Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku

I want to write this review in order to provide a more balanced view of this OAV. It's not as good as the previous Devilman OAVs. It is the weakest anime adaptation of Devilman and isn't really as good as Violence Jack either, despite being equally as violent.

However, I feel that like Violence Jack, it gets too much of a bad rap. In itself, this OAV effectively managed to translate some of the more harrowing scenes of the original Devilman story to motion, and it does those scenes justice.

Besides that, the end sequence goes back to the whole message and point of Devilman quite ... well, about a man coming to terms with the bestial nature of the human race through the symbolic interaction of his soul with a demon's. Where it suffers is in the middle. It's pretty much a set of extremely violent confrontations, and not much else. However, even these do present to shock much like Go Nagai treats violence in general. In recent violent animes, the violence isn't strong enough to shock. But Go Nagai's works, they always are, are meant to be, and I think some people forget that, and are too quick to rubbish them, and thus don't take them in the right way. I don't think anyone who realises that needs "professional help" but rather know how to react to a work that actually shocks them in this day of strong desensitisation.

So, to summarise, whilst the Amon OAV is not great, it is a solid addition to the Devilman lore and if nothing else, allows it to keep it's crown as the most infamous, and meaningful, violent story in anime and manga culture.

First let me start by saying this, I'm pretty desensitized to violence. Elfen Lied was my first anime, Gantz was my second. Ive seen all of fist of the north star and was barely phased. However, this 40 minute ova has, gore wise, single handedly outdone all three of those combined. I came across this OVA, being a fan of the first two devilmans, wondering why I couldn't find any information, on this one. in fact the only review i found warned "if you find it enjoyable or worthy in any way then seek professional help." I just laughed and commenced to watching... let me ... say this, that wasn't far from the truth. However, I might as well start out with the (Brief) positives to this movie.

The animation is actually very good, It puts go nagai's nice art style into this nicely budgeted 2001 OVA. And the sound is awesome as well, the actors seem great at making death sounds, and they must have had hundreds of death sound effects, not a single death has the same flesh ripping, bone smashing, blood squirting sound!

The positives end there, as the rest of the film is a practically an animated train wreck with too much red paint.

Apearently the world has ended and demons are fighting, and by fighting I mean massacring each other in graphic detail. wings are ripped off, eyes are popped out, fingers are smashed, stomaches are punched out, people are beheaded with kitchen knifes, breasts are ripped off and eaten...

The movie starts off in a not so bad way with what appears to be a little girl running from a man in a populated city, however he is not a man he is some nameless snake demon thing, oh and the girl is also some octopus demon thing. (I wish they actually named the characters) oh yeah, only three characters in the film have names Akira (also known as devilman) Amon, and Ryo however, if you want to know who they are, youll have needed to see the first two devilman movies, barely anything is spoken, except such memorable lines as "I want to fight you" and "Die". Anyway, Akira comes in and saves the day, but when more demons show up, he explodes (yes, he explodes) and turns into the villan of the film, leading to more off a massacre between demons. oh and cannibalism in a way makes the one in violence jack look like no big deal. after more brutallity, we see that Akira is still alive inside amon and they have another very gory battle.

I wont spoil the ending, but i must say that it leaves more of a "wow... what the heck?" feeling than anything else

If i wasnt so desensitized, i would have probobly puked at leasted thrice during this film, really, unless you are making a death metal amv, or are really into just pure gore, stay far from this title. very far.

My very first anime experience, (aside from mass market dubbed kids cartoons in the 80's) was the Devilman OVAs; The Birth & Demon Bird. I have never fallen out of love with these & as of this writing, they remain at the top of my favourites list.

When I found out about Amon I knew I had to watch it. As a pre-existing fan of the series I knew the characters & backgrounds but if you haven't seen the OVA's there's very little chance you're going to fully understand what's happening.

The plot is quite simple, however its almost completely buried beneath the ... extreme violence & questions. i.e Who the hell is that? What's exactly is happening here? & What the hell? - Where all questions I repeatedly asked myself throughout the watching.

I'm quite desensitised to animated violence but there are several scenes which made me think; ok, that's going way too far.

The art & sound I can't really fault as there's nothing wrong with them and as long as you've have seen the OVA's you know who the characters are (well most of them) but there has been an obvious passage of time between installments and there is little explanation given to who new characters are & what they're doing there.

I was disappointed that I couldn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to. It feels as though it was only half way done when it finished & that there was supposed to be another installment.

I would not recommend this OVA if you haven't seen the originals. If you are already a Devilman fan then you might enjoy this as a small side piece to the overall saga but you also might find yourself annoyed at the almost lack of respect shown to the characters.

To those who just watched "The Birth" & "The Demon Bird" note this does not actually follow the storyline from the 1972 Devilman Manga.

This OVA follows the 1999-2004 manga "Amon: The Darkside of Devilman" hence why this adaptation feels very different from the original. As a newcomer to this franchise I just wanted to share this info to new fans just to avoid the confusion.

