Netflix has a pretty good track record with animated video game adaptations. Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners were massive successes and helped redefine what an adaptation could be. However, the series that gave Netflix its first proper push was Castlevania, created by Adi Shankar. This series blew up and ran for four seasons, and it even received a sequel series in Castlevania: Nocturne. And now, Shankar has turned his gaze to another beloved video game franchise for his latest series, Devil May Cry. This video game franchise, developed by CAPCOM, is known for its stylish combat, brutal imagery, and the always awesome protagonist Dante. Have they been able to translate this series into another animated smash hit, or does it miss the mark?
Dante is a demon hunter for hire in New York City. With the help of his broker, Enzo, Dante takes down the demons infesting the city. With a similar goal, Darkcom, a government-led organisation, is also ensuring demons don’t take over the world. Things are pretty chill for Dante, that is, until a demon with a white rabbit head steals the Sword of Sparda from the Vatican, killing Darkcom agents in the process. With this bold act of demonic aggression and a cryptic message hinting at Dante, the world is on a timer before it becomes overrun by demons.
I adored this story and was invested every step of the way. Seeing the various plans from different factions converge to mostly destructive results was a joy to watch. I also appreciated how focused this story was, with very little fluff across the eight episodes. I was invested in not only Dante’s story but also Mary’s, the White Rabbits’, and even the Vice President of the United States (voiced by Kevin Conroy!), who has an intriguing story that, while not fully explained in this season, has me dying to see more.
My favourite story beats come in Episode 6, and it doesn’t even feature Dante at all. The episode dives into the backstories of Mary and the White Rabbit, and the parallels between their journeys are just fantastic. I wasn’t a big fan of the cliffhanger ending (they always suck), but with the reveal of a certain character at the very end, I’ll forgive it this once.
Being based on an existing IP, faithfully adapting the characters is always a big challenge, but they did an excellent job here. Dante is a laid-back jokester who is taking the piss nine times out of ten, but that one time he isn’t shit gets real, fast. It was a bit weird to hear Johnny Yong Bosch voice Dante as he’s been the voice of another DMC character in the games (Nero), but he killed it, and it didn’t end up bothering me much at all.
Mary (or, as Dante calls her, Lady) gets the most development throughout the season, with her views on demons being challenged from the moment she meets Dante. Scout Taylor-Compton also delivers a strong performance, making Mary’s arc feel more believable.
Kevin Conroy (rest in peace) voiced William Baines, the Vice-President, to absolute perfection. His calm yet slightly fanatical demeanour made him intimidating, no matter what he said. Did I initially just hear Batman whenever Baines spoke? Yes, but I loved every second of it, and by the end, his crazy monologues made this performance stand out from his Batman.
The White Rabbit was probably the most mysterious character in the show. We’re left guessing about his true goals until the final couple of episodes, but that constant guessing at what he’ll do next pushed me to get one more episode in at 1:00 am. It also helps that Hoon Lee puts on a masterclass in crazed villain voices, and it really adds to the unpredictability of the character.
Coming from the team behind the Castlevania series, I already expected some great animation, but Devil May Cry took it to the next level. This is one of the most gorgeously animated series I’ve seen this year, at least in the top three. Studio Mir has put their heart and soul into every aspect of the series, and it’s a treat for the eyes. Characters are expressive, with no moments where they look stiff, even when they’re just talking.
Then there are the fight scenes, which are jaw-droppingly amazing. The attention to detail is incredible, with the fights in Episodes 2, 3, and 7, in particular, being especially pretty. The flashiness of these fight scenes perfectly encapsulates the stylish nature of combat in the DMC games, and it made me want to go and play them the second the show ended.
The soundtrack is also filled with banger after banger. If you’re a fan of early 2000s rock music, you’ll be vibing with every song on this soundtrack. The opening is “Rollin” by Limp Bizkit. Evanescence created a new song called “Afterlife” for the show, and there’s even some Green Day thrown into the mix. This is on top of all the tracks created for the show, and the few brought over from the games, like “Devil Trigger” and “Bury the Light.” I can see a very possible future where this soundtrack becomes my gym playlist for at least a month.
Devil May Cry is the best show I’ve seen this year. I loved everything about it and had a ball from start to end. While I could poke a hole or two in the story or character arcs, none of it matters to me because this series is just so freaking cool!
What other show features a swordfight in mid-air after an airplane explodes and a car using a truck as a mobile ramp to crash into a horde of demons on a freeway? The answer is none, so if you think that sounds awesome as fuck, check out all eight episodes of Devil May Cry on Netflix now so that Season 2 gets greenlit as soon as possible.
Have you seen Devil May Cry? What did you think? Do you like the new versions of these characters? Let us know in the comments below where we can talk all things Devil May Cry.
