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Death Note fandom primarily focuses on [[yaoi]] relationships within the series, especially between Light and L with a protagonist/antagonist rivalry that uses [[enemyslash]] and also builds on the similarities between the two characters, such as the way that their [[canon]] versions are often shown thinking nearly identical thoughts.

Death Note fandom primarily focuses on [[yaoi]] relationships within the series, especially between Light and L with a protagonist/antagonist rivalry that uses [[enemyslash]] and also builds on the similarities between the two characters, such as the way that their [[canon]] versions are often shown thinking nearly identical thoughts.

In rough order of popularity, the main yaoi [[ship]]s are [[L/Light]], [[Mello/Matt]], [[BB/L|B/L]], Mello/Near and Light/Mikami, the [[het]] ships are [[L/Misa]] and Light/Misa and there are no significant [[yuri]] ships.<ref> [http://web.archive.org/web/20140923150412/http://quizilla.teennick.com/polls/result/7853470/ Quizilla Death Note Pairings Poll] </ref> On [Archive of Our Own] [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/L*s*Yagami%20Light/works L/Yagami Light] is by far the most popular ship of the fandom with around 4,300 fics as of September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Matt%20%7C%20Mail%20Jeevas*s*Mello%20%7C%20Mihael%20Keehl/works Matt/Mello] on the other hand had only around 1,300 fics on Ao3 in September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Beyond%20Birthday*s*L/works Beyond Birthday/L] and [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*Yagami%20Light/works Amane Misa/Yagami Light] respectively had 284 and 668 in September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Mikami%20Teru*s*Yagami%20Light/works Mikami Teru/Yagami Light] had only around 200 works and [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*L/works Amane Misa/L] had ca. 160.  

In rough order of popularity, the main yaoi [[ship]]s are [[L/Light]], [[Mello/Matt]], [[BB/L|B/L]], Mello/Near and Light/Mikami, the [[het]] ships are [[L/Misa]] and Light/Misa and there are no significant [[yuri]] ships.<ref> [http://web.archive.org/web/20140923150412/http://quizilla.teennick.com/polls/result/7853470/ Quizilla Death Note Pairings Poll] </ref> On Ao3 [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/L*s*Yagami%20Light/works L/Yagami Light] is by far the most popular ship of the fandom with around 4,300 fics as of September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Matt%20%7C%20Mail%20Jeevas*s*Mello%20%7C%20Mihael%20Keehl/works Matt/Mello] on the other hand had only around 1,300 fics in September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Beyond%20Birthday*s*L/works Beyond Birthday/L] and [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*Yagami%20Light/works Amane Misa/Yagami Light] respectively had 284 and 668 works in September 2023. [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Mikami%20Teru*s*Yagami%20Light/works Mikami Teru/Yagami Light] had only around 200 works and [https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*L/works Amane Misa/L] had ca. 160.  

The Mello/Matt ship is the only popular ship where both participants are fully on the same side, and was almost unknown in the early days of Death Note fandom until it was popularized by [[doujinshi]] focusing on the pairing. This trend catapulted Matt from a minor canon character (only appearing in 18 panels of the original [[manga]]) to one of the most popular characters in Death Note fandom.

The Mello/Matt ship is the only popular ship where both participants are fully on the same side, and was almost unknown in the early days of Death Note fandom until it was popularized by [[doujinshi]] focusing on the pairing. This trend catapulted Matt from a minor canon character (only appearing in 18 panels of the original [[manga]]) to one of the most popular characters in Death Note fandom.

The canon Light/Takada pairing is almost entirely ignored by fans.

The canon Light/Takada pairing is almost entirely ignored by fans.

Yuri occasionally appears, mostly as Misa/Takada based on their rivalry over who should have Light, but sometimes a Misa/Sayu or [[Rem/Misa]] ship will appear or even [[Misa/Naomi]]. In terms of works on Ao3 the ship [[Rem/Misa|Misa/Rem]] is the most popular [[Yuri]] ship on Ao3. As of September 2023 it there were 183 works under the tag.<ref>https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*Rem/works Amane Misa/Rem works on Ao3</ref>

Yuri occasionally appears, mostly as Misa/Takada based on their rivalry over who should have Light, but sometimes a Misa/Sayu or [[Rem/Misa]] ship will appear or even [[Misa/Naomi]]. In terms of works on Ao3 the ship [[Rem/Misa|Misa/Rem]] is the most popular [[Yuri]] ship on Ao3. As of September 2023 there were 183 works under the tag.<ref>https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Amane%20Misa*s*Rem/works Amane Misa/Rem works on Ao3</ref>

===Canon Ships===

===Canon Ships===