However the conclusion is quite anti-climatic especially when you read the original 1972 manga for Devilman. From sources I can find on the web has proven that this OVA only adapted the 1st volume of "Amon: The Darkside of ... Devilman" & was loose with its adaptation seeing how the manga was nowhere near finished when this OVA was released. After watching this it felt like a honest mess & tried to squeeze in some sort of character development but just feels like a mess to fans & new fans alike. There are some scenes I enjoyed being adapted into animation but this OVA can be skipped if not just watch it & see how it turns out.

For an anime that came out in the early 2000's, this is more in the mold of ultra nihilistic 80's/early 90's shock anime like MD Geist and Genocyber. Unlike those, though, it doesn't ever conjure that "fun," free wheeling and frenetic aura that make those films, while not great, watchable in a certain mindset. A lot is made of this adapting Go Nagai's "style;" no, not at all. The animation is crude and slapdash compared to the original Devilman OVA's; It definitely looks and feels like a deadly serious sequel to Apocalypse Zero with its straight up ugly character designs and ugly ways of having ... said character designs dismembered, disemboweled, etc. So what we have here is a serious story that at the same time is incredibly stupid and pointlessly brutal. I gave it a chance because I actually like the Devilman manga and aspects of the simplified OVA's. It's trash.

Knowing this is the last movie i kind of was waiting for a an decent ending. When the movie ended i was kind of dissapointed. I was expecting to see more and just wondered what the hell will happen next. Oh right their is no next. Love when a anime ends with alot unanswered questions;) But if you have seen the first two i would defintely recommend seeing this one,just dont have your hopes up for a good ending.

If I hadn't read the original manga before watching "Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku" — I probably wouldn't have been able to find much value in the narrative. The designs are all very attractive but the animation is subpar and the plot points that deviate from the source material, are what you would see in the script of a professional wrestling tournament. We’re also treated to blood, gore, and more gore! As someone who has watched all of "Midori: Shōjo Tsubaki" — I can say, in good conscience, that this is one of the grittiest things that I have ever seen.

⚠️ This review of Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku ... will contain spoilers ⚠️

—Story/Characters

In 2015, I had a really strange obsession with Devilman (a "phase"), and because of that, I have watched all of the anime adaptations and read nearly every comic continuity that has been published — with that being said, I have read the whole series of the "Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku" manga and watched the OVA a couple of times. I was really shocked when I picked up the manga, because save for a similarity in landscapes, the introduction of the Amon character, and the framing in the battle between Amon and Satan... the anime version isn't really that similar to the manga! It's more of a mishmash of Gō Nagai's original ending and some aesthetic similarities to "Amon Apocalypse"... though, it's probably better that way, because the manga is a cluttered trash heap. Even the iconic final scene is an homage to "Shin Devilman" and is something that never once transpires in the actual "Amon Apocalypse" manga!

I see "Amon Apocalypse" as a promotional ad for the Devilman universe, it's like a "don't you want to know what happens next"-type of ordeal, while a salesperson does a jig at the end of a commercial. In series prior to the Amon saga, it was just a fact that Akira Fudō and Amon had fused and became the same entity, but in later publications, Amon became a divergent figure. Part of me thinks that this is so companies could sell action figures of the more muscular, red Devilman — but, who knows! Gō Nagai in the late '90s (early '00s) was really strange. During that era, in the Devilman installments alone, we got a pornographic female equivalent to Akira and then, there is the mirthless retelling of the apocalypse!

The main three things that the "Amon Apocalypse" did right:
1. Made the most meaningful Miki Makimura death in Devilman's animated history.
2. Included one of my favorite, more obscure, characters from the manga: Mikiko Kawamoto.
3. Emphasized the importance of Ryō Asuka's anguish over their love for Akira Fudō.

The main three things that the "Amon Apocalypse" did wrong:
1. I did not want to see demon child get mercilessly cannibalized by Amon, that scene was just tasteless schlock!
2. The fight scene with Devilman VS Amon in the end was really corny. The blurring fists and "G.I. Joe: Action Hero" sound effects made it difficult to take the scene seriously.
3. I would have liked to see the demon tribes that chose the side of Devilman actually have a meaningful presence in the story. They just kind of stand there, like pretty-looking window ornaments.

—Technical

Luna's Favorite Works by Each Respective Creator = ✅

Hiroshi Kōjina (animation director), notable works:
* Area 88 (TV)
* Grenadier: Hohoemi no Senshi ✅
* Hunter x Hunter (2011) ✅
* Kiba
* Kyūketsuki Sugu Shinu
* Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro
* Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichi'nin ✅

Commentary: Mr. Kōjina is pretty good director from what I've seen, though he is only cited as a minor "animation director" and not attributed to the role of "chief" — I couldn't find a "chief" director, so from what I was able to dig up, I assume that it was a collaborative effort. Though some of the shots, particularly with action sequences, were choppy — there were actually some very riveting scenes, particularly with Satan and Miki Makimura. I thought the decision to do distant, landscape shots was artful and enhanced the mood in some instances! While "Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku" seems to walk the tightrope between being mediocre and bad, it does deserve visual appreciation in some of the compositional layouts. I particularly admired the character designs in this one, but I wasn't able to find the artist accredited to the designs, only the famous monster designer — Yasushi Nirasawa, known for his work on "Godzilla" and "Kamen Rider"! While the adaptation wasn't the best "Devilman" production to date, it was way better than the source material, and outclassed series like "Devilman Lady" and "Devilman: Crybaby" — regardless of the excessive gore and shock value, that acted as derivatives in the enjoyment of the film! Great job, Mr. Kōjina!

