 Mello, whose real name is Mihael Keehl, grew up in Wammy's House, an orphanage for intellectually gifted children, and is one of two potential successors to L — the best detective in the world. When L dies, it is proposed to him to work with Near, the other potential successor, to find L's murderer, a criminal dubbed "Kira". Mello rejects the proposal, citing their bad relationship and different personalities. Then, he leaves the orphanage and joins the Mafia. Aware of a Death Note — a book that allows anyone to murder individuals just by knowing their faces and names — in Japanese police's possession, Mello abducts its director; Kira, however, kills the director. Afterwards, Mello proceeds to kidnap Sayu Yagami, the daughter of the police's vice-director, Soichiro Yagami; Mello succeeds in obtaining the Death Note this time.
