigable now.

In addition, every Death Note merchandise page has been reconfigured with funky tabs - making finding things at a glance much easier and again dropping that load time a lot!  Check them out in any department clicked below.

Death Note Decorations & Party Stuff

Death Note L Reindeer Nendroid
Our Christmas Death Note store has been checked over and generally spruced up.  Looking nice for the influx of customers following Orangepunch's nice, new banner.

But nothing much has been added nor taken away from what was in there last year.  That's not through want of looking.  There simply was nothing to put in and all the links were good.

Job done!
Visit Death Note Christmas Gifts

Death Note OSTs & Other Musical Things

CDs Death Note Songs
Completely revamped!  Every bit of music for Death Note that could be found - digitally or on CD - is in there; all of the images are nicely resized; and extra tabs have been added to take in new categories.

It looks lovely!  All that's needed are extra outlets to link in to give you all a bit of choice in your purveyors of fine Death Note musical gifts. 

Meander in here for soundtracks from Death Note live-action movies or anime,  in addition to sheet music, other artists paying homage to Death Note, musical parodies and the like.
Visit Death Note Music Store
GOSSIP STOP!  In filling up those cyber shelves, I found several new Death Note tribute tracks by other artists, including two available for pre-order on release dates later this month or January.  They are both in our gift store now, but I will be hunting down the musicians and featuring them as separate Death Note News reports.  Death Note's 10th anniversary, TV drama or upcoming movies, appear to have inspired a veritable flood of them!  Happy days.

Death Note Cosplay & Costume Accessories

Store to buy Death Note cosplay
We've updated the selection of complete Death Note costumes to buy here - Misa's wardrobe really expanded.  In addition to the above, you can see what's on offer in cosplay Death Note wigs, replica notebooks, props etc.

The images here have been cut down. Each clothes rail should load immediately on all but the most ancient of potato-run connections. 

To do: 1, Updates in other sections; 2 More places to buy Death Note cosplay items.
Visit Death Note Costume Store

Death Note Manga & Other Books

Books Death Note manga store
The literary Death Note gift shop hasn't yet been touched.  It's on the agenda for today.  This is where you'll find all your manga, Death Note novels, guides, reference books, Death Note movie tie-ins and fun, coffee table type volumes. 

To Do:  1, Reduce image size to make loading quicker; 2, Check for updates since last Spring, when it was filled with the latest Death Note literature; 3, Increase the variety of outlets for choice.
Visit Death Note Bookstore

Death Note Anime, Movies and Other DVDs

DVDs Death Note anime to buy
Our video Death Note gift area also hasn't been looked at yet.  It will hopefully happen tomorrow.  Here you can peruse anime, box sets, Death Note live-action films and whatever else exists to watch.

To Do:  1, Reduce the size of images; 2, Update whatever may have been missed from Spring 2015 until now; 3, Add in more outlets for options on where to buy.
Visit Death Note Anime and Movies

Brand New Character Collections for Death Note Gift Ideas

These next two kick start a whole new category in Death Note memorabilia - collections based on merchandise for Death Note characters.  I'm sure that most people choosing which characters to begin would have gone for Light and L.  But I know my readership.

Death Note Mello Merchandise

Gifts Mello Death Note
All the gift ideas for Death Note Mello fans - collectibles, t-shirts, figurines, magnets, pins/buttons/badges (depending where you live), cosplay Mello outfits, custom jackets, and things to stick on your wall (from posters through to fine art in a nice frame).

Even a fabulous piece of Mello bathroom decor.  I kid you not.

As in you will find all of this when our Death Note character Mello gift-shop is actually completed.  It's mostly done.  Still some rogue Mello phone cases to round up and slap within.

I'm giving myself a deadline of December 13th. For obvious reasons.
Visit Death Note Mello Emporium

Death Note Matt Gifts & Memorabilia

Gifts Matt Death Note
All  of the above - insofar as it exists - but as Matt Jeevas gifts, instead of Mello.  The main issue being that there are far fewer items of Matt memorabilia.

I can only assume the average manufacturer and/or retailer of exquisite Death Note souvenirs doesn't know a grand money-making scheme, when it grins at them from behind silver-orange goggles.

