Nate River

Nate River, also known as Near, is a highly skilled detective who shares many similarities with the late L., both in his approach to investigation and his distinctive communication style. He leads the Special Purpose Police (SPK), a specialized unit in the United States created with the primary goal of finding and apprehending Kira. Throughout the narrative, Near's suspicions that Light Yagami is Kira manifest in both subtle and overt forms, including subconsciously mimicking L.'s speech patterns and analytical methods and deliberately sowing doubt within the task force regarding Light's innocence. He also becomes increasingly focused on uncovering Mikami and Takada's roles in the Kira case.

Near is highly intelligent, though his childish appearance and demeanor may lead others to doubt his abilities. He is obsessed with solving complex problems and views investigations as solving a puzzle. He is highly observant and was once seen assembling a jigsaw puzzle that was almost entirely white. He is a master multitasker and can monitor multiple computer screens simultaneously. Furthermore, Near appears to be ambidextrous: he plays darts with his left hand and stacks blocks with his right. Despite his genius, Near has poor social skills and is unable to interact with others. He can only demonstrate his true deductive abilities when supported by his teammates. Near maintains a detached demeanor due to his sensitive nature. He is quite dependent on others.

Near is a young, slender, fair-skinned man of short stature, with gray eyes and short, shaggy platinum hair that he often plays with. He wears only white, long-sleeved pajamas and gray pajama pants.

The younger of L's two successors, Near was raised at Wammy's House, a Watari orphanage for gifted children in Winchester, England. After L's death, Near begins investigating the Kira case, gathering evidence for four years. Near presents his findings to the President of the United States and reveals himself as L's true successor. Soon after, Near becomes head of the Special Kira Capture Unit and continues the search for Kira.