Netflix's Devil May Cry Pays Homage to Anime's Most Nostalgic (and Unexpected) Era
Netflix and Adi Shankar’s upcoming Devil May Cry anime adaptation has unveiled its opening credits, featuring Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’”—a choice that has thrilled fans. This iconic 2000s track perfectly embodies the spirit of the video game franchise and the era it represents. Additionally, it evokes nostalgia for a time when the anime community frequently paired Nu Metal soundtracks with fan-made music videos called AMVs.
Before YouTube became dominated by brands and influencers, it was a hub for grainy flip phone footage of local malls and fan-made anime music videos, where lyrics and melodies synced perfectly with action-packed anime scenes. For older fans, these videos were their first exposure to anime while searching for free ways to listen to their favorite songs. For others, they represented a time when music and anime served as vital outlets for self-expression. With Shankar’s early roots in YouTube culture, he masterfully taps into this often-overlooked sub-community.
How Adi Shankar's Devil May Cry Pays Homage to the AMV Era
A Nostalgic Music Choice Highlights an Overlooked Part of Anime History
Capcom’s Devil May Cry, released in 2001, is all about style, demons, and Heavy Rock. The franchise's protagonist, Dante, has charisma, is suave, and represents an era of cool, unlike any video game character in history. Before the corporations took over YouTube and began copyrighting licensed music, one could effortlessly find a DMC gameplay paired with a Limp Bizkit song. Before becoming an auteur within the anime community, Shankar originated from this era of YouTube as a creative, crafting subversive takes on popular franchises in what is now known as his “Bootleg Universe.”
Now that Shankar holds a creative role at Netflix, he can honor an anime sub-community that is often overlooked due to the legal complexities of securing the right music for a proper tribute. Moreover, it's exceedingly overlooked how much AMVs meant to a certain demographic of fans who have gone on to become elder statesmen within the community.
What AMVs Meant to 2000s Anime Fans
AMVs Represented Self-Expression and Now Nostalgia
The original Devil May Cry fans are now in their 30s and 40s, making it crucial to engage this core audience—something Shankar successfully achieved with Castlevania. By finding the intersection of anime culture and gaming, he harnesses the music of that era to resonate deeply with both fandoms. AMVs evoke nostalgia for longtime fans, not just through their love of the games but also by capturing the essence of the era itself. If the anime maintains the same energy as its opening credits, it has the potential to become an instant cult classic.
Nu Metal, a subgenre of Heavy Metal, blends the classic intensity of metal with the rhythmic influences of Hip-Hop, bridging genres and generations. In that spirit, “Rollin’” again serves as a unifying force, connecting longtime fans with new audiences ahead of the Devil May Cry anime’s release on April 3, 2025.
Devil May Cry
- Release Date
- April 3, 2025
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- Park So Young
- Writers
- Alex Larsen
Cast
Johnny Yong BoschDante / Soldier #1 (voice)- Chris CoppolaEnzo / Frat Boy (voice)
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