#devilman series

[Devilman Series VS Chainsaw Man Series]

First of all, gloss over the fact of how late I am with this, I've never been good at keeping up with stuff like that. Second, this entire post is mostly just for me to let out all the storm of thoughts forming in my brain right now, because that's how I operate, but feel free to drop your insight.

ALSO SPOILERS AHEAD

So, I'm a big fan of the Devilman series, let me establish that. I've fell in love when I stumbled upon Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman years before, which led me to catching up with older shows/OVAs, I even got my hands on the manga. I simply love it- the premise, philosophy, questioning all of what we understand as being human, empathy, love... I live for media like this. So obviously I checked out Crybaby on Netflix too.

And, in my opinion, it wasn't actually that good at all, despite the hype.

The animation is the front of it, let's start with that.

I know it's hard for people to adjust. Anime throughout the years has had various styles, so distict and popular at the specific time periods that it pretty much separated anime styles into groups of how shows were stylised at the time. So when something breaks through that drastically, it may received mixed, if not mostly negative comments (look at Aku no Hana for example). And you know, I actually liked it for the most part. It was unique, its fluidity in motion captivating, in my eyes. But the more episodes, the more obvious it was that it didn't work for everything, slowly starting to become more annoying than charming, visually speaking.

My second ick? Sirene. Oh my.

I'm talking about episodes involving her as a whole.

I've always been mesmerised by this specific act in the story to be honest. Sirene's story itself is something I find beautifily tragic. In love with the demon prisoned in a human body, the demon possessed by someone else pretty much, desperately wanting to free him in order to be together while also following insticts of a demonic being - proving its strenght for the sake of survival ingrained into demons' very core, thriving at the thought of defeating someone who can outpower you (and being good at it, considering she was one of very few, if not the only demon close to finishig Devilman). Among her is Kaim, the demon in love with her - both of them creating this duo of unconditional feelings, making us question whether demons and humans are actually that different and if demons are capable of caring about each other without wanting anything in return (like Kaim letting himself be killed, so Sirene could get a chance at winning), then what makes us special as human beings in comparision to them? I am passionate, as you can see, about this.

And disappointed that in comparision, this act in Crybaby was shallow and felt sped up, present only for the sake of it. I remember feeling down and upset, kind of like when you order something amazing at first glance off the web, only for it to arrive looking cheap and horrible in quality. Their fight felt like it lasted for a minute, Sirene's and Kaim's story and their purpose to it more of a speck. I personally feel that if they could pull it off in an OVA (The Demon Bird, 1990), manga (1972) etc., they could've pulled it off here.

Bringing time feels especially important to me, since many other shows having the same runtime (around 22/23 minutes if you count out the op and ed) are able to still make it work while also having deep/complicated stories like Devilman.

These episodes also brought something else to my attention while watching.

Their obsession with NSFW stuff. Blood, gore, sex. "But it's for the more mature audience, obviously they put that in." Yeah. Original Devilman is bloody and gory as well, absolutely not meant for younger readers/watchers. But here, when I finished watching the show, if felt like it became an excuse for them, putting it into scenes without rhyme or reason - and I do expect a little more reason, because Devilman in its core is meant to be a bit more than a show someone can just jack off to on a Friday night I think or fawn over edgy guts and all. As I mentioned, it came off to me extremely strongly while watching the Sirene act - mostly because she felt highly sexualised (among other female characters) and her feelings for Amon focused solely on "rail me, Amon".

"People in love want to do these things together, especially demons, because" - sorry to interrupt, but this whole act, to me, was meant to prove that demons are not actually mindless beasts, but instead able to purely feel for someone beyond the physical need just like people, making us, consumers, ask ourselves how it correlates to our own humanity if those "vile and mindless monsters" also understand what it means to love and save someone we care about.

Instead, I saw pointless sex scenes, adding nothing to its core while feeling like it had some purpose meant for it, they just didn't feel like elaborating. I can deal with it to some extent. Maybe I did miss a point, maybe I'm exaggarating. But from where I stand, its only point was to scream "look at this thing, it's 16+". And nothing beyond - which, again, hits me harder when I remembered previous stuff was nowhere near close to stuffing itself with NSFW while still being meant for older people, violence paired with topics of demonic need for violence and survival while mentions of sex barely present or hinted at without feeling like it's shoved down your throat, focusing on its debate over morals and meaning of humanity, questioning who is really the actual monster. Unlike Crybaby - trying to do something similar and forgetting about it later.

