Near - Death Note.

Height

Near (Nate River), from Death Note, is officially 1.55 m (155 cm) tall and weighs 40 kg, according to the official databook. He is characterized as a short young man with white hair and pajamas, described as a boy with a childlike appearance who frequently sits hunched over. Additional details about Near's height: Age and Physique: His height of 1.55 m is maintained for much of the second half of the anime, when he is approximately 17-18 years old. Evolution: In the special one-shot, set three years after the end of the Kira case, it is mentioned that Near underwent a slight growth spurt and had physical changes. Comparison: His short stature contrasts with his superior intelligence, making him one of L.'s successors.

age 13

Near, from Death Note, is a 1.65 m tall young man with white hair, gray eyes, and a childlike appearance, often compared to L. He wears white pajamas, plays with toys, and, after a time jump, appears with more inflamed eyes and slightly longer hair. He is 17 years old (after the time jump). Here are the main details about her appearance and style: Physical characteristics: White hair, gray eyes, and a "baby face". Clothing: Seen almost exclusively in long-sleeved pajamas and pants, which are white in the manga and light blue in the anime. Physical behavior: Often sitting in a peculiar way, playing with toys, dolls, and puzzles. Evolution: In the One-Shot Special, three years after the end of the Kira case, Near exhibits physical growth and more inflamed/penetrating eyes.

Near, from Death Note, is an extremely calm, logical, and antisocial young detective, entirely focused on solving cases as if it were a game. He possesses a cold and childlike personality, frequently expressed through toys and puzzles, representing a more extreme and focused version of L's intelligence. Here are the main points about Near's personality: Coolness and Calmness: Maintains composure and an unaltered expression even in extreme situations, such as the death of SPK members. Intellect and Childishness: He is an analytical genius, but prefers the company of toys to people, building towers of cards and dice. L's difference: While L prepared everything alone, Near's victory depended in part on external forces, such as Mello's cooperation. Vision of Justice: Views Light (Kira) only as a serial killer, treating the investigation as a puzzle to be solved. Isolated Behavior: Described as "weird" and antisocial, rarely leaving their safe environment.

"If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the riddle, you're nothing but a loser." (Chapter 60) "Together we can stand by L. Together we can overcome L." (Chapter 104) "You are nothing but a murderer (Death Note Special Edition)" "Don't worry, Commander Rester, making assumptions is part of any investigation. If we're wrong, all it will cost is an apology." (Episode 30) "No. Shinigami and you confuse yourself with a god... You're just an insane mass murderer. (Chapter 105)" "Light Yagami, L, Kira, you are deceased." (Episode 37) "Keep all the important information only in your mind."

At the end of the manga, Near is shown eating chocolate in homage to Mello. Near's tendency to smile whenever he was right was used as foreshadowing in the final episode. Unbeknownst to Light, Near's smile during his direct confrontation with Light served to indicate that he was able to see Ryuk and thus prove to himself that Light was Kira. He was almost one of the Death Note characters to get a Nendoroid figure, but only in the Nendoroid Petite version. Light, L, Misa, and Ryuk were the only characters who got main Nendoroid figures, but also received Nendoroid Petite versions. In the Italian version, when referring to him as "N," instead of using the letter "N" to write his name, the phonetic spelling "Enne" is used. If one looks closely enough at Near's coat of arms, one might find the letters "N", "A", "T", and "E" hidden within it, which spell out "Nate," his real name.

In L: Change the World, L gives a talented Thai boy with a gift for calculations the name "Near." L hopes that the boy, the sole survivor of a Thai village devastated by a deadly disease, will succeed him as L, as he knows the rules of the Death Note will kill the experienced detective in a short time. Near doesn't speak much in the film (during the film, he only says numbers and letters) and, when he does speak, it's only in English. Like many characters during the transition from animation to live-action, Near is depicted with black hair instead of white, as seen in the anime. Near is portrayed by Narushi Fukuda in the film and voiced by Michael Strusievici in the English dub. For unknown reasons, although L is shown giving him the name "Near," he was credited as "BOY/ニア."

