This is the third time I have had to upload this lol I hope it works! Let me know how you guys like it!

Another amazing aspect of Death Note's exposition is that since it is a thriller, many of these info dump enlighten the receiving character--and the audience--to higher stakes and consequences they have been thrown into. I've seen a lot of anime battles, but few moves have been as inspired as L blandly telling Kira that the "worldwide broadcast" as really only in Kanto, Japan and Kira just played himself. The God Kira just went from "anyone on Earth" to "some guy in the Tokyo metro".

This anime is definitely a top tier one, the fact that the trap Light set up gets explained in full detail but never comes into play is amazing. It plants a seed in your mind that it MIGHT come into play but it doesn't, it's just something Light did due to him feeling the need to take care of every possibility.

This show is like a chess match, every move must be carefully calculated

The first scene is also great cause it serves as L's introduction to the audience. Up to that point we're seeing light as a genius so by having L not just outsmart him but take all the information he wants out of him the series shows how big of a deal this L guy really is. He outsmarts Light to the point of making him look like a clueless idiot in comparison

Is "I'll take a potato chip... and eat it!" considered exposition?

There's no massive fights, power tripping, or dramatic power-ups. It's all a battle of the mind. So these things are necessary.

Another reason I remember hearing about why all the exposition is so interesting is because it doesn't follow the rule of conservation of detail. usually if someone explains an elaborate trap, you can be assured that someone will fall into that trap later. But so many things in Death Note are set up and explained, but never have any impact on the story. Normally that would be horrible writing, but it serves a dual function of showing us just how genius and ahead in planning the two leads are, and keeps us in the dark as to exactly which traps will be set off, and in what ways. I remember in the Firefly episode "Ariel" I knew right away that the heist was going to go wrong because they explained beforehand exactly how they were planning on pulling it off. You only know it's going to go perfectly if they don't tell you the plan.

Death note's exposition was always so satisfiying

I love the video. Something I would add is that because Death Note revolves around intellectual battles, the action in the story is often a war of words. This is part of the reason the exposition is so exciting. It involves characters making their moves, shoving their success in their opponent's face, and then the retaliation and ramifications afterward. Consider the scene where Light and L are at the cafe and L shows him the photos where the prison inmates had strange behavior before death. On the surface it is exposition, but it is actually L trying to prove Light's guilt by tricking him into revealing something only Kira would know. This war of words has tension due to Light's (and the audience's) fear that L might succeed in exposing him.

bruh light started talking in english and I kinda just froze bc I was NOT expecting that

When he said Death Note's a classic i aged 40 years

Anime does this so much. Proto: does a new random attack Everyone: whoa what was that!? Mentor on the sideline: *smirks* he just combines this and that and twirled it by resonating it with his own power, thus causing a negative reaction to those who it touches. That's why it's dangerous to both others and himself. 😂😂😂

I'd like to point out this form of exposition is pretty common in Mystery novels, Agatha Christie takes a lot of advantage of it. Seeding the hints across the novel then summarizing it with an exposition reveal that ties it together.

I'm a simple man. I see an analytical video of Death Note, I click.

"I will take a potato chip... and EAT IT!" Best explanation ever.

That concept of creating curiosity so that the audience asks for exposition is why the Gravity Falls episode, "A Tale of [spoilers] [spoilers]" is so effective.

Chernobyl is another show which structures exposition after the curiosity event. The audience waits until the final episode to get explanation about how the reactor exploded.

This makes me curious about why info dumping is done so poorly in a lot of movies. I'm guessing it's probably not as simple as "have stuff happen, explain later". Maybe it's easier to not even try to create curiosity in the first place and just give exposition first? It seems that a movie like star wars wants to have some mystery and scifi, but it's actually only an action movie that doesn't arouse any curiosity. At least that's how I feel about the newer star wars movies. It's all a marathon of mindless action.

I always said that death note sounds and feels like a colabaration between Christopher Nolan's writting and Stephen king's writting. And its clear with the way the series wrote His exposition.

Better Call Saul does this really well, except without the exposition part. A scene will play out, and you'll have no idea what's going on. Some character is throwing shoes on a wire? Or maybe they are putting money on a toy truck? It's never explained why at the beginning, but you follow along watching it unfold and then it will click, and you'll suddenly understand what's happening without anyone ever needing to say a single word.

