Is a man any less of a man if he cries? What about if he is half-demon and can tear other demons to shreds? Well, there you have it – Devilman Crybaby. This is actually a remake of an earlier series.

Akira is a wimpy kid who cries a lot; not so much for himself, but for others. He is a real sensitive soul. But then he is reunited with his best friend Ryo, who tells him the world is full of demons who must be exposed and destroyed. Step one is to get a demon inside Akira turning him into Devilman. But Akira still cries.

Devilman Crybaby is a stylish series. The artwork is often minimal, but that sets the tone and makes it more interesting. The fights are bloody. The language is sometimes profane. There is plenty of nudity and straight out sex – not all of it straight. So the artistic level aside, this is not for the kiddies.

But the narrative does have its holes. Why is Akira at first not upset with being turned into a Devilman against his will? Why is nobody particularly curious about Akira’s change in appearance? Oh, they do question at first, then accept the fact that little Akira is taller and more manly. While Akira wants to save humanity, Ryo sees them as expendable. Some arguments arise, but why does Akira wait until the bitter end to break with Ryo? Why does he abide by Ryo’s plans as innocent people get killed? There is a lot the series asks us to overlook, but in the whole, I was willing to let it ride for a while.

This is a dark series. Characters we care for do not fare well, often dying in a violent, gruesome way. Certainly it is not a feel good series. All I can say about the ending is that Akira does finally make his point to Ryo, but it is too late. Even for the demons, it is too late.

So don’t think about the plot holes too much. Devilman Crybaby will shock you, will depress you, will excite you, and will draw you in. You may even cry.