 The character of Mello was created , along with Near , to break the endless cycle of confrontations between the detective L and Light Yagami , the persona behind Kira . Both Mello and Near were designed after L , and were initially envisioned as twins and sons of L. Ultimately , this idea was dropped , with their designs switched compared to the original concept . He is voiced in the Japanese anime series by Nozomu Sasaki and in the English adaptation by David Hurwitz . Merchandise has been created for the character , including plush dolls and action figures . Mello has received mixed commentary by manga and anime publications . 
