Okay, is it just me or are the representations of women in this particular volume truly and utterly screwed up?

Girls are depicted as not being as smart as their male counterparts. They always seem to be in need of saving, as if they are helpless damsels in distress. And worst of all, they are used as good pawns if you happen to possess a notebook that can kill people and require something to divert the police's suspicion from you. (I can't begin to tell you how many dates I've been on for that very reason. All you guys out there with your notebooks of death.)

I had initially thought that it might have been my imagination, but this couldn't be more of a stereotypical portrayal of generic gender roles. Additionally, I must add that I was extremely disappointed in the previous books to discover that L was a guy. (I was firmly convinced otherwise.)

Despite all of that being said, the story is still incredibly intriguing, and I'm already this deep into it. There's no turning back now...even if Light's entire personality has now seemingly drained away and I know I'm stuck following the airhead Misa for at least a few more installments. Thank heavens for those wacky Shinigami who are entertaining the heck out of me (and luckily making the story even more interesting). Can't we just spend more time hanging out with them in Shinigami-land?

"Esto se está poniendo bueno" means "This is getting good" in English. This simple phrase can convey a sense of excitement and anticipation. It might be used when something interesting or enjoyable is unfolding. For example, you could say it while watching a thrilling movie, reading an engaging book, or experiencing a fun event.

It implies that the situation is evolving in a positive way and that there is more to come. It can also create a sense of enthusiasm and make others curious about what is happening.

Whether it's a small moment of pleasure or a larger adventure, "esto se está poniendo bueno" captures the essence of a situation that is becoming increasingly enjoyable. So, the next time you find yourself in a situation that is getting good, don't forget to express your excitement with this simple yet powerful phrase.

Misa is truly one of the most captivating characters within this series.

On one hand, she has her moments where she can be rather annoying. Her actions and behavior at times might rub people the wrong way.

However, despite these flaws, I find myself completely in love with her. There is just something about her that draws me in.

And let's not forget about her hair. Oh, her hair is absolutely gorgeous! It's so pretty and adds to her overall charm.

It's like a shining beacon that catches my eye every time she appears on the screen.

Whether she's being annoying or not, Misa will always hold a special place in my heart within this series.

My default review for the entire series is here, where I talk about how damn much I love the series. This review, however, will be far less intelligent and mainly about how much I hate Misa. You have been warned.

I know it might happen a little later for most people, but this is where the series starts to go downhill for me. It gets a lot worse later, don't get me wrong, and I've been told the manga does this arc better than the anime, but this is by far the worst one so far. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons, but it mostly has to do with Misa.

Misa. MISA. I FUCKING HATE MISA.

(I had a really great meme summing up how much I hate Misa, but GoodReads refuses to display it, so instead, here's a meme featuring a much better character.)

Alright, I'll explain why I hate her so much. It's not just that she's annoying. It's more than that.

I've complained about Death Note's misogyny before. The series has a strong lack of women, the women that do exist don't do much, and the only woman who actually did something for herself met a swift death. But I was able to ignore it up until now, write it off as a fluke, because I loved everything else about the manga so much. When I was at this point in the anime (which I watched before reading the manga), I thought, "Okay, this sucks. But if Ohba's willing to stick to what he's good at and just kind of... avoid writing about women, I think I'll be able to tolerate it. It's not the best solution, but it'll work."

And then along came Misa, and everything was blown out of the water.

Misa kind of reads like the token black character in a 70's show (or Glee, same difference) - it's nice that they're making an attempt to be diverse and show that they're not racist, but the character is so black in every possible way that it falls flat. That's how Misa is. She's a cute girly-girl with blond hair. But she has to make a living somehow, right? So what's the girliest possible profession? A fashion model, of course! And everything she does is motivated by her love for a guy (specifically Light). Sure, she does some things for herself (she came up with a mildly clever ruse to manipulate the Kira task force), but it was all to meet Light, and once she did, he had to do everything for her. She actively sabotaged plans, in ways that could get her and Light both killed, just to see him. That's probably my least favorite part about her - she does ridiculously stupid things just because of her obsession with Light (which was love at first sight, by the way). Ohba could've used this as an opportunity to explore obsession and the psychology of an obsessed person, but instead, it's just annoying and misogynistic.

But it wouldn't be fair to deduct two stars from this volume just because of one character, right? Well, that's because I have more. Sit tight.

The other reason I deducted the stars was because of the plot. And this mostly has to do with this book's relationship with later books, but regardless. What I'm about to discuss is also very spoilery, so if you don't want to have a bunch of twists majorly ruined for you, don't open the tag. (As in, if you open the tag, you'll find out about the death of a major character. Don't do it.)

Okay, so in this book, when Light meets Misa, he discovers that she has the Shinigami eyes, which means she can see the names and lifespans of people whose faces she can see. That means that to kill someone, all she has to do is come close to them. Light immediately realizes that this can be used to kill L - all Misa has to do is see him in person. But wait! We're only four volumes in! L can't die yet!

So, yes, Ohba has to come up with a reason to prolong L's death. Which he does. Oh, but it also has to be plausible and not-contrived. At which Ohba completely fails.

Here's what happens: only a few seconds after Misa sees L in person, she's arrested as a suspect of being the Second Kira. Why? Well, when Misa sent videotapes to the police station, they had traces of perfume and hair in them. Perfume and hair that happened to match Misa's hair and perfume. The only logical conclusion is that the Second Kira is Misa! (Which it is.) Perfect, right?

