Could the Duffer Brothers' Death Note reboot give female characters the story they deserve? Expectations explored

Death Note has never stopped being the topic of fascination and the object of contention in the world of anime and live-action adaptations. The very first live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese series, which Netflix attempted in 2017, met with an instant backlash due to its inconsistent tone and depiction of significant characters.

A recurring complaint when revisiting the adaptation and the original anime is the treatment of female characters, who appear in pivotal events but are often underdeveloped compared to their male counterparts.

Now, expectations are building with the Duffer Brothers, the makers of the internationally successful Stranger Things, in charge of a reboot of Death Note to be streamed on Netflix. Critics, as well as fans, are speculating that this version will give more focus on the women in the story, especially Naomi Misora, a genius but unfortunately, a poorly developed character in the anime.

Otherwise managed, Naomi has the potential of being one of the more powerful figures in the reboot, instead of serving as another victim in Light Yagami’s locus of death games.

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The case for stronger female characters in Death Note

The original Death Note anime and manga are psychological thriller classics. However, even fans acknowledge that the story does not invest its female characters with the same depth as its male protagonists, such as Light Yagami or L. Naomi Misora, being an ex-FBI agent, soon figures out that her husband, Ray Penber, was murdered, with all signs pointing to Kira.

What was interesting about Naomi was the fact that she was intellectually equal to both L and Light, and she almost came to the point of finding out the identity of Kira.

Sadly, her talent was to end. In the manga and the anime, Light manipulates Naomi to reveal her actual name to him, which seals her fate. Although this scene was undoubtedly terrifying, it diminished Naomi's role in the narrative to serving as a prelude to Light's increasing threat. Likewise, other female characters, such as Misa Amane, were underdeveloped subjects and tend to act more as backseat props to the schemes of Light than as independent agents of the central conflict.

This poses a problem to the Duffer Brothers, but at the same time, an opportunity. The reimagining of these characters would help turn the story into one that not only adheres to the tension of the original but also has been modernized in a manner that shows elements of modern experiences in dynamic and multi-dimensional female storytelling.

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What we know about the Duffer Brothers' Death Note

Netflix’s attempt at redemption

In 2022, Netflix revealed that the Duffer Brothers had greenlit a live-action Death Note Series at Upside Down Pictures under their names. This reportedly will be a serialized one, unlike the 2017 Adam Wingard film, which was a shorter version of the sprawling cat-and-mouse saga. The latest format alone can be used to develop supporting and secondary characters, such as Naomi Misora, further.

There is cautious optimism among fans with the record of the Duffer Brothers. Stranger Things was famous not only because of its supernatural thrills but because of its well-balanced cast with an equal focus on teenage heroes, adults, and female characters, such as Eleven, Max, Joyce, and Nancy, in particular. By using the same sensibility in Death Note, Naomi would prove to be a key figure in the hunt to track down Kira.

In the original work of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Naomi was portrayed as a keen ex-agent of the FBI, where her instincts almost revealed Light. Nevertheless, she died at an early age and could not join the bigger investigation crew with L. This course of events could be altered with the reboot, allowing writers to portray Naomi as a loyal ally of L in the first phase.

Picture yourself in a situation where Naomi survives and contributes to the case against Kira. It would make her presence an intellectual challenge to Light and a new layer of drama to the story. Rather than bowing out early like she did with Mustang or Arthinger, she might turn into a long-term character arc in line with that of L.

Not only would this be a solution to her being initially underutilised, but a reconfiguration of the dynamics of the narrative itself.

The larger implications

The investigation’s focus on Naomi could improve the Death Note reboot's plot in two ways. It would first of all make the struggle between Kira and his pursuers more dimensional. Light would no longer be sinking his teeth into the deductive capabilities of L, but that of Naomi and her intrepid spirit, as well as the proficiencies of the FBI.

Second, it would change the prism through which gender representation in the narrative is observed. Instead of having the women orbit near Light in his manipulation, the reboot could do far more by portraying the women as equally capable combatants in the chess game.

This may also not be limited to Naomi. Other characters in Death Note, such as Misa Amane, can be further expanded. At first, Misa was so devoted to the point of obsession, as it was a factor that usually spoiled her intelligence and independence. An updated version might turn her into a far more detailed character with an inner struggle over autonomy, power, and morality, instead of merely drilling deeper into the god complex of Light.