Devil May Cry is an action-adventure hack and slash video game series developed and published by Capcom and created by Hideki Kamiya. The series centers on the character Dante's efforts to avenge his mother's murder by exterminating demons. The gameplay consists of heavy combat scenes in which the player must attempt to extend long chains of attacks while avoiding damage in order to exhibit stylized combat; this element along with time and the number of items collected and used are taken under consideration when grading the player's performance.
The series is very loosely based on the Italian poem Divine Comedy by the use of allusions, including the protagonist Dante (named after Dante Alighieri) and other characters like Vergil (Virgil), Trish (Beatrice Portinari), Lucia (Saint Lucy), Mundus (Satan), Furiataurus (the Minotaur), Geryon, and Cerberus. Many of the enemies are also named after the Seven Deadly Sins, such as "Hell Pride" or "Hell Lust".
It didn't dawn on me until I saw one of my friends on Twitter post a tweet that stated the original Devil May Cry released on October 16, 2001, making this year being the series' 18th anniversary. I figured that this would be a better time than never to get this list that I have been procrastinating on finishing going again.
Overview
The gameplay of the series focuses primarily on fast-paced, highly stylized combat; gaining a high style ranking requires long attack and evasion strings while avoiding damage. The game also features some puzzle-solving and exploration elements retained from its survival horror origins, but these are downplayed; Devil May Cry games place the emphasis on action. In later games, the system was slightly modified so players had to actively vary the attacks used, so as to maintain the style rank. The style rank is tracked during combat with letter grades, from worst to best: D, C, B, A, S. They are also represented by words that start with the first letter of the class, "Dull" for D for example. The third game introduced "SS" and "SSS" ranks, which continues in further installments. The player's performance on each is also ranked using these letters.
The "Devil Trigger" ability enables the player's character to transform into a devilish form with additional powers based on their current weapon, while the character's strength and speed increase and health is slowly restored. Notable weapons in the series include the swords Force Edge/Sparda in Devil May Cry, Rebellion in Devil May Cry 2, and Yamato in Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Ammunition for the player's guns (semi automatic pistols named Ebony & Ivory throughout most of the series) is infinite due to the 'style!' meter and ranking encouraging players to attack continuously while avoiding damage.
Dante is generally the lead character in the games, although most of the games offer other playable characters; Devil May Cry 2 featured Lucia, the Special Edition of Devil May Cry 3 allowed the player to use Vergil, Devil May Cry 4 featured a new protagonist named Nero (Special Edition added both Trish and Lady as playable characters), and Devil May Cry 5 carried Nero over as the co-protagonist alongside Dante and new character "V". Devil May Cry 2 also allows players to use Trish once the game is completed with either Dante or Lucia.
Devil May Cry 2 introduced the ability to perform combination attacks in mid-air and an evasion button. It also introduced a weapon-change button, so the player could cycle through ranged weapons without switching to the inventory screen.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening added a selection of gameplay styles, allowing the player to focus on their favorite techniques or weapons, whether it be swords(swordmaster), guns(gunslinger), evasion(trickster) or defense(royalguard). Each of the four basic styles gain experience points, which unlock more techniques and abilities without costing "red orbs", the common currency of the series. A second weapon-change button was added, allowing the player to cycle through the character's melee weaponry, specifically known as Devil Arms, as well.
Devil May Cry 4 brought one major innovation in the form of the main character Nero's "Devil Bringer" arm, which gives players the ability to pull distant enemies in to be attacked, or smash them into the ground. Nero is also armed with a sword that can be "revved" up via a throttle handle, allowing players to precharge the sword for extra damage on the next hit, or with precise timing it can be charged after each attack, for extra damage and style. As Dante, players can also seamlessly switch fighting styles in mid-combat.
DmC: Devil May Cry introduced the concept of changing environments to the gameplay. Players would be able to reach hidden areas through the use of the "Ophion" whip and grappling-hook, in addition to the weapon having similar functions to the "Devil Bringer" from Devil May Cry 4. Additionally the environment itself would often "attack" Dante by changing its architecture and infrastructure to a much more hostile form, often prompting fast-paced chase sequences and platforming scenarios.
Series Plot
The series lore opens two millennia prior to the first game, with the demon Sparda, The Black Knight, defeating Mundus, ruler of the Demon World. Sparda manages to stop Mundus from conquering the human world by sealing numerous hellgates around the world. With a ritual requiring his own blood and the aid of a powerful priestess, he was able to seal the last portal, Temen-Ni-Gru. Sparda chose to remain in the Human World, where he established a religious sect known as 'The Order of the Sword'. Long after, he would fall in love with a beautiful, human woman named Eva, who would bear him twin boys, Dante and Vergil. The brothers, were each given half of a locket belonging to their father, consisting of a relic and a sword. Tragedy would befall the young boys time and again, starting with the murder of their mother at the hands of Mundus as part of his revenge against his nemesis, Sparda. This article will detail the plot in chronological order rather than by release of each individual game, as each installment in the Devil May Cry series takes place out of a linear sequence.
The plot begins with Devil May Cry 3 released in 2005, taking place a year after Dante had a falling out with his twin brother Vergil, likely resulting from an argument over their mother. Dante had since finished setting up his new, as of yet unnamed shop, when he's visited by a man named Arkham, who stated he was calling Dante out on Vergil's behalf. Soon after, an immense tower erupts from the ground a short distance away from the shop, and Dante takes it as a challenge from Vergil himself. Dante encounters several powerful demons, including Cerberus and the mysterious Jester, before arriving at the tower's summit, now revealed to be Temen-Ni-Gru. Here Dante is attacked by his brother Vergil and despite Dante's growing abilities, loses. Vergil then takes Dante's locket and leaves with Arkham. Bloody and dying in the rain, the dormant devil power within Dante revives him and he resumes pursuit of his brother. Vergil, as it is revealed, wants to use the pendants their mother gave them in a ritual to create a portal to the Demon World. The battle is soon joined by Lady, a woman out to avenge her mother's death at the hands of Arkham: her father. Arkham, soon revealed to be Jester, had been manipulating the three into completing the ritual which would allow him to acquire Sparda's mighty sword, The Force Edge, and claim its power as his own. With the ritual complete, Arkham leaves the three of them for dead on the floor. Dante gives chase after the madman, whose new power begins to mutate him into a massive abomination. Vergil re-joins Dante to aid him in defeating Arkham, and together they prove victorious. At the conclusion of the battle, however, Vergil refuses to back down on his goal to open the portal to the demon world. The brothers then resume their battle with each other. Dante's new weapons and abilities prove too much for Vergil and he is victorious, able to reclaim his half of the locket. The portal begins to close and Vergil makes his way towards it. Dante pleads with his brother not to go before Vergil, smirking, leaps into the Demon World before the portal closes once again. Here Vergil would be tested and challenged, eventually crossing paths with his mother's killer Mundus. Upon returning to the human world, Dante meets Lady outside the collapsing tower. In an effort to comfort the grieving brother, she manages to coin the phrase "devil may cry". They remain close friends and allies in hunting down demons and those who would use them. Dante even named his shop after "Devil May Cry" in small thanks to Lady.
