Light Yagami, the main character in the anime series "Death Note," handles conflicting desires and motivations by using his intelligence, cunning, and strategic thinking. Throughout the series, Light is constantly faced with moral dilemmas and conflicting goals as he tries to rid the world of criminals using the Death Note while also maintaining his own sense of justice and righteousness. He often manipulates others and uses deception to achieve his objectives, but ultimately struggles with the consequences of his actions and the toll it takes on his own humanity.