

As the internet knows, in "How To Use" XXXVI, the following rule is stated:
"There are male and female gods of death, but it is neither permitted, nor
possible for them to have sexual relations with humans. The gods of death also
cannot have sex with each other. "

Now, this rule isn't to prevent romantic interaction, as a shinigami can be in
love and act like it, he will only die when he steps in to save his love
interest. In other words, love isn't forbidden, purposefully saving lives is.
No, the obvious would be that this rule addresses breeding. Nobody wants half-
shinigami running around in either worlds. Or at least, the shinigami king
doesn't.

But if something is not possible for a shinigami, why is it also forbidden?
It's a pretty awkward catch: in humans (and supposedly also in creatures as
sophisticated as shinigami, who have a culture and a personality) sexuality
goes way beyond reproduction. We guys in the human world have hundreds of ways
to spend a steamy hot night without actually doing the deed. So what is
"sexual relation" supposed to mean? Here are the two options that seem obvious
to me, but neither feel entirely satisfying.

1) If "sexual relations" are both forbidden AND impossible, can a shinigami
behave as lewd as he wants, with humans or peers, since none of it can be
called "sexual relationships" (they're impossible) therefore everything sexual
he does is by default allowed? (In which case, the interdiction would only
exist in case it somehow became possible for shinigami to get laid, I guess?)

2) Or, is the rule twisted/badly worded, and implies that intercourse is not
possible but also that all and any sexual behaviour is forbidden, despite
being completely feasible? If that was the case, it begs the question why this
rule exists in the first place, since it won't cause any offspring. That would
also be the first time a Death Note rule is so imprecise and ambiguous.

The whole question could be dismissed by saying that shinigami just won't be
interested in it in the first place, but I ruled it out, given how diverse
their personalities are and how much some of them like to mess with humans in
every way possible out of sheer boredom _am I right_.

Both solutions seem problematic. Is there any info out there that I missed, or
any thinking I got wrong? Thank you a lot for helping me solve this mystery.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-07T23:48:50.910
42218
2017-11-28T10:45:28.160
35532
question
death-note
In Death Note, how far could "sexual" interaction go with a shinigami before it broke rule XXXVI?


I think that some of the meaning of the rule is lost in translation. Trying to
translate the rule myself using my limited Japanese based of [the wiki
image](http://deathnote.wikia.com/wiki/Rules_of_the_Death_Note?file=Rules_XXXVI.jpg)
I came down to ( _feel free to correct me if I am wrong_ )

> There is a male / female in the god of death,  
>  Human book point descendants with humans are not allowed or impossible,  
>  The death god Same as above does not mate.  
>

Which implicates _OR_ rather then _AND_ leaving the ambiguity. But also
explicitly states _descendants_ and not specifically _sexual relationships_.

But lets assume the translators know better what they talk a bout then I do.
In that case I would assume that the rule covers the aspect of interaction
using genitalia being impossible, but other sexual relationships are also not
allowed.

Lets first take a look at the definition of [sexual
relationships](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sexual%20relations)

> **Sexual relationships** : Interactions involving sexual behavior with
> another person, or other people including, kissing, petting, humping, making
> out, sex, anal sex, oral sex, rimming, t bagging, fucking, licking, hickeys,
> sucking.

Reading through these, lets assume that relations which requiring the
genitalia are _impossible_. All though this never is explicitly stated, the
rule does some what insinuate this.

This would leave us with things such as : Kissing, petting, humping, making
out, licking etc.

A Shinigami does have a mouth, hands and perhaps a tongue. Quite a few of
these _sexual relationships_ remain possible to the Shinigami, without actual
_intercourse_ or chance of creating demi-god off-spring.

So if we interpretation it in this way, it would make sense to cover the
broader aspect of _sexual relationships_


CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-29T10:04:46.337
42536
2017-09-29T10:04:46.337
1458
42218
answer