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Let me start off by saying that this manga is pure fanservice and I'm talking about both kinds here. If you are neither a fan of the original Devilman manga nor of fetishized sexual violence (more on that later), you probably won't find much to like about Devilman G.

The story is a re-imagining of the original Devilman manga that puts Miki Makimura into main character position alongside Akira and incorporates aspects of the Toei anime adaptation and Go Nagai's other works. The story is fine, it's unpredictable and does its own thing while still being "Devilman," but it was the art that kept me turning ... pages.

The art is simply amazing and a real feast for the eyes. Rui Takato has modernized Go Nagai's style beautifully and fans of the original Devilman manga will get a kick out of how "Go Nagai" some of the characters look and the way certain scenes are depicted. My only gripe is that Miki is drawn in a more contemporary "moe" style and sometimes seems at odds with the classic look of the other characters, though that is not to say she looks bad at all, just out of place in some scenes.

Now, if the words "sexual violence" make you feel any kind of negative emotion at all, run far away from Devilman G. Clothes are constantly getting torn off, there's lots of rape and torture, naked girls getting dismembered or sliced in half, and someone gets impaled through the vagina all the way up and out through her chest. And it's all shockingly explicit for a real manga. I can't believe this was published in the same mag as Princess Tutu, or even published at all. If you're a weird sicko like me (or Go Nagai) you'll enjoy every page, but Devilman G is certainly made for a specific audience and those outside that audience are going to be grossed out, so be warned.

As a fan of the original manga, I was not expecting this to be a good adaptation, and after being disappointed by the 2000 OVA Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku, I had lost hope that there would ever be an adaptation that retains the manga's brilliant ending. However, Crybaby delivered.

While Crybaby takes many liberties with the original story, everything important is here. The characters, the message, the ending, it is all ultimately faithful to Go Nagai's original story and gave me the same emotional response upon finishing it. The new characters and complete overhaul of Mikiko/Miko was not unwelcome and fit naturally into the story without taking ... anything away from what made the manga so good. The rather "unique" art style can be jarring at times but is generally interesting to look at, especially in motion.

I have a couple minor complaints. First, the minimalist art style does a disservice to the demon designs, which retain their nightmarish qualities but lose those delightfully grotesque details that made them so interesting to look at in the manga and other adaptations. Second, too much of the beginning (everything before the Sabbath) was changed for the worse. If you want to see how it happens in the manga, watch the 1987 OVA Devilman: Tanjou-hen. It's a very faithful adaptation of the manga's first act and a much better introduction to Ryo and the demons than the one we get in Crybaby. Third, Akira did not scream "JINMEN!!!" and that's a damn shame.

All in all, I'm satisfied if Crybaby is the best adaptation Devilman ever gets. Maybe Yuasa can take a crack at Berserk next? Pretty please?