Devilman: Youchou Sirene-hen

While the first installment of Devilman was mostly centered around Akira Fudō's ascension (or "descent") into his powers, "Yochō Sirene-hen" is more of a look into the psyches of the pure-blooded demons that seek him out, because of the latent spirit that he possesses, that of the insidious, Amon! This volume of the series is more profound because it portrays demons in a very human way, they have similar souls to those who are broken, or have fallen away from God. "Yochō Sirene-hen" gets a little more psychological and deep than the primitive power fantasy of "The Birth" episode!

⚠️ This review of Devilman: Yochō Sirene-hen ... will contain spoilers ⚠️

—Story/Characters

I didn't enjoy "Yochō Sirene-hen" as much on my first viewing, because there's some really risqué shots of Miki Makimura. It's so overtly sexual, that even though the animation is impressive, it distracts from the whole fight with Gelmar! I would say that it was probably the weakest part of the OVA, even though Miki's nudity was important in a way, because it kept interspersing scenes of her bathing with images of Sirene, bitter and agonizing over Amon. The nudity showed both of these women laid bare, and while Sirene's heart is cold and bitter as she stands in the rain — Miki is surrounded by warm colors and is more chaste with her feelings for Akira Fudō.

Though, I thought it was a little bit excessive to have Akira's blood spray all over Miki's nude body, when he is torn out of his home by the bird-like Sirene! The only interpretation that I could get from that is... it being a sexual euphemism! Before Akira battles against Sirene, he has to suffer the inhuman torment of Jinmen. To this day, I think that Jinmen is among one of the scariest cartoon villains! When I was reading the "Devilman Tai Yami no Teiō" ("Devilman VS Hades") manga, even apart from the original story, Jinmen's appearance had shivers crawling up and down my spine! The idea of a pure evil demon turtle that swims in a sewer with screaming human heads on his shell is a big "no"! Maybe the iteration of the Penguin in "Batman Returns" had too heavy of an influence on my childhood, but animalistic creatures swimming in a sewage system gives me the willies!

That's part of the reason that "Yochō Sirene-hen" was so great: Jinmen is subjectively the most terrifying Devilman villain and Sirene is the most misguided, not to mention that she's beautiful and iconic in her appearance! Jinmen is degenerate soul that tortures humans, because it's the only thing that is able to bring his pitch-black soul joy, as opposed to Sirene, an "Übermenschen" figure that solely feels satisfaction from the desire to defeat the strongest demon, Amon, to claim the throne as the most powerful creature in Hell. Both can be reflective of how single-minded and greedy corrupted humans can become. At the end of "The Demon Bird" OVA, even though Kaim decapitated himself, so that she could use his corpse as vessel to defeat Devilman — Sirene is able to have a pure look of elation on her face, because nothing (no life) is more important to her than her own triumph.

I won't explain why this is significant, but the dichotomy between Ryō Asuka and the demons is important, as the plot progresses. The idea of what it means to be human, or what one becomes when they completely forfeit their humanity. The last shot of Sirene's effigy of a corpse, is an elegy for a soul led astray. One who confuses a lust for power and the feeling of love. Her complexity versus the simplicity of Akira's childhood friend, Miki. The deterioration of humans (into debased monsters) is what Devilman is all about — Go Nagai's plot declares that you don't have to be born a folklorish monster, in order to become a demon.

—Technical

Luna's Favorite Works by Each Respective Creator = ✅

Umanosuke Iida (director), notable works:
* CB Chara Go Nagai World ✅
* Devilman: Yochō Sirene-hen ✅
* Hellsing (2001) ✅
* Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (eps 6 to 11) ✅
* Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team — Miller's Report
* Tide-Line Blue
* Towa no Quon 1: Utakata no Kaben

Commentary: Brilliant director, Mr. Iida had a real eye for saturating colors together and has used color theory to his advantage throughout his filmography. Along with the wonderful key animation shots in all of his productions, he also is good at using a striking color imbalance to make the audience feel something, depending on what he was trying to convey mise en scène! Mind-blowing choreography in each respective installment of the OVA series, I don't think anyone has done Devilman better than Mr. Iida! Legendary work on the OVA series, rest in peace, Umanosuke Iida, you will be missed! An irreplaceable visionary!

