In 2007 a Light Novel was published in Japan based on the movie L: change the WorLd, which was itself a Spin-Off of the popular Death Note franchise. The novel in itself is pretty short, with only a total of 188 pages.
It's an alternative continuity to both the main Death Note series and the film it was based on. The story centers around L and his last 23 days on earth and twenty-two days to save the world from a terrorist group called Blue Ship whose main goal is to purify the world by killing off most of humanity with a deadly virus.
Tropes:
- Alternative Continuity: Basically it is a continuity similar to the manga, but with the alternate ending of "The Last Name" film.
- Big Brother Instinct: L to Maki. See Papa Wolf below.
- Bittersweet Ending: In line with the Foregone Conclusion, L dies, but he dies happily knowing that Kujo's Heel–Face Turn has inspired her to use her intelligence for good after she atones for her crimes, that Maki is safe and will use her determination and kindness to fight for a better world for all, that he'll see Light once he crosses over to the other side, and that Watari would be proud of him.
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Both K and Matoba
- Children Raise You
- Eco-Terrorist: Has the most extreme version, with a group called Blue Ship who want to kill off most of humanity with a supervirus in order to save the environment.
- Foregone Conclusion: L will die in the very end.
- Gambit Pileup: At one time, there are at least four people with different agendas, with L, Blueship, Surega, Kujo, Maki, etc.
- Gambit Roulette: Misa accidentally writing the wrong date for Rod Ross's death and L using this to his advantage.
- Like Brother and Sister: The novel stated that L and Maki's close friendship is not just any type of friendship; they are like siblings.
- Mythology Gag: There are a few references to the original work and the movie:
- L revisits the Yellow Box Warehouse, where he meets Blue Ship for the first time.
- Rod Ross gets a passing reference, whose name is written down by L himself. However, considering that Rod Ross isn't his real name according to the manual, a reader might actually figure out
that L didn't really kill him. - Matsuda does the fake falling death he did in the Yotsuba Arc in a similar way, except in a gambit where he is pretending to be Surega, Surega posing as L, and with a fake Death Note.
- L hides things inside potato chip bags and even lampshades "Nobody would think that anything important would be inside a bag of potato chips" when Maki comments on it. He also mentions that he doesn't eat Consumme flavor chips.
- Papa Wolf: Played straight with L.
- When Maki went missing and got kidnapped, L went into full blown Papa Wolf mode and is ready to kick some Blue Ship ass.
- Towards the end of the novel L addressed to the president that if he doesn't promise to make a better world for the children technically "he" will not hesitate to use the Death Note.
- And L for the first time completely loses his composure and calm attitude: when Maki is kidnapped by Blue Ship, L breaks down and screams toward the sky .
- Pet the Dog: Misa genuinely cares for Maki like a sister.
- Ship Tease: L is (more or less) ship teased with both Light and Misa. Much to the delight of the shippers....
- Stalker with a Crush: L to Misa. His fanboy crush is pretty cute at first but then it slowly starts to get creepy.
- The Ditz: Subverted. When Kujo first meets Surega, she acts like she didn't know about the FBI. Zig-Zagged when it is revealed that Kujo is K.
- The Man Behind the Man: Kujo hijacks Mosuba's plan.
- The War on Straw: No, this is not the argument of the Green movement... Nor is this why anyone supported Kira.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Blue Ship's goal is to kill off most of humanity in order to save the environment. Kujo takes advantage of this.
