Is the Creator of Death Note, Tsugumi Ohba, Smarter than L and Light?

Comparing the intelligence of Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of Death Note, to that of the characters L and Light (Light Yagami) is an intriguing thought experiment. Ohba is an accomplished writer who crafted a complex narrative filled with intricate plots, psychological depth, and strategic mind games. The intelligence of L and Light is portrayed through their exceptional deductive reasoning, strategic planning, and psychological manipulation within the story.

While Ohba's intelligence is reflected in his ability to create such smart characters and compelling narratives, it's not directly comparable to the fictional intelligence of L and Light. Essentially, Ohba's intelligence is rooted in real-world creativity and storytelling, while L and Light's intelligence is a fictional portrayal of genius within their universe.

On one hand, L and Light often make accurate deductions and intelligent decisions in very short amounts of time, not to mention while under stress. Light’s carefully constructed answers formulated in mere seconds, while talking to L, serve as an excellent example of this. However, it is highly unlikely that Ohba's writing process allowed for such rapid, structured thinking. He probably spent hours writing, checking, and rechecking his dialogues to ensure their accuracy and cohesion.

Deeper Analysis

On the other hand, the writers had to craft L and Light's thoughts and actions in a way that would shape the story as he wanted it to be. For instance, Light had to make critical mistakes like killing Lind L. Taylor to show L that Kira was in the Kanto region. Similarly, Light had to decide to kill the FBI agents to give L the suspicion that Raye Penber was investigating the right targets. There were numerous situations where L and Light could have made smarter decisions, but the writer wanted the story to reach a thrilling point where L suspects Light directly and Light still emerges victorious.

Creators of Death Note: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

It is important to note that there are two key creators of Death Note: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. While Ohba created the story and the character of Light Yagami, Obata was responsible for the art and design of the character L. Even when they work separately, it is evident that they both contributed to the essence of Light and L through their respective art forms.

Detailed examples of their work include titles like Bakuman and Platinum End from Tsugumi Ohba, and Hajime and Adidas from Takeshi Obata. However, both creators have a distinctive style of drawing characters that resemble Light and L, showcasing their shared vision.

The Role of the Creator

Ultimately, the creator of a story is undoubtedly more intelligent and creative in terms of storytelling and narrative crafting. If Ohba were not as smart as he is, we would not have had the captivating narrative of Death Note. However, while the characters within the story may appear to possess a level of intelligence that the creator might not personally achieve, they are precisely the way the writer has crafted them to drive the plot forward and maintain reader interest.

In summary, Ohba is likely more intelligent in terms of storytelling and creativity, while L and Light are depicted as geniuses within their fictional realm. The creators have a unique role in shaping the narrative to achieve specific goals, which is different from the raw intelligence displayed by the fictional characters.