Friday, July 31, 2015

Devil May Cry: The Animated Series Review

Stylish!...
 Based on the hit game series of the same name, Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is anime adaption of the acclaimed series starring devil hunter Dante as he takes on various demon-related jobs. It was also produced by anime studio Madhouse (Trigun, Death Note), so a quality presentation is guaranteed. So does the adaptation capture the series' charm well?


STORY- Set between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 4, the story follows half-demon, half-human devil hunter Dante. The show's short 12 episodes sees Dante take on different jobs, so the show does not follow a specific story. The villain and ending are both weak aspects of the story simply because the villain is unlikable and has a really pathetic motive, the ending however, is forced and short, which is a disappointment coming from a DMC fan.

Strawberry Sundaes are the real hero of the show.
CHARACTERS- Dante is your main hero who has an undying love for Strawberry Sundaes and Pizza. Aside from his food interests, he's a skilled devil hunter who'll take any job because well, he's in a large debt. In the first episode, Dante rescues an orphan girl, Patty Lowell, who then share a father-daughter relationship with Dante. Aside of good comic relief, her presence is insignificant. Dante's agent, Morrison, whom brings Dante various jobs to help him pay his debt is a smart and quite old-fashioned. I really wanted see more of because he proved to be an interesting character. 

 Characters from the games such as Lady and Trish make an appearance. Lady is here in most episodes to collect her money from Dante, we also see her in action killing demons. Trish, on the other hand, make rare appearances and we also see in action. The show also explains how Lady and Trish met but more of them would have been great.

PRESENTATION- Anime studio Madhouse does a good job with the presentation, the backgrounds and characters are both looking good. The demon and weapon designs are great, which showcases Madhouse's artistic qualities. In terms of sound, the voicework features DMC3's Reuben Langdon as Dante, whom delivers a fine job as always. The rest of the cast deliver good performances, though Patty can get on your nerves at times. Aside from the kick-ass intro, the music is mostly average, with barely any memorable tunes. 

Madhouse does a good job on the visuals.
OVERALL- Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is a mixed bag, it succeeds in some areas while failing in most. The fight scenes aren't anything stellar like in the games, Dante is overpowered and rarely gets hit, he's basically invincible. Devil May Cry fans will mostly dislike it, I really liked it but can't deny its shortcomings. In the end, those who aren't familiar with the series, will find some fun in it. 

WATCH