My Reasons

You know, it's really easy to hate Near. I've always been a Mello & Near fan, and I had a hard time picking a favourite, but I always tended to lean towards Mello- after all, it's really easy to hate the prodigy. Near always seems to have things easier, and being one of the few survivors of the series, he tends to get a great deal of hatred directed towards him. However, the more I reflected on Near's character, the more I grew to loved him. He's incredibly smart and logical, but he is not afraid to make mistakes. Whereas some may consider him more sloppy than L, I consider him more ambitious and self-assured. Rather than binding himself to his own moral code, he does what is best for the majority, and in the end it was his methods that won. While he seems cold and detached, it is clear that he is very passionate about many things.

In the end, I can confidently declare that Near is my favourite character from the series. I can't think of anything that I don't like about him- he has many faults, but these all contribute to the amazing character that he is. Near started out as half of L's replacement, but he truly carved a unique place for himself, and I have to respect him for that.

I have always wanted to make a Near shrine to go along with my upcoming Mello/Near tribute, so when Amber offered me his fanlisting, I couldn't say no. I'm very excited to get to share my thoughts on him, and hopefully show people that he is more than just L's successor.