At a certain school, a group of boys gathered around, discussing:
"Did you watch Death Note last night? It was so intense!"
"Right? The way Light forced the Shinigami to write L's name—I never saw that coming."
"Speaking of which, do you think L actually died?"
"Definitely. If he hadn't, Rem's sacrifice would have been for nothing, right?"
"He's probably dead, but I feel like he must have left some contingency plan, something to prove Light is Kira."
"I wonder what kind of plan it will be. I'm so hyped for the finale!"
"Yeah, it all depends on how they wrap it up in the last episode."
On the internet, discussions about the Death Note animation were even more heated:
"The previous episode was already amazing, but the twenty-fifth episode was even more incredible."
"It's getting more intense as it goes on. The question is whether the final episode can stick the landing. If it does, it'll be a masterpiece. But even if it doesn't, the first twenty-five episodes alone guarantee it'll be a classic."
"I knew the Male Lead wouldn't be easy to deal with, but I never expected L to die before the final episode. Ah, I really liked L."
"It's unavoidable. No matter how brilliant L is, he couldn't have predicted Rem would kill for Misa. The Male Lead's move was just too divine."
"True, he couldn't have predicted it. But I'm curious about what L said when he was wiping Light's feet: 'We'll be separated soon.' Does that mean he already sensed his own death? Or did he already have a complete plan to expose Light as Kira, but the Male Lead's final move beat him to it?"
"With only one episode left, L must have some hidden ace up his sleeve. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense."
"Could this ace be related to the Male Lead's father? After all, he still needs to get his Death Note back. That seems like the only possibility."
One of the advantages of original animation is that, apart from the production company, no one knows what will happen next.
Death Note is the kind of anime with a plot so compelling that it easily sparks widespread discussion.
The twenty-fourth episode had already achieved high ratings and discussion, but the twenty-fifth episode surpassed it in both metrics.
Under these circumstances, the final episode was eagerly awaited by everyone.
Some even went online to search for "What is the ending of Death Note?", despite the fact that the ending hadn't been released yet and the anime, unlike adaptations, had no original source material.
As discussion and hype intensified, DVD sales surged.
If the DVDs hadn't been so expensive, fans might have bought them all up.
Of course, this was also because the late-night animation scene between 2000 and 2001 had few rivals. The truly dominant works were long-running manga adaptations, which animation companies produced and television stations licensed for prime-time broadcasts to boost viewership and enhance their influence.
The long-running, adaptation-based animations all followed a conventional, heroic style, completely different from the dark, unconventional style of Death Note. They posed no real competition.
If there were no other DVDs to buy, fans who truly loved Death Note would likely be willing to spend money on the discs without hesitation.
Inside the president's office at L.S Production.
When the twenty-fourth episode aired, Lin Zhiyan hadn't paid much attention to audience reactions. But by the twenty-fifth episode, he couldn't ignore them.
After all, while the first half of the twenty-fifth episode was almost identical to the original version in another timeline, the second half diverged significantly.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized no one seemed to have noticed the discrepancies and were instead eagerly anticipating the final episode.
The DVD sales figures delighted him. If this trend continued, the final average sales per volume might actually reach 25,000.
This was just the initial sales figures. In a few years, they could release a later version, and if Blu-ray discs ever became popular, they might even create a special collector's edition. With both initial and later releases combined, it's not impossible to reach an average cumulative sales of 30,000 units.
While breaking through the "masterpiece wall" might be difficult, it's possible to double the cumulative average sales of the original Death Note animation from another timeline, which would be quite impressive.
Now, it all comes down to the final episode.
If the final episode also holds steady, then this Death Note animation they've produced will far surpass the original from the other timeline. At that point, both its achievements and the audience's reception should be even higher.
Of course, "holding steady" is relative. There's nothing more they can do now. The final episode has already been completed and submitted to the television station, awaiting broadcast. All they can do is wait silently for it to air and see how the audience reacts afterward.
Knock knock~
A knock came at the door.
Lin Zhiyan looked up and saw Nanase Mayumi.
Although they had already been intimate, their relationship remained unchanged in the workplace. Everything continued as before, except that outside of work, Nanase Mayumi became even more clingy with Lin Zhiyan. She frequently visited his home and occasionally brought him an extra portion of food when she brought lunch to the office.
Since it wasn't lunch break or the end of the workday, her arrival at this time must mean it was work-related.
With this thought, Lin Zhiyan asked, "Mayumi, what is it?"
Nanase Mayumi entered Lin Zhiyan's office and walked over to his desk. She glanced at his computer screen and immediately lost interest when she saw he was browsing online reviews of the Death Note animation.
She averted her gaze and said to him, "Senior, the celebration party for the Death Note animation is all arranged. Should we send out the invitations now, or wait until after the final episode airs?"
After all, there was still one final episode left. While the celebration would definitely be held after the last episode aired, sending out invitations now would feel like popping champagne halfway through the party.
After a moment's consideration, Lin Zhiyan replied, "Let's release it the morning after the broadcast."
"Okay."
Nanase Mayumi responded, then added, "The company is recruiting new employees this Sunday, and you'll be personally conducting the interviews. Don't forget to clear your schedule."
"Understood," Lin Zhiyan nodded.
He had also personally conducted the interviews during last year's recruitment drive. At the time, the company had just been established and lacked any notable works. To the outside world, it seemed on the verge of collapse, and they had relied solely on generous compensation to attract applicants. Although many people showed up for interviews, they still failed to recruit any truly promising talent.
Now, with Death Note as their flagship work, the company should attract far more applicants. This time, they should be able to recruit some high-potential talent.
Still, everything depended on the final episode ending perfectly.
Even Lin Zhiyan found himself looking forward to the animation's final episode.
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