Near returns in Death Note: New Generation in the second episode, Dying Wish. He calls Ryuzaki, L's successor, to find out how his recent case went. He almost speaks in Japanese to test Ryuzaki's Japanese, preventing him from joining the Kira investigation with the Japanese Task Force. Initially, Ryuzaki opposes accepting the case, but Near and Jo convince him and he eventually accepts. Near also has a small cameo in the film Death Note: Genius of the Counterattack, a conversation with Ryuzaki at the end.

Near does not appear in the film Death Note: Light Up the NEW World, but he is present in the novelization. He continues to maintain remote contact with Ryuzaki.

In "The Story of A-Kira," Near let his hair grow out and appeared older. After Minoru Tanaka posts a message on Sakura TV attempting to sell his Death Note, Near is seen creating a Shinigami identification system. He created a model of Ryuk's head and torso. Based on the fact that a Shinigami cannot be too far from its owner, Near theorizes that A-Kira (the codename he creates, short for "Auction Kira") is located in Japan. He instructed Lidner and Rester to contact Aizawa and ask him to send the security camera footage from Sakura TV. After Aizawa responded and informed them that the Shinigami had fled the building to the basement, Near decides that creating a Shinigami recognition system is useless and damaging to the Ryuk model. Near concludes that it is impossible to capture A-Kira, at least until the auction ends. After Matsuda attempted to stop Ryuk's second message, Near comments that all he did was make the auction more believable. After the price to be paid for the notebook is determined, Near enters a state of deep concentration, like a mental palace, while stacking blocks. He theorizes that A-Kira has already devised a foolproof plan to receive the money. When it is revealed that the President of the United States bought the notebook, he hesitates to try to take it. As he tells Lidner and Rester: "If you're going to do it, do it yourselves, please. I live in America now." For the first time since becoming L after Kira's defeat, Near admits defeat at the hands of A-Kira.

In a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation, Light confesses and gives a speech about how Kira is beneficial to the world, but Near refutes this, stating that morality is subjective and that Kira, by killing people and forcing them to follow a specific path, is unjust in the eyes of many. After Light tries to kill Near using a fragment of code he possesses, Touta Matsuda, enraged, shoots him before dying at the hands of Ryuk. Following Light's defeat, Near becomes the third L.

During the manga's epilogue, Matsuda proposes a theory that Near used the Death Note on Mikami, which would guarantee his victory. Whether this theory is true or not is left to the reader's interpretation.

In the single chapter that takes place after the series, Near is introduced as the new L (the third in chronological order). A new Kira emerges, having obtained a Death Note from the Shinigami Midora, who in turn received an additional Death Note from the Shinigami King by bribing him with 13 apples he had stolen from the Human World. The new Kira murders elderly people in Japan to "ease their pain." When Near's subordinates in the SPK ask why he isn't satiated, he replies that he's trying to imagine what the previous L would have done. He eventually concludes that the current Kira was just a purposeless killer and nicknames him "C-Kira," short for "Cheap Kira." He announces on national television, under the pseudonym "L," that he is not interested in the case and has deduced that this Kira is not the real Kira, but just an "abominable killer." This resulted in C-Kira's suicide.

A Shinigami, close to waiting 23 days, which is the maximum time the notebook can control someone.

He is about to summon the Task Force and asks them to meet him at the Yellow Box Warehouse to execute his final plan to export Light as Kira.

