Devilman: Crybaby

I had never heard of Devilman before and if I did I would have dismissed it for having such a dated and cringy name like Devilman. Coming from an era where the word "man" slapped onto any word would make them a superhero, this show modernises the manga in meaningful directions and is anything but dated, it's fresh and edgy in all the right ways and is honestly one of the best things to have come out of Netflix and Anime as a whole in recent years. If future Netflix anime adaptations are anything as experimental and fresh as Devilman: Crybaby, I'm all for it ... because goddamn was this show an exhilarating ride from start to finish.

The story while not original was remarkably well executed, it introduced meaningful characters, a narrative that introduced and tackled complex themes and a very satisfying plot twist at the end. There was not one scene that detracted from the experience, the story rarely slowed down and it was a pulse-pounding binge-watching experience with a rather brisk pace. However, the story is not anything new and the themes that were tackled by this show were mostly glanced over making them more tacked on than anything. The story isn't flawless but is nevertheless a very good story and is shown in a fresh and unorthodox way. The show is in no way for the faint-hearted, there are a lot of gory scenes that could totally not be to your liking but these scenes do in no way feel cheap and really fit the tone of the show.

The art and animation are just incredible, it's abstract, different, original and just so goddamn eye-catching, the colors pop and there is a strong sense of visual imagery that is haunting. The style is expressive and very dynamic, however, there are some rough edges as it can be too dark and I literally see a black screen. This bold style is very welcome in this day and age where there are an increasing amount of "clean" art styles that all look the same.

The soundtrack is legendary, it has epic opera style music mixed with an amazing bass line, has synthwave, has emotional piano pieces all that stick in your mind and can make you feel a range of feelings from hype to downright sad.

The characters are well fleshed out and all have a rightful and deliberate place in this show all pushing the narrative forward in meaningful ways. While I do like these characters, we aren't given a lot of time with them and that can make one, more interesting than the others. The protagonist is likable and is easy to love, he's handsome, brash and has a good heart. His love interest is good-natured, and her innocent heart is so hard to not love. The villain is well developed and is arguably as likeable as the protagonist.

Overall this anime is a must watch, it makes me feel happy for having Netflix, if it wasn't featured on the front page I would probably never have seen it anywhere else since I feel like this anime isn't getting the attention it deserves, it is a fantastic show that feels fresh and is just so goddamn good to watch. It might not be for everyone because of its gore but it's exceptionally well done and marks an amazing start for anime in 2018 and could arguably be one of the best of this year.

[SPOILER WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD]

"Devilman Crybaby" is a psychedelic exploration of human nature, love, and the age-old philosophical debate surrounding morality and the ambiguous nature of good and evil. Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, the series brings to life the iconic characters from Go Nagai's original work in the 70s, while also adding its own unique twists and interpretations.

The characters of Akira and Ryo serve as powerful symbols, each embodying contrasting worldviews that propel the narrative of the series. Akira Fudo, the protagonist, starts as a compassionate and gentle soul. His empathy and kindness are evident in his relationships and interactions with others. However, his transformation into ... Devilman brings forth a spiraling internal conflict. The merging with a demon granted him both power and exposure to the brutal realities of the world. Akira's struggle to retain his humanity while embracing his newfound abilities forms the emotional core of the story. On the other hand, Ryo Asuka’s nihilistic beliefs and cynicism drive him to challenge conventional notions of morality. His character embodies a dark, manipulative force that seeks to tip over societal norms and expose the underlying darkness within humanity. Throughout the series, Ryo's actions blur the lines between right and wrong, forcing viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature. The dynamic between Akira and Ryo serves as a narrative climax, highlighting the complexities of moral decision-making. As Akira grapples with the consequences of his actions as Devilman, Ryo's influence constantly tests his convictions and beliefs. This tension leads to countless moments of introspection and self-discovery for both characters. Moreover, DMCB masterfully uses its dark, visceral imagery and intense storytelling to depict the harsh realities of a world besieged by demons and human malice. Themes of prejudice, violence, and existential dread permeate the narrative, mirroring contemporary societal issues and adding layers of social commentary to the overarching philosophical discourse.

When first going into this hashing of “Devilman” the thing that always pinned down my interest was the director's creative liberties. Yuasa AGAIN shines through with his interpretation of the classic story. With the addition of new characters like Miku and the incorporation of the Baton/track aspect, which significantly contributes to the interconnected themes of the series. These elements allow for the story to no longer come off as dated while continuing to bring fresh perspectives to the story's core themes of identity, belonging, and sacrifice. Miku's character serves as a pivotal addition to the narrative, offering a glimpse into the ordinary lives affected by the supernatural events unfolding in the series. Her presence humanizes the story, providing a relatable perspective for viewers and highlighting the impact of the supernatural on everyday individuals. Miku's relationship with her friends and her struggles with personal challenges add layers to the overarching theme of identity, as she grapples with her sense of self amidst chaotic circumstances. The Baton/track aspect introduces a metaphorical layer to the series, symbolizing the interconnectedness of the characters' fates and the cyclical nature of their struggles. The track becomes a symbol of the journey each character undertakes, with hurdles and obstacles mirroring their internal conflicts and external challenges. Thus adding depth to the storytelling and reinforcing the themes of perseverance, determination, and the quest for self-discovery. This modernized approach to “Devilman” enhanced the viewing experience in my opinion, allowing for a more accessible exploration of the themes and character dynamics while giving us a peek into the creative genius of Yuasa’s mind.

One of the most striking aspects of the show is the stark contrast between Ryo's distorted perception of love and Akira's genuine and altruistic love for others. Ryo's version of love is characterized by his insecurities and beliefs, which are heavily influenced by his hazy past and his transformation into Satan. His love is tainted by a sense of superiority and a desire for control, leading him to manipulate situations and people to achieve his goals. Ryo's love is possessive and destructive, driven by a warped sense of righteousness and a misguided belief that his actions are justified for the greater good. Contrary to Ryo, Akira's love is portrayed as pure, selfless, and empathetic. He cares deeply for his friends and is willing to sacrifice himself to protect them, embodying the essence of unconditional love. Akira's love transcends boundaries, breaking down barriers of fear and prejudice. His ability to love wholeheartedly is the main source of his strength.Additionally, DMCB doesn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of love, highlighting how it can be used as a weapon of manipulation and destruction. Ryo's twisted love ultimately leads to tragic consequences, highlighting the dangers of unchecked desires and misguided intentions.

