Is there enough Thrill and Mystery in Death Note's soundtrack?

When Light Yagami, a Japanese High School student comes across a mysterious notebook with the power to kill anybody whose name is written in it, Light attempts to use the it to carry out a worldwide massacre of individuals whom he deems morally unworthy of life- to change the world into a Utopian society without crime, using the alias of a god-like vigilante named "Kira". 

What follows next is an intense investigation and chase after Kira by an elite task-force of Japanese police which includes Light's father at the helm, as well as the enigmatic and mysterious world famous detective simply named 'L'. 

But does the music from the anime adaption composed by Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi hold up to the themes potrayed, and more importantly, the thrill and the mystery of the show? Read ahead to see our curation of the best soundtracks from the album and our thoughts. 

1. Kira Theme A

Starting off strong as to why Death Note's OST is great, this theme can be listened to and understood of what it is trying to convey even if one hasn't watched the show. This track acts as a testimony of Light's corruption: The music becomes more and more ominous by each passing beat. Light's innocence is slowly lost, and this is presented by the electric guitar overtaking the more pleasant strings and piano notes, noting that something darker has taken hold, matching perfectly with the anime's course of episodes.   

2. Light Theme C

If there is any music suitable for critical thinking and analyzing, it is this one. The strings and the keys play well, and when the drums come in, excitement creeps in as Light begins to fathom ways of killing those he deserves unworthy of living, while not giving himself away. The show has shown how much of a genius Light is, and how he manages to stay in the dark from the world for over 6 years. 

The thrill comes from him always on the edge, and playing the psychological game with L, while he does what he believes a righteous god should do. 

3. Low of Solipsism

Light is trying to create an ideal world where no criminals are left unpunished, and he does his best to fulfill this very thing. When L is close to discovering the identity of Kira, he requests surveillance equipment to be installed in the homes of those he suspects, including Soichiro Yagami's son. Light, however, becomes aware that he is being watched and has Ryuk locate all the cameras in his room. 

"Judging by the number of cameras he's planted, he's planning to make a decision within a short period of time. Any normal person would slip under these circumstances, but it won't be that easy with me, L..."

The track fits in perfectly, and honestly, without this music, this scene would not have half the impact it had. The choir, the violin and the the small beats- they come together to make one of the most iconic and thrilling tracks from the show. Light deceives the surveillance team by watching the news on a portable television hidden in a bag of potato chips and continues to kill the criminals being reported- in one of the most epic and dramatic scenes of anime history,  and this throws off L's suspicions that he is Kira.

4. L Theme B

L is the anti thesis of Light, and matches him in intellect. He observes and analyzes far better, and does not have the arrogance that Light has. He thinks rapidly of checks and counterattacks and sets out everything to be as fool proof as possible, sometimes even toying with the people he is working with. He is enigmatic and mysterious, and this track plays well into L's thought process, as an unfurling of ideas and traps he lays to expose Light as Kira. L has concluded that Kira is likely a student with a naive concept of justice.

The electric guitar, the piano and the drums work together to weave L's identity as the character he truly is, and whenever L's theme plays, something thrilling always happens onscreen.

5. Nears Theme B

Picking up years later where L left off- Near, or as he goes by his alias N, slowly builds up the case again, regarding Kira. He is like L, but has his own way of doing things, and is up to the challenge Light gives out. There's a lot of contradicting thoughts and emotions that make up this track, signalling Nears' inner battle to frantically solve the case while being calm on the outside to keep par with Kira. The hints of sacrifice are also present, indicating Mello's involvement. 

As Ryuk says, 

“Humans are so… interesting. ”

6. Notebook Theme

This track gives a homage to the Death Note itself. An object that lured Light in, sparking a strange curiosity in the minds of whoever sees it. A dream of the lunatic, a blasphemous tool- no matter which way you see it, this theme captures the horrors of the notebook. 

7. Ryuk Theme

Needless to say, Ryuk is one of the most complex characters of the show. A Shinigami who has tricked the Shinigami King to have two Death Notes, and then dropping one into the human realm, just because he was bored.

As a god, he cares little about the consequences of what he is doing, and this unique divinity is reflected in the track. It sounds like a mournful choir, while at the same time, praying out to the supernatural. Ryuk certainly is different from all the other Shinigami, and this is portrayed well in the anime and this accompanying track. 

8. Shinigami World B

Shinigami life is boring. 

This boredom is however very different to the boredom of mortals, and so the composer found a different way of expressing this sentiment than the other track named "Boredom." The beings of the Shinigami realm have little concern about their duties, instead they entertain themselves, and mock the ones who do their work. Perhaps we've all felt like a Shinigami at one point, seeing no real purpose, being behind on our duties, and instead playing cards with our immortal gang. And whenever that happens, you bet this track's unique drumming will be playing.

Atleast Misa can kill a Shinigami

9. Theology of Death

This track showcases what being Kira would feel: Hundreds dying with just strokes of ink across paper. It is a perfect example of what being drunk with power feels like: From the continuous beat that sounds like a righteous parade, to the choir that sings in your praise. A daunting yet alluring proposition, and one that is thrilling to experience. It is as if souls are dying as you walk past. It is such power that Kira envisions of himself.

As Light said, 

"Look around you, and all you will see are people the world would be better off without."

"Did you know, Gods of Death love apples?"

10. Soichiro Yagamis Theme

Justice is at the core of Death Note, and the one character that truly exemplifies this quality without nuances and manipulation is Light Yagami's father, Soichiro. He is a good father, but that doesn't get in the way of him working for Justice. He is the person who sacrificed his life to aid in its course, and gave the investigation all he had. 

This track puts these qualities into light as righteousness seems to be flowing along with its instruments. As the track progresses, it turns more and more complex, as does Soichiro's- but never fails to have the strong sense of doing what's right, regardless of what's happening around or with him. 

Bonus : Tactics of The Absolute

Everything in this track is a shining example of what the show has. The vocals, the cello and the drums flesh out the morbidness as well the power of what the Death Note is capable of. The shout of "Kira!" at the end is just the icing on top.

Conclusion:

Death Note as an anime relied heavily on the series' drama, but without that thrill and mystery that presented itself in many points of the show in various means, it would not have been as successful as it is. The best way to implement these feelings is the music, second only to the actual narrative. 

With the selection we have presented, you're probably on your way to either find a Shinigami or be a Detective, because as it turns out, thrill and mystery is what describes many of the anime's soundtracks. 

As always, these are just what The DXR Script liked. Share this post with others if you liked it! Which ones are your favorite or have something to add? Tell us in the comments!

Thanks For Reading!

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