Yasushi Nirasawa (creature design), notable works:
* A-Rank Thunder Tanjōhen
* Beast Warriors
* Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
* Godzilla: Final Wars
* Godzilla Knight Garo
* Golden Knight Garo
* Guilstien
* Kamen Rider Blade
* Kamen Rider Decade
* Kamen Rider Den'ō
* Kamen Rider G
* Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
* Kamen Rider Kabuto
* Iron Man: Rise of Technovore
* Monster Hunter: Frontier G
* Shin Megami Tensei IV
* Soulcalibur ✅
* Space Truckers
* Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust ✅

Commentary: Mr. Nirasawa excelled in apocalyptic settings, take his design-work on "Shin Megami Tensei IV" and "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" as prime examples of this. His monster designs look putrid and wiry, stretched out, like they were born out of a nuclear reactor! I think the look of the purple variant of Devilman really suited the dour and blood-soaked milieu of the Devilman apocalypse. Incredible designs, and please rest in peace, Yasushi Nirasawa, you will be missed!

※The original designs from the "Amon: The Darkside of Devilman" manga were adapted and altered from the original source material. The manga artist goes under the moniker of Yū Kinutani.

Good Seiyū Work = ✅

Really Enjoyed the Seiyū's Performance = ✅ ✅

One of Luna's Favorite Performances OF ALL TIME = ✅ ✅ ✅

Shinji Takeda as Akira Fudō (or "Devilman"), notable roles:
* None

Commentary: Mr. Takeda is a man who wears many gloves, he has dabbled in film acting industry, as well as in television acting, voice acting, saxophone performing, and has even had a short stint a puppeteer! His performance as Akira Fudō didn't grab the grail from Show Hayami's Devilman, but I would say that his version was my second favorite (if you're not including Tomokazu Seki's cameo as Akira Fudō in "Shin Cutey Honey"). Fantastic work with the character, especially with an installment that is metaphorically the ghoulish, putrified husk of the Devilman franchise!

