Anime Theory: Death Note Is MENTAL! (Death Note Theory)

[@SaiScribbles]

Honestly I think Misa's problem is mostly trauma. She witnessed her parents' murder, she was almost murdered herself by a crazed stalker, and then when Kira killed the criminal that murdered her parents she became obsessed with him and will do anything for him.

[@venus5156]

I'm a simple death note fan. I see death note. I like it.

[@duoreview7492]

That's fine. I always appreciate a like. =D

[@venus5156]

DuoReview but usually I like most of your content ;)

[@duoreview7492]

Well, I appreciate that a lot, so thank you! =D

[@GeazakiCosplay]

Two things that I can't let go. L holds things in a strange way because he is a germophobic, he touches everything with the least contact possible, in places where no one else usually touches (I know this because I am a germophobe myself) also he cleaned his hands after shaking hands with light when they met. The other thing that is bothering me is that a lot of people don't understand that L never considered Light a friend, he only said that and other things to try to find his soft spot. He obviously failed because as Light is a Psychopath he never even cared about that. Please watch Death Note Rewrite

[@DMTInfinity]

Tori Sama #lolz

[@checktheinternet2146]

Is it just me who, when watching death note, wanted to also be L's friend because I felt sorry for him?

[@duoreview7492]

I'd be L's friend as well if I could. =D

[@camellia1942]

That's what you think of L cuz u have a special attachment to him.. would you really do that to someone in real life is the real question...

[@CristalianaIvor]

dont feel sorry - many autists actually feel quite comfy not having that many friends.

[@chihabgm7796]

well, he wouldnt be your friend because the author said he found humans too cunning to build relationships with

[@jenniflower6569]

I would just wanna hug him.

[@obvious_humor]

Misa has more than ADHD. Would have liked to see you look more into Misa's dependence and subservience to Light, her willingness to be used.

[@mauvedragontiddies9244]

I know right.

[@ryebread2817]

A lot of people with adhd become like that!! For people with adhd we become like this bc of rejection sensitivity!! We go out of our way to let people do what they want because we are so scared of having to deal with rejection from a partner.

[@AnnaKuznetzova88]

Many of his videos are quite surface level and miss the deeper themes

[@reyniknamyrion3557]

I thought Light was a sociopath - he felt horrible initially, but quickly grew callous and uncaring, so he developed the syndrome. Psychopaths are born, sociopaths are made. Or is this a case of Light 'wearing the mask' too well and convincing himself of his humanity?

[@maatonne]

Yes, he is a sociopath and a narsissist.

[@831x07]

Liomar Baru Light is not narcissistic. God complex is more like it.

[@maatonne]

That is not a real mental illness.

[@Tethloach1]

Light is evil glad he lost to be honest, a sick and twisted protagonist, the show was really good when i first watched it.

[@maatonne]

So you would prefer criminals that kill innocents instead of a criminal that kills criminals ?

[@christopherdittmar1253]

Misa also has dependent personality disorder.

[@lolmeme69_]

@Kool_cat0778 As someone who scored the same category on the Myers-Briggs personality test as Misa AND has ADHD, that kinda hurt, but you're also damn right. Misa's not that bright.

[@jazlynlopez6409]

@@lolmeme69_ Misa isn't that bright compared to Light and L but honestly I think people underestimate her. She's more intelligent than people give her credit for.

[@lolmeme69_]

@Jazlyn Lopez Fair. Fair enough. But when you're surrounded by geniuses, you can't help but be taken as dumb. Though that does lead me to wonder why Matsuda isn't in the dumb category either, because that guy is ACTUALLY dumb.

[@majungasaurus6814]

@@lolmeme69_ matsuda is considered dumb, just not as dumb as misa

[@notorious408sj5]

I mean her parents r fucking dead. Im sure she has a right to be a little fucked up

[@phendan]

Interestingly, I felt like the one exception to Light's indifference towards people was L. Despite their roles as adversaries, Light seemingly respected L more than he did anybody else. He even got upset by Near wearing a mask of L, perceiving it as an insult to his memory. My guess is that Light and L were the closest thing the other ever had to a friend, or at least an equal, somebody who understood how they thought and felt. We know L basically said as much but judging from Light's demeanor whenever he brought up L, I think it's fairly safe to assume he felt the same way. Now granted that may be because - as I think Light states at some point - not having to constantly make moves to counter L's takes the challenge out of being Kira. Still, since Kira is essentially Light's true identity, one could see how he might feel a connection with the only person who has ever engaged - or rather been able to engage - with him on that level.

[@masacatior]

I think Light was more narcissistic than sociopath regardless of how evil he was. He had some humanity that was corrupted by his big ego. Sociopaths don't have morality or sense of justice. And they act completely natural lying. Light had to act in a certain way to hide himself in a mask. When he lost his memory even the way he spoke changed. And when he regains his memory he changes back abruptly to the old rational Kira in a battle of wits with L.

[@lolmeme69_]

Also, we see "good" Light during the Yotsuba Corporation arc, so I believe it's narcissism. Psychopathy is genetic, and the erased Light doesn't seem to be a psychopath. Heck, he was quite far from it then!

[@deekid311]

Interesting how you theorize that L may have Aspergers. People with Aspergers tend to be "light" sensitive.. get it? L is sensitive to Light?? I tried to make a funny..