In the 2001 title Devil May Cry, the first released game in the series, Dante is confronted by Trish who wanted to test if he is the son of Sparda before revealing that Mundus is planning his return, and only a descendant of Sparda can defeat him. Dante explores Mallet Island, where Mundus is set to return, encountering a variety of demons that included Mundus' generals who realized that Dante had ultimately surpassed Sparda in power. Dante also encounters a strangely honourable opponent named Nelo Angelo who overpowered him in their first encounter before running off upon seeing Dante's locket. It was only during their final battle that Dante learns that Angelo is Vergil after being defeated by Mundus and made into a thrall. Dante puts his brother out of his misery. As Dante draws closer to Mundus, he falls into a trap that reveals Trish is the demon's agent before saving her because of her resemblance to his mother. This act motivated Trish to risk her wellbeing to save Dante from Mundus, with Dante coming to understand his father's power. Dante proceeds to battle Mundus, managing to defeat him when Trish arrives to help him send Mundus back to the Demon World. Dante and Trish escape as the island collapses and later are seen working together in the shop, temporarily renamed "Devil Never Cry".
In the 2007 Devil May Cry: The Animated Series anime, Trish having left to work as a solo demon hunter, Dante is hired as the bodyguard of a young heiress named Patty who grew to love him to the point of spending most of her time at "Devil May Cry", often cleaning it or decorating it in a "girly fashion" to Dante's dismay as he takes a few odd jobs on the side. Trish eventually returns to Dante alongside Lady when she hired Dante to pay off his huge debt to her. While the two women did not get along right away, they and Dante wind up working together to take on certain difficult jobs. Near the end of the series it is revealed that Patty's mother is the descendant of a human sorcerer who sealed away the power of an ancient devil lord named Abigail, Patty being targeted by a demon named Sid seeking to gain Abigail's power. While Lady and Trish fight off demons summoned by Sid while Dante kills the demon. Sometime later, Dante, Trish, and Lady all get hired on the same job and take bets on who will win. Patty comes into Dante's shop to clean, showing that the two continue to have a somewhat father-daughter type of relationship.
In the 2003 game Devil May Cry 2, Dante is invited by an associate named Lucia to meet her mother Matier on Dumary Island. Dante learns that a businessman named Arius is collecting artifacts called Arcana to summon a demon lord known as Argosax. Dante flips a coin, and based on the result, he decides to help. Lucia confronts Arius, who reveals that she was his creation. Shortly afterward, Lucia gives Dante the last of the Arcana before leaving to face Arius alone. Dante then encounters Matier who asks Dante to take the Arcana to save Lucia from Arius. Lucia attacks Arius, though he captures her. Dante arrives and trades the Arcana for Lucia, then attacks Arius, who escapes. A large stream of energy strikes the Ouroboros tower and a portal to the demon world is opened. Dante and Lucia argue over who will enter, but Dante flips his coin to determine that he will be the one to go. After Dante departs, Arius returns to the human world, though Lucia goes on to defeat him. After defeating the partially summoned Argosax, Dante finds himself trapped in the Demon World and decides to venture further in. In the aftermath, Matier assuring her that Sparda returned from a similar trip, Lucia looked after Dante's shop while musing over the Dante's coin as she discover it is two-headed. Outside the sound of a motorcycle echoes, and Lucia leaves to investigate.
In the 2008 game Devil May Cry 4, Dante and Trish learn of foul play within the Order of the Sword and investigate while learning of its religious leader's scheme to conquer the world using Vergil's sword Yamato. Dante seemingly assassinates the Sanctus, only to face a young demon hunter acolyte named Nero who awakened his own demonic powers as a descendant of Sparda. Nero goes on a quest to capture Dante while gaining Yamato, only to learn the Order's dark secrets before being captured by Sanctus through his girlfriend. Dante manages to cripple Sanctus's plans before freeing Nero to finish the job, the two parting ways on good terms with Nero allowed to keep Yamato.
In the 2019 game Devil May Cry 5, set several years after the events of Devil May Cry 4, Nero runs his own mobile branch of Dante's "Devil May Cry" business. He befriends Nico, a self-proclaimed weapons artist and descendant of the gunsmith who originally crafted Dante's Ebony and Ivory handguns. At some point in the story, Nero's Devil Bringer arm from Devil May Cry 4 is cut and stolen by an unknown assailant. Nero, now armed with a versatile prosthetic arm called the "Devil Breaker" created by Nico, sets off to find something he has lost as he, Dante and a mysterious new demon hunter named V face their "strongest foe yet".
While the series' timeline had originally placed Devil May Cry 4 before Devil May Cry 2, this was retconned with the release of Devil May Cry 5. The 2013 game DmC: Devil May Cry developed by Ninja Theory is not set in the timeline, taking place in an alternate universe to the main series.
Development
Devil May Cry 1 has a really curious development history. The game's director Hideki Kamiya worked on the first Resident Evil game and was tasked with directing the second. After his stellar work on that game, he was asked to direct the fourth RE and it's here where things get interesting. Kamiya intended for the 4th game in the series to shake things up a bit and made the game much more action focused than it's predecessors. Kamiya's superiors wanted him to tone down the action aspects and focus on making a survival horror game, which is pretty ironic considering the direction Resident Evil would eventually take. However, Kamiya refused to budge and eventually convinced Capcom to turn the work his team had done into a new IP. Thus Devil May Cry was born. It's funny to think that if one man hadn't persisted with the higher-ups we might have been denied one of the most important action series ever.