The final moments of DMCB are one of my favorite moments in fiction, a communal pool of the series' themes, displayed for all by Akira's decision to sacrifice himself for the greater good showcased his resolve, empathy and compassion, highlighting his understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings and his willingness to take responsibility for their actions. Whereas Ryo, who experiences a moment of clarity and remorse, he realizes the extent of his actions and the pain he has caused. It is as Ryo witnesses Akira's selfless sacrifice and the devastation it brings, that he is confronted with the reality of his choices. The tears he sheds are tears of remorse and regret. It's a moment of profound vulnerability and self-awareness, as Ryo comes to terms with the pain he has caused and the lives he has shattered. It humanizes him in a way, representing a breaking down of his emotional barriers, allowing him to confront the depth of his own suffering and the suffering he has inflicted on others. It's a powerful visual representation of his internal struggle and his journey towards understanding the true meaning of love, empathy, and sacrifice. Ryo's tears also serve as a thematic conclusion to the series. They highlight the overarching message of the potential for change and redemption (even in the literal DEVIL), a reminder that no one is beyond redemption and that genuine remorse and a desire for atonement can pave the way for personal growth and transformation but will still not be accepted with open arms (as seen by God's retaliation). In Yuasa’s retelling of “Devilman,” he takes us on a visual rollercoaster of human nature, love, and morality, proving that even demons and devils can shed a tear or two...but don't expect divine forgiveness anytime soon!

Rating: 8.5/10

Devilman: Crybaby Review


Story (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.75/10) Good+

The story of Devilman is quite straightforward at first. Main character gets the power of a powerful demon named Amon and with his friend takes out full demons bringing terror to humans. But the more you uncover beyond the synopsis especially with that borderline spoiler opening you soon find out that the main character and his friend have an extreme difference in the opinion of basically everything that's going on around them. The conflict reminds me of another series in a way you may have heard of it.. you know Berserk? Now I know technically Devilman predates ... the story of Berserk with Devilman being the 70s while Berserk is late 80s hell Kentaro creator of Beserk himself stated that Devilman had to be his biggest inspiration for the creator of Berserk so I pay my respects to this franchise and Go Nagai. You can easily see the many similarities, although from a story standpoint both are good you can tell Kentaro learn a thing or too. Either way I don't want to turn this into a comparison post. The story for Devilman is good.


Art and Animation (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.50/10) Good

Animation more so throughout majority of the series was good but you can definitely see that the art style on the other hand more so than often couldn't hold up to a consistent quality of reason. More so than often I would see art style derps and question how much exactly did Netflix give this animation studio to release certain scenes like this without a bit of clean up? It took me out of the immersion as a found myself more so than often saying in the back of my head when one of these scenes occurred going "Eww why does the artstyle look like a 6 year ago drew this?" and I would have forgiven this if it didn't happen so frequent. Nonetheless this is probably my biggest and only issue when it comes to this section. It didn't stop me from watching the entire thing but you or should I say I couldn't sit here and say that it was very good to any degree. Animation was like I said though was fairly clean though.


Sound (9/10) Great

Now I want to say that this is my first time consuming anything Devilman related and I also want to say that I did watch it in English Dub on Netflix. I had no issue with the voice acting of the english dub everyone sounded fine and if there's anything that made this section great it had to be the background music especially the song that plays when Devilman debuts. Every time it played you know he was about to kick ass and it got me hyped.


Characters (8/10) Very Good

Many characters in Devilan Crybaby were very good. None that stood out were extremely amazing or super deep and I didn't think any character was particularly bad except for like one which I will get to in a bit. Majority characters had their reasons for doing what they did and it all made sense to a degree. But if there is one character that was just a bit confusing to follow to me it was Miko, you see here go through multiple character developments within the running of the series and although majority of the time character development can be seen as a good thing, I don't think character development is 100% of the time a good thing especially if it happens why too much and way too drastically to any character. At first I understood why the character was jealous and mad and that characterization on her made sense at first. But when the Demon War broke out and the characters starts to help the very person she hates with all of her heart, I just couldn't get behind that, was it because of the Demon War that changed her mind? Maybe.. but I personally didn't like or could get behind the change a character that ultimately ended up sacrificing herself over someone she showed so much hatred and jealously towards for basically the entire anime. I mean think about it what do you think that character Miko would have done when if her and Miki actually did officially race and she proved that she was faster? Once she proved that (just an assumption here) there's a high chance she would have felt empty inside still jealous at basically everything else she said in episode 9 she was jealous of Miki over. I wouldn't have been surprised if she would have ended up killing Miki over the amount of things her brain would have came up with to prove she was better that wasn't just running faster like I said she stated multiple things in episode 9. The way her character was ultimately handle I personally was not a fan of. Everyone else I didn't have too much of an issue with, I guess that little dreadlocked kid and the weirdo tall man that was with that rap scene crew in episode 9 their betrayal didn't make any sense but I guess since we didn't really have much time all you can consider that is nitpicking at this point... I guess


Enjoyment (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.75/10) Good+

Episode 1 was definitely the best episode and the anime was off to an amazing start but the more I watch the more it's flaws stopped me from bingeing the entire thing from start to finish and although I don't think that are big flaws (except those art style derps), I can't sit here and say that they didn't hinder my overall enjoyment. Nonetheless I still fairly enjoyment myself it was short and sweet but I wasn't a fan too much of that ending... ah well I heard many things were changed from the source material.


Overall (8/10) Very Good

Being the only thing Devilman I've watched or read I thought it was a very good anime although with a few short comings I still enjoyed myself a good amount with it. Especially after figuring out that if it wasn't for this franchise one of my favorite manga (Berserk) wouldn't exist how the way it is. Will I read or watch the past Devilman content? Don't know right now but I don't regret watching this one at all.

I knew nothing about this anime coming into other than a short reddit post about how this is more of what Netflix should be doing with anime.

That said I really enjoyed it (Subbed version). After the first episode I got used to the animation style and thought it worked extremely well with the music design. This anime has some of the best upbeat more modern music. The way they used the specific style and music is what really brought me in.

I really enjoyed the story. It really pulled me in after episode 2. Even just the title is a part of the story ... of good and evil or love and hate. The way they choose to use fear/distrust was fantastic.

Another part that really brought me in was the characters. With so little time to have you get invested, this anime does a great job with having you care about the characters and showing different specific character traits.

So, Let’s talk about Devilman Crybaby.

