Well-well, I certainly hadn't expected a topic on this.
My opinion on Death Note changed quite a bit as I was watching it. It began wonderfully - Light's laugher, L's logic, the suspicion and competition between the two. I'm currently being urged by several people to read the manga, as well as some of the novels, but I don't think I have time just yet.
I do have a few problems with the show, though, mostly the ending:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
First of all, L dying was awful. The whole show was based on Light vs L, replacing him with N and M just didn't keep me as interested. Neither did N's simplistic way of solving problems (let's not mention M...) bring much - Light was obviously far more intelligent, and was defeated purely due to lack of resources.
None the less, I for a long time felt Death Note was the second best anime I watched (Full Metal Alchemist being somewhat better, imho). Now, those two have moved down one rank, making room for Code Geass - which may, too, be of interest, if it's the combat between two highly intelligent characters that you want.
Ending spoiler for Beskar. This is literally the last scene:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Nope. He has someone with shinigami eyes look at N and write the name down, but the notebook turns out to be a fake. Then Light goes nuts and Ryuk kills him. Misa, as far as I could understand, commits suicide.
It was supposed to end with Ls death. But being a manga on Shonen Jump where the rule of it is "Friendship, Hard work and Victory" they didn't allow the writer to end it with baddies winning. So he was forced to add N and M who was both inferior to L. While I was hoping for Light dying at the end, I didn't want it to end with that guy (Jovanni?)s uber hacking skill, copying the entire book on one night.
I liked the ending sequence though.. Very emotional.
But he lost mostly because he was proud really...
When you try and play "god", you become too proud and slip-up..
Reminder to people with are Mafia.....never think to give your opponent some space....it well come back to bite you...(Godfather 3 and us skipping a couple of kills)
Not really. He lost because his servant screwed up in a silly manner. Light's plan was perfect, which makes the ending even more unappealing to me - on the same level as Light being hit by a truck.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
As to the writer not being allowed to end the story however he wanted to - that's why I tend to hate publishers. We need more books that end in unexpected ways. Metro 2033, The Rats in the Walls, The Black Cat...