[@Keith-wu1ow]

deekid311 nice one

[@deekid311]

light yagami thanks "light"!

[@Keith-wu1ow]

deekid311 no problem

[@ericbazinga]

deekid311 I have Aspergers and I'm not light sensitive

[@deekid311]

ericbazinga not all with Aspergers, but quite a few are.. it triggers discomfort for them

[@RonnocFroop]

Glad to see someone talking about psychopathy properly. I'm tired of people misusing the term. I'd say that Light and Karma (AssClass) are the best written psychopathic/sociopathic characters I've seen in any media.

[@duoreview7492]

It's what has always bothered me about people using the word honestly.

[@allthenamesimthinkingofare9396]

In one of my school textbooks they used they defined sociopath using the definition for psychopath. My TEXTBOOK.

[@daniel0_o861]

RonnocFroop The Riddler

[@rurikvolkov2810]

But he falls in the high functioning sociopath category along side myself

[@magicalhawk4873]

They for along a were interchangable the new definition has come about in the decade or so but it annoys me aswell

[@mellowyellow532]

i think L is holding the phone so weirdly not because he has some physical issues with his hands, but because he is disgusted by the bacteria, that is also why he never presses the phone on his cheek because he tries to minimize contact lol

[@Doctor_Odin]

Also the way he holds phones actually more in the proper manner where you're supposed to hold them you're not actually supposed to press them against your head but everybody does it.

[@unfiniche]

And also in the theatre scene when he shakes light's hand, he immediately wipes it. Though with what's going on in 2020, that's kinda what we all are doing.

[@0nikolaigogol0]

L doesn't want corona

[@juanjalapeno3765]

I heard that it was to minimize his fingerprints, but idk

[@atlasofthemoon2485]

I rewatch the anime once a year

[@poppyseed7639]

AtlasoftheMoon every 6 months

[@anandvr3636]

Same pinch man

[@Ok-eg8dg]

@@anandvr3636 every week

[@itachisusanoo3689]

L's back disorder thing could just be him having disregarded his long-term health in his past when he was completely invested in cases. Same thing with the sugar habit I guess; non-stop fuel for non-stop fully immersive investigation.

[@metan0ja]

Itachi Susanoo It's like playing a game on mobile on your sofa. You automatically bent over to your phone to get a clear view of screen. That's why my back is like L's tbh.

[@gingfreecss3808]

@@metan0ja practice proper posture then Have a great day ahead of you! 😄 God Bless! Stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourselves! Wishing everyone the best! 😇

[@metan0ja]

@@gingfreecss3808 Hey man, thanks for your wishes and hopes for me even though it's been three years ago since I posted my previous reply! Keep up the work and optimism! The world really appreciates and needs an angel like you :D

[@gingfreecss3808]

@@metan0ja aww thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated! You're welcome by the way! 💗

[@Spycatsgaming]

@@gingfreecss3808 wow

[@epicjn]

another thing that supports the idea that L has asbergers, is the semi-monotone voice, and all of the constant fidgeting. Light however, is a sociopath, with a MAJOR god complex (which he develops the more he uses the death note).

[@epicjn]

oh hey, you already mentioned the god complex.

[@zzed7571]

Daedrean_TV light is a psychopath not a sociopath .... there’s a difference and he’s a psychopath cuz he’s got fake personality he wears all the time to manipulate people and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, so he’s a psychopath

[@Davrainbow]

I honestly started crying when you said L probably has Asperger's. Death Note was my favorite anime in middle school, and I was diagnosed with Asperger's last year. I knew I had a lot in common with L, and it was so nice to hear that someone recognized what he had. So I'm crying not because I'm upset, but because I'm so glad that you saw this and pointed it out.

[@leonzarkovski2319]

Same. Shall we make a club?

[@kobil316SH]

Davrainbow do you like sonic?

[@Alyssaromantic]

I have Asperger's too, so I like L even more after this.

[@astrolord4325]

Im still trying to figure out evidence of this L having asperger just to tell classmates who watched DN that me, that weird kiddo have the same mental illness as their favorite character. Hahahahaha. Yeah.

[@bruhchild8159]

Pretty much like my story but I am not emotional enough to cry.

[@PinkSistahs]

I would most definitely want to wake up to L's face in the middle of the night.. o.o

[@duoreview7492]

LOL Alright then... XD

[@PinkSistahs]

I just had to state my thoughts haha

[@Slugg.y]

Laura Bourne I wouldn't mind seeing his face in the middle of the night lol

[@dw5760853]

Laura Bourne Team light!!!

[@PinkSistahs]

L is bae

[@burntcinnamon1735]

Actually Mikami did die in the Manga. 10 days later but he did still die, so your good.

[@duoreview7492]

Yeah he did, but people claimed that since it was 10 days later, my theory didn't apply. XD

[@burntcinnamon1735]

DuoReview well like i said last time Matsuda points all of this out saying that Near would have wrote Mikami's name and specified everything he would have needed him to do for his plan to work, then wrote that he would die 10 days later, and then after he confirmed that the the two fake rules were indeed fake burned the notebooks to make sure there was no evidence that he did infact do that. Which seems pretty in character to me but because Matsuda said it everyone sort of just brushes it off as Matsuda over thinking everything because he was fond of Light (manga's words not mine)

[@duoreview7492]

Yeah, I've read that part in the manga. I completely understand it. XD

[@burntcinnamon1735]

DuoReview but to make a long story short I'm fairly certain the creators wanted it be left up to interpretation. That's one of the many things i love about Death Note it let's you come to your own conclusions on certain matters

[@duoreview7492]

There's going to be people who always disagree with it, but I think my theory is true. XD

[@Jakebrand11208]

You should do a Theory about L's past

[@duoreview7492]

I think the anime spelled it out a bit, but I guess it's possible.

