Netflix's 'Devil May Cry' anime: Everything you need to know
What's the story
Netflix is bringing an animated adaptation of the popular video game franchise Devil May Cry on April 3.
The series, which fans have been eagerly waiting for since its first look came in 2023, will showcase the demon-slaying exploits of Dante.
The original Devil May Cry game was created and published by Capcom in 2001 for PlayStation 2 and has since become a staple in action gaming.
Origin story
'Devil May Cry's evolution from 'Resident Evil' prototype
The Devil May Cry franchise was conceived by Resident Evil series creator Hideki Kamiya.
Originally envisioned as a more action-oriented Resident Evil 4, the game's protagonist was Tony Redgrave, a superhuman character created through biotechnology.
However, as development continued, inspirations from Gothic architecture and Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy took it in a different direction.
Franchise trajectory
'Devil May Cry's journey from success to disappointment
The original Devil May Cry game, which came out in 2001, was a massive success and left a huge mark on the action gaming genre.
However, despite the initial success, the sequel Devil May Cry 2 was commercially and critically disappointing.
Fans and critics alike felt it lacked the memorable characters and challenging yet fair difficulty that made the first game so popular.
Series revival
'Devil May Cry 3's resurgence and Netflix adaptation
Despite the setback with Devil May Cry 2, the franchise made a comeback with its third installment, Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening.
This prequel to the series received widespread acclaim for marking a strong comeback to form and is still a highly acclaimed title in the action gaming genre.
It introduced Lady, a vengeful warrior on a mission to hunt down her enemy's evil father Arkham.
Lady will also feature prominently in the upcoming Netflix series.
Past adaptations
'Devil May Cry's previous anime adaptation
Interestingly, the upcoming Netflix series isn't the first anime adaptation of Devil May Cry.
Back in 2007, Madhouse Studio created a 12-episode series which is called Devil May Cry: The Animated Series, which was released on Japan's WOWOW TV Network.
It was an interquel between the original game and its sequel but isn't necessary to watch to understand the upcoming Netflix adaptation.