Death Note

I recently started re-watching the Japanese animé 'Death Note.' This time around, because of the learning in class around sound and sound mixing, I noticed a lot more about the soundtrack and scoring of the programme. I will take the first episode as an example for a case study on sound in animation.

The first thing the viewer is greeted with is a minute and a half long introductory theme tune. This sets the tone for the rest of the show I find. It is fast paced, dramatic, contains a lot of varying rhythm and heavy instruments to create a dynamic, interesting sound. The lyrics are Japanese, setting the location for the action. The intro allows a time for an abstract, out-of-time sequence of images featuring the characters of the show in varying situations that they are not actually presented with throughout the plot. The intro theme plays again at the closing credits but without the accompanying animation this time.

Atmospheric sound is used throughout the entire show. An eerie, ethereal tone is set with the non-diegetic placement of choir-like voices singing. It sounds sombre and dramatic: exactly mirroring the mood of the plot line. There is also a hollow, whining sound employed at parts to the same effect. Sound FX are very appropriately and intelligently placed. They help to create a mood and atmosphere in each of the scenes. They focus the viewers attention to certain details, such as the whistling of the wind through a barren land. Voices have been edited in certain parts to make them sound like they are being transmitted through a radio or television, without having to show this visually. In some instances, the action slows down and the voices become echoed, to focus the viewers attention and signify an important part of the plot. There is nearly no part in the show that features complete silence, nearly every second is filled with background effects or atmospheric noise.

The music has three or four main themes that are played throughout each of the episodes of the show. they seem to be times to be placed at certain plot points in each of the episodes' story lines. At points early on in the story, there is an isolated 'plinking' piano sound played, as the storyline develops, to add tension. In montage moments of high dramatic tension, usually at the climax, a symphonic orchestral music plays coupled with choir noises, reminiscent of some of the music in 'Star Wars Episode I.' Although they do not feature in this episode, in other parts of the series we are introduced repeatedly to the same reoccurring themes. I have gotten used to them at certain plot points, and to expect something from their presence. For example, a piano piece called 'L's Theme' plays at points of resolution between, or within, characters.

For the first time, I watched the show with English dubbing, as opposed to the subtitles that I have watched it with in previous times. I much preferred watching the show with the original Japanese voices, as they were cast by the shows director and intended to be listened to. I felt that some element was lost in the dubbing process. the new English voices in some cases did not add up to the characters, in the case of 'L' for instance.