A light guiding plate may have a light reflection face with at least one brightness enhancement recess that allows light having the optical distribution of a planar light source to be supplied toward the LCD panel. A brightness concentration recess may be formed in the light output face to concentrate the brightness. The brightness enhancement recess may include light diffusion recesses. The light guiding plate can obviate the use of a diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, or a reflection plate from a backlight assembly.