Death Note has made quite a splash for Viz, but it’s nothing compared to the title’s popularity in Japan. The Mainichi Daily News writes a love letter to the twisty thriller and its growing cottage industry, and offers some interesting tidbits in the process:
“Mystery surrounding ‘Death Note’ has been compounded because [author] Oba’s true identity has been kept totally secret, even down to gender, with Tsugumi a name that can be used by either men or women.”
And…
“Also essential in the success of ‘Death Note’ was the attraction it received from bloggers. Blogging had only started to catch on in Japan when ‘Death Note’ began its run in December 2003. As the series continued, bloggers led the feverish online discussions about the manga.”
And…
“NTV has already decided to make an anime version of ‘Death Note.’ This winter, Konica Minolta Digital Entertainment will release a ‘Death Note’ video game. A tribute album comes out this month… Ishin Nishio, a writer known for producing gripping, suspenseful thrillers, is also due to come out with the novelization of ‘Death Note’ in August.”
A tribute album? Awesome.