Adi Shankar On 'Devil May Cry' And Why Hollywood Drops The Ball

Adi Shankar on the Devil May Cry Anime Series and the Future of Animation

Following the success of his Castlevania adaptation, Adi Shankar discusses his new Devil May Cry animated series on Netflix, his unique approach to animation, and his vision for the future of the industry.

Shankar reveals a rigorous process behind Devil May Cry, spending years securing rights, crafting scripts, and curating a soundtrack to create a compelling narrative. He emphasizes the show's emotional depth, describing it as a Shakespearean tragedy and a love story interwoven with intense action. The series features younger versions of Dante and Lady, offering a fresh perspective on the established characters. Instead of recreating a specific game, Shankar aims to capture the franchise's core essence: swagger, sorrow, and operatic scale.

Shankar's perspective is shaped by the recent surge in adult-oriented anime adaptations. He contrasts his approach with what he sees as a potential pitfall: a corporate, formulaic approach to adaptation that lacks genuine passion. He cites his projects Guardians of Justice and Captain Laserhawk as deliberate attempts to break away from this trend, showcasing his commitment to artistic innovation. He views Devil May Cry as a strategic return to the mainstream, aiming for a crowd-pleasing, high-octane experience.

The conversation also touches upon Shankar's other projects since Castlevania, including Guardians of Justice, a satirical take on the Justice League; Captain Laserhawk, a cyberpunk remix of the Ubisoft multiverse; and his collaboration with Krafton on PUBG's media strategy. He also reveals ongoing work on three original video games.

Shankar addresses the ongoing debate about the term "anime," arguing for a more nuanced vocabulary to describe the diverse landscape of adult animation. He criticizes the limitations of existing terminology, suggesting that geographical origin shouldn't be the sole determinant. He advocates for new words that better capture the stylistic and thematic differences between various animated projects.

Shankar analyzes the challenges faced by many anime adaptations, pointing to a lack of genuine passion from executives who may not fully understand the source material. He contrasts this with his own deep-seated love for games and anime, cultivated since film school. He also predicts a shift in the industry, where creators will have more control over their work and Western business practices that exploit creativity will be challenged.

Finally, Shankar expresses his satisfaction with his current projects but hints at future ambitions, mentioning Street Fighter and Duke Nukem as potential targets for his unique adaptation style.

Devil May Cry is streaming on Netflix.

Find Adi Shankar on X, Facebook, and YouTube. He also manages Mecha Damashii and is currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition touring Japan.

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