Devil May Cry

Devil May Cry is the Anime I Never Knew I Needed

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Devil May Cry Season 1 Review

Adapting video games into other mediums can be a tricky subject, but Netflix seems to have done a good job. Over the past few years, they’ve managed to churn out hit after animated hit based on video games, including Castlevania, Arcane, & Tomb Raider. Now, thanks to Studio Mir and director Adi Shankar, they get to add Devil May Cry to that list. And thank all that is holy for that, because I never knew how badly we needed a Devil May Cry animated series until we got it. Especially when you consider some of the talent behind the roles.

Based on Capcom’s popular video game series of the same name, Devil May Cry tells the story of Dante, a human-demon hybrid with cool weapons and an even cooler longcoat. He makes his living by hunting down demons before they can harm his fellow man, but all of that changes when he attracts the attention of two very powerful people. On one side, there’s DARKCOM, led by Baines, the Vice President of the United States, who’s made it their life’s work to hunt down demons. On the other side, there’s the White Rabbit, a being who’s determined to tear down the walls separating Earth from the Demon Realm and bring forth an apocalypse.

The Truth is Often More Complicated

Beyond the initial premise, most of my knowledge about Devil May Cry. doesn’t go beyond the premise of humans fighting demons. Most demons are supposed to be the bad guys we root against, with the exception being Danteโ€™s father for turning on his kind. However, few conflicts are ever that black-and-white in real life, so the same applies here. And while it is true that several of the demons found in the show are ruthless, cold-blooed killers, it also makes us ask an important question: are people born evil, or do they become evil due to what they experience? In other words, the nature vs. nurture debate.

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Over the course of the first season, it’s slowly revealed that the place that humans call Hell is more than deserving of its title…because it’s like that for even its own inhabitants. As it turns out, many of the demons from Hell, or Makai, as they call it, are miserable in their home dimension and want nothing more than to leave. And while Earth is far from a paradise, to them, it’s lightyears better than living in a place where the air’s too dangerous to breathe! The White Rabbit’s entire motivation behind breaking down the barriers is so he can lead the normal demons to a better life. It’s like a dark, twisted version of Moses trying to lead his people to the promised land. Except this time, the suffering of those already living there will end up being more overt. It’s the kind of scenario is which somebody is going to end up suffering, and everyone can wind up losing.

If any of that sounds political, there’s a good reason for that. Over the course of the first season, it becomes more and more apparent that Devil May Cry is drawing from real-life history to fuel its own story. In this case, it’s taking heavy inspiration from the United States’ post-9/11 foreign policies during the 2000s. The main anti-demon force, DARKCOM, is very gung-ho about hunting down and killing demons. And the mere idea that any other demons could be good, or at least not an enemy, is enough to be considered blasphemy or treason. And it doesn’t help that DARKCOM’s leader, an original character named VP Baines, is like a scarier version of a certain Vice President at the time.

The scariest part about him, though? He’s voice by Kevin Conroy.

WE MISS KEVIN CONROY!!!!

At its heart, Devil May Cry is a largely character-driven story. It’s how they interact with each other that helps drive the plot along, and for that to work, the show needs the right people playing the right roles. And did Netflix hit jackpot, because they got two voice acting legends to play leading characters.

Firstly, there is Baines, leader of DARKCOM and Vice President of the United States, played by the late Kevin Conroy. If you don’t know who that is, he was Batman. The GOAT Batman. The voice that everyone thinks of when they think of Batman. Kevin Conroy would provide the voice of Batman off and on for thirty years before passing away from cancer in Novmeber 2022. And, in a surprising move, he had also done the lines for Baines before he died. And he absolutley nailed them! It may not be noticeable at first, but once you recognize the distinctive voice of the caped crusader, you start to see Baines the same way criminals see Batman: fear, awe, and even respect. Kevin gives Baines this air of someone of great faith and belief in his cause, but also someone who is not afraid to be incredibly ruthless. And as time goes on, you start to realize that Baines is far darker than initially thought. It really is a tragedy that Kevin died. If he hadn’t, he could’ve made a new name for himself voicing more sinister characters, just like Mark Hamill did as Joker.

