Character Base

• Character Name: Light Yagami
• Age: 23
• Canon (Date/Year Released)/Canon Point: Death Note (anime - October 3, 2006) / Post time skip, before meeting Near and Mello
• Items Coming Along: Nothing but the clothes on his back
• Content Warnings for Character: Light Yagami is a serial killer who justifies his actions as steps taken to cleanse the world. To this end, he murders, manipulates, and lies. A common form of murder is forced suicide via the Death Note. The most common is a heart attack. He's also a narcissistic manipulator.

Character Background

• History: wiki link
• Core Relationships:

Soichiro Yagami (father), Sachiko Yagami (mother), Sayu Yagami (sister) - I'm linking the three together because they're easily the most positive influence on Light by virtue of being his family. Soichiro, in particular, deserves special mention for being the shaping force behind Light's desire for justice. There are scenes in which Light's opinions mirror Soichiro's, and it's likely his father's position within the NPA is the initial driving force for Light's desire to follow the same path. By contrast, Sachiko and Sayu are softer influences. While Light becomes further disconnected from the world, he always cares for his family and will inconvenience himself to protect them. This is in direct contrast to his ability to justify his other actions of cruelty as necessities. Their disapproval also seems to hurt Light, as shown by the way the camera angle changes to allow his hair to hide his face.

L Lawliet - Whereas Light's family influenced him the most pre-canon, L's appearance changes him the most throughout canon. L is the first person capable of challenging the previously unchallenged prodigy. Light makes many of his decisions with L in mind. What begins as hate changes to fascination and even turns to respect. It's in this relationship that Light finds some relief from his suffocating boredom. Even though this relationship ends with Light gloating over L's dead body after being the direct cause of his death, L's body is barely buried before Light reminisces about the detective. When Near appears later in canon, Light is angry that he can't match up to his predecessor. Ironically, it becomes clear that Light very much misses L and the challenge he posed.

Misa Armane (fiance) - Though Light has various 'romantic' interests, Misa is one to stay the longest. Initially forcing herself into Light's life, she refuses to go away, and due to her possession of a second Death Note, Light has no choice but to play the role of her boyfriend. Even after L's death, the two remain a couple, but Light never develops feelings for her. She's significant not for her emotional value but for her usefulness as his partner and someone willing to take the Shinigami's eyes.

Character Personality Through Key Moments

(2+) Positive Experiences:

Light is intelligent. The entire series revolves around his ability to outsmart authorities ranging from local law enforcement to the FBI and L, someone who'd never left a case unsolved. We see this theme occur continuously and are introduced to the idea early on when Light scores number 1 on a national mock exam. He later goes on to achieve the highest score on an entrance exam for a prestigious college, tied only with L. Later, of course, he goes on to win against L. The series revolves around the idea of what would happen if two mental chess masters were pitted against one another.

Light is very charming, which serves as another reoccurring theme. It's easiest to see in his dating life when he mentions to Ryuk that there is a list of girls who would go on a date with him at a moment's notice. Next, in college, a girl desired by many and known as the school's idol asks Light to be her boyfriend. Finally, there's Misa Amane, a model and actress who obsesses over Light. However, it's not limited to just romance. Light often uses his charm to further his agenda. We see this clearly when he's capable of socially manipulating Naomi into giving him her real name. It's notable that without knowing the inner workings of his mind, it's impossible to assume Light is anything but a good, polite, and charismatic man.

Light is a hard worker. Though most things come naturally to him, he never uses this as an excuse to give anything less than his fullest. Cram school is so easy that he can ignore the lectures, yet he's faithful in his attendance. Between the time he finds the Note and the arrival of the Shinigami behind it, Light manages to write so many names in the book that even a Death God is impressed. After L's death, he finishes school and becomes a member of the NPA while being both Kira and the new L.

Light is skilled. While his intelligence deserved its own bullet point, it's important to note that he seems to excel in most things he tries. Tennis? He's a national champion. Girls? They flock to him. Sewing? Computers? Slight engineering and construction? Why not?

Light is patient. One needs to look no further than his relationship with L to see the willingness to play a long game. His most infamous ploy, and the one that eventually earns him the win, is a gamble that takes months to come to fruition. Light knows that some moves must be made quickly and some need slow, careful planning.

Light is willing to take risks. As previously mentioned, he knows that a forward approach is sometimes the best. This is outlined specifically in his tennis game against L when, as he serves the winning point, he thinks about the necessity of taking an offensive stand on occasion. Once he's forced to factor Misa into his plans and feels L closing in on him, he creates a plan that starts with losing his memory via Death Note and, months later, regaining them. During this time, many things could have gone wrong. This shows that...

