One of the reasons why Death Note is one of the biggest anime series even after so long is the fact that, since the beginning, the series has introduced a new twist or turn in every episode. The mysterious psychological thriller, with the addition of supernatural entities, makes it one of the most successful pioneers of the anime industry.
The main credit for this goes to the writer of the series, Tsugumi Ohba, and the illustrator, Takeshi Obata. The combined effort of the two is the reason why Death Note is so great. However, even great creators like Obata have limitations. In an interview, Obata revealed the one problem in his art that he cannot control or solve.
Obata has stated that he is really bad at drawing female characters because he cannot understand them. Despite his incapacity to illustrate female characters, Obata managed to bring in some fantastic female characters for Death Note, the most notable of which is Misa Amane.
Takeshi Obata Admits That He Can’t Draw Female Characters
During the New York Comic Con 2014, the Comics Alliance got a chance to interview Obata and talk to him about his creations like Death Note, Bakuman, All You Need is Kill, etc. When asked about the one aspect that he loves or hates to draw, Obata revealed that he cannot draw female characters properly.
Obata stated:
“I’m really bad at drawing female characters. It’s difficult to capture their expression because I don’t understand them! Making them pretty and cute is the most difficult thing.”
According to the creator, he faces difficulty understanding their expressions, which is why he cannot draw them for his illustrations. He also pointed out that the most difficult thing about drawing female characters is making them pretty or cute.
However, Obata is not the first creator who finds it difficult to draw female characters. Popular mangakas like Gege Akutami have also confessed to their issues with drawing female characters for their manga, Jujutsu Kaisen.
Death Note Had One of the Most Underrated Female Characters
Despite having previously struggled with drawing female characters, Obata was able to introduce some of the most underrated female characters in anime history. The biggest example of this is Misa Amane. Although Misa is introduced a little late in the story, she still manages to leave an impression on the narrative and the Death Note fans.
The narrative of Death Note reveals that Misa Amane lost her parents. However, their murderer was killed by Kira; thus, Misa gets obsessed with Kira and helps him in all his endeavors, irrespective of the nature of these tasks. Obata was able to portray the obsessive nature of Misa brilliantly. Even though she gets a Death Note for herself, she still chooses to serve Kira.
Death Note had other female characters too, like Rem (Misa’s Shinigami) and Naomi Misora (the fiancée of agent Raye Penber), who played their roles brilliantly and, in one way or another, had a huge impact on the narrative of the series. Although there weren’t many female characters in Death Note, the ones who were presented had a significant influence on the story.
You can watch Death Note on Hulu and Netflix.
