8Bit/Digi

Demon D*** Swinging Action

Devil May Cry is an interesting game series with a unique tone and style set in a gothic, dark reflection of the world where Dante can look super cool while swinging his sword and capping demons. There’s also an extensive lore and a mega ton of family trauma added in, but those are the basic building blocks for a good time. Netflix took that foundation and made a new 8-episode animated feature that doesn’t represent the source material well, but still offers something cool. 

For those familiar with the franchise, this series blends elements from the games and manga, with a lot of inspiration being taken directly from DMC1 and DMC3 (because most people hate 2 and 4). This show sees the cocky demon hunter, Dante, and a badass soldier, Mary Arkham (a.k.a. Lady), in conflict with each other until it’s time to team up and stop the White Rabbit’s plans for releasing Hell on Earth. Things get extra complicated when the characters learn the truth about Makai (the Demon World), and the government’s full plans are revealed. 

This season starts fine, bombarding us with ego, action, and violence, but truly revs up like Nero’s Red Queen in the second half. The story attempts to expand on the world-building and mythology of the IP, just through the minds of Adi Shankar and Alex Larsen, more than the original creators. Many real elements are brought to the forefront, and Dante is forced to acknowledge the world he lives in, how humans might react to demons, or attempt to exploit otherworldly resources. It’s a different, current affairs type of approach to the material, using a Bush-era war setting that was developing when the game was released. 

Good fiction usually reflects the social issues occurring in reality at the time, but it also depends on how the creatives behind the production handle these discussions. These allegorical segments are blunt, with little attempt to be subtle – perhaps less they can’t be and more because they didn’t want to be, it’s hard to say – and quite predictable too, but stories are allowed to be straightforward or obvious and still possess good writing. People are quick to think of something as bad or lesser if they know how it’ll play out, and don’t want additional layers that vibe against their perceived tone of a certain property, even if the plot is still perfectly serviceable. This Devil May Cry anime is–well, it’s riding that line a little close. 

We still have what we need for a good time here – Dante, Lady, demons to kill, humans and demons to protect, people being badasses – though a large issue for some viewers is that the show focuses more on Mary and the world around Dante. He’s a target in the beginning, a means to an end in the middle, and becomes a key component closer to the end, just before it is (rightfully?) decided that he’s too dangerous to have on the board and recaptured (“I was frozen today!”). This path does take away some of his agency while helping push the story forward, at the cost of his not being center stage. I usually don’t mind this, main characters are often some of the most boring individuals when we focus too heavily on them. Many of the great Batman stories are about his villains, or have him figuring them out instead of the other way around. 

I enjoyed having more time with Lady, even if her character growth was pretty paint-by-numbers and stunted in the end. Sparda’s sealing of the realms feels like it has a little more weight, a tougher decision to balance protecting humans and what it did to his people. It made me want to delve into his psyche further, exploring choices that aren’t just black or white, getting past his simply being an absentee father. Vice President Baines is a cardboard bad guy who manages to come across as an interesting figure, even in his one-note crusade. Numerous aspects of the show piqued my interest, and I’d like to see if the limited groundwork laid here blossoms in the now-confirmed season 2. 

Tested by God, Badass by Blood

Dante is the quintessential badass anime protagonist with white hair, a sick red leather jacket, and a killer set of abs he loves showing off. It’s me, in an alternate world, where I don’t die trying to jog and learned how to put the cookies down. Here, he’s younger, more erratic, kind of a himbo, while still being incredibly cocky, powerful, and a little naive. He doesn’t know much about himself or his heritage and seems content to go with the flow. Dante isn’t stupid, per se; he’s just ignorant of some things that others have a much better idea about, and he can’t admit that, hiding his lack of knowledge and other insecurities with humor or powering through on unbridled confidence. This man wants to be a superhero, not part demon, and he’s got his own weird ways of dealing with that, which makes the character seem different from the games. I understand why some people are annoyed by him. This boy is extra and can be a bit much, needing to pull it back some, and please fix that demon form. 

Lady is a blast, just as skilled as Dante, but with advanced technology (anti-demon bullets, rocket boots, bands that pull her guns to her) over demonic strength. She’s quick on her feet, makes decisions, tricks her prey (like with the shapeshifter), uses a few nice one-liners, is kind of mean, and curses a ton. This was a problem for a lot of people, apparently? I like a woman who can express herself, why I married a foul-mouthed Brit. Lady also has a couple of vulnerable moments, even freezing up at times, so she still feels human. The best character, however, might be the series’ villain, the White Rabbit. I mean, he’s a cool-looking Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland-inspired giant rabbit in a nice suit with swords and bazookas. I’m not sure what else I need in a bad guy, but it helps that he’s got a neat backstory. This dude is still a problem, though; there’s no reasoning with a book-burner fueled by anger and conviction. His ending is sadly a little cliche, roiding him out on demon blood for the final battle, still, he was almost sympathetic and left me wanting more. 

