History Anime / DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries

SwordPlant: Dante briefly plants Rebellion on the ground as he uses the demonic bell to summon the strongest MonsterOfTheWeek in Episode 5.

* SwordPlant: Dante briefly plants Rebellion on the ground as he uses the demonic bell to summon the strongest MonsterOfTheWeek in Episode 5.

* {{Objectshifting}}: A moth demon in Episode 1 turned itself into a poster in a wall of the hotel where Dante and Patty stayed for the night. The poster featured Patty's mom, luring the little girl into the theatre. Dante quickly realized the poster is fake, as he immediately shoots it (reverting it to its default moth form) when Patty went missing.

* CharacterInTheLogo: As it was with the early ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' games' tradition, the official poster features a red silhouette of Dante beside the title art.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Episode 7, notice how [[spoiler:the female client Lynn suddenly disappears out of Devil May Cry after she gave her ring to Dante. It's suspicious that there are no indications nor a sound of her exiting the building]]. This hints to [[spoiler:her actually being [[DeadAllAlong a ghost all along]]]], which is revealed at the end of the episode.

* CallBack: The speech Dante gives to Modeus [[spoiler:after he killed his brother]] is an almost verbatim retelling of what he said to Vincent the Biker gang leader in Episode 2. [[spoiler:However, this incident ends on a [[DownerEnding completely different note]].]]

* OffhandBackhand: Dante's first kill in Episode 1 has him shooting his Ebony handgun against a demon (disguised as a human) who tries to attack him from behind, and he doesn't even look back.

* RagsToRiches: Patty after the first episode. [[spoiler: After getting used as a patsy by the other Patty Lowell she wrings so much money out of her as a compensation she shows up in a new set of clothes per episode for the rest of the series - after she donates a large part of it to her orphanage.]]
* RecurringRiff: The intro theme, "d.m.c.", has alternate versions such as an acoustic one when Dante fights Episode 3's MonsterOfTheWeek in the alley, or a piano rendition during Elena and Tim's flashback scenes in Episode 6.

* RedHerring: Bradley is suspected as the "demon-like" serial killer in Episode 3, as Mayor Mike and his investigation claims that murders started happening the moment Bradley showed up in the city. While it's true that [[spoiler:Bradley is a demon]], he's not the serial killer; it's a different demon that Dante slays as a MonsterOfTheWeek.
* RedRightHand: Zigzagged. Many demons still have some hints of their inhuman nature even when they take on human shape. Brad and Modeus have unusual ear shapes, Baul's face looks a bit distorted and Sid's is even more twisted with crooked teeth and a huge mark around his left eye. There's also a degree of BeautyEqualsGoodness here, as kind-natured Brad and Modeus are bishonens, the antagonistic and bellicose but also honorable and noble Baul looks rather odd but still has strong features and an imposing stature, while the fully villaionus Sid is almost TheGrotesque with his ugly mug and a slouched posture. However, all of that applies only to important named characters - no-name demons like the guy Lady kills at the beginning of episode 2 or the wardens in the Devil's Prison look perfectly normal.

* SafetyGearIsCowardly: The leader of a biker club challenges [[TheHero Dante]] to a motorcycle race. When seeing that Dante has chosen not to wear a helmet (due to being a [[HalfHumanHybrid half-demon]] with [[GoodThingYouCanHeal regenerative abilities]]), the biker decides that he will not wear any protective gear as well.

* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler:Everything Sid does in this series is for the sake of releasing and taking the power of a very powerful demon]].

* SwipeYourBladeOff: Dante occasionally does this with Rebellion after slaying a demon. Other times the blood just sort of magically vanishes off his sword.

* ThoroughlyMistakenIdentity: In episode 8, a man named Ernest mistakes Dante for his childhood friend Anthony, and won't believe Dante when he says he's never heard of him.

* TokenMiniMoe: Patty, the only child among the otherwise predominantly adult cast. Outside of episodes focused on her she is there to provide some cuteness and to snark at Dante.

* WouldHurtAChild: Sid almost cuts Patty's throat in the first episode. [[spoiler: The other Patty Lowell is also this, indirectly, as she didn't seem that disturbed by using a child as a live bait for demonic assassins even if she had gotten her a bodyguard.]]

* NitroBoost: In episode 2, Dante faces a biker gang leader named Vincent in a motorcycle race. Vincent cheats with a nitro boost that causes him to pull ahead, but this attracts a biker demon called Red Eye that attacks him and causes him to crash.
* NobleDemon: Baul. According to his brother he does not care about the power plays in hell and he challenges Dante not because of hatred or any infernal agenda but [[SpiritedCompetitor to prove his worth against Sparda]] - challenging Dante only because without Sparda around Dante is the next best thing. He also cares for his brother even if he's not in a hurry to display it.
* NoGuyWantsToBeChased: Discussed and [[GenderFlip Genderflipped]]. A dogged manly man incessantly tries to woo a waitress in the cafe Dante frequents. Jealousy ensues when she continually spurns his advances while hinting he should be more like Dante. [[spoiler: It's eventually revealed that she in fact IS attracted by the guy, but is put off because she wants to be the one to do the chasing.]] It's notable that unlike [[DoubleStandard most male examples]] of this trope, the guy in question is depicted as merely persistent, and not [[StalkerWithACrush creepy]]. In the end, Dante sets him straight.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Sid the petty demon who gets treated as a joke by Dante. [[spoiler: By the end of the series he absorbs the power of another, much stronger demon, and [[FromNobodyToNightmare wreaks enough devastation to rival even what we see in the games]].]]

* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Lesser demons are AlwaysChaoticEvil, devils like Trish and Sparda's disciples are {{Noble Demon}}s, or just not evil to begin with. (One of Sparda's disciples is too much of a ProudWarriorRaceGuy to pass up a chance to fight Dante, and the nicer one [[HonorBeforeReason is compelled to avenge his death.]])

* PercussiveMaintenance: Dante to his jukebox on one occasion. Subverted because when he tries it [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome he actually ends up thrashing it rather than somehow making it work]], inverting the situation in the beginning of the third game.

* LostFoodGrievance: Dante gets pissed after Patty eats his own strawberry sundae.
-->'''Dante:''' MY strawberry sundae! ''Mine''!

* TheMagicPokerEquation: In the episode "Death Poker," it's magic that's influencing the players' "luck" on getting the winning cards Lady (masquerading as a dealer) doles out.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Dante is rarely fazed by even the most grievous injuries.

* MoodWhiplash: After accepting the job, Dante and Patty's interaction has the little girl criticizing Dante's car and tries to give him some love advice when it comes to driving with women. It's PlayedForLaughs on one part; Dante looks uninterested with what she's saying, but then the environment temporarily shifts into a bloody red background as Dante hears a demon's voice. The scene rears into action as he brings out his Ebony handgun to shoot at the demon clinging from an oncoming truck.

* MoodWhiplash: Zig-zagged in Episode 11. Patty complains about Dante still not cleaning the shop by himself, as she always had to do it instead. It's PlayedForLaughs, as Patty ends up repeatedly beating Dante with her mop. Dante stands up and asks if Patty's parents taught her to respect any elders. The scene then immediately switches to an emotional tone, as Patty suddenly drops her mop and replies that she doesn't have any parents. Dante admits that he might've hit a senstive topic and tries to apologize. Patty then throws objects at Dante's face and runs off, but later scenes reveal Patty is still upset about it, while Dante still regrets asking it.
-->'''Dante:''' No... That's not what I meant by that.

* KnightInSourArmor: Dante is at his most cynical in this anime. Episodes 2 and 8 reveal that he finds it more difficult to deal with humans than slaying demons, and that his presence may put the lives of people in danger due to some demons specifically seeking him. Despite this, he still keeps his job as a mercenary-for-hire demon slayer no matter what some humans think of him.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: The episodes are called "Missions" instead of "Episodes," and the last two are named "Showtime!" and "Stylish!" in reference to the games.
* IdiotBall: As noted below, the world would have come a lot less closer to destruction if Dante had just killed Sid, the demon he encountered in the first episode.

* InvincibleHero: Dante. He dispatches most demons with a bullet to the head or a single sword swing. The ones that are meant to be a huge threat generally only last a few seconds longer and don't even hurt him.
* JackassGenie: In the episode, "Wishes Come True", there was a "genie" that inhabited a creepy-looking mask who offered to grant your wish, but he would not grant your wish to be rich or beautiful, because "it's impossible" or "I don't like the idea." Instead, he would stalk you and wait until you said to someone: "I wish you would die," at which point he'd melt the person alive with hell-slime. This is because the "genie" was really a demon, and killing people was the only "wish" that it could grant.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Dante, as standoffish as he can be, won't kill full-blooded humans for any reason. Doesn't mean he has to ''like'' them though. Also, despite constantly in the poor house, he does missions for the principle of them and rarely expects payment from poor clients.

* KnightInSourArmor: Dante is at his most cynical in this anime.

** Dante's custom Colt [=M1911=]'s Ebony & Ivory.

* HarmfulToMinors: Dante usually attempts to shield Patty from the gruesome battles he has with demons. He occasionally fails, though.

* HelicopterParents: Angelina's father in episode 3 is very controlling of her. He hires Dante to kill the man his daughter [[BoyfriendBlockingDad starts to date]], and while it's somewhat justified by Brad being a demon it is implied her father is very strict with Angelina even beyond this situation. However he goes as far only because he cares for her after the death of her mother [[spoiler: and he does go around on this a bit by the end of the episode]].

* ImMelting: The demon in "Wishes Come True" does a [[BodyHorror particularly nasty]] version of this to its victims.

* DynamicEntry: In Episode 4, Trish arrives at the church where Lady and the priest are by crashing down from the roof.
* EldritchAbomination: Belphegor in the third episode, although despite all the build-up about how he'll devour the entire city, Dante beats him in [[CurbStompBattle about five seconds]].

* FingerTenting: One person in Episode 9, "Death Poker", does this.

