Demon Lord Dante
Encyclopedia
is the title of several horror
-themed manga
series written by Go Nagai
as well as an anime
series.
During 1971, Go Nagai wrote the original Demon Lord Dante
manga, which was published in Kodansha
's Bokura Magazine. After its original run in 1971 from January to June, Go Nagai went on to author the Devilman
anime and manga, which was greatly inspired by Demon Lord Dante. However, the series received a remake
in 1994 by illustrator Akira Fuuga called .
In 2002, the comic series was officially revived for another remake by Go Nagai, and during the same year a 13 episode anime adaption was created and broadcast worldwide by Animax
.
in hopes of reviving an ancient demon known as Dante with a virgin sacrifice. Ryō Utsugi, a high school student, begins suffering strange dreams and premonitions. Soon after, Ryō's sister, Saori, is kidnapped by these cultists for use in their sacrificial ceremony, Ryō's premonitions guide him to the ceremony and he saves her prior to the cultist's ceremony disrupted by militant christians. Believing that Ryō's new-found powers could ultimately awaken Dante, the cultists cause a chain of events that lures Ryō high into the mountains, where he discovers a portal that takes him deep into the Himalayas
and into Dante's prison.
Using telekinetic powers, Dante uses Ryō to free himself from his ice prison before eating the human alive as the cultists used a princess to once more perform the black mass to summon Dante with success. However, through reasons unknown, Dante's consciousness has been conquered by Ryō who rampages Nagoya before coming to and blinded by the rage of his new body. But the rampage ended when Ryo/Dante encounters Zenon, an old friend of Dante's who became a slave of God and died fighting Dante. Eventually, Ryō encounters the leader of the cultists who tells him that his birth family was killed in a car accident and his father, who is both a doctor and a leader of a rival cult dedicated to God's will, was the one who saved him, making both Saori and him unrelated by blood. In realiation to Dante's release, the followers of God unlease the four demon lords as they wreak havoc on the city, such as draining the life force of humans, causing a train wreck, etc. to gain Dante's attention. He also meets the demon Medusa
, who assumes the form of a supermodel named Saeko Kodai.
As the story progresses, it is finally revealed that Ryo is actually an incarnation of Dante when he was human. It turned out that Sodom and Gomorrah
were a futuristic utopia under the rule of Satan. However, God, an energy-based being came to Earth and demanded to use the people of Sodom as hosts for its power. When Satan and the people refuse to comply, God proceeds to use animals as vessels to destroy Sodom, an action that resulted in many of its occupants turned into their current demonic forms from being exposed to the residual energies. The survivors of Gomorrah, the last actual humans in existence, became the Satanists who allied themselves with the Demons to fight God who took residence in apes and jump-started their evolution into the current human race. Near the end of the conflict that followed, as Satan both sealed himself within another dimension, Dante transferred his human body and soul to Judas Iscariot
and Ryo Utsugi respectively to keep fighting after he was sealed. With Ryo finally regaining his memories as Dante while in Sodom and Gomorrah, he teams up with the cultists and plans to finally take vengeance upon God for his sins while releasing Satan.
However, God deceides to jumpstart the apocalypse, gathering the pieces of itself within humans to reform, as the humans ultimately destroy themselves, while taking Saori to make her the ultimate weapon under his control to smite all the demons. After Dante/Ryo succeed in destroying the first form which was a large serpent featuring twisted parodies of Adam and Eve, she transforms into an angelic knight with Saori's body placed in its forehead. She battles Ryo fiercely before managing to break God's hold over her. But ultimately, along with the demons' creation, this was all part of God's design as they were collectively his trump Adam and Eve
, their embrace destroying the world and scattering God back into space to find another world to repeat the cycle of conflict among its native lifeforms. The final scene of the show shows them holding hands and walking in what seems to be a prehistoric version of the Garden of Eden
.
Ryo possesses two forms while transforming into the demon version of Dante. One is the form Dante assumed during God's attack on Sodom and the other is a small, human sized version reminiscent of Akira Fudo's Devilman form in the early anime/manga.
.
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
-themed manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written by Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
as well as an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series.
During 1971, Go Nagai wrote the original Demon Lord Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
manga, which was published in Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's Bokura Magazine. After its original run in 1971 from January to June, Go Nagai went on to author the Devilman
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...
anime and manga, which was greatly inspired by Demon Lord Dante. However, the series received a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
in 1994 by illustrator Akira Fuuga called .
In 2002, the comic series was officially revived for another remake by Go Nagai, and during the same year a 13 episode anime adaption was created and broadcast worldwide by Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
.
