Devil May Cry: The Animated Series | |
![]() North American DVD cover featuring Dante | |
デビル メイ クライ (Debiru Mei Kurai) | |
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Genre | |
Created by | Capcom |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Shin Itagaki |
Produced by |
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Written by | Toshiki Inoue |
Music by | rungran |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | WOWOW |
English network | |
Original run | June 14, 2007 – September 6, 2007 |
Episodes | 12 |
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (Japanese: デビル メイ クライ, Hepburn: Debiru Mei Kurai) is a Japanese anime series based on the video game series by Capcom. It is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. The show is produced by the anime studio Madhouse and directed by Shin Itagaki. It debuted on the WOWOW TV network in Japan on June 14, 2007, and ran 12 episodes.[4][5][6]
On June 30, 2007, at Anime Expo 07, it was announced that ADV Films had licensed the show. However, in 2008, it became one of more than 30 titles that were transferred to Funimation.[7] The series made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel in September 2010[8][9][10][11] and it began airing on Chiller's Anime Wednesdays block on July 15, 2015.[12]
Main article: List of Devil May Cry episodes |
The series is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It is based on the manga and novel volumes, and sees the return of series regulars Trish and Lady.[13]
In the show, Dante runs his devil-hunting business, “Devil May Cry”, while struggling under constant financial debt. Two new characters were also introduced — Dante's agent Morrison, who helps his chronically indebted client find work and gives him helpful life advice, and Patty Lowell, a young orphan girl he saves in the first episode, who develops a father-daughter relationship with him.
While the show's stories were mostly self-contained, a season-long plot was introduced in the first episode and came to the forefront in episodes 10–12.
Main article: Characters of Devil May Cry |
Critical response to the anime was mixed. Anime News Network liked Dante's characterization despite flaws in the writing.[15] IGN concurred, finding Langdon a better actor than Toshiyuki Morikawa because of his experience with the series.[16] DVD Talk liked the interactions between Dante, Lady, and Trish; the reviewer expected more of them in the anime, rather than stories focused on Dante facing enemies. He found Dante appealing in the anime series, based on his personality and actions.[17] According to a FandomPost reviewer, Dante's role in the anime differed from the games in his childish behaviour over food and money; however, he was still "a great character".[18] Otaku USA said that in the anime Dante remained faithful to his game version in his actions, most notably the gory (but limited) fighting.[19] The Fandom Post appreciated the episode in which Lady fights Trish because of a misunderstanding but they befriend each other. The writer also enjoyed the duo's role in the following episodes, most notably in the finale.[20] GroundReport described Trish and Lady as foils for Dante and compared them with the main characters from the manga and anime series GetBackers due to Dante's financial issues, often receiving jobs from Lady.[21]
On June 12, 2015, the Chinese Ministry of Culture listed Devil May Cry among 38 anime and manga titles banned in China.[22]