Orangepunch does the honours here at close of play, in this Month of our Lord Kira
 | Wow. That was freaking amazing. Thank you all so much for making the Month of Light unforgettable. We had hoped this Death Note News Month of... feature would be received well, and hoped even more that the Death Note, and Light Yagami, communities would contribute... I have to admit, I never expected anything quite this huge. The event absolutely exploded, and we wanted to take the time to thank everyone who contributed something to the Kira Month. |
All Due Thanks to All Involved with the Awaited Kira Voice Actor Interviews
As a part of our Month of Light Yagami, three of his anime voice actors agreed to answer questions from fans. Our thanks are duly owed to Brad Swaile, Sergio Zamora, and Kim Hasper for agreeing to the interviews.
Also to Nia for designing the banner used to announce their participation.
The questions so many of you submitted have been collated. Our undying thanks are owed to Jojo, who translated questions and content into German, and to Lua, Silvia and Madelyn, who translated questions into Spanish for Sergio.
The voice actors have been passed (or are in the progress of receiving) the questions you submitted, and we will post the interviews when we receive their responses. This may take a short amount of time, as there were quite a few of them - well over 100 for each of the three - and two sets have to be twice translated by our saintly volunteers.
Also to Nia for designing the banner used to announce their participation.
The questions so many of you submitted have been collated. Our undying thanks are owed to Jojo, who translated questions and content into German, and to Lua, Silvia and Madelyn, who translated questions into Spanish for Sergio.
The voice actors have been passed (or are in the progress of receiving) the questions you submitted, and we will post the interviews when we receive their responses. This may take a short amount of time, as there were quite a few of them - well over 100 for each of the three - and two sets have to be twice translated by our saintly volunteers.
Thanks Owed to Those Who Contributed This Month
| Our applause and acclaim are directed to: Cayanna Carma, who prepared a cosplay just to help launch the event, and then later submitted advice on cosplaying Light. All who joined (previously or during this Month of Kira) the Light Yagami Death Note News Pinterest Community, and who continue to pin all manner of related finds to our board. Nathaniel Brown, who had his Light Yagami Month musing in - as part of his regular Philosophical Overthinking Death Note column - before anything else had been written by anyone. The first bit of content, in a hitherto hectic community Kira event, ready weeks in advance of being needful. Tate Forkel, who contributed a striking Kira illustration - an artist's love letter to the anime. Tate gave the site owner, Matti, the confidence to keep working to get the word out about the event. He was the first reader to submit content for i (though he didn't know that at the time!) something we're additionally thankful for. The Squad Six Cosplayers, who sent updates on their activities at conventions and gave Kira cosplaying advice. Then, behind the scenes, their founder and leader Lara has been an absolute rock in support, getting the word out and sourcing random content. |  |
Amaryllis, who submitted a guest post on Light's name and was always on hand to translate various bits of Japanese writing (along with Ethereality, Renchan and Chiroptera).
Maru-Light, who penned a Focus on a Fan feature piece, and also participated in the event with gusto over three separate contributions: a piece on cosplaying Light; a guest post on the Death Note fan-fiction Redeemer Series; and finally a unique guest post on making Death Note dolls. Plus she said that we could raid her gallery of Light Yagami cosplay photography, whenever we needed to illustrate a page. Seems rude not to. (See below.)
Renchan, who not only wrote a guest post on why Light was called Kira, but also quietly covered many of the actual Death Note news updates for a period in the middle there.
Lua, whose contemplations led to a guest post on the philosophies behind the deification of Light (as a break from writing her Philosophy dissertation); whose research found the Russian Light Yagami voice actor, the identity of whom had eluded three EHC members; and who still found time to step up to the plate as a translator for Sergio Zamora, and a bit for Kim Hasper's profile, and random Spanish, Portuguese, German, French...
Lucas King, a composer and musician who interpreted and played Light's theme on Piano, and sent in a video so we might listen and enjoy.
Light Yagami, who submitted a guest post on cosplaying Light Yagami. You are Kira, aren't you?
Riconius, who read all so far, became enthused, stayed up all night musing, recording and otherwise creating a guest vlog and submitted it next day.
Maru-Light, who penned a Focus on a Fan feature piece, and also participated in the event with gusto over three separate contributions: a piece on cosplaying Light; a guest post on the Death Note fan-fiction Redeemer Series; and finally a unique guest post on making Death Note dolls. Plus she said that we could raid her gallery of Light Yagami cosplay photography, whenever we needed to illustrate a page. Seems rude not to. (See below.)
Renchan, who not only wrote a guest post on why Light was called Kira, but also quietly covered many of the actual Death Note news updates for a period in the middle there.
Lua, whose contemplations led to a guest post on the philosophies behind the deification of Light (as a break from writing her Philosophy dissertation); whose research found the Russian Light Yagami voice actor, the identity of whom had eluded three EHC members; and who still found time to step up to the plate as a translator for Sergio Zamora, and a bit for Kim Hasper's profile, and random Spanish, Portuguese, German, French...
