092 - Death Note vol. 5

092 - Death Note vol. 5

Author: We Appreciate Manga™ November 20, 2022 Duration: 31:52

Ever wondered why the English names in Death Note sound so odd? Well today's episode has Steven and James talk about why that is as well as the "Yotsuba arc" of Death Note, besides expressing their thoughts and opinions on the art and pacing of the story. Beware of spoilers! Skip synopsis @ 3:10

Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com

 

092: Death Note vol. 5 ⁓ Whiteout

Chapters 35 to 43 "Whiteout" and "Black"

Story by Tsugumi Ohba

Art by Takeshi Obata

Translation by Alexis Kirsch

Lettering by Gia Cam Luc

 

After a week in prison, Light Yagami forfeits the Death Note and his memories associated with it. Light and Misa's life are seemingly threatened in order to get a confession from them but the bluff leaves L at an impasse. L then decides to set up a new base of operation, putting Misa under surveillance and having Light always be handcuffed to him as they both seek out the truth around Kira.

 

Light finds a new lead on the case whereupon the new suspects are the Yotsuba Corporation, Light also deduces that Kira can kill in ways other than a heart attack. The Shinigami Rem has given her Death Note to one of the members so to remove suspicion from Light and Misa. However, this new Kira is killing white collar criminals involved in corporate demeanours as well as making bribes to the Japanese government. The police refuse to chase Kira further, forcing task force members to resign as police and work under L. All except one detective Aizawa, who despises L's methods, he instead chooses to be closer to his family investigate Kira on his own terms.

L hires a conman and burglar, Aiber and Wedy to infiltrate the Yotsuba corporation. But the detective Matsuda acts alone as Misa's manager and is soon caught eavesdropping on their meetings. L devises a plan to fake Matsuda's death and soon afterwards they bug the Yotsuba meeting room.

 

Topics:

Ever wondered why the English names in Death Note sound so weird?

  • The potential of Eraldo Coil, having been a new character to rival L has us wondering.
  • We must take a moment and praise Takeshi Obata's illustration work. Considering how "wordy" the manga can be. Obata's use of expressions and the way he capitalizes on L's quirks for visual appeal demonstrates a mangaka who is a master at his craft!
  • The dudes speculate on which of the Yotsuba members have a Death Note, isn't it strange how one of them looks uncannily like Light Yagami?
  • The 90's TV shows James mentions, 'X–Files' and 'Twin Peaks' are thematically like Death Note in that they involve an open-minded detective trying to catch a supernatural killer, but unlike the detectives in Death Note the characters are FBI agents instead.

 

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Official Website

 

Email


There's a particular kind of magic that happens when a friend hands you a book they love, especially when that book is a manga. We Appreciate Manga captures that exact feeling, beginning each conversation with a personal recommendation before letting the discussion wander into deeper territory. Hosted by the team at We Appreciate Manga™, this series is less a formal review and more like eavesdropping on a thoughtful, sometimes rambling, chat between enthusiasts. You’ll hear them explore how specific stories resonate, why certain artistic choices matter, and the very real comfort these illustrated narratives can provide during difficult periods. It’s a celebration of the medium that goes beyond plot summaries to appreciate manga as a unique and powerful form of visual storytelling. Think of it as your audio companion to a vibrant, anime-adjacent book club where the panels come to life through conversation. New episodes of this podcast have been available since August 2022, offering a consistent space to connect with the art and heart of these stories.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 136

We Appreciate Manga
Podcast Episodes
075 - Junji Ito's Tomie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:38
What type of podcasters would we be if we didn't cover horror manga before All Hallow's Morning? So, for this spooky time of Halloween, James and Will talk about the classic horror villain that is Tomie! Skip synopsis @…
074 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 9 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:29
James tells Steven about the two non-cannon endings of Battle Angel Alita, draws comparisons between the James Cameron / Robert Rodriguez movie adaptation and the anime, as well as bring up how much the mangaka suffered…
073 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:53
Only near the conclusion of the original manga run do Steven and James find out that they have been reading different translations. Which spurs talk about the differences between the two. Including the original video ani…
072 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:29
We talk about more characters and moments in the cyberpunk epic, Gunnm, including a very supernatural dude who uses psychometry. Plenty of coil guns and stone tape theory talk in this one. skip summary @5:00 and remember…
071 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:15
Volume 6 a.k.a. the TUNED arc follows Alita as she joins a ragtag group of mercenaries. And James and Steve can't help but compare it to films like Aliens, War movies and Westerns, not bad for a cyberpunk story, no? Skip…
070 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:53
James and Steve discuss which other actors would have played a good Desty Nova, story-wise Zapan returns to settle the score. So basically, we get Karma as a theme! Skip plot summary @5:51 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.…
069 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:08
The conclusion to the Motorball arc where we see lots of CONTENT WARNING violence and the first example of gratuitous nudity in the cyberpunk manga; interestingly it's not from Alita! Skip synopsis @ 4:31 Email: WeApprec…
068 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:40
Alita demonstrates more of her badassity in the beginning of the 'Motorball' arc, which featured prominently in the James Cameron/Robert Rodriquez movie. Skip synopsis @ 4:04 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com 068: Battl…
067 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:04
A deep dive critique into the cyborg fantasy that is Battle Angel Alita a.k.a. Gunnm! Alita fights a werewolf that wears shades, as you do, but is her love strong enough to save Yugo? Sorry for the technical issues guys,…
066 - Battle Angel Alita vol. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:14
Our Cyborg season continues as we cover 'Battle Angel Alita', also known by its original Japanese title 'Gunnm'. This manga would go on to inspire James Cameron to produce a Hollywood adaptation. Skip synopsis @ 4:32 Ema…