DEVILMAN crybaby - anime review

Devilman Crybaby was too hyped for it's own good.
(Spoilers ahead.)

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Having in mind that this ONA was only 10 episodes long, my critiques might not seem fair to everyone.

But it's the way I saw it, how I took it in and in the end, my review might not make people happy.

However, given the hype it got, and how people kept trying to make me see it, I was more than disappointed with this series.

Characters:

Let's get into some of the main characters or the characters I (was supposed to feel) connected to. I want to clarify. The characters were greatly written. The following ones (and some I don't even mention) had amazing backstories and really great endings (considering all the gore and drama) - but even though I can admit that... I did not care for a single one of them deeply enough. Devil knows why. Anyway:

Akira Fudou - our main character. I have to admit, the crying was well done. I loved that it was something so unique to him, as crying for other people. It felt fresh. (Yet Miki saying it would make a world better place if we all were like that was... stupid.)

"I'm not devil, I'm DEVILMAN" was a beautiful look into the man's psyché. Akira refused to kill humans, hated those who killed them. He fought the demons who killed his family... but once he saw Miki dead, he forgot his own words, killing the "real demons". It made perfect sense and I love the writers for that.

Ryo Asuka - second main character, of more importance. Akira and him are total opposites, which always works great. He was the source of humanity's fall, he started the war, he made Akira get possessed by Amon. Driven by "love" towards Akira, wanting to keep him by his side forever... Being crushed in the end, on the cliff where they met... Fantastic. Another well written character.

Makimura Family (Miki, Taro, mom & dad)

I put them into one category for one specific reason. I did not feel sorry for even one of them. I blame all the things I hated about this anime, so it wasn't a surprise.
Miki was a sweetheart. Innocent soul, stupidly falling in the hands of a pervert who was photographing her naked. Someone who loved her close friends and family, someone who only wanted the world to be good, someone who fought until the very end. Miki never gave up, made a lot of unconventional friends in her life and her end was just as tragic.
Taro, her younger brother. I don't know how he became a demon. I have no idea. The thing only made me feel with the mother, who upon finding out, took Taro to the church, took care of him and didn't leave his side, even though she knew her son or her were doomed. Her death was sad, but felt predictable and not really that emotional. When the father found Taro eating his wife... well. It was a beautiful emotional scene, that left both my eyes dry. Despite the father screaming "you're no longer my son" yet not being able to kill Taro... meh.

    

Honorable mentions:
Miki Kuroda - this girl... this poor poor girl.
Moyuru Koda - my gay boy 💟 I love him with all my heart but at the same time, whatever.
Kamigaku Track Team Manager - GOAT. My favorite character of them all.

Story:

Ryo Asuka a young man with a plan takes his childhood friend Akira Fudou to a Sabbath party to prove that devils do in fact exist. Demon prince Amon possesses Akira, changing his physical appearance, strength and lets him transform into a devil freely.

Akira becomes a puppet of Ryo's plan, used as the other pleased. Two friends stand on opposite sides of the war between demons and humans - Ryo has his own view of morality, of necessary sacrifices and Akira refuses to let people get killed for no reason.

Close friends and family of Akira's are in a mortal danger, and despite Akira's best intentions and his best efforts, he isn't able to save anyone, nor himself.

The writers really did say "tragic end for you! tragic end for you! tragic end for everyone!" .

Music:
Probably the best thing about this whole ONA. I am not a big fan of techno/house/rap... but I enjoyed it all.
Openings and endings weren't enjoyable enough to not skip them all the time, 5/10.
The freestyle rap that came up almost every episode was entertaining and the words did stick with me for a while 8/10.
The fighting techno music 10/10, I was practically waiting for it to jam to it.

Animation:
We love different approach. I found the animation "funky" in a way. I enjoyed seeing the bodies move. I did not enjoy the silly expressions, the sweat animation or the blood animation.

Art style was very different, very unique, but I was not a fan.

Entertainment value:

I watched the first episodes with my mother, which made me greatly enjoy it. I laughed so hard every time she looked up, seeing people have intercourse, or seeing Miko moan. My mother provided a wonderful commentary that made me enjoy DC a lot.

The other day, when I was finishing it alone, I was bored to death. I felt no emotions, just wished it would end already.

That being said, I never felt like those 25 minutes of runtime were dragging. The new episode coming came always like a surprise, I expected more.

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Conclusion:

Devilman Crybaby was not a wasted potential, but if there was some kind of a parallel universe or "alternative" with the characters, I would rather watch that.

ONA itself left me rolling my eyes, cringe and yawn - which is never a good sign.

I bet there are many people who will love this, but for me, it was a miss.