Kenji Kawai (music composition), notable works:
* 009 Re: Cyborg
* A-Ko: The Versus
* Akachan to Boku
* All That Gundam
* Bakuretsu Hunters
* Barakamon ✅
* Biohazard: Vendetta
* Blue Seed
* Burn Up! ✅
* Busō Chūgakusei: Basket Army
* CB Chara Go Nagai World ✅
* Chibi Neko Tomu no Daibōken: Chikyū wo Sukue! Nakama-tachi
* Corrector Yui
* Cosmos Pink Shock
* Cyborg 009: The Reopening
* Dragon Fist
* Esper Zenon
* Eyeshield 21: Maboroshi no Golden Bowl
* Fate/stay night ✅
* Fate/stay night Movie: Unlimited Blade Works ✅
* Fūjin Monogatari
* Geisters: Fractions of the Earth
* Girlfriend (Kari)
* Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! ✅
* Groove Adventure Rave
* Gunparade March: Arata Naru Kōgunka
* Hakuouki Movie 2: Shikon Soukyū
* Hana no Asukagumi! 2: Lonely Cats Battle Royale
* Higashi no Eden ✅
* Higurashi no Naku Koro ni ✅
* Hime-chan no Ribbon
* Hyper Police
* I: Wish You Were Here
* Iczer-Girl Iczelion
* Innocence ✅
* Jinki:Extend
* Joker Game
* Jūsenshi Gulkeeva
* Kidō Keisatsu Patlabor ✅
* Kōkaku Kidōtai ✅
* Kurogane Communication
* Kyūketsuhime Miyu ✅
* Mahō Senshi Louie
* Maison Ikkoku ✅
* Majū Senshi Luna Varga
* Maroko
* Mermaid Forest OVA
* Metal Fighter Miku
* Mezame no Hakobune
* Mob Psycho 100
* Musekinin Kanchō Tylor
* Kidō Senshi Gundam 00
* Mutekiou Tri-Zenon
* No Guns Life
* Oira Uchū no Tankoufu
* Ranma ½ ✅
* Ryūō no Oshigoto!
* Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarō ✅
* Seirei no Moribito
* Servamp
* Shōka
* Shōmetsu Toshi
* Starship Operators
* Subete ga F ni Naru
* Tachiguishi Retsuden
* Taiho Shichau zo The Movie
* The Sky Crawlers
* Tōken Ranbu: Hanamaru ✅
* Towa no Quon
* Twilight Q
* UFO Princess Valkyrie
* Vampire Princess Miyu ✅
* Wakaba*Girl
* World Trigger
* Xi Avant
* YAT Anshin! Uchū Ryokō
* Zetsuai 1989

Commentary: Mr. Kawai haunting score for "Devilman" is on par with his work in "Vampire Princess Miyu", Studio Deen's "Fate/stay night", and "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni"! Such a prolific composer in the industry! He creates a wonderful atmosphere for both OVA installments! Wonderful work!

