Netflix/Warner Bros.The new Devil May Cry anime has just dropped on Netflix, and Batman fans may recognize the voice of a late legend in the cast.
Created by Adi Shankar (who also made Netflix’s Castlevania anime and its Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix series), the new show follows Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, as he tries to stop a demonic invasion of Earth.
It’s off to a great start, earning an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score (above average for most video game adaptations) and praise from fans of the long-running franchise (if you know your Marionettes from your Beelzebubs, you’ll be happy).
If you’ve already watched all eight episodes, you may have noticed a familiar voice behind VP Baines – as it happens, he’s one of the greatest voice actors of all time.
Kevin Conroy is part of the Devil May Cry anime cast
Netflix/The CWKevin Conroy voices VP Baines, a new character created exclusively for the series (no spoilers, but he plays a pivotal role).
The star, best known for voicing Bruce Wayne in Batman: The Animated Series, the Arkham games, and loads of other DC titles, died in November 2022.
Shortly after the release of the first trailer, Shankar confirmed that Conroy recorded his lines before his death, and no AI was used to enhance or complete his posthumous performance.
“Was recorded before he passed. No AI used. Mr. Conroy gave an amazingly nuanced performance. It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with him,” he wrote.
Johnny Yong Bosch, who plays Dante and also voiced Nero in the games, tweeted: “It was an honor to work alongside Kevin Conroy for the upcoming DMC series.
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“A true legend. Batman: The Animated Series redefined cartoons for me. For those wondering, our recording sessions took place a few years ago – animation takes quite some time to complete.”
Who else is in the Devil May Cry cast?
NetflixJohnny Yong Bosch voices Dante in the Devil May Cry anime, and as well as Conroy as Baines, the cast includes:
- Scout Taylor-Compton as Mary/Lady
- Hoon Lee as the White Rabbit
- Chris Coppola as Enzo Ferino
- Robbie Daymond as Vergil
Speaking to GamesRadar, Bosch noted that while the series isn’t a “one to one” adaptation of the games, “a lot of the backstories are intact.”
“Some of the meeting points are a little bit different, because we’re opening up each character even further… Lady as well, when we first saw her in the games, she’s like a badass, she’s a really great character,” he continued.
“But then we saw her change and soften up as we got along, we kind of lost a little bit of what was really unique about [her character],” he added. “And with [the Netflix anime], we really get to explore her darkness in the things that she’s gone through.”