Anime
A Satan cult, whose leaders are demons in human form, begin to gather a black massBlack Mass
A Black Mass is a ceremony supposedly celebrated during the Witches' Sabbath, which was a sacrilegious parody of the Catholic Mass. Its main objective was the profanation of the host, although there is no agreement among authors on how hosts were obtained or profaned; the most common idea is that...
in hopes of reviving an ancient demon known as Dante with a virgin sacrifice. Ryō Utsugi, a high school student, begins suffering strange dreams and premonitions. Soon after, Ryō's sister, Saori, is kidnapped by these cultists for use in their sacrificial ceremony, Ryō's premonitions guide him to the ceremony and he saves her prior to the cultist's ceremony disrupted by militant christians. Believing that Ryō's new-found powers could ultimately awaken Dante, the cultists cause a chain of events that lures Ryō high into the mountains, where he discovers a portal that takes him deep into the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and into Dante's prison.
Using telekinetic powers, Dante uses Ryō to free himself from his ice prison before eating the human alive as the cultists used a princess to once more perform the black mass to summon Dante with success. However, through reasons unknown, Dante's consciousness has been conquered by Ryō who rampages Nagoya before coming to and blinded by the rage of his new body. But the rampage ended when Ryo/Dante encounters Zenon, an old friend of Dante's who became a slave of God and died fighting Dante. Eventually, Ryō encounters the leader of the cultists who tells him that his birth family was killed in a car accident and his father, who is both a doctor and a leader of a rival cult dedicated to God's will, was the one who saved him, making both Saori and him unrelated by blood. In realiation to Dante's release, the followers of God unlease the four demon lords as they wreak havoc on the city, such as draining the life force of humans, causing a train wreck, etc. to gain Dante's attention. He also meets the demon Medusa
Medusa
In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
, who assumes the form of a supermodel named Saeko Kodai.
As the story progresses, it is finally revealed that Ryo is actually an incarnation of Dante when he was human. It turned out that Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis and later expounded upon throughout the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and Deuterocanonical sources....
were a futuristic utopia under the rule of Satan. However, God, an energy-based being came to Earth and demanded to use the people of Sodom as hosts for its power. When Satan and the people refuse to comply, God proceeds to use animals as vessels to destroy Sodom, an action that resulted in many of its occupants turned into their current demonic forms from being exposed to the residual energies. The survivors of Gomorrah, the last actual humans in existence, became the Satanists who allied themselves with the Demons to fight God who took residence in apes and jump-started their evolution into the current human race. Near the end of the conflict that followed, as Satan both sealed himself within another dimension, Dante transferred his human body and soul to Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
and Ryo Utsugi respectively to keep fighting after he was sealed. With Ryo finally regaining his memories as Dante while in Sodom and Gomorrah, he teams up with the cultists and plans to finally take vengeance upon God for his sins while releasing Satan.
However, God deceides to jumpstart the apocalypse, gathering the pieces of itself within humans to reform, as the humans ultimately destroy themselves, while taking Saori to make her the ultimate weapon under his control to smite all the demons. After Dante/Ryo succeed in destroying the first form which was a large serpent featuring twisted parodies of Adam and Eve, she transforms into an angelic knight with Saori's body placed in its forehead. She battles Ryo fiercely before managing to break God's hold over her. But ultimately, along with the demons' creation, this was all part of God's design as they were collectively his trump Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
, their embrace destroying the world and scattering God back into space to find another world to repeat the cycle of conflict among its native lifeforms. The final scene of the show shows them holding hands and walking in what seems to be a prehistoric version of the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
.
Characters
: The main protagonist of the series. At first, Ryo is an average, but brooding high school student who constantly has nightmares about Dante. When he is spirited away to the Himalayas during a hiking trip, Ryo is manipulated by Dante's demon form to free him, resulting in Dante brutally murdering Ryo. Fortunately Ryo is able to overcome Dante's influence and is granted the demon's power, much to Ryo's dismay. As the story progresses, Ryo develops a crush on his sister Saori and discovers that he was actually the survivor of a car accident in which his real parents were killed in years prior to the main story, making him unrelated to his "sister." He also learns that he is actually the human avatar of Dante while assuming the image Dante once had as a human in Sodom. With his memories restored by Medusa, Ryo finally accepts being Dante and resolves to fight against God for the massacre of Sodom and GomorrahRyo possesses two forms while transforming into the demon version of Dante. One is the form Dante assumed during God's attack on Sodom and the other is a small, human sized version reminiscent of Akira Fudo's Devilman form in the early anime/manga.