The voice acting for most of the main characters is superb. Dante is brought to life by the wonderful Johnny Yong Bosch, who is no stranger to the series. In the games, Bosch portrays Nero, another protagonist, and I thought that might make things weird, but it only threw me for a little bit. Lady is voiced by Scout Taylor-Compton, who had a few deliveries I questioned, while nailing all the big lines and sounding like the perfect foil. Hoon Lee kills it as the passionate and dedicated White Rabbit, but I expect nothing less from a man who played Splinter in the 2012 TMNT cartoon. Finally, Kevin Conroy, our Batman, took a one-dimensional baddie in VP William Baines and elevated the character and his scenes with bass and intensity. Sadly, due to Conroy’s passing, Ian James Corlett (Mega Man, Transformers: Beast Wars) had to come in and finish some of the actor’s lines. Some other voices are more comedic relief, tongue-in-cheek, and they can be distracting. The biggest offense here may be Jon Gries (Napoleon Dynamite) as the Cowboy President, Hopper, but hey, at least one of my favorite AEW wrestlers, Kenny Omega, got a role here, too. 

Jackpot

I found the visual and audio presentations pleasurable, while understanding that this will be a huge mixed bag for others. The animation was handled mostly by Studio Mir, which many of us saw recently with their work on X-Men ‘97. We’re given some decent character models, a good mix of colors for a paler palette, and some wonderful action scenes that use movement and daylight extremely well. My favorite might be Dante’s motorcycle chase early on in the series, even if the visuals aren’t as gothic or flashy as some people were hoping for. I like that it has a bit of an early ‘00s feel (something we’ll see in the music also), but it embraces some of the bad parts as well: a lack of detail, slowing down in some parts, cutting corners, and some reliance on CGI for several of the monsters. Some of these aspects were distracting, but didn’t hurt the experience too much. 

This soundtrack was meant for me, well, for anyone who would have been at that age where their music tastes were developing when the first game came out. These are songs or bands that were popular at the time, stuff we all knew or could easily recognize from groups like Green Day, Rage Against the Machine, Papa Roach, Crazy Town, and Evanescence. Whoever compiled this list used to watch a ton of AMVs (Anime Music Videos) back in the day, most likely featuring Linkin Park and Dragon Ball Z (I’ll put money on that). There were also several tracks from the games, including a new version of Devil Trigger, though I question their placement in a couple of cases. The rest of the tunes were from Power Glove, rounding out a solid collection of music, even if some people are not going to be happy with their alterations to the original tracks. 

The intro was certainly a choice, as it featured a different art style and Limp Bizkit’s song Rollin. My poor wife kept asking me to skip it, but a proper reviewer watches every sequence (sorry, hon). I grew up with the song, that’s fine, but the visuals during the theme took a while to grow on me, as they didn’t seem to fit the show initially. Maybe we’ll get something different next season. Yes, stupid Netflix. I do want to continue watching, don’t ask! 

Dead Families and Traumatic Childhoods

There are two standout episodes of this show. The first involves an homage to the hit film The Raid – or, more likely, Dredd, which was produced by Shankar – and the second (greater work) is a backstory for Mary Arkham and White Rabbit, leading up to their dramatic first encounter. It’s a quieter, more somber tale that leaves Dante and his influence out momentarily, for the greater good. This one is hard to miss because the visuals are different, bolder, and more fluid, handled by Studio La Cachette (Star Wars: Visions, Primal), who created a small wonder. I understand the logistics of why every episode can’t be like that and the advantage of animating one episode versus seven, but if season two can take a few notes from this, we may be in for a better ride. 

I enjoyed some of the writing here, even if it was ham-fisted. I have to wonder if part of that was on Netflix with their new edicts, or if it was just trying to play to a different audience. People will quickly notice that the writing is very modern, no-bullshit characters who are joking in the face of danger. I like some of Dante’s quips, or when people like Enzo respond to his being dumb. It borders on being goofy, instead of the normal camp in the series, but there is plenty to enjoy, and a few quality death lines. Some fans really didn’t like how Dante was portrayed here, calling him a “femboy cuck,” yet he’s knocking people out with trick pool shots and by thumping them on the head. The human-demon hybrid is still a powerhouse, just younger, a little inexperienced, less emo, and not perfect, but well on the way to becoming that guy from the games. 

F*** You, Thumper!

For those who don’t like it, this thing isn’t canon, so no worries. Even though this animated series has seemingly upset a good number of the fans, we have plenty of nods to the property in all its forms (even a location from the original DMC anime), other Capcom games, and even a Captain Planet reference in an attempt to pop and placate viewers in the know. This show is a cherished property in its most popcorn form. It’s like Dante, a bit much, but I love a good bleak ending (even when it’s ridiculous), and I’m still here for more. 

Is Netflix’s version of Devil May Cry a solid adaptation of the games? Of course not. Is it better than the original 2007 anime series? No, not really. It’s still enjoyable, here for those of us who aren’t as strict on adaptations, who just want to have a good time and maybe feel something. There’s always a place for creations like that, in either heaven, Earth, or Makai. 

Disclaimer: I watched the entire season on Netflix, which I pay for myself.

8Bit/Digi is an independent news outlet that provides insight into the video game and fandom community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Devil May Cry (Season 1)

8

Excellent

8.0/10

Pros

• Energetic and enjoyable with decent animation.
• Solid cast of voice performers.
• A stronger focus on other characters and an excellent villain.
• Sick soundtrack.

Cons

• Skirts the line of being too much at times.
• Dante takes a back seat as we explore new elements.