Lucas King, a composer and musician who interpreted and played Light's theme on Piano, and sent in a video so we might listen and enjoy.
Light Yagami, who submitted a guest post on cosplaying Light Yagami. You are Kira, aren't you?
Riconius, who read all so far, became enthused, stayed up all night musing, recording and otherwise creating a guest vlog and submitted it next day.
 | Jennifer Fu, for opening up the archives of her academic Death Note website and giving us carte blanche to reproduce relevant excerpts, then liaising with each essay's author on our behalf. Andrew Capuano, via Jennifer Fu, for placing Kira's ethics in a Kantian context, then giving us an excerpt to publish here. Lhinnor Kuro, who contributed tips on cosplaying Light. LaymanIX, for his comic genius in sending Light Yagami in to play SuperMario and Silent Hill. Nell Fallcard, not only for letting us feature her quite famous Light fan-art, but also being the first to complete the artist questionnaire - effectively beta-ing it for us on behalf of all once and future Death Note fan-artists. Richard Mak, for being a mathematician and illuminating us regarding the Kira actors' shared birthday problem. Leila Lawliet M, who voiced her opinion concerning Onision's theorising vis-a-vis the fatal mistake of Light Yagami. Lei K, who not only allowed us to republish her popular Kira fan-art, but also answered questions on drawing Light in the medium of graphic pencil. Fausto the Endless, who opened up all her galleries of intricate Kira cosplay and permitted us to plunder as we will. I think we nearly got it all. ProcerdeCrepusulum, shared his Light Yagami fan-art. PresaBranca, who gave his Yagami Raito fan-art. |
(Matti ninjas in to thank) Orangepunch, for exploring the astrological cosmos; writing all other thank you notices; getting us caught up with the Miyano Mamoru news; translating much Spanish for Sergio's profile page; helping create the Kira gift store; general admin., coding, contacting, researching and proof-reading; putting up with becoming a Month of Kira widow while I'm editing it, plus - most importantly of all - bringing copious refills in cups of tea; and finally, for compiling the world's most difficult Light Yagami crossword puzzle for Death Note News. In the words of Leila Lawliet M, that was brutal! (Matti ninjas out again.)
Serria, via Jennifer Fu, who let us include an excerpt from her Psychology essay discussing why Light Yagami is not a sociopath.
blAIRbender, who finally handed in her cosplay advice and gave us a good laugh (we happily trolled right back).
Samuel Ruiz, for voice acting Light Yagami in an audio version of Matti's drabble, and making her day in the process.
Tarot Mikami, for knowing when and how to play the Joker in this overview of Light's great story.
Serria, via Jennifer Fu, who let us include an excerpt from her Psychology essay discussing why Light Yagami is not a sociopath.
blAIRbender, who finally handed in her cosplay advice and gave us a good laugh (we happily trolled right back).
Samuel Ruiz, for voice acting Light Yagami in an audio version of Matti's drabble, and making her day in the process.
Tarot Mikami, for knowing when and how to play the Joker in this overview of Light's great story.
Finally - Thank You to Matti for Making This All Possible There is one more thanks owed here. Matti, the creator of Death Note News, who made the Month of Light possible. A few years ago, Matti started this blog for teh lulz. And then it grew into something more. Regular readers had started appearing; a few here, a few there. Then more. Matti, the adorable person that she is, freaked out a bit over it. Her sense of Celtic hospitality kicked in... if readers were going to be visiting a place of hers, then it had better be nice! Matti wanted to create a site that was a visual equivalent to being offered a nice cup of tea offered as soon as you entered her domain. A proper welcome. Over the past year she has put in countless hours of work into creating a site she deemed presentable to her readers. She mithered over shades of red, and font and spacing, and cried that she was a writer not an artist. And then put more work into the site. As 2015 came to a close, after months of grappling with design and countless hours devoted to tatting with code to make the site as accessible and accommodating as possible, Death Note News readership had grown higher than ever. The staff at Death Note News had also grown. From one blogger amusing herself whenever the whim took, to a whole suite of regular columnists. Now backed by a team of brilliant writers, the new Death Note News site was ready, all shiny and nice. |  Matti like Tsugumi Ohba Artwork by AquaCola |
All that remained was to properly invite the Death Note community to join in. Thus the idea for a community feature was born: Death Note Month of... The Month of Light Yagami was introduced on Death Note News by Matti in the hopes that readers here would contribute some things throughout the month. She waited, anxiously, to see how the idea might be received. She really, really wanted this to be a thing.
Then it happened, artist Tate Forkel appeared from the wild, and from thereon, there was no stopping the rest of you.
Thank you Matti, for bringing us together with such a fun event.
So.
Then it happened, artist Tate Forkel appeared from the wild, and from thereon, there was no stopping the rest of you.
Thank you Matti, for bringing us together with such a fun event.
So.
Are you all getting ready?
