Cartoon Sunday: Death Note's Pilot

How's it going lurkers? Last week, I talked to an old college guy friend about my previous Cartoon Sunday blog. 

We discussed Adult Swim's overly played shows, that should be retired. He is someone, who loves watching Cowboy Bebop. Someday, I MAY try watching Cowboy Bebop even though it's been re-aired on Adult Swim, since the network's launch in 2001. 

Some zealots cannot seem to grasp, that excessive hype about anything tends to repel new and potential fans. 

Whether it is animation, live action shows, movies, music, books, video games, etc. the constant hype is overkill. Maybe if I wasn't surrounded by so many Anime Otakus and Weeaboos years ago, while attending UW-Parkside and Carthage College, I may have enjoyed certain series. 

Not to sound like I am being a pompous, self-righteous Anime fan, but Anime Otakus and Weeaboos can be really obnoxious. Anime Otakus and Weeaboos usually make it difficult for other Anime fans or generally anyone, who is interested in Japanese culture and entertainment to appreciate Anime.

As soon as someone says he/she is an Anime fan or something revolving around Japanese interests, we have to be suspicious of each other. We are unsure if that person is heavily medicated for mental and behavioral disorders, has identity crises, and is contrived and/or pretentious about their fandom.

Some Anime fans are such zealots that they do NOT  know how to enjoy something without acting bat, shit crazy. I finished watching a YouTube vlogger's rant about Westaboos and Weeaboos. In his vlog, he made some valid points.

People need to be more well-rounded, when it comes to their interests. At the same time, they must try acting sane. Like I already said earlier, my college friend and I discussed Adult Swim's excessively shown Anime. He loves Cowboy Bebop and stated, that "Cowboy Bebop is kinda like an old worn out blanket. It's comfy and feels good."

My friend also believes, that Adult Swim is playing it "safe" with the programming. He makes a valid point about the network playing it safe. However, the Adult Swim Team is playing their programming TOO safe.

Adult Swim limits their viewers from being exposed to better and more interesting Anime. The network has overlooked many titles within the last 13 years. 

Within these last 6 years, the team loves premiering some of the worst acquisitions they can buy and force viewers into liking a series.

Adult Swim could've bought the entire Hell Girl franchise, while acquiring the rights to Death Note. Since Hell Girl is labeled as a Shojo Horror Anime, Adult Swim wouldn't even DARE to air it.

In a way, Hell Girl is somewhat similar to Death Note. It's just that Ai Enma is a dead girl, who sends people to hell, whereas Death Note is about a teenage boy (becomes a college student later), who uses a Shinigami's (meaning "Death God" in Japanese) notebook to kill corrupt people.

Death Note is a Shonen Supernatural Murder Mystery Anime. If the Death Note franchise would've had the "Shojo" branding rather than "Shonen," Adult Swim would've left it alone like Hell Girl.

Now, that I think about it, the Hell Girl franchise has 3 seasons compared to Death Note only having 2. 

When I watched the last few minutes of Hell Girl's finale, the ending felt more like a cliffhanger. Too bad Death Note didn't have a cliffhanger ending.

Some of us Death Note fans hated the series finale. It felt more like a Greek Tragedy. I could never choose between Light Yagami and "L." because I liked both characters equally.

Meanwhile, Hollywood is trying to remake the live action version of the Death Note movie and I'm cringing.

I watched Japan's live action versions of the Death Note movies and they sucked. Most of the actors couldn't act. The only actor I enjoyed watching was Kenichi Matsuyama. He played the role of "L" to a tee. This could explain why Japan created a spinoff movie revolving around "L."

L: Change The World was the best movie with "L" as the star spinoff character from the Death Note franchise. Honestly, I hated Death Note 1 and 2. 

Now that Hollywood filmmakers are trying to remake their own version of the Death Note franchise, we as real fans of the Death Note franchise are cringing.

Hollywood filmmakers have already been strategizing ways of rewriting Light as Kira for vengeance rather than justice. This includes wanting to remove ALL the shinigami.

The shinigami are important characters in Death Note. They are the main reason Light has access to their notebooks. If Hollywood filmmakers want to win over Death Note fans, they don't have a prayer by rewriting everything to pander to a larger American demographic.

I would swear some fan fiction writer in Hollywood is trying to ruin Death Note for every true fan, if I didn't know any better.

The Death Note franchise is about the high school senior, Light Yagami. The protagonist finds a notebook. He starts reading the Death Note's instructions, while being somewhat skeptical.

This is until, Light chooses to use it, in order to kill a criminal. After witnessing its true abilities, he is convinced and becomes addicted to using the notebook to the extent, that he develops a God Complex.

Death Note has been highly controversial internationally, over these last 8-9 years. Some delusional Death Note fans began quoting the Anime and made their own hit lists for classmates.

I have read at least several times on Anime News Network, over the years about American students in middle and high schools creating their very own "Death Notes." Basically, they are sociopaths, who want to kill their student bodies. As usual, some fans enjoy ruining entertainment for everybody.

I may be a misanthrope, but I'm NOT delusional enough to believe in a fictional cartoon's notebook, that kills people. I wouldn't use an Anime or Manga, as a scapegoat for committing murder either.

I believe the Death Note franchise became internationally successful because it's like a misanthrope's fantasy come to life. Well, that is if you count the dying and not being sent to Heaven or Hell. Since I have talked the most about Death Note, here's episode 1 of the Anime.

Death Note Season 1: Episode 1 "Re-birth" [English Dub] (2006)