Devil May Cryhas long been a pillar of iconic video game history. No matter your experience in video games, chances are you’ve heard of it and have recognized Dante’s signature white hair, red coat, and ridiculously oversized weapons.The franchise’s impact on thehack-and-slash gamesis undeniable.
However, the release of theDevil May CryNetflix adaptation has sparked a huge debate online about the show, as it is often compared withthe 2007 animeby Studio Madhouse. Created by Adi Shankar, who was also credited with creating theCastlevaniaNetflix adaptation,Netflix’sDevil May Cryvery loosely follows the events ofDevil May Cry 3.
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How many of these references did you notice while Dante’s showing off his sick skills?
Whether you’re a hardcoreDevil May Cryfan or someone who just enjoys action-packed animated shows,you’ll no doubt have plenty of thoughts about the eight episodes that the show released in its first season.With thesecond season already confirmed,let’s rank each episode of the first season and see which episode is the best.
These rankings arepurely subjectiveand come from a long-timeDevil May Cryfan, though I’ll still attempt to be as fair and unbiased as possible. If you agree or disagree with the rankings, let us know in the comments down below!
Warning: This list contains major story spoilers for Netflix’s Devil May Cry.
8Episode 7
At The Gates Of Paradise
Let’s start with episode seven, the climax of the show. White Rabbit’s plan finally comes to fruition as he acquires the blood of Vergil, both halves of the medallion, and Force Edge to merge the human and demon realms. Things seem dire for humanity.
We also get a glimpse of Nelo Angelo, whomDevil May Cryfans will immediately recognize as Vergil, Dante’stwin brotherandeternal rival.The problem with this reveal is thatVergil isn’t supposed to become Nelo Angelo at this point in the continuity. Also, Nelo Angelo isn’t supposed to be able to talk and have this much autonomy, at least in theDMC1portrayal.
At this point in the show,the animosity yet mutual respect between Lady and Dante is reaching a point where you might think something else might happen between the two later.
It’s impressive that Lady can hold her own against so many powerful demons, and she even whips out her signature rocket launcher, Kalina Ann. But the biggest problem here is that Lady’s swearing is starting to get on many people’s nerves.
White Rabbit’s plan falls flat when you realize how flawed it is, and does nothing to help the people he claims to fight for. Even Lady calls him out.
On another note,Anders is a terrible and completely unnecessary character,and his decision to doom humanity to save his daughters doesn’t make sense when demons are going to kill everybody anyway.
7Episode 8
A River Of Blood And Fire
As a final episode, “A River of Blood and Fire” isn’t terrible, but unfortunately doesn’t hold up as well when compared to the rest of the show.
With the fight against White Rabbit temporarily over, DARKCOM is finally here to clean up after Dante and Lady,whose relationship seems to be budding despite their conflicting interests.
While the games don’t allude to anything romantic happening between Dante and Lady (DMC3-5 portrays them having a more brother/sister relationship), a lot of fans have the headcanon that there is something deeper going on between the two.Her betrayalat the end of the episode only serves tofurther her struggle between her morals and devotion to DARKCOM.
Dante and Lady work together to fight White Rabbit, covering each other’s back when the other is in trouble. This feels very much like afinal boss fight in aDMCgame.As the climactic final fight of the series,it’s nice to see the animators pull out all the stops with fluid animations and bombastic camera angles.Dante and Lady going all out and usingthe full extent of their weaponsis also an awesome sight to behold.
The White Rabbit’s demonic transformation is a little weak and poorly designed, but that’s usually the curse offinal boss fights inDMCgames(looking at Arkham fromDMC3and Sanctus fromDMC4).
While Enzo’s unfortunate sacrifice is tragic, the emotional impact didn’t hit as hard as it should’ve. Still, it’s sad that Dante lost his only friend, as dysfunctional their friendship was.
If it isn’t obvious enough, White Rabbit says the thesis statement surrounding the war on terror:“This spectacle of prosperity, built on the mystery of an unseen world,“especially combined with the use of Green Day’s “American Idiot.” While some might think it’s on the nose and ridiculous and that thefranchise has never been political, I thought it was well put and in tune with the overallpolitical message of the show.
The final episode also hints at Arius and Uroboros from DMC2, and will most likely deal with the consequences of America’s invasion of Hell, including Vergil appearing as Nelo Angelo, with a remixed version of “Bury the Light” playing in the background.Those sequel baits are probably the best parts of the episode for me.
6Episode 4
All Hope Abandon
For better or worse, the fourth episode is a more Lady-centric episode, though the episode teases Dante’s Devil Trigger a little more. If you’re like me and are aware of anime tropes and clichés, thenyou’d see the death of Lady’s squad a million miles away.
Besides Lady,DARKCOM is a practically incompetent force that’s there to serve as fodder to show off how intimidating the demons are.While that’s a valid method of hyping up your villains, it feels cheap and a wasted opportunity to give Lady’s squad such intricate designs and personalities before killing them off.
It has the same vibes asLevi’s squadinAttack on Titan.Their deaths would have had a lot more emotional impact if the show had spent more time developing themas people and less as caricatures and character archetypes. Still, we get to see Echidna and Cavaliere Angelo show their deadly stuff while hunting Lady through the apartment complex, which makes them all the more terrifying.
Lady also encounters some Makaian civilians in anot-so-shocking revealthat not all demons are evil. Not only that, but the show gives us some worldbuilding of Hell through the lens of a lesser demon. This has sparked a heated debate in the community, and though I don’t hate this reveal,it does cause some issues with the continuity ofDevil May Crylore.
