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.