Ichiban Kuji Death Note 2: Near and Mello Get Figures, Landing January 2027
Bandai Spirits has announced Ichiban Kuji Death Note 2, a second lottery for Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's landmark thriller, confirmed for a January 16, 2027 rollout in Japan at 850 yen per try. Revealed on August 24, 2026 — a date fans quickly noted lines up with Near's in-story birthday — the sequel kuji hands its two headline figures to the successors who inherit L's legacy: Near and Mello.
If the first Death Note Ichiban Kuji in late 2025 was built around Light Yagami and L, this follow-up reads like the natural next chapter. It moves the spotlight to the second half of the manga, and for collectors that shift is the whole appeal.
Near and Mello take the top prizes
According to the reveal, Near arrives as the C prize, a figure standing roughly 16cm tall, posed in his trademark slouch on a caster chair, one hand toying with his hair. Mello follows as the D prize at around 13cm, seated with an unmistakable air of arrogance. Both sculpts are said to recreate poses drawn from the original manga's cover illustrations — the same design language that shaped the first lottery's Light and L figures, giving the two runs a consistent shelf presence when displayed together.
Choosing Near and Mello as the marquee figures is a pointed decision. The pair only emerge after L exits the story, splitting his role between cold logic and reckless ambition, and they rarely get the figure treatment that Light and L enjoy. For long-time fans, a proper Near-and-Mello set is genuinely overdue.
What collectors know so far
Bandai Spirits has confirmed the framework but is holding back the finer details. Here is what has been announced:
- Release: January 16, 2027 (sequential rollout in Japan)
- Price: 850 yen per draw
- Lineup: prizes graded A through I, plus a Last One prize and a Double Chance campaign
- Figures shown so far: Near (C prize) and Mello (D prize)
- More info: the full prize lineup is expected to be detailed around October 2026
The A and B prizes have not been revealed yet, which leaves room for speculation about whether other characters — fans online have floated Misa Amane or Teru Mikami — might join the roster when the complete lineup drops.
Why this one is worth watching
Ichiban Kuji runs are single-shot, region-limited events: once the tickets in Japan sell through, the figures move straight to the secondary market, and character-specific prizes like Near and Mello tend to climb fastest because they are harder to complete as a matched pair. The Last One prize — awarded to whoever draws the final ticket in a shop — is typically the hardest piece to find later, so it is worth tracking once its contents are announced in October.
Death Note's steady popularity nearly two decades on means demand rarely cools, and a lottery aimed at the manga's back half gives newer collectors a reason to start a shelf and veterans a reason to fill a gap. Either way, it is one to plan for rather than chase after the fact.
Start your Ichiban Kuji shelf at Akibato
Ichiban Kuji figures ship from Japan and sell out fast, so the smart move is to build the habit before the next big lottery lands. Browse Ichiban Kuji prizes at Akibato to see what's in stock now, or explore the wider anime figures collection if you're hunting for display-ready pieces to sit alongside a future Near and Mello set.
Sources
- Famitsu — Death Note Ichiban Kuji 2 announced for January 2027 with Near and Mello figures
- Denfaminicogamer — Death Note second Ichiban Kuji confirmed, prizes A to I plus Last One
- Inside — New Death Note Ichiban Kuji reveals seated Near and Mello figures
- Dengeki Hobby Web — Ichiban Kuji Death Note 2 launches January 16, 2027