Kamiya has stated in interviews that when he went to the arcade as a child he would often watch other players so as to formulate strategies on how to best play. He didn't have much pocket money as a child and so wanted to learn the best ways to play each game without hitting a continue screen. Of course, the 1980s era arcade machines were brutally difficult so that they could extract as much money as possible out of the people playing them.
He noticed that players who regularly completed games on a single life would often show off and take more risks as a crowd of people gathered to watch them play. This is where Kamiya got the idea of style ranking from, he thought it would just be a cool idea to have a game that rewards players for doing flashy and awesome things. A combat system which was challenging, but also empowered players to look and feel cool was the underlying point. Combined with the campy and often ridiculous tropes of Japanese action across films, manga, anime and games Kamiya had the basis for Devil May Cry.
Still though this title clearly started out as a Resident Evil game. The camera for example, is probably the game's biggest flaw. The early Resident evil titles used a fixed camera with prerendered backgrounds, when you enter a room the camera will stay in one place rather than track the player like most 3-D games. The advantage of this was that RE could have excellent (for the time) looking areas with minimal strain on the PS1's hardware. Further the limited vision contributed to the atmosphere of dread and uncertainty that a survival-horror game needs.
DMC 1 mostly retains this camera but with significant tracking and fully 3-D environments. For a fast-paced action game it mostly gets in the way and can be a cause of frustration, the camera was finally fixed in DMC 3. Other more subtle influences from Resident Evil include the creaking sound when you open a door or the warning you see when you boot it up that "this game contains scenes of explicit blood and gore", a reminder of how old it is.
The Legacy of Devil May Cry. The synergy of melee and ranged combat is another major strength of DMC.
Probably one of the biggest reasons why the DMC series has garnered such a love from its fans is the protagonist Dante. A half-human, half-demon man who hunts demons using a sword and guns. With the exception of DMC 2, Dante is largely portrayed as cocky and irreverent, often firing off cheesy one-liners at bosses during cutscenes. Despite this he maintains an air of seriousness when the story demands, something which is strengthened by the contrast to his usually humorous attitude. - KeenGamer
Appearance
As stated in an interview with original series creator Hideki Kamiya in the Devil May Cry Graphic Edition artbook, the earliest ideas he had for Dante's design were centered around three key points; "[a] long, stylish coat" to make the character "showy", "[a] British man" as Kamiya wanted him to be a "witty, yet traditional fighting man", and "doesn't smoke cigarette[s]", believing that the character was too cool to smoke.
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| Cobra from Space Adventure Cobra, who Dante's appearance and personality were inspired by. |
In the same interview, another noted influence on Dante both design wise and character wise was Cobra of the acclaimed Japanese manga and anime series Space Adventure Cobra. Kamiya believed Cobra's cocky attitude and red attire were key points for a "heroic" character. Ironically, despite Cobra being a heavy cigar smoker, Dante himself does not smoke, as Kamiya believed Dante to be cooler without a cigarette.
Ever since Devil May Cry started development as Resident Evil 4, Dante has had white hair. It's remained in a consistent style throughout the series, although there are a few differences between installments.
In Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 4 his hair is somewhat parted with his bangs brushed down; in Devil May Cry 3 his hair is brushed down with his bangs partially covering his eyes, and in Devil May Cry 2 his hair is much thicker, with his bangs parted in front of his right eye.
Dante has worn a myriad of clothing throughout his many appearances, yet his most glaring trait is his affinity for red-colored apparel, often in the form of long, two-tailed coats.
In Devil May Cry 3, Dante wears long, tan colored jeans, black fingerless gloves, and military-style boots. His coat has zippers on the sleeves and a buckle around the waist, and two brown, leather holsters on the back to carry Ebony & Ivory. Contrary to later games, Dante does not wear any form of clothing underneath his coat, going shirtless throughout the whole game, displaying his silver half of the Perfect Amulet around his neck, as well as his bare, well-toned chest and muscular physique. Following Dante's first battle with Vergil, his half of the amulet is stolen and the right sleeve of his coat is damaged, with Dante tearing it off afterward. In his final confrontation with Vergil, his left glove is slashed across the palm by Yamato, and the epilogue shows that Dante keeps it on his desk, perhaps in remembrance of his lost brother.
In the original Devil May Cry and the anime adaptation, Dante wears red pants with two black belts wrapped around his right thigh, a black, leather belt, black gloves, and high, black boots. Dante's coat is much basic in design, with an upturned collar and short sleeves with black cuffs, though the coat lacks coattails. Underneath the coat, Dante wears what appears to be a black long-sleeved shirt, with a red vest with black clasps over it. In numerous cutscenes, his half of the Perfect Amulet is once again on display, yet it appears infrequently and is not a permanent feature on his character model.
In Devil May Cry 2, Dante's outfit is reminiscent to the one seen in the first game, but with more pronounced, poignant features. He wears high black boots and red jeans once more, yet has a single belt wrapped around each thigh. A belt featuring a skull themed buckle wraps around his waist, and he wears black, gauntlet shaped gloves with three buckled straps on each one. His coat is a deeper red than in the previous game, with two coattails, yet the coat has a more pronounced buckled collar, and a black strap going over his right shoulder wrapping around his chest, with two golden studs on the front. The front of the coat is also patterned individually from the rest of it, resembling a sort of vest or body armor, with a zipper closed all the way up from the waist to the bottom of Dante's neck, perhaps reflecting his introverted nature seen in the game.
In his appearance in Devil May Cry 4, Dante's outfit arguably takes on it's most flamboyant look. Dante once more wears red pants, yet they are almost completely covered sans his crotch and rear by long, black leather motorcycle chaps featuring a brown, cowboy boot design around the ankles. He wears black, loafer looking boots, and black gloves exposing his knuckles and index finger on each hand, and his pants are wrapped with a black belt featuring a silver emblem decorated with a demonic skull. The coat is given a much more detailed and stylish look, with Western and Italian features, and a deep red, almost crimson color. Once more the coat is short sleeved, with numerous gold colored studs decorating the shoulders, collar, and chest, and a single zipper on the front, yet Dante is never seen zipping it up in-game. Underneath the coat, Dante wears a black, zipped up undershirt with three clasps closed together with ornate, golden buckles, and medium length sleeves that can be seen passing his shoulders. This undershirt is also zipped up just below his neck and features an upturned collar which complements the one on his coat. Another noticeable design choice separate from Dante's outfit is his chin, covered with short, black stubble, reflecting his older age, as stated by designer Tatsuya Yoshikawa in the Devil May Cry: 3142 Graphic Arts book that Dante is "around 40" by the events of Devil May Cry 4.