As highly as I think of the first half of "Death Note", I also think this series had one of the hardest falls from greatness in anime. Light and L had some incredible battles of wits in the beginning, from the humorous tennis scene, to the scene where L reveals his identity to Light face-to-face- which normally would seem like suicide but in context is actually a brilliant strategic move. But later in the series' run the rules and loopholes of the Death Note got continually more complex and the scenarios and deductions became more convoluted and harder to follow. Instead of brilliantly exploiting a simple set of rules it began to feel like deus ex machinas pulled out of thin air. The creators of the "Death Note" manga would go on to create another series called "Bakuman", which centers on a writer and artist trying to create the most popular manga in Japan. One of the central conflicts in that series comes when creators want to wrap up their current manga and start a new project: the Shonen Jump magazine traditionally doesn't allow a manga to end while it's still popular, even if the story has reached a natural conclusion. And so creative teams usually have to keep slogging on as their manga die a slow death, since the only other option is career suicide. I have no proof, but I can't help but wonder if there was some leftover frustration from "Death Note" poured into that.

This video changed the way I think about exposition. I guess I'll just watch it again!

*Tries to upload to KZfaq* KZfaq: DELETE!

Infodump is exposition done wrong, it's basically when information is forced to the audience on its own with no emotional effect at all. Answering mysteries isn't infodumping, it's actually an entertaining kind of exposition.

It just hit me that The Promised Neverland does this type of info dumping, too.

I just watched Tenet a few days ago and I was thinking about how much exposition dumping there was and this just popped up in my recommended. I was always curious why after 4.5 minutes of dense ass explanation, Death Note never felt boring

“this is the event that arouses curiosity, we can call this the curiosity event” *creativity*

This whole show is pretty much info dump ASMR if you think about it. Not too many people completely absorb what light or L or anyone else is talking about, but for some reason the delivery of information is incredibly cathartic to hear.

So, basically the Boruto's Dad model. 1 minute action->5 minutes of talking about the action.

Death note🔥🔥🔥...one of the best animes. Soo much awesomeness and intelligence

1) that wasn't L Kira: Okay that was clever... 2) this wasn't global broadcast Kira: ... You still have no idea... 3) also I know you killed a suspect in Shinjuku Kira: OH HELLL NAW! RYUK: 10 chuckles out of 10. Would drop a note again

If there isn’t one already, there could easily be a text-based spy vs spy kinda game about finding a Death Note...

I feel like this is why the exposition and dramatic lines in The Dark Knight work so well. We’ve seen what Joker is capable of, so it hits closer to home when Alfred says “some men just want to watch the world burn”

This is often how heist stories are structured, making Death Note more like a heist with very few characters than any other thriller or mystery.

I've recently written a Star Wars fanfic and I'm truly glad to learn that I subconsciously already knew this rule, my story had a lot of exposition dumping and I consider myself lucky to have found the correct places to do it without slowing down and making it really boring

There's many cases in Death Note where a character is explaining things to himself, which really works because it's an anime and they can have long inner monologues like that, but in live action it would seem a bit out of place.

Megamind steps out in front of a video screen "PRESENTATION!"

7:08 "...Curiosity Event. And speaking of curiosity, this video is sponsored by CURIOSITY!"

In college I had a Creative Writing Prof who had a great way of explaining the whole exposition-curiosity scenario as "the bear at the door", so your video gave me another way of thinking about that guidance. Thanks!

Great video on how Death Note manages its exposition! It's also important to note that the show always provides just enough context BEFORE the curiosity event as well. In the example with the bus-jacking, the audience is first made aware of Light's overall goal - to find the name of the person tailing him. Then, the curiosity event takes place. Finally, we are hit with the full exposition dump. Before the curiosity event, the audience doesn't need to know the exact details of Light's plan, but we do have to know WHY he is doing all this.

I always think of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie and the scene were Mr. Gibbs tells the story how Jack was betrayed when I think of great exposition. Kevin McNally's great performance is a big part of the reason it's interesting but, like Death Note, the audience was curious about the relationship between Jack and Barbossa before that point. The scene gave us information we wanted.

I could watch you talk about Death Note for hours

I wish I could erased death note of my memories so I can researching again and get the full experience

Sometimes the exciting stuff happens before exposition, so I don't get impatient waiting through exposition for exciting stuff to happen.

I might not have watched the full anime, but at least this could help greatly for many writing styles out there from many different ppl. Thanks as always for being the best of the storytelling advice channels out there, and putting so much effort into these videos so that the topics you mention can be widely understood as clear as possible.

Great analysis of the writing, new sub! I think there is a lot that goes into the direction, editing, and the use of music to also make info-dumps entertaining, coherent, and emphasize the tone and stakes of a scene as well as the characters that inhabit it. Big credit to Tetsurō Araki and Studio Madhouse

I think another great example of exposition being used properly is The Matrix. There’s a ton of it but, by making us, the audience, ask questions, when we get the answers , it’s fascinating and satisfying.

