What do you think about Yagami Raito from Death Note? Is he a protagonist or an antagonist?

Question

I'm very sorry to say this - just in case that there are a lot of Raito fans here - but I really really really really HATE Raito!!

I know that hate is a strong word,but I can't help it,he is too evil to be a human,and I'll never forgive him for killing my precious L!!!!

I HATE RAITO!!!!

Answer 1

A very rare lead character indeed for this brilliant anime/manga. And i fully agree to everything you have said. It's nice to read a Light hate rant from a girl.

In his own little egotistically brillant way. He thinks of himself as the protagonist. Punishing criminals in his own way to make the world a safer place. But the truth of it is that he'll kill anyone who either gets in his way or might ruin his plan to make his uptopia. He even was going to plan on not only killing his father but his own sister at one point. His sister, which is totally innocent. And to me along with alot of you would agree that that would make him an antagonist.

But this isnt the first time that a character like this has come to light. There's a show on FX called "The Shield". The lead character is named vic mackey. And he is a dirty cop with a heart of gold in some ways. Always trying to cover up his involvements with certain drug gangs but at the same time he not only does his job as a regular cop, but helps out some prostitutes and at one point, battered women. He covered his tracks up to a point where he killed a fellow cop just because he was undercover to foil vic's operation. To me. Light Yagami is an anime Vic Mackey in this sort of way. But unlike Light. I actually like Vic.

Even though i want to hate Light for what he has done. The story to death note just makes you want to watch him try to get his *** out of another situation up to the very end.

Answer 2

I think he is an antagonist for killing people, but he is still the main character, and drawn in a way that wants people to see him as a protagonist in the series. Either way, he's still the main character. I don't really like LIght or Raito much either. He has no reason to kill innocent people along with criminals. that Bastard! >=(

Answer 3

I think he plays alittle of both. He plans starts out noble *atleast to me but I agree that there are some people that should be dead adn the world would be a better place* then he becomes a bit psycho and starts killing innocent people.

I'm a Light fan girl though so my opinion is biased :P

Answer 4

antagonist of course, killing everybody who stands in his way.And he doesn't even kill criminals for the sake of the others, in the anime,he says he wants to rule over the world... all he does is actually for himself. Led by a noble cause but actually murdering for world domination, that doesn't seem like a positive character to me.