Devilman

Originally conceived as a transformation-hero project, Devilman grew out of ideas Nagai had explored in Demon Lord Dante.

The manga ran in Weekly Shonen Magazine from 1972 to 1973, while the TV anime aired on NET television during almost the same period.

Although they share core concepts, the manga and anime tell very different stories.

Nagai himself treated them as two separate works built from the same foundation.

The manga leans heavily into horror, apocalypse, and tragedy.

The anime, by contrast, follows a more classic episodic hero format aimed at a broader television audience.

By March 2017, the franchise was reported to have surpassed 50 million copies in worldwide circulation.

It remains one of the most influential works in Japanese dark fantasy and horror manga.

Premise

The manga is set in a near-future world where ancient beings called Demons awaken after a long dormancy.

They are the prehistoric rulers of Earth and seek to reclaim the planet from humanity.

A timid but kind boy, Akira Fudou, lives with the Makimura family and attends school with Miki Makimura.

One day, his friend Ryo Asuka tells him that demons are real and that only demonic power can fight them.

To survive, Akira merges with the powerful demon Amon.

Because Akira's heart remains human, he becomes Devilman, a being with a demon's body and a human soul.

Story

At first, the story plays like a grim battle manga, with Devilman fighting one demon after another.

As it progresses, it transforms into a much darker work about panic, persecution, war, and the collapse of civilization.

The demons launch psychological attacks as well as physical ones, pushing humanity into terror and chaos.

Soon, human society becomes as monstrous as the demons themselves.

A major turning point comes when public fear is manipulated into a nationwide witch hunt.

People begin hunting supposed "devils," slaughtering innocents and turning on one another.

Akira tries to organize others like himself into the Devilman Corps, a force of humans who fused with demons but kept their wills.

He hopes they can stand against both the demons and humanity's madness.

The manga eventually reveals that Ryo Asuka/Satan is not just Akira's friend, but the fallen being Satan in human form.

Satan had erased his own memory while living as a human in order to understand humanity's weaknesses.

This revelation gives the story its legendary emotional punch.

Satan loves Akira, but that love helps create the very being who opposes him.

The final arc is devastating.

Humanity is destroyed, Miki is murdered by a mob, and the world descends into the apocalyptic war known as Armageddon.

In the end, Akira dies after the final battle.

Only then does Satan fully understand loss, regret, and the meaning of what has happened.

Themes

The manga is famous for its brutal treatment of fear, violence, prejudice, and mass hysteria.

It asks whether humans are truly better than demons when terror strips away morality.

Its horror is not limited to monsters.

Much of the deepest dread comes from crowds, institutions, and ordinary people.

The work also explores love, identity, and betrayal in a very unusual way for its era.

The relationship between Akira and Ryo Asuka/Satan is one of the most discussed aspects of the series.

Akira Fudou

Akira Fudou is the manga's protagonist and the human half of Devilman.

Before his transformation, he is gentle, shy, and easily frightened.

After fusing with Amon, his personality becomes more aggressive and battle-ready.

Still, his defining trait is that he never loses his human heart.

He is not a traditional clean-cut superhero.

That tension between compassion and ferocity is what makes him so memorable.

Ryo Asuka/Satan

Ryo Asuka/Satan begins as Akira's brilliant, cold, and mysterious friend.

He is the one who introduces Akira to the truth about demons and sets the story in motion.

Later, he is revealed to be Satan, the divine rebel who sided with demons against God.

His love for Akira and hatred of humanity drive the tragedy at the heart of the series.

He is both mastermind and victim of his own plan.

That contradiction makes him one of the franchise's most fascinating characters.

Miki Makimura

Miki Makimura is the daughter of the household where Akira lives.

She starts as spirited, sharp-tongued, and physically bold, often teasing Akira.

As Akira changes, so does her view of him.

She becomes one of the few people who accepts his true nature.

Her fate in the manga is one of the most shocking scenes in classic manga history.

It marks the moment when any hope of a peaceful ending disappears.

The Makimura Family

The Makimuras are the human home at the center of Akira's life.

Their warmth gives the early story emotional grounding.

As society collapses, their household becomes a symbol of everything fragile and worth protecting.

Their destruction is central to the manga's tragic power.

Demons

The Demons are ancient beings who ruled Earth before humans.

They are driven by violence, predation, and survival, but they are not mindless monsters.

Their most important ability is fusion.

By combining with animals, people, or other beings, they gain new forms and powers.

They can also disguise themselves as humans.