[@user-is5tv2mc3p]

you should read the novel L change the world

[@angelcommaalex7621]

One of the death note books explains some of L's quirks as a result of the strain that comes with the title of "L": "Who could comprehend the man who had lived his life, and had to live confronting all the lives ended prematurely, the tears of the grief stricken survivors, the devaluing of life as a daily reality. How was it possible to measure the pain of such a man? Was it a strain so heavy that L's back curved under all its weight? Was it an agony so terrible as to leave the indelible dark circles around his eyes? Was it a feeling so bitter that every bite he took needed to be coated in sugar? The chronically rounded shoulders, the inevitable dark circles, the eccentric tastes---L suppressed the pain of being a champion of justice, but the evidence of the pain was molded into his very body."

[@duoreview7492]

Reading over the explanation, it seems like an illogical theory to be honest. XD

[@Wizardcleave]

ForsakenProvince I can see the sleeplessness and the accompanying dark circles, I can stretch and accept awful posture as a result of emotional fatigue, but I draw the line at craving sweets due to some existential bitterness. I Kinda always thought L and his successors never stopped reaching for a sugar rush because the brain chews through glucose when strained, I believe L even mentions so in universe to Matsuda.

[@ginoyesano5649]

I believe he told Misa that he won't get fat from eating so much sugar by burning the calories by using his brain. The reason he is eating sugar could still be an existential bitternes.

[@dusanstevanovic7551]

If L has scoliosis, how the fuck is he so good at tennis?

[@831x07]

dušan stevanović because this is anime. where the laws of physics do not apply.

[@nobodyspecial8335]

I have scoliosis and I can play tennis fine. Just not for very long.

[@MF-Productions]

winter lol, well said. Physics in anime??? As if..

[@lukeoconnor8561]

Because he is L

[@samermohamed7644]

Having scoliosis does not necessarily mean that you can't be good at sports at all. It just means it will hurt you more. It is what it is.

[@lavamaster2863]

L weird way of standing and picking up things made him look even cooler He was made in a very realistic way, he was a genius but not perfect....

[@dhya60]

to be precise, Light Yagami is a sociopath, because psychopaths are born whereas sociopaths are made. and he became a sociopath after he got the death note

[@shaiwittles7266]

Dhya Eddine El Bahri even before that he wanted to end everything ‘evil’, which included slacking off in class...

[@aqa-od5uh]

Shai Wittles but you see that he isnt a psychopath when he lost memories of the death note he is a sociopath

[@Blackplague689]

Agreed. Every character that uses the death note is to face a life of misfortune. Simply put the Death Note was never meant to be used by humans. Every person we see on the show utilize it went batshit crazy. For us to fully diagnosed Light Yagami we must look at him when he didn't have the death note. He was a very decent guy who actually CARED for the well being of others. Hell the first two times he used it to save someone. Afterwords he had a mental breakdown as he questioned if he really had the right to take someones life. We get so engrossed in what he became that we fail to see what he was. There is no doubt in my mind that anybody here would have used the death note to both test it and save someone's life.

[@chihabgm7796]

@@Blackplague689 Except before he got the death note, he still showed little signs. Like he thought the world was rotten. He didn't really care to be honest, he saved people to test the death note, not because he actually cared about the victims. Plus, ryuk said he was the first to write that many names. So, he was a high functioning sociopath from the very beginning. He never truly cared for the victims, he just killed people so he can be powerful. His true goal was to be the god of the new world, and so he relied on killing criminals to achieve that goal.

[@Blackplague689]

@@chihabgm7796 Yet these were the words of the author himself. You can say all you want about the motivations behind said character but the case comes to a close when the author himself points out something that completely nullified the remote possibility of him being a sociopath.

[@Keiwaiou2]

What is a normal anime character ?

[@glassofmilk7141]

...true

[@kendrikrichmond5433]

Haruhi Suzumiya... Like normal people, all the fun stuff happens without her noticing lol Dx!

[@gingfreecss3808]

🤔 Have a great day ahead of you! 😄 God Bless! Stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourselves! Wishing everyone the best! 😇

[@dieblauebedrohung]

I have Asperger and I'm not offended Have a great day :>

[@drakejohnson2607]

Why would there be any reason to be offended? L is fucking awesome!

[@EnviousWingDings]

die Blaue Bedrohung I'm glad that I'm like L!

[@ericbazinga]

die Blaue Bedrohung Why would I be offended? He just said I have the same mental condition as _The best detective in the Death Note universe_. I'd be offended if he said people with Aspergers are stupid, but L's a fucking genius, so...

[@thejester9808]

SOLIDARITY

[@darkXwolf17-UD]

Drake Johnson thnx for the compliment

[@Guy-pn1hb]

I think L just has really bad posture, not any disorders.

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Yes, the only problem L has is asperger's. He holds the things the way he does either to minimize the mount of fingerprints on objects or hes a germophobe. He doesn't have scoliosis.