Light is confident. Some might argue he's overconfident, but most of his confidence has a firm foundation. In making some of his more significant moves, he often does so at the risk of losing everything. A good example is his willingness to show his face to the FBI agent following him. If any part of his plan failed, he'd have been exposed as Kira. We find an even earlier example by looking at the days following his discovery of the Death Note. After he confirms its ability to kill, Light asks himself if he's a murderer and if he should stop. Yet, in the end, he continues to push forward with his plan because only he is capable of changing the world. Light, the good and pure soul that he is, is singular in his ability to avoid corruption and focus on cleansing the world.

Light loves his family. While most of his relationships are disingenuous, Light's love for his family is not. His relationship with his father is like that of any other son who respects his father greatly. Likewise, despite the two having contrasting personalities, he cares for his little sister and wants to protect her. We see this in his willingness to take extra precautions to keep them safe. Light rigs his desk to explode instead of taking the chance that his sister might touch the Note and thus see the Shinigami.

(2+) Negative Experiences:

Light is a serial killer who kills via the Death Note. The world is rotten and ordinary means won't be enough to cleanse it of its filth. However, if he were to kill all criminals, only the good and kind would remain. Even those with wicked thoughts would be too afraid to act. His murders don't qualify him as a killer, of course.

Light is incapable of developing attachments to most people. I've mentioned previously that his family is the exception, and later L becomes another, but he considers himself superior to most. The fact that he's capable of justifying the murder of even good people shows his ability to be detached, but we also see it in his relationships. For example, despite dating Misa for roughly five years, there's never a connection on his end. He's also capable of using multiple girls, both by going on small dates and then on a larger scale with Takada Kiyomi.

Light is bored. While it seems like a temporary state, the emotion runs much more profound for Light than most. There's no sense of excitement in a world without challenge, where success is guaranteed. The teachers are open about their expectation of excellence, his family makes no secret of their pride in him, and even the NPA office acknowledges his talents before he graduates high school. With intelligence, good looks, and even a degree of athletic ability, Light can quickly achieve most things, leaving him emotionally unengaged. This sense of boredom better illuminates the excitement that comes from engaging in a battle of wits with L and the odd sense of loss after L's death.

Light is disgusted with the world. Before finding the Death Note, he's already decided what he would do after high school and once he graduated college. Not only would he follow in his father's footsteps by joining the NPA, he would also one day direct it. Despite that, Light has no delusions about his influence on the world prior to finding the Death Note. When we hear his internal dialogue, it's full of contempt for the state of the world and those who are ruining it. Much like his boredom, this opens him up to using the Death Note.

Light is an expert social manipulator. At the beginning of the series, this is innocent. Tying in with his boredom and inability to connect with most people, he keeps up a friendly and engaged facade. Japan is a country of appearances, so this isn't too surprising. However, as the story progresses, this ability is used for Kira. In one scene, Light explains how society works to Ryuk, showing his deep understanding of its workings. Using a positive trait (social skills) for a harmful purpose, this becomes his most potent weapon, second only to the Death Note itself. In one of the earlier scenes, Light invites a girl on a date to construct a situation that allows him to get the name of the FBI agent following him.

Light is delusional. Throughout the series, the Death Note passes to several users, all of whom are evil. Except for Light. According to Light. Misa is the first to appear with a second Note, and her willingness to kill so casually disgusts him. Later, when Light enlists help, he labels many new Kiras as evil for their actions, which he often labels as too extreme. Yet, he's good. He's pure. It's only Light Yagami who remains untarnished by the Note. This is best exemplified by a conversation with Ryuk in which Light explains his plan to rid the world of all evil people. The Shinigami points out that would leave Light as the only bad person left, an idea that surprises and amuses him because there's no way Light Yagami would be evil.

Light can be childish. L says so. More than that, we see his extreme reaction when 'L' is first introduced. The man posing as L on television claims Kira is evil and manages to trigger Light's anger. Gone is the morality that had him killing only criminals as he quickly writes the man's name in the Note only to find out it isn't the genuine L. Later, L makes Light angry enough for him to react in a physical confrontation, which he seems above most of the time.

Light will kill almost anyone for his mission. While criminals were always his main target, once law enforcement began to close in, his attention turned to the FBI agents following him so Raye Penber, FBI, has to die. When his fiance, Naomi, gets too close, she's next. L, Watari, the people that help them; the list only grows as the stakes continue to rise. By the second arc, though very reluctant, he allows his father to gain access to the Shinigami Eyes, even knowing it will half his life. Around the same time, he even considers killing Sayu but is unable to go through with it.

