The world is plagued by violent crimes, thefts, and murders, while the afterlife inhabited by death gods is a dull and unchanging gambling den. Light Yagami, a resourceful 17-year-old Japanese student, and Ryuk, a sadistic god of death, agree that everything around them is corrupt. To amuse himself, Ryuk tosses his Death Note into the human world. Light stumbles upon it and initially scoffs at the first rule: whoever's name is written in this journal will perish. However, he is ultimately tempted and decides to test the Death Note by writing the name of a criminal, which leads to their unexpected and violent death. Realizing the immense power and responsibility that comes with the Death Note, Light adopts the moniker "Kira" and vows to rid the world of wrongdoing by executing evildoers. The cunning detective L is already hot on Kira's trail, and as Light's intellect matches or even exceeds L's, their cat-and-mouse chase becomes a battle of wits that can only end once one of them succumbs to death.