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Why didn't L check Yagami Light's handwriting and try to match that to the handwriting in the Death Note when he had the notebook?

Aki Tanaka
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tahsin
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    I don't remember if it's explicitly stated, but I believe Light had forseen it and deliberately used a handwriting different from his ordinary one. It's not that difficult, really, though it impedes writing speed a bit. – Mints97 Apr 03 '15 at 18:17
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    @Mints97 That wouldn't be something unexpected. Now if only you had a source... – BCLC Oct 14 '15 at 23:58
  • I read that Light removed the pages on w/c he wrote. So Higuchi got a blank death note – BCLC Oct 15 '15 at 01:10
  • Of course it won't match because in death note he rights with his left hand and in simple he rights writes his right hand... – Cyber King Mar 02 '17 at 07:44

3 Answers3

7

L had foreseen that the handwriting could be faked. Actually, handwriting comes up later in the story:

One of Near's subordinates created a fake Death Note containing the names Mikami had written. Mikami didn't notice this since the fake book had "his" writings in it. L, being someone on a greater level than Near, would have thought that Kira might have faked his own handwriting so that just in case the Death Note falls into the SPK's hands, his handwriting won't be used as evidence. Therefore, he didn't even bother trying to check Yagami's handwriting.

Also, handwritings are not that distinguishable from one and another. It is very likely for some people to have the same or similar handwriting.

As a side note, we can try to do a similar experiment by showing someone we know our handwriting using our non-dominant hand. I practiced this before and the person didn't notice that it was me writing it, despite knowing my usual handwriting.

BCLC
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絢瀬絵里
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    With regards to handwriting being similar, handwriting evidence is admissible in court. One paragraph-worth of handwriting is enough to have a 95% identity guarantee. Light wrote a lot more than one paragraph worth in his note :) – Madara's Ghost Apr 13 '15 at 14:34
  • @MadaraUchiha So you disagree with Toshinou Kyouko and think the handwriting stuff in Death Note is a plothole? – BCLC Oct 14 '15 at 22:22
  • @BCLC No, L may very well have suspected that Kira faked his handwriting. – Madara's Ghost Oct 15 '15 at 06:58
  • @MadaraUchiha So 'kira' may have faked his/her handwriting to frame Light Yagami? – BCLC Oct 15 '15 at 07:13
  • @BCLC For instance, yes. – Madara's Ghost Oct 15 '15 at 07:13
  • @MadaraUchiha what else explains how the handwriting in the notebook matches light's exactly besides the names Higuchi wrote? – BCLC Oct 15 '15 at 07:14
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In addition to what Sakurai said, there were also times in the show where L thought that Light could have been manipulated by Kira, so it would have been in Light's handwriting anyway. He already practically knew that he was involved with Kira in someway or another, but at that time in the show, he theorized that Kira had cut ties with him, so it did not matter if it was his handwriting or not.

Community
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Raxon
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After handing over the Death Note to Rem in the plan to free Misa out Light says (chapter 54):

enter image description here

In other words, he tore the pages out and checked there's none of the fingerprints or his handwriting, so it's no surprise that L didn't check out the handwriting since there weren't any other names written beside Higuchi's.

All though it didn't mentioned in the anime, it's unthinkable that Light would missing do such an obvious thing.

USerNAme
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  • I find it weird that Light could somehow completely wipe out all traces of physical evidence, but eh at least it was mentioned. – BCLC Oct 12 '20 at 08:25