Devil May Cry: The Animated Series Explained

Ja Kanji:デビル メイ クライ
Ja Romaji:Debiru Mei Kurai
Creator:Capcom
Type:tv series
Director:Shin Itagaki
Music:rungran
Studio:Madhouse
Network:WOWOW
First:June 14, 2007
Last:September 6, 2007
Episodes:12
Episode List:List of Devil May Cry episodes

is a Japanese anime series based on the video game series by Capcom. It is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. The show is produced by the anime studio Madhouse and directed by Shin Itagaki. It debuted on the WOWOW TV network in Japan on June 14, 2007, and ran 12 episodes.[1] [2] [3]

On June 30, 2007, at Anime Expo 07, it was announced that ADV Films had licensed the show. However, in 2008, it became one of more than 30 titles that were transferred to Funimation.[4] The series made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel in September 2010[5] [6] [7] [8] and it began airing on Chiller's Anime Wednesdays block on July 15, 2015.[9]

Plot

See main article: List of Devil May Cry episodes.

The series is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It is based on the manga and novel volumes, and sees the return of series regulars Trish and Lady.[10]

In the show, Dante runs his devil-hunting business, “Devil May Cry”, while struggling under constant financial debt. Two new characters were also introduced — Dante's agent Morrison, who helps his chronically indebted client find work and gives him helpful life advice, and Patty Lowell, a young orphan girl he saves in the first episode, who develops a father-daughter relationship with him.

While the show's stories were mostly self-contained, a season-long plot was introduced in the first episode and came to the forefront in episodes 10–12.

Characters

See main article: Characters of Devil May Cry.

The half-demon son of Sparda, the legendary Dark Knight (a demon) and Eva (a human), Dante operates as a private investigator, mostly accepting jobs involving the supernatural. When he accepts a job, he diligently finishes it to the point of gaining a reputation for infallibility. Dante is strong enough to defeat a small army of lesser demons on his own, can easily shake off wounds that would kill normal humans, and possesses superhuman levels of speed, accuracy, and hand-eye coordination. Known for his cocky banter while working, he is fond of strawberry sundaes and pizza (as long as it does not have olives). His weapons of choice are a pair of Colt .45 pistols known as Ebony (for its dark color) and Ivory (for its silver color), and his sentient sword, Rebellion, which he conceals in a guitar case. Despite his talent for devil-slaying, Dante also suffers from an apparent lack of skill at gambling and always seems to be in debt, to the point where he often has to trick people when they try to get money from him and his office is frequently subject to cuts in power and water service. According to Dante, this is because people who hire him usually leave him a bill instead of paying him (due to the destruction his demonic abilities and weapons cause, such as destroying a bridge or building). His lack of money is also attributed to his associate Lady, to whom he owes an unspecified sum of money which she takes out of his earnings. When Dante does earn some money, he usually squanders it in a few days, either on junk food or taking care of Patty.[11]
A young girl who Dante met after she supposedly came into a large inheritance and he was hired to protect her from demons. This turned out to be a scam, and Dante was eventually forced to take her in after learning that she was an orphan. Eventually, it was revealed that she was the last living descendant of a powerful sorcerer who imprisoned Abigail, one of the most powerful demons to ever exist. Patty is very girly and loves cute things, but often makes Dante spend what little money he has on her. She loves romantic TV shows and serves as Dante's only source of feminine influence whenever Trish and Lady are absent. While Dante often derides her as a spoiled brat, he nevertheless allows her to assist him at Devil May Cry.
A demon crafted by the demon lord Mundus in the image of Dante's mother to lure Dante into a trap and kill him. Instead, Trish became sympathetic to Dante and betrayed her master, becoming Dante's partner before parting ways with him and supporting herself as a freelance demon hunter. She occasionally runs into Dante since they share the same line of work. While she and Lady nearly killed each other when they first met, they bonded over making jabs at Dante's expense (and conning him into covering their bills). Trish's signature move is her ability to generate and control powerful bolts of electricity.
A demon hunter descended from a priestess who sacrificed herself so that Sparda could seal the gate between the human and demon worlds. Although her birth name is Mary, everyone who knows her calls her Lady. Lady is one of Dante's oldest friends and her silhouette is the inspiration for the Devil May Cry logo. Lady occasionally contacts Dante to offer him jobs, using the large debt he owes her as leverage so he has to accept them. Despite being human, she is a skilled acrobat and talented gambler with access to numerous weapons, such as bayonets and her signature Kalina-Ann rocket launcher.
Dante's liaison and close friend. He solicits jobs for Devil May Cry, handles business matters that Dante can't be bothered to deal with, and offers him advice on how to be a better person.
A lesser demon who has recurring appearances throughout the series. Initially seeming to be no more than a minor nuisance, Dante shows mercy towards Sid and refrains from killing him when given the opportunity. Sid, in turn, repeatedly schemes to have Dante killed so that he can increase his own power and influence among his fellow demons. Dante finally kills him when Sid tries to revive the demon Abigail.