Those are the most important points from me. Again, it is meant mostly to be a mindless rant and "let-it-out" sort of deal, so forgive the messiness of it. I'd also like to remind that these are my personal views and I am willing to have a convo about it.

But Devilman is, as I hopefully showcased, important to me. I love the manga, I love OVAs, I love shows and specials.

So it cut me extra deep to admit to myself that I did not, at all, love or even like Crybaby.

Because it wasn't just what it really could be.

it really is! its basicly about a boy who becomes the devilman by being possessed by the demon Amon but keeping his human heart. this way he can use the demon power and transform into the demon keeping his human consciousness. this all happens when to the mc Akira comes so suddenly old childhood friend Ryo and tells him that the demons come back to the earth to destroy it and to fight them they need to become the demons themselves (thats what he tells him). the effect is as i told at the beginning. then these two hunt demons together. 

thats what the plot seems at the beginning. but its getting twisted on so many levels and the ending is the biggest plot twist that inspired many other big mangakas.

because, i dont know it you know it either, but the Devilman Crybaby is basicly remake and set in modern times of “Devilman” manga created by Nagai Go in 1972. The story is the same with small exceptions. (because the 2018 anime is really rushed and put in only 10 episodes).

The Devilman Series started with the original manga that I mentioned, and keeps going to this day. It contains many sequels and alternate mangas. Not every one is written/drawn by the author so it cant be really considered as canon.

The canon story is going by following mangas:- Devilman (1972) (has only 5 volumes and is quite quick to read)- Shin Devilman (1979) (a side story set somewhere in the middle of the original story)- Devilman Lady (1997 - 2000) (official sequel that might be confusing at beginning but in the ending everything comes to original series)- Neo Devilman (1999) (a spinoff/anthology, contains 18 stories written/drawn by various artists, including few by Nagai Go)- Devilman Saga (2014, still relased, the final part in the original Devilman storyline from Devilman and Devilman Lady)

There are also other mangas that are not made by Nagai Go, so its up to the reader to decide if include it as canon or not. Basicly shows alternate storylines.

The anime adaptations:- Devilman (1972) (anime made rather for kids, has nothing to the original story)- Devilman: The Birth (1987) (OVA that presents animated events of first volume of the original manga)- Devilman: The Demon Bird (1999) (havent watched it fully but i think it just shows events from the second volume of original manga)- Amon: The Apocalypse of Devilman (2000) (havent watched it either because its not based on Nagai’s work and is just an adaptation of a spinoff manga drawn by some other mangaka, however contains some similar events of the original story)- Devilman Lady (1998-1999) (based on the manga of same title, but has nothing more to the story, i heard its not worth watching, not canon)- Devilman Crybaby (2018) (the one adaptation i was talking about at beginning and which you were asking about.)

This is basicly all you need to know starting the series. I heard its recommended reading the original devilman manga first before watching the crybaby, but its not nessesary, i think. I watched first the crybaby then read the manga. I think it has sense because the manga explains everyting more and the final plot twist is dealt better. The crybaby is very rushed and you may just not understand what is happening at times. (just from my experience, when i rewatched the anime after reading manga the events were more clear to me, because i didnt get it at first that were important). 

What is good about this whole devilman thing, is because of the final story that reveals and gives you an open universe. Its really well thought story with deep psychological meaning. Can’t say anything more because of spoilers, but if you watched Neon Genesis Evangelion, you probably like this series. I heard the series like Berserk are also inspired by this ending. Puella Magi Madoka Magica is also considered as one that been inspired because of its ending.

About the warnings, because this show however is not for everyone. The Devilman Crybaby especially is about being warned. It contains many, many, sexual content, gore, body horrors. The plot is great but if youre too sensitive about such views its gonna by difficult for you to finish it. I personally was kinda disturbed and disgusted too, because i wast just prepared for such content, but i get used to it eventually and just let myself enjoy the plot. And if youre into such things, you probably find it entertaining, but better safe than sorry! 

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