Anime’s Most Devastating Horror Story Is a Tragedy About Being Human

*Devilman Crybaby* uses graphic horror to examine how fear can strip away empathy and bring out human cruelty. In Masaaki Yuasa’s 2018 adaptation of Go Nagai’s manga, the apocalypse grows not only from demonic forces but also from people’s panic and their willingness to turn against one another.

The ten-episode Netflix series centres on Akira Fudo, a sensitive young man who joins with a demon but retains his compassion. As the demonic threat spreads, armed neighbourhood groups, sensational broadcasts and online footage fuel suspicion and violence. The article connects the series’ themes to Nagai’s 1972 manga and its influence on later works such as *Berserk* and *Neon Genesis Evangelion*.