Devilman Lady, Lady Devilman, the Devil Lady. Whatever her name, she is much less known than her male counterpart. Jun Fudō’s fierce alter-ego, the protagonist of Gō Nagai’s sequel to his popular Devilman series, indeed draws little to no recognition, even among anime and manga fans, but her story is still worth knowing. And after its release in 1998, the one and only animated adaptation of Devilman Lady has slowly but surely been tagged as a hidden gem. The acclaim for this long-overlooked anime stems from its blend of intense character study, unrelenting psychological suspense, and full-throated monster horror.
Before Jun Fudō (voiced by Perfect Blue’s Junko Iwao) confronts her hideous destiny in that first episode of Devilman Lady, the viewer asks how this beautiful yet nervous and unassuming fashion model could ever be seen as a vicious monster. It’s worth noting that this take on the source material reimagines Jun’s story so drastically that the anime is considered its own entity. Here Jun is whisked away by the enigmatic Lan Asuka (Kaoru Shimamura), then locked inside an abandoned warehouse with a werewolf-like creature. Whereas in the manga, Jun is an athlete-turned teacher whose transformation is triggered by trauma; she, along with her students, is raped by monsters during a school trip. The anime-told origin cuts out the sexual violence, but the outcome is no different: Jun changes into a Devilman after her ordeal.
After her gory and nearly fatal initiation, Jun is, without much say in the matter, made a Beast Hunter for the Japanese branch of the Human Alliance (HA). This clandestine government agency is the one thing preventing a quick end for mankind, but it can’t do so without Jun’s help. For she possesses the ability to become a Devilman, a special sort of Devil Beast who still retains his or her conscience when transformed. In contrast to the average Devil Beast who succumbs to baser instincts and impulses, Jun’s humanity is, more or less, intact as she kills at the behest of the HA. And as anticipated, that constant inner struggle between monster and human takes a toll on Jun’s psyche.
Image: Devilman Lady, as as she appears in the anime’s opening credits.
Despite appearances, Devilman Lady leans more toward science-fiction horror than supernatural horror. One by one the human race is turning into these frightful monsters, however, this is said to be the next step in evolution and not an aberrant event brought on by magic or an otherworldly force. What’s more alarming is the fact that the transformation — herein called the “Devil Beast Progress” or “DBP” for short — can’t be avoided in the long-run. All the HA can do for now is contain the situation for as long as possible. Keeping the truth concealed is also crucial, seeing as mere awareness of Devil Beasts can activate someone’s DBP.
At just a glance, Devilman Lady comes off as an anime spin on The X-Files; those early episodes have Jun and Lan going after the most troublesome Devil Beasts in Japanese society. Essentially it’s the X-Files’ “monster of the week” formula in that first arc, minus the skepticism. A closer look, though, reveals a creeping psychological tale that, for the most part, pertains to Jun. When first introduced to the show’s main character, she’s shown trading one submissive role for another; model Jun and Devilman Jun are each told what to do on the regular, albeit harshly in the latter’s case. In addition, Lan is less Jun’s partner and equal, and more her handler. A beast tamer, so to speak. This austere, blond agent from America is never shy about reducing Jun to nothing more than a glorified attack dog for the HA. The seed of bodily dysmorphia also fully blooms as Jun, a model who actually despises being looked upon, struggles to accept her DB form. On more than one occasion, Jun is brought to tears and is rendered useless by the mere sight of her other self.
Watching the lead of Devilman Lady is comparable to an old camera requiring a lengthy development process; to see what develops from Jun’s Jekyll and Hyde-esque identity crisis takes the entirety of the series. Originally a timid, young woman who left the countryside to become a model in the city, despite her health issues and a lack of encouragement from her parents, Jun’s quiet disposition is eventually tested by her Devilman persona. Try as she might, Jun can’t contain the Beast as she rips her enemies apart. And why would she? This is the most alive she’s ever felt.
Image: A snake-like Devil Beast surprises Beast Hunter J in Episode 13, “Rope”.
In addition to Jun and Lan, the anime’s other most prominent character is Kazumi Takiura (Kazusa Murai), a younger model who looks up to Fudō. Kazumi didn’t originate in Nagai’s manga, but her design and function are both based on Devilman’s human ally and romantic interest, Miki Makimura. When first getting to know Kazumi, she is bubbly, extroverted and spontaneous — basically everything Jun isn’t. Those traits lost some luster after the ruthless and mysterious murders of Kazumi’s parents — Devil Beasts hurt Jun by coming after her friend — but nevertheless, Takiura remains that much-needed beacon of light and hope in the series. Kazumi is, symbolically speaking, Jun’s last shred of humanity. And for as long as she can, and before fate intervenes, Jun turns to Kazumi whenever the horrors of her new life are unbearable.
In multiple ways, Devilman Lady mirrors Devilman, including its love story. The only difference is, there is now a sapphic slant, as opposed to the manga’s heteronormative leaning. And while it would seem as if Jun and Lan are entering a Beauty and the Beast scenario — their sexual tension is undeniable — Jun and Kazumi are really the two characters bound to fall in love. Their relationship is deliberate and subtle, but also achingly heartfelt. These days, maybe Jun and Kazumi’s romance wouldn’t be thought of as inspiring or progressive, yet there’s a cathartic element to it that plays into the anime’s whole conversation of what it means to be human.
While many anime are intended for young audiences, Devilman Lady is squarely suited for adults. On top of its mature themes and graphic nature — blood-gushing violence, sensuality, and female nudity are aplenty here — this late night-aired anime goes against the grain of its more mainstream peers. The funny-face and emotive expressions, the telegraphed antics and other anime tropes and clichés are curtailed or simply absent, all in an effort to create a more grown-up and unhindered atmosphere to go with the meditative story. The humble character designs do somewhat undermine that overall un-anime quality; they look like a compromise between industry conventions and a reverence for Nagai’s signature style. However, the authentic ambiance settles back in after getting acquainted with the show’s aesthetic. Instead of the usual and hard vibrance found in that specific era of anime, the palette consists of rich blacks, sweeping shadows, natural and soft tones, and some saturated colors. The show’s look, as a whole, can be rather reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series.
Devilman Lady would routinely trade its realistic setups for fantastical ones as soon as HA handed Jun her next assignment. Grown-up and grounded matters, such as Jun navigating her own various insecurities and complicated relationships, are then eclipsed by scenes that feel more typical of genre anime. The one-off antagonists often resemble that of live-action tokusatsu shows, although here they’re gruesome and plainly homicidal, and on more than one occasion, Jun’s Devilman form would grow to immense proportions. This winged, kaijū version of Beast Hunter J, an homage to Devilman’s own giant form, would engage in brutal combat with an equally mammoth monster until the heroine walked away the victor. In comparison to the normal-sized confrontations, these bigger brawls felt a bit out of place. Nevertheless, the wonderfully blasphemous and climactic battle between good and evil, as seen during the finale, could only be achieved with two colossal, godlike creatures fighting to the death.
Anime is already something of an acquired taste, but Devilman Lady is perhaps more so, on account of a slow-burning quality and the uncertain story. Its seemingly directionless plot is really the perfect buildup for a uniquely harrowing and emotional conclusion. Nagai heads would be inclined to complete their education with this one peculiar entry, however, supporters of dark heroism and action-horror are also urged to try it out. In time, they too may find themselves singing the praises of this neglected series.
Devilman Lady (or The Devil Lady) is now streaming on RetroCrush.
Image: Jun, Kazumi and Lan.
The post Go Nagai’s ‘Devilman Lady’ – Revisiting the Anime Horror Hidden Gem for #AniMay appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
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