Devilman Crybaby is an anime that initially seems overwhelming but the more you are able to sit and watch what it is attempting to convey becomes clearer. The series directed by Masaaki Yuasa is not intended to be subtle or comfortable. It builds the pillars of the Devilman created by Go Nagai and transforms it into a modern tragedy aiming at emotion, fear, and the ramifications of loss of empathy. All the show, all the rough images, all the excessive violence is all there to prove its point as opposed to shocking because of it.

It is about a teenager, Akira Fudo, who is characterized by the extent of his feelings. Akira, however, becomes extremely powerful after he merges with the demon Amon without losing his humanity. His feelings are instead even more revealed. He is a crier, overly concerned, and cannot dissociate himself with the sufferings of others. That is what sets Akira apart of most of the protagonists of dark anime. His kindness is not something he wears out or fills its place with fury. He keeps it, although the world keeps on showing him that it is safer to be fierce. The contribution Akira makes to the narrative helps make it obvious that the series perceives empathy as power, though this power may be a dreadful price indeed.

Ryo Asuka is the emotional counterpart of Akira and it is their interaction which provides the direction to Devilman Crybaby. Ryo is smart, cold and almost emotionless. Ryo is the opposite of Akira, responding to logic instead of compassion. They appear to have a straightforward relationship at the beginning: one boy wishes to save people and the other one wants to find the truth. It is apparent as the story unfolds that they have a closer connection than initially thought. Akira and Ryo are no simple friends, but the epitomization of two different opposing points of views to the world. Akira is a believer of connection and love and Ryo a believer of control and without empathy understanding. The tragedy of the series consists in the fact that people observe the collision of these two worldviews and understand that they can never live peacefully together.

Devilman Crybaby is a heavy show with themes, however, it is delivered in a manner that does not seem random. This is not a show of the invasion of the humanity by the demons but how easily human beings can become beasts towards each other, when fear sets in. Once paranoia sets in, individuals start justifying violence, betrayal and cruelty as a survival tactic. The demons also exist, and those are not the core cause of the society breaking. The fall occurs due to the fact that individuals cease to view one another as human beings. This development is too natural and that is why the series is so unnatural. It is a depiction of the reality of the lack of social order in the absence of empathy.

Emotionally, the art style of the anime is unconventional and makes it stronger. The hyperbolic motions and the inverted shapes of the characters make the entire situation waver, as though the world is falling apart. The direction of Yuasa is more emotional truth than realistic because it lets feelings determine the appearance and motion of scenes. The music accompaniment of this style is used to balance the high-energy scenes with the silence that causes the viewer to reflect on the information that they have just watched.

Crybaby is more emotionally and psychologically oriented than traditional horror or action than older Devilman adaptations. Although it remains loyal to the spirit of the original story, it is more inclined toward existential despair and human failure, which contributes to its particular relevance to a contemporary viewer without making the references to its origins.

When the series concludes, Devilman Crybaby is satisfied with its message, painful though it may be. And the conclusion is not there to surprise, but to drive the point home that love is not enough to save a world that has already turned its back on it. Akira is faithful to the end, and it is this kind of continuity that makes the tragedy fall.

Devilman Crybaby is not an enjoyable watch, yet it is a logical and heartfelt one. All the details in the series lead to one clear thought regarding man, fear and the price of not being able to feel, which is why it is a strong and memorable experience.