-
- : The most powerful of the demons, a large blue monster with bird legs, chiropteran wings, and the face of his human form in the center of his head. In his early life, Dante was a human in the futuristic Sodom where he was in love with Medusa and was actually good friends with the cultists and Satan the wise one. When God attacked Sodom, Dante pilots a powerful jet fighter in an attempt to buy time for his friends to escape, but is grabbed by a PteranodonPteranodonPteranodon , from the Late Cretaceous geological period of North America in present day Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota, was one of the largest pterosaur genera and had a maximum wingspan of over...
. Careening into a nearby Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dante was left open to be consumed in God's fires, causing him to be fused with his jet and the two prehistoric reptiles to create his current form. Later in a confrontation with God at the Himalayas, Dante was sealed in ice. However, losing his memories as a result of his counter to his sealing, Dante transferred his human body to Judas IscariotJudas IscariotJudas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
and then his soul to Ryo Utsugi moments after the car accident which killed Ryo's real parents, reviving the child as an extension of himself. After he uses Ryo to break the seal, Dante proceeds to eat Ryo as his usual means of obtaining knowledge. However, in an unforeseen turn of events, Ryo's consciousness took over Dante's body. Dante's powers include, but not limited to super sonic flight, fast healing, a very high resistance to heat, fire balls and flames from the mouth, radioactive and electric body rays, sonic screaming, and eye lasers.
- : The most powerful of the demons, a large blue monster with bird legs, chiropteran wings, and the face of his human form in the center of his head. In his early life, Dante was a human in the futuristic Sodom where he was in love with Medusa and was actually good friends with the cultists and Satan the wise one. When God attacked Sodom, Dante pilots a powerful jet fighter in an attempt to buy time for his friends to escape, but is grabbed by a Pteranodon
- Ryo's younger sister.
Demons
: Dante's lover during his years in Sodom, escaping the city's destruction while turned into a demon in the form of a nude woman who uses her hair as a weapon and turn her enemies to stone. She assumed the human form of a supermodel named Saeko Kodai in present, helping Ryo regain his memories as Dante. She plays an instrumental part in freeing Satan the wise one from his prison at the end of the anime, but dies in the process while she caught a final glimpse of Satan the wise one. Medusa is speculated to be a prototype of the antagonist Sirene from DevilmanDevilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...
.
- Also known as Satan the Wise One, he appears in the form of a young blond human in futuristic attire and is one Demon whose body is less altered, with horns and six bat like seraphim wings while he was imprisoned in ice. In Sodom, he was the benevolent ruler of Sodom and Gomorrah who was asked by God to hand over the bodies of the cities' population. When Satan refused to sacrifice the human population for God's selfish agenda, God retaliated by sending numerous demons to attack the city. Satan and Dante, along with Dante's friends, escaped and Satan sealed himself within another dimension after Dante was sealed in ice. Satan is later freed by Medusa who dies in the process and becomes an instrumental part in fighting against Saori who became an angelic weapon during the series' finale, learning God's true nature yet powerless to stop it. He appears to be a prototype of Ryo Asuka from the DevilmanDevilmanis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...
series and seems to be based upon DanteDante AlighieriDurante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
's Satan in the Divine Comedy. - An insectoid demon, Beelzebub was Dante's mentor during their days in Sodom. While preparing for Dante's return, posing as the Romanian professor and Satanist cult leader , Beelzebub was assassinated before his corpse was later revived by his followers as he oversees the sacrificial murders that would summon Dante. Eventually, Beelzebub eventually teams up with Dante/Ryo during the final confrontation with God and is killed during the final battle.
- His true form is a centaur-like demon who died protecting Dante from the God-controlled Saori.: One of the cultists who acquired the powers of demons. He appears in demon form as an anthropomorphic caterpillar with three heads. He is soon killed after Adam and Even absorb his body when he tried to attack them.
- His true form is a panther with a brain-like head. He is killed while fighting the Four Devil Kings.
- Ura: A female member of the cultists, her Demon form that of a bird woman. She is killed during the final battle.
- His true form is a panther with a brain-like head. He is killed while fighting the Four Devil Kings.
- Also known as Zenon, King of a Hundred Beasts, he was Dante's friend during their days in Sodom. He appears as a wolf-headed giant with eyes on his chest and an army of demon animals at his command. While Dante and Satan were sealed in ice, Zenon was forced into serving God so he not suffer their fate under the promise he would be reincarnated as god-like being. Posing as a tarot card reader, Zenon used his connections to the Satanists to tip their enemies before being found out. Though spared by Veil so he can see his old friend brought back, Zenon tries to kill Ryo/Dante when his attempts to get him not to reconsider fighting God falls on deaf ears and he dies against him in battle, his last words a warning of God's trump card.
