Cheap The Devil Lady - The Awakening (Vol. 1) (DVD) (Toshitaka Hirano (II)) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Devil Lady - The Awakening (Vol. 1)

We make our own hell . . .
I borrowed this first volume of Devil Lady and the second volume from an anime-loving friend. From the very first episode, I was hopelessly and helplessly drawn into the world of Devil Lady. It revolves around a model named Jun who is slightly different from the rest, a difference shown in her eyes. When a blond-haired woman named Ran Asuka follows her and lures her into a demonic encounter, she finds out just how different she really is. (Come on, being part demon does tend to make you pretty different.)

The point is that my heart ached for Jun, seeing her horror at what she was becoming and what she was being forced to do with her new abilities. Like "Cat," the first episode of the second volume, "Shark" gave me a look at twisted love, only it wasn't twisted into hate; it was twisted into murderous obsession.

Devil Lady is quite a horrifying anime. It isn't horrifying just for the sheer amounts of violence; it is horrifying because of the brutal look into the darker aspects of human nature. If that doesn't manage to scare you off, then you'll like Devil Lady a lot.

With Friends Like These...
In 1972, manga creator Go Nagai was approached by a Japanese TV network about the possibility of a series based on one of his comics. Nagai suggested that a new series of his, 'Devilman' might be just what they were looking for. This marked the beginning of a 38-episode run that was not only a success, but also set an indelible stamp on Japanese horror for some time to come. Twenty-five years later, in 1997, Go Nagai's dark, twisted, and polymorphously perverse images were reborn in a different guise. This time as 'Devilwoman.'

Jun Fudou is a successful fashion model, lushly attractive and in demand. Her best friend is young Kazumi Takiura, another model who, for a younger generation. Into this happy-go-lucky life-style intrudes Lan Asuka a member of the mysterious 'human alliance.' Asuka tricks Jun into a confrontation with a demonic creature, and the model discovers that she also has demonic powers, and perhaps, relishes the killing. At least until she returns to human form. As the episodes progress, Asuka explains that Jun is 'neotenic' - progressing toward devil-hood, but still retaining her human soul.

Initially, Asuka is the dominant to Jun's submissive, issuing commands, leading Jun from kill to kill, but gradually Jun begins to show glimpses of independence and anger. How this will end is unclear, but Asuka's fascination with Jun and her powers has a self-destructive touch to it. The relationship that suffers the most from Jun's secret is the one with Kazumi, who will shortly lose her parents to a devil attack and moves in with Jun. This is another explosion waiting to happen in some future episode.

The story line is extremely dark, well beyond the typical noir horror atmosphere. The script often flirts with sexual variations as well as typical monster goings on. That and a great deal of what is politely referred to as 'fan service' makes this a heavily loaded series. The series is rated for 17 plus, and I have to concur. If you are looking for redeeming social values, Jun's conflict between her human and devil nature is all there is in this first DVD. Because of her submissiveness I found her character less sympathetic than it should have been, with the first episodes following a kill/cry pattern that only hints at becoming something else in the later tales.

Two technical issues keep this from being an enthusiastic recommendation. First, the art and animation are completely retro in look. It seems a shame that 1997 technology should be used to recreate a 25-year-old 'low-fi' look. So much of the action is put in the shadows that it is almost impossible to make out what is happening, occasioning much fiddling with the contrast and brightness settings. The worst sin, though, is the English dubbing. I have seen plenty of anime where the dubbing is weak or clumsy, but this is the first time that I felt the English script was completely misleading. Stick to the Japanese with subtitles for a much more enjoyable and sensible experience.

I found it an interesting set of episodes despite these flaws, although what would have been original in 1972 (or even 1982) has become a bit hackneyed in 2003. Since good direction could have avoided this problem, I am inclined to recommend waiting for further episodes to see how the interpersonal and spiritual problems are developed before considering a decision to purchase.