Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Death Note and The a-Kira Story.
Responsible for bringing open bigotry and buffoonery back into the mainstream, former president Donald J. Trump has inspired a mountain of caricatures devoted to parodying his erratic behavior, ranging from TV comedy skits to newspaper political funnies. However, characters based on Trump have also shown up in unexpected types of media, such as anime. In fact, rumor has it that a character akin to the corrupt politician and businessman appears in the recent one-shot Death Note sequel The a-Kira Story.
It’s not difficult to imagine a character like Trump fitting neatly into a story as bleak and cut-throat as Death Note (or its sequel, to be precise). So, is it true that someone like the former president pops up in The a-Kira Story, and if so, what is his role?
Donald Trump’s role in The a-Kira Story
In Death Note sequel The a-Kira Story, a character who closely resembles Donald Trump enters the scene as the greedy, dishonest, and cowardly president of an alternate United States. In the story, he tries to buy The Death Note held by protagonist Minoru Tanaka, who has decided to sell the deadly supernatural notebook for a hefty price instead of using it himself.
However, before The a-Kira Story‘s U.S. president’s deal goes forward, he discovers some information that changes the game. Although his monetary offer to Japan through Minoru is accepted, he backs out of the arrangement upon finding out that completing the move will prove personally fatal. It just so happens that The Shinigami King (otherwise known as The King of Death) has made a brand new rule, stipulating that whoever buys or sells a Death Note will die as soon as the purchase has been finalized.
That being said, the Donald Trump look-alike is informed by messenger Ryuk that he has the option of sacrificing his life and allowing the vice president to use The Death Note in his stead, thus still securing a powerful weapon for his nation. Despite being offered this option, he ultimately backs out of the agreement, unwilling to put himself on the line.
In the end, the president decides to spread the lie that he has indeed secured The Death Note for his country, albeit with no plans to use it. After congratulating him for concocting this deception, Ryuk leaves with the notebook still in tow, concluding the Donald Trump-based character’s role in The a-Kira Story.