** Episode 5 mostly focuses on Isaac figuring out that Dante is a demon slayer, a fact that's already obvious for the audience and fans of the series.

** {{Subverted}} in Episode 8. Ernest has seemingly prepared himself to summon and defeat the demon that was responsible for burning his hometown in Morris Island, but he's just a MilesGloriosus. Despite knowing some cryptic language that can open a door to the demon world, he's just a normal human and his only weapon is a mere hunting rifle. Dante repeatedly points out that Ernest is no match for his target, and it's [[spoiler:proven true; Ernest is easily knocked unconcious by said demon, forcing Dante to kill it in his stead]].

* DesignatedGirlFight: Lady vs. Trish in Episode 4, which turned out to have been instigated by [[spoiler:a priest who turned out to be a demon]].

* DoNotCallMePaul: Lady cuts off the Highway Department agents when they're about to call her by her real name.

* ExpectingSomeoneTaller: In the episode "Once Upon A Time", the demon of the week comments that Dante is a lot smaller and less impressive-looking than he expected for a Son of Sparda.
* ExpressiveMask: The mask of the wish-fullfilling demon can actually change its expression, which can be seen a few times during their fight or just before Dante kills it.

* FightingFingerprint: In episode 4 Lady correctly suspects that Trish (whom she's just met and whose name she doesn't even know) is somehow connected to Dante just from the fact that Trish also uses a pair of pistols.

* CommonalityConnection: Dante has been contracted to kill Bradley, a demon who has fallen in love with a human, Angelina. When Dante encounters Brad in the alley, he asks Dante about his parent's relationship to validate the possibility of love in a demon. Dante spares him after hearing this and suggests that he live like a human being.

* CueTheSun: Near the end of Episode 5, the sun rises in the horizon immediately after Dante kills the last MonsterOfTheWeek. The following scene involving Dante, Isaac and Cindy is then purely heartwarming.

* CloseCallHaircut: Played perfectly straight when Trish and Lady fight in the church. Trish fires on a temporarily helpless Lady, who feels no wound and pats herself down, to find strands of hair on her shoulder. "You ''bitch''! You shot my hair!" and the fight turns to fisticuffs.
* CloseToHome: Many situations that Dante has to deal with very closely parallel his own life. The first episode introduces Patty, an orphaned girl who misses her mother and carries her picture as a memento of her [[spoiler: and who carries great power in her bloodline]], the second episode features a man who is hellbent on avenging his brother, the third one involves love between a human woman and a male demon and so on.

** The scar on Lady's leg also came from ''Devil May Cry 3'', when [[spoiler:her father stabbed her in the leg with her own bayonet.]]
** The [[https://www.reddit.com/r/DevilMayCry/comments/9ebek9/english_summary_of_devil_may_cry_audio_drama_vol_1/ first volume of the audio drama CD]] references the plot point in ''Devil May Cry 1'' wherein Dante's shop was renamed from "Devil May Cry" to "Devil Never Cry". However, Trish asked Dante to revert his shop's name back to the original "Devil May Cry" prior to her meeting Lady in episode 4 of the anime because Trish wanted to travel around the world by herself, and "Devil Never Cry" would've meant that they owned the shop together. This also establishes a CallForward to the later installments, wherein Dante's shop would be consistently named "Devil May Cry" going forward.

* DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou: As it turns out, Patty's mother gave her away [[spoiler: because she had to protect and watch over a certain amulet that made her a target for demons, and she left Patty at an orphanage to keep her from harm. By the end of the series they reunite and stay together now that the demonic threat after them is eliminated]].
* DeadAllAlong: The sister of the imprisoned guy who hires Dante in episode 7 [[spoiler: is actually a ghost. This is hinted at through her sudden vanishing into thin air once she gives Dante the ring, and at the end of the episode her brother reveals that she, being already sickly, died due to stress soon after his imprisonment.]]

* DemonicPossession: A common problem in the series, which features most prominently in "Rock Queen" and "Death Poker", both of which feature a malevolent possessor preying on people. The latter [[spoiler:isn't even one of the gamblers, but a demon who possesses people through means of a pocket watch on the victim's person]].

* AcidAttack: The demonic genie in Episode 7 primarily attacks by spraying acid from its mouth. Not only does it corrode inorganic substances, it is extremely lethal and gruesome when used against a living being, like what happened to [[spoiler:Kerry's friend]].

--->'''Dante (in Episode 12):''' Ah, perfect timing. The rest of the show is "adults only".

* BreathWeapon: The BigBad has one.

* CassandraTruth:

** Morrison gives Dante a guitar case after the latter accepted being a bodyguard for Patty, and cryptically mentions how Dante has a "show to play". What's inside isn't revealed for some time, but it's all an UnusualEuphemism for Dante having to slay demons; [[spoiler:his [[{{BFS}} Rebellion sword]] is inside the [[SenselessViolins guitar case]].]] Later on, Dante does bring out its contents.

* BladeAcrossTheShoulder: One of Dante's favourite poses. He does it a lot in this anime adaptation, even in the opening sequence.

%%* BloodyMurder