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L (エル)

L  (エル,Eru) is a world-renowned detective tasked with solving the case of the notorious mass murderer known as Kira. Throughout his investigation, L grows increasingly suspicious of Light Yagami and becomes determined to prove that Light is, in fact, Kira.

“
It’s not a sense of justice. Figuring out difficult cases is my hobby.
 ”
— L

Appearance

Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

L’s full appearance.

L is a tall, slender young man with a pale complexion, characterized by his unkempt, neck-length black hair and dark eyes. One of his most distinctive features is the heavy shadows under his eyes, a result of chronic insomnia. L’s casual attire consists of blue jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, which he is almost always seen wearing. Notably, he rarely wears shoes or socks, preferring to go barefoot, even in public. This is evident when he visits Light Yagami’s school, where he is seen sitting barefoot on a bench and only puts on his shoes when necessary. L also has a habit of hunching while walking, further contributing to his unconventional demeanor.


Character

Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

The letter “L” that L uses as his personal symbol.

L is an enigmatic and secretive figure who communicates with the world solely through his assistant, Watari. He conceals his true identity by representing himself with a capital “L” in a typeface resembling Cloister Black. To further protect his anonymity, after meeting the Japanese Task Force, he asks them to refer to him as “Ryuzaki.”

Despite his disheveled appearance and languid demeanor, L is exceptionally intelligent, known for his sharp powers of deduction. His meticulous nature and analytical mind often leave those around him questioning his methods. L tends to second-guess everything presented to him and uses bold and unconventional tactics, such as broadcasting the image of a death row inmate, Lind L. Tailor, as a decoy to provoke Kira. He also handcuffs himself to Light Yagami, the prime suspect, to monitor him closely, showcasing his willingness to take drastic and unorthodox measures to solve a case.

L employs deception and manipulation in his investigations, often feeding his suspects misinformation and exploiting human behavior to trap them. He uses percentages to indicate how much he suspects someone, though these figures are often misleading. For example, he may claim a low suspicion of someone, but in reality, he could be nearly certain of their guilt. This tactic is evident in his interactions with Light Yagami, where L tells Light that he is one of the least likely suspects, while privately believing that Light is Kira. Series writer Tsugumi Ohba notes that “the truth is, he’s a liar,” highlighting L’s strategy of manipulation.

L is known for his peculiar habits and quirks, such as crouching instead of sitting, eating only sweet foods like desserts and fruit, and holding objects with just his thumb and finger. He prefers to sit with his feet on the chair and claims that sitting normally would reduce his reasoning abilities by 40%. L’s mannerisms often appear odd or rude in public, such as biting his fingernails, slouching, eating with his mouth open, and blurting out observations that can be offensive. His love for sweets is ever-present, and he is often seen arranging or playing with his food while deep in thought.

Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

L’s characteristic sitting posture.

Despite his seemingly inactive lifestyle, L is physically capable and highly athletic. During his time in England, he became the tennis champion of the England Junior Cup. He also demonstrates proficiency in martial arts, as seen during a brief fight with Light. In chapter 38 of the manga, L explains that although he consumes only sweet foods, he remains underweight because the brain uses the most calories of any organ.

L’s sensitive pride mirrors that of his rival, Light. He is afraid of being wrong in his deductions, which leads to extreme measures such as the lengthy confinement of Light and the torture of Misa Amane. This pride, coupled with his complex tactics, often drives L’s investigation forward, especially during the Yotsuba arc, where his behavior becomes lethargic and reflective of his internal frustrations.

When asked about L’s ethnicity, Tsugumi Ohba, the series’ creator, revealed that L’s background is diverse, consisting of quarter-Japanese, quarter-English, quarter-Russian, and either quarter-French or Italian ancestry. Ohba also describes L as the most intelligent character in Death Note, a necessity for the plot. However, he views L as “slightly evil” due to his morally ambiguous methods and willingness to bend the rules to achieve his goals.

History

At the age of eight, L was discovered by Watari and brought to Wammy’s House, an orphanage for gifted children. It was during this time that Watari recognized L’s extraordinary intelligence and began supporting him in his endeavors. L eventually became a detective at a remarkably young, unknown age, and over time, he built a reputation as the world’s greatest detective. His insight and expertise were highly valued in criminal investigations across the globe, solidifying his status as a legendary figure in the field of law enforcement.

