Devils' Line Review: Vampire Romance Done Right? Anime vs Manga

Devils’ Line

In 2018, after reading the whole manwha of "Orange Marmalade," I strongly wanted to look for vampire romance dramas with a similar story and drama load. That's how I ended up reading Devils’ Line and watching its anime, among other manga, when I discovered it had just had an adaptation. Without further ado, let's start with the review!

Devils' Line is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from April 7 to June 23, 2018. It was produced by Platinum Vision, with direction by Hideaki Nakano, and series compositions by Ayumu Hisao and Kenji Konuta. The anime adapts the dark fantasy manga written and illustrated by Ryo Hanada, which began publication in Kodansha's Morning Two magazine in March 2013.

Kana Shibue composed the series soundtrack, though the music remains forgettable mainly despite working adequately within scenes. The opening theme, "Eclipse," by Shouta Aoi, and the ending theme, "Sotto Toketeyuku Yo ni," by Mamoru Miyano, effectively capture the series' tone. The Japanese voice cast delivers solid performances. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka's portrayal of Anzai stands out for his ability to convincingly switch between the character's gentle human nature and fierce devil side. Yui Ishikawa's emotional delivery brings depth to Tsukasa's character.

Anzai is half vampire, half human, and Tsukasa is a typical college student. In a world where vampires live mixed with humans, the government does not know of their existence because their appearance is the same as humans. Vampires also do not need to drink blood, but when they do, they become terrible, uncontrollable monsters who lose their consciousness completely and are capable of killing for a few more drops of that crimson liquid. Anzai is part of a police squad that pursues criminal vampires who have killed people, but when he arrests a close friend of Tsukasa's, his life takes a turn he never expected.

It is a very complete plot and a little gem. It has romance, gore, politics, and fights. Being set within the police, you have the excitement generated from the cases and murders. In addition, the very existence of vampires gives you that touch of fantasy that makes you want to know more about these creatures. In the same way, we find factions against the coexistence of these vampires and even ask for their eradication. This fact leads to a plot full of deceptions and mysteries between the CCC, a secret organization, and our protagonists. Love in this work is very well written. The feelings Tsukasa and Anzai have for each other are powerful, and they always do their best to understand each other, going through some bumps but never throwing in the towel. The relationships in this work are more mature and show us how a desire that is very difficult to control comes from love, both for humans and vampires.

As great as this anime is, a flaw is that this adaptation assumes that the viewer has read the manga before starting with the anime. It sometimes feels rushed, and many plot points are better explained in the manga. Even its finale is confusing, and an anime adaptation shouldn't be made with the intention that everyone who watches it has to read the manga first. What usually happens is that the anime serves as an advertisement for viewers to read the original material (manga/light novel). Therefore, the anime MUST clarify things sufficiently without resorting to the work it adapts.

The characters that appear in Devils’ Line are very well constructed. It shows us how humans can be real monsters, and vampires also have humanity. You get pretty fond of the main cast; each character brings something different, making them enjoyable. I enjoyed the characters, though there are some that I wish had more appearances, like Juliana. For starters, Anzai is a pretty deep character as a protagonist that, if I remember correctly, in the manga after what was adapted by the anime was analyzed more in-depth because his past and some minor details are expanded. Tsukasa, on the other hand, is a female co-protagonist that, thank god, I didn't dislike (and that's something difficult when a central cliché in supernatural romance is that the female protagonists seem to be made of porcelain and the guy has to take care of them from all evil). She's an independent girl and can perfectly manage without Anzai around. I find the couple they form beautiful. They have become one of my favorite anime OTPs.

Lee is the last character who piqued my interest. Lee is somewhat mysterious (to be honest, I did not have a good feeling about him in his first appearance), but he evolved, gained your trust, and is one of the anime characters I like the most. I blame not trusting Lee at the beginning on the many times the series plays with the viewer's feelings, making some of its characters undercover agents. You are never quite sure of the intentions of any newly introduced characters. On the other hand, the way the characters evolve is gradual and meaningful, as are their relationships.

Whenever two vampires fight, viewers will see exciting and enjoyable action scenes. Except for the fast-moving chase scene, everything else is well executed, and the action scenes provide plenty of graphic violence without being downright gory. While the action scenes can sometimes be impressive, the other visual effects in Devils’ Line are dull. The background art is elementary; nothing distinguishes it from typical anime. In addition, there are many flaws in the character design.

The characters' adaptation to animation caught my attention, but not for the right reasons. I see a quirky design when the characters are shown from various camera angles. It's just not consistent. Also, the look the vampires take on when they "transform" is not as appealing as I expected. The red eyes, yellow iris, feline pupil, and exaggeratedly long fangs don't exactly appeal to me. 

While the anime provides an adequate introduction to the Devils' Line world, the manga offers a significantly more detailed and satisfying experience. The source material excels particularly in its character development, with Anzai's past and internal struggles receiving much deeper exploration than what the anime could achieve in its limited runtime. The manga dedicates entire chapters to examining his psychological battles and the complexities of being caught between two worlds, something the anime only manages to scratch the surface of. The manga's pacing allows for a more natural progression of events, whereas the anime often feels rushed and condensed. This is particularly evident in how the political intrigue and social commentary regarding devil-human relations unfold. The manga explores the nuances of this complex society, diving deep into both communities' prejudices, fears, and hopes. While present in the anime, these themes lack the same impact due to time constraints and simplified storytelling.

Perhaps most notably, the development of the relationship between Tsukasa and Anzai feels more authentic and earned in the manga format. Their growing bond, with all its complications and tender moments, is given room to breathe and develop organically. The manga allows readers to experience every small step in their relationship, from initial wariness to deep understanding, making their connection more believable and emotionally resonant. Additionally, the manga's final volume provides proper closure through detailed epilogue chapters focusing on various characters' futures, addressing questions and plot threads that the anime's rushed ending leaves frustratingly unresolved. This comprehensive conclusion gives readers a more satisfying end to the journey, something the anime adaptation unfortunately lacks.

I didn't expect the ending of the anime to end the way it did. It wasn't as happy and typical as I expected, and even though I waited until the scene after the ending, I was hurt by this kind of ending. Also, I would have liked them to go a little further to know the future of Tsukasa and Anzai and the situation and the type of relationship they have because, with this ending, it wasn't clear to me if they were together or not. As in many other cases, I am convinced that the manga has much better writing and is more recommended for those curious to look at this incredible story.

Originally Published: 11/3/2021. Edited and Updated 11/3/24.

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