[@FloofyCloud115]

Guy3002 I have scoliosis, and L does seem to have a wack back. However, it looks like it’s just bad posture as you said

[@gingfreecss3808]

@@FloofyCloud115 Have a great day ahead of you! 😄 God Bless! Stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourselves! Wishing everyone the best! 😇

[@duncanmcaree9233]

Light actually isn't a natural psychopath, the Death Note corrupted him and turned him into one. When Light lost his memory of the Death Note, we got to see the real him, and he's actually kind, caring, helpful and motivational. It's really sad that the Death Note turned this good person into a monster, and also ended up killing him.

[@sporeham1674]

It wasn’t technically the Death Note itself, it’s more of the power that came with it. Power drives anyone mad.

[@Anonymei]

Psychopaths are born, Sociopaths are made. So technically, Light is a sociopath.

[@lolk7726]

a sociopath then

[@iceycoolman3320]

Duncan McAree light had morals, even with the Death Note. I saw a video about this where they explained that he expected punishment from Ryun, he knew that he was doing wrong and only grew a God Complex and all of his other psychopathic traits when Ryun said he could do what he wanted.

[@ARU-THLESSGUY]

He wanted to use death note to kill criminals but he had no choice when innocent people came in his way. Light was right almost everytime.

[@paulgordon1595]

Light is a textbook sociopath rather than a psychopath, though both have shared qualities.

[@bluegiant13]

There is no textbook sociopath and psychopath the only thing textbook is Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD).

[@Blackplague689]

Funny enough people on the spectrum are classified as sociopaths

[@MusicForKidsWorld]

well, I am a fan of L and guess what, I have Asperger's syndrome x3

[@archaaayyyy4282]

Same

[@bossky1780]

I relate

[@GodKing_Guts]

as a person who has had scoliosis surgery i just wanted to say this as you got it wrong. severe scoliosis can kill you. just takes decades and is beyond painful.

[@kriss4882]

I have no idea can u pls elaborate .Sorry for late comment

[@mavibaso]

Honestly I just think L's back looks like that because of the way he always sits lol

[@IzarapawAJ]

I thought Misa would have some sort of obsessive disorder since she endangers herself purely because of an obsession. I guess that could be linked to ADHD but I feel like there's a separate condition.

[@thealphawolf7529]

Izarapaw it's dependent personality disorder it's not linked to ADHD/ADD and I can say that because I have ADHD/ADD

[@williamswain2303]

I mean it's not like this anime theorist is an actual therapist with a PhD so take it with a grain of salt bruh

[@crossdaboss8914]

I love L as a character I really connect with him and I also have aspergers syndrome

[@ersincesim2166]

crossdaboss8 i don't think you're as smart as L

[@crossdaboss8914]

Ersin Cesim ik im not I'm just stateing what I have

[@dw5760853]

crossdaboss8 Team light!!!

[@thingsnstuff7526]

2:56 I mean, there aren’t many faces you’d want to wake up to in the middle of the night.

[@louisasimpson2562]

Thank you so much for doing this video. Having Borderline Personality Disorder, the portrayal of mental illness is one of the reasons I love Death Note and use it as therapy. It is very rare people are brave enough to talk about it Xxx

[@TheStarryNightRhone]

Death Note is my absolute favorite anime ever, and L is my absolute favorite anime character of all time. One of my favorite things about the series is that the characters are so unique. For example, L is a genius detective who sits with his knees to his chest, eats sweets almost constantly, does not sleep a lot, and holds things in a different manner than those around him. He is also very interesting in the way he talks and acts, he is very gentle but at the same time, very strong and will give everything for what he pursues. I think these combinations of characteristics and features are the most interesting and compelling of any character I've seen. I have always been able to relate to L more than any other character, and I think the Death Note creators are absolutely genius for putting this much thought and depth into their character designs. The anime is made by its characters, who are all so interesting and different and intriguing in their own way. The anime is a work of art to me, and the characters are works of art in their own right too :) Thank you for the awesome video, I just found your channel and I am binge watching your theories, they are so good and thought provoking! Keep up the good work ^-^

[@bruhchild8159]

I am pretty sure you have only six likes because people were too lazy to read it all. That is what happens to most of my comments. Btw I agree that Death note is the best anime. All of its characters are well designed and the plot is genius. Have a nice day/night

[@lavamaster2863]

The reality is that nobody is perfect both Kira and L were geniuses but they had their flaws too I don't think people like Death note bc of this I bet most of them did't even notice the mental illness

[@lavamaster2863]

We love Death note bc of the battle between the 2 smartest characters I had ever seen ...

[@Not_Zio]

That sums it up.

[@imsorry.iwillrespectyou.9402]

" hunger of power " " working hard on something but losing/dying in the end " " obssession with love " " Boredm " " Dying and getting replaced " " Being too happy " each of these represent a character

[@fairlysleepy]

I really love Death Note ;~; It's gonna be once in a million to find another good anime like this again and never get bored of it.

[@essie.]