Plot

L begins his involvement in the Kira case when he notices the alarming number of criminals dying from heart attacks. Suspecting that these deaths are not mere coincidences but the work of a murderer, L concludes that the perpetrator, dubbed “Kira,” is likely based in Japan. To test his theory, L collaborates with the NPA (National Police Agency) and initiates an experiment by broadcasting an undocumented death row inmate, Lind L. Tailor, who claims to be L and calls Kira “evil.” As expected, Kira kills Tailor, confirming not only that Kira is human and capable of killing remotely but also that he is in Japan, as the broadcast was aired only in the Kanto region.

L deduces that Kira may be a student, as many of the deaths align with after-school hours. However, Kira begins killing criminals at hourly intervals, hinting that he has access to police information. This leads L to suspect someone close to the police force. In response, L requests the involvement of 12 FBI agents to investigate police officials and their families.

Shortly after the FBI’s investigation begins, Kira kills all 12 agents, including Raye Penber, who was tasked with observing Soichiro Yagami’s family. These murders cause several NPA members to abandon the case, leaving only a small team, including Soichiro Yagami, Touta Matsuda, Shuichi Aizawa, Hirokazu Ukita, and Kanzo Mogi. L arranges for the Task Force to continue the investigation from a secure hotel and provides them with counterfeit police badges and emergency communication devices.

L identifies the critical clue in the footage of Penber’s death, noting that he was investigating the Yagami family and that his fiancée, Naomi Misora, has gone missing. Convinced that Kira is connected to Penber’s investigation, L places surveillance cameras and wiretaps in both the Yagami and Kitamura households, with Light Yagami as his prime suspect. Though Light’s behavior appears “too perfect,” L remains suspicious.

To intensify his investigation, L enrolls at To-Oh University, where Light also studies, using the alias “Hideki Ryuga.” L’s strategy is to confront Light directly and gauge his reactions. While Light becomes wary of Ryuga, he recognizes that killing him would be risky since the name is likely fake. L’s daring move results in a stalemate, as Light cannot act without raising suspicion.

Seeking to draw Light closer, L challenges him to a tennis match, during which both strategize. After losing the match, L directly accuses Light of being Kira but claims his suspicions are only “one percent.” To keep Light close, L invites him to join the Task Force, hoping to catch him slipping up. However, Light takes advantage of this offer by demanding that the Task Force members confirm L’s identity, which L allows.

The case takes a turn when Kira sends tapes to Sakura TV, threatening to kill innocents. L deduces that a second Kira has appeared, as this new Kira can kill using only a person’s face. To lure the second Kira out, L collaborates with Light, who now works with the Task Force. When the second Kira, revealed to be Misa Amane, is apprehended, L suspects that Light and Misa are working together as Kira and the second Kira.

L detains both Light and Misa, and during their confinement, no deaths occur, confirming L’s suspicions. However, after 50 days, the Task Force pressures L to release them. Before doing so, L stages an elaborate test by having Soichiro Yagami fake shooting Light to see if Misa would react, but she does not. Reluctantly, L releases them.

Convinced that Light and Misa are still connected to Kira, L handcuffs himself to Light, ensuring constant surveillance. However, Light appears to have genuinely lost his memories of being Kira, frustrating L’s investigation. L becomes despondent as the case stalls, but when Light deduces that Kira is operating within the Yotsuba Corporation, L hires Aiber and Wedy to assist with infiltrating the company.

The investigation leads to the capture of Kyosuke Higuchi, the current Kira, and the discovery of the Death Note. L finally learns how Kira kills and encounters the Shinigami, Rem. A rule in the Death Note states that if someone does not write in it for 13 consecutive days, they die, providing a perfect alibi for Light and Misa. Despite this, L remains suspicious but faces pressure from the Task Force to clear them.

In a final, desperate act, L contemplates testing the Death Note’s 13-day rule to confirm its legitimacy. However, Watari is killed, and L realizes that Rem has acted to protect Misa. As L suffers a fatal heart attack caused by Rem, he finally sees Light’s triumphant smirk, confirming that Light was Kira all along.