This makes them especially terrifying, since they can hide inside society.

Devilman

A Devilman is a human who fuses with a demon but retains human consciousness.

This requires extraordinary willpower and a fundamentally strong heart.

That is what makes Akira special.

He gains the demon's body and powers without surrendering his soul.

Later in the story, more Devilmen appear around the world through forced fusion.

Akira tries to gather them into a resistance movement.

Amon

Amon is the mighty demon who fused with Akira.

He is known as a legendary warrior among demons.

In the original manga, Amon is mostly an unseen presence behind Akira's transformation.

Later spin-offs and adaptations expand his role dramatically.

Sirene

Sirene is one of the franchise's most iconic demons.

She is a beautiful and deadly bird-like warrior who becomes one of Devilman's earliest great enemies.

Her battle with Akira is one of the best-known fights in the series.

It helped define the visual and emotional intensity of Devilman.

Jinmen

Jinmen is a grotesque turtle-like demon who eats humans and traps their faces in his shell.

He is one of the manga's most disturbing creations.

His confrontation with Akira is unforgettable because it attacks him emotionally, not just physically.

The horror of Jinmen comes from cruelty as much as appearance.

Psycho Jenny

Psycho Jenny is a major demon tied closely to Satan.

She uses overwhelming psychic power and plays a crucial role in major turning points of the story.

Unlike many brute-force monsters, she is terrifying because of her mental control.

She often appears at the exact moment the story takes a darker turn.

Zenon

Zenon is the demon king who leads the demon race.

He is usually portrayed as a towering, many-faced ruler with immense telepathic power.

He serves as a symbol of demonic authority.

In the manga's broader cosmology, however, Satan stands above him.

Basic Concept

The 1972-1973 television anime takes a very different approach from the manga.

Here, Devilman is originally a demon who takes over the body of Akira Fudou.

Instead of a human keeping control over a demon body, the anime presents a demon who comes to love humans.

Specifically, he comes to love Miki and decides to protect her.

This version is more of a weekly monster-fighting hero show.

Even so, it still carries a dark edge and a strange, bittersweet tone.

Style and Tone

The anime was made for a broad TV audience and follows an episodic format.

Most episodes feature Devilman fighting a different demon beast, or yōjū.

Scriptwriter Masaki Tsuji gave the show a distinct flavor.

It often mixes action, black humor, oddball comedy, and surprisingly harsh emotional moments.

The anime never fully resolves the war with the demon tribe.

That open-endedness gives it a slightly haunting aftertaste.

Differences from the Manga

The manga's apocalyptic storyline is largely absent.

The anime focuses instead on protecting Miki and dealing with demon attacks one episode at a time.

Ryo Asuka does not appear in the same role.

A look-alike character named Himura Gen appears instead, but his function is completely different.

Satan is not the center of the TV version.

The top villain is Zenon, and several original anime commanders are introduced.

Broadcast

The TV anime aired from July 8, 1972, to March 31, 1973 on NET-affiliated stations.

It ran for 39 episodes.

Anime Characters

Devilman / Akira Fudou

In the anime, Devilman and Akira are essentially one being after possession.

This version gradually develops sympathy and affection for human life through Miki.

He transforms by calling out his change and fights with flashy signature techniques.

That makes him feel much closer to other classic Japanese TV heroes.

Miki Makimura

Miki remains the emotional center of Akira's human life.

She is the reason Devilman turns against the demon tribe.

Her bond with him is simpler and more openly affectionate than in the manga.

That helps anchor the anime's more heroic tone.

Kensaku "Tare-chan" Makimura

Miki's younger brother, often nicknamed Tare-chan, appears regularly in the anime.

He adds comedy, family warmth, and vulnerability to the series.

Supporting School Characters

The anime adds many comedic school characters, including teachers and classmates.

These include the eccentric Alphonne, the tiny Principal Pochi, and other recurring figures.

They give the show a lighter atmosphere between demon battles.

At the same time, their presence makes the danger feel closer to everyday life.

Anime Villains

The anime features commanders such as General Zan-nin, General Muzan, Lala, and Admiral Raycock.

Each adds a different flavor, from ruthless authority to comic chaos.

Lala is especially notable.

She is a foolish but oddly lovable demon who defects and becomes a strange ally.

Devilman's Powers in the Anime

The anime version gives Devilman a full set of hero-style signature attacks.

These include Devil Chop, Devil Kick, Devil Eye, Devil Ear, Devil Wing, Devil Cutter, Devil Arrow, and Devil Beam.