Light is neither a psychopath nor a sociopath. Psychopaths are born, they have a slightly different brain structure from neurotypicals. When Light loses his memory of the Death Note he is a decent guy who has morals (refuses to use Misa), and feels fear/sadness (when his father nearly "executes" him). He's not a sociopath because sociopaths are made from traumatic experiences (usually at a young age). Light had a very normal, loving family and was popular at school, in short he had always had the seemingly perfect life. Also, sociopaths are usually impulsive and disregard societal norms and laws. They don't try to blend in. Light is obviously the complete opposite of that. The answer to what he really is relies on the words his father said when he was hospitalized: "Kira is evil. But also, the power to kill people is the true evil." Light was changed due to the influence of the Death Note and grew evil with time, dismissing his standards of not killing innocents. If the writers intended to make him either a psychopath or a sociopath for the story, it seems that they didn't get either of those conditions right.

[@timefortee]

Yes, he's written in a messy, inconsistent and highly unrealistic way. Neither NPD nor ASPD fit him, especially when he's his dove-eyed original self.

[@RionaHenry]

I'm like L. I have Aspeger's as well.

[@Flareontoast]

Riona Henry same *high five*

[@thedarklordreturns990]

same

[@TheNurplePurple]

Riona Henry I'm like light, I too am a psychopath

[@samermohamed7644]

I'm Light and L, I have scoliosis and I sit cross-legged on all chairs. I also have a sneaking suspicion that something is off about me. I'm a bit of a psychopath and somewhat intelligent.

[@DarkenedRaven]

Same.

[@aedanliranzo2230]

your intros got me hooked lol gj i realllllllllllly like the intro

[@Diagonalstuff]

7:12 this is why L never seemed like a psychopath since L finally found a “friend” in Light.

[@haleytudor632]

Misa is, like... textbook borderline. She ticks so many of the criteria it's wild, and all or most of it can be traced back to the severely traumatic experiences (PTSD, much?) she went through prior to the start of the series. Impulsive behavior, black and white thinking (her extreme idealization of Light vs her devaluation of many other characters, for example), self-destructive tendencies, fear of abandonment, feelings of emptiness, etc etc... There's a lot to be said about Misa's psychological profile.

[@homespawn]

I like to believe Light has a God Complex (which isn't technically a mental illness, but still), L has OCD (ish) and is germaphobic, and Misa has ADHD.

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

X Weebo X l has asperger's

[@aqa-od5uh]

sarah kolakowski and you also has bad grammar

[@zargoff8850]

I have Asperger's syndrome, and I really want to commend you on the research you put in. You did a great job with that, and I'm assuming that means you did a lot with the others too. Thanks for the content! Great quality!

[@eternalreality3260]

5:00 I knew there was a reason I found L so relatable! He's the same as me.

[@lokibloodsaw2836]

Eternal Reality same

[@themadhattress5008]

Light has a grandiose sense of self, almost total narcissistic personality disorder, as well as psychopathic tendencies. He believes he is flawless, and his mind is likely fraught with delusions of grandeur. He definitely believes himself to be the epitome of human perfection. And well why not? It's easy to see how such visions of himself were formed. He's always been on top. Even where we first meet him, in high school, he was championed as the brightest student. This was perhaps elevated when he met L, someone who was actually able to contest Light and even match wits with him. Light, then not only had to prove to L that he wasn't Kira, but he had to prove to himself that what he was doing was right. In his mind, he really did believe what he was doing was correct, as per his psychosis. For most of the anime, he rationalizes what he's doing as "justice", or rather an effort to create the "perfect world". Of course he believed he was the only one who could actually do this. Whether his mental illnesses were latent or not, I don't think we can make any quick assumptions. True, he may have been conditioned to his narcissism by his family and peers, I don't think the same can really be said of his psychopathic and delusional ideals. In fact, once he has the death note, I'd argue that his personality does a complete 180. He isn't his old self, so to speak. I don't know if this means the death note itself triggered many of the disorders he already had, or if it created these in Light once he found out just how powerful it could be. As interesting as it all is, we could arguably do whole case studies based on the characters in the anime. I believe they suffer from more mental illnesses than this, and you've barely scratched the surface. Imagine what kinda research paper that would end up being, yeah?

[@ethanhoule8062]

This channel is too lit for me to handle.

[@lycanthis9963]

I think of myself as similar to L in quite a few ways. I've got Asperger's syndrome/Autism as well(btw it's a mental disorder rather than mental illness, yes there is a difference), have slight scoliosis, spend a majority of my time in a dark room and ever since watching the anime the first time, I now sit like L. And oddly enough, my name starts with the same letter. As for Light Yagami, I'd say he's more of a Machiavellian rather than a psychopath. They're similar but the former are less prone to impulsiveness and more level headed, such is the case for Light. For a better explanation of the difference, check out The Psychology of Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

[@BrenTenkage]

Not a bad video, but one minor nitpick, its not pronounced ass-burgers, its pronounced Ah-Sper-gers. Its a common misconception, just wanted to mention that ^_^

[@wezzy9437]

L has Insomnia, which you can see because of the bags under his eyes other than that I don't think he has any of the physical deformities you mentioned. For instance the finger one doesn't make sense L just holds stuff weird because the authors wanted to make him odd and quirky. Also L just has bad posture not scoliosis I know because I know a lot of people who have it and L can stand normally. Although your points were pretty interesting, but I'm surprised you didn't mention L's insomnia.

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Wezzy94 he does have asperger's though

[@themouthofsauron2167]

L lied Light is not L’s friend just because of the Kira case

[@Mollykinz]

My younger brother has aspergers and the entire time I watched the show, L reminded me so much of him.

