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| “ | It's not a sense of justice. Figuring out difficult cases is my hobby. If you measured good and evil deeds by current laws, I would be responsible for many crimes. The same way you all like to solve mysteries and riddles, or clear video games more quickly. For me too, it's simply prolonging something I enjoy doing. That's why I only take on cases that pique my interest. It's not justice at all. And if it means being able to clear a case, I don't play fair, I'm a dishonest, cheating human being who hates losing. | „ |
| ~ L Lawliet |
L Lawliet, frequently referred to as Ryūzaki and simply L, is the main antagonist of the Japanese multi-media franchise Death Note.
He is a world-renowned, yet mysterious detective and selective government trump card with exceptional deductive reasoning and investigatory skills. In the story, L is the primary investigator tasked with tracking down the mysterious serial killer known as Kira, who can murder people by writing their names in a supernatural notebook called the Death Note. He is also the leader of the Japanese Task Force responsible for the Kira investigation.
Throughout the story, he engages in a rivalry of psychological and strategic wits with Light Yagami, the protagonist who is secretly Kira, with both trying outmaneuver each other. He is the only detective consistently suspicious of Light due to clues that the other detectives cannot recognize, though he ends up losing when Light manages to eliminate him with the Death Note. Despite this, L's legacy lives on through his successors Near and Mello; the former of the two ends up cornering Light and ending his reign.
He was voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi in Japanese and Alessandro Juliani in English.
What Makes Him a Seinen Hero?[]
- Heroic/Anti-Heroic: He makes it his mission to take down Kira, a mass murderer responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of criminals, and also solves the Beyond Birthday murder case and catches the temporary Kira, Kyosuke Higuchi.
- Cynical: He is mostly cynical towards Light, suspecting him very early on and believing he is only out for himself. He also distrusts the members of the task force on several occassions.
- Apathetic: L is mostly apathetic and doesn't react strongly to his situation, even when things get stressful or when many criminals end up dying.
- Stoical: He is mostly stoic despite his eccentric behavior due to his hyperfixation on solving the Kira case.
- Insightful: He is extremely insightful as he is incredibly intelligent and capable of recognizing many clues that the others cannot see. As a result, he is the only detective in the original task force who is able to stand his ground intellectually and strategically against Light. He is also constantly analyzing human behavior and motivations.
- Sophisticated/Mature: L carries himself with sophistication due to approaching his situations with maturity and without impulsivity, thinking about the consequences of all of his or his teams actions, and being honest with himself about his true nature.
- Pessimistic: L often expects the worst from people, assuming that even those closest to him, like the police, could betray him. His immediate suspicion of Light shows his belief that a seemingly well-rounded person can still be a killer.
- Realistic: Unlike Light, who believes in an idealistic world where he can be a god of "justice," L doesn’t seek to change human nature and is far more grounded.
- Strong Sense of Willpower: L never gives up, even when the odds are against him. Despite being at a disadvantage when Light temporarily loses his memory of the Death Note and is apparently cleared, L persists in his investigation until his death. He also puts himself at direct risk many times in the series just to achieve his goals, and also inherently at all times by working the investigation.
- Pragmatic: L’s decisions are based on logic rather than morality, and a lot of his actions are cold in their pragmatism. He is willing to bend ethics, such as keeping prisoners under surveillance, leaving Misa Amane blindfolded and suspended upright, or being willing to sacrifice the lives of others by hesitation or testing the Death Note, such as criminals, to achieve his goal. He notes himself that he is a "dishonest, cheating human being" who doesn't play fair.
- Morally Ambiguous: While L is trying to catch a mass murderer and is therefore the main hero in the story, his own actions are still very questionable to say the least. He manipulates, deceives, and even endangers lives to achieve his goal, along with him abusing his suspects. He also admits himself that he is more concerned with "winning" rather than enacting justice, all in all positioning him as an anti-hero.
- Reckless: He frequently endangers his own life and even ends up dying by the Death Note due to Light ultimately outmaneuvering him.
- Has Trust Issues: L doesn’t trust anyone easily, even those working with him in the task force. He also keeps secrets and manipulates his allies, and never fully relies on anyone else’s judgment. He is obviously suspicion of Light for the entire series despite lacking concrete evidence for most of it and Light posing as his friend/ally.
- Hard-Boiled: He is emotionally hardened and doesn’t get sentimental, even when he is dealing with the deaths of criminals or dangerous situations; he always remains unfazed and logical.
- Black Hair: He's got black hair.
- Has an Outfit with Black/Red/Blue: His jeans are blue.
- Is an Edgelord: He frequently has a mysterious, brooding presence, and delivers dramatic monologues in his head. He is sometimes darkly humorous and/or cynical about the world.
External Links[]
- L Lawliet on the Death Note Wiki
- L Lawliet on the Heroes Wiki
- L Lawliet on the Inconsistently Admirable Wiki
- L Lawliet on the Guile Heroes Wiki
- L Lawliet on the Magnificent Baddie Wiki
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Weekly Shonen Jump |
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