Kento Yamazaki as L
in TV Death Note (2015)
In my bid for a major catch up on all the world's Death Note stories, I keep coming across reports concerning Japanese journalist and author Wakako Takō.
It seems that she really doesn't like the television adaptation of Death Note. In particular, she scorns Kento Yamazaki's portrayal of L.
Comparing him unfavourably to Ken’ichi Matsuyama's L (live action movies) - by which criteria everyone would fail - Takō considered Yamazaki's acting to be 'thin at best', then criticized the 'cheap make-up' that he wears for the role.
Surely that's a condemnation of the costume department, rather than the actor?
Across the board, anime, Japanese culture and Death Note bloggers have been dutifully repeating this opinion piece like it matters. Like Wakako Takō's view has great weight, constituting tremendous social and political import. So, with huge interest, I looked her up.
She's an on-line journalist for Excite!Japan - an international franchise generally focusing on items deemed appropriate for women (recipes, celebrities and the like) - plus she wrote a book called Taisetsunakoto wa Min'na Asadora ga Oshiete Kureta (according to Anime News Network) or Taisetsuna Koto wa Minna Asadora ga Oshietekureta (according to Amazon). I'm yet to discover what it's about.
It seems that she really doesn't like the television adaptation of Death Note. In particular, she scorns Kento Yamazaki's portrayal of L.
Comparing him unfavourably to Ken’ichi Matsuyama's L (live action movies) - by which criteria everyone would fail - Takō considered Yamazaki's acting to be 'thin at best', then criticized the 'cheap make-up' that he wears for the role.
Surely that's a condemnation of the costume department, rather than the actor?
Across the board, anime, Japanese culture and Death Note bloggers have been dutifully repeating this opinion piece like it matters. Like Wakako Takō's view has great weight, constituting tremendous social and political import. So, with huge interest, I looked her up.
She's an on-line journalist for Excite!Japan - an international franchise generally focusing on items deemed appropriate for women (recipes, celebrities and the like) - plus she wrote a book called Taisetsunakoto wa Min'na Asadora ga Oshiete Kureta (according to Anime News Network) or Taisetsuna Koto wa Minna Asadora ga Oshietekureta (according to Amazon). I'm yet to discover what it's about.
 Check out Wakako TakÅ's book on Amazon US | In fact, a quick hunt through various search engines - with Wakako Takō (ANN version), Wakako Tako (most copists' version) and Wakako TakoÌ (Amazon's version) - reveals that the writer is mostly famous for her comments about Death Note (2015) and its young L actor. It gave people like me something to write about. As entitled as I believe we all are to our opinions, I can't see why Takō's is worth all the hype. Particularly since she's not only focusing upon the cosmetics over the acting, but apparently blaming the actor for the work of the make-up department. Would the show work better if L's foundation and eye-liner had been sourced from expensive brands? Nevertheless, articles writers and bloggers across the digital sphere have blithely passed on her comments as if they are meaningful. Most simply rehashing the original story on Yahoo!News Japan. Few questioning who she is and why we should care. Only one source, thus far found, has even queried her points. Jed Medina, writing on PsychoDrama, disagrees that Kento Yamakazi is a bad actor, though its roles other than L that are used in support of this position. Medina seems to imply that the script material and a weak director are to blame for any perceived deficiency on the part of the actor here. Yamakazi can only work with the material to hand. So there you go. Some random Japanese journalist has had her 15 minutes of fame disliking Death Note's TV adaptation. Some other on-line writer took an opposing standpoint. |
Do you care? What are YOUR opinions on the above? They surely carry as much weight as any other point of view, and perhaps even more in these parts, where your comments will be read by all perusing this news blog in the future.
Incidentally, all concerned love Masataka Kubota's portrayal of Light Yagami in the television Death Note drama. And it's taken as read that Ken’ichi Matsuyama was fabulous as L in the live action movies. Feel free to consider these things too, as you opine away.
Incidentally, all concerned love Masataka Kubota's portrayal of Light Yagami in the television Death Note drama. And it's taken as read that Ken’ichi Matsuyama was fabulous as L in the live action movies. Feel free to consider these things too, as you opine away.