[@dmenor11ification]

2:55 fangirls triggerd

[@duoreview7492]

They'll get triggered by anything. XD

[@merk9524]

Just wanted to note that your speculation that L has Marfan syndrome is possible but not quite for the reasons you specified. Marfan does not only affect the fingers and toes, it affects the entire body in various ways. Including often causing scoliosis(in roughly 60% of cases) as well as the lithe, frail build L seems to have. The syndrome that you were thinking of which affects only the fingers and toes, is Beals syndrome. Not your fault though, people confuse them a lot. Great video, just felt like I should comment, as someone who has Marfan syndrome.

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Merk I dont think L has mardan syndrome he just holds things that way and he sits the way he does because he believes it affects his deductive reasoning

[@KatyaXx0]

Mental or not .. I love it 😂

[@radhikabalachandran2846]

The way Death note characters would have died if there was no death note : L: Diabetes Near: Loneliness Light: Old age Misa: The man who tried to kill her at first and whom gelus killed(consider gelus didnt kill him) Mello: Mafia and drugs. Matsuda: Being a stupid jerk.

[@lssjgaming1599]

Me and L are so alike we both have Aspbergers

[@duoreview7492]

Is he your spirit animal also? XD

[@lssjgaming1599]

YES

[@yumi3890]

All this characters(near and l) have autism,it’s not a theory,it’s a fact. Bad posture,ocd,no social skills,perfect logic,extreme attention for detalis and obsession for control,childish behaviours. Ohba was a genius on creating this characters in a era where autism was not well known. I hope one day he will release a volume on their past.

[@notmyrealname2235]

By the way, was light always a psychopath or did he develop it?

[@ursidae97]

here's an interesting angle I just thought of. Light is a mythically perfect high school student dragged down by his own hubris into a gruesome and real-like death that tainted his image forever. L is a broken and very human character who's story brings him to his highest potential and leads him to his own death that leaves him with a diety like legacy.

[@maskedmica1913]

Awesome video as usual! Just so you know for future videos though, while psychopathy is a legitimate mental condition that needs to be monitored, the term "psycho" is actually considered a slur among the neurodivergent, so you may want to be careful about using it in the future. Also it should be noted that Asperger's syndrome (now more commonly referred to as ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder) is not actually classified as a mental illness, but is truly a developmental disability. Otherwise, you're pretty much spot on! Keep up the awesome work.

[@duoreview7492]

Well thank you for explaining. =D

[@zacsnider7225]

I don't believe Light is a sociopath, as sociopaths are more impulsive than your average psychopath. Very little is known about Antisocial Personality Disorder, as the only real tests have ever been done on convicted prison inmates. A key factor of ASPD is when things get tough, people diagnosed give up. They don't care enough to continue through the pain. Sociopathy also develops during childhood. While we don't see how Light was treated as a child, we see how he was treated as a teenager and an adult. This suggests his childhood wasn't filled with trauma. Instead, Light probably has a major god complex, as seen with how he interacts with others and how even in the face of failure, he doesn't think what he did was morally unjust.

[@duoreview7492]

Please check out my second channel if you have time. I'm making some interesting content. ;) kzbin.info/door/Y-1l56gCcZpANHf03ToSCw

[@damiancampos3612]

DuoReview wouldn't light be more like a sociopath?

[@jfjsas07]

That's a brilliant video DuoReview, I can see you have spent a lot of time and effort on it. I have pondered upon the protagonists a lot of times and still never had I figured out several of these things. Thanks :))

[@maslowlife5596]

I really liked this theory. Made me rethink the whole anime

[@MoeTheEnderKing]

jfjsas07 I

[@MoeTheEnderKing]

X

[@cc-xe4oo]

I never realized how much I relate to L until today.

[@hellocloverkitty]

I guess I relate most to L because we both have crippling OCD that controls our lives...

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Kailey Ross L doesn't have OCD he has asperger's

[@gabocarina96]

Very interesting video dude!! :D Love Death Note so much!

[@duoreview7492]

Well thanks Gab! Glad you enjoyed the video. =D

[@infernalbaka557]

gabocarina96 I finshed death note a year ago and I'm already getting nostiga from it

[@burntcinnamon1735]

in between first and last

[@duoreview7492]

That's actually true. ;)

[@TOFUtokkii]

i love this, and i love how you pointed out that they aren't representing these mental illnesses in a malicious way, but actually making characters who have them be relatable, funny, and cool individuals that people admire. awesome video !!!

[@duoreview7492]

That's what I was hoping people would gather from the video. Subtlety doesn't work well with some sadly enough. XD

[@notcanonsmith]

It feels like you're completely ignoring any contextual reasoning for the characters to act the way they do. L's social behavior could be attributed to being raised in a closed off environment to become a detective. Misa has experienced multiple traumatic events, in addition to being a young pop-star. Did you just google mental illnesses and pick one for each? This video feels lazy, and shows a lack of understand for both the illnesses you're describing, as well as the characters in the show.

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Canon Smith someone hasn't read the manga special on ls background. He never got along with the other children and always had poor social skills. He loved hard puzzles and could only tolerate sweets. L has asperger's

[@Bayo106]

Canon Smith you're right but at the same time experiences DO causes (mental) illnesses

[@sarahkolakowski2012]

Bayo106 it can but you cant get asperger's by experience. It's a disability not a mental illness

[@ambercouch3406]

@@sarahkolakowski2012 disorder not disability there is a difference. Aspergers is part of the Autism Spectrum DISORDER. But yes you are right, it is something you are born with and die with. You dont develop or catch it and there is no cure.