To a given value of finished - we've corralled the pretty Matt goodies from a single store into our own - the Death Note Matt gift store is done.  We just have to pad it out a bit with extra keepsakes sourced from other locations.
Visit our Death Note Matt Mercantile
Anyone want to prod us towards which character to compile a collection for next?   If there's no broad hints in any other direction, we'll default to Light Yagami and work through the series from there.  Though I'm half tempted to be perverse and go Sachiko Yagami instead!  Reckon there would be anything out there to buy in honour of Light's mother?

But this brings us nicely to the salient question with which I led.

Is Death Note's Matt a Motorcycle Enthusiast?  Or Just a Punk?

Matt in Death Note anime

In manga and anime, we only ever see Matt driving a car, but is that his transport of choice?
I know where my money is.  In fact, I've written twelve novels of Mello/Matt fan-fiction spelling it out - and one of them initially ran with the working title Cyberpunk.  Another had titles lifted from several Cyberpunk dictionaries and cultural references.  Matt in my universe ended up with a motorbike once, but we've barely seen it since.

Maybe that's because I've missed a trick.  In conjunction with most of the Death Note Matt fandom, I missed what was in plain sight, because I never thought to look certain things up.

Matt's gift shop was looking a bit sparse.  Mello's was jam packed.  I felt bad.  So I thought it would be a nice idea to hunt for that habitual Matt costume for Death Note cosplayers to buy, love and cherish.  After all, its probably the most ubiquitously seen, ordinary collection of clothes on any Death Note character. You could grab half the items in any given mainstream clothes shop.

Or could you?  It's harder than it looks, this cosplay malarkey.   I started with the gloves.  How do you search for those?  They're quite distinctive.  Racing gloves? Long, black gloves for men?   Finally, I found them.  They are officially known - in non-Death Note circles - as motorcyclist's gauntlet gloves,  or motorbike racing gauntlet gloves.

Next I went for the goggles.  Bog standard cyberpunk, I thought, with an option on steampunk, if that outfitting genre fell short.  Close, but no cigar.  Yet I was finding something similar, if not precise, in a whole new class of goggle sporting necessities.  Necessary, that is, if you happen to be a motorbike racer.  Like those wearing the gloves too.

Shoved some stripy, long-sleeved tops in and off into the jeans department.  Mmmm, several billion here, what to search in order to narrow this down?  Ribbed jeans?  Denim with circles around them? 

Turns out that there are some jeans created specifically with patchwork patterns surrounding each leg - just like Matt's wears in fact.  They're made especially for bikers.  Apparently it improves their saddle grip upon the seat.  Saves them slipping about, as ordinary jeans might.
Matt and Mello in Death Note manga

Mello checking the manual to ensure that he is legally able to ride Matt's motorbike... possibly
So goggles, gloves and jeans all point due Matt the motorbike rider, with a strong nudge towards racing them too.  You going for that in your head canon?  Fan fiction writers, is that why he's beside a bike the first time we see him, and why Mello acquires one only after Matt's on the scene?  Death Note fan artists, what motorcycle does Mail Jeevas ride?  If this releases the throttle on anybody's muse, let me link the results, or show them  off here.

Or are you just going 'cyberpunk geek' like me, and dismissing this out of hand?  I'd be fascinated with your thoughts!
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L Actor Junsu Teams Up with Gangnam Style's Psy for New Single Dream

27/11/2015

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Kim Junsu and Psy record DreamDeath NoteL actor Kim Junsu on the cover of Dream with Psy
Remember three years ago, when none of us could get Gangnam Style out of our heads?  Well Death Note fans are in for another bout of that. 

How can we help it upon placing Psy, after hearing that he's bringing Death Note actor Xia in on his long-awaited Gangnam Style follow up Dream.

Xia, aka Kim Junsu, played L in the Korean version of Death Note the Musical. Which is how this collaboration came about.

Psy went to see the Death Note Musical, and decided there and then that Junsu was the man to sing with him on Dream.  As he revealed to fans on Psy Little Television  - an app broadcast by Napper V - on November 25th 2015.

