Devil May Cry already had an anime and Netflix doesn't want you to remember it

The Netflix animated series of Devil May Cry is a complete success. And there are good reasons for it. It has a passionate team behind the franchise, which has proven to be capable of bringing a video game franchise to an animated series with Castlevania and has also managed to give it its own personal touch. Something very necessary in a franchise like Devil May Cry that is so tied to the mechanics of the video game itself.

What you might not know is that this is not the first time Devil May Cry has been adapted for television. The franchise had another adaptation in the past that, with its ups and downs, Netflix probably doesn’t want you to remember. To avoid comparisons, more than anything. This anime was one of those productions that many people wonder why it even exists, even if for a small group of fans, it is a cult work that they remember with tremendous affection.

The Devil May Cry Anime

Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is a twelve-episode anime that aired in 2007 produced by Madhouse and directed by Shin Itagaki. Although at the time he was a director with little experience, Itagaki would become known, for many infamously, as he would be the director of the cult series Teekyu and the second season of the 2016 adaptation of Berserk, which received a lot of criticism for its poor animation. This gives us an idea of where the problems, or rather the divisive nature, of this anime may lie.

Before going into detail, it is important to point out some details. Unlike the current Netflix series, Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is not exactly inspired by the video games. It is based on the mangas and novels that have been made from the franchise, which have never been released outside of Japan, and everything that happens takes place between Devil May Cry 1 and 2, giving both Trish and Lady a greater prominence than they have in any of the games.

This also allowed the series’ screenwriter, Toshiki Inoue, to introduce new characters and plots. For example, Patty Lowell, a young girl whom Dante must protect from demons after she inherits a huge reward. She would not appear again until Devil May Cry 5 as an easter egg, canonizing her existence.

What is the problem with the series?

Despite the fact that the series had everything to succeed, it had a huge problem: it failed to connect with the audience. Its entire plot, beyond the fights and the relationships between the characters, lacked a clear purpose or a long-term goal. For some people, the writers had not managed to capture Dante’s personality, making him too childish and prone to clowning around, although we won’t lie: it is clear that this is exactly Dante from the very first cinematic of the first Devil May Cry.

All of that, along with a not particularly spectacular animation and interesting art, but not great either, led to the series receiving mixed reviews. There was part of the audience and critics who loved it, but there was also a part that expected something deeper and darker, or something much more spectacular and flashy. Exactly the same thing is happening currently with the Netflix series, on a much smaller scale.

Should you watch the series?

If you like Devil May Cry and especially if you enjoyed the Netflix series, you should watch Devil May Cry: The Animated Series. It’s not a series that has revolutionized anime or that will change your life or your perspective on the franchise, but it will give you more Dante. Which is always good, if you ask us.

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