Tomokazu Seki as Ryō Asuka (or "Satan"), notable roles:
* Jōji Gōda, Akane Maniax ✅✅
* Meito Anizawa, Anime Tenchō, Lucky☆Star, Hayate no Gotoku, Anime Tenchou x 東方Project, and Miyakawa-ke no Kūfuku ✅✅
* Micky Simon, Area 88 (TV)
* Sanzō, Asobot Senki Gokū
* Manji, Blade of the Immortal (2008)
* Tsubasa Ōzora, Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
* Tōya Kinomoto, Cardcaptor Sakura ✅✅✅
* Go Saotome, Change!! Getter Robo: Sekai Saigo no Hi
* Tokio Oshima, Chikyū Shōjo Arjuna ✅
* Hiromu Shinbo, Chobits ✅✅
* Katana, Coyote Ragtime Show
* Toki, DD Hokuto no Ken (2013)
* Ryo Tobishima, Dengeki Oshioki Musume Gootaman R: Ai to Kanashimi no Final Battle ("Butt Attack Punisher Girl Gautaman R")
* Suneo Honekawa, Doraemon (2005) — and all of the films after "Movie 26" ✅✅
* Hadlar, Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibōken (2020)
* Junpei Ryuzōji, Elf wo Karu Mono-tachi
* Dee Laytner, Fake
* Caster ("Gilgamesh") and Caster ("Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart"), Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majū Sensen Babylonia ✅✅✅
* Archer ("Gilgamesh"), Fate/stay night (series) ✅✅✅
* Kyō Sōma, Fruits Basket (2001) ✅✅✅
* Sōsuke Sagara, Full Metal Panic! (series) ✅✅✅
* Chichiri and Kōji, Fushigi Yûgi ✅✅
* Rentarō Futaba, Futakoi Alternative
* Mepple, Futari wa PreCure (series) ✅
* Andrea Cavalcanti, Gankutsuō ✅✅✅
* Sword, Garo: Vanishing Line
* Reiji Kageyama, Gate Keepers (series)
* Dean Honos, Geisters: Fractions of the Earth
* Sōichiro Tanaka, Genshiken ✅✅
* Takeshi Tatsumi, Giant Killing
* Pluto Batō, Gintama (Season Five)
* Eduard Markgraf von Sekt Braunschweig, Ginyū Mokushiroku Meine Liebe
* Shū'ichi Shindō, Gravitation ✅
* Kunio Murai, Great Teacher Onizuka
* Haru Glory, Groove Adventure Rave
* Brandon Heat, Gungrave ✅✅
* Ichirō Miyata, Hajime no Ippo ✅
* Ryunosuke Ibuki, Hakuōki (Season Three) ✅✅✅
* Big Brother, Halo Legends
* Tenma Morimura, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de
* Masahiko Kutani, Himiko-den
* Kazuna Takashiro, Hitsuji no Uta ("Lament of the Lamb")
* Ken Washio ("Gatchaman"), Infini-T Force ✅✅
* Keisuke Takahashi, Initial D (series)
* Jiro, Jinzō Ningen Kikaider the Animation ✅✅✅
* Sakuma, Joker Game ✅
* Jun Kitagawa, Kanon ✅
* Gram River, Kenran Butō Sai: The Mars Daybreak
* Ren Uesugi, Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de
* Maze, Maze☆Bakunetsu Jikū
* Marco Ikusaba ("Seventh"), Mirai Nikki ✅
* Domon Kasshu, Mobile Fighter G Gundam ✅✅✅
* Izāku Jūru ("Yzak Joule"), Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ✅
* Ikumi Oze, Mugen no Ryvius
* Hajime Sugoroku, Nanbaka ✅✅
* Tōji Suzuhara, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Evangelion Rebuild ✅✅
* Sasuke, Ninin ga Shinobuden
* Shin'ichi Chiaki, Nodame Candible ✅✅✅
* Lucci Rob, One Piece
* Kanji Tatsumi, Persona 4
* Kenji ("Tracey Sketchit"), Pokémon (series)
* James Griffith, Psychic Force
* Shinya Kōgami, Psycho-Pass ✅✅
* Ginei Morioka, Rosario to Vampire
* Virgo Fudō, Saint Seiya Omega ✅✅✅
* Ryūki Shi, Saiunkoku Monogatari
* Shizuma Kusanagi, Samurai Girl Real Bout High School
* Mitsunari Ishida, Sengoku Basara
* Ken'ichi Shirahama, Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Ken'ichi
* Akira Fudō, Shin Cutey Honey ✅✅
* Go Arisaka, Shin Kaitei Gunkan
* Mars, Shin Seiki Den Mars
* Yotarō, Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū (series) ✅✅✅
* Sōjirō Agata, SKET Dance
* Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic: Night of the WereHog
* Tadashi Daiba, Space Pirate Captain Herlock: Outside Legend — The Endless Odyssey
* Ashton Anchors, Star Ocean EX
* Itaru Hashira ("Daru"), Steins;Gate (series) ✅✅✅
* Kō, Strange+
* Kei Fujitani, Stratos 4
* Shoji Tokairin, Taiho Shichau zo (series)
* Masataka Takayanagi, Tenjō Tenge ✅✅
* Van Fanel, Tenkū no Escaflowne and Escaflowne ✅✅✅
* Rumina Asagi, Tokyo Underground
* Tsuyoshi Maki, Top Secret: The Revolution
* Eiji Shinjo, Tōshinden
* Luka Bloom, Ultraviolet: Code 044
* Bart Garsus, Vandread
* Joe, Viewtiful Joe
* Ken Hidaka, Weiß Kreuz (series)
* Kamui Shirō, X/1999 ✅✅
* Kuraki Fuzuchi, Yakumotatsu
* Whisper, Yōkai Watch
* Eikichi Machimiya, Yowamushi Petal (series)
* Enjin Hiizumi, Yozakura Quartet

Commentary: Gilgamesh ("Fate/stay night") is Ryō Asuka in this version of Devilman! There are only two main scenes with Ryō in the film: when he stabs Akira in the back, by broadcasting his identity as a demon to the entire world and thus casting humanity into chaos, and the other is when he has transformed into Satan, and is speaking with Psychogenie (or "Psycho Jenny") while staring up at the moon, with a forlorn expression. Mr. Seki's version of Ryō Asuka is the most somber, out of the ※four existing iterations of the character!

※List of Different Ryō Asuka Performances:
1. Yū Mizushima (voice of Toshio Ōtomo in "Creamy Mami" and Clow Reed in "Tsubasa Chronicle") is the Ryō Asuka in Umanosuke Iida's Devilman OVA series and "CB Chara Gō Nagai World"
2. Tomokazu Seki is the Ryō Asuka in Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku
3. Satoshi Hino (voice of Kyōjurō Rengoku in "Kimetsu no Yaiba" and Momonga in "Overlord") is the Ryō Asuka in the "Cyborg 009 VS Devilman" OVA
4. Ayumu Murase (voice of Shōyō Hinata in "Haikyū!" and Rui Ninomioya in "Gatchaman Crowds") is the Ryō Asuka in "Devilman: Crybaby"

Note: I'm really surprised that Akira Ishida (voice of Kaworu Nagisa in "Neon Genesis Evangelion") hasn't played the character of Ryō Asuka yet, his voice would be perfect for the role. Especially, since it's been confirmed by the staff at GAINAX, that Kaworu is directly based off of Ryō.

