If you liked Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, you need to watch this Netflix anime from the same studio

While it’s only been out for around a week now, I think it’s safe to say that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is one of animation studio Science Saru’s best. Killer animation with great character designs, a soundtrack you can’t help but jam to, and a star studded cast, it has it all. But there’s another Netflix anime that really helped put the studio on the map, and one you really should check out if you haven’t: Devilman Crybaby.

For those that haven’t heard of it, Devilman Crybaby is based on the 70s manga titled just simply Devilman, by Go Nagai. It’s a manga you should make yourself familiar with if you’re a Neon Genesis Evangelion fan, as it was a huge influence on the 90s mecha show, both in its dramatic dark turns, as well as the potential queer elements of its main characters. Crybaby is an updated take on Devilman, bringing it forward to a modern day setting, and it is nothing short of astounding.

It centres on a teenager called Akira Fudo, the titular Devilman, himself fused with a demon granting him great powers and strength, all because of his close friend Ryu Asuka (yes, there is some romantic tension between them). Iconic anime director Masaaki Yuasa helmed the adaptation, his signature fluid art style on full display, one that works incredibly well for the at times quite out there demon designs. I should be absolutely clear that Devilman Crybaby is for a bit of an older audience than Scott Pilgrim Takes Off; there’s a bit of nudity, a lot of violence, that kind of thing. But I think it’s also the perfect next step for those who watched Scott Pilgrim Takes Off as adults that are revisiting something from their teen years.