What does it mean to be human?
Is it our body that is the result of billions of years of evolution?
Is it our intelligence that is far more superior than any other being on the planet?
or is it our hearts and humanity that separate us from the most vicious of animals?
Devilman Crybaby is a show that constantly remind us that to be a human, you must own the virtue of humanity

Devilman Crybaby starts off with our protagonist, Akira Fudo competing with his friends, Miki and Miko. Akira is bad at running and also is a crybaby. But he never cries for ... himself. It is always for someone else’s sadness. The same day after retaliating some street freestylers who were trying to have their way with Miki, Akira meets his childhood friend, Ryo Asuka, who is an American professor. He tells Akira to come with him and Akira agrees. Inside the car,Ryo tells Akira about the tragedy of his Mentor,Fikira. Ryo said that Fikira had committed suicide by burning himself. Ryo found out that Fikira’s body was 2 times heavier than the body’s original weight. Ryo deduced that it was a demon who had merged with Fikira’s body and the extra weight was the demon. After driving for a few minutes, Ryo takes Akira to an Underground Satanist Sabbath party saying that this was the place where the demons would merge with the humans. After waiting for a few seconds, Ryo takes up a bottle, breaks it and uses the broken bottle to slice up the people so that blood comes out and demons merge with them. It works and the people start turning into demons. When Ryo is suddenly overwhelmed with demons attacking him, Akira dashes towards Ryo to save him. But before he could do that, A powerful demon merges with Akira,therefore turning him into a Devilman, a demon with a human heart. He kills all of the demons yada yada yada and so the tale starts

On surface this show may seem clichéd due to it’s simplistic nature but this show brilliantly executes it’s themes and portrays the devilish nature of humans realistically. Akira basically turns into this human-demon hybrid that wants to save the humans from the threat of the demons. But as he ventures down his path, he realizes that demons are nothing but humans in their extreme wild nature.

The Original Devilman manga created by GO Nagai was extremely controversial and had seemingly more violent and horrific depictions of human nature and its extent. But The 2018 adaptation really adhered to the manga’s story and nailed pretty much everything about the world Go Nagai had created. I also loved the modernizing trick by adding freestyle raps, wars etc. Parasyte did the same thing when it was adapted from the original manga. This one trick alone heightened the elements of the original story and it makes the show stand out from other different shows. So an excellent adaptation overall.

Speaking of the adaptation, Lets talk about the characters, which is another thing that is great about this adaptation. The characters in this adaptation were, in many instances, far better than the characters in the original manga. From Akira’s serious and empathetic but goofy nature, Ryo’s hard and stoic attitude and Miki’s sweet but strong sense of self-respect. Hell even the characters themselves take some liberties and act out of their nature which are still at heart with the original manga. The side characters themselves feel like they have just as much importance as the main characters and while they aren’t heavily developed characters, it feels like these aren’t just throwaway side characters made to progress the story as plot devices but rather more self-contained and fleshed out. While every character doesn’t get that much development, it does go to the ones where it’s needed. So, the characters are a solid 10/10

Let’s talk about the animation and art. Nothing much to say here, All of us here know that Yuasa directed films and shows have very graphic and violent scenes in them. He goes out of the box to present us with very very VERY gruesome and realistic scenes and this show wasn’t an exception. Everything from the nudity to the violent sex scenes added to the tension of the show and made it impactful. Moments fly off the screen and stand out. The fight scenes are well choreographed and have visceral sense of impact.
Even in the dialogue scenes which have very good pacing and have just enough to make the dialogues seem interesting.

Finally let’s talk about the soundtracks. MY FUCKING GOD. I have never loved a show’s OSTs this much and the OSTs was the one thing that made me a fan of show. Every single soundtrack in the show sounded like it was made for that particular scene. High octane OSTs like “Akira the wild” and “D.V.M.N” amped up the fight scenes to the point where it would make your eyes and ears cum.
More slow paced tracks like “Behind the scene” or “Buddy,Ryo” added more tension and weight to the dialogue heavy scenes. Everytime there is something bad going on in the scene an OST play perfectly and it never seems out-of-place.
The OST’s gave the atmosphere more ambience and a horror feel that is very much similar to a brilliantly executed horror story that could haunt you for days. It was a sad thing that they didn’t use the original “Devilman No Uta” as the opening but I think the actual opening of 2018’s Devilman Crybaby adhered more to the serious narrative and gave the show a dark tone. Each scene utilized its music, silence and other sound effects brilliantly.

Devilman Crybaby is a brilliant seinen that explores its themes excellently while not coming off as pretentious and edgy. The whole show was an emotional roller coaster and it had me on my nerves.
Every element in this show felt like it was necessary and never felt like it was wrong. The pacing is great and the overall narrative perfect as well.


Is this The Anime of the Year?
Yes and no.
the problem with this show is that it came out very early in 2018 and the year hasn’t even started yet but I’ve got a gut feeling that this will be the anime of the year.
Devilman Crybaby inspired a lot shows including my most favorite show of all time, Neon Genesis Evangelion. This show is a GOAT and if you loved this adaptation, go watch The OG Devilaman(1972) for a more gruesome and violent story about demons and humans 

This is my first review I've written on this site, I felt like this was a good place to start because this anime seems to be pretty controversial. I didn't know anything about Devilman before going into this, so I was in for a ride.

I'll start off by saying, if you're the type of person that doesn't like to look any deeper than what's on the surface, then this anime isn't for you.

VERY MINOR SPOILER:
The first episode starts out strangely, and ends shockingly. You're literally left thinking "What the F*CK did I just watch?" Give it a chance.

Story: 8/10. The story is really fast-paced, and ... it has a very unique story. At first I didn't think I liked it because it seemed that things didn't really connect at all. But after watching it all the way through, you realize that those things don't really need to connect and it's deeper than what's on the surface. Most people don't like the ending, myself included, but it could've been worse. You really need to think about what you're watching. It's clear that there are underlying innuendos but it's up to the viewer to figure those out. That's what makes this show good. Unfortunately, it's a little hard to process what's happening in such a short amount of time, especially when you're binge-watching it on Netflix.

Sound/Music: Outstanding. 10/10. It has a late 80's electronic/synth soundtrack that just absolutely pulls you in. It also slows down and gets sappy on you when it needs to while still keeping a bit of it's electronic/synth style, and it's REALLY damn good. This is what kept me in it. I don't usually go back and listen to soundtracks of shows, but this is definitely one that I would recommend listening to and buying if/when it comes out.

