CHARACTERS : The odd but brilliant L, played by Kenichi Matsuyama.

The odd but brilliant L, played by Kenichi Matsuyama.
The brilliant detective L is played by Kenichi Matsuyama, the co-star of the hit film NANA, also a manga adaptation. Part of what makes L who he is, is his appearance. The character himself is very eccentric, and extremely peculiar in his movements. He sits in his chair a certain way, eats only sweets, and tends to hold things in the most awkward of ways. This meant that the actor would have to constantly be in highly uncomfortable positions, which could prove to be taxing on the body. Kenichi Matsuyama not only succeeds in resembling L physically, but also in his gestures and movements. The small things like the way in which he sips his coffee, or tucks his legs in on a chair, create an interesting if not thoroughly engaging character. What has driven him to this social awkwardness? Much of Matsuyama’s acting is vocal as well; L does not make an appearance on the screen until past the halfway mark. In this regard, he is just as successful. Kenichi Matsuyama does an excellent job in completely embodying what L is.