7 Things Netflix’s DmC Should Improve in Season 2

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Summary

  • Netflix is renewing the animated Devil May Cry adaptation for a second season.
  • Season 2 needs to improve the dialogue, Lady’s character development, and give Dante more screen time.
  • Fans hope for a better portrayal of key elements like Devil Trigger, lesser demons, and Dante’s weapons.

It’s been announced that Netflix will indeed proceed with a second installment of their animated reboot of Devil May Cry. This news has sparked a mixed response from long-term enthusiasts of the original game franchise, as the initial season generated considerable debate among them due to various factors.

Considering no definite release date has been set, Netflix, Studio Mir, and Adi Shankar might use this period wisely to work on enhancing every element that made Season 1 somewhat contentious. This will help elevate the already strong quality of the animated series Devil May Cry. Here are some key areas that could benefit from improvement in Season 2, focusing particularly on the most critical aspects.

Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

1. The Dialogue

Characters Should Swear A Lot Less Often (Especially Lady)

A frequently voiced complaint about Netflix’s Devil May Cry is its frequent use of strong language in the dialogue, with Mary Ann Arkham (also known as Lady) being the character most affected by this. Instead of creating an intriguing and morally ambiguous figure, she came across as overly edgy and irritating due to her excessive use of profanity, particularly toward Dante.

It’s well-known that the Devil May Cry series isn’t shy about using strong language, but the Netflix adaptation might have pushed the boundaries a bit too much. The dialogue sometimes resembled the style used in Ninja Theory’s DmC: Devil May Cry. For Season 2, it would be better to reduce the amount of profanity used, particularly if doing so could make Lady appear more endearing and likable.

2. Lady’s Character Development

She Should Be More Similar To Her Game Counterpart

In the video game “Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening”, Lady was initially portrayed as a hostile and untrustworthy character due to her past traumas, finding it hard to trust Dante or any other demons. However, she underwent an intriguing transformation that allowed her to accept Dante as a new ally and friend. Similarly, in the first season of the Netflix show, Mary Ann Arkham was reminiscent of her game counterpart, starting off on a similar journey of discovering that not all demons are wicked and that her employer, DARKCOM, is more corrupt than she initially believed.

Sadly, the progress of Lady’s character was significantly diminished in the last episode due to her choice to betray and capture Dante after their shared experiences. This questionable action, combined with her frequent use of profanity, left many viewers with a negative impression of her. To improve things for Season 2, it’s essential that her character arc continues and she becomes more endearing to the audience. For instance, she might depart from DARKCOM and team up with Dante in his struggle.

3. Dante’s Screen Time

He Didn’t Feel Like The Protagonist Of His Own Series

Luckily for long-term enthusiasts of the series, Netflix’s Devil May Cry boasted one of the finest portrayals of Dante yet created. He’s entertaining, he’s charming, and he’s stylish, but he also knows when to be serious. It goes without saying that Adi Shankar and Studio Mir did a fantastic job in bringing this iconic video game character to life.

In the show we follow, it seems that Dante often gets eclipsed by other characters like Lady and the White Rabbit, leaving their tales dominating the narrative. To make matters worse, he’s frequently apprehended by either Lady or DARKCOM to drive the plot forward, which felt contrived and unnecessary to me. I believe that Season 2 should prioritize Dante more, expanding his screen time significantly. If Vergil and Mundus become part of the storyline, it would be even more beneficial for Dante’s development and engagement with the audience.

4. Dante’s Fighting Style

He Should Use More Devil Arms From The Games

One aspect that made Netflix’s Devil May Cry particularly pleasing was the action-packed sequences, in which Dante skillfully defeated his adversaries using a mix of close combat, swordsmanship, and gunplay. For much of the season, he used Rebellion as his weapon of choice, and he also gained access to his renowned Devil Trigger form – making this an adaptation that generally stayed true to the original. However, it had the potential for even greater success.

In the world of Devil May Cry games, I’ve always been captivated by Dante’s combat style. It’s not just about wielding Rebellion against demons; he also has an arsenal of powerful Devil Arms at his disposal, which he acquires by vanquishing formidable demonic bosses like Agni, Rudra, and Cavaliere Angelo – characters we saw in Season 1. Given that these iconic enemies are part of the series’ lore, it seems fitting for Dante to utilize some of his signature Devil Arms in Season 2 as well. The recent teaser has hinted at him using his classic guns, Ebony and Ivory, which is a promising start!

5. The Demon Enemies

Season 2 Should Feature More Lesser Demons From The Games

Among the delightful surprises of Season 1 was the inclusion of iconic demon bosses from the initial games, such as Agni, Rudra, Echidna, and Cavaliere Angelo. Given this trend, it’s a strong possibility that Season 2 will introduce more cherished Devil May Cry bosses, like Phantom, Cerberus, Goliath, and so on.

It was particularly disheartening that all the lesser demons in the White Rabbit’s army were entirely new to the series, while classic foes from the games were not utilized. The sole exception was Plasma from Devil May Cry 1, who surprisingly played a significant part in the narrative. However, Season 2 could rectify this issue by incorporating more well-known DMC enemies as mere opponents for Dante and Lady to vanquish, such as Marionettes, Empusas, the Seven Hells, and numerous others. Even small appearances of these classic foes would likely be recognized and valued by longtime game fans.

6. Devil Trigger

It Should Look Better And Appear More Often

In the new “Devil May Cry” series, it’s clear that the creators have a deep understanding of the series’ history, as they’ve skillfully incorporated Dante’s awe-inspiring and emblematic Devil Trigger form. However, to keep the audience on edge, they didn’t have him use this power excessively, instead showing it in just two battles. But for Season 2, it would be fitting for Dante to utilize his Devil Trigger more frequently, particularly if he encounters Vergil, who is also likely to possess his own Devil Trigger form.

The primary concern with the Devil Trigger portrayal lay mainly in its visual aspect. Typically, it was presented through 3D animation, which often seemed incongruous and awkward within the 2D-animated setting of the series. Though enhancing the renowned transformation sequence in Season 2 would be splendid, crafting high-quality 2D animation is both laborious and demanding, so it’s best for Netflix to grant Studio Mir ample time to execute this task effectively.

7. The Political Themes

The Politics In Season 1 Felt Extremely Jarring (Especially In Its Ending)

Without a doubt, one of the most contentious elements in Devil May Cry Season 1 was its unexpected exploration of political themes, as it depicted demons from hell (or Makai) as innocent refugees struggling to escape a world they couldn’t breathe in, and portrayed the American Government as a relentless military force willing to invade Makai and enslave its inhabitants. While these ideas are intriguing, they seemed to appear abruptly and, unfortunately, were not developed thoroughly enough.

Given that politics aren’t typically featured in the Devil May Cry game series, the introduction of political themes in Season 1 left a sour impression on many fans. With Season 2 appearing to carry on with these political elements, Adi Shankar and his team should strive to incorporate them smoothly and effectively to avoid them feeling disjointed or incongruous as they did in Season 1. If they aim to make a significant commentary about the current world situation, they would be wise to take their time with it, or risk making these political aspects of the show feel contrived or exploitative.

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2025-04-15 03:05