"Debiruman" (1972) TV series 1972-1973

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Directors:

Masayuki Akehi
Tomoharu Katsumata

Writers:

Gô Nagai (comic)
Gô Nagai (script)

Release Date:

8 July 1972 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Fantasy | Horror

Plot:

Young school boy Akira Fudo and his father travel to the Himalayas on vacation and his father is killed...

Plot Keywords:

Demon | Manga | Superhero | Anime | Character Name In Title

Cast

Ryôichi Tanaka	...	Akira Fudou / Devilman (voice)
Kousei Tomita	...	Devil Shogun Zannin (voice)
Kyôko Satomi	...	Demon Bird Silene (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cinzia De Carolis	...	Silene (voice: Italian version)
Beatrice Margiotti	...	Chaco, Miki (voice: Italian version)
Ichirô Nagai	...	Alphoone (voice)
Sumie Sakamoto	...	Miki Makimura (voice)
Hidekatsu Shibata	...	Zenon (voice)
Taimei Suzuki	...	Kousaku Makimura (voice)
Hirotaka Suzuoki	...	Zuuboi (1972) (voice)
Keiko Yamamoto	...	Kensaku Makimura (voice)
Jôji Yanami	...	Pochi (voice)

Also Known As:

"Devilman" (International: English title)

Runtime:

30 min (40 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Dynamic Planning

Trivia:

Although this series is generally considered to have 39 episodes, there were actually 40. The 40th episode was a memorial episode which highlighted each monster from the series and certain details from each episode.

Movie Connections:

Version of Debiruman (2004)

Evil has never been this child friendly

The character of devilman has featured in a number of manga, OVAs and movies. This is however an anime version produced for children under close censorship. This has none of the extreme violence of later versions or the books. The characters are younger and the situations are less obviously adult. Their is an innocence about this "devilman" which is wholly deceptive. The innocence extends to the child like drawings of subsidiary characters and the bright colours. It sometimes looks like it was drawn by a child.

Beneath the colourful surface of this formulaic anime is something much darker. The character of devilman is more nihilistic than any other version, in this he is wholly demonic and only interested in saving one human his love, Miki. The title sequence describes him as a hero of justice but that could not be further from the truth, he thinks nothing of picking up a car full of screaming people and throwing it at a demon foe.

His monster enemies are brilliantly designed and have bizarre plans to attack devilman which lead to some incredible psychedelic sequences. There is a surreal bent to the entire production which pays little attention to narrative cohesion. Some sequences seem to have been guest directed by Seijun Suzuki or Jodorowsky. There are also some incredibly transgressive moments that jump out from the normal childishness. Devilman whips a female demon on the nipple until she provides him with information. Every demon seems to have some deviant sexuality or air of androgyny. The school devilman attends in human form is a hotbed of institutionalised paedophilia.

In conclusion, this is a great show for anyone in love with 70s Japanese retro cool. But, fans of the OVA and manga may be shocked by the difference in characters and animation and lack of an ongoing storyline.