Conception

Tsugumi Ohba– Writer
Takeshi Obata– Artist

Overview

Tsugumi Ohba created L as a “force of justice” and a “super detective” to oppose Light Yagami and his ambitions as Kira, thereby driving the narrative forward. Ohba believed the story would lose its appeal if L were significantly older than Light, so he crafted L as a young adult. He explained that L’s name had to carry a certain gravitas, considering names like “I” and “J” before finally choosing “L” as it “felt right” after much deliberation. Ohba also gave L the alias “Ryuzaki” since, in Japanese, L is pronounced similarly to R.

Ohba noted that L was his favorite character inDeath Notebecause he saw him as the “strongest” character “besides Light.” Takeshi Obata, the series’ artist, also cited L as his favorite character due to his “appearance, personality, everything.” Obata stated that he enjoyed drawing L and that L felt less like a “real” person to him, which added to the character’s appeal. When asked who was the most fun to draw, both Ohba and Obata agreed: “L.”

Appearance

Ohba left L’s character design entirely to Obata. When Obata asked if L could be “unattractive,” Ohba agreed. From there, Ohba provided small inputs, such as L’s seated posture, his English heritage, his listlessness, and his notorious sweet tooth. But the overall design credit went to Obata.

Initially, Ohba’s thumbnails for L depicted a “plain face with no expression” and lacked the distinctive “bags” under his eyes. Obata recalls that the simple thumbnail design was “great” and could have worked as it was, but he decided to experiment further. Up until Chapter 11, when L finally appeared in person, Obata drew L as an “attractive young man.” After that, Obata chose to contrast L’s appearance with Light’s.

Obata voiced concerns early on that L’s character might appear “too suspicious” and that Light might instantly recognize him as his nemesis. To address this, Obata added black “bags” under L’s eyes, drawing inspiration from the character Akira Fudou fromDevilman, believing that this detail gave L a “cool” and distinctive look. Obata also incorporated the concept of “dead eyes” into L’s design, giving him “all-black eyes” with barely visible eyebrows, a choice that he felt heightened L’s mysterious aura. This choice, along with the bags under L’s eyes, fueled speculation about his lifestyle and gave the character an enigmatic feel. According to Obata, L’s simple wardrobe—white long-sleeved shirts and jeans—was meant to reflect his lack of concern for appearances.

When designing color covers forDeath Note, Obata assigned gold to L as his symbolic color.

Mannerisms

Obata believed L’s unique traits should be revealed “gradually” to maintain his credibility as a super detective. For instance, if L’s habit of eating “mountains of sweets” had been shown before his face was revealed, the character might have lost credibility and seemed more eccentric than intelligent.

Obata was frequently told that L’s fighting style resembled capoeira, but he explained that he didn’t specifically aim for that style. When drawing the scenes where L fights, particularly when handcuffed to Light, Obata focused on illustrating the most effective way for L to kick his opponent. Nonetheless, Obata said that if it did resemble capoeira, it only added another layer to the character, which pleased him.

Trivia

    Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

    L’s lifespan as depicted in the anime.

    • L’s full name,  L Lawliet, was first revealed in  Death Note 13: How to Read  on a promotional card included at the beginning of the book.
    • In the anime, L’s thoughts are visually accompanied by a  blue  color, reflecting his contemplative and mysterious nature.
    •  L’s lifespan  in the television drama adaptation is revealed to be 51161121.
    • L has a unique talent: he can tie two cherry stems into a knot with his mouth, a skill showcased in  Death Note  episode 18.
    • Alessandro Juliani, L’s voice actor in the English version of theDeath Noteanime, described the character as “an enigma” and humorously noted that if someone sat next to him on the subway, they’d likely move to the other side.
    • In the Italian translation of  Death Note , L’s name is phonetically spelled as “Elle” rather than simply using the letter “L.”
    • In  Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid , episode 6, a character resembling L makes a brief cameo riding a bike.
    • L was immortalized as part of the  Nendoroid  figure collection. The L Nendoroid comes with a chair, an extra arm holding a cell phone, and another body in his iconic crouching position. It also includes three different face plates: angry, shocked, and a thoughtful expression looking to the right.
    •  Christina Grimmie , an American R&B singer, cosplayed as L for her 2015 music video for the song “Shrug.” Two versions of the music video were produced, one featuring Grimmie in L’s cosplay, dubbed the “Dude Version.”