The Far-Reaching Influence of Devilman (Mary Lee Loves Devilman: Part 1)

Go Nagai’s 1972 manga, Devilman, tells the story of Akira Fudo, a mild-mannered teen who unwittingly gets possessed by a spirit from the underworld and becomes a vicious demon hunter. And just as Nagai’s later project, Mazinger Z, is considered to be one of the biggest influencers of the mecha genre, Devilman has had an enormous impact on the works that came after it.

The manga’s top-selling original run, as well as its many adaptations and spin-offs (such as Devilman Lady and Violence Jack), have secured its place in the popular consciousness for the past four decades. Today, Devilman’s influence can be seen across countless genres and even pops up in non-Japanese media on occasion. So let’s take a look at how this classic manga inspired the creators of some of our favorite series to turn to the dark side.

This article was written for Honey's Anime, so please read it on their site.