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Then we the man playing Dante. In lieu of getting his voice actor from the games, Netflix decided to get none other than Johnny Yong Bosch. That has proven to be a very good decision. Not only does this mark the second time Johnny’s played a badass gunslinger in a red longcoat, but he manages to bring this snarky, dry wit to the role of Dante. He’s very sarcastic, loves to make quips and pop culture references, and acts like a very chill and confident person, overall. Emphasis on the acting part, because his backstory is as sad as it is in the games, and that’s not even including what he goes through during the show.

GIVE ME MORE!!

Netflix has likely struck gold with its adaptation of Devil May Cry, and it looks like that vein still has some more to be tapped into. The first season of the show ends on a rather grim cliffhanger with a full-blown war between humans and demons set to start. And worse, Dante is in no position to do anything to stop it! It’s clear that Netflix is hoping to make this into a multi-season story…and I’m all for it. I want to see more of this show ASAP.

The first season of Devil May Cry was an absolute banger from start to finish and is worthy of all the praise it’s getting. If you have a Netflix account, I highly recommend that you go check out the show for yourself. It’s well worth the time it would take to binge-watch it.

Warm Up This Spring With Some New Anime

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RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Spring 2025 Anime to Look Out for

The sakura blossoms are in bloom, and that means that spring is finally here! While that means that it’s time for anime lovers to say goodbye to the winter’s big hits like Solo Leveling, Zenshu, Sakamoto Days and more, there’s no reason to fret. Spring 2025 is packed with potential hits. From newcomers trying to make their mark to returning veterans, there will be plenty of anime to binge this spring.

I’m RJ Writing Ink for the D&A Anime Blog, and this is a list of some of the anime that people will likely be paying attention to this spring. Yes, I’m going to be watching most of it. Yes, there’s a chance I’m going to review some of this. And yes, I am aware that by the time this goes up, many of these will be out! That’s a consequence of covering four series at once over the course of the winter!

The Beginning After the End, April 2nd

Isekai anime might be dime a dozen these days, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a diamond in the rough. For the Spring 2025 season, that diamond might be The Beginning After the End, or TBATE. Based on the Korean-American Web Novel and Webcomic of the same name, TBATE is about Arthur Llewyn. Formerly known as Grey, Arthur was a powerful king in his first life before abruptly dying a mysterious death and waking up in a world of swords and magic. Now going by Arthur, the former king strives to master the powers that govern this new world while also making sure to enjoy everything that he missed out on in his first life.

Full disclosure: I’ve binge-read most of the webcomic after Aaron reccomended it to me, saying it could become the next Solo Leveling. While I wouldn’t got that far, the series certainly lives up to TV Tropes description of it being “Mushoku Tensei meets Naruto.” Since I love both of them, that makes it worth my time. The one downside is that everyone is complaining how basic the animation is compared to the likes of Mushoku Tensei and Solo Leveling. Hopefully, that won’t be too much of an issue.

Wind Breaker, Season 2, April 3rd

Let’s get ready to rumble!!! Wind Breaker, the deliquent anime of spring 2024, is back for round two. This time, Haruka Sakura and the members of Bofurin are up against a ruthless gang going by the name of KEEL. And from the looks of the trailer, the boys of Bofurin are going to be in for one heck of a challenge.

Despite seeming like another series extolling how cool the rebel deliquent life seems to be, Wind Breaker turned out to be an anime with a surprising amount of depth to it when it first aired. The fights themselves are well-choreographed and often serve as a means for the story to elaborate on why the characters are fighting in the first place. It may still be a series about fighitng, but sometimes, the questions of why people fight and what’s worth fighting for can be just as interesting as the fights themselves.