- Four Devil Kings: A quartet of horse-riding Devils that follow God, composed of , the spider demoness , , and . Released, they proceed to kill and maim any human they come across to lure Dante out. However, during Lamia's Labyrinth scheme, Dante manages to rip Lamia to pieces while the other three demon lords were killed during the fight.
Episodes
Japanese Version
- Narrator: Hiroya IshimaruHiroya Ishimaruis a Japanese voice actor most famous for performing the role of Kouji Kabuto in the 1972 series Mazinger Z and its sequels. He also gave voice to Tutty from Bosco Adventure and recently voiced Ultraman Taro in Ultraman Story, Ultraman Mebius, and Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers He is also the...
- Ryo Utsugi: Susumu ChibaSusumu Chiba, born September 13, 1970, is a seiyū . He is contracted under the Office Osawa Co. LTD. One of his best known roles is as Fujiwara-no-Sai from the anime Hikaru no Go. Also called as Chibashinpo or PUROGURESU.-Anime:*07-Ghost '*A.D...
- Saori Utusugi: Sanae KobayashiSanae Kobayashiis a voice actress who was born in Shizuoka Prefecture. She is affiliated with Production Baobab.-Television Animation:*.hack//Liminality as Mai Minase*.hack//Roots as Ender*.hack//Roots as Pi...
- Saeko Kodai/Medusa: Rie IshizukaRie Ishizukais a Japanese voice actress who works for Theatrical Group EN.-Anime:*Air Master *Claymore *Demon Lord Dante *Gundress *Hikaru no Go...
- Kosuke Utsugi: Takehiro Koyama
- Sosuke Oshiba: Takahiro SakuraiTakahiro Sakuraiis a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain...
- Ura: Jun Karasawa
- Samael: Mitsuru OgataMitsuru Ogatais a Japanese voice actor from Aomori Prefecture affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Television animation:*Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple *Astro Boy *Azuki-chan...
- Satan: Nachi NozawaNachi Nozawawas a Japanese seiyū, actor, and theatre director from Tokyo. He was affiliated with Office PAC at the time of his death. His real name was...
- Lamia: Rumi OchiaiRumi Ochiai-Notable voice roles:*Bleach *Shaman King *ZOE: Dolores, i *Sonic the Hedgehog games, Sonic X *Naruto *Fullmetal Alchemist...
- Zenon: Shigeru ShibuyaShigeru Shibuyais a Japanese voice actor.-Voice roles:*Jackie Tonomura in Gundam Seed*Gene Starwind in Outlaw Star*Saji Keisuke in Iketeru Futari*Shinsuke in Samurai Champloo*Jun Kurosu in Persona 2: Innocent Sin...
- Shea: Takashi NagasakoTakashi Nagasakois a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama Prefecture who works at Arts Vision.- Anime :* Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie Trilogy , Mayer* Fencer of Minerva , Teo* New Cutey Honey , Caeser , Leader...
- Tamiko Tsugi: Rei IgarashiRei Igarashiis a Japanese actress and voice actress who works for Office Osawa. Her real name is , and she is married to fellow seiyū Shō Hayami.-Notable voice roles:*Ryoko Naruse in Shangri-La *Mistress Centipede in Inuyasha*Hawkgirl in Justice League...
English Version
- Narrator: David Sanford
- Ryo Utsugi: Jimmy KeeganJimmy KeeganJimmy Keegan is a drummer. He has played with artists such as Santana, as the drummer on the song "Primavera" on Santana's hit album Supernatural and with John Waite, and is the current drummer for the Progressive rock band Spock's Beard, having replaced original drummer Nick D'Virgilio in November...
- Dante: Kaleo Sallas
- Saori Utusugi: Beth Ginnett
- Saeko Kodai/Medusa: Linda Borg
- Veil Zebub: Lawrence Darrow
- Kosuke Utsugi: Scott BurnettScott BurnettScott Burnett is an American darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. His nickname is Scotty B.Burnett won the North American Darts Championship in 2009, defeating Darin Young in the final...
- Sosuke Oshiba: Ross Lawrence
- Ura: Carmel Helene
- Samael: Tom Patrick
- Zenon: Ted Hartsook
- Tamiko Tsugi: Jeni Good