That's Not the Face of a Protagonist... The Unforgettable "Just as Planned" Smirk from "Death Note"

The meticulous plans orchestrated by Light Yagami (voiced by Mamoru Miyano) in the anime "Death Note" highlight the brilliance of the series. Many viewers were left astounded by his cunning, and the smug grin he flashed when things went according to plan was surprisingly satisfying, even if it was unbecoming of a protagonist.

L (voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi) detained Misa Amane (voiced by Aya Hirano) on suspicion of being the second Kira. Fearing that the secret of the Death Note might be exposed due to Misa's capture, Light instructed Jealous, the shinigami attached to her, to make her relinquish ownership of the Death Note. Furthermore, Light pretended to harbor suspicions about himself being Kira and suggested to L that he should be placed under surveillance. L agreed, leading to Light's confinement.

When both Light and Misa were detained and monitored, the punishments of criminals came to a complete halt. L became convinced that the two were Kira, but Light also relinquished ownership of the Death Note and lost all memories associated with using it. Subsequently, Light, appearing as if he had regained his sanity, began to claim that he was not Kira.

To support Light's claims, Kira reappeared elsewhere, and the punishments resumed. Under the condition that he would remain under L's watch 24/7, Light was released from confinement and began a life of pursuing Kira alongside L. However, all of this was part of Light's grand scheme to regain possession of the Death Note.

After Light and Misa relinquished ownership, Kyosuke Higuchi became the third Kira, only to be cornered and arrested by L and Light. Higuchi confessed that the murders were carried out using the notebook, which then fell into L's hands. As L was startled by the sight of a shinigami for the first time, Light seized the opportunity, exclaiming, "Ryuzaki, the notebook, please!" and snatched it.