So the whole "Anime Monday" is to take a break away from video games, and to focus on something else for a change. However once in awhile we'll be running into the rare occasions where video games and anime are one in the same. That's sorta what we have here today.
The Devil May Cry anime isn't what most will think it is at first glance. Usually games will get adapted into anime form, and they'll mostly follow the source material's story. But Devil May Cry takes a different approach. Instead of being a retelling of one of the games, this is a collection of short stories taking place after 1 and 3, but before 4. Some of these stories shed a bit more background on Dante himself, while others are completely original and seemingly have little to no impact on the rest of the series. That's not to say it isn't cannon, it's just not something that makes a huge impact. With that being said, it's not a bad series by any means, it's just nothing that special. If you're not already a fan, then there's not much here for you.
The Story:
To put things as simply as possible... Devil May Cry is about a man named Dante who runs a detective agency. On the surface he seems to be running a standard shop where people can come to him for help, but in reality his focus is more on the super natural. You see in this world monsters and demons do exist, and Dante himself is one. His father is an ancient demon hero who's name is the stuff of legends, while his mother was in fact a human. While originally Dante set up his "Devil May Cry" service with his own personal goals in mind, things have since come to a close and he's now taking on whatever jobs come his way.
As this series takes place after a good chunk of the game series has already happened, the anime doesn't go into too much detail about who is who, and why they are there. Both Lady and Trish return to help Dante with his business, all while offering up some jobs of their own, but they are never actually explained. On the other hand a little girl named Patty is also introduced, along with a central plot revolving around her. (For those of you who've played Devil May Cry 5, Patty is the girl heard over the phone talking about her birthday party.) Although her story doesn't really take shape until the end, she's a nice addition to help drive the story forward, and helps show a different side to Dante as well.
The typical episode format for the series usually revolves around someone walking into Dante's shop with a job. Sometimes they'll appear to be "normal," while other times he'll flat out be told that demons are related. Whatever the case is, Dante always accepts the job, and then goes off to who knows where to investigate. As stories tend to be contained within single episodes there's not a whole lot of mystery to solve in each case, but there are a few that will keep you guessing. The card episode in particular was a nice change of pace, with the culprit not being as clear cut as many others. It's episodes like these that really stand out, but they are sadly very few and far between.
Dante:
Although the short stories told in DMC tend to be hit or miss, there is one thing that is always on point. Dante himself. One of the reasons people love the series so much is because of this character, and his devil may care attitude. Half the time he's goofing off and cracking jokes in the middle of serious situations, and the other half he's being his awesome "kill all demons" self. He's a very skilled fighter, and everything he does, he does with style. It's a lot of fun to see in the games, and it's a lot of fun here as well. Mix in the fact that Reuben Langdon is still voicing him here (it really shouldn't be anyone else), and it's just perfect. Reuben nails Dante as a character, and it's always nice to hear more from him.
Fitting In With the Series:
While most of the series is pretty self contained, that's not to say it doesn't have lasting effects on the story in general. Without going into spoilers, we do get to learn more about Dante's time as "Tony," and we're introduced to both Patty and Dante's go to guy Morrison. While Patty is reduced to a minor cameo in Devil May Cry 5, Morrison himself plays a larger role (despite being designed), and so does Dante's life as Tony. Of course there is a bit more to this story, but I wont ruin it for anyone.
Should You Watch It:
I know this week's article is shorter than normal, but honestly that's because of what this series is. Like I mentioned at the start, the DMC anime really is only for fans, and even then there's not a whole lot to see her. Some of the stories told are nice, while others are completely forgettable. They're worth watching just to see Dante in action, but if you're not already invested in the series I can't see too many people enjoying this one. That's not to say it can't happen, but it's not made with newcomers in mind.
That being said, I'd say it's still at least worth checking out. The animation is pretty nice, the voice acting is spot on, and it has some really nice music (especially that ending theme song). It can be a little boring at times, but there's still some fun to be had here.
Where to Watch:
The series can currently be watched at the following locations
Hulu
Funimation
However I strongly recommend watching it at Funimation if possible. Hulu only has the subbed version, while Funimation has both options. Believe it or not, despite being a Japanese series, DMC has always had English as it's native language. In fact Reuben Langdon himself not only voices Dante, but motion captures him as well. Because of this, the anime is the first time DMC was dubbed into Japanese. But it's still your choice. Choose which language you prefer. This is one of the rare times I'll recommend one over the other though.