Deer Country Attributes

• Canon Powers: Without the Death Note, Light Yagami is normal.
• Blood Type: Darkblood
• Omen: A chimera with two heads, that of a lion and wolf. It will also have vulture wings that don't work and a snake's tail.
• Blessed Day: 11/28; this is the day he found the Death Note.
• Patron Pthumerian: The Tower.
• Blood Power Manifestation: Light will immediately focus on growing his blood power abilities as quickly as possible. He'll combine practice with earning favors and forging strategic relationships (such as using time magic to slow time for surgeons, help with repairs on important buildings, etc.) with a focus on mastering blood magic. Ultimately, he'll try to manipulate reality to gain some semblance of power to make a more significant difference in the world (to mirror what Light believes he's doing in his world).

I'm also leaving the possibility of using the addictiveness of Darkblood open as a form of sabotage, but that's more of a chance than a concrete plan.

Writing Samples

One: tdm top level. a special note of this thread since Light's darker side is often hidden
Two: tdm tag out

The Player

• Player Name: Lynx
• Player Age: Definitely above the 18 mark
• Player Contact: wrinklesintimes, wrinklesintimes#2905
• Permissions: here

Player Information
Name: Lynx
Age: 18+
Contact: wrinklesintimes, wrinklesintimes#2905
Other Characters: N/A

Character Information
Name: Light Yagami
Canon: Death Note
Canon Point: After regaining the Death Note from Kyosuke Higuchi
Age: 18
History: Wiki

Personality: A very quick glossary: Light finds the Death Note, which has the ability to kill anyone whose name is written inside but must follow a very specific set of rules. He begins killing criminals out of a sense of justice and becomes dubbed as Kira by the world.

On the surface, Light is everything anyone could want: handsome, brilliant, athletic, and manages it all with just the right amount of humility, toeing the line between being confident without being arrogant (at least externally. His ego is huge in reality). As the son of a very important law enforcement agent, justice has been instilled within Light at a very young age and drives his plans for the future. Though the audience is able to see that he's naturally brilliant, it doesn't stop Light from going to cram school in order to keep up appearances and be his best. He'll grow up, join the NPA, and do what he can to fix the world.

Do what he can to fix the world. Not fix it completely, at least not prior to finding the Note because Light has a secret: he's disgusted with the world. Being exposed to the constant stream of negativity shown by the news as well as having insight thanks to his father's work and the two cases he's solved on his own, has left him with cloud-colored lenses. Despite his sincere confidence, even Light doubts his ability to completely fix the world and make it safe for the people who deserve to live in peace. This disgust is one of few things that make him so susceptible to becoming a murderer once he gains access to the Note.

Another is his boredom. With such skill in almost everything he tries, Light has never been challenged. Even tennis was such a small part of his life, that he drops it casually to focus on school despite being so highly ranked. School's never a struggle for him either, not when he's placing first in all of his practice exams and ranks number one when it's time to actually enter college. For Light, it feels a bit like doing addition once you've mastered calculus. How can you not be bored? While the Death Note is certainly interesting, Light engages in another way when pitted against another genius: L. So satisfying is the game that after Light kills L, there's something missing in his life. He's alone again, surrounded by people who love him but no one who challenges him. Light's earliest scenes show him staring at the window, knowing he doesn't need to listen, which is a stark contrast to the intensity his body shows whenever planning his next move against his greatest rival.

As excited as he may be, engagement doesn't always bring out the best in Light. It's easy to never get angry when you can best anyone, and to act mature when your life is going according to your plan. Once the rivalry begins, other sides of Light begin to show, such as extreme immaturity and the hatred of losing. L says it himself: he understands Kira because they're both the same in their need to win. From the first time L manages to trick him into killing a faux version of the detective by insulting his ego, Light shows that the right kind of blows are effective. Near and Mello are capable of landing hits as well. Near becomes a constant thorn his side, and Mello is an unknown that prevents him from becoming too comfortable. The latter is responsible for kidnapping Sayu, Light's sister, and putting him in a position to choose between risking the Note and killing her. Despite it being in the latter half of the series when Light's learned how to play the role more effectively, the conflict cuts so deeply that he actually strikes out physically, knocking over the drink Misa offers. This is one of the very few times he actually becomes physical.