Good Seiyū Work = ✅

Really Enjoyed the Seiyū's Performance = ✅ ✅

One of Luna's Favorite Performances OF ALL TIME = ✅ ✅ ✅

Show Hayami as Akira Fudō (or "Devilman"), notable roles:
* Ayanami, 07-Ghost
* Takashi Sugurono, 7 Seeds
* Gail, A-Ko: The Versus
* Baron Riks, Akai Kōdan Zillion
* Tenzen Yakushiji, Basilisk: Kōga Ninpō Chō
* Doctor Kiriko, Black Jack 21 ✅✅
* Sōsuke Aizen, Bleach ✅✅
* Shion, Boku no Chikyū wo Mamotte ✅✅✅
* Kei Katsuragi, Chōjikū Seiki Orguss
* Klein Sandman, Chōjūshin Gravion
* Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, Fairy Tail
* Tokiomi Tōsaka, Fate/stay night ✅✅
* Adalbert von Fahrenheit, Ginga Eiyū Densetsu ✅✅
* Rommel, Gundam Build Divers
* Lord Gremory, High School DxD
* Nobutsuna Naoe, Honō no Mirage
* Jakurai Jinguji, Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle ✅✅
* Vanilla Ice, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken
* Ashram, Lodoss-tō Senki ✅✅
* Maximilian Jenius, Macross ✅✅
* Makoto Yamamoto, Musekinin Kanchō Tylor
* Yasha-ō, RG Veda ✅✅
* Mitsuhide Akechi, Sengoku Basara
* Masami Eiri, Serial Experiments Lain ✅✅✅
* Vector Prime, Transformers Galaxy Force
* Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Trigun ✅✅✅
* Kazutaka Muraki, Yami no Matsuei ✅

Commentary: I absolutely LOVE Mr. Hayami's voice and by far, he has been the greatest Akira Fudō in all of the anime adaptations! He IS Devilman to me! He has such a powerful, masculine voice! I would compare his performance as Akira Fudō to his roles in "Boku no Chikyū wo Mamotte" ("Please Save My Earth") as Shion and in "Trigun" as Nicholas D. Wolfwood! Truth be told, he was my favorite actor in "Serial Experiments Lain" — his performance as the megalomaniacal, Masami Eiri, is both horrifying and the peak of excellence! Amazing work!

Yū Mizushima as Ryō Asuka, notable roles:
* Toshio Ōtomo, Creamy Mami ✅✅
* Chang Changku, Cyborg 009 VS Devilman
* Shukumaru, Fire Tripper ✅
* Isamu Kurogane, Hyaku Jūō Go Lion ✅
* Shō Fukamachi, Kyōshoku Sōkō Guyver
* Luigi, Super Mario Bros.
* Clow Reed, Tsubasa Chronicles ✅✅

Commentary: Mr. Mizushima has a particular voice that calls forth the image of "handsome", when you hear it! He has a very commanding presence; so much so, that I ended up paying more attention to his character in "Creamy Mami" than to the lead love interest! I would compare his performance as Ryō Asuka to his characterizations of Toshio Ōtomo (in the aforementioned "Creamy Mami") and Clow Reed ("Tsubasa Chronicles"), both are more of his bishōnen-archetype roles! Great job!

Jun Kōyamaki as Miki Makimura, notable roles:
* none

Commentary: Ms. Kōyamaki isn't credited to any other anime role, that I could find, but she has acted in live action roles (under the stage name: "Makoto Sumikawa"). I have conflicting information on whether she was Marina in "Anderson Dōwa: Ningyo-hime" or not — some sources have Ms. Kōyamaki credited in the role and others have Fumie Kashiyama listed. She is known for her live action roles in shows like "Kamen Rider Black RX" and "Jikū Senshi Spielban" — her career was more centered around television dramas, with a foot slightly dipped into the anime pool. Her version of Miki Makimura is the best, in my opinion, she gives off the aura of a wholesome, everyday girl... this characterization of Miki even reminded me of some of the pure-spirited Ghibli girls, like Nausicaä. Great job, it's a shame that she didn't get a chance to voice in more anime productions!

