ComiPress reports that parents and teachers in China are up in arms about the popularity of Death Note and students' use of notebooks inspired by the hit shonen manga series.Produced by a Chinese toy manufacturer, the notebooks feature the Death Note logo, images of Light Yagami and Ryuk the Shinigami (characters from the manga), and instructions in English and Chinese on "how to kill people" by writing the intended victim's name in the book, just like in the comic. According to one student interviewed by the Shenyang Night Report,
"Many of my friends have Death Note. When they are tired of studying, they have fun by writing down the names of teachers they don't like."
Several schools in Shenzhen have banned the Death Note books, calling them "a poison that creates wicked hearts." However, some Chinese newspapers and psychologists have defended the book. They contend that parents and teachers are overreacting and stifling creativity. Even the school kids interviewed say that it's just for fun. "The whole killing thing is fake, everyone knows it's not real," said a student.
Is Death Note really a threat to students, or is it another case of adults fearing the ideas and images in manga? Check out our review of Death Note Volume 1 and our Death Note image gallery and judge for yourself.
Image: ©Shenzhen Daily
Comments
It seems the chinese are strict about the death note? Here in japan we don’t make such a big deal out of it? I always thought the chinese were weird and unusual.
Its just for fun. If it was real then it would be a problem.
Well thats stupid, everyone knows its not real.
Death Note is a simple game to most children, they do for fun and as a simple stress release, it is not like they go out and beat people with the note book.
it’s just a juvenile stress outlet…
Most of the fuss was made by ingnorant people . It’s just some fun the Idea is a stress outlet to make you feel less bad about something . I did it once and my friends always are doing it . ^_^
lol us chinese dont hate death note, only the government is strict, but sites like this are saying that death note is banned in china, but there are still death note videos and forums on chinese websites so im kinda confused xD