Character Analysis: Devilman

 

Background

“I'm not Amon! I am a devil born to wipe every single one of you demons from the face of the earth. I am Devilman!"

Forced to live separated from his parents under lonesome and tragic circumstances, the young Akira Fudo was adopted by the Makimura family in Japan. Known for his tendency to cry about nearly anything remotely negative, Akira suffered a notable amount of bullying and discrimination when growing up, with his only support coming from his foster sister and girlfriend, Miki Makimura. One fateful day, Fudo reunited himself with Ryo Asuka, a childhood friend that had become quite a prodigy in several scientific fields. Knowing that Akira was the only person he could trust, Ryo revealed to him that demons were very much real, and they were about to return to life in order to take back the planet that they used to rule. Despite being a complete pushover, Ryo thought that Akira was the only person who could help defeat the demons once again due to his pure heart. After showing Akira the origins and the nature of demons, Ryo convinced him to merge with a demon.

After a bloody massacre, the legendary demon Amon fused himself with Akira, giving him the physique and powers of a demon creating the perfect hybrid of monster and man. And despite the struggles along the way of being tempted into giving into his inner demons and Amon’s savagery, Akira managed to maintain his human heart and compassion thanks to his own willpower and the love of Miki and her family. With his newfound gifts, Akira used his demonic powers as a means to protect humanity, soaring through the skies protecting the innocent both monster and man alike under his new name -  Devilman.

However along his journey, Akira would soon discover that his best friend - Ryo’s true identity was revealed to be Satan - the most powerful demon of all and the enemy of God, but also manipulated him and other Devilmen to accidentally reveal the existence of demons to the general public, starting a cycle of wars, violence and mass hysteria/paranoia which had then taken the lives of those whom he loved in the crossfire, bringing further tragedy and loneliness to the young demon hero’s life. With nothing left to lose Akira uniting all Devilmen under an army to defend humanity and stop all the needless carnage and discrimination brought on by mankind's own foolishness and to stop his former friend once in for all.  With sorrow in his heart; Akira confronted Ryo one last time. Their friendship, brotherhood and love now torn apart, as they fought to the bitter end. It was only then did Ryo truly learn the meaning of humility and human love from Akira.

In the end, Akira is, but alone with no friends, family and loved ones left by his side. All he had left was his ideals and heart to hold on to yet despite all the hardships, darkness and tragedies he had endured. He will continue to soar through the skies as the Devilman to protect the innocents so that he may continue to honor the memories and legacy of those he loved and cherished. Love and protect humanity as the way they once loved and protected him.  

Disclaimer: This is intended to be a composite Devilman blog which will analyze his feats from across other Devilman stories and medias other then the original manga series.

Abilities 

Demon Physiology 

Upon fusing with Amon. Akira gains Amon’s superhuman strength, durability and speed. In addition his appearance becomes demonically altered which grants him razor sharp claws, long-sharp tail and teeth allowing him to be able to rip and tear through nearly any enemy that may stand in his way. Followed by that he is also granted immortality which gives him a much bigger lifespan to live longer than ordinary humans.

Flight

Amon’s demon physiology has given Akira being able to grow large wingspans from his back at will. Which allows him to soar through the skies and outer space at ease. He can even utilize his wings in combat to shield himself from incoming attacks or attack his adversaries.  

Shapeshifting

Akira has the ability to manipulate any parts of his limbs beyond normal length letting him catch his foes or attack them from afar. Additionally he can increase the mass of his limbs allowing him to strike with much greater force.

Size Manipulation

With this ability at hand, Akira can manipulate the size of his body allowing him to grow in size at any point. Letting him dwarf even buildings, mountains and islands. 

Healing Factor
  

With his regeneration. Akira becomes an even harder opponent to kill as he could regenerate from whatever types of damages that are thrown on him. Being able to regenerate his lost limbs and many wounds inflicted upon him.

Enhanced Senses

  

Akira’s demon physiology has also granted him enhanced senses which allows him to detect dangers or point of interest in a number ways for both combat and non-combative situations such as the faintest of breaths, smell of scent and reading lips.

Devil Antennae
 

Two antennas attached to Akira’s forehead which often remain hidden in his forehead. He is also capable of utilizing these as extensive offensive piercing weapons.

Devilbeam
 

One of Akira’s iconic signature moves as Devilman. In which he can emit rays of electricity from his antennas, hands, mouth and eyes which can destructively vaporize nearly anything in its path.