Dream is described as a 'sad song' (so not at all like Gangnam Style really) dedicated to KPop performer, musician, producer and Ghost Nation radio DJ Shin Hae-Chul. He was the man who brought techno music to Korea, and who died in October 2014 due to medical malpractice.

Psy claimed that Xia's 'heartfelt' performances as L, in Death Note's 'heart-breaking scenes', made him the perfect choice to add vocals to Psy's homage to Shin Hae-Chul.  "The song is full of sadness," Psy wrote about Dream. "And I thought long and hard about who could convey that." 

Dream will be released on December 1st 2015.  Psy will debut it at the MNET Asian Music Awards staged the following day, though it's uncertain whether Xia will be joining him.

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Death Note Music with Lucas King: The Horror of Shinigami Ryuk (with Original Death Note Composition)

5/11/2015

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The first in an occasional column  by Lucas King covering Death Note
musical references, themes and whatever else comes to mind.

Death Note Musical References with Lucas King
Hey guys,

I’ve been thinking about Ryuk lately. Behind all the smiles and goofiness there's some real darkness. We’re told that he dropped his Note into the human world because he was bored, but when you stop and think about just how much misery and pain was brought from his cure for boredom its quite sick.

Naomi Misora lost her fiancee, Misa Amane was driven to suicide, the demise of all our favourite former residents of Wammy’s house. It’s heartbreaking how much loss was brought on from Ryuk’s actions.

It seems like the blame should be placed on Light for it all, but it’s Ryuk. At the end he reminisces about his time on earth, but does he show any remorse? None at all.

There’s that theory that at the end the Shinigami we see is actually Light, now a Shinigami. I think that’s accurate, and it gets me thinking about how the Shinigami King (or whoever decides) chooses who is going to be a Shinigami. I think that the criteria is bringing a lot of death and doing it efficiently and without remorse, much like Light Yagami did.

So perhaps Ryuk was once a human on earth, a cold remorseless serial killer, maybe one who killed out of boredom. 

Death Note Horror Music - Ryuk (Original Composition)

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Three New Feature Writers for Death Note News

26/10/2015

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A trio of Death Note News columnists are about to come on board, with the first being posted later on today.  Yep, that's right. You wait two years for one, and three of them turn up at once!  It's all very exciting.

So who have we got for you?

Nathaniel Overthinks Death Note

Death Note News: Nathaniel overthinks Death Note Philosophy column banner
The first monthly column will be penned by New Zealander Nathaniel Brown - a man who subscribes to several Schools of Thought.  At least when he's applying them to Death Note.

A thinker and a philosopher, Nathaniel will be leading us through some of the great theories and worldly perspectives across the range of human experience.  But doing it all through the lens of Death Note characters, plot-lines and whatever else from manga, anime or live action might illuminate the angle taken.

It might be Aristotle, Descartes, Confucius or whomever, depending upon the month, but what I can guarantee is that it'll be enjoyable. 

No Philosophy degree needed to read and contribute to the debate. Just a willingness to join with Nathaniel as he over thinks Death Note, all in the name of fun.

Look for his inaugural column in an hour or two from now.

Death Note Musical References with Lucas King

No idea if that's what the column will ultimately be called, as this welcome to the team is very fresh, and we're yet to fine tune the details.

Yet Lucas King himself is no stranger to Death Note News.  He's guest blogged before and orchestrated for himself an instant fan-base, when he composed those missing Death Note themes for Matt.
Lucas will be taking a wider view of the musical array in Death Note tunes - from soundtracks to tributes, across the spectrum of canon, fanon and all the rest. Probably.  Like I said, it's early days yet and anything still is possible.

An original composer of Death Note music himself - albeit from the fandom community - Lucas King's occasional column for Death Note News promises to be insightful, expert and downright entertaining.  Find it in the future and enjoy.

Death Note Tarot Tales with Tarot Mikami

Death Note Near with Tarot Cards
Near makes up stuff
with a tarot deck
Talking about looking to the future, do you recall that moment in the Death Note anime when Near laid out his tarot deck and turned them over to shocking symbolism? 

There was Death staring straight back at us. Chilling in any context but one which habitually has a Shinigami prancing about in full view upon our screens.

Also utterly erroneous in its reading, according to long-time connoisseur of these cards and Death Note fan, Tarot Mikami.  Loving the play on words in that pseudonym there!

