Editing Death Note (section)

==Production==
===Development===
The ''Death Note'' concept derived from a rather general concept involving {{Transliteration|ja|[[shinigami]]}} and "specific rules".<ref name="HowtoRead59">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/59 59]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/59}}</ref> Author [[Tsugumi Ohba]] wanted to create a suspense series because the genre had some suspense series available to the public. After the publication of the pilot chapter, the series was not expected to receive approval as a serialized comic. Learning that ''Death Note'' had received approval and that Takeshi Obata would create the artwork, Ohba said, they "couldn't even believe it".<ref name="HowtoRead174">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/173 173]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/173}}</ref> Due to positive reactions, ''Death Note'' became a serialized manga series.<ref name="HowtoRead58">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/58 58]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/58}}</ref>

"Thumbnails" incorporating dialogue, panel layout and basic drawings were created, reviewed by an editor and sent to [[Takeshi Obata]], the illustrator, with the script finalized and the panel layout "mostly done". Obata then determined the expressions and "camera angles" and created the final artwork. Ohba concentrated on the tempo and the amount of dialogue, making the text as concise as possible. Ohba commented that "reading too much exposition" would be tiring and would negatively affect the atmosphere and "air of suspense". The illustrator had significant artistic licence to interpret basic descriptions, such as "abandoned building",<ref name="HowtoRead180">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/180 180]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/180}}</ref> as well as the design of the Death Notes themselves.

When Ohba was deciding on the plot, they visualized the panels while relaxing on their bed, drinking tea, or walking around their house. Often the original draft was too long and needed to be refined to finalize the desired "tempo" and "flow". The writer remarked on their preference for reading the previous "two or four" chapters carefully to ensure consistency in the story.<ref name="HowtoRead59"/>

The typical weekly production schedule consisted of five days of creating and thinking and one day using a pencil to insert dialogue into rough drafts; after this point, the writer faxed any initial drafts to the editor. The illustrator's weekly production schedule involved one day with the thumbnails, layout, and pencils and one day with additional penciling and inking. Obata's assistants usually worked for four days and Obata spent one day to finish the artwork. Obata said that when he took a few extra days to color the pages, this "messed with the schedule". In contrast, the writer took three or four days to create a chapter on some occasions, while on others they took a month. Obata said that his schedule remained consistent except when he had to create color pages.<ref name="HowtoRead192">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/192 192]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/192}}</ref>

Ohba and Obata rarely met in person during the creation of the serialized manga; instead, the two met with the editor. The first time they met in person was at an editorial party in January 2004. Obata said that, despite the intrigue, he did not ask his editor about Ohba's plot developments as he anticipated the new thumbnails every week.<ref name=" HowtoRead174"/> The two did not discuss the final chapters with one another and continued talking only with the editor. Ohba said that when they asked the editor if Obata had "said anything" about the story and plot, the editor responded: "No, nothing".<ref name=" HowtoRead180"/>

Ohba claims that the series ended more or less in the manner that they intended for it to end; they considered the idea of [[L (Death Note)|L]] defeating Light Yagami with Light dying but instead chose to use the "Yellow Box Warehouse" ending. According to Ohba, the details had been set "from the beginning".<ref name="HowtoRead58"/> The writer wanted an ongoing plot line instead of an episodic series because ''Death Note'' was serialized and its focus was intended to be on a cast with a series of events triggered by the Death Note.<ref name="HowtoRead60">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|pages=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/60 60–61]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/60}}</ref> ''13: How to Read'' states that the humorous aspects of ''Death Note'' originated from Ohba's "enjoyment of humorous stories".<ref name="HowtoRead194">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/194 194]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/194}}</ref>

When Ohba was asked, during an interview, whether the series was meant to be about enjoying the plot twists and psychological warfare, Ohba responded by saying that this concept was the reason why they were "very happy" to place the story in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump''.<ref name="HowtoRead192"/>

===Concepts===
====The notebooks====
The core [[plot device]] of the story is the "Death Note" itself, a black notebook with instructions (known as "Rules of the Death Note") written on the inside. When used correctly, it allows anyone to commit a murder, knowing only the victim's name and face. According to the director of the live-action films, [[Shusuke Kaneko]], "The idea of spirits [[Kotodama|living in words]] is an ancient Japanese concept.... In a way, it's a very Japanese story".<ref name="wired.com">{{cite magazine|title=Death Note Manga Spawns Movie, Crime Wave|url=https://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/news/2008/05/death_note|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=May 19, 2008|access-date=August 24, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809001934/http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/news/2008/05/death_note|archive-date=August 9, 2013 }}</ref>

