Death Note is a popular manga and anime series that revolves around a high school student named Light Yagami, who finds a mysterious notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it. Light decides to use the notebook to create a new world order where he is the god, but he faces opposition from a mysterious detective known as L, who dedicates his life to solving crimes and catching criminals.
L is not his real name, but an alias he uses to hide his identity from his enemies. He is also not the only one who uses this alias, as he has two successors who inherit his legacy after his death: Near and Mello. Near is the younger of the two, and he plays a crucial role in the second half of the series, where he leads the investigation to expose and stop Light, who is also known as Kira.
But who is Near exactly? Is he related to L in any way? What are his motives and abilities? In this article, we will explore some of the facts and trivia about Near, one of the most controversial and intriguing characters in Death Note.
Contents
Near’s Origin and Background
Near’s real name is Nate River, and he was born in 1991. He was raised in Wammy’s House, an orphanage for gifted children in Winchester, England, founded by Quillsh Wammy, also known as Watari, L’s assistant and friend. Wammy’s House was created to find and train potential successors for L, who knew that he would not live forever and wanted to ensure that his work would continue after his death.
Near was one of the most talented children in Wammy’s House, along with Mello, another orphan who was born in 1989. The two of them were considered to be the best candidates to become L’s successor, but they had very different personalities and approaches to solving problems. Near was calm, rational, and analytical, while Mello was emotional, impulsive, and action-oriented. They also had a rivalry with each other, as Mello felt inferior to Near and wanted to surpass him.
Near was given the codename N by Watari, and he used toys and puzzles as his tools for thinking and deducing. He had a keen interest in solving complex problems and viewed investigations as games or challenges. He was also very observant and had a photographic memory. He was proficient at multitasking and could monitor multiple computer screens at once. He was also ambidextrous and could play darts with his left hand and stack dice with his right.
Near’s Role in the Kira Case
Near first learned about L’s death in 2004, when he was 13 years old. He was informed by Roger Ruvie, the director of Wammy’s House, who also told him about the Kira case: a series of unexplained deaths around the world caused by a mysterious individual who could kill anyone by knowing their name and face. Roger suggested that Near and Mello should work together to catch Kira and honor L’s legacy, but Mello refused and left the orphanage on his own.
Near then decided to take on the challenge by himself, and he contacted the President of the United States to reveal himself as the true successor of L. He also formed a special task force called the SPK (Special Provision for Kira), composed of FBI agents and other professionals who were loyal to him. Near then began his investigation of the Kira case, gathering evidence over a period of four years.
Near eventually made contact with “L”, who was actually Light Yagami using L’s alias after killing him with the Death Note. Near suspected that “L” was also Kira, and he challenged him to a game of wits. Near also had to deal with Mello, who joined a mafia organization and obtained another Death Note from one of Kira’s followers. Mello kidnapped Sayu Yagami, Light’s sister, and demanded that Light exchange her for the Death Note.
Near also faced opposition from Teru Mikami, a fanatical supporter of Kira who acted as Light’s proxy in killing criminals with another Death Note. Mikami believed that Light was God and followed his orders without question. Mikami also tried to kill Near by writing his name in the Death Note, but Near managed to survive by using a fake name.
Near eventually managed to expose and defeat Light in 2010, when he was 19 years old. He arranged a final confrontation with Light and his allies at an abandoned warehouse, where he revealed that he had replaced Mikami’s Death Note with a fake one and proved that Light was Kira. Light tried to deny his guilt and kill Near with a hidden piece of the Death Note, but he was shot by Matsuda, one of the original members of L’s task force. Light then tried to escape, but he was cornered by Ryuk, the Shinigami who gave him the Death Note. Ryuk wrote Light’s name in his own Death Note, ending his life and the Kira case.
Near’s Relationship with L
Near had a great respect and admiration for L, who was his idol and mentor. Near based much of his methods and style on L’s, such as sitting in a similar posture, using toys as tools, and communicating through a computer screen. Near also inherited L’s sweet tooth and often ate chocolate bars, which were Mello’s favorite as well.
Near also had some differences from L, such as being more confident and assertive in his deductions, and being more willing to cooperate with others. Near also did not use an alias like L did, but instead used his codename N. Near also did not wear the same clothes as L, but instead wore a white pajama top and pants.
Near considered himself to be L’s successor, but he also acknowledged that he was not L’s equal. He admitted that he could not have solved the Kira case without Mello’s help, and that he and Mello together were only a fraction of L’s abilities. Near also stated that he did not care about justice or morality, but only about solving puzzles and winning games. He said that he would not follow L’s teachings blindly, but would think for himself and decide what was right or wrong.
Near was not related to L by blood, but he was connected to him by fate and intellect. He was one of the few people who understood L’s mind and respected his legacy. He was also one of the few people who could challenge Light Yagami and defeat him in a battle of wits. Near was the closest thing to L that the world had after his death.
Conclusion
Near is one of the most fascinating characters in Death Note, and also one of the most controversial. Some fans love him for his intelligence and calmness, while others hate him for his lack of charisma and originality. Some fans think that he is a worthy successor of L, while others think that he is a cheap copy of him.
Regardless of one’s opinion on Near, it is undeniable that he played a vital role in the story of Death Note. He was the one who brought an end to Light Yagami’s reign of terror as Kira, and he was the one who avenged L’s death. He was also the one who carried on L’s legacy as the world’s greatest detective.
Near may not have been related to L by blood, but he was related to him by spirit. He was L’s youngest genius.