Art: 8/10 At first, it's a little off-putting. I haven't seen a lot of older anime but I understand the art style is somewhat similar. There's a lot of distortion and wacky things that happen with the art in the first episode, but after that you sort of get used to it. It ended up looking pretty damn good in comparison to when I first looked at it. There are times when it will make you cringe and feel really uncomfortable, but that's what it's setting out to do and it does a great job of it. I would almost compare this to The Office. I know, that sounds weird, but hear me out. When you first watch it, you think it's extremely cringey and unfunny and you don't understand while people enjoy it, but the more you watch it, the more you get used to it and understand it. That's how it is with the art (as well as the story). The things that it does adds to the intensity of the show. It's not meant to be pleasing to the eyes. It's mean to make you literally say "What the f*ck?" but at the same time keep watching because you're so intrigued by it.

Character: 7/10. This is sort of a weak point in the show. There are some characters that you don't care about too much because, with only 10 episodes, you don't get much time to see them develop and grow attached to them. Although, I have to say it does a pretty great job at developing certain characters and wrapping up their arcs towards the end, but not so good with certain other characters and it feels rushed. This is unfortunately due, I'm sure, to limited source material and thus only having 10 episodes to work it all out in. There are certain moments that hit pretty hard emotionally, and those are with the characters that were fortunate enough to have good development.

Overall/tl;drl: 8.4/10. This is a really good, really different anime. As Gigguk puts it, it's a breath of fresh air. Something different from the norm, something we're not used to seeing. If that's not something you like and you want to sit back and enjoy a typical fan-service anime, then don't watch this. But if you want to see something different and innovative and you're a fan of that, then absolutely watch this show. You won't be disappointed.

I just feel like writing something to negate the overall MAL rating of Devilman Crybaby because somehow, I think they deserve higher. So, I’ll just simply list what I think Devilman Crybaby did and didn’t do well in a form of bullet points.

What they did good:
1. Striking artwork. Beautiful shots & cinematography. Incredible colors. Unique animation.
2. Music is all catchy and unique. OP, ED, BGM, they’re all thematic and very original.
3. Again about sound, this time about the voice acting. The kids sound like they’re kids, unlike most animes who either shared the same seiyuu for the child & adult version or have a different ... adult seiyuu voiced the child version of the character.
4. Overall, plot is good. Great twist.
5. Great pacing. Great cliff-hangers. Doesn’t drag the story and didn’t bore me at all.
6. Great character designs, especially the protagonists and devils. The way they behave is very realistic (well except for Ryo).
7. The twist about the track and field’s coach.

What they did bad:
1. Drew some scenes too dark. Can’t see what’s happening at all.
2. In some scenes, it’s as if the animators are just too lazy to draw coz the artwork looked amateurish.
3. Nonsensical character drive and some illogical scenes/situations (the whole Akira’s parents ordeal, how the whole Japan just eat up Ryo’s every word, how people just ended up hugging each other after Akira protected some of the humans (the change was too dramatic and it was so sudden?), how did Miki’s cat???, etc).

I judged a show based on how fun, interesting, and engaging they are to me. When this was over, the only thing I felt was ‘wow. cool’ and not much negative, hence the 8.

It's been a while since I wrote a review so I'll keep this short and simple

>>>>>>>>>>>>Anime Info (Which I watched)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Subber:- Horriblesubs
Quality:- 720p

We all know that Netflix is new to this anime business but I really must say that this anime is pretty amazing. I haven't watched the old Devilman anime, so I won't be comparing this to that. My review will solely be on this one. In terms of story, I have nothing to say except that it amazing and fantastic. It really shows how the current human society acts and feels.

In terms of Art, this anime does a pretty good job ... as well. It isn't you're usual anime art style as well. It's pretty unique in every way. Like it's not graphically amazing but it has its own art style that beautifully matches the anime. Google up a few images and see what I'm talking about. As for the sound, this anime does a top job as well.

The music contains some 80-90's synthwave music merged with Japanese style music. I personally love synthwave music so it gets a 10/10 from me. The battle music, the normal background music, everything matches up with the anime.

Enjoyment was fulfilled to the max, except I wish that this anime contained a few more episodes. But all in all the anime was ended in a way that there can't be another start for it.

Overall this anime gets a solid 9/10 from me. Please keep in mind that this anime is meant for people above 18, there are a lot of explicit scenes such as strip clubs, sex etc....

Devilman: Crybaby is an anime that looked incredibly interesting when I initially heard about it and saw the first trailer which looked great. I went into this without knowing anything about Devilman as I haven't read the manga or watched any previous adaptions. After hearing a lot of praise upon its release I went into this with elevated expectations as I really wanted something special and oh boy did I get that.

The basic premise of Devilman: Crybaby is that Akira Fudo is told by his friend Ryou Asuka about the existence of demons. He ends up becoming a Devilman who is a cross of ... human and demon and is tasked with fighting the demon hoards. This premise might not sound that special but oh boy the story is fantastic especially in the later half. The pacing of the story was also very good and masterfully told over the 10 episodes that it was told and I never once felt like it was being rushed or being dragged on. The only complaint I have is that the latter half happens very abruptly and the transition from the first part to the second could've been handled better but aside from that it's great.

The characters of Devilman: Crybaby turned out to be much better than what I was expecting from a 10 episode show and many have said they are way better here than in the manga and past adaptions. The whole cast felt important to the plot and none of them were unnecessary or even annoying to me.

One thing that surprised me from the end of the first episode was just how far this anime goes with its violence and nudity. This is because it was released for Netflix and therefore was not confined by the restrictions that come with airing on regular tv. This ultraviolence is handled very well and is one of the areas where the anime truly shines, and it never gets in the way of the more serious themes of the anime that come along later. The animation itself is incredibly unique and I loved the style and it went along excellently with the massive level of blood gore.

One thing that cannot be passed up when talking about Devilman Crybaby is the excellent soundtrack which is without a doubt one of the best and most unique I've heard in any anime. All the tracks go along perfectly with the scenes they accompany and enhance it immensely. There's some synth tracks here like Judgement and Buddy, Ryo and some normal tracks like D.V.M.N and Crybaby.

All in all, Devilman: Crybaby is one of the best and most unique new anime's I've seen in a long time and deserves all the love that it is getting. Do yourself a favor and check it out as the entire show is out currently.

This is already contender for anime of the year. Just watch it. It's 10 episodes of pure greatness.

Story - 10
Just looking at the synopsis, it seems like this show is rather generic and doesn't take risks. That could *not* be further from the truth. After just watching the first episode, it becomes apparent that you're in for a ride unlike any other. For better or for worse, this is unlike any other anime you've ever seen. This is the single most adult anime I've ever come across. It throws around nudity, sex, rape, drugs, and murder like it's free candy at Willy Wonka's Factory. ... Its levels of gore surpass that of Elfen Lied and Blood + by miles. If this anime picks up steam, it has the potential to westernize the media as a whole.