In Devil May Cry 5, Dante's outfit takes on its most simple look. His red jacket is faded, has a washed-out look, a skull on his back and also resembles his Devil May Cry 4 jacket. He wears an ordinary black henley T-shirt with three buttons as the sleeves itself reach through his elbows, where it also features torn details, for his wrists he wears black driving gloves and white bandages. For his legs, he wears a black belt with golden accents, black leather pants and brown boots. His hair and beard also grows after being comatosed for a month. This gives Dante a more grungy look. Dante's black henley T-Shirt also appears dark blue during the daylight when he battles Vergil during their duel and their sparring match in the epilogue.
Following his defeat by Urizen, Dante's hair had grown out considerably during his recovery, and is now the same length as it was in Devil May Cry 2. His clothes are also muted in color and dirtier as well.
Games:
Devil May Cry
Release: 2001
It wasn't until I played the demo for the original Devil May Cry was when I realized that I had a fascination with over-the-top action games. I practically begged my dad to buy me a PlayStation 2 for my birthday (Christmas FYI) that year. I aced my classes that semester too so there was like no excuse he couldn't give me for that reward waiting me that faithful holiday season. Unlike when I got my PlayStation (PSX/PSone) a few years prior, I only got one game with this console and it was the original Devil May Cry. I remember I got stomped HARD playing that game on Normal at first. After admitting defeat following several Game Overs, I switched down to Easy difficulty and grinded through the game's narrative, learning the in's and out's of the game's combat system. To this day, I still don't think I'm all that in the original DMC title but out of all of the weapons available, I'm still fond of Ifrit (Devil Arms) and Sparda (namely the Devil Triggered Round Trip version). I spent the better part of the following months clearing the game through all of the difficulty settings after reading up on the various secrets and stuff on GameFAQs. That's how I found out about all of the secret missions and how to acquire the Bangle of Time hidden item. It was through GameFAQs I learned of the Devils-Lair Devil May Cry series fansite that was home to a lot of walkthroughs, advanced technique tutorials, and videos made by a wealth of the players in the community. I don't know what happened to a lot of those folks, but I thank them all for opening my eyes to a lot of stuff that I merely scratched the surface on in terms of techniques with the series' initial outing and it's sequels that came afterwards.
Devil May Cry 2
Release: 2003
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Release: 2005
Devil May Cry 3 was a pleasant surprise, especially coming from my fondness for the original narrative, we get to see Dante in his youth leading up to the events of the original game and players are introduced to Dante's estranged brother, Vergil, who served as this game's primary antagonist. He was known as Nelo Angelo, the knight that served Mundus in the original Devil May Cry. This entry in the series establishes the rivalry between the Sons of Sparda and chronicles the events of how Dante awakened his "Devil Trigger" state for the first time and acquired the Force Edge sword that he wields in the original DMC. Gameplay-wise, this game is pure perfection and holds up the test of time to this day.
A wealth of action games following the release of the original Devil May Cry popped up left and right and borrows gameplay elements from this series, from Konami's Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, THQ-Nordic's Dark Siders, Suda51/Grasshopper Manufacture's No More Heroes, Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden series, Sony Santa Monica's God of War series, and almost every Platinum Games title to this day has been influenced by Devil May Cry (especially this outing) in some capacity. It doesn't hurt in Platinum Games' case that the original title's creator and former Capcom development alum of the Resident Evil series fame, Hideki Kamiya, works on a lot of their titles, so that's a given.
Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition
Release: 2006
At the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, Capcom announced a special edition of Devil May Cry 3 with gameplay changes and additional content. The special edition was released on January 24, 2006 as part of the PlayStation 2 greatest-hits collection, and it was later confirmed that the PlayStation 2 version of the game would be released in Europe. Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition went on to sell 1 million units.
Most notable additions to the game are, Dante's twin brother Vergil, who is now playable. Other changes included an additional survival mode, "Bloody Palace", with 9,999 levels; a Jester fight early in the game, with optional fights later; a "Turbo Mode", increasing game speed by 20 percent; an easier GOLD mode "continue" feature, allowing a player to revive a character or restart a lost fight, and rebalanced difficulty levels. Vergil's gameplay differed from Dante's; although Dante was weaker than Vergil in terms of skills and combos, he was easier to control. Because of the game's space limitations, not all of Vergil's moves were included in the special edition.
Vergil has one style, "Dark Slayer" (similar to Dante's "Trickster" style), with evasive maneuvers which can be leveled-up twice like Dante's four styles. He has three weapons: a katana known as Yamato, Beowulf gauntlets and greaves and the Force Edge broadsword. Vergil has two ranges of attack: "Summoned Swords" (creating magical swords for a variety of effects) and "Judgment Cut" (creating spheres of force). The new boss is Jester, a character encountered several times in first-edition cutscenes but not fought. In Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, he is an optional boss who may be fought three times.
Capcom took what was regarded as easily one of the greatest games of all-time and dialed it up to eleven with this re-release. Vergil was added as a playable character while the Bloody Palace made it's debut here while various gameplay tweaks were made to attract newcomers and veterans back for another round of action. I think the biggest gameplay change outside of the adjustments to the gameplay speed, playable characters, and extra modes, was the adjustment to the game's difficulty settings that allowed multiple checkpoints throughout the various missions while providing more options to experience the game. A common complaint about the original release was that it was far too difficult, so Capcom adjusted the difficulty to make "Normal" easier by default while "Hard" was the original version's "Normal" difficulty and "Very Hard" was that version's "Hard" difficulty. "Dante Must Die!" difficulty was unchanged.
Take it from me. If you're a fan of this series and don't own this game in some capacity, then something is clearly wrong...
By the way, stay away from the PC port of this as it's plagued with performance issues not present in the PlayStation 2 version. I know it may be an attractive purchase with all of the mods and extras in it in comparison to the console versions, but it's not worth the headache.
