The Leaked Death Note Game Can Turn the Franchise on Its Head with One Change

The curiosity around the leaked Death Note game continues growing as fans try to figure out what it’s about. According to reports, it’s called Death Note: Killer Within and Bandai Namco is allegedly the publisher. The genre and scope are still under wraps, but its unique story opens up a lot of possibilities.

Death Note revolves around Light Yagami, an intelligent student who obtains a Death Note and uses it to kill criminals in Japan. He has also adopted the nickname “Kira,” which was given by the authorities to the mysterious serial killer responsible for the mass deaths. It’s possible that the leaked Death Note: Killer Within might feature Light and include events in the manga and anime, but it could also turn the franchise on its head by introducing a new protagonist.

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Death Note: Killer Within Can Introduce a Successor to Light Yagami

Death Note has always featured Light and other popular characters, such as renowned detective L and model Misa Amane, in its adaptations. Some have also taken creative liberties with certain characters and events to make the adaptations stand out, but projects like Netflix’s live-action Death Note adaptation weren’t received well.

With Death Note: Killer Within supposedly in development, many are expecting to see the usual cast, possibly in a new light, depending on how the game’s story will go. While it would be cool to play as Light navigating through school and eliminating injustices, Death Note: Killer Within could feature a brand-new character who’s following in the footsteps of the original Kira.

Longtime Death Note fans know that Light dies at the end of the manga and anime, and that his shinigami Ryuk takes back the black notebook from his former master. After the events of the original series, there have been special one-off sequels featuring Kira’s successors, namely Minoru Tanaka (also known as A-Kira) and an unnamed character simply known as C-Kira. Both protagonists have different motives: A-Kira didn’t want to use Ryuk’s Death Note, so he auctioned it off with a new rule stating that the seller and buyer would both die; while C-Kira uses Midora’s Death Note to provide euthanasia to those who ask for it. Unfortunately, both protagonists died in their respective stories before reaching the same level of notoriety as Light’s Kira did.

Name	Codename	Shinigami
Minoru Tanaka	A-Kira	Ryuk
Unknown	C-Kira	Midora

It’s also been established in the franchise that there are multiple shinigamis with Death Notes, including Rem, who delivers Misa’s notebook. It would be interesting if Death Note: Killer Within features a never-before-seen shinigami trying to find their own Kira, who might use their newfound power to change the world for better or worse. This would be a great premise for a possible choice-based mechanic for Death Note: Killer Within, which would open the doors for different endings depending on how players would build up their version of Kira.

Setting the Stage for a New Generation of Death Note Fans

It’s been over 20 years since the Death Note manga first came out, and over 15 years since the anime, but the franchise has endured thanks to its thrilling cat-and-mouse story and its many adaptations. Light, L, and Misa have been well-loved mainstays in every adaptation, but it’s also clear that the franchise has moved on. Apart from the Kira successors, Near is also taking over L’s mission of investigating the Death Note killings.

Death Note: Killer Within could be a great start in introducing a new Kira who could surpass Light’s reputation. The only question left is if this version of Kira will be the beloved Messiah that Light dreamed of becoming, or be just as ruthless, if not more, as their predecessor.