Reception

Critical response to the anime was mixed. Anime News Network liked Dante's characterization despite flaws in the writing.[12] IGN concurred, finding Langdon a better actor than Toshiyuki Morikawa because of his experience with the series.[13] DVD Talk liked the interactions between Dante, Lady, and Trish; the reviewer expected more of them in the anime, rather than stories focused on Dante facing enemies. He found Dante appealing in the anime series, based on his personality and actions.[14] According to a FandomPost reviewer, Dante's role in the anime differed from the games in his childish behaviour over food and money; however, he was still "a great character".[15] Otaku USA said that in the anime Dante remained faithful to his game version in his actions, most notably the gory (but limited) fighting.[16] The Fandom Post appreciated the episode in which Lady fights Trish because of a misunderstanding but they befriend each other. The writer also enjoyed the duo's role in the following episodes, most notably in the finale.[17] GroundReport described Trish and Lady as foils for Dante and compared them with the main characters from the manga and anime series GetBackers due to Dante's financial issues, often receiving jobs from Lady.[18]

China ban

On June 12, 2015, the Chinese Ministry of Culture listed Devil May Cry among 38 anime and manga titles banned in China.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ActiveAnime: Devil May Cry Anime and Pre Site Opening. February 4, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20070417100910/http://activeanime.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3851. April 17, 2007. dead. mdy .
  2. Web site: ActiveAnime: DEVIL MAY CRY BROADCAST AND PROMOTIONAL VIDEO. February 4, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20081201155302/http://www.activeanime.com/html/content/view/569/58/. December 1, 2008 .
  3. Web site: Devil May Cry anime official site. ja. April 12, 2007.
  4. Web site: Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles. Anime News Network. July 4, 2008. June 18, 2009.
  5. Funimation Channel Schedule September 2010
  6. http://www.funimationchannel.com/schedule/2_e037.htm
  7. Web site: FUNimation launches anime HD channel. hd-report.com. April 24, 2015.
  8. Web site: FUNimation Channel Launches on AT&T U-verse in HD. funimation.com. September 30, 2010 . April 24, 2015.
  9. Web site: U.S. TV Channel Chiller Runs Anime Block on Wednesdays. Anime News Network. July 15, 2015. July 16, 2015.
  10. Web site: Interview with DMC4 director, Kobayashi. January 2, 2007.
  11. Web site: NYAF 07: Devil May Cry Sneak Peek. https://web.archive.org/web/20070624104640/http://www.advfilms.com/latest-news/devil-may-cry-ign-com/dvd-reviews.aspx?newsid471=6960. 2007-06-24. ADV Films. December 9, 2007. dead .
  12. News: Devil May Cry DVD – Complete Box Set. Anime News Network. 7 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180708185905/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/devil-may-cry/dvd-complete-box-set. 8 July 2018. live.
  13. Web site: Devil May Cry Level 3 Review. IGN. November 18, 2008 . 7 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180708201052/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/11/18/devil-may-cry-level-3-dvd-review?page=2. 8 July 2018. live.
  14. Web site: Devil May Cry: The Complete Series Box Set (Blu-ray). DVD Talk. 7 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172720/https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/38302/devil-may-cry-the-complete-series-box-set/. 7 July 2018. live.
  15. Web site: Devil May Cry Complete Collection UK Anime DVD Review. September 14, 2017 . Fandom Post. 7 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180707202346/https://www.fandompost.com/2017/09/14/devil-may-cry-complete-collection-uk-anime-dvd-review/. 7 July 2018. live.
  16. Web site: Devil May Cry, Level 3. October 2008 . Otaku USA. 7 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180707231353/http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/devil-may-cry-level-3/. 7 July 2018. live.
  17. Web site: Devil May Cry Complete Collection UK Anime DVD Review. The Fandom Post. July 25, 2018. September 14, 2017. Homer, Chris. https://web.archive.org/web/20180707202346/https://www.fandompost.com/2017/09/14/devil-may-cry-complete-collection-uk-anime-dvd-review/. July 7, 2018. live.
  18. Web site: Anime Review of Devil May Cry 3. GroundReport. July 25, 2018. October 14, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20180725214439/https://www.groundreport.com/anime-review-of-devil-may-cry/. July 25, 2018. live.
  19. Web site: China bans 38 anime & manga titles including Attack on Titan. Special Broadcasting Service. 2015-06-12. 2018-08-31.

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