[@UBTVNN]

You're actually wrong @ 0:55, for Mikami did indeed die in all adaptations of the franchise! Anime? Dead! Manga? Dead! Animated Films? Dead! Live Action Films? Dead!

[@redrosescosplay2117]

Ik this is an older video, but as someone who has Marfan Syndrome, I'm not offended you brought it up, in fact I was ecstatic when I heard it cuz Marfan Syndrome is a rare disorder. If you don't mind, I would like to make some corrects. I just want to make sure the right information is being put out there. Marfan Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. It can be genetic or cause by a mutation. The spider fingers are a symptom of the disorder, not what the disorder is as a whole. Scoliosis is also a symptom caused by the disorder. Other symptoms include being taller than average for your age or family, nearsightedness, dislocated eye lenses, being very slender and lanky, flat feet, double jointed, and heart and lung problems. Symptoms can vary from person to person. Just with the scoliosis, long fingers, and even lankyness alone. L could still have Marfan Syndrome.

[@ParawhoreReckless]

i have aspergers (and by the way scoliosis too, L’s my lost twin) and knowing that L probably has it and reached the top makes me feel more capable of doing anything

[@lokibloodsaw2836]

Bel im the child of Light and L hi auntie or uncle susie. Btw pause at 8:33 dora

[@artificialalien9597]

as someone with asperges I immediately related to L. I noticed instantly that I walked like him, spoke like him, sat like him ect. its crazy to see a character that literally is so life like despite being animated.

[@mikehawk9773]

It’s cool to think about how me and my favorite anime character of all time are aspies

[@shadowserenity1879]

I really love the idea of L having asperger syndrome, and you portraited it very well! Yet there are some - in my opinion - important things you didn't mention or simply overlooked: First, the way he holds certain things is more likely to be caused by asperger. It's actually quite usual for Asperger's to have bizarre movements. The same reason could be implied on his back, yet a scorrilosis (?) Is also very likely. Second, I don't like how you kind of only mentioned the bad aspects of that syndrome. They're all true, it's just that the way you talked about it makes it seem like a disease. It's not! Of course almost all Asperger's can't communicate well, but they also have many good aspects you sorta left out: For example, Asperger's statistically have an higher IQ than other people, and we don't need to talk about L's IQ. They also show great abilities in areas where they don't need much to any social understanding, for example music, maths, language. L speaks 5 languages, and is great at combining. Another thing I witnessed with a lot around other Asperger's, L and myself (who is also an Asperger) is that they don't care too much about other's opinions. L doesn't really care about his looks, and doesn't rethink an idea even after hearing complains from the task force (see restraining Misa and Light for fifty days). Of course you can make bad decisions then, but I honestly find that an admireable quality, as long as you thought your decisions through, what L actually did most of the time. Of course, all those qualities can be obtained by non-asperger's (don't wanna say normal because nobody is normal), but a non-asperger can also be able unsociable.

[@ambercouch3406]

NT (neurotypical) would be a good term

[@shadowserenity1879]

@@ambercouch3406 instead of non-aspergers, you mean?

[@breanasmith4501]

Air: What kills Misuzu? Genesis of Aquarion: How is Gen Fudo actually Apolonius? (in the sequal anime Aquarion Evol we find out its actually Fudo) Code Geass: How is Leluche still alive? Toyko Ghoul: Juuzou Suzuya (there are a couple questions to be asked that anyone could come up with for him) Tokyo Ghoul: How come Kaneki can hear Rize in his head but not Jason? (after all he ate Jason and now has his Kagane and he also has Rize's Kagane so I think it's a good question We'll start with that

[@neotwilightmatter]

I agree the reason this anime is so good is because of all of the research and thought gone into it. They truly did an amazing job!

[@tetros5265]

I'm gonna go rewatch Death Note. I haven't watched it in years and I was too young to completely comprehend it. Also just got done with this video. I really enjoyed listening to the different quirks with the characters of death note. hopefully you can get part 3 done in a reasonably good amount of time. I'll be looking forward to it. :)

[@duoreview7492]

You really should rewatch Death Note, especially for the next video. Also, might as well say that it isn't a part 3, but an analysis of Death Note similar to my Madoka Magica Rebellion video. It should be really fun though. I have it planned for Febuary.

[@tetros5265]

DuoReview One thing I do wonder about DN is if Light didn't get the Death Note, would have become psychopathic. was he already showing signs of it. just something to think about. Death Note is what really made me start watching anime. also I heard you're going to be doing videos about One Punch Man and Full Metal Alchemist. looking forward to those as well. anyways I'm going to head off and rewatch Death Note

[@duoreview7492]

It should be a fun set of video. =D

[@theshadowblade3272]

Omg wtf is this I suddenly felt the urge for a deathnote theory so I searched it up and it was uploaded today.. I truly am a genius

[@duoreview7492]

That is amazing timing. =D

[@zoruke]

When you were describing L's character traits, I was thinking how it sounded like he had Aspergers. You forgot to mention how he hardly shows much emotion though. That's another trait of Aspergers. But I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. I have Aspergers, so I should know. ^-^

[@sheridandwyer]

I would love to see your thoughts on the different metal disorders seen in the anime Mekakucity Actors or any theory on it in general honestly. It's probably my personal favorite anime all time although it's short. I really hope you'll consider doing a theory on it, or at least watching it. Thank you so much for your time and wonderful video as always!