Atsuko Enomoto as Miki Makimura, notable roles:
* Aina, .hack//G.U. (series)
* Otone Hokke, Akahori Gedō Hour Rabuge
* Sanae Nakazawa, Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
* Emi Sendō, Cardfight!! Vanguard (series)
* Yuki Aoyama, Chance Triangle Session ✅✅
* Yukine Miyazawa, Clannad ✅✅
* Chiara Ferina, Element Hunters
* Mai Mishō ("Cure Egret"), Futari wa PreCure: Splash☆Star
* Nanna Aihara, Ginsoukikō Ordian
* Otose, Gintama (series) ✅✅
* Triela, Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino ✅
* Aine Yukimura, Kaikan Phrase
* Yukino Miyazawa, Kareshi Kanojo no Jijō ("His and Her Circumstances") ✅✅
* Misaki Suzuhara, Kidō Tenshi Angelic Layer ✅
* Kurumi, Kōtetsu Tenshi Kurumi (series) ✅✅
* Sally, Line Offline: Salaryman
* Emeraldes, Maetel Legend ✅
* Alice Jinnai, Major S4
* Rinna Charat, Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat ✅
* Kurumi and Hinata, Pokémon (series)
* Marci Satome, Ryūsei Sentai Musumet
* Sophia Esteed, Star Ocean: Anamnesis ✅
* Shizuru, Weiß Survive R

Commentary: Similar to the case of Ryō Asuka, Miki Makimura doesn't have an incredibly versatile script in the movie, but her part in it, is one of the most crucial aspects. In tone with the film, she is the most somber Miki, we see her voicing saccharine sentiments to Akira and flashbacks after the short scene of her alive, in the midst (and after) of her brutal death. She is a sweet, yet sad phantom in Akira's mind — Ms. Enomoto's acting is on point, despite her only other slightly sad roles being Yuki Aoyama ("Chance Triangle Session") and Emeraldes ("Maetel Legend"). Great job!

Akio Ōtsuka as Amon, notable roles:
* Lion, Africa no Salaryman
* Zōroku Kashimura, Alice to Zōroku
* Kunimitsu Tange, Ayane-chan High Kick!
* Tōta Kijima, Bakuen Campus Guardress ✅✅✅
* The Skull Knight, Berserk ✅✅✅
* Kurō Hazama ("Black Jack"), Black Jack ✅✅✅
* Jirō Sōzōsuke Shunsui Kyōraku, Bleach ✅
* Daitetsu Kunikida, Blue Seed
* All For One, Boku no Hero Academia ✅
* Geronimo Jr. ("005"), Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Solider ✅
* Kenzo, Darkside Blues ✅✅
* Rider ("Alexander the Great"), Fate/Zero ✅✅
* Nemo, Fushigi no Umi no Nadia ✅✅✅
* Batō, Kōkaku Kidōtai (series) — "Ghost in the Shell" ✅✅
* Gwendal von Voltaire, Kyō kara Maō!
* John Estes, Mad★Bull 34
* Magma, Magma Tenshi
* Ekubo, Mob Psycho 100
* Avavel Gato, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories
* Montana Jones, Montana Jones
* Moominpappa, Mūmindani no Suisei
* Toshimi Konokawa, Paprika ✅✅
* Valgas, Power Stone
* Zaxon, Sōsei Kishi Gaiarth
* Regal Bryant, Tales of Symphonia ✅
* Demitri Maximoff, Vampire Hunter ("Darkstalkers' Revenge") ✅✅

Commentary: Mr. Ōtsuka's delivery was so commanding and evil, that I legitimately felt afraid after first watching "Amon Apocalypse"! The level of brutality and menace that seeps onto the screen, can only be comparable to his performances as Demitri Maximoff ("Vampire Hunter") and Tōta Kijima ("Bakuen Campus Guardress"), though The Skull Knight ("Berserk") is up there, too! Truly chilling performance!

I would summarize the totality of this film-length OVA in one sentence: an atrocious gore-fest that pays homage to the original manga's apocalypse in a respectful way, and has cool designs, but is on par with some of the other throwaway, shock value OVA series of its time. Aside from some really memorable moments, I can't say that like this Devilman installment all that much, but I prefer it to the "Devilman: Crybaby" apocalypse. The ambiance is just more dense and the characters are more honorably rendered. Since it took eighteen years to produce a new Devilman installment, I don't expect the ending to be given its due diligence any time soon (if ever). So with that, I rate "Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku" a 5/10, though it's teetering on a 4/10.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

And with "Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman" we are at part 3 and have finally finished the 90's Devilman OVA trilogy! Released in 2000, this OVA came out a full TEN YEARS after the last one! So I wouldn't blame you if you went into this without seeing the other 2 OVA's, but seriously they are required viewing just to know on a basic level what the hell is going on. Really, you should watch Crybaby before watching Amon: Apocalypse for full context of this ending, but I don't really recommend either of these things lol.

