Death Note is a popular Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The series centers around a high school student named Light Yagami who finds a supernatural notebook called the “Death Note”, which grants its user the ability to kill anyone simply by writing their name while picturing their face.
The Death Note was originally owned by the Shinigami (god of death) Ryuk, who intentionally drops it in the human world out of boredom. This leads to Light using the Death Note to kill criminals and try to change the world, using the alias “Kira”. However, his actions end up attracting the attention of an elite international police task force determined to stop him.
Light Yagami as the First Villain
Light Yagami is undoubtedly the main villain of Death Note. After finding the Death Note, he takes it upon himself to eliminate criminals and create a crime-free utopia, using the pseudonym “Kira”. However, his ideals become increasingly distorted, and he descends into megalomania and narcissism. Light is willing to sacrifice anyone, even his own family and followers, in pursuit of his vision of “justice”.
As the series progresses, Light engages in a battle of wits with the genius detective L, who is leading the investigation against Kira. This cat-and-mouse game between Light and L is a central focus in the first half of Death Note.
The Introduction of Teru Mikami
After L’s death, Light succeeds in creating his ideal world free from crime, becoming the god-like figure ruling this new world order. However, the introduction of Near and Mello, successors to L, again puts Light on the defensive.
It is at this point where the character Teru Mikami is introduced as the “second villain” of Death Note. Mikami is a prosecutor who comes to worship Kira after seeing the positive effects of criminals being eliminated. He is fiercely loyal to Light’s will and ideals.
Mikami’s Role
Mikami serves as Light’s proxy, taking over using the Death Note so that Light cannot be directly implicated. He obediently follows Light’s orders, killing criminals as Kira and serving as the public face of Kira’s ideology.
Essentially, Mikami allows Light to continue his charade of innocence as the series reaches its climax, with Light continuing to play the role of L’s earnest successor. Meanwhile, Mikami furthers Light’s goals in secret as the new Kira.
Mikami as an Intense and Fanatical Follower
Whereas Light maintains a cool exterior, Mikami is more emotional and intense in his devotion to Kira. He has a strong sense of justice that has been warped by his reverence for Kira and Light’s twisted ideology.
Some key facts about Mikami:
- He is a prosecutor who metes out “justice” as he sees fit.
- After criminals mysteriously start dying, he comes to worship Kira.
- Mikami is delighted when Light chooses him as a follower, seeing it as a divine calling.
- He obeys Light’s orders faithfully and refers to him as “God”.
- Mikami takes over killing criminals using the Death Note on Light’s behalf.
Mikami acts as the zealous disciple carrying out Kira’s judgments. He provides an intense contrast to Light’s composed exterior and acts as the archetype of Kira’s brainwashed followers.
Mikami’s Role in the Endgame
In the climax, Mikami plays an instrumental role in Light’s final defeat:
- He continues killing criminals as Kira using the Death Note per Light’s instructions.
- Mikami is tasked with killing the SPK members with the Death Note on Light’s behalf.
- However, Near is able to secretly replace Mikami’s Death Note with a forged copy.
- Not realizing the switch, Mikami reveals that Light is Kira by trying to kill the SPK with the fake notebook.
- This finally provides the decisive evidence needed to definitively prove Light’s guilt.
Mikami’s zealous actions on Light’s behalf ironically lead to Light’s downfall. His blind devotion makes him an effective instrument for Light’s plans but also ultimately proves to be a fatal flaw.
Mikami’s Last Stand
Even after Mikami’s mistake leads to Light being exposed, he remains fanatically loyal. In the final confrontation, even when abandoned by Light, Mikami desperately tries to defend Kira by stabbing himself with his pen. He seeks to take the fall for Light’s crimes, willing to die for his “God”.
Mikami represents how thoroughly Light corrupted certain followers like him. His intense loyalty and blindness to Light’s true nature as a mass murderer persisted to the very end. This demonstrates the immense dangers of radicalized followers who commit horrific acts in the name of some grand ideology.
Conclusion
Teru Mikami serves as the second main villain of Death Note, contrasting Light’s composed exterior with his own intense fanaticism. He acts as Light’s obedient follower, taking over the role of Kira while Light pretends to investigate the case. Mikami’s fervent loyalty is essential in furthering Light’s plans but also proves to be his downfall in the endgame. As an archetype of Kira’s radicalized followers, Mikami highlights the dangers of blind devotion to a deadly ideology. Ultimately, he proves instrumental in leading to Light’s defeat as Kira.