The metaphors range from subtle to blaring ambulance sirens, but each one of them carries immense implications and weight. Some are sublime and will only dawn on you during the final few episodes, if they do at all. There are multiple gut wrenching moments and depending on your nature, you might be brought to tears more than 3 times throughout this show. I don't want to get to into the story because it's best experienced as blind as possible. The one thing I will say is that you should not be disappointed by the ending like most are. It's a near perfect end to this anime, and I encourage you to look beyond the immediately apparent and digest the implications before passing quick judgment.


Art - 9

The art style is so unique that it would be criminal to rate this any lower. I wanted to give it a 10, but there are corners being cut for budget reasons and mistakes made here and there, so I can't justify it. Rest assured, when the show needs top quality animation it brings it forth in spades. The action is stellar and high octane, and the backdrops are gorgeous and haunting. The character designs are vastly improved over their originals, and wow, every single character is memorable just from their appearance alone. This isn't the best looking anime in terms of realism or advanced technology, but the style is absolutely amazing and gripping for every second of airtime.


Sound - 10

My God. I really don't have much to say here other than this is an immediate soundtrack of the year. There's a mix of high energy 70's beats and beautiful orchestral pieces that just perfectly complement the mood at every single point. The lack of a specific ED song allows the mood of the end of the episode to continue into the credits as the track that was playing at the end scene accompanies the scrolling text in the final moments. This is something I've never seen an anime do. They usually have the end followed by a jarring transition to the preanimated ending and predefined song that plays no matter what just happened. This is most certainly not a problem in Devilman Crybaby. If you want a sample of the soundtrack, look up Judgement on YouTube. But just take my word and dive into the anime without knowing what's about to assault your ears.


Characters - 8

This is honestly the worst part of the anime objectively, and I say that still loving almost every single character. The lack of direct development is something that turns a lot of people off. Personally, I love that almost all character development is done off-screen and the viewer is left learning how these characters evolve over time without even seeing most of the events that change them. The characters are by no means forgettable, and you'll find yourself loving even the characters you thought were random additions to the cast. There are multiple romance sub-plots, and despite minimal time given to them, you really feel connected to it. Overall, the characters just have this unique charm that drags you into them without the anime shoving them down your throat like a standard show will.


Enjoyment - 10

I hate this show. I also love this show. It's not afraid to gut punch you and rip your balls off. It's not afraid to make you pissed at it. And that's what I love about it. This is one of the best anime I've ever seen.


Overall - 10

It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But the more I tried to give this show a 9, the more I realized that it's a masterpiece. I ask everyone here to look deeply into every event and every metaphor. Drag out every last piece of vague context you can find and piece everything together, and by the end, you too will realize this is a masterpiece of animation. The pacing is God awful at points, but you really can't expect a 10 episode series to nail everything. But when it needs to put the pedal to the metal, it does so tremendously. This show pulls out all the stops, and receives my third 10 rating. Watch this show. Worst case scenario, you lost 3 1/2 hours. Best case, you've just watched a masterpiece.

I'll end off this review with two warnings.

1. Take a break after watching episode 9. Whether it be a 10 minute break, or an overnight break. Do not go straight into episode 10.

2. Do not take the ending at face value. Look past what's presented to you and find the deeper meanings of the show. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed at a rushed, unexplained ending like the other low raters. It is most certainly not that.

Ok, Devilman, what can you say about it that everyone else already doesnt know? classic shonen manga with some gore and boobs here and there, considered a very important creation by Nagai Go, having inspired multiple anime and manga to come, this review doesnt really contains spoilers, but i recommend not reading it if you didnt finish the anime, because some points make more sense if you have watched it.

Having read the manga (this is an important point to the critique, as i think its vital to the overrall enjoyment and understanding of the anime) i hoped for an animation of the manga, logically, but ... devilman crybaby is more of a reinterpretation than an adaptation, so things start out different right of the bat on the first episode.

I think this review would be giant if i dissecated every episode, which would be addequate, but not efficient, so i will critique every separate point of the anime, the story, art, sound, characters and "enjoyment".

The story, the story loosely follows the one of the manga with exception of the end, which gets some elements of amon: the darkside of the devilman, its okay, not like the original story was great or anything, some interpretations of the manga, got out great, for example, all "main demons" like selene, aswell as come good additions, the score for this is 7.

The art, highest point of the anime, from the animations, the general aesthetic, everything is great on this aspect, nothing special to comment, 10.

the sound, uhhh i can see this point being a 10 to a lot of people because is s y n t h w a v e and shit, but i can see through this, most of it is just generic one note on the keyboard stuff, thats just shameful, but amongst these, there are some really well developed songs, like the devilman theme, or some other ones that share some elements to the early nine inch nails work, thats a 7.

the characters, they are okay mostly, almost none of the agregate anything very significant to the plot except the main characters, near the end some characters get some short exposure, but its mostly not important to the plot, the characters get a 6.

"enjoyment" is something hard to analize with objective values and imparciality, so i will not write anything about it, the main goal on my reviews is to be objective, so i will just say that my score on this subject is 7.

if you sum everything and divide by 5 you'll get 7.5, and thats the score for this anime, now i will list some important points on this anime.

.Theres a lot of "dumb ecchi moments" (this is the best way i found to describe it), of all the episodes that had sex scenes, half of them were necessary or maybe less, im also pretty sure every episode on this anime had a tit shown, and i assure you most of them were unecessary and didnt aggregate anything positive to the anime, nor it made it "more adult", in some ways it kind of reminds me of the room, where the director just punched in a bunch of sex because it was cool.

.theres a plot device where ryo reconstructs the face of a man using video evidence, everything about this part was dumb, but this is more of a nitpick.

.after the deaths have started on the sabbath, it turns into the one of the best parts of the whole anime (for better or for worse) having the perfect OST for the moment, ambience, and etc.

.devilman no uta is amazing.

And thats it! overall a good anime, but nothing VERY good, amazing, great, or whatever, its a flawed pretentious art project based on a classic manga.
I hope you liked my review and undestood my points, remember to always be impartial, i will also read everything in regards to this review, english is not my main language so i hope i didnt mess anything up.

xoxo Loren

A more than competent successor of the original work of Go Nakai, that even homages it into his 10 (and it's a shame that's only 10 episodes, but fuck me, if they ain't like punches to the throat) episodes, retelling the tale of Akira Fudo, a kid that bonds with the demon Amon and becomes DEVILMAN, while helping his childhood friend Ryo to exterminate the demons that plague humankind... or so it's believed, since the rhythm of the series switch tracks so fast during the second half of the series and goes on a emotional roller-coaster that pulverises everything and everyone in its path.

