20 Years Later: Why the Death Note Potato Chip Scene Still Makes Us Laugh!

In “Death Note,” there are numerous instances where Light’s God-like tendencies, L’s eccentric genius, and their mental chess games captivate us. However, these intellectual battles between these two prodigies occasionally shift into a more playful, humorous dynamic that leaves viewers in stitches due to the overly dramatic tension. A memorable instance of this comical relief, which still amuses fans today, is the iconic potato chip scene from Episode 8, titled “Glare,” in the series.

In my perspective, I’m observing a fellow, pretending to be an earnest scholar engrossed in late-night studies, yet secretly concealing pages from the Death Note within a bag of crisps. His overt attempt at multitasking exudes a level of silliness that is almost comically exaggerated. A Reddit user named u/Its_Flipbook_Time sparked an engaging discussion on the Death Note potato chip meme, with many appreciating the animated performance in this particular scene from the English dub. However, beyond its meme-worthy charm, this scene serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative. It marks Light and L’s initial confrontation, though it occurs through a camera lens. The scene humorously underscores how Light’s overconfidence will lead to his undoing, foreshadowing his eventual fate at the conclusion of the series. Meanwhile, Light is engrossed in his act, but L’s silent brilliance has already detected flaws in his seemingly flawless narrative.

Death Note Potato Chips. This never gets Old
byu/Its_Flipbook_Time inanime

Setting The Death Note Potato Chip Scene

By the eighth episode of “Death Note,” Light Yagami’s character has significantly changed from the upright high school student we initially meet in the series. He’s evolved from someone who kills solely criminals into an individual ready to eliminate anyone standing against him and his notion of justice. To date, he has killed over a dozen FBI agents, murdered Raye Penber, and manipulated the Death Note to make Naomi Misora, Raye’s fiancée, take her own life. At this stage, it’s evident that he is increasingly embracing the “God of a new world” role he aspires to achieve.

Nevertheless, the villain of the series, L, complicates their plans significantly. With minimal information at his disposal, this brilliant detective manages to piece together the puzzle, narrowing down Kira’s identity to just two families: the Yagami family and the Kitamura family. To test his theory, L secretly installs 64 cameras in Light’s private space. However, Light is a cautious genius who has set up a homemade security system. Subtle signs like a paper strip, a lead pencil in the hinges, and an oddly angled doorknob alert him to potential intrusion. And with Ryuk hinting that he’s under observation, Light understands he can’t afford to slip up.

If Kira doesn’t kill anyone under L’s surveillance, there’d be a valid reason for L to keep doubting Light. However, if Light were to murder someone while L is observing, he would have undeniable evidence of his wrongdoing. The situation becomes more complicated because Light can’t search for the cameras himself, as it would raise L’s suspicion. Therefore, he devises a clever strategy, exploiting Ryuk’s fondness for apples to make the Shinigami locate all 64 surveillance cameras instead.

The Death Note English Dub’s Birth of an Iconic Anime Meme

Subsequently, Light moves on to phase two of his scheme: committing a murder as Kira without arousing suspicion from the Task Force monitoring him. To accomplish this, he conceals a small television within a bag of snacks, along with a page from the Death Note, and proceeds to his room for study. His intention is to watch the news, jot down the name of an arbitrary criminal on the covert Death Note page, and behave as if he’s merely preparing for exams. This strategy, he believes, will mislead the Task Force.

The situation is unquestionably critical. The task force is closely watching Light, who is well aware that even one mistake could lead to his exposure. In the midst of this intense atmosphere, Light, in a moment of humor, pulls out a solitary potato chip from the bag and utters the famous line, “I’ll have a potato chip… and eat it.” However, what makes the potato chip scene so amusing isn’t just the setting and dialogue; it’s the way it was delivered.

The leading comment states, “I watched this only yesterday,” expressing admiration for the impactful scene that unfolds when Light simply says, “I’d like one potato chip, please.

In another comment on the Reddit discussion, someone shares, “Since I initially watched Death Note with a dubbed version, it seems strange and unsettling to me hearing Light speak in Japanese now.

Due to its widespread sharing on YouTube and various social networks, along with ongoing conversations about its distinctive presentation in English, it’s evident that even the seemingly silly parts of the show have an exceptional ability to be remembered.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but be captivated by scenes that go beyond the spoken dialogue in the English dub. It’s the intricate background details and the dynamic action of the moment that truly grab my attention. One comment from another fan even highlighted an especially epic scene: “The side hallucination of Ryuk was quite a spectacle in its own right.” There’s so much to take in beyond Light’s emotive performance.

Tetsuro Araki, as director, made the ordinary task of Light eating a potato chip appear like a thrilling action sequence by skillfully employing close-ups, rapid movements, and slow motion. It seemed as if Light was disarming a bomb with every move he made, while in the background, a choir dramatically sang out the names of his upcoming victims. To add to the absurdity, Ryuk could be seen struggling with apple cravings in the backdrop, his discomfort serving as an extra layer of humor to this already over-the-top scene.

2025-02-03 23:40

Setting The Death Note Potato Chip Scene

The Death Note English Dub’s Birth of an Iconic Anime Meme

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