Here's the problem: how did L know that the perfume and hair matched Misa. The only reason he'd find that out is if he searched Misa's house, and the only reason for him to do that is if there was suspicion of Misa being Kira or Second Kira. Of which there was absolutely none. When Light introduced Misa to L, this is the first he'd seen of her, and she was just a random model - just one of Light's girlfriends. Yet only seconds after they meet, Misa's been arrested. There was absolutely no reason for L to suspect her, no reason for her house to be searched. So the only way Ohba could think of to extend L's life was through a plothole. (This gets even more contrived and even more blatantly-filler in the next volume, but we'll get there when we get there.)

This is still Death Note, don't get me wrong - the quality hasn't really declined yet. It's still very morally and psychologically interesting, the artwork is still phenomenal, and all the characters are still realistic. This is merely the start of a decline in this manga, and it'll take it a while to recover.

If I recall correctly, the next volume is pretty interesting, and then it gets mind-numbingly dull from there on out. Wonderful.

Favorite,

I just can't stand Misa at all! She is extremely annoying! It seems like she always does things that drive me crazy. I really hope that the situation will change a little bit now.

On the other hand, L, you are so damn brilliant! Your intelligence and deductive skills are truly remarkable. You always manage to figure out things that others can't. It's amazing how you can analyze the most complex situations and come up with the right solutions.

I really appreciate your presence and your abilities. You make the whole story much more interesting and exciting. I can't wait to see what you will do next.

The beginning a little bit confused me and I already started to think that Ohba is out of ideas but then the ending really came completely unexpectedly and left me in a state where I really don't know what is happening. In this case, all the credit.

It was a story that had me on the edge of my seat from the very start. The initial confusion made me wonder where it was going. But as it progressed, I was constantly surprised. The unexpected ending was like a plot twist that blew my mind. It made me realize that sometimes, the most interesting stories are the ones that take you by surprise. I have to give credit to the author for creating such a captivating piece. It kept me engaged until the very end and left me with a sense of wonder and anticipation for what might come next.

If I haven't said it already... My phone is driving me crazy

I truly despise the way Misa Amane is portrayed as an annoying character.

It's quite frustrating because she has so much potential to be a complex and interesting individual.

Why on earth did they choose to write her in such a way that makes her so irritating?

It seems like a missed opportunity to develop her character more fully and give her the depth and nuance she deserves.

Perhaps they thought that making her annoying would add some sort of comedic element or create drama, but in reality, it just detracts from the overall story.

I hope that in future adaptations or interpretations, Misa Amane will be given a more sympathetic and well-rounded treatment, so that we can see the true potential of this character.

Until then, I'll continue to be disappointed by the way she is written.

I should begin by stating that I truly relished this volume. The introduction of new characters served to enhance the complexity of the plot. The dialogue was精心 crafted, and on numerous occasions, I was astonished by one of the many plot twists. I love the way it makes the reader believe that either Light or 'L' is in the lead, only for the other to reveal the cards they had been concealing. If I were to be critical, I would mention that I did not approve of the portrayal of women. The only prominent female character was Misa, and suffice it to say that she is not the most intelligent.

However, despite this minor drawback, the overall quality of the volume was excellent. The story was engaging from start to finish, and I found myself unable to put it down. The characters were well-developed, and the plot was full of surprises. I would highly recommend this volume to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I am looking forward to reading the next volume in the series. I have a feeling that it will be just as exciting and entertaining as this one.

This is definitely my favourite volume so far.

From the very beginning, it had me completely hooked.

The story is filled with such hilarious moments that I couldn't help but laugh out loud at many points.

The characters are so vividly drawn that I felt as if I was right there with them, sharing in their adventures and misadventures.

The author has a real talent for creating a world that is both entertaining and engaging.

Every page turn brought something new and exciting, and I found myself completely immersed in the story.

I can't wait to see what happens next in this amazing series.

This volume has truly set a high standard for the rest of the series, and I have no doubt that it will continue to be just as精彩.

Hmmm as an adult,

I know for a fact that the characterization of women in all forms of Japanese media needs a lot of work.

Unfortunately, Death Note is within the norm here.

The female characters in Death Note often seem to be relegated to secondary or tertiary roles. They lack the depth and complexity that the male characters possess. For example, Misa Amane, one of the main female characters, is often reduced to a love interest for Light Yagami. Her actions and decisions are frequently driven by her infatuation with him, rather than by her own agency and motives.

This lack of well-developed female characters is a missed opportunity. It not only limits the potential of the story but also fails to represent the diversity and complexity of real women. Japanese media has the power to inspire and influence, and it should strive to create more realistic and empowering portrayals of women.

Despite the fact that this book is titled "Love," there isn't a shred of genuine romance to be found.

Instead, we're given yet another dose—and a new flavor—of Light's ability to gain and manipulate trust. This is yet another treacherous friendship for Light.

Light manipulates the suspense of the plot with great finesse. His flawless exchanges with Misa are both captivating and disturbing. He knows exactly what to say and how to act to keep her under his control.

Meanwhile, his slick negotiations with L add another layer of complexity to the story. L is a brilliant detective, but Light manages to stay one step ahead, constantly keeping readers on the edge of their seats and wondering what he will do next.

The book may not be about love in the traditional sense, but it is a masterclass in the art of manipulation and the power of the human mind.