DEVILMAN Crybaby ... will make you cry in rage, anger, fun or hate... and it will be a hell of a ride.

Most anime is complete trash and we're complete trash for spending our free time to watch it.

Regarding the above statement which I think is true, a lot of you probably don't, anime is constantly being touted as the "untapped medium" for the western market. Shonen-shit has been successful in the dub market for children's channels for about two decades now, and it's how most of you got to this point, watching the whole season of Ousama Game because it's something to watch, but for your binge-watching average joe, anime is just seen as something for perverts and people who suffer with low level autism.

Devilman however ... is something completely different, and is a bloody brilliant show because of it. It's arguably the first anime production that is built for the overseas market AND streaming platforms. Netflix does want to ass pound Crunchyroll into the ground and control the flow of anime content around the world, and their ace in the hole to really take control was the vast amounts of money that can solely put behind shows to produce, and this the fruits of many years of labour.

This show has enough grit to jostle with Danish crime dramas on BBC 4, an art style that lends itself to more realistic proportions, pacing which isn't full of needless filler to cut down on production costs and tastefully done titties. A Japanese television studio wouldn't allow this to air, as it's to bracing in content and to large in scope for them to make their return on investment with their system of funding. You can't advertise for it, you can't do limited edition Blu-Ray's and you can't have a maid cafe do a Devilman day where all the waitresses dress up like sexy devil cat girls.

This show is the ignition for the globalist anime revolution, ten-outta-ten!

I just read the most "upvoted" review that was bashing this anime to the ground so I decided to write a review (basically defending the show) sharing my opinion and explaining some of the things that, that reviewer totally misunderstood or just didn't care to understand.

[MINOR SPOILER WARNING]

Story 8/10 : The plot is decent, it isn't some "Quentin Tarantino Masterpiece", but it does the job well. The pacing is good, the events taking place always have something to add to the main scheme of things. They also add small details from the real world and politics.
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"The questioning of humanity's ability to descend into chaos ... and violence and whether or not human beings are worth saving at all is not new. It's been done over and over again, which is fine, but at least develop the story. Every decent anime would at least have a decent backstory"
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This is a quote taken from the review mentioned in the beginning and I wanted to adress it. Yes, the main point of the series has been REPEATED over and over by OTHER shows, the devilman manga is one of the first source materials showcasing an apocalyptic setting (being released in 1971) which then inspired well known works like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Devilman crybaby isn't a copy pasta - it is THE original.

Art and Sound 9/10 : You know when you go to the art gallery and see paintings of plains, meadows, montains e.t.c and then you see a painting or a sculpture that is just so out of the ordinary, so outrageous. Standing out so proudly you could think It's just trying to show of, but it's somehow refreshing, to see something so different from all the other repeatedly plain paintings? That's the only way I can describe the animation in this show, It's unorthodox, yes, it is weird, maybe even creepy at times, so I can see how some people might get put off , however, it gives the anime a very varied and interesting feel to its world. It can shift the scene from a silly conersation to a wild and chaotic fight in an instant. It is part of the reason why there was so much uncensored nudity many people were so displeased with. And why wouldn't they be. This show displays more nudity than arguably even Interspecies reviewers. Sex scenes didn't look erotic at all. They were made violent and animal-like to showcase how primal and simple minded humans are if you strip them of their limitations and social norms that they impose upon themselves.

The sound and music are absolutely remarkable, you don't often get too see an anime that has such fiting music to compliment the menacing, mysterious, apocalyptic atmosphere. All the tracks are absolute head boppers and they fit in perfectly.
Now another quote :
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"Let's address the English dialogue. Can we stop it? If you can't speak English, just stick with Japanese and subtitle it. The English dialogue was so cringy and unnecessary. Just stop it."
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This isn't that big of a deal, but I still wanted to mention it.
In my opinion the English was bearable. Don't get me wrong, It was obviously not perfect, but many shows fail at making the english dialogue even sound english at all. I'm sure you've already seen many shows do way worse than this. The show also tried doing Russian dialogue so that is also worth some praise, in fact they managed to do it better than the english one.
But for real though, if you are upset about THAT level of english, then it is obvious that you haven't seen enough anime. *Ahemm...says the guy who hasn't reached his first hundred yet*. But my point still stands.


Characters 8/10 : The main character Akira is not complex, but his simplicity is what makes him so endearing. He is a pure, kind and an extremely empathetic person turned into one of the most powerful devils and manipulated in pretext of "saving" humanity from demons. He experiences various horrible hardships ( like come on, imagine being in his place ) in order to protect his kind and his family. He is a tragic and a decently written character.

Ryo - ...I don't know what to say about this guy, he is an unstable, sociopath genius, every single episode you see him say "It's for the sake of humanity" and then proceed to do something completely inhumane and intolerable. And with each time, his actions get more and more severe and troublesome. His transition from being a precious childhood friend to a heartless villain is smooth as hell. He is the main driving force of the story and overall an amazing villain.

Miki is the main girl of the show and in the end the only one you will care about when shit hits the fan. As a character she is mostly there to support the mc Akira and add reason to his actions. Her honesty and desire for justice compliment her airhead-like attitude, which makes her a bubble of happines and positivity strong enough to compensate for the constant hatred, fear and sorrow that everyone around her experiences.
Now onto the supporting cast
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"What's with the constant rapping in the first few episodes? We get it, some kid likes to rap. Congratulations! Can we develop a story now?"
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Throughout the show everytime the plot advances a bunch of guys appear and start rapping in the background. To put it simply - each time the plot advances so drastically that it changes the world of the show, these guys come around and fill us in on what the people are doing, how are they reacting, what they think is good, what is bad, why they think that way e.t.c. They develop the world around them while also forming their personality as a group. Being able to understand and accept harsh reality and fight it, to think open mindedly, that is why when everyone has lost their minds, this bunch were able to keep their sanity. It is in my opinion an amazing and creative way to develop one set group of characters.



Enjoyment 10/10 : I loved this anime. It had its issues, but it definitely didn't deserve as much beating as it was given in some reviews.

Overall 9/10 : It is not meant for everyone - some will hate it, some (like me) will praise it, but it is undeniably one of the most distinct and unique shows that you will find. The animation is it's own thing, the music is otherworldly, an absolute vibe and anyone denying it is either lying or fucking lying. If you can ignore extreme violence, nudity and some weird scenes, I'm sure you'll enjoy this show. And at the end you will cry inside like the little crybaby you are.