Heat/Hellfire Projection

Akira can create and fire beams of heat/hellfire whether from his hands or mouth. Basic blasts are powerful enough to disintegrate demons or objects. He can even launch variations of his blast techniques such as invisible blasts and an area of effect technique that can nuke anything in sight.  

Elemental Manipulation

Akira with Amon’s power, allows for him to be able to manipulate a number of elemental attacks such as fire attacks, lightning, wind vortexes and create earthquakes which can open/close a fissure and cause volcanic eruptions. Even going as far as being able to summon catastrophic tornadoes and storms. 

Sound Manipulation

Devilman/Amon can create a sonic scream that is destructive enough to completely devastate continents and  enemies. 

Space-Time Manipulation

Akira can create tears in space and time with a small scale wormhole which has allowed him to perform feats like being able to BFR Kaim and Sirene out of Satan’s dimension. 

Telekinesis

A telekinetic ability which Akira can use with thought both offensively and defensively, being able to stop attacks and projectiles alike as well as being able to levitate a person or object and capable of outputting enough telekinetic power that splits in half an ocean. 

Telepathy

Akira can use this telepathic ability to sense another person’s thoughts and feelings, read into an entire person’s past, predict the next course of actions of a person and directly communicate with other individuals like other Devilmen. 

Illusion Creation

Violence Jack as Devilman/Amon has shown to be powerful enough to create illusions that can fool friends and enemies alike as they appear to be very real. He can also create such illusions on a large scale. It is likely that Akira would replicate these same abilities due to being a Devilman and is Amon’s equal himself. 

Teleportation

Another method of traversal which allows for Akira to teleport short and long distances for transportation or for avoiding enemy attacks. 

Matter Manipulation

Akira as Devilman/Amon has been shown to be able to manipulate and rearrange matter/molecules out of thin air which has allowed him to perform extraordinary feats such as reconstructing clothing, manipulate living and non-living things, create/restore weapons and many more. 

Intangibility
 

On several occasions Devilman/Amon has been shown to have the ability to become intangible which enables to phase through any person or object. Demons have been shown to be able to use this ability in an offensive manner by pulling a person into an object to trap them inside to kill them that way which he should be able to pull off as well.  

Soul Manipulation

Violence Jack being a reincarnation of Devilman/Amon thus has access to a majority of his powers. He has shown to be capable of exorcising souls and destroying them or even reviving the dead. It is likely Akira can replicate the same ability as he could enter into a person’s body to remove said soul and be able to kill opponents in such a way that not even Hades could bring back his reaper’s souls from the dead.  

Non-Physical Interaction

Devilman/Amon has been shown to be able to harm his foes even through non-physical means even if they lack a physical form or are intangible such as Agwel. 

Power Absorption

Perhaps one of Devilman/Amon’s most potent abilities yet which allows him to drain and steal the powers of his enemies in which he has done so against Hades, Great Mazinger’s engine and an entirety of a man’s demon energy which could “destroy the world”.

Time Travel

Using this ability, Akira can seamlessly travel through time from the past to present. Giving him the opportunity to either prevent certain events from ever occurring, to kill an enemy when they’re at their least powerful or completely BFR an opponent. 

Dimensional Travel

Using this method of traveling. Akira can dimension hop through both the physical and spiritual world to get to one place to another quickly.

Possession

Akira can separate his spirit from his body to take over another person’s body. This gives him an opportunity to control the possessed person into doing his bidding or make them kill themselves at his command.

Resistances  

• Mind Manipulation

• Empathetic Manipulation

• Possession 

• Power Absorption

• Ice Resistance

• Acid Resistance

• Radiation Resistance

• Fire Resistance

• Petrification Resistance

• BFR Resistance

  

Feats

Overall

• Even without his Devilman/Amon form, Akira is skilled enough to defeat multiple delinquents with one hand, a Judo Black Belt master and low level demons

• Amon is regarded as the mightiest warrior of the demon race

• Can maintain control of his demon savagery thanks to his sheer willpower and human heart

• Became a protector of humans and devilmen alike

• Is a fearsome leader of the Devilmen army

• Folded Ryo Asuka/Satan’s plans from creating an endless cycle of violence and war

• Single-handedly ripped and teared through many gods and deities to get to Hades in order to reclaim Miki’s soul

