Misa Amane is a short, slender, and attractive young woman with long, straight, golden-blonde hair. Her signature hairstyle is a portion of her hair tied into pigtails with red bands, though she is also seen with her hair worn loose at times. In the anime, she is shown as having been a brunette at one point. Her eyes are predominantly light brown in the manga, although they are occasionally depicted as green. She often wears blue contact lenses. In the games, her eyes are generally light brown but have also been portrayed as pink. In the live-action films, Misa appears with black hair styled in pigtails throughout the movie.

Misa’s fashion style leans heavily into Gothic and Punk themes, characterized by her outfits prior to the time skip, where she starts dressing in a more understated manner. She frequently paints her nails in bright red or dark purple and applies bright red lipstick.

One of Misa’s most noticeable accessories is her cross jewelry. However, in the anime adaptations, the crosses are changed to “fleurs-de-lis,” most notably seen on the Misa finger puppet. Despite this, Misa is still shown with crosses in the first anime opening and in her model sheet image from the liner notes of the third anime soundtrack. Additionally, a cross is included on the collector’s figure that comes with volume 5 of the DVD set.

A year prior to the events of Death Note, Misa Amane’s life took a tragic turn when she witnessed the brutal murder of her family during a home invasion. The ensuing trial stretched on, with some beginning to argue that her parents’ killer had been wrongly accused. However, when Kira eventually killed the murderer, Misa felt a profound sense of justice, which solidified her unwavering support for Kira’s actions. From that point on, she idolized Kira, seeing him as a hero who delivered the justice she believed the world needed.

After the trial, Misa’s life moved forward as she began a successful modeling career. However, her rising fame also brought danger. One night, she encountered a stalker, a deranged fan who, after confessing his obsessive love for her, attacked her when she rejected him. Misa’s life was saved by an unexpected intervention: a Shinigami named Gelus had been watching her from the Shinigami Realm and, despite the rules of his kind, had fallen in love with her. Seeing her in danger, Gelus used his Death Note to kill Misa’s would-be murderer, thereby extending her life.

Because Shinigami are forbidden from extending human lifespans, Gelus paid for this act of defiance with his own life, crumbling into dust. The only remnant of Gelus was his Death Note, which was left behind after his death. Another Shinigami, Rem, had witnessed Gelus’ sacrifice and, moved by his affection for Misa, decided to fulfill his unspoken wish by giving Misa the Death Note. Bound by this act, Rem became Misa’s Shinigami, much like Ryuk was tied to Light Yagami. Unlike Ryuk, however, Rem began to develop genuine care and affection for Misa over time, influenced by Gelus’ feelings.

With her new power in hand, Misa made a fateful decision: she entered into the “eye deal” with Rem, halving her remaining lifespan in exchange for the Shinigami Eyes, which allowed her to see the true names and lifespans of others. Using this newfound ability, Misa tracked down Kira, learning that he was in fact Light Yagami. Driven by a desire to express her gratitude to him for avenging her family, Misa’s pursuit of Light ultimately led her into a deeper involvement with his plans, culminating in her role as the Second Kira.

Misa Amane, the Second Kira, first attempts to catch Kira’s attention by sending videotapes to Sakura TV, predicting the deaths of criminals to prove her authenticity. The Japanese Task Force quickly realizes this is the work of a second Kira. Misa uses the Shinigami Eyes to identify Light Yagami as Kira and immediately becomes devoted to him, offering her assistance.

After meeting Light and professing her love for him, Misa becomes his willing accomplice, despite Light’s intention to manipulate her to further his own plans. She helps Light by using her Shinigami Eyes to identify L’s true identity and remains loyal to him, even at great personal risk.

Misa’s carelessness leads to her capture by L under suspicion of being the Second Kira. During her interrogation, she gives up ownership of her Death Note, losing her memories of being Kira. However, after regaining her memories and once again making the trade for the Shinigami Eyes, Misa resumes her role, working alongside Light.

As Light’s accomplice, Misa aids him during the timeskip, notably helping him locate key figures in the Mafia during the struggle for control of the Death Note. Despite her loyalty, Light uses her for his purposes, and she becomes embroiled in his complex web of manipulation.