Yoshiko Sakakibara as Sirene (or "Silene"), notable roles:
* Reika Ryūzaki, Ace wo Nerae! 2 — originally voiced by Masako Ikeda
* Meichi Yuri, Akuma no Riddle ✅✅
* Queen Nehellenia, Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS and Sailor Stars ✅✅✅
* Sybel, Black Magic M-66
* Azusa Matsudaira, Blue Seed
* Sylia Stingray, Bubblegum Crisis ✅✅
* Mitsuko Asatani, Cat's Eye ✅✅✅
* Silene ("Sirene"), CB Chara Go Nagai World ✅✅✅
* Miran, Chōjikū Seiki Orguss 02 ✅
* Silene ("Sirene"), Devilman: Yochō Sirene-hen ✅✅✅
* Frederica Greenhill, Ginga Eiyū Densetsu ✅✅✅
* Aila Mu, God Mazinger
* Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate ✅✅✅
* Sesshōmaru's Mother, InuYasha: Kanketsu-hen
* Princess Airfield, Kantai Collection ("KanColle") ✅✅✅
* Shinobu Nagumo, Kidō Keisatsu Patlabor
* Project 2501, Kōkaku Kidōtai 2.0 ("Ghost in the Shell 2.0")
* Haman Karn and Mōar Pharoah, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam ✅✅✅
* Jōshū Kasei, Psycho-Pass (series) ✅✅
* Karura-Ō, RG Veda
* Flore, Rokushin Gattai GodMars
* Medea, Saint Seiya Omega ✅✅✅
* Tomiko Asahina, Shinsekai yori ✅✅
* Feb Fall, Sol Bianca: Taiyō no Fune
* Tekka's Maki-chan, Sore Ike! Anpanman
* Lady Armaroid, Space Cobra ✅✅✅
* Misaki Kamiki Jurai, Tenchi Muyō! (series) ✅✅
* Antoinette, The Humanoid: Ai no Wakusei Lezeria
* Aoi, Tide-Line Blue
* Her Majesty the Queen, Otama, and Ogin — Urusei Yatsura ✅✅✅
* Elle de Rosenbach, Urusei Yatsura Movie 1: Only You ✅✅

Commentary: Ms. Sakakibara is THE perfect fit for Sirene. The downcast, jaded ice queen with an aura that has a complete and utter thirst for power. The two characters that I would compare the performance to is Ms. Sakakibara's acting as Haman Karn ("Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam") and Queen Nehellenia ("Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon"), both are icebound vixens with sad backstories. I would even go so far as to say that Haman Karn's relationship with Char Aznable (or "Quattro Bajeena") is similar to Sirene's dynamic with Amon, though Sirene worships Amon and desperately struggles to defeat him, as a show of veneration for him. Impeccable performance, as always! S-tier seiyū!

Unshō Ishizuka as Kaim, notable roles:
* Luchamaster, Air Master ✅✅
* Dino Golzine, Banana Fish ✅
* Narrator, Berserk (2016) ✅✅
* Gerd Frentzen, Blassreiter ✅✅
* Kaguraba Raihō Gramstahl, Chaos Dragon: Sekiryū Seneki
* Hideo Harada, Chihayafuru ✅✅
* Gene Smilas, Code Geass: Akito the Exiled
* Jet Black, Cowboy Bebop ✅✅✅
* Ginzō Nakamori, Detective Conan ✅✅✅
* Mr. Satan, Dragon Ball (series) ✅✅✅
* Katoran, Eve no Jikan
* Kei Munakata, eX-Driver
* Keiichi Akagi, Flag
* Van Hohenheim, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ✅✅✅
* Kogoro Hachisuka, Gad Guard ✅✅
* Job Truniht, Ginga Eiyū Densetsu ✅✅
* Heiji Kozenigata, Gintama (series) ✅✅
* Father Miyata, Hajime no Ippo ✅✅
* Bunta Fujiwara, Initial D
* Joseph Joestar, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken ("Pt. 3 and 4") ✅✅✅
* Lehm Brick, Jormungand ✅✅
* Patrick, Kekkai Sensen
* Void, Kenpū Denki Berserk (1997) ✅✅✅
* Guld Goa Bowman, Macross Plus
* Asterote Reighe ("Aster"), Maze☆Bakunetsu Jikū
* Sergei Smirnov, Mobile Suit Gundam 00
* Meran and Yonem Kirks, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn ✅✅
* McMurdo Barriston, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans ✅✅
* Chris Jefferson, Moonlight Mile
* Zabuza Momochi, Naruto ✅✅
* Don Wei, Oban Star-Racers
* Borsalino and Kōshirō, One Piece
* Ryōtarō Dōjima, Persona 4
* Yukinari Ōkido ("Professor Oak") and Narrator, Pokémon (series) ✅✅✅
* Father Leonhart, Shingeki no Kyōjin ✅
* Gen Fudō, Sōsei no Aquarion
* Dr. Gel, Space☆Dandy
* Sylvester Asimov, Terra Formars
* George Gomez, Tetsuwan Birdy Decode ✅✅
* Bogie, The Third: Aoi Hitomi no Shōjo
* Donovan Baine, Vampire Hunter ✅✅
* Violence Jack, Violence Jack: Hell's Wind-hen ✅
* Quent Yaiden, Wolf's Rain ✅✅✅
* Shūjirō Hongō, Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings

