


A key influence on the surreal works of Japanese horror in the 1970's, Devilman is an unforgettably dark, twisted melding ofthe superhero and yokai genres and lightened with a perverted sense of humor. Created by legendary manga artist Go Nagai (Mazinger Z, Cutie Honey), Devilman first aired on Japanese TV in 1972 where it became an instant- and controversial - hit, drawing unwelcome attention from PTA?s across the nation for it's intense and horrific violence. This set contains the first U.S. release of the entire 39-episode series, uncut with the original Japanese audio and English subtitles.
F**E
LIVEDASADEVIL
As far as the earlier Japanese anime from the 70's, so far this one is my favorite by a long shot. The story lines are not complex, but each episode is entertaining, as a new "Monster of the Day", or "Demon of the Day" appears. The concept of a demon possessing a human being and then being subdued by the human emotion of love, to become a demonic superhero who fights his fellow demons is rather ingenious, especially at this early date. Up until now my only exposure to Devilman was the Manga USA reboot from the 90's - which was pretty good, but only a couple episodes. If I remember correctly, there were some Devilman comics released in the US by Danzig's comic company (could be wrong). This is certainly a violent cartoon, as people die in each episode - I have only watched about 10 episodes, but am highly entertained and amused so far. There is one episode that shows Devilman whipping a female demons breast - that shocked me! I have heard the series caused something of a backlash because of the violence and I can understand why. Remember, these 70's Japanese toons cannot really be compared to modern anime standards. Rather one should look at the toons being released in America at the time. The Japanese have always put quality into their animation and have taken the format much farther than any western creators have done since recent decades (a few exceptions come to my mind such as Thundarr the Barbarian from 1981). Who is it? It is Devilman!
C**R
Gave me the wrong item... Still a great series though!
They gave me the wrong item... instead of getting "Devilman The Complete TV Series" I got an HDMI cable... I can already tell this is going to be a great purchase though, Devilman is a great series and I'm excited to watch it (when I finally get this HDMI cable returned and the actual product shipped back). So I'm not going to rate it poorly just because I received the wrong item, that would be disingenuous of the actual product.
J**S
A classic for old school anime lover
For an anime that was air in 1972, i must the animation is fast paced and it was ahead of it time. The devilman in the anime is more of a ultraman than satan. Each monsters or demons are like monster of the week style like ultraman. I love the show and all, i do recommend it for hard-core otaku's.
M**R
I love old-school, pre-digital anime and Devilman is one of ...
Superb quality transfer. I love old-school, pre-digital anime and Devilman is one of my favs. It's strange, gritty and beautiful.
A**R
Classic anime
Loved it. As an anime fan this is up there with other classics.such as getter robo,mazankizer,grandizer and votes v. If you're a true old school anime fan this is a definite must have.pure classic.
D**L
and more like Ultraman than Satan
This is the Devilman i remember. Handsome , heroic, and more like Ultraman than Satan. The animation is very limited, and it's primitive by today's standards, but i enjoyed it.
N**D
discotek to release official dvd set in november 2014
still havent completed watching the whole series yet, just wanted to post that for those out there who want to own this anime its been announced that Discotek is releasing an official North American dvd set in november of 2014, heres the link: http://www.fandompost.com/2014/05/22/discotek-media-sets-tentative-devilman-complete-anime-dvd-release/ & http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-16/discotek-adds-devilman-tv-cardcaptor-sakura-film-jin-roh-dallos. Now as for this bootleg dvd set, picture is great but theres quick instances that were pixalated here and there, the english subtitles seem "off" sometimes too but for the most part I understand what's going on, I honestly havent yet finished the first disc though I plan on updating this review once I finish the series but I recommend waiting for the official Discotek dvd set.
T**N
Loved it!
Loved it!...just as I did when it was shown live on TV ! Truly a classic in anime. Watch it!
