There’s hardly anything I can say about Devilman Crybaby that hasn’t been said before with flowery metaphors or faux-intellectual commentary. In fact, I’m not sure what there is to say at all sometimes, beyond the fact that it’s kickstarted what will likely be a lifelong love for all things Go Nagai and the Devilman franchise as a whole for me. I was assigned the Devilman Crybaby review and sat down to watch the entirety of the series when it first launched, and I did it in a matter of days, but I’ve been puzzling over what I should say about it for a couple of weeks since. What is there to say, I keep asking myself, beyond how absolutely in love I am with it?

From the heart-wrenching opening of the series where young versions of protagonist Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka lament the eventual death of a kitten to the driving synths of the opening “Man Human” from Denki Groove, Devilman Crybaby is a thrill ride wholly unlike anything you’ve ever seen in the medium before. When anime is good, it’s out of this world, and that’s what Devilman Crybaby is, in the plainest words I can use: out of this world.

The Netflix exclusive series is actually a reimagining of the 1972 anime series Devilman, with a number of alterations to give it a decidedly modern edge. Even though it relies heavily on social media like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube as parts of its later narrative, it’s still deeply rooted in the very same premise dreamt up by writer and creator Go Nagai in the original manga run.

Akira Fudo has always been a bit of a crybaby, and finds tears running down his cheeks simply when he sees others crying or when he experiences any kind of extreme emotion. His kind heart and somewhat dimwitted exterior make him the ridicule of some of his classmates in other iterations of Devilman, but in Devilman Crybaby it seems he’s simply a dull simpleton without his best friend Ryo Asuka, who’s his complete opposite in every way. Ryo is a professor who works at an American university, drives a sports car, and has an extremely callous personality. He cares little for the opinions of others and is a master of manipulation. Akira’s color palette consists of darker colors and blacks, while Ryo is blonde with a lighter palette. There’s a very clear “good vs. evil” vibe here, but it’s a rabbit hole that goes even further than you may guess.

When Ryo divulges his secret to Akira, that he’s uncovered the existence of real-life demons, it comes as a shock to poor little Akira, who’s just dim enough to go along with his best friend’s bid to expose them. This means, eventually, Akira and Ryou head to a Sabbath, or a rave-like party rife with humans who have abandoned all reason, indulging in pleasures of the flesh while drinking and taking in drugs. Ryo aims to draw the demons hidden within the cache of humans out and eventually succeeds in putting his plan into motion. Having one of the most powerful demons of all time, Amon, possess his friend Akira, to create a “Devilman,” or a demon that will retain its empathetic nature and humanity while harnessing the powers of a demon.

From there, the entire series morphs into something wholly surreal and bizarre from here, as you finally see Devilman himself borne from the ashes of what was once the crybaby Akira, from a swirl of sights and sounds both intense and grotesque, pulsating to a sick techno beat as bodies are strewn about. Ryo, possibly a sociopath, revels in his successes, wielding weapons like machine guns and other arms without a care in the world as he plots to both reveal the demons of the world while using Akira, now Devilman, as a tool.

As Akira is reborn with an entirely new personality save for his empathy and general human traits, he’s much more attractive, rugged, and stronger than ever before. The girls go crazy for him. The only one that actually matters, Miki Makimura, even notices — but she’s got her own set of problems to contend with as others around Akira, Ryo, and Maki have changed and are beginning to change into demonic-like beings as well. There’s a war going on between humans and devils, and as it turns out, Ryo plays a much larger role than you might initially have thought.

The story that plays out after the framework is set is something you’ll need to experience for yourself, as it’s not something that you’ll want spoiled here. But know that it’s a rollercoaster of unexpected emotion, violence, sex, self-discovery, and coming to terms with yourself. It’s a celebration of humanity’s triumphs over evil and a harrowing reminder that sometimes, even the good guys don’t come out on top. It’s many things, and while some may say it’s depraved, sick, or even over the top with its gratuitous sex scenes and gory, explicit carnage, I say it’s beautiful. I say it’s a masterpiece.

If you watch one anime series this year, make sure it’s Devilman Crybaby.

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