Thanks for reading my endless rant about Devilman Crybaby

The Devilman Get's His Due

I'd like to start this off by applauding Netflix for its efforts to embrace this artform and put so much faith and effort into a pretty on-point adaptation of both a classic and potentially very controversial manga. Devilman has inspired so many great stories in anime and to see such a massive mainstream company do its story some legitimate justice gives me great hope for the future of the potential production quality of anime.

The animation as a whole in this show is absolutely fantastic with crazy psychedelic headtrips, heavy metal monster mashing action scenes and a whole lot more, even ... if the Devilman run animation is a bit laughable looking. The shock value of the original story shines through and Netflix even implements a few improvements to some of the drama of the major demonic death matches by adding some connection to the titular character.

The Crybaby title is not taken lightly however and can become a bit melodramatic at times and the last two episodes seemed somewhat jumbled and rushed but the show was totally entertaining and well worth the watch overall. Devilman: Crybaby gets a 9 out of 10 from me.

https://myanimelist.net/anime/35120/Devilman__Crybaby

Devilman Crybaby

Characters [8.5/10]
I cant touch indepth as someone who've read the manga but apparently manga readers were astouneded when all of the characters original self were brought onto the screen.
With a colorful cast of all, this show did really well at achieving that diverse appeal for that something that you didnt know you wanted, cant put it into words its like you have different herbs and the thought of brewing that one bomb pot.
Then you get done throwing caution to the wind & that tea you didnt know wouldve tasted this good creates a sensation can only be appreciated in that moment, the main characters ... 3 1/2 characters are like that.
idk how to go into things without spoiling seeing that im no master reviewer

Story [8/10]
I decided on that score just because my history with this series is literally null
From what ive heard from other people its been spot-on faithful to the manga and thats always a great
I especially enjoyed this story because its an archetype that can be used in so much complex ways, The religious aspect that is
touching on human traditions and so-call "SINS" which i noticed with the different demons and the host they chose. They could aslo have a philosophical significnce behind it.
To me this story is masterfully paced and Its does have some gaps in its delivery but it made up for this with the -forgive me- (EMOTIONS) that the character conveys to give you the sense that time is passing, so the emotion gives a sense of urgency and packs a bigger punch.
Topped off with all the emotion and conflict of an other-worldly magnitude & how it plays into modern society with popularity and social reach.
Theres alot more to it but i can really reach to the depths since theres tons more adaptions before this one for me to ref and whatnot.
With Netflix's newfound Reach and Interest in Anime, im curious as to seeing them deliver more unique projects that are not bound by eastern taboo's & Censorship and other matters. In all still paying homage to the art-form itself. This Show was Apologetically Western and im not holding my tongue when saying it.
Its was well paced & well delivered.

Music/Atmosphere (10/10)
HOhmygawd, Forgive me i am a sucker for neotrance/techno/80's neonsynths Arps & dont get me started on the Basslines
But the composer did masterfully reach every crevice with this, Especially with the Main characters theme music "CryBaby" which has elements of enjoy the silence from Ki-Theory & another that cant come to mind right now
The opening theme is masterfully done with its subliminal references and trippy art direction typical of Netflix shows
Honestly I'd say people dont really appreciate how much music brings to the show its trying to convey, with a simple change in ost the tonality of this show could've been more dreadful.
The Eurobeat/Electronica really balanced out the show, due to it being a horror show in my opinion it did take a little away from the dull ambiance but it delivered the action scenes pretty good and the voice actors demon Fx blended well with the soundtrack.

(Art 7.8/10)
Another department im lacking in but id say this much
I appreciate anything that has its own barebone-esque animation though its not the most popular, It is unique and i have a open heart to anything that steps out of the ubiquitous.
It did enough to convey the emotions properly and human actions were human like so there's no real complaints here.
The show handles visual tones and environments with steller fashion.
The color palettes never disappointed and made certain scenes feel so realistic and Good God the angles and shots,
This direction Visual style reminds me of Fragment of Stanley Kubrick
Yes that's cutting a deep but its my opinion it was really well done From the colors to the camera to the motion and use of surroundings to add as much depth as said scene needed. it was good.

Enjoyment [8.8/10]
I really enjoyed this. It was not something I was expecting to hit like this
Story is part of a broader spread of adaptions so my emotional attachment isn't very high to it but it was worth the watch and enjoyed the conclusion.
this review isn't as in-depth as it should due to me having close to 0 references to the manga or past anime adaptions so bare with me on that
but the Story has its way to go and i look forward to the world building, realm shifting and emotional turmoil inducing entertainment that is devil man crybaby.
After I get some more reading in on the manga and visit some of the old show a re-watch is in order and maybe i'll redo another review.

Devilman: Crybaby is the best Anime I will ever hate. At least, I'd assume. I was not particularly familiar with Devilman going into this series, but I knew enough to expect something dark and horrible, however, Crybaby surpassed my expectations. This is a fantastic series, with gorgeous visual design, fantastic animation, a wonderful soundtrack, and a solid, well written and paced story. It was also utterly miserable to watch. Now, I mean that in the best way possible, but if you're going into this expecting something that won't leave you sad, broken, and feeling sick, you're watching the wrong series. Or you have no emotions. ... Not gonna judge you for that. So yeah, great series, miserable nightmare.

This anime brings back what was great about old anime while also bringing many new things to the table. Although VERY disturbing, it is beautiful.

Story 9/10: I love how this anime it shows you absurdly disturbing things about demons and how evil they are and then during the second half it shows you the disturbing things about humanity. People look down on this transition saying how quickly it happens is bad pacing. I would argue the opposite. The way it shifts so quickly from the darkness of demons to the darkness of humanity is one of the most horrifying thing you will see in anime. ... the common thought is that pacing should be smooth but this anime is anything but smooth so why should the pacing represent the show as something it is not. Although people look down on this I think if it would have truly been bad pacing then the show would not be getting this much praise right now. No matter how much you want to hate on the pacing with words, your mind can't help but love it and be intrigued more and more.

Art 10/10: Just watch the first episode and you would know what I mean.

Sound 10/10: The soundtrack sounds incredible. Truly unforgettable. They use dark sounding choir voices with a mix of club music and it leaves this feeling of readiness. Like you know shit is going down or in the first episode, when they walk into the club, you feel like you are there.

Character 9/10: The only character I feel like didn't get enough love was Akira's biological dad (not to mix up with his foster dad) and his brother. But other than that the characters all developed well. The way Ryo develops was subtle even though disliked because others felt it was too fast. Akira develops as you would expect a main character to which tricks you into a false sense that he is perfect and will always win. The whole track thing was a good route of development I feel.