Amon: Apocalypse was made by a different studio than the previous ... 2 OVA's and you can really tell as everyone looks radically different, the animation is worse (believe it or not), and the tone is completely changed to a much darker, more depressing one. Not to say that "The Birth" or "Demon Bird Sirene" were a lighthearted walk in the park either, but this time there's no comedy or really much dialogue at all. NOTHING is explained this time around! You just have to know who Akira, Miki, Ryo, etc. are because this OVA wastes no time in getting to the demon-on-demon ultraviolence. We don't know who these people are or why they're doing what they're doing. IN FACT, even IF you watched the other OVA's you'll still be pretty lost because suddenly Ryo is showing Devilman footage on live TV. Oh, and Miko/Miki #2 and some other girl have joined Akira's "Devilman Army" and are luring out demons to attack or something? And Akira can like capture demons now in the palm of his hand? What!? NONE of this was set up in the 2 previous OVA's so I'm just as lost even though I actually did my homework.

Was there anything at all I liked here? Not really, but I'll try lol. So Miki #2/Miko (the track star rival of Miki's in Crybaby who had the same name) gets a total redesign and I gotta say I loved both her battle outfit and new appearance in general. Miko also now has demonic titties that spew...venom...Ok? Uh, still not sure how I felt about that, moving on. Oh and I liked Miki's new outfit (yes I'm grasping at straws here), that is until she is violently decapitated and dismembered just like in Crybaby. I forgot how much I hated this anime for a second.

Can we talk about Akira, the "hero" Devilman for a second? So in his introductory scene we see this demon picking up Miko and slamming her against the wall like a sandbag, repeatedly bashing in her head. Where the hell is Akira?! Oh, he's there, he's just SLOWLY WALKING TOWARDS THEM UP THE STREET WTF!? Yeah, ok, take your time, bro, this demon's just brutalizing these two women, no big deal. Weren't these two chicks part of your Devilman Army or something?! I dunno, maybe act like you give a shit about them? Oh, and how about Akira leaving Miki and her brother home alone, totally defenseless while he's out? Maybe be smart and have a plan in action in case, y'know, they DIE like they do in this anime?! So our hero is an idiot with no regard for his loved ones and a callous asshole, got it. Check please! Am I really supposed to believe this is the same dude from part 1 who literally put his life on the line for the fucking class bunny?!

Full disclosure, I couldn't finish this anime. Maybe you'll say that disqualifies my review, but I think it says something when I can watch Elfen Lied and Gantz but Amon: Apocalypse is where I drew the line. This OVA is really something I would consider "torture porn" as it's just a series of unpleasant things happening to innocent people for 45 minutes. Literally the first thing that happens is an older male demon tries to rape a little demon girl. Then a demon grabs Miko by the legs and tries to rip her in half from the pussy up. Miki's little brother is shot through the head and pinned to the door by a crossbow bolt, and then a gang proceeds to ritually dismember him. I know I'm just listing random violent things but LITERALLY THAT IS WHAT THIS ANIME IS!!! Right around when Akira rips a female demon's tits off and starts eating them, I decided, "Hey you know what, I could just watch anything else and that'd be a better night than the one I'm having."

I hated the random, depressing ending to Devilman Crybaby but I'd rather watch that show 10x over this terrible anime. Wow, this OVA trilogy actually started out better than Netflix's Devilman Crybaby yet somehow ended up worse by the end?! I have no hesitation in giving this OVA a 1/10 as it is one of the worst pieces of animation I have ever seen.

This OVA is certainly the black sheep of Devilman anime. It follows a drastically different route from the previous ova's and the original manga, leading fans of both to feel confused. Even the Amon manga it's based on does very little to explain the dramatic situation.

The apocalypse of devilman can be best described as a character study of Akira Fudo following the apocalypse caused by Satan. People are wreaking havoc in the streets of Japan and killing those they consider to be demons. Miki and her brother fall victim to these cruel attacks and Akira's faith in humanity has been shattered.

He's no longer the ... hot-blooded and compassionate hero fans know him as. Akira has grown jaded to the world that betrayed him. To make matters worse, Amon, the demon that gave him strength, is regaining dominance.

Amon serves as the embodiment of depravity and represents the darkness of Akira. Amon is what Akira would be if he lost everything that made him human.

This ova doesn't work too well at telling a story but it is a good character analysis for Akira at his lowest.

In the early 2000, there was a spinoff manga of Devilman called Amon: The Darkside of Devilman that covered the events before Devilman and right after at the last chapters.

This OVA has less to do with the spinoff and more of a retelling of the last chapters of the source material and of the last chapters of Shin Devilman.

From the gecko, this OVA feels different from two previous one. It delves more into the psychological aspect by making Akira mentally inactive throughout the OVA, but keeps the gore and action by having Amon around.
Maybe it’s because this is based off the meat of the ... original story, or that it’s trying to be more edgy with its gothic design.

Now there’s nothing wrong with the design for the demon. They are good for Devilman standers, but the problem is Devilman himself. If you see here, beside that the characters looks more pointer than before, Devilman has lost some of his muscles and has a more slim and gothic style going on. This Devilman looks like it belongs in the shadows and fights by sneaking up on its pray, not the ideal model for something that supposedly the hero of demons.

Which is what I think the demon Amon looks like. He looks like a beast and he is voiced by Whamu and Black Jack, which is freaking awesome. With all of the previous characters not helping the OVA, Amon is directly focused for the most part of the OVA.

