“What an exciting turn of events” is what you must be thinking while watching Death Note Near. Shock and joy are common expressions of those who have watched Death Note. Why is it that otakus cannot stop talking about Death Note? Or Kira, or L, or Near? The engrossing plot and beautiful characters are the reason why people watch this anime.
In Death Note, there are many characters with their unique stories. These backstories make the plot of the anime as a whole very fulfilling. At one point the people love Kira, while at some they hate him. They pity Misa. And adore L. But there is one character that everyone feels very intrigued by. That is Near Death Note.
Yes, we are talking about Near, L’s predecessor. Near, or Nate Rivera is a gripping character that many like. Although many still have not come to accept Near and L’s fate. Many shocking things await you if you have not still read the manga. Or finished the anime.
However, if you have done it, and are still confused about the role of Near, then you are in the right place. Today we will talk about everything on Near Death Note. But before we proceed, the article contains spoilers. So if you are feeling frisky, read away.
A Much-needed Ado On Death Note Near:
The creator brings Near in part two of Death Note after a four-year time skip. He is one of the two orphans that L took under. Hence, he tutored Near. Although all the children in the Wammy’s House are very smart, Mello and Near stood out from the rest. And as it turns out, L took them under his care to guide them.
Near is also the younger of the two successors of L. He has always stayed in Wammy’s House. Before we share more on N, let us tell you a bit more about Wammy’s House. It is an orphanage. The orphanage was developed with the help of Watari and specialized in hosting smart orphans. The House was located in Winchester, England.
After L’s death, Near begins his investigation on the Kira case. Moreover, he takes over the investigation and gathers proof for years. He takes the facts to the president of the United States to reveal himself. He says that he is the heir of L. Soon, Near Death Note takes the role of the head of Special Provision for Kira. After he meets “L”, he starts to doubt that he is also Kira.
The Continuously Changing Appearance:
But before we share more on his characteristics and age, let us talk about his appearance. Near is a young, slender, and petite person. He is fair and has blonde hair. Moreover, he is short and often wears white pajamas top and bottom. However, in the anime, he wears light blue pants.
Moreover, in Death Note One-Shot Special, Near mirrors L. The One-Shot took place three years after the Kira case ended. He also has sharp bags under his eyes, long hair. However, what is shocking is that the tiny guy has undergone a growth spurt. He also sits in a similar posture to L. Moreover, he does not show any emotion on his face.
Although Near Mirrors L, What Is It That Separates Him From L?
Isn’t that what everyone is thinking? How could Near settle the case when L couldn’t? To solve this question, we have to dive deep into the characteristics of the Near. And, to some extent, even Mello. Near is very clever. Though his appearance is child-like, he is able. He has an obsession with solving issues.
Moreover, he also takes each issue as a puzzle that he wants to solve. His keen observational skill helps him solve every problem. Luckily, he is good at multitasking as well. As it happens, Near can monitor multiple computer screens at once for this ability. This is where he sets himself apart from L.
He is undoubtedly a genius, but he lacks social knowledge. He cannot interact with others. However, Near is sensitive, hence he keeps himself away from people. So, he is soft yet harsh. In one scene, Nead asks Rester to come with him on his flights to Japan. It shows how he dreads being alone. This even showcases his codependency.
Almost similar to L, he is very calm and stable. Rather, he is very devious and cunning. He does not tend to limit himself “barely within the law”. Near goes above and beyond for the cause because he values the result greatly.
Although he never shows emotions, sometimes you may have noticed that he shows smirks while finishing cases. The creators have given him a sense of humor as well. When he discusses the role of Misa Amane and Takada, one can notice his wit.
But He Has His L-moments As Well:
Mangaka Tsugumi Ohba said in an interview that Near becomes less likable. He also shared some near-future plans about the character. Ohba claimed that Near has cheeky behavior. Moreover, it shows his childish behavior. Many may even find him to be annoying. However, he also said that all these differences made many fans believe that he is a wannabe L.
In a post-series one-shot chapter, Near shows great respect for L. He even gave credit to L for teaching him the right ways to solve cases. Hence, Near uses L’s method. Like L, Near shows unusual manners in his day-to-day life. He sits with a haunch rather than straight. He even plays constantly with toys. Moreover, he includes them in his various theories. All in all, one can say he is a fun character. Or rather, he is a case study in itself.
So, How Old Is Near?
Near Death Note Age : The initial part of Death Note shows the clash between Light Yagami and Detective L. The psychological attacks and intense tactics along with weapons gave life to a story that will remain evergreen in the history of manga. However, in the second half of the manga, the story changes drastically. Light, the antagonist, finds new roadblocks, or rather people, standing on his way to create a utopian realm.
After the death of L, it is Near Death Note that became an ideal roadblock that stops him to create an ideal world. With Mello, he becomes an unstoppable force that solved the Kira case. The admirer of L tried to solve the problems of the case following the methods of L. However, to finally achieve the desired result, he understood that he had to bring in Mello.
With Mello, his intelligence goes way above that of L. From a lonesome character to a somewhat friendly character, the manga and the anime shows the growth of Near. Many junctures showed the growth of Near, both mentally and physically. So let’s focus on that. During the first clash between L and Light, means before the time skip, the mangaka revealed that Near Death Note age was 13 years old.
The Growth That Prompts Him To Break Out Of His Shell:
After the time skip of four years, he becomes one of the main antagonists. Then, he was 17-18 years old. However, at the med of. the work, we come to know that he is 18-19 years old adult. Three years after the Kira case is done and dusted, we come to know via the Death Note One-shot that he is 21 years old.
The mangaka also created a chapter which he titled “Never Complete”. This chapter starts at least six years after the story in one shot. Hence, in this self-contained chapter, Near is almost 27 years old. In this chapter, we see that he resembles L. He mirrors the sitting style of L and even has maintained a somewhat similar appearance to L. With huge eyebags and longer hair, the mangaka makes us reminisce about L.
In the recent Death Note One-shot, which is set between 2013 to 2019, we see Near to be 22 and 28 years old respectively. As he is in many projects of Death Note, we notice Near in many stages of his life, in a different setting. Moreover, in each introduction, he has grown mentally and physically. The mangaka has also been included in the light novel called L: Change the World. In this project, he was a collateral character. Or, a side character.
In this project, we see him be a cute 8 years old. In this section, he is under the tutelage of L with Mello. Moreover, in another project called The Death Note: New Generation, which is a Live action miniseries, we see Near to be 19 years old. In all these variations of projects, different perspectives of Near are noted. The albino detective grows not only by age, but socially, and psychologically as well.
Ending Note:
The publication has compiled all the One-shots of the Death Note in one Death Note Short Stories volume. Moreover, they have been issued specifically, and especially in Japan. In this one-shot and all the other collateral projects, we get a glimpse of what happens post-Kira case. Moreover, through it, we also get to witness the growth and complexities of the characters, including Death Note Near . Read them all for close analysis and fun.
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