Shortly after, Mello kidnaps Kiyomi Takada, resulting in Mello's death. Mikami then writes Takada's name using the real notebook. This action causes Gevanni to find the real notebook and replace it with an exact replica. However, Near does not alter his plans for the meeting. The meeting begins, and exactly as Near planned, Mikami attempts to write down everyone's name. Light thinks he has won, as he actually had an imposter. However, thanks to Mello's actions, Near's plan worked. As everyone's name, except Light's, was written down, Light is exposed as Kira. He almost explains the whole situation and how Mello helped him before declaring that he and Mello, together, were capable of surpassing L. In a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation, Light confesses and makes a speech about how Kira is beneficial to the world, but Near refutes this, stating that morality is subjective and that Kira, killing people and forcing them to follow a specific path, is unjust in the eyes of many. After Light attempts to kill Near using a fragment of code he possesses, Touta Matsuda, enraged, shoots him before dying at Ryuk's hands. After Light's defeat, Near becomes the third L. The meeting begins and, exactly as Near planned, Mikami tries to write down everyone's name. Light thinks he has won, as he actually had an imposter. However, thanks to Mello's actions, Near's plan worked. As everyone's name, except Light's, was written down, Light is exposed as Kira. He almost explains the whole situation and how Mello helped him before declaring that he and Mello, together, were capable of surpassing L. In a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation, Light confesses and makes a speech about how Kira is beneficial.

Mello then hands Mogi over to Near and tells Near to demand information from Mogi, while Mello listens to the conversation. However, Mogi, thinking that Near and Mello are working together, doesn't reveal any information.

Soon after, a large crowd of Kira supporters was sent to attack the SPK. Near manages to use L's legacy to distract them and then escape wearing police uniforms. Near then lies to the Task Force, saying that Mogi died of a heart attack, further worsening the situation for the second L. After that, Aizawa tells Near information about the Kira case, allowing Near to deduce that Kira is, in fact, Light Yagami.

Some time later, when Kiyomi Takada is chosen as Kira's new spokesperson, Near asks Anthony Rester to keep an eye on her and discovers that she is meeting with someone. After the SPK moves to Japan, Near recruits Halle to be one of Takada's bodyguards in order to investigate.

Near and Light spoke again and informed each other about their respective investigations regarding Takada. This leads Near to believe that Light Yagami is meeting with Takada to communicate with Kira's representative, X-Kira. At that moment, Near formulates the plan for Kira's downfall, which consists of swapping his notebook for a fake one and catching him writing down the names. Later, Near identifies Teru Mikami as Light's representative. In the following months, he uses Gevanni to spy on Mikami, deceiving the SPK with false claims, such as that a Shinigami is following them.

Near Mogi and Misa are in custody to remove anything unnecessary that could interfere with their plan to export Light as Kira.

On December 31st, when Mikami goes to the academy, Near switches the notebook pages corresponding to January 28th and subsequent days, unaware that he only switched the pages of a duplicate notebook that Mikami forged under Light's orders. This is to ensure that Gevanni is not being controlled by a possible third Kira or...

During one of Near's conversations with the second L, Near taunts him and calls him incompetent. Near, suspecting there might be a spy infiltrated in the SPK, plans to find out who the spy is and then get to the mafia and Mello through him. However, at that moment, all but three members of the SPK suddenly die, thanks to Mello, preventing any possibility of Near reaching the mafia. Near and the second L then agree to share information: Near tells the second L that Mello is behind the kidnappings and what Wammy's House is, while the second L reveals to Near everything the Task Force knows about the Death Note. Mello enters the SPK headquarters and asks for a photo of Near. When Near reveals that he was able to deduce Kira's identity thanks to Mello's actions, Mello, enraged, threatens to shoot Near, but Halle stops him. During the photo exchange, Mello tells Near that there are false rules in the Death Note. Near deduces that one of these rules is the 13-day rule.

He contacts the Task Force and discusses this false rule. During a conversation with the second L, Near's suspicion of him grows. He reports this to the Task Force, without any doubt among them.

Near distrusted Soichiro Yagami due to his incompetence. Through Soichiro's discovery, Near learned that Vice-Director Takimura had been kidnapped. Near convinced McEnroe to offer the SPK's cooperation to the Task Force to find Takimura, with Near's strategy being that they could seize the Death Note. However, shortly after, Takimura committed suicide, and almost immediately the possibility of Kira being responsible for his death arose. The kidnappers then abducted Sayu Yagami, Soichiro's daughter, in exchange for the Death Note. The Task Force then decided they had no choice but to ask Near for help in this situation. On the phone, Near provoked the second L, revealing that he knew of the previous L's death. The Task Force informed him that the exchange would take place in Los Angeles. Near agreed to conduct satellite surveillance in the estimated area where the exchange would happen and then told L that the Task Force would be charged with the situation.

