1. The document analyzes symbolism in the anime Death Note, focusing on characters Light Yagami and Ryuk. 2. It describes how Light discovers a supernatural notebook called the Death Note that allows him to kill anyone, and his initial intentions to use it for good by eliminating criminals. However, he becomes corrupted by power as he kills more people. 3. Ryuk, a death god, offers Light the Death Note to relieve his boredom in the underworld. Ryuk's demonic features and offering of the forbidden "apple of temptation" symbolize his efforts to corrupt Light for amusement.

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Death Note
Whenone is giventhe ultimate choice tohave the poweroveranentire city,whatwouldtheydowith
it?Wouldtheyabuse it,or wouldtheyuse itfor the greatergood?In the anime,DeathNote,Light
Yagami discoversasupernatural notebookfromthe shinigami,Ryuk,thatgrantsthe userthe abilityto
kill anyone whose face orname he knows.Lightdecidestouse itto create hisownperfectworld.The
choice of acceptingthisgreat responsibilityfromRyuk, the ultimate control holder,leadstohimbeing
corruptedby power.
Lightwas naturallya goodcitizenwithacommonsense of rightand wrong.However,thatall
startedto disperse whenhe beginsusingDeathNote.Hisappearance isreminiscentof anangelicfigure
whichsymbolizeshisgoodnature.Hiswingsstartto tearand shredbecause itshowsthat hissanityand
innocence isslowlybeingtakenawaythe more he usesthe notebook.The whitenessof hiswingsis
slowlydigressingintoshadesof brown,whichare similartoRyuk’sauraaround him.Thisinfersthatthey
are bothlustingoverpower.Light’sintentionof eliminatingcriminalstocreate a worldof peace might
have startedout pure,butslowlydeviatesintoevil whenhe startstargetingthe police,andanyone who
he seesas a threat.Light becomessoobsessedbyhisvisionarythathe completelylosthissenseof
moralityandbelievesthatGodhas chosenhimto cleanse the worldof impurities.Thisisshownbythe
rays of lightbeamingdownonhim,almostasif theywere made forhim.Inaddition,Lightfeelsthat
whenhe accomplisheshisgoal thathe will become Godof hisownworld.The smirkonhis face iswith
confidence thathe will be able toturnthe god forsakencityintosomethingof hisown.Hiseyesare
gleamingredwhichalsosymbolizesthe powerof the apple thathasturn Lightinto a differentperson
before he startedusingthe DeathNote.Lightreachingforthe apple showshiseagernessforgaining
power,butthe chainsthat seemto be holdinghimbackrepresentthe police whotrytostophim.The
image isstrikinglysimilartoMichelangelo's TheCreation of Adam,because Lightreachingforthe apple
will make himthe firsttobecome god,similartohow Adamreachingfor God to receive hisfirstbreath
to become the firstman.
Continuing,Ryukisashinigami (deathgod),whokill humansbyDeathNote inordertofurtherextend
theirlifespan.He actslike a evil powerhouse forLighttobe vulnerable tocorruptionsince he offered
hima deal that corrupts him. Ryuk’sdemon-likephysical features,hispale skin,sharpdarkhair,
shouldersandevenelongatedarmsshowsthathe’sthe supernatural world. Hissharptalonsthat are
clutchingthe redapple of temptationare instark contrast withLight’ssofthand.This demonstratesthe
shinigami evilnessradiatingnotonlyfromhisphysical appearance,butalsoshowshow eagerhe isto
spreadhisevil forLightto succumbintotemptation,andlaterbe vulnerabletocorruption. Ryuk
surrounds himself withthe beingsof the Underworld,tosymbolize hispowerthathe has hisinnatural
state.All hiscompanionssurroundinghimall have the same stretchedCheshire grinasRyukbecause it
showshowconfidenttheyare tospreadtheirsinful ways.The creaturesall have elongatedfeatures
aboutthem,the branches,the tinyhandsbelow Ryuk, andthe skull are determinedlyreachingfor
Light’sinnocence sotheycanbe able tocorrupt it and make himone of them. By offeringLightthe
apple,Ryukwants to relinquishhisboredomof livinginthe Underworld,andtosee whatLightwill do

2. withDeathNote simplyforhisownamusement.The shinigami knowshow muchLightwill notbe able
to resisthisgreatoffer,sohe patientlyawaitsuntil Lightsuccumbstothe temptationandfallsinto
darkness. The DeathGod aura is ingoldand slowlyturnsintoshadesbrownthe closeritgetsto Ryukto
symbolize inabiblical sense thathe holdsgreatwealthandknowledge.The colorgoldmeanspowerand
wealthinthe bible andLightmightsee the DeathNote as greatpowerbut Ryukknowsthatit’sjust a
device tocreate evil. Insome ways,RyukissimilartoGod in Michelangelo'spainting.Ryukwasthe one
whogave Light the knowledge of the DeathNote,justlikehow Godmade Adamthe firstman of the
humanrace.
The red apple thatRyuk ispresentingtoLightsymbolizesknowledge,powerandcorruptionitself.Its
servesasan antagonistdevice asto whyLightbecame hungrywithimperium.Withoutthe knowledge of
the apple Lightwouldn’thave become the psychopathbykillinginnocentpeople.Because Ryukholdsall
the knowledge of the use of the DeathNote,Lightultimatelywantstoknow those secrets,hence why
he is reachingforit. The apple isalsosymbolicof the “forbiddenfruit”becausewhenthe snake toldEve
that eatingthe fruitfromthe tree wouldgive herthe same statusas God, she ate it. Since Lightwanted
to become Godof hisownworld,he eagerlywantsthe apple tosatisfyhisowncravingsformore powe r.
In conclusion,anygiftorpowercan be usedfor goodor evil it'snot destinythatcontrolsthose actions,
it's the decisionsthatthe personmakes.Ryukshowingthe apple toLightknowingthathe won’tbe able
to stray awayfrom itspowershowshow histrue evil intentionsof corruptingaonce innocentpersonto
a psychopathkiller. The choice thatLightmade whenhe finallygotthe piece of the apple ultimately
consumedhiswayof thinking,andasa result,leadhimtohisowndownfall.Hisgreedandhungerfor
more dominance leadhimtorealize thathe himself isnotagod,but rather a misguidedfigure whose
mindwascloudedbya small taste of absolute rule.