The Task Force In Death Note

The Task Force is the primary organization searching for Kira. The Task Force is created by Ryuzaki after he deduces that Kira is in Japan and is the only organization within the country that is searching for Kira. The existence of the organization is not made public, and the names and personal information of all of the members are kept secret. After Ryuzaki's death, Light Yagami heads the organization and begins operating under the title of L.

L Lawliet 

L Lawliet, known as L, is an enigmatic, mysterious and highly-esteemed international consulting detective, whose true identity and background is kept a secret, communicating with law enforcement agencies only through his assistant, Watari, who serves as his official liaison with the authorities. Though his past is shrouded in mystery, he has gained a reputation as arguably the world's greatest detective/criminal profiler. Throughout the series, he observes and spies on the activities of Light Yagami, a high school genius. L attempts to expose Light as the infamous serial killer Kira, who is responsible for massacring high-profile criminals worldwide through apparently supernatural means.

Light Yagami 

Light Yagami is the main protagonist of Death Note. He is portrayed as a brilliant but bored genius who finds the Death Note, an otherworldly supernatural notebook that allows the user to kill anyone by knowing their name and face, after it is dropped by the Shinigami Ryuk. Frustrated by the status quo of a world he deems to be rotten, Light uses the Death Note to kill those whom he deems morally unworthy of life, masterminding a worldwide massacre as the vigilante Kira. Over the course of his efforts to become the god of a world free of crime, Light is hunted down by a special task-force, headed by an enigmatic consulting detective known as L.

Soichiro Yagami 

Soichiro Yagami is Light's father and detective superintendent of Japan's National Police Agency. He initially leads the Kira investigation team that later joins with L. When L begins to suspect Light of being Kira, Soichiro is unwilling to believe his son would be capable of such a thing. After L's death, he is sent to retrieve the Death Note stolen by Mello by obtaining Shinigami Eyes and infiltrate Mello's hideout, though Light had planned for Matsuda to fill the role. He retrieves the note and learns Mello's real name, but is unable to kill him, and is instead fatally wounded. Because Light has given up his Death Note, making his lifespan visible above his head, Soichiro dies believing that Light is not Kira.

Touta Matsuda 

Touta Matsuda is the youngest member of the Kira investigation team. His alias is Taro Matsui. Matsuda has the drive to match the other members of the team, but his lack of experience sometimes hinders the investigation. He is described as a typical young man who is easy to get along with and feels very excited about trends and gossip. It is hinted that Matsuda has an inferiority complex regarding his detective ability, and many of his coworkers feel annoyed by his behavior. Matsuda's risky moves sometimes place him in danger, and his quick thinking sometimes aids the investigation. Matsuda initially befriends Light and believes that he is not Kira, but at the end of the series, during the final showdown between Light and the SPK, Matsuda, enraged and grief-stricken over Light's apathy in regards to his father's death and to stop Light killing Near, fatally wounds Light by shooting him repeatedly. This ultimately results in Light's death when Ryuk, realizing Light's loss, writes Light's name in his Death Note.

Shuichi Aizawa 

Shuichi Aizawa is a member of the Kira investigation team that leaves the team under the guise of needing to support his family because the Japanese police cut their funding (it is only after he leaves that it is revealed that L would have supported them had he stayed). Aizawa uses the alias Aihara to protect his identity. Aizawa returns after L's death, where he is one of the first to suspect Light of being Kira (although he continues to act compassionately towards Light until he is cornered, and goes mad), and helps contribute to his eventual defeat. He becomes the leader of the investigation team afterward.

Kanzo Mogi 

Kanzo Mogi is one of the most dedicated members of the Kira investigation team, but also one of the most reserved. Mogi rarely speaks, even when someone presents an opinion he agrees with. Despite this, perhaps even because of this, he is a particularly good detective. He is shown to be an excellent actor, becoming an excited and cheery manager for Misa on demand and in seeming contradiction to his usual demeanor. He appears to be fond of Misa, as is seen when he worries that Misa's comments about Takada could get her killed. The feeling is probably mutual, since Misa is happy to have him stay with her, and nicknames him Motchi. Mogi uses the alias Kanichi Moji to protect his identity.

Hideki Ide 

Hideki Ide is one of the few police officers who remain with Soichiro during the Kira Investigation. He initially leaves when he disagrees with L's methods. Ide later returns and plays a relatively minor role in the Kira investigative team. He helps coordinate their efforts and performs actions such as organizing a blockade of police cars to trap Higuchi. Later, after L's death, he rejoins the investigation, though he states that he only did so to be with Aizawa. Ide trusts Light more than any of the other Task Force members, except for Light's father.

Watari 

Watari is L's assistant, providing logistics to the investigation team. Before the team is formed, he is the only person who has seen L, and the only one capable of contacting L directly. Like L, he represents himself with an Old English "W" on computer screens. He is also a fatherly figure to L. On the surface, he is Quillish Wammy, a famous inventor and founder of Wammy's House, an orphanage for gifted children in Winchester, England. Watari is well trained in espionage and marksmanship. Rem kills Watari, along with L, in order to protect Misa.

Hirokazu Ukita
Hirokazu Ukita is a member of the Kira investigation team that is led by L. He is characterized as being young and brave and he smokes a lot of cigarettes. When Misa has Sakura TV broadcast a message from her as Kira, Ukita rushes to the station to stop the broadcast without any prompting by the rest of the team. Since Misa has the Shinigami Eyes, she kills Ukita as soon as he approaches the door.

Aiber
Aiber, whose real name is Thierry Morello, is a professional con man in the employ of L. He plays the role of Eraldo Coil, one of L's detective aliases, during the investigation of the Yotsuba Group. Aiber uses his initial "A", just like L, when communicating through computers. Aiber speaks many languages and uses many false identities. Supposedly he has a talent for using his good looks to convince women to pass information to him. Aiber enjoys life on the edge and his biggest thrill comes from conning people. Since he is a professional criminal, he is known solely in the underworld. After L's death, Light kills him using the Death Note.

Wedy
Wedy, whose is real name Mary Kenwood, is a professional burglar in the employ of L. She installs bugs in the Yotsuba Group's meeting room to secretly observe the group's weekly meetings. She does the same for Higuchi's car, allowing the team to watch his desperate attempts to kill Matsuda. Since she is a professional criminal, she is known solely in the underworld. Wedy uses her initial in computer communication; to avoid confusion with Watari (W), she deliberately uses the lowercase form, w. After L's death, Light kills her using his Death Note; Mary Kenwood dies in a motorcycle accident in Colorado.

Yamamoto
Yamamoto is the newest member of the NPA who only appears in the final chapter, Finale. He works as Matsuda's junior, and was seen troubled by Matsuda bothering him with going to a bar. Three years later, he can be seen in the same room with the rest of the team, albeit not belonging to them, as noted by Matsuda.