5Episode 1
The first episode of any show, especially an adaptation of a beloved video game franchise, needs to be able to set up the tone, narrative, and themes of the story.
I was cautiously optimistic about the release of the show when the trailers first came out, butthe first episode captivated me with badass choreography and references scattered throughout the episode.
“Inferno” sets up the story right from the beginning that it’s not going to follow the tone and lore of the original franchise to a tee. With heavy emphasis on DARKCOM and the government’s attempts to investigate the White Rabbit’s terrorist plans,there is a woeful lack of Dante, who is supposed to be the main character of anyDevil May Crystory.
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There’s also a demystification of the supernatural elements of the show. By explaining the terrifying and eldritch world of Hell through Dr. Fisher and DARKCOM’s existence,Devil May Crytears off the thin veneer of mystery behind Hell that the games portrayed it to have.There is such a thing as overexplaining something that doesn’t need to be explained.
While cool in execution and cohesive in storytelling,the first episode ofDevil May Cryshifts way too often from the supposed main character of the story,and instead focuses too much on external forces that feel out of place with the tone set up by the original franchise.
4Episode 5
This episode is when things get more intense. While we get to see an awesome Iron Man 3 reference,we’re also finally treated to Dante’s Devil Trigger.While I’m not exactly a fan of the design, it’s at least marginally better than the DMC3 version, though theDMC5version is the best–hands down.
Meanwhile, Echidna and Cavaliere Angelo continue to hunt Lady, and DARKCOM forces surround the apartment complex. Things get even more complicated the moment civilians get involved. Throughout the episode,there’s a looming dread that you know something really bad is about to happen.
We find out more about White Rabbit’s inhumane experiments on his own people,making him a hypocrite and an egomaniac who just wants to take revenge on DARKCOM.This is also where Lady finally learns that she was wrong, and she changes her attitude toward demons to at least try to help civilians, however she can.
Despite my shortcomings with Lady’s personality, I do like how she was able to outsmart Plasma and defeat Echidna with her wits.It shows more of her battle intelligence and ability to hold her own against demons that can easily overpower her.
Vice President Baines’s ruthlessness and religious fanaticism are on full display when he orders the massacre of Makaian civilians. While it’s an incredibly disturbing and dark moment,I can appreciate that the show doesn’t shy away from showing the atrocities a government can commit.This episode very effectively shows its message about the cycle of violence and hate.
3Episode 6
The First Circle
After we witness the dark moment where a bunch of Makaian civilians get massacred, we see a dramatic shift in tone in episode six. Titled “The First Circle,” we’re treated toa silent episode that parallels Lady and White Rabbit’s backstories.
There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, from the unique artstyle and color scheme of the human and demon worlds, to the way Lady and White Rabbit’s paths collide in a bloody tragedy at the end.
While Lady’s backstory remains mostly unchanged from the original, being thather father Arkham became so obsessed with demonic power that he killed her mother,we get to learn a lot more of White Rabbit’s backstory.
The change in art style to a more cartoonish one, a laHilda,serves to help us sympathize with the Makaians' plight while helping us understand the White Rabbit’s motivations. I’ll have to admit:the episode shifting using “Afterlife” sung by Evanescence’s Amy Lee threw me back into my teen years when I used to watch a lot of broody AMVs.
The music video Netflix released of the song “Afterlife” also has teasers of the second season, including Dante testing out Ebony and Ivory, and a sneak peek of his new outfit.
It’s a bold move to have an entire episode go on without dialogue,but it’s nonetheless effective in telling an emotional story that delivers a tragic and sad tale.Unfortunately, this emotional impact is somewhat invalidated when you think more about the atrocities the White Rabbit has committed for the sake of revenge.
2Episode 3
The Deep And Savage Way
Episode 3 shines some light on Lady’s backstory and more action choreography. After DARKCOM managed to capture Dante in the previous episode,the convoy gets ambushed by White Rabbit and his lieutenants on the way back to base.
Throughout the first half of the episode,you can feel this creeping sense of tension bubbling,thanks to the many hints scattered throughout and the direction of the episode.The payoff is well-deserved, with a strong fight scene where we see more of Lady holding her own against a group of elite demons.
The episode finally puts theDMC bossesinto full focus, making this episode a lot more fun and exciting, especially when we get to see the dynamic between demons that we normally wouldn’t have seen in the games, bantering with each other.It also shows thatWhite Rabbit and his minions aren’t just a monolith, as they have different approaches and attitudes towards their “cause.”
Being able to see more of White Rabbit also illuminates more about his personality and motivations, andhe shines as a ruthless and intimidating villain in this episode.While he’s not physically intimidating, he radiates an unhinged air underneath his calm persona.
1Episode 2
Our Lady Of Sorrows
Unsurprisingly, the episode with the most action is one of the best episodes. With the hype of the first episode still carrying over,the second episode pays off the anticipation with some well-deserved action choreographythat showcases the combat prowess of both main characters.
Episode 2 is perhaps the best representation of Dante’s stylish combat,similar to the opening fight inDMC3.With the government and DARKCOM closing in on Dante, you’d think that he’d have a hard time fending off well-trained mercenaries. Turns out,the only challenge was holding back and not killing them.
The action choreography in this episode was amazing and is probably the peak of this series.Not only that, but Lady is also portrayed as a badass in this episode,as she is the only human who can keep up with Dante and even outsmart him with her gadgets.
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