'Probably monthly',  her Death Note News column will explore the genre and story through the literary device of the Fool's Journey. Along the way, you'll learn how to read tarot cards, not only with reference to Death Note - though that's how we'll come to understand it - but using any deck you care to handle.

We'll also find out why Near's tarot scene was all about the imagery and nothing to do with the reading (well, who would have thought...?).  Sneaky boy.

Death Note Tarot Tales with Tarot Mikami will appear anon, almost certainly within the next couple of weeks.  Another fabulous new insight into our favourite manga universe.

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Full Showing of Japanese Death Note Musical on YouTube

22/10/2015

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Death Note the Musical televised on WOWOW

Original Japanese cast for Death Note the Musical televised on WOWOW
It was only a matter of time before fan uploaded recordings of a televised Death Note the Musical performance showed up on-line.

Several individuals have done just that on YouTube, though I imagine it won't be long before the copyright holders shoot them down. Especially if DVD sales are a thing in mind for the future.  But first check out the trailer, as shown on WOWOW Channel in Japan, to advertise upcoming theatrical performances of the musical Death Note on TV.
Trailer for WOWOW Channel Death Note the Musical on television October 17th 2015

Watch Death Note the Musical in Full on YouTube

The full versions of Death Note the Musical production shown below were all captured from the Japanese WOWOW TV airing on October 17th 2015.  It stars Kenji Urai as Light Yagami, alongside Teppei Koike (L), Fuuka Yuzuki (Misa Amane),  Ami Maeshima (Sayu Yagami), Megumi Hamada (Rem), Koutaro Yoshida (Ryuk) and Joji Saiga (Soichiro Yagami).

Apologies if you read this at a later date and some/all are removed.
Alternatively:
All that you hoped it would be?  Up for going to see Death Note the Musical in your own theatres, should it be translated into your native language and arrive in your country?

Find more Death Note News articles about the Death Note Musical via our Pinterest board:
Follow Matti's board Death Note the Musical on Pinterest.
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Maximum the Hormone Perform 'What's Up, People?' Live at MetRock 2015

8/10/2015

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Loving the energy of this! Japanese rock band Maximum the Hormone know how to get a crowd head-banging.

By which I mean I just nearly brained myself on the desk, rocking away to the  live version of Death Note theme song What's Up, People?  That old familiar tune opened their set at Tokyo's Metropolitan Rock (aka MetRock), in the Windmill Field on May 24th 2015.
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WOWOW Live Presents Death Note the Musical on Television in Autumn 2015

5/10/2015

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This is more a reminder for those readers with access to Japanese television that two Death Note Musical concerts are going to be screened on Wowow Live.

The first is on October 17th 2015 at 8pm and stars Kenji Urai as Light Yagami. The second will be aired on November 7th 2015 at 8.30pm. This one has alternative lead actor Hayato Kakizawa as Light Yagami.

Both full productions of Death Note the Musical were recorded in April 2015, during the theatrical show's inaugual run at Tokyo's Nissay Theatre.


You already had a heads up about it in August (Original Cast Death Note Musical on TV), but WOWOW have now officially announced it on their website, so that is new.
WOWOW Live advertisement for Death Note Musical 2015

WOWOW write up for two televised Death Note Musical full shows
(screenshot 0ct 5th 2015)
Beyond what I've already mentioned, the WOWOW Live advertisement includes L actor Koike Teppei in the billing for both performances.

After a short trailer for the televised Death Note Musical shows, we are reminded that Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn wrote the music for Death Note's theatrical adaptation.

The director is Tony Award winning Tamiya Kuriyama.

This cross Pacific collaboration between the US Broadway and Japan's Nippon TV makes this a truly international enterprise.

Finally, WOWOW uses this bulletin to advertise another television show, which the company obviously feels will appeal to Death Note fans. Its the TV detective drama Mozu back for another season and, I believe, its own theatrical version too.  So does it appeal to us?  Anybody know?

If you're in Japan, enjoy your Death Note the Musical TV shows, and if anyone finds them recorded and uploaded onto YouTube, please do give us the nod. The whole world is waiting to see this too!

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