He can also grow in size to match giant enemies.

This makes the TV version visually closer to tokusatsu and giant-monster action.

Devilman: The Birth and Demon Bird Sirene

In the late 1980s and 1990, two important OVAs were released.

They are Devilman: The Birth and Devilman: Demon Bird Sirene.

These adaptations are much closer to the manga than the 1972 TV series.

They cover Akira's transformation and the battles with Sirene and Jinmen.

The character designs were handled by Kazuo Komatsubara, who had also worked on the TV anime.

The OVAs are especially remembered for their intense violence, dramatic animation, and tragic mood.

A planned concluding OVA covering Armageddon was discussed but never completed.

That unrealized continuation became part of Devilman lore in its own right.

AMON: Apocalypse of Devilman

Released in 2000, AMON: Apocalypse of Devilman presents an alternate take on the manga's later events.

It focuses on what might happen if Akira's despair allowed Amon to take full control.

This version is darker, more brutal, and even more chaotic than many earlier adaptations.

It also gives Amon a direct role as an independent force rather than a hidden one.

DEVILMAN crybaby

In 2018, DEVILMAN crybaby premiered on Netflix.

Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, it adapts the manga from beginning to end with major stylistic and modernizing changes.

The series introduced Devilman to a new global audience.

It is one of the most internationally visible versions of the story.

Cyborg 009 VS Devilman

A crossover with Cyborg 009 was released in 2015.

It brings together two classic heroes in a dark action setting.

CB Chara Nagai Go World

This super-deformed parody animation reimagines Devilman and other Go Nagai characters in comedic form.

It shows just how flexible the franchise can be.

Film

The franchise has appeared in animation and live-action film.

The best-known theatrical crossover is Mazinger Z vs. Devilman from 1973.

A live-action film, Devilman, was released in 2004.

It drew heavy criticism despite high expectations and has become infamous for its reception.

Drama CD

A drama CD titled Devilman Densetsu adapted the long-unrealized Armageddon storyline in audio form.

It effectively continued the older OVA cast's interpretation of the series.

Stage Play

Devilman: While Waiting for Fudou is a stage adaptation inspired by the manga's demon-hunt scenes.

Rather than retelling the whole story, it focuses on human fear and collapse during the final chaos.

Novels

A prose adaptation by Nagai's brother Yasuu Nagai expanded on the manga with extra details and characters.

These novels helped shape later interpretations of the Devilman world.

Games

Devilman has appeared in several games across different eras.

These include a 1989 Famicom action game, a 2000 PlayStation game, mobile titles, and crossover appearances.

The Famicom game is especially notable for its branching endings.

Some endings follow the manga's tragic spirit, while others imagine total victory over Satan.

Pachinko and Pachislot

Like many major Japanese franchises, Devilman has also inspired numerous pachinko and pachislot machines.

Some of them mix manga designs, anime voices, and original battle scenarios in unusual ways.

Devilman had a huge impact on manga, anime, and pop culture.

Its blend of horror, violence, moral collapse, and apocalyptic sadness was groundbreaking.

Creators and critics have often cited it as a major influence.

Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the works frequently discussed in connection with Devilman.

Go Nagai himself repeatedly returned to the ideas introduced here.

Works such as Violence Jack, Devilman Lady, Amon, and Devilman Saga all connect back to it in some way.

The series has also inspired tribute manga, parody works, crossover stories, and reinterpretations by other authors.

Even decades later, Devilman still feels dangerous, intense, and strangely modern.

The manga has appeared in many editions over the years.

These include the original collected volumes, complete reprints, revised editions, and reconstructed versions.

Some editions restore the original serialized form as closely as possible.

Others insert Shin Devilman material and later revisions by Nagai.

This has led to ongoing discussion among fans about which version is definitive.

The differences between editions are an important part of Devilman's publication history.

A number of manga artists have created spin-offs, tributes, or alternate takes on Devilman.

These works range from direct retellings to wild reinterpretations.

Notable examples include Amon: The Darkside of Devilman, Devilman G, Devilman vs. Hades, and Devilman Gaiden: Ningen Senki.

Together, they show how adaptable the core premise remains.

The TV anime's opening theme, "Devilman no Uta", is one of the franchise's most recognizable elements.

Its bold, dramatic style helped define the character in popular memory.

The ending theme, "Today Somewhere, Devilman", adds a more melancholy touch.

Both songs remain beloved among anime music fans.