Enjoyment: This made me feel so many emotions. I recommend it to anybody. Even if you don't like gore I think you should try it because of how unique it is.

Warning possible Spoilers

Devilman: Crybaby has definitely kicked off 2018 well for anime. It was also surprising to hear that this was a reboot of an anime from the 1970's, however this adaption would be better connected to the manga than the original series.

Story (9/10)

The story concentrates on Akira fudou and Ryou Asuka, who are trying to stop the threat of the Demons from taking over the world. However Akira fuses with a demon and becomes Devilman to protect humanity from the demon threat.
What I really like about Devilman's story is how unexpecting it was, it starts out like a normal superhero type story where the ... MC gains a power and starts protecting the people from an evil threat, along with his sidekick friend to help him out.
The pacing was a little slow to begin with, but I liked this decision as it gets us used to the characters and the setting of the story, plus seeing Akira developing his powers and his character was also interesting to see.
When the story reaches the halfway point though, oh boy things start to really heat up and it doesn't stop until the very end, Ryou ends up showing the world that demons exist which throws the whole world into chaos and even made Akira as Devilman look like the enemy to everyone. I was amazed how quickly the situation kept deteriorating across the whole world each episode and eventually got to a point of no return to normality when the final episodes came around, because a lot of dark stuff happens and a lot of characters die.
In fact the way the series ended was really surprising and was something I have hardly seen done in a lot of anime's, mainly because most anime's don't have the balls to do what this anime did.

Characters (9/10)

Despite only having a few noticeable characters, the show really makes them stand out and portray their personalities and ideals very well.

Akira and Ryou are the two MC's, they both work together to try and take down the demon threat. They reminded me of Rin and Yukio Okumura from Blue Exorcist, yes they weren't really brothers, but they had that brother mentality and connection, which shifted more and more as the series progessed.
Akira begins as a soft spoken, but open kind of person and even though he cries a lot, he's willing to help his friends when they are in trouble despite his weak nature. When he becomes Devilman however, he becomes more closed off from certain people, but he continues to be incredibly protective of Miki, her family and the general public. Despite having these powers he never loses sight of his compassion and love towards those closed to him and the more bad things happened throughout the show, the more it broke him as a person until he went all out in the end.
Ryou is very much the opposite of Akira, he never cared for anyone who isn't Akira and doesn't even flinch when he kills someone. He has an egotistical nature as he tries to prove to the world that demons do exist which does make do some really questionable things. He seemed like an untrustworthy guy, but he would always make sure Akira was alright and would grant him favours whenever he asked, showing how deep their relationship was.
Miki is Akira's childhood friend and she still continues to be his friend as he lives with her family. Miki was a very strong female character, she wouldn't take sh*t from anyone and would stick up for anyone who was being wronged. She believed Akira would always protect her no matter what, which always gave her hope to push on and even when she found out he was Devilman, she still accepted him because she knew Akira was still the same person.

Art (10/10)

I'm going to a lot of credit to the artstyle of this anime, because it was amazing. It looked quite similar to another anime called Kemonozume or The Beast Claw, which does make sense since they were both directed by the same person. However Devilman: Crybaby had a lot of good details with the whole environment and the demons looked really awesome too.
Some scenes would get really trippy though, like the big parties Akira and Ryou would go to, to lure out demons and they really had a lot of colours mixed in, plus I think if someone had epilepsy they should steer very clear from this.
It didn't feel like there was any limitations either, for once the artstyle looked like it gave the animators complete and total freedom with certain things, especially with how explicit the gore and nudity was.

Sound (8/10)

The sound is where the anime slips a little, first off it had a very well done soundtrack, especially during the action scenes and the emotional traumatic moments which made the scenes feel really powerful and epic.
The only problem is that the op and ed were pretty bland, the op had some great visuals, but the music just didn't feel right to me.

Extras:

Lets talk about the horror aspect, now this goes for the gorey route and by God was this anime damn explicit. I hadn't seen something this explicit since Gantz and Devilman definitely doesn't hold back. The deaths were really gruesome and they made me flinch quite a lot, because of how nasty they were.
It also didn't hold back from the nudity either, which is something a lot of anime's do mainly because they don't want to get death threats from the public. However Devilman doesn't give a sh*t about that and really goes all out with the jiggle physics and showing nude bodies, hell it even shows pubic hair at some points and that is a definite rarity outside of Hentai.
The action was bloody good too, sure they were pretty quick most of the time, but they would stick with you and the destruction caused by these fights would get more and more devastating each time.

Enjoyment/Overall (9/10)

Overall this was a very interesting, surprising, amazing anime to watch and has started 2018 well for anime. Despite the nudity and gore this definitely something people can enjoy if they give it a chance.

Overall Crybaby stays true to its promise to adapt the manga in its entirety. Given the short season, certain arcs were jammed into a single episode (ex: the first OVA which was 40 minutes in length is the first episode and the Jinmen and Sireine arcs get similar treatment), and overall the pacing is incredibly fast. Personally, I didn't find this a problem, as Yuasa's previous work, The Tatami Galaxy, tends to be able to condense lots of content in a short amount of time.

As far as story goes, there are certain instances where I feel as though Yuasa executes the emotional scenes better than ... the source, and Crybaby puts a lot of interesting twists on certain elements of the story and characters. The flashback sequences also add a lot more to the cast, making certain scenes more poignant than in any other version of the story.

The directing style captures Devilman's original over the top tone, and the animation is very expressive. The designs complement the fast paced action very well; my primary complaint is just that certain scenes are so darkly lit that it's difficult to see what's going on at times, but those scenes were few and honestly that could just be my problem due to my laptop screen.

As much as I enjoyed Crybaby overall, one thing that does detract heavily is the amount of sexual content in it. While Nagai's work is known for including plenty of lewd content, the sheer quantity of sexual violence and sexual content in general can seem gratuitous and distasteful. Certain instances of sexual references just seem oddly placed and unnecessary and it doesn't really take a back seat until episode 7. In particular there's a certain scene in episode 5 that was cut from the manga due to Nagai's editor's requests and for some reason they decided to include it in this adaptation which, in my opinion, hurts more than it helps; it's another instance of "this really didn't need to be here."

I'm still pretty satisfied with Crybaby.
The ending was pretty much just like the manga's (barring the changes they made to adhere to the minor story changes Crybaby makes). It's a little disappointing that it was labeled as the "love story of Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka" but didn't quite feel like that in the end. Still, it did follow along with the source material fairly well, so the ending wasn't too much of a surprise.