• Prevented God from invading the whole universe and causing an apocalypse

• Became Amon’s equal in skill and power thus becoming an even more powerful Devilman than ever before when they fused together once more

• Defeated the deadliest of foes such as Satan, God, Zennon, Hades, Vurava, Sirene, Jinmen, Kaim, Agwel, Ghelmer and many more

• Devilman/Amon’s powers and legacy were carried on by Akira’s reincarnations; Violence Jack and Yuki Fudo respectively

• Crossed over with Mazinger Z, Cutie Honey and Cyborg 009

• The legacy of Devilman’s story and themes influenced and inspired other popular eastern franchises such as Berserk, Evangelion, Parasyte, Chainsaw Man and Persona/Shin Megami Tensei

• The bane of most Japanese mother’s existence in the 1970’s due to its graphically dark violent story and content

• Pretty catchy old school theme songs  

Power

• Explanation of Devilman Cosmology here and here 

• Pushes down a steel door

• Casually tear apart powerful demons

• Cracks open Jinmen’s shell

• Rips off Sirene’s wings

• Shatters Satan’s barrier shield

• Decapitates Vurava 

• Overpowers Great Mazinger

• Slaughtered a pantheon of Greek gods and deities

• Powerful enough to sink all of Atlantis

• He did this when his power overlapped with Satan's

• Melted the surface of the Earth at “full power” 

• His fight with Satan broke the Moon in half

• Evenly-matched with Amon

• Amon is said to have god-killing power

• Amon is stated to have power rivaling God's

• Comparable to Satan

• Satan can create a universe 

• His power can rival God’s who is also powerful enough to create a universe himself 

• Kills Zennon

• Zennon is strong enough to house a hyper-space within himself

• Superior to the Titans who fought in a long drawn-out war with God

• Clashes with Satan caused worlds of mountains to crumble, landmasses to sink and seas to boil

• Punches Satan which causes the world to turn inside out

• His clash with Vurava shattered through dimensional barriers and shook all of Hell

• Vurava’s power is said to be equal to that of God’s

• Defeats Satan and Zennon single handedly

• Trades blows with Hades, creating a shockwave that dwarfs and destroys skyscrapers

• Hades has the power to create all of Hell which is stated to be a universe and to be a “matter of a different dimensional space” and “in our three dimensional space, there is no matter of four or five dimensions of space”

• Defeats God and stopped the Earth’s apocalypse

 

Speed

• Moves westward across Siberia at incredible speeds

• Avoids firing needles from a demon

• Dodges Valva's shockwave and reappears behind him

• Eviscerated demons at blurred speeds

• Slices a warbeast into many pieces at FTE speeds 

• The warbeast sliced a man's head in half before any of the men around him could react

• Blitzes Philomena’s head off with his tail before she can react from a distance

• Kills every single devilman in a group before any can react

• Obliterates a demon with a barrage flurry of punches

• Keeps pace with Sirene in combat 

• Intercepted bullet and lasers with his telekinesis

• Flew into earth’s atmosphere in a matter of seconds

• Travels back to Earth in seconds after being tossed into space

• Regularly flies between the mortal realm and hell in just a few seconds

• Speed-blitzes demons who are fast enough to travel back in time

• Reacts to Satan’s laser point-blank

Durability
 

• Unfazed from being smashed through the floor

• Unhurt from the flaming serpentine’s fire

• Soaks up damage from several air blades

• Endures through Jinmen’s acidic touch 

• Gets thrown by a tornado into space

• Unharmed by the heat of reentry

• No sells several nukes that evaporate the ocean around him

• Tanks an energy blast from Valava

• Takes a hit from Great Mazinger’s Thunder Break

• Eats a punch to the face from Sirene and his arm getting torn off

• Took hits from the likes of powerful beings such as Satan, Amon, Hades, Zennon and Vurava 

Weakness

Akira doesn’t have any inherent weakness per say, but if he sustains too much damage in battle, he will revert back from his Devilman form to his human form. And he may also occasionally be brash and impulsive which could cause to make mistakes that could cost him a fight that he could have won which cost him his life when up against cunning and intelligent foes. Should he ever be disintegrated with no body left, he won't be able to regenerate from such damage. 

“I have the heart of a human. Why are humans fighting one another? Why kill each other? If you’re going to kill, kill a demon. Kill me. Why do you kill each other? Why do you hate each other?!”

Thanks for reading I hope enjoyed this blog I made on the best devil boi : )