Devil May Cry 4
Release: 2008
Much like the original Devil May Cry, this game was the reason I purchased a new console - this time, taking the dive at Microsoft's Xbox 360 at the time. I didn't purchase this at launch, but rented it for a weekend at launch when my best friend loaned me his Xbox 360 while he was overseas doing a tour of Iraq for the military, but I later bought the game when I got a Xbox 360 of my own. I'll echo the same thoughts that I felt about Nero back then that I felt until his character evolved in Devil May Cry 5. It was the same situation as Hideo Kojima "attempting" to replace Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with the newcomer, Raiden. Nero looks like Dante and even acts like him in a lot of aspects. I think the Devil Bringer concept would have been much more receptive to players old and new if they just gave Dante that ability to "grab" enemies and do the unique attacks that were given to Nero. It's a darn shame too as I didn't get a grasp of how good Nero was as a character in this game from the Exceed system and Max-Act mechanics until years after the fact, despite completing at least 2-3 playthroughs of the game. Capcom did a piss-poor job of explaining of what this new character was capable of and forced you to drag throughout the game as him without any interesting new power-ups (besides a Devil Trigger) nor new weapons. That is until you're allowed to switch over to Dante about halfway into the title's narrative and treated with the surprise that Dante is able to use ALL of his signature gameplay styles from Devil May Cry 3 on the fly in this game. I remember playing as Dante and immediately going, "Why the fuck would I want to go back to playing Nero for?" Boy was I disappointed that you couldn't play the entire game as Dante even after completing the game. Dante gets three unique new Devil Arms during your short tenure as him in the game before the game forces you to switch back to Nero for the remainder of the game. To this day, I still feel like that was this game's greatest downside, on top of the fact that Nero wasn't a great "replacement/successor" for Dante at all in this game as everything "new" about him felt so forced. If he was brought in as a sidekick or a partner, I think players like myself would have been more receptive to him, but he ultimately came off as a cheap knock-off without Dante's flair and charisma.
Devil May Cry HD Collection
Release: 2012
This collection is available on a wealth of platforms today, consisting of the original three outings in the series: Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition. If you ask me, the price for this is worth it just for DMC3:SE alone, even though the first two outings haven't aged as well over time. Regardless of that, these are a welcome addition to any Devil May Cry fan's gaming library.
DmC (Devil May Cry)
Release: 2013
Out of all of the titles in the Devil May Cry series, I think this is the most controversial outing - even more so than Devil May Cry 2. I reviewed this game in it's entirety here, but I still feel that this game captured the essence of what I love the most about these games - over-the-top action while feeling like a bad ass doing it, even though this version of Dante left a lot to be desired in terms of his portrayal. The same can be said about that iteration of Vergil too as he was given his own DLC campaign as post-game content.
A remastered edition of the full game, titled DmC: Definitive Edition, running at 1080p/60fps and including all downloadable content, new costumes and new gameplay features such as a manual targeting system, was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 10 March 2015. The Definitive Edition and the original PC version were developed by Q-LOC.
If I were to revisit this title, I would go out of my way to play this version of DmC (Devil May Cry). As of this posting, I haven't had a chance to get my hands on this, but I have it on my backlog to get around to eventually, especially since they actually added manual targeting - something that was my biggest knock against the initial release in terms of gameplay.
A remastered version of Devil May Cry 4 was released in June 2015 as Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, which adds both English and Japanese voice tracks, improved visual effects and textures, in-game re-balancing, additional costumes, and three bonus playable characters: Vergil, Lady and Trish. Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is also available on Xbox Game Pass service.
In Special Edition, the player plays as Vergil through all the game's missions. He retains most of his moves from the Special Edition of Devil May Cry 3, including the close ranged weapon switches, but also has added elements from the reboot of the franchise DmC: Devil May Cry. His moves are also fully upgradable, and a feature was added for his choice of stylized fighting, which is known as the "Concentration" mechanic. While in action, Vergil's abilities and moves grow stronger and faster the more calmly and flawlessly he fights. The Concentration mechanic is signaled by a blue gauge in the upper left corner of the screen which is Vergil's Concentration Gauge. It has three levels. The higher the level, the more powerful attacks he will be able to perform. To increase the gauge, Vergil can land attacks on enemies and dodge their attacks, but if he is hit by an enemy or if he runs, this causes the gauge to deplete. Missing attacks also deplete the gauge, so the player must be efficient with their attacks during battle.
Also in Special Edition, Lady and Trish replaces Nero and Dante respectively in their own episode, with few difference between them:
I found this version of DMC4 to be the "definitive" edition of this game as it runs as well as Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition and is loaded with features and fixes to polish the game off as well as that title. Unlike the original release, you can play whichever character you choose out of the five playable characters from the start of the campaign to the end without switching characters. It doesn't change the fact that majority of the story campaign is just downright dull at times for the sake of being extremely linear and redundant though. That being said, if you're going to play DMC4, you might as well go out of your way to get this version. My biggest disappointment about this is that I haven't seen a physical release for this game. It's limited to current-gen hardware.
Devil May Cry 5
I reviewed Devil May Cry 5 in it's entirety shortly after it's release, so you guys should know how I feel about that entry in this series. It's a proper return to form for the series and arguably the best DMC title to come out since the 3rd outing if you want my honest opinion. With this entry alone, I think the future is looking bright for the demon slaying trench coat mafia.
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
As part of a deal with the company Atlus, Dante, in his Devil May Cry 2 incarnation, makes a special guest appearance in the updated Maniax version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, released as Shin Megami Tensei: Noctune and Shin Megami Tensei: Lucifer's Call in US and European territories, respectively.
In the story of the game, an event which recreates the world called the Conception occurs, killing almost every human in Tokyo save the few who may hold the key to recreating it. Dante is mentioned by an NPC before the Conception occurs as a "strange foreigner wearing a red cloak and carrying a big sword" walking around Tokyo, and later survives the Conception, being hired by a mysterious old man to kill the protagonist, the Demi-fiend. He is faced as a boss twice throughout the game, once in a mandatory fight, and again in an optional encounter in the Third Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala. He can later be recruited to the party in the entrance of the Fifth Kalpa, where he uses the same coin seen in Devil May Cry 2 to decide the fee for his services. His attacks are all based around his sword Rebellion and pistols Ebony & Ivory, using skills such as Roundtrip and Stinger.
Dante is a playable character in the PS2 version of the game, where he must save Trish. He later appears in the PSP version of Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble as a bonus character, where he lends his biplane, Karnival, to Captain Blue for a scene in one of his movies, and he and the player race to defeat the boss of the stage.
