Fans of Capcom’s iconic video game franchise Devil May Cry have a reason to celebrate with the new Netflix anime series adaptation. The streamer is bringing the demon-slaying, gun-slinging action to the small screen.

Castlevania’s Adi Shankar is the creator, and the series has voice talents like Power Rangers icon Johnny Yong Bosch, as well as Scout Taylor-Compton and Benjamin Abiola. In a recent interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Shankar, Bosch and Taylor-Compton talked about how the project honors the original while digging even deeper.

Adi Shankar reflects on his early work in action

Before he became known for his animated universe, producer Adi Shankar was all about live-action — and he’s using that experience to shape Devil May Cry.

“Because I started my career in live-action, and then I also did YouTube stuff, around 2015 is when I pivoted to animation,” he told us. “So I think just existing in animation expanded my toolkit massively.”

But when it came time to develop this project, he didn’t pull from his prior Netflix anime projects such as Castlevania.

“I was actually not drawing on any of the animation knowledge. I was drawing from my early career when I was doing action movies… I really was like, ‘I need to master this action genre. I really need to master this action genre.’ And I brought that skill set to Devil May Cry.”

Johnny Yong Bosch talks about expanding the character of Dante

Bosch, who voices Dante, said fans can expect a version of the character that goes beyond the games.

“There’s so much more depth and a bigger arc to this character than what you see in the games, because [he’s] already a fully realized character,” Bosch said. “He is already at that ceiling, that peak of who he is. And so there’s just so much more just in general to play with.”

He added, “We get to push the character a little further beyond what we’ve seen in the games. But then to get to that certain point, then it adds an extra bit of depth to the character. When the character says a certain thing, then it’s like, ‘All right, now I know this character better and this hits even more.’ That’s the hope at least.”

Scout Taylor-Compton on lady’s role in the series

Scout Taylor-Compton, who voices Lady, said the show gave her character room to shine in ways fans might not expect.

“I think with Lady, she obviously has that power force,” she said. “But I feel like she’s able to, in this universe, really stand out. She is standing side by side with all of these characters, and she’s human. She’s the human anchor of the show.”

She continued, “Even to echo with his [Yong Bosch’s thoughts], there’s so much more depth with these characters that we get to learn as an audience, as a fan base, to watch these characters. And with my character, she’s so strong up here at the top. Then it’s just so awesome to get under that strength and visit those dark places.”

Devil May Cry Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

Devil May Cry

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