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All the latest information about Death Note: reports, gossip, releases, analyses, speculation and discussion.

Death Note news articles

Taylor Swift's Blank Space Death Note Reference in Both Video and Lyrics?

8/9/2015

16 Comments

 
Death Note's Kira with apple

Death Note's Kira with apple

The theory definitely gains credence, when you consider the accompanying music video. It depicts Swift holding aloft an apple whilst singing that chorus.

Not to mention that the book in which she writes said names is revealed to look not unlike a Death Note.

But to what extent is all this conjecture concerning Taylor Swift's Death Note credentials true?


There have been rumours circulating that Taylor Swift is a Death Note fan, since she released her 1989 album in October 2014.

In particular, since a certain lyric turned up in Blank Space - her first single issued from the album:

'I've got a blank space baby,
and I'll write your name...'


Sounds a bit Kira to you?
Taylor Swift with apple in Blank Space

Taylor Swift's Blank Space

What is Taylor Swift's Blank Space About?

It seems that the media were giving Taylor Swift a hard time. Scathing journalists wrote nasty editorials warning would-be lovers to keep well away.

As one reviewer put it, these stories framed her as 'an overly attached man-eater who dates for songwriting material' (Sam Lansky, 1989 Marks a Paradigm Swift, Time Magazine, October 23rd 2014)

So the singer had a bit of fun with that.

Blank Space
is all about her hunt for a new boyfriend, whom she'll date in a highly possessive manner, then turn psycho upon. In the meantime, his name will be added to her notebook entitled My True Loves.
Taylor Swift's Blank Space Death Note

Taylor Swift's Death Note... sorry, My True Loves notebook

Anti-Hero Taylor Swift as Blank Space Villain

Much of the fun in the video for Blank Space by Taylor Swift comes after she catches her partner (Sean O'Pry) texting other women. That's when our heroine's romantic inclinations turn psychotically sour.

And some Death Note fans start to see Misa Amane in her overly-possessive retribution for the slight.
Death Note's Misa Amane

Misa-Misa
Taylor Swift as Misa Amane

Taylor-Taylor
We can confirm the 'crazy villain' part with a quotation from her director:
Director Joseph Kahn said that Swift came to him with the idea for the treatment, saying she was all too aware of the jokes made about all of her ex boyfriends and how she likes to include them in her songwriting. Taylor said she wanted to address the general thought of her in the clip in a fun way by playing a crazy villain.

“When I heard this concept, I thought ‘This is amazing!’” Kahn said. “This is a deconstructivist version of Taylor Swift!”
- Hugh McIntyre, Yahoo Accidentally Leaks Taylor Swift's New Music Video For 'Blank Space', Forbes, November 14th 2015
Kahn was also at pains to create a film set feel to the music video, borrowing from many different styles of cinematography in a technique which he calls Spielbergian.  This allowed one story to be told, while also making it seem like a compendium of separate tales stuck together. 

The notion of Taylor Swift as anti-hero or villain was helped along by Kahn taking much inspiration from Kubrick's classic A Clockwork Orange.

But what other popular cultural references were pinged in Swift's Blank Space music video?  Some fans and other commentators think they know.

I've never realized @taylorswift13 is a fan of #DeathNote More apples for you @dude_mysterious pic.twitter.com/iRB3KV1rGF

— Melissa Dickinson (@BlazingRoselia) August 11, 2015

Socio-Cultural References in Taylor Swift's Blank Space Video

Far from Misa Amane, Elle Magazine saw a Law & Order: SUV shout out in the scene with the birthday cake and the cat. Not least because the cat is called Olivia Benson after a character in that show.

They also highlighted The Great Gatsby and Titanic. Plus poses from an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue.

KQED Arts spotted the nod to Katy Perry's Mean Girls in the way Swift cuts holes in her man's shift. Also included in Bustle's purportly definitive list of all Swift's Blank Space cultural references:
  • Ghost Rider;
  • Partition - Beyoncé;
  • Twilight;
  • Shake It Off - Taylor's earlier music video;
  • Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood;
  • Mean Girls - Katy Perry;
  • Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte;
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde;
  • The Parent Trap;
  • Once Upon a Time/Beauty and the Beast;
  • Romeo and Juliet.
Yet no Great Gatsby there - which seemed quite blatant to my mind - nor 10 Things That I Hate About You, which my partner was quite certain about seeing there.