In the updated re-release, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, Dante receives a new ending where he is approached by Mephisto, who attempts to tempt Dante into signing a contract with him with the promise of reviving his mother and improving relations with Vergil. Dante responds by threatening to kill him unless Mephisto can provide him a job that will pay excessively, so Mephisto requests Dante to take out his son, Blackheart. He also appears in Ghost Rider's ending where he, Ghost Rider, and Trish threaten Mephisto's life, forcing him to undo a contract.
Dante returns in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, retaining his Devil May Cry 3 looks. In this game, he obtain new moves like his walking Horizontal Gun Shot during the shot, while an Air Shotgun acting as an Air Combo Finisher.
In the story mode after 88 days of Convergence caused by Ultron Sigma (a fusion between Ultron from Marvel's Ant-Man/Avengers and Sigma from Capcom's Mega Man X via Infinity Stones (mainly Space and Reality, while the rest are scattered across the merged universe)), he is amongst the heroes besides Thor, X, Chun-Li, Rocket and Hawkeye on the raid against Ultron Sigma in "their" base on a merged Highway and Asgard called Xgardian. He is first seen with Hawkeye and Rocket, and shares his Ebony & Ivory with Rocket for the latter's backup ammo. After Doctor Strange found out Thanos had been imprisoned by Ultron Sigma, the heroes plans a rescue mission, sending Chris Redfield, Chun-Li, Rocket, Strange and Strider Hiryu, in case if they are not powerful enough to defeat Ultron Sigma, which proves to be true. As Thanos has been rescued, the heroes fall back to Avengers Tower safely to create a new plan on splitting up each teams collecting Infinity Stones from Thanos' help, with Iron Man, Hawkeye and Spencer are last seen watching Thanos, in case if Thanos planned to betray the heroes behind their back.
Dante gains a more hotheaded attitude in this game, and somehow gains more control over his Devil Trigger, being able to speak within it. For the first time since Jedah's ending in Capcom Fighting Evolution, where Dante showed up behind him, he clashes with the Dark Messiah. He seems to have awakened more demonic traits in him, such as his nearly demonic laughter, when Jedah first counterattacks him and can be more capable of high-risk gambles, such as handing the soul stone to Ultron Sigma, despite this act appearing as outright betrayal to the heroes.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
Dante appears as a costume for Ken, it has ten variations, all retaining the same look but with different colors. The costume is based on Dante's iteration from Devil May Cry 4, and includes the Rebellion on Ken's back. Using the alternate code will equip Ken with Gilgamesh. Out of coincidence, both Dante and Ken share the same English voice actor.
Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2
Dante could be acquired by players in Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 during the Devil May Cry 5 collaboration period, and also acted as an enemy in one of the story chapters. He sports the Rebellion and Ebony & Ivory, with the Devil May Cry 5 model as the base look. Subhuman can also be heard multiple times during the story mode of the collab.
Teppen
Dante is one of the main Heroes in the base game of Teppen, being a Hero, he can be selected as the main character used in battle, and has three "Hero Arts" which have different functions from other heroes. Dante, alongside other characters and creatures within the Devil May Cry series, is featured in multiple cards in the game.
In the story mode of Teppen, Dante is shown on a devil hunting gig, of which makes him clash against Morrigan, as the two are fighting, he notices that a child got caught in the cross-fire, he succeeds in saving the little girl but Morrigan had turned into her human form to flee, when Dante notices it and is about to strike her again, X appears in order to protect what he believes is a human. The two end up fighting but afterwards, Dante still kept searching for Morrigan. A strange lady appears and mentions something to Dante, but he ends up blocking Chun-Li's way and this leads to the last battle of the story mode. The last cutscene displays that the words the mysterious lady mentioned was "Mundus" and that Dante should go to the "Land of Illusion", Dante then starts making way to that location stating that he doesn't want to miss the "party".
Other
Dante is featured as a character card in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighter DS.
Dante makes a cameo in Jedah Dohma's ending in Capcom Fighting Evolution.
Dante appears in the multi-crossover game Project X Zone alongside Lady. Dante forms a single unit alongside Demitri Maximoff, the demonic vampire of the Darkstalkers series. In combat, he fights with Rebellion, Ebony & Ivory, Coyote-A, and Nevan, yet interestingly takes on his appearance as seen in Devil May Cry. He also appears in the sequel, Project X Zone 2, this time partnered with Vergil.
Dante appears as a Rasta in Monster Hunter Frontier G, and his outfit is available as obtainable armor for players.
Dante's Devil May Cry appearance is featured as a DLC costume for Masamune Date in Sengoku Basara 4, and his swords are also replaced by Alastor.
Classic Dante appears as an unlockable icon in Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.
In Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Dante's coat and hairstyle, as well as the Devil Arm Alastor, were available for players for a limited time after completing a quest titled "Gravios May Cry".
Dante's appearance from Devil May Cry 4 appears on the cover of Capcom Super League Online.
In Monster Hunter: World, Dante's Devil Sword as well as a Dante alpha armour set, were available for players for a limited time after completing the Devil May Cry event quest titled "Code: Red".
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is an anime series based on the video game series by Capcom, which is itself loosely based on the Italian epic poem Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It debuted on the WOWOW TV network in Japan on June 14, 2007 and ran 12 episodes.
The show was produced by the anime studio Madhouse and was directed by Shin Itagaki. Bingo Morihashi, one of the writers for the second, third and fourth games, was also on the writing staff.
A teaser-trailer, released on the show's official site, featured pre-production artwork of Dante, the primary protagonist and playable character of the video games, and confirmed him as the show's protagonist.
A second trailer released at the 2007 Tokyo International Anime Fair showed actual animation from the show and included a character and cast list, featuring both new characters and other characters from the games.
The first episode aired in Japan on June 14, 2007.
The series is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It is based on the manga and novel volumes, and sees the return of series regulars Trish and Lady.
In the show, Dante runs his devil-hunting business, Devil May Cry, while struggling under constant financial debt. There are also two new characters—Dante's agent Morrison, who visits frequently to offer him jobs and advice, and Patty Lowell, a young orphan girl he saves in the first episode, who develops a father-daughter relationship with him.
While the show's stories were mostly self-contained, a season-long plot was introduced in the first episode and came to the forefront in episodes 10–12.
