I need to punch Will Farrel for evn touching that movie...
Run down to your local bookstore and buy the first volume of Death Note, it's a manga written by...Tsugami Ohba? That sounds right...
It's main character is a sociopathic college student going by the name of Light Yagami. He lives an amazing life, hangs around with his friends, hooks up with any girl he sees fit, has a great family, and is the number one ranked student in the county. Needless to say, this boy is a genius amongst rodents, almost like God stepping down from his heaven and having a verbal duel with Paris Hilton (I wonder who'd win...). However, though he has everything he needs, he's bored out of his mind.
Up above the human world, and below it at teh same time, the Shinigami (Gods of death. Picture grim reaper, just with flesh and human emotions) rot away, wasting their time watching people mingle about and gambling. However, Ryuk, a thin, winged demon with giant bulbos eyes and a perpetual grin on his face, one day drops his death note, which can kill any human who's name is written in it by any means, down into the hands of Light. Thinking it's a joke, the young genius staches it away in his desk and forgets about it. However, as a tv newspecial flicckers to life and a sadistic killer is revealed, Light tests his newfound power out and murders the man. At first he is psychologically distressed, but then begins to think that the world could use some 'cleaning up'.
Five days later, Ryuk flutters down to earth to see what mayhem Light has caused. Over 52 criminals are dead, and the college bound student is feeling quite good about his accomplishments. Rumors have begun to spread across the internet of a divine killer called Kira, and already people are acting up in an attempt to either prove this legend fake or gain his acceptence. Interpol has begun to move out, seeing Light as a moster, one to be delt with as soon as possible. Behind all of their actions is the mysterious 'L', a brilliant man only slightly younger than Light/Kira, and as he broadcasts a message to the zealous student, they both declair that only one will walk away alive from their confrontation.
From then on it's a race for L to discover Kira's identity, and a struggle for Light to discover L's true name, which is required to kill him. All the while, the two fake a friendship while gracing the steps of To-oh University, appearing to be model students and the best of chums.
It's quite a good series, actually, a bit disturbing, but nice. You should look into it.
~Fenris Etheral