Devil May Cry, April 3rd

DMC fans, your prayers have been answered. Capcom’s popular half-human, half-demon Demon Hunter is getting another anime. And from the looks of things, it’s going to be an absolute banger. Set in an alternate contiunity from the games, Devil May Cry will follow Demon Hunter Dante as he comes face to face with the villainous White Rabbit as he attempts to stage a demonic invasion of Earth.

I know very little about Devil May Cry beyond the basic premise, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking this series has the potential to be one of the big hits of the season. Firstly, the animation looks absolutley gorgeous, brought to life by Studio Mir of Kipo and My Adventures with Superman fame. Secondly, the voice cast has multiple legends among it, with Johnny Yong Bosch voicing Dante this time around. However, it’s the inclusion of the late Kevin Conroy and Tony Todd that’s gotten plenty of people talking. Having recorded their lines for the show before their passings, this will likely be the final chance people will get to hear the GOAT Batman and Candyman. And I’m going to take full advantage of it.

One Piece, April 6th

It’s only been six months, but if you’re a One Piece fan, it’s felt like an eternity. After going on a vacation for the first time in its history, One Piece is returning with the second half of the Egghead Island Arc. When we last left off, the anime had just finished going over all of the major events that were taking place in the world at large while the Straw Hats are busy on Egghead Island. With everything abroad now wrapped up, though, the series is ready to focus on the Straw Hats as they try to defend the island and the genius Dr. Vegapunk from the forces of the World Government.

And things are only going to get crazier from here.

I’ve been covering every chapter of the One Piece manga on my own blog for years, so I know what’s going to happen with the rest of this arc. I am not exaggerating when I say fans are in for an absolute emotional rollercoaster. I can’t even say anything about what happens without veering into spoiler territory. What I will say is that you should be prepared for some of the most exciting moments in One Piece history as well as some of the most heart-breaking, tearjerking ones. Keep tissues ready!

Witch Watch, April 6th

This rom-com on Netflix is about Morihito Otogi, an ogre who looks like a human who’s loving his best high school life. Until, that is, his childhood friend, the witch-in-training Nico Wakatsuki, moves in with him and decides to make him her familiar. While Morihito is supposed to guard Nico, his job gets harder due to the fact that a.) she lets everyone know she’s a witch, and b.) she is madly in love with him.

After the end to 100 Girlfriends, I’m going to be needing a new rom-com fix. And judging by the description to Witch Watch, this series looks to be right up my alley. I’m a big sucker for the childhood friend romance trope, so I’m sure to enjoy whatever will happen here!

Lazarus, April 6th

If something seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. That is the lesson that the world learns when they discover the wonder drug, Hapna, will soon kill everyone who took it. The only way to prevent this is to find its creator, Dr. Skinner, in the next thirty days. Thus, the worldโ€™s best hope for salvation is in the hands of the task force known as Lazarus.

If this series feels like the second coming of Cowboy Bebop, that’s because it is. This series was created by none other than Shinichirล Watanabe, AKA the creator of Cowboy Bebop. Considering how instrumental the adventures of Spike Spiegel were in bringing anime westward, having Watanabeโ€™s next work come to Toonami is a big deal. This has the potential to be this generationโ€™s Cowboy Bebop, and I am all in for that idea! Bring on the gunfights!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, April 7th

The story of Deku and Class 1-A might be winding down, but there are still plenty of stories to tell in the world of My Hero Academia. Nowhere is this shown better than with the new prequel series, MHA: Vigilantes. Taking place five years before the events of the main series, Vigilantes follows a pair of aspiring heroes who, after various things happen, wind up becoming unlicensed Heroes. Now they have to fight evil while staying outside the reach of the law.

The big irony of the world of My Hero Academia is that the concept of superheroes has become a profession rather than an ideal. In most works of fiction, superheroes are often vigilantes operating outside the law; people let them do this because they tend to be good at it. If the original MHA focuses on world-ending threats, then Vigilantes is going to be the series that focuses more on the streets, like Batman and Daredevil would. Either way, this should tide people over until the final season hits this fall.

Any anime we missed? I know that there are going to be anime we missed, so let us know in the comments below!