Not that these emotions show with any kind of ease. Thanks to the narration, the audience is treated to Light's inner thoughts where he isn't so perfectly poised, but the characters don't receive the same benefit. Even while internally panicking, Light hides his true emotions behind a flawless mask. Aside from L, his first real end nearly comes when he meets Naomi, former FBI agent and fiance of the FBI agent recently murdered by Kira. She's sharp, intelligent, and not so trusting in spite of Light's youthful charm. New to the life of crime and used to being able to easily handle any social interaction, he finds himself forgetting a very easy solution and instead begins to internally lose control. In the end, he reasons through it, but not even his worst fear manages to show before the answer comes to him.

Not all parts of his new life are new. Light has always been a chameleon. The perfect persona initially described exists because he's made it exist. If there's a role to play, there are a set of corresponding actions and 'right' things to do in order to play the part successfully. It's a skill set that serves his advantage once he becomes Kira as well, but it's also a double-edged sword. Light has to conceal certain sets of emotions, at least in his own mind. Instead of just being open and honest about the distance he feels to the world around him, it's always been a buried secret they don't fit the narrative. Check the right boxes, even if it goes against your actual feelings, and you'll win the game of life.

In spite of the times he does lash out, Light is very patient. Trading the future for immediate satisfaction isn't a very smart move. The Shinigami Ryuk, the owner of a Death Note and Light's companion, offers him the Shinigami Eyes, a tool he can use in order to see L's real name in order to write it in the Note. The catch? It would shorten his life span, meaning he'd die an earlier death. The win would come much faster, but it also means a quicker end for Kira. We see it again when he gives up the Death Note and memories in order to play a very long gamble to clear his name against L.

Aside from concealing, not feeling, there are many things Light can do. Three important traits often work together to make him such a formidable enemy in spite of little criminal experience: his ability to adapt, his social skills, and an innovative mind. The same scene with Naomi shows the audience how well he's able to adjust to different situations. During the course of the conversation, Light phases from scared and panicking to smooth and manipulative. When his usual tactics don't work, instead of doubling down, he forces his mind to remain calm and rethink his plan, giving him the 'victory'. Likewise, his innovative mind is obvious. Not only does he play with L a bit by way of Death Note messages, but his plans are also creative. A few examples include the way he sabotages his desk to explode should someone go to enough lengths to find the Death Note, his small misdirect with his door (he places a paper in the seal so that people can think he's being a normal teenager wanting to test his privacy so they assume it's his one check. In reality, the exact position of the door handle is the test he uses to determine if anyone's been inside of his room), to the very long gamble that temporarily results in memory loss before assuring the Death Note returns to him and someone else is framed for being Kira.

His social skills are notable for two reasons. For one, they're on par with his intelligence and are arguably more useful to him than the Death Note in his defeat of L. Regarding intelligence, they're roughly equal, but this is likely one area where Light has the definitive edge. While smaller examples include the way he's able to charm his way through life, even having a list of girls at the ready should he require a date, or his ability to date multiple girls at once, the biggest indication aside from his ability to always stay likable while still being a suspected murderer comes in the form of two girls: Misa Amane and Kiyomi Takada. Misa Amane is a singer/actress/cute-but-psycho girl who becomes obsessed to the point of being willing to die or kill for Kira, even when Light doesn't want her to. Kiyomi Takada is the popular girl at school that everyone wants to date and goes on to become a Kira spokesperson, a woman who's oft admired and highly prideful. Both women would have a pick of men and yet, Light's able to play with both against one another toward the end of canon, convincing them both he loves them and that he's the one most worthy of their love.

The second reason his social skills are so notable is because as much as Light sincerely believes in justice and protecting the innocent — this does twist later, but in the beginning, it holds some truth — he doesn't actually like many people. In the anime, Light walks home alone. While he does walk with friends in the manga, we see him sitting alone at lunch even though we've already seen his popularity. Sexually, he feels nothing. While looking at a swimsuit magazine in order to play normal when Light knows L is watching, he's uninterested. It isn't that he hates everyone, but there's no engagement. Living a life without proper engagement or challenge has left him feeling disconnected from the actual people of the world he thinks he's saving. Girls are such a bother to him that he pretends to want to focus on schoolwork instead of dating until he needs a date for his plans. His hatred for L, and later Near and Mello, are some of the most genuine emotions he experiences outside of his own family.

The people who have a more solid place in his life may or may not be different. His family is notable for his interactions with them. Light's father is a very strong role model and is likely the reason justice is such a solid building block for Light's motivations. Sayu's interactions with Light are cute, but we see the sincerity behind them when he's unable to kill her despite it possibly being the smarter move. Misa, however, never grows on him. Despite dating her for years, there's no affection between them, at least not on his side. While he does have a pleasant relationship with Ryuk, the lack of a real connection is on display between them as well. They joke, and Light even seems to be amused by the Shinigami. Though Ryuk will never help him with a plan unless there's a mutual benefit, the two share a living space for a long time and have worked together. Nevertheless, there's no doubt that he'd kill him as well, should Death Gods be easier to kill. However, it wouldn't be out of hatred but for utilitarian reasons.

