Touta Matsuda stands as the youngest and least experienced member of the Japanese Task Force pursuing Kira, securing his police position through undisclosed nepotism. Colleagues like Shuichi Aizawa and L frequently criticized his initial impulsiveness and naivety, viewing him as an investigative hindrance. Yet Matsuda repeatedly displayed unexpected bravery and resourcefulness in critical moments. He successfully infiltrated the Yotsuba Group under the alias Taro Matsui, gathering vital intelligence before faking his death to escape. He later volunteered as live bait to expose Kyosuke Higuchi as a Kira proxy, accepting extreme personal risk without hesitation. Matsuda's precise marksmanship proved crucial multiple times; he disarmed a mafia member by shooting a Death Note from his hand non-fatally, and later prevented Light Yagami from killing Near by shooting a pen from Light's grasp during the warehouse confrontation. His character was further defined by conflicted views on Kira: while duty-bound to capture Kira, he openly acknowledged the reduction in global crime rates under Kira's influence and expressed sympathy for followers he believed had noble intentions. This internal conflict coexisted with deep loyalty to Task Force leader Soichiro Yagami, whom he viewed as a mentor and father figure. This devotion erupted into rage when Light disparaged Soichiro's death, driving Matsuda to shoot Light multiple times. After Kira's defeat, Matsuda continued his career in the National Police Agency. A year after Light's death, he publicly contested Near's methods, theorizing Near manipulated Teru Mikami via the Death Note to ensure Light's downfall, drawing colleague skepticism attributed to lingering fondness for Light. In the "Never Complete" one-shot, he recklessly interrupted a live Sakura TV broadcast during Minoru Tanaka's Death Note auction, urging citizens to reject Kira's power and warning purchasers of arrest, resulting in disciplinary reassignment to desk duty. Within the film "Death Note: Light Up the NEW World," he joined a new task force a decade later to confront multiple Death Note wielders, ultimately dying in a trap set by Kira successor Yuki Shien. Matsuda's personal connections profoundly shaped his actions. His pre-revelation admiration for Light Yagami bordered on idolization, contrasting sharply with his profound sense of betrayal afterward. His bond with Soichiro Yagami extended beyond professionalism, occasionally manifesting in familiar terms like "dad." He also briefly harbored romantic feelings for Soichiro's daughter, Sayu Yagami, though she rejected him due to their age difference and parental disapproval. These relationships, combined with documented low self-esteem and a willingness for self-sacrifice, underscored his complex motivations throughout the Kira investigation and its aftermath.