Now the gore is gruesome. Without showing any death scenes in this review, let just say that no one is safe in this OVA. NO ONE.

The action is also great but nothing spectacular, except for one scene where AMON THROWS AN ENTIRE SUBWAY TRAIN AT SOMEONE! Now if you ever wanted to see Whamu throwing a train at the demon who is voiced by Franky, then this is for you.

To clear things up for the story, this has nothing to do with two previous OVA. It’s made by a different studio than those two with a new cast. It also doesn’t pick up viewers where they left off. With so many important details unexplained like the Devilman Army, the reason for Armageddon and the sudden reveal of Satan, you kind of feel that you have missed one OVA in-between. But I think this OVA serves as finally of the two previous OVA for a different reason than what you might think. The reason is the theme of who Devilman is, with Akira being the first, Devilman the second and Amon the third. The other reason is that it ties together the struggle between the human side and the demon side, which of course resolves with a fight scene between those sides.

But that fight scene itself is confusing. Instead of Akira, the human fighting the demon Amon, you have Devilman fighting Amon. Which doesn’t make sense as Devilman is Akira and Amon combined. So basically Amon is punching a part himself during this fight.
That would be like if Venom Spiderman fought Venom.

But I digress.

With it’s problem of context and the lack of interesting characters, this might not be as good or obligatory as the other two OVA, but you can still watch it for Amon or to wrap up the unofficial OVA trilogy.

Devilman’s visuals are one of the best aspects of the series, but in this OVA, they didn’t turn out well. If you saw him in a random image, you wouldn’t even recognize that it’s him.

The soundtrack and voice acting are weak. It was released in the 2000s, and compared to the previous OVA, you can see a big difference in the transition of technology and art style.
It fell short, but it’s understandable.

Story:
It follows the previous OVAs normally, just like Devilman Crybaby, but with some differences, such as the use of psychic powers, which I found interesting. It could have been included in the Netflix adaptation, ... but they probably followed the original material to the letter. (I’m not sure since I haven’t read the manga yet.)

Even though the design isn’t memorable, as I mentioned earlier, it’s not bad. In fact, it’s darker in a way, but it feels like the typical relaxed design style of that era.

As for the protagonist, just as the title suggests, this film showcases the true strength of "Amon," which is cool. In the Netflix adaptation, they did show this well, but I personally would have liked a bit more. Still, both adaptations are good.

In this version, we actually see "Amon" fully taking over Akira’s body and making it his own.

The ending was interesting, but I'm not going to talk about it because it would be a spoiler... (The music worked a miracle in this ending, at least for me)

In the end, I got to see everything I wanted from the Netflix adaptation, so I’m satisfied. Considering everything I mentioned about the transition between eras, along with the evolution of technology and art style, I give it a 6/10.
And if you look at the page of this OVA, the original material comes from a solo manga, and the ending isn't closed. (Maybe some won't like it...)

Would I recommend it? It depends on you.
Do you want to see something a bit grotesque? Something that modern media doesn’t usually show? Then watch not just this OVA, but the entire old OVA series. I personally enjoyed watching it, but I wouldn’t recommend it for people who are sensitive to heavy or disturbing scenes.

I put this off for so long because of the extreme negative reception surrounding it. Do I regret watching this? Um no, I think it's time we not only give this a more balanced review, but a different look and angle as well. Besides.. let's face it. I can't really help myself when I see the word "apocalypse" in media.


How is it? It's ok. Don't get me wrong, you DON'T want this to be your introduction into the Devilman universe, it's far too vague, confusing for that. You've got plenty of alternative adaptations to choose from if what you seek is well handled story ... telling of the source materials and what not.

"Wait so hold on you say it's ok yet you gave it a rating of 8??? Whaaa" Yup.

I got everything I could have hoped for. The disgust from other viewers and their grotesque descriptions lived up and perhaps exceeded my expectations. This is a bleak, apocalyptic feeling, bloody(buckets of gore) slaughterfest!

Hell... I think this might be ONE of the most metal animes I have seen period. Not only is it gory and ultra violent but you got a heavy metal/hard rock score to accompany the ludicrous action scenes. Also, ...stakes... woooow, stakes in my animu? Noice. *pop*

People die, you know the drill...

And I can totally understand why this wasn't going to win any anime of the year awards. At least if we're fixated on the story portion of this piece of glorious media.... It's piss poor. Character development, depth and the handling of topics, null. Appalling.

Thank flying spaghetti monster I was never invested in the story of this property to begin with. Really dodged a bullet there huh.