I remember seeing this when it first aired. Holy shit dude, it's been blocked for that long?!?! Mad props to your work and dedication, this is a great video and definitely within fair use.

Oh shit watching this immediately in case it gets blocked again this is the best surprise

love that you used this method directly in this video

Amazing video. I really hope you do dialogue dive for some of the conversation between light and 'L'

I've been waiting for you to take a look at this amazing anime. Thank you! :)

great video! this is absolute gold for screenwriting

PLEASE MAKE MORE DEATH NOTE VIDEOS! Your analysis is unparalleled ❤️

THIS VIDEO PUT INTO WORDS WHY I LOVE DEATH NOTE SO MUCH

Only read the manga, tried the anime but preferred the manga. It was phenomenal. Good vid

My favorite things in media are when there's the whole relevation of how everything falls into plan (Death Note, Count of Monte Cristo, the Ocean's 11 and 13 endings

This is a great video! Love death note and writing. Very helpful.

This is genius and a great video. Super helpful for me as an aspiring writer

Finally, I've been wanting to watch this video!

It's just really cool and engaging. The suspense, the music. The stakes and Light and L are just such great characters and the situations that happen in these scenes are always so creative. Ryuk is fun to

"It's the questions we can't answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he'll look for his own answers." Pat Rothfuss

Great video king, I love this. Helped teach me a lot

The third example is still a good way to deliver exposition, because of how it's written it gives you a better sense of how Light thinks things through very thoroughly.

Is it weird that I rewatched death note at least 7 times during the pandemic? I just enjoy it too much and notice or learn new things to it everytime. I know I need help.

What's great is that this works even better in the manga, since you're able to take your own time understanding what's going on and absorbing every detail. That's one of the many reasons why Death note is not only my favorite anime (followed by Monster, FMAB, and CG), but also it's my favorite manga :)

Just found your stuff, great content man, I plan on binging more of it ^-^

Now you've got me feeling proud of myself that at my first time attempting to write a book I inadvertently followed McKee's exposition format :3

Death Note, a text book example of how to make exposition interesting

Underrated channel. Y’all gonna blow up big time

How about why do we love attack on titan,s Info-Dumping ?

I'm gonna watch it again just because your vids are so damn good

Interesting analysis! Loved it.

Death note has so many twists I love it

This video was incredibly helpful.

Ima a newbie writer and I love your channel thanks for it. Really.

A clear cut example of events and exposition

The most amazing thing is that they managed to apprehend and expose a culprit which had a sole letter L included in his name. And at the insanely good time.

I thought I saw this video before but idk it’s like the third time I can remember watching it...😏

My favorite anime of all time, this video was great man

Tbh I don't like info dumping in movies bc all they do is just explaining blah blah blah then show it happening bc iT iS nEcEsSaRy FoR tHe PlOt, with no prior past event. But ah in the death note the info dumping is so satisfying bc it's totally opposite than the usual. For example when light was testing the "4mins and 30secs cause of death" thing he first do tests on the criminals then explains it later to give us the context and information. At that moment, we all already know and seen that things happening. What we wanted is just an explanation and it was so so satisfying when that moment comes up. That's why I always say, DEATH NOTE is a MASTERPIECE.

This is a great video. I remember when I first discovered death note I completely devoured it. One of the best stories in modern history.

Watched this multiple times. Very interesting!

Ahh I just love Death Note so much. It's so freaking good.

Another great video!

It's so helpful. Thanks.

I love for death note exposition. This is show and tell at the same time.

I just started re watching death note today😂😂 great video

Take this and think about Chernobyl's exposition in episode 5. So masterfully done.

Timothy Zahn uses very similar expositional structures.

Damn. Gotta rewatch.

I can't get over Misas terrible life She deserved better Rip my second favorite death note character

I love your insight on everything. Could you do something for fullmetal alchemist?

This was my first and is my favorite anime

when you said “dying to take a look” i was like: haha bad jokes for the win 😂

When the story drops exposition BEFORE arousing curiosity; 5:50

Love this!

OMG, I was not crazy! This video appeared in my feed an it interested me, but I was busy at that time. And later when I was looking fo it to see it I could not find it. But finally. OMG

Imo,death note is the best psychological thriller anime.But i still feel sad becoz classroom of the elite didn't get a proper anime adaptation.The anime director puts too much fanservices and plot holes while making the anime.It could be my no.2 psychological thriller anime if it stay faithful to the light novel.