Death Note Episode 34: Vigilance

To my disappointment, the episode this time is a little boring – too dragging in that sense. It is possible that the animators try to delay the story further and give it all in the last episodes. Despite of the all-too-ordinary mood the episode, I am still excited whenever I am reminding myself that Death Note has only three more episodes to go. You would probably too bored or too accustomed of me for the countdown to the finale. What figures! It’s just facts anyway. There is nothing to be commenting about this episode either. The mood is on the downtrend.

Giovanni

So we have a dead guy inside the train while Giovanni was still on trail of Mikami. Giovanni has confirmed that Mikami owns the Death Note. So Near decided to approach Mikami. However Near is worried of the shinigami, fearing that it will detect Giovanni who is trailing Mikami and warn him. Nevertheless Near still gave the order to follow Mikami. Meanwhile Light and Aizawa were checking on the hotel room that they will use to have a meeting with Takada. Aizawa doubted the move to remove the cameras in the room as it caused suspicion of the possibility that Light is communicating with Takada by writings. Sensing that things had gotten out of hand, Aizawa left a fingernail mark on one of the notepads in the room. Later Kiyomi and Light met up and she told him of her meeting with Misa last night. Matsuda who listens by gotten excited by this development. Kiyomi revealed of Misa’s plan to announce her engagement with Light during the upcoming New Year Music Festival. However Kiyomi took out a written note for Light to read, conveying another message. Matsuda kept on screaming “pinch” as though he is watching a soap drama. Aizawa lost his cool and ordered Aizawa to shut his mouth.

“Shut the f**k up! You #$*@%”

Light denied knowing about the plan. Talking to himself, Light was mad with both of the girls for bringing up such unnecessary issue to him. In the note, Light replied that Misa also had carried out judgment as Kira before T (Mikami) does. Gaining the power from somewhere else and knowing that he is Kira, Light had no other choice but to acknowledge her. It is not Light who is the one who chose her to be his partner because he won’t be choosing a person as idiotic as her to be by his side. Kiyomi justified this as herself being chosen by Light himself unlike Misa who was taken with no other options. Light kept on convincing Kiyomi that she is all that he have. Aizawa who was trying to concentrate on their conversation, gotten disturbed by the ongoing discussion. He gotten angry and told them to keep quiet. Meanwhile Kiyomi decided to trust Light on this matter but if he betrays her, she will tell Kira about it. Knowing the necessary presence of Kira, Light wondered if both of them can ever be together. He pretended to be hating Kira choosing Kiyomi as his spokesperson. Light then gave other another written message to her. Pardon me for not understanding Japanese perfectly, so I won’t be able to decipher the message written by Light. However I believe it is an instruction by Light for Kiyomi to say that Kira should disappear so that they can live a happy life. And that Kira should be caught, deliberately agreeing to her cooperation with the Japanese police to catch Kira. The Japanese police was surprised by this, of how well things are working out now.

“I wonder if a Shinigami is this cute?”

“OMG! These are blank sheets of paper!”

At the SPK, Giovanni reported in that Mikami is muttering to himself. From the video surveillance, Lester was trying to read Mikami’s lips to figure the words said by Mikami. It goes as “Shinigami ka?” or “Is it Shinigami?” Mikami seemed to be reacting to the crumbled paper at his feet. Zooming closer to his lips, Lester read out “that shinigami has not appeared after giving me the notebook.” Near was unclear of the situation but then understood that the shinigami is out of the picture. Light wrapped up his meeting with Kiyomi. After making sure that Light has left the hotel, Aizawa took the opportunity to check the notepads inside the hotel room. Two of four notepads do not have fingernail marks which he made to all of the notepads earlier. He was shocked by this as hotel housekeeping has not cleaned up the room yet. He was convinced that the notepads were replaced and both of them are communicating by writing. Later Lester got a call from a person who wants to meet Near in person. It was Aizawa – he was blindfolded. Assured that he has not bring weapons and camera, he took off the blindfold. He was slightly surprised to see him – a stark resemblance of L (I suppose). Aizawa told Near that he believes in him as L is meeting Kiyomi every night. Near was aware of this. Aizawa also informed him that they are communicating with handwritings. Near instead said to him that all of his actions are now deemed unnecessary because there won’t be any need to proof Kira’s identity. With sheer confidence (and some arrogance), Near was very frank with Aizawa that the Japanese police are no longer needed in the Kira investigation as it is up to him (Near himself) to expose Kira and capture him. He only told Aizawa to keep watch of the situation as everything that is happening goes well to his plan. This is one WTF moment of how confident Near is to defeat Kira nonchalantly saying that it is the end of Kira. Sorry to say, I like Light the most and to see him to go down defeated like that made me a little uneasy. By the way, pay attention to the eye catch this time.