Skilled but not perfect, even the wonderous Yagami Light is capable of mistakes, even as the series progresses. Their placements are also very telling. I've mentioned L's bait several times already. During the Naomi talk, Light forgets that he can turn off a ringer. For a bit, he more or less does everything right, and his next big blunder comes when he's lacking memories of Kira. Since those memories are gone, so are the lessons he learned in that time, and he makes another very obvious mistake during the Kira investigation. Once Mello and Near enter the game, they become a bit more frequent, though this can be explained by several years of being unchallenged. Rust.

So, why does Light want to be Kira? If asked, he says it's because the world is rotten and needs to be reformed. Kira is justice, and once he acquires the Death Note, he can finally make the difference he's always wanted to make but on a grand scale. It isn't entirely a lie. Light didn't want to be a murder. His first murder he was able to handwave as being a coincidence but his second leaves him feeling physically sick. It's difficult for him to become someone who took a life without feeling nothing. Thanks to the allowance of internal dialogue, the audience hears Light's struggle. He's not a murderer. What he's done is bad. However, only he can do it. With the struggle acknowledged and his purpose determined, his ego turns into a messiah complex, and Light truly feels like this is his chance to save the world.

This is partially thanks to his ability to reason himself into any conclusion that's convenient. After all, he does the same later on when he doesn't want to kill Sayu. The concern is very obvious and yet, even to himself, Light reasons that it would be too obvious if he were to kill her then. However, there's further proof of Light's humanity when he intentionally gives up access to the Note (which takes away all memories of the Note and thus his memories of being Kira. It's a thing). Gone is the calculation and the willingness to use people. He's still intelligent and smart enough to remain on par with L, but he refuses to try and use Misa until Misa herself demands it. We're shown a glimpse of what Light might have become if he hadn't found the Note.

However, it's also very true that Light has a massive ego, and eventually, his reasons become warped. The original intent was to only kill criminals. Then, L baits him into killing on live television. Like all slippery slopes, one choice leads to another, and the number of things he becomes willing to do grows. Targets start to include the law enforcement that's chasing him once L brings in the FBI. However, it's with the aforementioned Naomi that his enjoyment becomes obvious. While no L, she is probably the first formidable foe he defeats so once he manages to get her name and write it in the Note, knowing it will mean her death, he smirks. He's so gleeful that he even makes a risky decision: admitting to his victim that he's Kira the moment before she loses the ability to control her own body and goes off to die.

Even then, he keeps a moral code to a degree: he'll kill for self-defense, including those trying to stop Kira or high-level criminals. L is even able to catch the existence of a second Kira by the fact that the second Kira (Misa) is willing to kill anyone. However, toward the end, he begins to kill even his own people as the pressure mounted and it becomes more likely he would be caught.

So, is Light completely good? No. Is he completely evil? No. He's the guy who never demands anything tangible in return and even manages to stop wars across the globe while also managing to feel nothing for the criminals or people he kills unless he takes joy in killing them. One thing does remain consistent: Light believes himself to be justice personified. Both he and L often declare themselves to be justice, and this is one of the ways Light is able to sparse his ability to do horrible things with the ability that he's good. As Kira, the very idea of justice, he must be protected.

Abilities & Skills: Intelligence: Light manages to go against the greatest detective in the world and wins. He's also able to achieve a perfect score on his entrance exam to a very impressive school.

Hacking: Light's able to hack into his father's computer in order to gain access to the files he needs.

Social skills: Using and manipulating people is something he does often in canon. He's so popular that few want to believe him to be Kira, and women are willing to fight over him.

Sewing and woodwork: Just because, I guess, we see Light manage to both sew and work with wood/do carpentry in his schemes as Kira. Get a guy who can do it all, ladies.

Tennis: He was very highly ranked before stopping.

Inventory/Companions: Nothing outside of the clothes he'll be wearing

Choice: Witch
Reason: Light lives and dies by his intelligence. He's prone to studying and working hard even when already being skilled in a certain subject. He's likely to not only soak in the magic but also try and understand how it works. In spite of his ability to be physical and even one (1) entire fight where he discovers the skinny detective in an unfairly good fighter, he isn't someone who prefers to resort to physical violence. He kills from afar.

Sample: TDM