At the transaction site, Near's satellite surveillance proved useless, as the negotiation took place underground. Near sends a helicopter to transport Soichiro back to his starting point. He asks Soichiro several questions about the transaction, and Soichiro mentions someone eating chocolate during the call, indicating to Near that Mello is behind it and is provoking him.

On March 5, 2009 (2012 in the anime), almost four years after L's death, Near and FBI Director Steve Mason meet with the President of the United States. The Director informs the President that the current "L" is a fake and was created by the Japanese police to prevent disturbances. The President is informed that the murders committed by Kira were carried out with a Death Note. The Director asks Near if these claims are correct, and Near replies that they are. Near explains that on November 5, 2004, L pursued Higuchi, and Higuchi was surrounded by police cars in his vehicle within forty minutes. Near says he warned the police not to approach Higuchi's car, meaning there is no doubt that Higuchi had the capacity to kill. The President asks Near if he thinks Higuchi killed with a Death Note, and Near replies that the notebook has the power to kill those whose names are written in it. Almost explains that a police officer in the local report heard Higuchi mention a notebook that could kill someone whose face you recorded by writing that person's name in it. Almost says that later, a notebook was removed from the scene and taken by the president. Almost states that this indicates that, with L's death, the notebook is likely in the possession of the Japanese police. The Director informed the President that Almost initiated his own investigation without any prior evidence, but the research material he brought to the President corroborates his theory. The President asks the Director who this boy is, and the Director replies that Near is the rightful successor to the name 'L'.

On March 12, 2009, the United States of America established the Special Provision for Kira (SPK), an independent organization composed of FBI and CIA agents, responsible for the Kira investigation. Perto worked for the United States as head of the SPK. He is envious of John McEnroe, a member of the SPK, for speaking with the director of the Japanese Task Force.

Near is introduced in the story as a child, at Wammy's House. He first appears sitting alone in a room, assembling a white jigsaw puzzle, whose only design is the black letter "L" in one of the corners. As some children run past the room, a girl named Linda asks Near if he wants to play with them. Near replies, "No, thank you, Linda," and continues assembling his puzzle. Soon after, Roger Ruvie enters the room with Mello and takes the two children to his office. There, Roger informs the two boys that he has died. Although Mello reacts quite violently to the news, Near remains quiet, sitting on the floor, assembling his jigsaw puzzle. Mello begins to question Roger, asking how L could say he would capture Kira, but end up dead. Near picks up his completed jigsaw puzzle and turns it upside down, causing the pieces to fall. He states, "If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the puzzle, you're just a loser." However, he begins to reassemble the puzzle. Mello asks Roger if he or Near was chosen as L's successor, and Roger replies that L hadn't decided yet. Roger asks if the two boys could work together. Near replies with a "okay," while Mello says it would never work because they "don't understand each other." Mello decides that Near should take L's place because of his ability to remain calm and not be swayed by emotions, saying that Near "uses his head" to solve the puzzle. Mello leaves the orphanage, and Near follows him shortly after.

In the period between learning of L's death and the creation of the SPK, Near gathers evidence related to the Kira case. Since all the data collected by L was erased, Near starts from scratch.

With extremely childlike interests, his environment is always filled with toys, dice, or darts. Even when he's just playing, his ability to assemble a complex puzzle from scratch clearly demonstrates his skills and intelligence. Normally, his fixation on toys is mild, but he seems to have some favorites, such as the toys he took with him when escaping the SPK headquarters during the attack by Hitoshi Demegawa and other Kira followers. Three years after the events of the main story, Near shows an interest in building stacks of tarot cards. Naturally, these structures are much larger than normal, easily occupying an entire space. It seems that Near despises anyone who knocks these structures over, casually or intentionally. He also seems to have a special fondness for dice. Although he is always surrounded by toys, few of them are electronic. Most of his toys are the type that need to be moved manually, such as his action figures, darts, and dolls. His electronic toys include remote-controlled rubber ducks and a battery-powered train.

