Netflix’s Devil May Cry anime, helmed by Adi Shankar, has the potential to set records as a game adaptation. It is not the first time that Netflix has taken on the task of adapting popular gaming series. In fact, there are many examples, such as Cyberpunk: Edgerunner, Arcane, Castlevania, etc.
Some games have extremely interesting narratives, so much so that many game cutscenes could be viewed like a movie by themselves. Netflix seems to have realized that and is planning to explore the untapped aspects of the franchise through the adaptation.
However, one thing that happens while adapting a game into an anime is that the creators often take creative liberties and mold the narrative properly. Sometimes, it is to fit the story into a different medium while staying true to its core.
Adi Shankar’s bold approach to narratives
Adi Shankar has a history of adapting games with creative liberties, as seen in Castlevania. He definitely made the story attractive to the fans, but while doing so, he changed it so much that it strayed too far from the original. Going beyond the scope of the games is a risk, and Adi Shankar is undoubtedly a bold director.
Devil May Cry has millions of fans across the world who have immense fondness for the stories. So, although Adi Shankar could take some creative liberties, it is best that he expand on the lore without contradicting the established canon. The idea behind an adaptation should be to fill in gaps left by the games while maintaining authenticity.
The story in the anime is not unique or original, as it is set between Devil May Cry 1 and Devil May Cry 2. This means that at least until then, the lore is being followed canonically, providing a golden opportunity to expand on Dante’s journey properly.
The series could focus on fleshing out Dante through flashbacks and dialogues, properly introducing him to the audience who are not very well acquainted with the games. The previous Devil May Cry anime (2007) underwhelmed and disappointed the fans with its lackluster fights.
The difficulty in expanding Dante’s story faithfully
But considering Adi Shankar’s track record and experience, this new adaptation could finally deliver the action-packed sequences the series deserves, including the hype and impact that a cool character like Dante should have.
Shankar has a knack for showcasing the best of a character, turning them into characters with a lot of depth, as we can tell by looking at Alucard. He is a beloved character that fans just cannot seem to get enough of.
With Devil May Cry, Shankar can take a similar approach, exploring Dante’s relationships, particularly with Lucia, faithfully without tampering or making any major changes to the existing story (which could snowball into a lot of canonical mistakes in the future).
Dante’s journey between DMC1 and DMC2 is one of the most open-ended parts of the timeline. Maybe this is why it was chosen for Devil May Cry Season 1, not only for the narrative but also from the perspective and character of Dante.
Finally, as a game, most of the memories that the fans have linked to Devil May Cry are with respect to the action and the lore. Having already set a precedent, we can only hope that Adi Shankar and Netflix get it right this time.
Devil May Cry anime series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 3, 2025.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