8 out of 10 everything else. (Btw, I am totally not bias because this didn't have obnoxious perversion every 5 minutes unlike *cough* crybaby *cough*)

Story and characters: 0 out of 10

Amon is a pretty mixed bag of genuinely stunning, atmospheric horror direction and writing that swings between average to bad. I would recommend watching it if you're already into Devilman, but since it covers an alternate continuity version of a specific part of the original story, it may be confusing or pointless-feeling to watch as a starting point.
The direction of this OVA is its saving grace; it has some truly wonderful, tense horror segments, and conveys incredible tone. The sympathy it builds up for Akira genuinely works, and it serves well as a bridge in the story of Devilman- he struggles with himself to ... mature into who he needs to be in order to face Satan and fight. However, it meanders in the middle, and- as much as I love the trademark violence of Devilman as a franchise- tends to stick its toe a little too far over the line with the shock value, scenes with Amon proper often dragging into pure tastelessness. The violence against women in the OVA is also extremely fetishized and goes on just a little bit too long, though if you're already accustomed to Go Nagai and his associated works then that comes as no surprise.
What is a surprise is that most of the OVA hardcuts away from the shock violence and shows only its stark, repulsive aftermath- a decision that makes the focus on grief and grieving more haunting. Akira grieves Miki; Akira grieves the person that he used to be- he cannot go back to who he was, and the slow death of the world around him feels like the death of his Self. Both of the actual onscreen fights are actually quite boring and poorly directed.
The art and cinematography are generally nice and interesting; the style is very 90s and occasionally shows its age, but it holds up. There are lots of novel and interesting shots.
The sound design is not as well-aged as the art, but it is never completely ostentatious, and the sound in the horror segments is generally very well handled. It feels genuinely tense and unsettling.
The character writing can be hit-or-miss; the two female devilmen present are cardboard flat and seem only to exist in order to be brutalized, Amon himself is a one-note force of violence. Akira is quiet, broody, and struggles with himself; the OVA is centered on his emotional crisis and does a good job of conveying it. Ryo's presence, understated, hangs over the feature, and the ending scene- completely silent and still- is one of the best in the OVA.
Overall I enjoyed this OVA and I think it's a worthy addition to Devilman's extended universe, as well as a rare example of effecttive horror direction in anime.

Calling this the weakest entry in the Devilman OVA's is common knowledge (despite its obscurity), but its such a massive step back for the series that I'm not surprised it was the final entry.

Beginning with the art, it looks old and I don't mean that in a positive way. It looks a lot older than an anime from 2000 should look, I honestly had to double-check the release date. It’s not done in a ‘retro’ style either, the overall design just looks outdated. Well, it is true that the other two Devilman OVA’s are quite old, so what about the action scenes? Those were great ... in the first two entries after all. Compared with those, the animation in this one is lacking to say the least. I had to wonder if there were some budgetary problems in the production of this OVA because the action scenes either fade to black early or are cut unusually short. Many close ups and such are clearly a loop repeated over several times or just a static shot. There's a scene near the end where Devilman is punching Amon (the main villain) over and over and to make it look like Devilman is causing more damage they just repeat the same 3 shots over and over while gradually speeding the footage up. It looked ridiculous, so ridiculous to the point that I almost started laughing.

How about the plot? Not much to talk about because there’s barely one here. The basic premise is that people think demons are taking over society and are whipped into a frenzy once Ryou shows footage of Akira transforming into Devilman and killing some demons. How he manages to get footage that has 50 different camera angles and looks like it was shot by John Woo is beyond me. Anyway, as a result Devilman’s love interest gets killed and a new group of demons including the big bad ‘Amon’ appear. Amon takes over Devilman’s body as he’s essentially his evil alter-ego. None of these new characters are introduced to us properly, and I didn’t care about any of them. I mean, how could I? I’m not told anything about where they came from and the reason for them being there in the first place (e.g. their relationship to Devilman) is barely explained.

The music and sound effects are fine I guess and gore fans might enjoy this as there’s PLENTY of that. Everyone else, including Devilman fans, can skip this one without any worries. It’s not worth your time. A disappointing end to a series that started with a lot of promise.

I watched this at 4 a.m. after bingeing some Tokyo University student projects. This was the most I'd laughed in years. The violence is so senseless and absurd that-in my delirium-I was hysterical. It's the most I've enjoyed anything in months. 10/10 greatest comedy on the planet.

I went to bed an hour after finishing this. As I tucked myself in, I was still chuckling to myself. Not to mention, it is the best adaptation of the end of Go Nagai's Devilman.

If you're into barely noticeable homoerotic tension, violence so intense that it becomes comedic, gorgeous animation, and decent sound design, this will ... be intensely enjoyable. I'd recommend watching this when you are the least mentally stable as to increase your enjoyment exponentially. If you're old enough to drink, go for it.

This masterpiece deserves more love.

I'm no longer the one who tries to interpret the meanings behind the script, but I can't watch this masterpiece without saying; it presents an exaggerated vision of our future, one drenched in blood and violence. We may be heading toward a world where killing is done for pleasure and personal gain.

Fun fact: Even the statistics shyly hint at that possibility.

The rhythm of the story is fast and chaotic, which amplifies the terror in its atmosphere. I loved almost everything about it. This OVA perfectly matches my current mood and desires.

I can't ignore the truly magnificent production. I was captivated by every frame—beautifully drawn and ... animated. Even the violence exceeded my expectations, yet it was portrayed with such artistry that it overwhelmed me with visual beauty.