If the playlist above doesn't work/show up, all of the episodes are available for FREE in full HD quality from Funimation's YouTube Channel. All of the episodes were made available for free on PlayStation Network back in March 2019 following the console release of Devil May Cry 5 as well.
The answer is simple - the Devil May Cry series always had a knack since I played it for the first time of feeling like a complete bad-ass from it's stylish (no pun intended) gameplay. It left it's stamp on the action genre, even today and continues to set the standard for how fun these action games can be in terms of the sense of empowerment given to players at their fingertips. There wasn't a single moment playing these games where the characters would do something so amazing that I couldn't replicate it or do something similar in scope in-game that would make me feel just as bad-ass. That's feeling is never lost in these games and it is a pivotal component of why I find myself being drawn to this series again and again from the highs to the lows and the other titles like it.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
Release: 2015
A remastered version of Devil May Cry 4 was released in June 2015 as Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, which adds both English and Japanese voice tracks, improved visual effects and textures, in-game re-balancing, additional costumes, and three bonus playable characters: Vergil, Lady and Trish. Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is also available on Xbox Game Pass service.
In Special Edition, the player plays as Vergil through all the game's missions. He retains most of his moves from the Special Edition of Devil May Cry 3, including the close ranged weapon switches, but also has added elements from the reboot of the franchise DmC: Devil May Cry. His moves are also fully upgradable, and a feature was added for his choice of stylized fighting, which is known as the "Concentration" mechanic. While in action, Vergil's abilities and moves grow stronger and faster the more calmly and flawlessly he fights. The Concentration mechanic is signaled by a blue gauge in the upper left corner of the screen which is Vergil's Concentration Gauge. It has three levels. The higher the level, the more powerful attacks he will be able to perform. To increase the gauge, Vergil can land attacks on enemies and dodge their attacks, but if he is hit by an enemy or if he runs, this causes the gauge to deplete. Missing attacks also deplete the gauge, so the player must be efficient with their attacks during battle.
Also in Special Edition, Lady and Trish replaces Nero and Dante respectively in their own episode, with few difference between them:
- Lady's gameplay carries from her debut appearance in Devil May Cry 3, while also having a similar long-ranged grappling mechanic as Nero. Unlike Nero, Lady's combat-style heavily relies on firearms consisting of Shotgun, Handguns and her signature Kalina Ann. Lady has her own charging weapon mechanics known as Bullet Gauges, allowing to fully charge her weapons’ bullets at fast rate, granting her powerful firearm attacks up to three levels. Lady can also use double jump like Dante (in his base form) and uses a power-up aura for her "Devil Trigger" like Trish.
- Much like her previous playable appearance in Devil May Cry 2, Trish's gameplay remain similar to Dante, such as sharing weapon changing mechanism and combat system, even sharing one firearm weapon which Dante obtained, but can only access three of the said firearm's modes than Dante. Trish also retain her flight from the second game while accessing "Devil Trigger". Instead of Dante's Style change mechanic, Trish relies on electrokinetic spells like in (Ultimate) Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, and controlling Round Trip movement with the Sword of Sparda for limited time. In this game when using "Devil Trigger", she will wear a sunglasses.
I found this version of DMC4 to be the "definitive" edition of this game as it runs as well as Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition and is loaded with features and fixes to polish the game off as well as that title. Unlike the original release, you can play whichever character you choose out of the five playable characters from the start of the campaign to the end without switching characters. It doesn't change the fact that majority of the story campaign is just downright dull at times for the sake of being extremely linear and redundant though. That being said, if you're going to play DMC4, you might as well go out of your way to get this version. My biggest disappointment about this is that I haven't seen a physical release for this game. It's limited to current-gen hardware.
Devil May Cry 5
Release: 2019
I reviewed Devil May Cry 5 in it's entirety shortly after it's release, so you guys should know how I feel about that entry in this series. It's a proper return to form for the series and arguably the best DMC title to come out since the 3rd outing if you want my honest opinion. With this entry alone, I think the future is looking bright for the demon slaying trench coat mafia.
Other Various Gaming Appearances:
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
As part of a deal with the company Atlus, Dante, in his Devil May Cry 2 incarnation, makes a special guest appearance in the updated Maniax version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, released as Shin Megami Tensei: Noctune and Shin Megami Tensei: Lucifer's Call in US and European territories, respectively.
In the story of the game, an event which recreates the world called the Conception occurs, killing almost every human in Tokyo save the few who may hold the key to recreating it. Dante is mentioned by an NPC before the Conception occurs as a "strange foreigner wearing a red cloak and carrying a big sword" walking around Tokyo, and later survives the Conception, being hired by a mysterious old man to kill the protagonist, the Demi-fiend. He is faced as a boss twice throughout the game, once in a mandatory fight, and again in an optional encounter in the Third Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala. He can later be recruited to the party in the entrance of the Fifth Kalpa, where he uses the same coin seen in Devil May Cry 2 to decide the fee for his services. His attacks are all based around his sword Rebellion and pistols Ebony & Ivory, using skills such as Roundtrip and Stinger.
Viewtiful Joe
Dante is a playable character in the PS2 version of the game, where he must save Trish. He later appears in the PSP version of Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble as a bonus character, where he lends his biplane, Karnival, to Captain Blue for a scene in one of his movies, and he and the player race to defeat the boss of the stage.
Marvel vs. Capcom series
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Dante is a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 in his Devil May Cry 3 outfit. He is first seen in a trailer facing off against Deadpool, his rival in the game. In his ending, he prepares to square off against Ghost Rider. Interestingly, his physical features seem to be based off of his Devil May Cry 4 incarnation, but his outfit and repertoire is directly lifted from Devil May Cry 3.In the updated re-release, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, Dante receives a new ending where he is approached by Mephisto, who attempts to tempt Dante into signing a contract with him with the promise of reviving his mother and improving relations with Vergil. Dante responds by threatening to kill him unless Mephisto can provide him a job that will pay excessively, so Mephisto requests Dante to take out his son, Blackheart. He also appears in Ghost Rider's ending where he, Ghost Rider, and Trish threaten Mephisto's life, forcing him to undo a contract.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
Dante returns in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, retaining his Devil May Cry 3 looks. In this game, he obtain new moves like his walking Horizontal Gun Shot during the shot, while an Air Shotgun acting as an Air Combo Finisher.