S**S
"Deeeeviiil!!!!!" - Devilman's Signature Transformation Quote
In 1972, the mangaka Go Nagai worked on three popular productions that would be the staple grounds of his artistic legacy for the world.Cutie Honey, Mazinger Z, and Devilman. The latter, a manga ranked among the best series of all times. Pinnacle of tragedian storytelling that displayed the war between men and demons which a young teenager initiates while hiding his identity to his foster family, the Makimuras.But originally, Devilman was not a manga, but instead an anime project with the Toei animation studios. A loose adaptation of Go Nagai’s cancelled manga series Mao Dante, a gritty storyline where a young man becomes possessed by the demon Dante and, after realizing the secrets of his anterior life, initiates a war between Demons and God.However, as the violence and themes in Mao Dante were too controversial for mainstream television, Go Nagai presented another story. The story of a demon named Devilman who murders in the Himalayas a young teenager named Akira Fudo who was travelling alongside his dad in those mountains. To which that giant bat winged creature then inhabits Akira’s body, claiming the deceased’s identity and settling himself into the Makimura household. A family of close friends who were also in the Himalayas and who decided to raise Akira as their ward. Through this new identity, that monster was supposed to be initiating a genocide of the entire human race which his lord, the demon Xenon, ordered him to do. But to the Dark Lord’s surprise, Devilman falls in love with the kind, but bold teenager Miki Makimura and refuses to embark in this horrible project, preferring to live alongside this woman and her family. Which angers Xenon who launches various assaults on the human world. First to murder Miki Makimura, then to declare an underground war on the human race, instigating various and mysterious incidents around the planet. Many of them macabre assaults on innocent people that Devilman will stop as he swears to obliterate Xenon and the entire Demon Clan. Which scares that Dark Lord since Devilman is one of the most powerful Demon ever.So for each episode, a new monster. A servant of Xenon that Devilman will try to vanquish by himself, or with the aid of Lala, an idiotic demon lady who falls for him and invades his life around the last third of the series. During episodes that switch from a 22 minutes length to a 19-20 minutes pace. A move evident with the longer ending credits, but which makes the storyline even more concise.In its episodes, Devilman mixes both excellent horror moments, Ultraman-like fights where the hero transforms by Saying “Devil”, attacks his adversaries while shouting his attacks like in Mazinger Z, and gets involved in comedic situations. Some around the Makimura family, but also at school, with humour similar to what Go Nagai did in Harenchi Gakuen, his launching series. Displaying that series’ comedy drive in the scripts, and also in the character design/animation; exposing through them the school employees and their hypocrisies. A comedy element also present in the music Goh Misawa composed. Soundtrack that can switch from terror to comedic and then action according to the proper scenes. With airs that might seem a bit campy today. Just like some of the comedic scenes in the show. For instance in one episode where a doppelganger exploits Akira’s identity and we see the police and Japanese army forces exploding their cars and tanks under silly antics that were superfluous to that episode’s plot. So again, the comedy remains quite campy. Sometimes working well, but other times hampering the story’s rhythm.But as for the psychological interactions between Devilman and Miki, both personalities are well explored; alongside the other human beings they frequent. Exposing to us their personalities, qualities and flaws. And through their romantic trials and Devilman’s psychological turmoils over his demon identity affecting the Makimura familky, that couple presents itself as an adorable pairing, one of the best within the manga/anime culture as we yearn for them to declare their feelings and for them to be happy ever after.Furthermore, unlike the manga series which presents a possessed human gaining the powers of a demon and initiating a war against the Demon World, this anime version that stands before the original manga presents instead the war between a renegade Demon against his entire tribe. A war that remains unfinished sadly at the end of the 39th episode. For like Cutie Honey does at the end of its series, we never see the resolution of the war between Devilman and Demon Lord Xenon. For that matter, it remains open-ended, though with an incredible sense of optimism. Instead, the real story of that Devilman anime is instead the romance between Devilman and Miki Makimura. A love that slowly transfigures him into a demon with a humanity. Through beautiful psychological moments which the series Mazinger Z sadly lacks.And unlike the manga version, which offers the mysterious Ryo Asuka (Akira’s childhood friend who embarks him into the demon world), this anime series does not have that character at all. So when Go Nagai did his manga series and presented the amazing Ryo Asuka, the anime series directors/producers/writers regretted his absence from the show as it would have given the story a more impressive path. Nevertheless, a character similar in appearance to Ryo Asuka does participates ironically in the TV show. Not as Ryo, but through Iwao Himura, a new student who becomes a rival to Akira. For a short range of episodes, but enough to create good clashes between the two individuals. Though I am amazed at how one stunt he pulled in Mr. Makimura’s research centre didn’t make him get arrested by the police, nor gotten complete animosity from the Makimura clan in the remaining adventures he does in the show.As for the animation, it remains similar to what we saw in Cutie Honey and the Mazinger trilogy. Limited movements, some clumsy multiplane camera layers, with gritty ink work almost similar to rough pencilling, and backgrounds either well worked out or sometimes with too rough rendering. Giving the series a sketchiness that I do like. A cell animation work that makes me nostalgic for that anime culture where people were pioneering so many series and classics, experimenting things, taking chances and risks that some studios today refuse to dive into. And with the great character designs from Kazuo Komatsubara, precious artist for the Go Nagai animation culture, and animation direction from Shingo Araki and other individuals, the series presents pretty great moments of animation that fans of that time period will enjoy.In sum, Devilman is the anime series that launched the various Devilman stories Go Nagai would do in various forms. Whether they are his 1972 manga version, his Violence Jack, and Devilman Lady. And with companies like Diskotek Media, who have launched the series on their DVD box set, more English-Speaking fans can discover this classic of 1970s anime culture. A move that I hope will encourage more worldwide distributors to offer that series to their specific countries.
K**U
素晴らしい…。不満は何一つない。
OP曲、本編、ED曲から次回予告まできっちり収録されている。画像も問題ないし、再生用にポータブルDVDプレーヤーは購入しましたが、普通に家のプレーヤーで見れました。字幕も消せるし。日本版を高いお金を出して購入する意味がわからないくらいです。大満足で、懐かしさに震えてます。
D**N
Purchased from moviemars-canada
Purchased from moviemars-canada. It took longer than usual to arrive, but it plays fine. It is region 1 and NTSC, despite someone posting that it was the non-region 1 version. Apologies to Amazon.ca for blaming them.
A**R
買って良かったです。
ありがとうございました。とても状態も良く、良い買い物ができました。また利用します。
幸**ん
デビルマン
昔のアニメが観れ感激!エンディングの歌が忘れられず今に至ります。
Trustpilot
1 week ago
1 month ago