However, despite his childish interests and activities, he seems to be the most mature in terms of realism compared to Light, L, and Mello when it comes to his ideals, holding a very pragmatic viewpoint on justice and being an existentialist.

In the one-shot episode "Never Complete," although Near is willing to oppose Kira, he refuses to go directly against the American government because Near lives in the United States, the country where the Death Note was acquired. Near observes, however, that it would be difficult for the United States to use the Death Note freely if the whole world knew it was in the possession of the American government.

While L uses the Old English Text MT/Cloister Black font for the text "L", Near uses the Wedding Text BT/ClerestorySSK font for the text "N" to represent itself.

Near displays far more emotion and exhibits far more facial expressions in the manga than in the anime. For example, when the SPK members were killed around him in the anime, Near maintains a stern expression, but in the manga he becomes visibly disturbed. (However, in the anime, it's possible he was genuinely affected by the SPK members' deaths, as he began reprimanding Light for handing over the notebook immediately after their deaths, whereas Near immediately afterwards acknowledged that, given the circumstances Light faced, anyone would have handed over the notebook.)

Tsugumi Ohba, the writer of Death Note, said that Near becomes less likeable as the story progresses, citing the plan to reveal the notebook at a later point in the story. Ohba added that Near's cheeky behavior, intended to reinforce his childishness, was interpreted as irritating. The author said that a negative reaction led to a change in attitudes and that people may have seen Near as a cheat or an imitator of L.

In the one-shot post-series chapter, Near demonstrates great respect for L, basing much of his approach to solving crimes on L's methods, to the point of only accepting cases that personally interest him, rather than seeking justice himself. Like L, Near exhibits several unusual mannerisms in his daily life. He is usually seen hunched over instead of sitting and also constantly plays with various toys, which he uses in his theories.

Near displays far more emotion and exhibits far more facial expressions in the manga than in the anime. For example, when the SPK members were killed around him in the anime, Near maintains a stern expression, but in the manga he becomes visibly disturbed. (However, in the anime, it's possible he was genuinely affected by the SPK members' deaths, as he began reprimanding Light for handing over the notebook immediately after their deaths, whereas Near immediately afterwards acknowledged that, given the circumstances Light faced, anyone would have handed over the notebook.)

Tsugumi Ohba, the writer of Death Note, said that Near becomes less likeable as the story progresses, citing the plan to reveal the notebook at a later point in the story. Ohba added that Near's cheeky behavior, intended to reinforce his childishness, was interpreted as irritating. The author said that a negative reaction led to a change in attitudes and that people may have seen Near as a cheat or an imitator of L.

In the one-shot post-series chapter, Near demonstrates great respect for L, basing much of his approach to solving crimes on L's methods, to the point of only accepting cases that personally interest him, rather than seeking justice himself. Like L, Near exhibits several unusual mannerisms in his daily life. He is usually seen hunched over instead of sitting and also constantly plays with various toys, which he uses in his theories.

Character Near is very intelligent, although his childlike appearance and behavior might lead others, such as David Hoope, to question his abilities. He has an obsession with solving complex problems and approaches an investigation like solving a puzzle. He is extremely observant and was once seen assembling a jigsaw puzzle that was almost entirely white. He is proficient at multitasking and can monitor multiple computer screens simultaneously. Near also appears to be ambidextrous, throwing darts with his left hand and stacking dice with his right.

Despite his genius-level abilities, Near has little social skills and difficulty interacting with others. As stated in Death Note 13: How to Read, "he can only demonstrate his true deductive power when he has the support of his companions." The book also states that Near is distant from people because he is sensitive. Near is quite codependent, as seen when he asks Rester to accompany him on his flight to Japan because he has never traveled alone.