Commentary: Mr. Ishizuka as Kaim only a has a few lines in the span of the OVA, but for the short amount of time he spent in the spotlight, we are quickly able to gather his feelings of blind adoration for Sirene and her calamitous beauty! I would compare his role as Kaim to his performances as Zabuza Momochi ("Naruto") and Quent Yaiden ("Wolf's Rain"), because in these roles, we're able to see a more vulnerable side of his character, tragic as it may be! Great performance, rest in peace, your talents will be missed in the industry!

Takeshi Aono as Jinmen, notable roles:
* Kami and Piccolo Daimao, Dragon Ball (series) ✅✅
* Hadler, Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibōken
* Issei Dōjin, Giant Robo the Animation: Chikyū ga Seishi Suru Hi ✅✅
* Gengai Hiragi, Gintama (series) ✅✅✅
* Pablo, Golgo 13 ✅✅
* Kiba, Green Legend Ran ✅✅
* Rihaku, Hokuto no Ken ✅✅
* Joe Kuruma, Hurricane Polymer and Shin Hurricane Polymer
* Vanilla Ice, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken (1993)
* Gran Hansen, Kagaku Kyūjo-tai TechnoVoyager
* Mihawk Dracule, One Piece
* Gambling King, Ranma ½ ✅✅
* Daimaru Nakajima, Tsiho Shichau zo (series)
* Deathzaras, Tatakae! Chō Robot Seimeitai Transformers Victory
* Katsuhito Masaki ("Yōshō") and Nobuyuki Masaki, Tenchi Muyō! (series) ✅✅✅
* Tsutomu Kita, Toki no Tabibito: Time Stranger
* Shirō Sanada, Uchū Senkan Yamato ✅✅✅
* Mad Saurus, Violence Jack: Evil Town
* Sugoroku Mutō, Yū☆Gi☆Ō (1998) ✅✅
* Osmond, Zero no Tsukaima

Commentary: Mr. Aono makes an absolute spine-tingling rendition of Jinmen! Many of the roles that I love him as, like Yōshō ("Tenchi Muyō!") and Shirō Sanada ("Uchū Senkan Yamato") are more genial and stoic, so I had no idea that he had this kind of dimension to his acting! Mr. Aono made Jinmen one of the most skin-crawling villains of all-time! Amazing performance, rest in peace, Takeshi Aono, you will be missed!

I wish Mr. Iida had adapted the rest of the manga, the man had a strong vision, and did exceptionally well with the animation of the source material for Go Nagai's "Devilman"! Having the bittersweet conclusion to Sirene's imaginary triumph, may have been more powerful than what may have come from trying to adapt the war against Satan, that spanned for years and years! Sirene's fate was swift and vigorous, and I would even say that her demise may be even stronger in this version than it is in the original manga! "Yochō Sirene-hen" gets a solid 8/10!

Rating: ★★★★☆

“Devilman: Yochou Sirene-hen” looks and sounds good, and is an entertaining watch, although it’s lacking in terms of plot and setup.

The biggest issue with this OVA is that it’s not a direct continuation of its prequel. Characters are introduced that the main character seems to know, but the audience doesn’t, as they weren’t in the first OVA. Also, the timeline isn’t clear: the events here definitely happen after those in “Devilman: Tanjou-hen,” but it’s vague as to how much time has passed since then. And the characters look different here, particularly Akira, even though the designer is the same.

There isn’t much of a plot in ... “Yochou Sirene-hen,” just a series of battles with demons, roughly divided into 3 of them. The OVA just kind of throws you in there and expects you to know what’s going on, and it’s all a bit jarring and confusing. It has a proper conclusion, but it’s underwhelming.

