Devil May Cry
There are people in this world – real or fictional – who are simply cool no matter what they do or where they show up. Morgan Freeman could narrate a documentary about potato cultivation, and you’d still somehow feel like you just experienced God or enlightenment (and the documentary would win at least three Oscars). Ryan Gosling could stroll down Main Street unshaven and in sweatpants, and women would start screaming and fainting (which, to this day, is a mystery to me when it comes to this actor). Scarlett Johansson could walk down the same street buttoned up to her neck, and all the men would start screaming and fainting (which is perfectly logical—at least the male population will agree with me). Batman could film a movie where he just walks into a grocery store and says, “I am Batman,” and it would make 300 million dollars – and once again men and women would scream and faint. Because they are just that cool.
But none of them would ever be as cool as Dante – who can casually walk into a shady bar full of the worst scum, wearing a red coat, and order a strawberry sundae without blinking, while everyone immediately feels equal parts admiration and fear. Honestly, if that man walked into the most notorious Irish pub and ordered a strawberry sundae (or even better, a glass of milk), every person in that pub would think two things at once:
– “Damn, this guy is cool.”
– “Do not mess with this man.”
Ladies and gentlemen, that is Dante – and this is the world of Devil May Cry (hereafter referred to as “DMC”).
“DMC” is instantly recognizable to video game fans. The series is known for Dante slicing and shooting hordes of demons (hack’n’slash style), including gigantic boss demons (some fans might even know the term “Queens”), accompanied by stylish attacks and combos—all backed by dynamic music.
Now, how do we briefly describe the “DMC” universe, which over the past twenty years has spawned six games (five of which reached platinum), a pile of comics and manga, figures, and an anime adaptation (which is the one we’re talking about here)?
Like this: A little over two thousand years ago (because why would it be any more recent?), the demon Sparda defeated the demon emperor Mundus and prevented him from conquering our world by sealing the “gates” that connect our realms. Here he met Eva, they fell in love and had two children (Dante and Vergil), and everything could’ve been great—until Sparda, well, kicked the bucket (or whatever happens to demons). Soon after, Eva was killed by Mundus’ demonic hitmen, and Dante and Vergil were separated in the chaos, each going their own way—Dante to protect the human world, and Vergil in pursuit of power.
I don’t think the last twenty years of lore could be explained any more simply. 😀
Chronologically, the “DMC” anime we’re discussing takes place after Devil May Cry 1. Dante runs the “Devil May Cry” agency, specializing in demon hunting and investigating supernatural (and highly suspicious) cases—think of it as the demonic version of a “Fix Anything” agency. From the outside, it might look like he works in a stylish office, but in reality, Dante works (and lives) in a wide and dusty building with a few random items scattered around (a desk, a chair, a couch, a phone, a pool table, a jukebox, a TV… and that’s about it 😀 ). The man survives exclusively on pizza and strawberry sundaes, is constantly in debt, and owes money to literally everyone—and none of that bothers him in the slightest. 😀
He’s not particularly sociable (more likely, he just can’t be bothered), but he does have allies:
– Morrison – finds Dante jobs and occasionally repairs agency equipment (because Dante is perpetually broke)
– Patty -the little girl Dante rescued from a demon in episode one, who now stays with him (though honestly, it feels more like she takes care of him and the agency aesthetic)
– Lady – a charming demon hunter who often works with Dante (and to whom Dante owes money he refuses to pay back)
– Trish – with whom Dante has, uh, an extremely complicated history (but not in the way you’d think). In short: she’s a demon created by Mundus to look like Dante’s mother to kill him, but instead she joined forces with Dante and now works as a freelance demon hunter. And here you thought your family history was complicated…
Each episode can essentially be summarized as a “case” Dante accepts and attempts to solve. Usually, within seconds, it becomes clear to both Dante and his clients that the problem is supernatural (which it is), and that a mysterious demonic force is behind it (which it always ends up being). Blood-soaked inheritance disputes, a mysterious motorcyclist who never loses night races (though his rivals mysteriously lose their heads—literally), a potential serial killer stalking the mayor’s daughter, a gramophone record that summons a deadly siren, a mask spirit that grants wishes (which will make you never want to go near a blue Genie in a lamp again), a demon “king” who drains the souls of gamblers he defeats at the table, and many more. However, DMC’s detective element is not one of its strengths—its real purpose is just to warm Dante up before he draws his sword.
Naturally, some demons require zero detective work – just immediate action.
There is, however, one minor recurring constant across episodes – Isaac, a pathetic, sniveling low-tier demon who shows up right after Dante kills a serious demon and steals a tiny piece of equipment from the corpse. It’s obvious he’s not a collector – he has a hidden agenda. Dante couldn’t care less, as the little pest isn’t even worth wasting a bullet or dirtying his sword. (And yes, Dante was right in the end 😀 )
What awaits in the finale, time will tell…
Visually, DMC looks quite solid. The characters (and demons) are well designed, and the action is fluid. A talented studio worked on the series – one very familiar with dark, bloody anime worlds (after all, they also worked on the great Death Note).
The soundtrack is dominated by the opening theme. “Rungran” (apparently an incorrectly labeled group of musicians who worked on the soundtrack) delivered a piece simply titled “d.m.c” – the kind of music that makes you lift twice as much at the gym while crying, imagining your tragic superhero origin story, and planning to destroy your enemies. (Back in the day, it was my phone ringtone… and when it randomly blasted on the bus, half the passengers jumped. 😀 ) There’s even a band version (three times the weights, hair slowly turning white like Dante’s) and a beautiful acoustic guitar version (which just makes you feel cool).
The action is (obviously) excellent – fast and stylish – but also quite short. Though you realize that in the first episode. Dante is insanely powerful, wielding dual pistols (Ebony & Ivory) and a massive sword (Rebellion) as if he was born with them (which may very well be the case). Demons get shredded and shot to pieces within seconds, without any visible effort. Some might call this a spoiler, but by minute two of episode one you’ll see it yourself. In the finale Dante has to put in some effort… but only a little. 😀
Though the supporting characters are (mostly) likable and interesting, the star of the show is – unsurprisingly—Dante. Despite his laziness and cynicism, and his childlike obsession with pizza and strawberry sundaes, Dante is effortlessly cool and possesses an odd kind of charisma. His real (cool) self emerges the moment things escalate into life-or-death combat (well, his life is rarely at stake – that part mostly applies to his enemies). He doesn’t flaunt his power—he simply is powerful. Even with the lone-wolf attitude, he values the presence of his friends, gladly helps them (and somehow ends up losing even more money because of them), and shows a protective side (especially toward Patty). And he is far from a meathead – his agency exists because Dante is perceptive, rarely caught off guard, and highly knowledgeable about both the human and demonic world (the only subject he never mastered is money).
All in all, Devil May Cry is a fun anime. It’s definitely not a masterpiece of the medium (nor of its genre), but that shouldn’t stop you from watching it in a relaxed mood – frankly, you could finish it in an afternoon. Fans of the franchise absolutely shouldn’t miss it.
Especially now that rumor has it Netflix is preparing a new Devil May Cry series (and considering it’s being worked on by the same team behind the excellent Castlevania, we actually have reasons to be excited 😉 ).
And you, dear reader – do you know any hero cool enough to challenge Dante? 🙂
Trailer
IMDb | Metacritic | MyAnimeList
Release year: 2007
Format: Series
Seasons: 1 (12 episodes)
Average episode length: ~20 minutes
