Devil May Cry - Season 1

For the vices that Netflix does have, credit must be given to the streaming platform's video game adaptation efforts. Unlike other production giants that have seemingly looked to take more mainstream and pop cultural phenoms and translate them into some twisted live-action or animated alternative, Netflix has forsaken that approach, delved into the IP treasure trove - that isn't even often used in the game's industry very frequently - to produce several differing projects where authenticity and appeasing the true fans seems to be the intention. This philosophy has led to Arcane, Castlevania, Dragon's Dogma, Pokémon Concierge, The Cuphead Show, Tekken: Bloodline, Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Dragon Age: Absolution, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, and more. Yes, the quality of these projects does vary, but typically speaking they're better than they are worse, with some real gems in there.

One creator that Netflix has utilised in the past to advance its trajectory in this philosophy is Adi Shankar, the very person who helped bring Castlevania and its spinoff Castlevania: Nocturne to the world, as well as Captain Laserhawk. Now, Shankar is leaving behind Konami's famous series in favour of a Capcom project, with the next major task revolving around Devil May Cry. Considering this is a Netflix anime effort produced by Shankar, you can already develop a pretty clear picture as to what it looks like, but the key question is simply... Does it work?

This eight-episode season is the epitome of Devil May Cry. The theme and tone is absolutely spot on, with a zero-brakes pacing, raucous and crazy action, memorable (often twisted) but undeniably cool characters, and countless daft and witty quips baked in at every turn. Unlike a series such as Castlevania that presented more world-building and a steadier, more emotional narrative, Devil May Cry begins with a bang and then continues to offer a firework show lasting for approximately four hours. It's heart-pounding, exciting, thrilling, and perhaps at times, a bit overwhelming. It strangely reminded me of Crank...

So yes, the action and the pacing is one of this show's strongest qualities. It fittingly feels like a Japanese action game with absurdly eccentric, manic characters and combat and battles that throw any sense of realism out of the window. Having Studio Mir as the animation house enables this to be realised to great effect too. You won't want to take a breath or press pause, you'll just want to keep chugging through the episodes until you surpass the crescendo and the curtains close, and even then you'll want more. It's perhaps the most hectic and wild video game adaptation I've seen to date, but since this is Devil May Cry we're talking about, it just feels right.

But there is a catch to this structure and that is that the characters don't really get time to breathe or to develop. There are little flashbacks slotted in here and there, and even a mid-season episode that attempts to do a lot of this heavy-lifting, but for the majority of the main characters you're left with a setup that relies a lot on exposition, subtle nods to protagonist Dante's family, Mary's past, or even VP Baines' (voiced by the late Kevin Conroy) deep-seated hatred for all things non-human. It's because of this that Devil May Cry actually lacks a bit in the plot and narrative element, although I don't think it's a major concern because the presentation and soundtrack in particular is so high-pressure and loud that it drowns almost everything else out.

If grunge and metal is your jam then Devil May Cry will absolutely resonate with you. Not only has Shankar managed to get Evanescence to write a new song to be this show's theme, but Papa Roach, Green Day, and more all make the cut too. It couldn't feel more Devil May Cry, and for that I have nothing but applause.

I don't think Devil May Cry will exist in the same glorified air as Castlevania, or other really special Netflix video game adaptations, and it won't be for everyone either, as the theme, violence, sheer volume and raging beat, and tone has been created to tap into the DMC fanbase. But, if that is you, if you're someone who has been pushing for Capcom to explore this stylish series in a more significant manner, this Netflix show should make you as happy as a clam... or a demon in a densely populated street.