“Near! Check out my new shades. I can’t see anything from it.”

Death Note figurines. Collect them all!

Over the NHN studio, Kiyomi is hosting the New Year Music Festival. Misa was on her way to the show but was stopped by Hal. Then Lester came, asking Misa and Mogi to follow them. Kiyomi announced Misa’s no-show and the Japanese police was bewildered by the situation. Misa threw a tantrum inside the car and Mogi tried to calm her down, claiming that the move is done to capture Kira. Lester thanked Mogi for his cooperation. Mogi hesitated at first but after Aizawa revealed everything to him, Mogi eventually played along. Light contacted Near about Misa and Mogi’s disappearance. Without restraining, Near admitted to Light that Near invited them over although Light suspected him for abduction. Near denied this as Mogi and Misa actually agreed to come. Light asked Mogi if what was told by Near is true and Mogi agreed. Near was convinced that Misa is the second Kira and he have her in his custody. With the viewers protesting Misa’s no-show, Giovanni figured that Hal and Lester had executed the plan without a problem. Checking the time at 9 p.m., Giovanni decided to make a move. He went to a gym where Mikami was found working as usual in his routine. He went to Mikami’s locker and unlocked it. A flashback revealed that Mikami maintained a strict routine even during holidays and Near asked him to touch the notebook on 31st of January. Giovanni agreed but he sounded hesitant for he fears that he will die if there is a shinigami. Near wanted to prove the shinigami theory and asked Giovanni to keep on observing Mikami even when there is no shinigami. He even offered Lester to do the job if he was reluctant to do so.

Kiyomi hosting the New Year consert. Check out the cool afro hair behind.

Aha! Mogi was caught on a threesome.

So hunky Mikami got jealous and had wasted his time of working out.

Back to Giovanni, he had managed to open the briefcase which contains the notebook. His heart pulse was racing and touched the notebook. Grabbing it out of the briefcase, he looked around for the shinigami but nothing had appeared around him. Giovanni then informed Near about it. Talking to Mogi, Near asked of how long for a person to be manipulated by the Death Note before they died. Mogi confirmed of 23 days based on the Yotsuba incident. Near said of the possibility of Giovanni being controlled to say that there is no shinigami and they will prepare a showdown with L after 24 hours then carry it out if Giovanni is still alive. Lester was daunted by such bold moves by Near. Hang in there buddy, I understand you. On 3rd of January, Light made another meeting with Kiyomi and gave her a message to instruct T to contact her once he has confirmed everything. Then she will send him a reply after she reveices the message from T. Then on the 6th of January, Giovanni broke into Mikami’s locker once again by the instruction by Near to take pictures of the notebook. Near wanted to know any patterns to the name which Mikami wrote on the notebook. He wants to know all the details. After gaining the images, Near confirmed that Mikami is the one who writes on the notebook and he gave a green light to execute his plan.

Kids, never copy Giovanni’s action of break and enter.

Special limited edition of big headed Mikami figurine.

Near wants to have one too.

The last 10 minutes of this episode is when things was set to motion. Near prepared a plan against Kira while Light readies himself with a counter plan. Indeed we are bound to see a showdown between the two in the coming episode. However in the preview, Mello intervenes and I’m guessing Light is in a troubled position as his preparation had been compromised. Mark my words, the last three episodes of Death Note are a must to watch. Not because that the series is ending but the battle of wits in this three-way fight of Light, Near and Mello. Initially it is just Light and Near head-to-head. But Mello’s intrusive plan puts Light at the edge of his seat. If only I did not know of the ending, otherwise it will be very intense. For those who had not follow the manga, be assured of the best to come.