In a Past Occurrence, Donald Trump Became the Recipient of the Death Note
When novice anime enthusiasts seek advice from seasoned fans on where to begin their anime journey, the response is often either Fullmetal Alchemist or Death Note. These series are popular choices due to their compact length and compelling storylines. Despite having completely different narratives, both shows pose thought-provoking questions about how supernatural elements could influence global politics in the early 2000s. Although many only recall the benign live-action adaptation of Death Note from Netflix, they tend to overlook the show's influence on contemporary U.S. politics, as shown in its sequel that introduced then-President Donald Trump attempting to purchase the supernatural notebook.
As suggested by its title, Death Note focuses on a notebook that can cause the demise of anyone whose name is scribbled within its pages (granted, there are numerous restrictions and requirements that govern its use). This dark series was rooted in the soulful collaborations of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, mangaka duo, and focuses on a scholarly youth named Light Yagami. After acquiring the Death Note from an eccentric shinigami named Ryuk, Light vowed to rid the world of criminals he deemed unworthy of rehabilitation. This sets the stage for a tense, feline-like game of chase between Light (now known as Kira) and a brilliant detective named L Lawliet, as they try to outsmart each other.
However, our primary interest lies in the impressive and radical protagonist in the 2020 special one-shot, Death Note: Special One-Shot. Unlike Light Yagami, this story follows Minoru Tanaka, who refused to exploit the Death Note. Instead, he waited until 2019 to broadcast an anonymous, public announcement of selling the notebook at the highest possible price on Twitter, using the hashtag #PowerofKira. Minoru’s strategy allowed him to avoid persecution from previous detectives while simultaneously utilizing the internet's forum (prior to Elon Musk’s rise) to track down potential high-paying buyers. Consequently, the unnamed United States' President (clearly a portrait of Donald Trump) eagerly bid an unprecedented $10,000,000,000,000 for the Death Note with taxpayer money.
© Tsugumi Ohba / Takeshi Obata / Shonen Jump/ Viz Media
This narrative takes an unexpected twist as Ryuk reveals that there will be no refunds, and that the funds will be evenly divided among every Yotsuba Bank of Japan account holder. Before giving the Death Note to the U.S. President in the Oval Office (with his intentions of using it for "world peace"), Ryuk amends the rules: Anyone attempting to sell or purchase the Death Note will meet their demise.
“Yeah, I know. It’s a new rule. So you paid all that money just to die,” Ryuk nonchalantly remarks to an agitated Trump. This interaction later leads to a humorous discussion between Trump and Ryuk, in which the shinigami offers Trump different options. Should he agree to the notebook, he will die. Alternatively, someone influential in the country will acquire the Death Note, implicitly meaning that the U.S. would own the notebook, but Trump would not control it. Unsurprisingly, Trump rejects this proposition.
On a recurrent note, Trump retorts that he will announce that he possesses the Death Note, dissociating himself from actually using it due to his lack of possession. This strategy, alarmingly reminiscent of Trump's 2020 campaign, paints him as a saint while ultimately feeding into the obfuscation and denialism that has characterized his political journey into the 2024 campaign.
© Tsugumi Ohba / Takeshi Obata/ Shonen Jump/ Viz Media
Death Note Special One-Shot, published on Viz Media and Shonen Jump on February 3, 2020, provides an intriguing take on the U.S. political landscape, particularly during a critical time in the country's history.live-action Trump was on trial for impeachment, and the advent of the COVID pandemic was coming to the forefront.
It is worth mentioning that Death Note and several other anime and manga series have embraced real-life American politicians to create captivating narratives. For instance, Baki Hanma and Dan Dan Dan anime have inserted President Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama into their storylines, while Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto skillfully weaves political commentary into its best-selling manga. As we navigate these complex and divisive political climate, anime and manga serve as a mirror, refracting our collective dilemmas and thoughts. Whether we like it or not, U.S. politicians continue to captivate the global audience, serving as inspirations for storytellers around the world. So, if you can, make sure to exercise your right to vote, lest you find yourself as the muse for future manga or anime recommendations.
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The special one-shot of Death Note, published in 2020, explores a hypothetical scenario where the Death Note is put up for sale on Twitter, attracting an unprecedented bid from a United States' President, presumably representing Donald Trump. In the future, similar themes of political manipulation and power struggles can be found in other anime and manga series, such as Baki Hanma, Dan Dan Dan, and Chainsaw Man, reflecting our current political climate.
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