TOUTA MATSUDA
TM
Matsuda is the youngest and most openly emotional member of the Japanese Kira task force. He is often impulsive, eager to prove himself and noticeably less experienced than officers like Soichiro Yagami or Aizawa, which makes him an easy target for jokes inside the group. That does not make him useless. Matsuda's unauthorized infiltration of the Yotsuba Group becomes dangerous almost immediately, but it also gives the investigation valuable information about the new Kira. He is also one of the few investigators willing to admit that Kira's killings have changed crime and public behavior, even while rejecting murder as justice. By the final confrontation, Matsuda's faith in Light and the Yagami family makes the truth hit him with particular force.
TOUTA THROUGH THE ARCHIVE //
YELLOW BOX WAREHOUSE: THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN //
Open page →The Most Trusting Task Force Member Pulls the Trigger
After being exposed, Light still has one familiar option: a concealed piece of Death Note paper. He tries to write Near's name with the fragment hidden in his watch. Touta Matsuda sees what he is doing and shoots him before he can complete the move.
Why it matters
Matsuda has spent much of the investigation wanting to trust Light and wanting Kira questions to have simpler answers. When the truth is finally undeniable, he is also the person who reacts fastest to stop Light from killing again.
