Review of Devilman: Crybaby

A quick heads up before I begin; I consider myself fairly strict and I rarely give 10s. First Thoughts: Devilman Crybaby definitely had a lot of uniqueness to it that I rarely see in anime that made it special. The soundtrack and art style, were great (though an acquired taste for the art style), and even though the story was lacking and the characters weren't that deep, there were some moments and messages that struck a chord with me. Story: 6/10 Devilman Crybaby is a the story expected for the re-adaptation of a 70s shounen classic. It's dark, impactful and comes across strongly in manyways (especially from the original source back in the day). It deals with heavy topics and is packed with action and a bunch of confusing information that sometimes feels useless and vague. Even though I must say that there is uniqueness and intellect in how this story was created, there's not much to praise in the way it was produced. There was too much that went over my head and left me confused, too many holes in the dialogue, and not one form of fulfilling closure. It almost feels like a draft instead of a final production in terms of story.

However, I was very pleased with the way they incorporated biblical references in a new light, considering a lot of people are afraid of even touching a bible the wrong way. I'm not saying blasphemy is the way, but that's exactly what I'm saying. It was refreshing to see something considered as "divine law" to be ignored (Miki's family and Akira praying before dinner, reading the bible, but then engaging in violent and "sinful" behaviors), mocked (ex. "Sabbath" -Sunday- being the party of "sin"), or disrespected/ twisted (acceptance of demons, Satan feeling love and sorrow). As someone who was raised in a bit of a strict religious household, it is a form of freedom.

There were also a few critical moments in the story that made me get the good ol' goosebumps and let out a long breath so even if they were few and far between, they were enough to bump the rating. It can definitely tingle your senses at times. I even cried once, so that says something. You might surprise yourself with how contagious Akira's Crybaby rubs off on you.

Lastly, the pacing was abysmal; slow in the first 7 episodes and then plot kicks in and it rushes to a truly anti-climatic conclusion 3 eps later. It should've been longer to explain things or at least given us more time to let it all sink in.

Overall, I expected a lot more in terms of story and especially in plot development. The ending really did fall flat and made me feel empty, but it also has a certain morbid beauty to it (the entire thing, really). It makes you feel human, and that's the point of it. In the end, if a character gains the slightest bit of humanity, you may feel yourself following suit.

Art: 7/10

The art style for Devilman Crybaby is unique and refreshing. There is great use of yellowish tones that leave a nostalgic feeling, which is a great technique considering the source material is from the 70s. I did mention in the intro that it is an acquired taste and might take some getting used to depending on the person, but for someone who watches a lot of anime with such a similar style it gets tiresome, it was a breath of fresh air.

On the other hand, the animation can get sloppy at times but that is likely intentional to the style of the overall production or whatever. I gotta admit those backgrounds could have used a little more pop though, some of the textures are really ugly.

Lastly, I can't forget the running. Boy, if you thought the way Naruto characters run was weird, you've got a storm coming. It's hilarious.

Sound: 9/10

Okay, this is the best part of the entire review. This soundtrack is amazing. SO GOOD. It carried the show with its bare hands!! Some songs can get stuck in your head even days later, and you won't even get mad (unless it's a sad song, then, well, I'm sorry, but you might pull a Crybaby). There are songs that fill with so much energy and power you feel like you can do anything (and do, run and scream to your heart's content), while others make you incredibly, unabashedly saD. It's incredible that a series of just 10 episodes could do so much with the soundtrack, but somehow it did it, and that is worth high praise.

The only reason I didn't rate it a 10/10 is because I feel like the fight scenes could have had more sound effects to them, and the rest of the show as well. If there were any Fairly Normal Things In Context of the Show that could have used some nice sound effects, it could have used that to its advantage. Also, the opening song took some time to get into. Lastly, not the entire soundtrack is good (or should I say, to my taste), there are a few that give me weird vibes (probably intended) but hey, I'm picky.

p.s. Love the freestyle rap some characters do; lyrics show the ugly truth, and the beat is a bop. Petition for the voice actors to make a collab album?

Character: 5/10

I started watching this show 1. because the characters appealed to me and 2. because of that hilarious treasure that is the English dub of the original Devilman. How am I feeling now? Mildly disappointed. Most characters are shallow and lack a proper motive or purpose, and even when we do get one, it is far too late. We should have gotten a clear-cut image of the characters since the moment they were introduced, but it took me a while to figure out what in the world WERE these characters. I knew nothing about them for a good amount of time. In the end, many weren't even touched or explored at all, and even those that were, it felt like (as the original Devilman Akira would say) "absolutely zippo." There was a lack of flavor to much of the characters, though this might be due to how used I have become to seeing "PEPPY, IN YOUR FACE, OUT THERE, THIS IS ME, WORDSMITH" characters in anime, which are oftentimes idealized and made out of an incredible ability to form insightful speeches at all times. What I realized with Devilman Crybaby, is that these characters are less dramatized and more true to realism, and therefore, less appealing (because we humans don't want characters that have the dull reactions to everyday things that we do, we want fantastical beings whose superpower is the way they present themselves). I realize this, but it doesn't change how little I care for the characters in this show.

((This next paragraph has some vague spoilers))
I was very thrown off by the changes in the character of Akira from the beginning to after he became Devilman (even if it was like, the first ep), and in another (I will omit for the name for the sake of spoilers). They seemed completely different and suddenly came across too strongly from who they once were, which was disappointing because I liked them better before. I also want to talk about Koda but I will refrain (again) for the sake of spoilers. I'll just say that I like how his sexuality was portrayed so explicitly despite it being taboo, and how that affected his character. There were a few redeeming things about some characters, namely the rap gang (loved their rap cameos), Miki's family (Taro omg), Kukun's confession, Miki's heroic act, Miko in the end and her relationship with Miki, and Ryo's origins/ being.
((end))

Lastly, Akira being a "crybaby" and how that put some definition to the show and added to his humanity. It sends the message that love brings sorrow, which brings tears, which makes us human. Akira cried a lot because he loved (cared) a lot, and I think we should learn that crying is not a bad thing, because loving is a good thing.

p.s. Ryo's Japanese voice actor doing that English dub justice. Love that for him (I just found it really amusing and couldn't keep a straight face no matter the gravity of his words).

Enjoyment: 6/10

Despite my constant confusion for the majority of the show, there were a few redeeming qualities that made it bearable. I would say it wasn't a waste of time because I learned a few things, gained a few things, and loved the soundtrack.

Also, it might count for something that I mention how I am very sensitive to gore and highly violent material (and horror) so this did affect my enjoyment. Though it's hard to imagine someone actually enjoying these things, it's there for a reason.

Overall: 7/10

To sum it up, because of certain moment(s), the soundtrack, and the unashamed use of blasphemy and biblical references, I rate this show a 7/10. It's not higher because the lack story and depth of character gave an empty feeling there was something lacking and it was bothersome. I kept wanting to know more about the characters and everything else that was going on. It was confusing for the most part, but also unashamedly & sometimes morbidly, sometimes touchingly, human.