Artist Takeshi Obata originally thought of the books as "Something you would automatically think was a Death Note". Deciding that this design would be cumbersome, he instead opted for a more accessible college notebook. Death Notes were originally conceived as changing based on time and location, resembling scrolls in ancient Japan, or the [[Old Testament]] in medieval Europe. However, this idea was never used.<ref name="HowtoRead140">{{cite book|last1=Ohba|first1=Tsugumi|last2=Obata|first2=Takeshi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/149 149]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/149}}</ref>

====Themes====
Writer Tsugumi Ohba had no particular themes in mind for ''Death Note''. When pushed, he suggested: "Humans will all eventually die, so let's give it our all while we're alive".<ref name="HowtoRead69">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/69 69]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/69}}</ref> In a 2012 paper, author Jolyon Baraka Thomas characterised ''Death Note'' as a psychological thriller released in the wake of the 1995 [[Tokyo subway sarin attack]], saying that it examines the human tendency to express itself through "horrific" cults.<ref name="JJRS_Thomas_2012">{{cite journal|last=Thomas|first=Jolyon Baraka|title=Horrific "Cults" and Comic Religion|journal=[[Japanese Journal of Religious Studies]]|volume=39|issue=1|pages=127–151}}</ref>

===Pilot chapter===
The ''Death Note'' process began when Ohba brought thumbnails for two concept ideas to [[Shueisha]]; Ohba said that the ''Death Note'' pilot, one of the concepts, was "received well" by editors and attained positive reactions from readers.<ref name=" HowtoRead58"/> Ohba described keeping the story of the pilot to one chapter as "very difficult", declaring that it took over a month to begin writing the chapter. He added that the story had to revive the killed characters with the Death Eraser and that he "didn't really care" for that plot device.<ref name="HowtoRead215"/>

Obata said that he wanted to draw the story after he heard of a "horror story featuring {{Transliteration|ja|shinigami}}".<ref name=" HowtoRead174"/> According to Obata, when he first received the rough draft created by Ohba, he "didn't really get it" at first, and he wanted to work on the project due to the presence of {{Transliteration|ja|shinigami}} and because the work "was dark".<ref name="HowtoRead215"/> He also said he wondered about the progression of the plot as he read the thumbnails, and if ''Jump'' readers would enjoy reading the comic. Obata said that while there is little action and the main character "doesn't really drive the plot", he enjoyed the atmosphere of the story. He stated that he drew the pilot chapter so that it would appeal to himself.<ref name="HowtoRead215">{{cite book|last=Ohba|first=Tsugumi|title=Death Note 13: How to Read|year=2008|page=[https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/215 215]|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|isbn=978-1-4215-1888-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deathnote00ohba_0/page/215}}</ref>

Ohba brought the rough draft of the pilot chapter to the editorial department. Obata came into the picture at a later point to create the artwork. They did not meet in person while creating the pilot chapter. Ohba said that the editor told him he did not need to meet with Obata to discuss the pilot; Ohba said "I think it worked out all right".<ref name="HowtoRead174"/>

===Anime adaptation===
[[Tetsurō Araki]], the director, said that he wished to convey aspects that "made the series interesting" instead of simply "focusing on morals or the concept of justice". Toshiki Inoue, the series organizer, agreed with Araki and added that, in anime adaptations, there is a lot of importance in highlighting the aspects that are "interesting in the original". He concluded that Light's presence was "the most compelling" aspect; therefore the adaptation chronicles Light's "thoughts and actions as much as possible". Inoue noted that to best incorporate the manga's plot into the anime, he "tweak[ed] the chronology a bit" and incorporated flashbacks that appear after the openings of the episodes; he said this revealed the desired tensions. Araki said that, because in an anime the viewer cannot "turn back pages" in the manner that a manga reader can, the anime staff ensured that the show clarified details. Inoue added that the staff did not want to get involved with every single detail, so the staff selected elements to emphasize. Due to the complexity of the original manga, he described the process as "definitely delicate and a great challenge". Inoue admitted that he placed more instructions and notes in the script than usual. Araki added that because of the importance of otherwise trivial details, this commentary became crucial to the development of the series.<ref name="Passionsdreams">{{cite journal|last=Kimlinger|first=Carl|date=November 2007|title=Passion and dreams|journal=[[Newtype USA]]|volume=6|issue=11|pages=50–51}}</ref>

Araki said that when he discovered the ''Death Note'' anime project, he "literally begged" to join the production team; when he joined he insisted that Inoue should write the scripts. Inoue added that, because he enjoyed reading the manga, he wished to use his effort.<ref name="Passionsdreams"/>