Rem
From Death Note
Rem is the Shinigami in Death Note who gave Misa Amane her Death Note and stayed in the human world to protect her. Unlike the amused Ryuk, Rem genuinely cares for Misa and distrusts Light Yagami. She is voiced by Kimiko Saitou in Japanese and Colleen Wheeler in English.
About Rem
Rem is a Shinigami who gave her Death Note to Misa Amane and stayed in the human world to watch over her. Unlike the amused, detached Ryuk, Rem genuinely cares for Misa and warns Light that any harm to her will be answered. Her feelings make her a rare emotional Shinigami, and a dangerous weakness that a careful planner can turn into a weapon.
Appearance
Rem is a tall, skeletal Shinigami with a bone-white, almost mummified frame and long, bandage-like strands hanging from her head and shoulders. Her face is softer and more human than Ryuk's, with gentle features that fit her unusually emotional nature. Markings run across her body like stitched patterns, and she moves slowly and gracefully, more guardian than ghoul.
Personality
Rem breaks every stereotype of her kind: where most Shinigami are detached and bored, she is thoughtful, honourable and capable of real love. She keeps her word, thinks carefully before acting, and watches over Misa with something close to a mother's protectiveness. She sees through Light completely and tells him so, if Misa is harmed because of him, Rem will kill him, whatever it costs her.
Background & Story
Rem witnessed a fellow Shinigami, Gelus, break the deepest law of their kind: he used his Death Note to save a human he had fallen in love with, a young Misa Amane, and died for it, leaving only his notebook behind. Rem took that notebook and gave it to Misa herself, then stayed in the human world to watch over the girl. Finding Misa devoted to Light Yagami, Rem makes her terms clear to him directly: she will cooperate, but Misa's safety comes before any plan of Kira's.
Powers & Abilities
- The Death Note: Rem carries her own notebook and the one left by Gelus; a name written by a Shinigami kills a human, but a Shinigami who kills to save a beloved human dies in turn.
- Shinigami Eyes: Like all Shinigami, Rem always sees every human's real name and remaining lifespan above their head.
Key Relationships
- Misa Amane: The girl Rem protects above all else; she gave Misa a Death Note and watches over her as Gelus once did.
- Light Yagami: Misa's beloved, whom Rem openly distrusts, she cooperates with his plans only for Misa's sake and warns him of the price of betraying her.
- Ryuk: A fellow Shinigami whose detached amusement at the Kira game is everything Rem is not.
Quick Answers
Why does Rem care about Misa?
Rem watched the Shinigami Gelus die to save Misa and inherited his feelings of responsibility for her. She gave Misa Gelus's notebook and chose to stay and protect her.
What happens if a Shinigami saves a human?
It is the one true taboo: a Shinigami who uses the Death Note to extend a beloved human's life dies immediately, turning to dust.
Who voices Rem in Death Note?
Rem is voiced by Kimiko Saitou in Japanese and by Colleen Wheeler in the English dub.