And not one of them mentioning Death Note.

Twilight or Death Note: Taylor Swift's Apple

Taylor Swift with apple in Blank Space

Taylor Swift's Blank Space apple sequence
What do you see in the gif sequence above?  Most seem view a blatant homage to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight saga in all those apple-based shenanigans. 

Unless they are  Death Note fans, then Taylor becomes a Death God a la Ryuk - loving apples enough for a celebratory spin, before taking a hearty bite.
Twilight Saga One Cover with Apple

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Death Note Ryuk action figure

Death Note Ryuk action figure
NB Here she sings that she has a blank space (baby) to write your name. 

Are Twilight's vampires known for writing names in notebooks?  Because Death Note's shinigami and their notebooks' human owners sure are!

Taylor Swift Admits Being a Death Note Fan?

Naturally, there's nothing like hearing the truth from the horse's mouth to clear things up like the confusion above. So I went on a search to see if Taylor Swift had ever admitted to being a Death Note fan.

I instantly thought I'd hit pay-dirt, when I found this:
Taylor Swift Blank Space inspired by Death Note
However, that appears merely to be a mock-up created by a contributor to FunnyJunk.com, as I can't find the interview itself in (cyber) real life.

Though Mikikazu Komatsu is indeed a prolific contributing writer for Crunchyroll.  There was nothing of the sort posted on February 6th 2015, as the archives for that date reveal.

So what do you think?  Is Taylor Swift alluding to Death Note in Blank Space?  Have you heard/read her say as much?  Or just noted it yourself in watching its music video? 

Here it is again for your viewing pleasure:


16 Comments
Koneoo
18/3/2016 18:18:42

You don't know how happy I would be if this is all true. Maybe she can play Mello in the new movie. That I would like. Very, very much.

Reply
Matti (Death Note News)
14/4/2016 17:44:17

Oh wow! That would be hilarious!

Reply
Katie Murphy
23/5/2016 21:28:09

They have the same birthday too...

MafiaMarshMello
30/8/2016 13:15:22

If this happened...it would be weird cuz Mello is my waifu, but if that really happened...I'd immediately coin it as BEST MOVIE EVER.

Deal with it, lil' white sheep.

Anime crave link
22/10/2016 11:20:27

She would be good playing Misa in the next movie for sure

Reply
William
8/4/2016 18:02:31

I didn't really have much respect for Taylor Swift before Blank Space. I honestly thing her music is garbage. Then, I hear about Blank Space, I'm like "Ughhhh... another crappy pop song that will haunt me forever," then my cousin played the music video and I'm like "ho-ly shiballs! Taylor Swift is a Death note fan!" I now have more respect for Taylor (but i still wouldn't be caught dead listening to that garbage). I sort of listen to the song, but not her version, I listen to the metal cover by I Prevail.

Reply
Matti (Death Note News)
14/4/2016 17:45:35

I don't really know too much about the lady herself, though a friend is a fan so I've been exposed to the music enough to sing along. The video for 'Blank Space' certainly took me aback.

Reply
MadiLawliet
16/10/2016 17:31:15

You should listen to Natewantstobattle's Death Note parody of this is really good

Reply
Soham
21/4/2021 18:24:51

if you think her music is garbage then you should just die. honestly. die.

Reply
Christiando
27/6/2021 15:39:37

Jeez, you don't need to get that upset at someone just because they don't like one of your favorite artists. Calm down.

9070x0yearsold
5/6/2016 09:44:32

Yea..I agree..it cant be a mere coincidence since I'm a huge fan of both blank space and death note.

Reply
Fredburgchicken
3/4/2017 12:59:13

Well let's not be too potatoey about it! After all code geass is kinda similar to deathy note by super ridiculous coincidence. Ya dummy head!

Reply
Whisper link
27/1/2017 20:43:56

Taylor swift is my favorite song writer, but why would she be a death not fan.also it works really works the EXIT bottom really works

Reply
Light the new world
28/8/2017 22:56:04

This would be so sweet, if it was true. At this day, i'm still wondering if it's true or false. Let's still hope it's true. Hehe. But I mean, she should have played Misa in the Netflix Movie. Too bad.

Reply
Ben Dover
10/2/2018 03:26:30

She shares a b-day I think with Mello and kinda looks like him too... HHMMMM

Reply
Bopli link
10/7/2018 02:29:08

Oblivion Fortnite skins so thic c love

Reply



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