The characters don’t get much development because it’s just one episode, and some of them, especially Akira and Miki, act differently from the way they did in the first OVA.

The animation and art look good; the demon designs in particular are intriguing. The direction is good, and the fight scenes are entertaining. The voice acting is decent. The music is good.

Regarding objectionable content, there is a lot of nudity in this one; the main antagonist, in particular, is topless throughout the whole episode. There are also some gratuitous scenes with Miki completely nude, and a slight amount of perverted dialogue. And of course, there’s some graphic gore and death, but it’s surprisingly tame here for a Go Nagai work.

Overall, “Devilman: Yochou Sirene-hen” was probably made with manga readers in mind, since it’s difficult to understand what’s going on and why if you’ve just seen the prequel. However, if you can accept the lack of explanations (or have read the manga) and can handle the nudity, it’s a decent watch.

Part 2 of the 80's/90's OVA Devilman trilogy is Devilman: The Demon Bird. As the title implies, this anime is largely just about the fight between Devilman and the "harpie lady" known as Sirene. It's funny because this fight doesn't even happen until like halfway through the hour long OVA, with the first half consisting of Akira battling 2 other demons. That's it. There's really no story or character development to speak of here. The art/animation is once again very detailed, far surpassing the Netflix Devilman Crybaby in that department. I'll also praise the sound design here, since the "buzzsaw sound effect" when Sirene shot ... her homing missile arm was very effective. I do think it's beyond dumb that she can detach her arm and use it as a projectile when she's purely organic--and it always comes back to her somehow---and I need to stop thinking so much about this anime!!

Akira and Ryou have lost all sympathetic traits from part 1 and are now just hungry for battle alpha males. I will say that Miki's personality is better here than in her Crybaby version, where she was just the perfect "good girl." This Miki doesn't take shit from ANYONE, and is even willing to punch Akira in the nose if she thinks he deserves it! She's got spunk and that goes a long way with me (I just hope she has a better fate in store for her than her ending in Crybaby). Sirene herself has a cool, sexy design, I admit, but she's just a monster of the week, nothing more. I really don't remember much about her personality. We don't know why she hates Akira so much, or how she even tracked him down in the first place for that matter. When her friend the rhino guy sacrifices himself so they can combine, we don't really know why. They had an off-screen romance I guess? Instead of killing himself so an already-dying Sirene could use his body, why couldn't rhino guy just finish off Akira himself? Also who was this Xenon guy teleporting monsters in to help Sirene at the end? Couldn't he just fight Akira himself (and probably win)? Will Xenon be showing up in part 3? I feel like the show will forget about him, even though he seemed important. So yeah I had a lot of issues with the Sirene fight, mainly that went on WAY TOO DAMN LONG! Literally the last half hour of this OVA is the 2 of them fighting back and forth changing location like 10 times, no joke.

Out of the two earlier fight scenes (this anime is just a collection of fights btw, no exposition this time) we have one against Jinmen and one against a pervy water demon. The water demon fight was OK but clearly just an excuse to see Miki naked in the bath. I liked the part where a possessed Miki attacked Akira, but he back-handed her and knocked her out almost immediately. So anti-climactic! Why couldn't they drag out THAT fight!? And the Jinmen fight was just terrible. They make the same mistake as the Crybaby version, where Jinmen just shows up out of nowhere and has absorbed Akira's mom somehow and we're supposed to give a shit even though we've literally never had a scene of Akira with his parents until now. Wait, didn't Akira's mom die in the Arctic? What was Jinmen doing there?! How did he travel from the Arctic to Japan and track down Akira so quick!? Also there's a super cringe moment where Akira starts crying after killing Jinmen and his tears drip down through a hole in the floor and JUST SO HAPPEN to land right on his mom's face on Jinmen's shell on the lower level. Oh my God WHAT A COINCIDENCE! Ughh.

Devilman: The Demon Bird is a poor anime, 3/10. Oh boy, I just CAN'T WAIT to see how they wrap up this mess with part 3...