LogFAQs > #931051774

He's not really "Justice" as much as he is "Vengeance". There is a distinct difference.

It's also worth remembering that he's not omniscient, which means he isn't punishing people who are legitimately guilty, as much as he is punishing people he believes are guilty, which is a HUGE difference. Especially when he starts to go power-mad and his definition of what constitutes guilt and how much evidence he requires to justify it changes.

And then there's the fact that his name is "Kira", which literally means "killer". He's not "Justice", or "Judge", or anything else that indicates you should sympathize with him if you understand the context. He is literally just a serial killer who uses justice as the smoke-screen behind which he hides. He's literally called out for this in the story itself.

His entire story is basically a parable of how "Power corrupts" - or, if you prefer, how power reveals what was buried inside the entire time. Light is an honor student who seems to be a perfect citizen... but Kira is essentially a monster that cannot be restrained by guilt, shame, law, or responsibility. Kira is what you get when all of the chains are off and true nature is revealed.

Light/Kira is no better than the people he kills. In many ways, he's worse. That's the entire point.
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"Wall of Text'D!" --- oldskoolplayr76
"POwned again." --- blight family