In the story mode after 88 days of Convergence caused by Ultron Sigma (a fusion between Ultron from Marvel's Ant-Man/Avengers and Sigma from Capcom's Mega Man X via Infinity Stones (mainly Space and Reality, while the rest are scattered across the merged universe)), he is amongst the heroes besides Thor, X, Chun-Li, Rocket and Hawkeye on the raid against Ultron Sigma in "their" base on a merged Highway and Asgard called Xgardian. He is first seen with Hawkeye and Rocket, and shares his Ebony & Ivory with Rocket for the latter's backup ammo. After Doctor Strange found out Thanos had been imprisoned by Ultron Sigma, the heroes plans a rescue mission, sending Chris Redfield, Chun-Li, Rocket, Strange and Strider Hiryu, in case if they are not powerful enough to defeat Ultron Sigma, which proves to be true. As Thanos has been rescued, the heroes fall back to Avengers Tower safely to create a new plan on splitting up each teams collecting Infinity Stones from Thanos' help, with Iron Man, Hawkeye and Spencer are last seen watching Thanos, in case if Thanos planned to betray the heroes behind their back.
Dante gains a more hotheaded attitude in this game, and somehow gains more control over his Devil Trigger, being able to speak within it. For the first time since Jedah's ending in Capcom Fighting Evolution, where Dante showed up behind him, he clashes with the Dark Messiah. He seems to have awakened more demonic traits in him, such as his nearly demonic laughter, when Jedah first counterattacks him and can be more capable of high-risk gambles, such as handing the soul stone to Ultron Sigma, despite this act appearing as outright betrayal to the heroes.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
Dante appears as a costume for Ken, it has ten variations, all retaining the same look but with different colors. The costume is based on Dante's iteration from Devil May Cry 4, and includes the Rebellion on Ken's back. Using the alternate code will equip Ken with Gilgamesh. Out of coincidence, both Dante and Ken share the same English voice actor.
Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2
Dante could be acquired by players in Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 during the Devil May Cry 5 collaboration period, and also acted as an enemy in one of the story chapters. He sports the Rebellion and Ebony & Ivory, with the Devil May Cry 5 model as the base look. Subhuman can also be heard multiple times during the story mode of the collab.
Teppen
Dante is one of the main Heroes in the base game of Teppen, being a Hero, he can be selected as the main character used in battle, and has three "Hero Arts" which have different functions from other heroes. Dante, alongside other characters and creatures within the Devil May Cry series, is featured in multiple cards in the game.
In the story mode of Teppen, Dante is shown on a devil hunting gig, of which makes him clash against Morrigan, as the two are fighting, he notices that a child got caught in the cross-fire, he succeeds in saving the little girl but Morrigan had turned into her human form to flee, when Dante notices it and is about to strike her again, X appears in order to protect what he believes is a human. The two end up fighting but afterwards, Dante still kept searching for Morrigan. A strange lady appears and mentions something to Dante, but he ends up blocking Chun-Li's way and this leads to the last battle of the story mode. The last cutscene displays that the words the mysterious lady mentioned was "Mundus" and that Dante should go to the "Land of Illusion", Dante then starts making way to that location stating that he doesn't want to miss the "party".
Other Appearances:
Dante is featured as a character card in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighter DS.
Dante makes a cameo in Jedah Dohma's ending in Capcom Fighting Evolution.
Dante appears in the multi-crossover game Project X Zone alongside Lady. Dante forms a single unit alongside Demitri Maximoff, the demonic vampire of the Darkstalkers series. In combat, he fights with Rebellion, Ebony & Ivory, Coyote-A, and Nevan, yet interestingly takes on his appearance as seen in Devil May Cry. He also appears in the sequel, Project X Zone 2, this time partnered with Vergil.
Dante appears as a Rasta in Monster Hunter Frontier G, and his outfit is available as obtainable armor for players.
Dante's Devil May Cry appearance is featured as a DLC costume for Masamune Date in Sengoku Basara 4, and his swords are also replaced by Alastor.
Classic Dante appears as an unlockable icon in Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.
In Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Dante's coat and hairstyle, as well as the Devil Arm Alastor, were available for players for a limited time after completing a quest titled "Gravios May Cry".
Dante's appearance from Devil May Cry 4 appears on the cover of Capcom Super League Online.
In Monster Hunter: World, Dante's Devil Sword as well as a Dante alpha armour set, were available for players for a limited time after completing the Devil May Cry event quest titled "Code: Red".
Anime:
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is an anime series based on the video game series by Capcom, which is itself loosely based on the Italian epic poem Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It debuted on the WOWOW TV network in Japan on June 14, 2007 and ran 12 episodes.
The show was produced by the anime studio Madhouse and was directed by Shin Itagaki. Bingo Morihashi, one of the writers for the second, third and fourth games, was also on the writing staff.
A teaser-trailer, released on the show's official site, featured pre-production artwork of Dante, the primary protagonist and playable character of the video games, and confirmed him as the show's protagonist.
A second trailer released at the 2007 Tokyo International Anime Fair showed actual animation from the show and included a character and cast list, featuring both new characters and other characters from the games.
The first episode aired in Japan on June 14, 2007.
The series is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. It is based on the manga and novel volumes, and sees the return of series regulars Trish and Lady.
In the show, Dante runs his devil-hunting business, Devil May Cry, while struggling under constant financial debt. There are also two new characters—Dante's agent Morrison, who visits frequently to offer him jobs and advice, and Patty Lowell, a young orphan girl he saves in the first episode, who develops a father-daughter relationship with him.
While the show's stories were mostly self-contained, a season-long plot was introduced in the first episode and came to the forefront in episodes 10–12.
If the playlist above doesn't work/show up, all of the episodes are available for FREE in full HD quality from Funimation's YouTube Channel. All of the episodes were made available for free on PlayStation Network back in March 2019 following the console release of Devil May Cry 5 as well.
Why Do I Love It So Much?
The answer is simple - the Devil May Cry series always had a knack since I played it for the first time of feeling like a complete bad-ass from it's stylish (no pun intended) gameplay. It left it's stamp on the action genre, even today and continues to set the standard for how fun these action games can be in terms of the sense of empowerment given to players at their fingertips. There wasn't a single moment playing these games where the characters would do something so amazing that I couldn't replicate it or do something similar in scope in-game that would make me feel just as bad-ass. That's feeling is never lost in these games and it is a pivotal component of why I find myself being drawn to this series again and again from the highs to the lows and the other titles like it.
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