A calm and stoic character that appears in the second half of the
series. In the anime and manga versions, Near is a primary candidate to
become L's successor and calls himself N during the course of his
investigations. He shares a number of similarities with L. Much like
how L plays with things such as sugar cubes and forks, Near is
frequently shown playing with toys or hair, and he is constantly shown
sitting in an unusual manner. After L's death, he was asked to join
forces with Mello, who refused (it is explained that Near lacks the
emotional insight to beat L, while Mello is too emotional and
impulsive). Near then gained the support of the
Government of the United Statesand formed the Secret Provision for Kira (SPK). In the 'extra' manga
story, set after the end of the series, Near states that, while he
respects Light's drive for justice, he can never find his 'Kira'
actions excusable. His real name is Nate River. :In the film
L: Change the World L grants the name "Near" to a
Thai boy who is a mathematical genius; L intends for Near to succeed him.
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