[@duoreview7492]

I'll try to look into it. XD

[@LuckyKitty25]

I'm pretty sure L and Near also have sensory integration dysfunction, or sensory processing disorder. Symptoms include odd facial expression (L's made some rather weird faces throughout the series), odd posture (I don't think I need to explain this), pickyness with with food (L only eating sweets), and routine fidgeting/playing with objects (L playing with food, Near twirling his hair and playing with toys) Plus, it's especially common among people with other conditions such as Asperger's.

[@orionx42]

i just started watching this show and i was rather impressed by how well they depicted the characters and how accurate it was from the perspective of criminal psychology and profiling.

[@GamerbidsGaming]

I'm happy to see I'm not the only person that thinks about these things. I relate psychology to many of the things I watch and it's really hard to find others that do the same. If you ever find/make a show psychology theory channel let me know.

[@duoreview7492]

Honestly, I just prefer to do anime psychology stuff on this channel. Now another channel that does those things for other stuff would be interesting... Sadly, then I'll literally be a "Film Theory" clone for daring to do something even semi-related to it. XD

[@amandatucker4643]

Hello Duo Review it's me Amanda Tucker this video is cool I believe some of the characters are mentally sick first of all Light has a god complex and secondly Misa is lovesick anyway good job keep up the great work you're doing well and well done stay positive. 👏👍👌

[@mtownboi4ya]

It really does draw you back. Alot of times when I rewatch, I skip and go to my favorite moments. Deathnote, I watch fully all the time....up to episode 25

[@allenamaedodd7296]

I honestly don’t think Light is a psychopath, because he does show genuine care and concern for his family when he loses his memory of the death note. I think he was just extremely prideful and narcissistic due to his intelligence and success beforehand, and the death note just gave him an opportunity to take that to a new level, and therefore he developed a God/Messiah complex. Also you failed to mention that Misa also has significant trauma in her past, which contributes to her disordered patterns of thinking and reasoning.

[@joper3338]

i don't think light is a psychopath, he is a pretty much normal guy, we learn this when he gives up ownership of the death note, he isn't just normal but he has a lot of sympathy for everyone around him, until he touches the death note again. now you may say that is because he is an actual psychopath, but people act very differently when they aren't being watched, the fact that the death note is a weapon with which you can kill someone without anyone knowing is a big power and as many also know power corrupts, so that would explain why light still thinks he is a god after he gets found out at the end of the series. but many people also think that power and being anonymous doesn't makes you corrupt... it only reveals whats underneath so its to your judgement. BUT THAT'S JUST A THEORY A FILM THEORY... AND CUT :P

[@tatermister5045]

I did some research on Marfin syndrome as well, interestingly, one of the symptoms is scoliosis.... Other symptoms include a tall, thin lanky build with disproportionately long arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Sound familiar? It can also cause heart complications. Dark humor, that.

[@fredit123456789]

I can't see that anyone else have pointed it out, so I will. Scoliosis can actually have a deadly outcome. If you're really unlucky and it's really bad, it can puncture a lung, which will often lead to death.

[@ItsWindHere]

Oh boy, guess I can call myself a fan of yours for sure. just watched the Madoka Magica Rebellion Movie just in order to watch your video on it. Then I immediately watched this one.

[@duoreview7492]

Well I appreciate it regardless, and honestly Rebellion is worth watching regardless of my video. Still, makes me happy that you enjoy my videos enough to watch a couple hour movie just to watch my 13-minute video. =D

[@uncomfortableviewings9086]

3:21 THIS BROUGHT AWARENESS TO ME I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THIS WAS AND IM GUNNA BE TESTED FOR MARPHIN SYNDROME!!! Thank you

[@itsundae3436]

Marfan Syndrome can also give you a hunched back like Scoliosis can. So by animation quirk or something, L's Marfan Syndrome might be more severe than is actually shown.

[@xedd7627]

DuoReview: Perfect characters mean less interesting ones Sakamoto: "Am i a joke to you?" Anime is Sakamoto Desu Ga BTW :3

[@Questionable_Content]

Great job on this one! Can't wait for that Higurashi video

[@duoreview7492]

It should be really amazing. I'm really excited about it. =D

[@neotwilightmatter]

This is really interesting! Cant say I agree with everything but most of it seems pretty good!

[@linneaj7222]

the fact that L's hands seem like he's always on-edge also contribute to his mental state

[@victoriastanley5823]

I really enjoyed this video, it was interesting to look deeper into the mental health of the main characters of Death Note, especially L. However, while I think discussing Light's psychopathy was important and well done, I thought it was a shame that you didn't discuss Light having narcissistic personality disorder. If you look at the DSM-5 criteria for the disorder and listen to some of the symptoms you describe Light having, you'll see that many of the symptoms he displays and the DSM-5 criteria for the disorder overlap. Just food for thought.

[@robertsilvermyst7325]

Light also has Solipsism, where in he feels that he is the only 'true' being, and all others around him are inconsequential. Heck, one of the songs linked to him is literally called 'Low of Solipsism'.