After Light’s eventual downfall and death, Misa is left devastated. In the anime, she is seen standing on a ledge after Light’s death, implying that she might have committed suicide. The creator ofDeath Note, Tsugumi Ohba, confirmed inDeath Note 13: How to Readthat Misa likely took her own life following Light’s demise.

Film seriesMisa Amane is portrayed by Erika Toda in theDeath Notefilm series, where her role closely aligns with her character in the original manga and anime. As in the source material, she uses the Death Note to support Kira and quickly falls in love with Light Yagami. However, the films expand on Misa’s backstory, revealing that she had a younger brother, who was also murdered alongside her parents. The murderer in the films is named Yoichi Tamura.

In the first film, Misa plays a minor role as a popular idol. Her presence is notable when an advertisement for her is printed on a bus that Light, Shiori Akino, and Raye Iwamatsu are on when it is hijacked.

In the second film,Death Note: The Last Name, Misa takes on a more prominent role. After the events involving her obsessed fan Ryotaro Sakajo, who attempts to murder her, she meets Rem, who gives her Gelus’ Death Note. Misa subsequently becomes the Second Kira, sending envelopes to Sakura TV, resulting in her interaction with Light and her eventual confinement. In this adaptation, after Light’s death, Misa is seen mourning him, but instead of committing suicide as in the anime, she is shown celebrating his birthday before a family shrine, suggesting a lingering sense of loss.

In the fourth film,Death Note: Light Up the NEW World, set ten years after the original story, Misa is a successful model and actress. She is given a Death Note by Yuki Shien, which causes her memories to return. After making the Shinigami Eye deal again, she writes down Ryuzaki’s name to aid Shien’s escape. In the end, Misa writes her own name on a scrap of Death Note paper, dying as written in the arms of Light Yagami.

Conception of Misa in the filmsErika Toda, who portrayed Misa, felt pressure due to the character’s popularity but grew more comfortable once filming began. Toda remarked on the complexity of Misa’s character, describing her as “complicated and fascinating.” She was intrigued by Misa’s dedication but didn’t understand why someone would willingly use a Death Note. Toda admired Misa’s determination and success in achieving her goals, although she acknowledged the criminal nature of Misa’s actions.

NovelIn the novelL: Change the WorLd, Misa is an internationally famous singer and model. Misa’s childhood friend Maki Nikaido reveals that their families were close, and Misa played an important role in Maki’s life, acting as a protective older sister. In the novel, L also reveals that Misa has only a few years left to live due to her earlier trades for the Shinigami Eyes.

Television dramaIn theDeath Notetelevision drama, Misa, portrayed by Hinako Sano, retains her role as a famous idol who becomes the Second Kira. However, in this version, Light is a fan of Misa, causing him to develop romantic feelings for her. Misa plays a more active role in helping Light, even going as far as killing Raye Penber when Light’s plan to eliminate the FBI agents begins to falter. Despite this, Light continues to view Misa as a potential liability and threatens to write her name in the Death Note if she ever jeopardizes his plans.

MusicalInDeath Note: The Musical, Misa is portrayed as a popular singer, much like in the manga and films. She is grateful to Kira for avenging her family and seeks him out, trading for the Shinigami Eyes to find him. Misa performs several songs in the musical, including “I’m Ready” as her introductory piece, “Mortals and Fools” when she meets Rem and makes the eye trade, and “Borrowed Time” while confined in a cell. Rem sacrifices herself to save Misa and allow Light to defeat L, but Misa’s ultimate fate is left unclear in this adaptation.

Misa has been portrayed by various actresses in different productions of the musical, including Fuka Yuzuki in Japan, Jeong Sun Ah and Ben in South Korea, and Adrienne Warren in the English-language workshop in New York.

2017 Netflix filmIn the Netflix adaptation, Misa’s character is renamed Mia Sutton and played by Margaret Qualley. Mia is a high school student who quickly becomes involved in Light Turner’s use of the Death Note, playing a much more dominant role in helping Light carry out his plans. Unlike her manga counterpart, Mia displays a more manipulative and power-hungry side, influencing Light’s decisions as they pursue Kira’s goals together.