Amon: Apocalypse Of Devilman <QUICK × HANDBOOK>
In the vast, sprawling legacy of Go Nagai’s Devilman , there are multiple entry points: the seminal 1972 manga, the psychedelic 1987 OVA The Birth , the modern cinematic masterpiece Devilman Crybaby , and the grim, visceral outlier known simply as Amon: The Apocalypse of Devilman (often shortened to Amon ).
Grief and rage consume Akira. He loses control, not of his Devilman form, but of the demon inside him. Amon, the original "Demon of War," seizes the moment. He doesn’t just emerge; he Akira’s soul entirely. Akira Fudo ceases to exist. In his place stands the full, unshackled power of Amon: a mindless, raging beast of pure destruction who cares nothing for humanity, demons, or salvation. amon: apocalypse of devilman
The color palette is deliberately muted—washed-out browns, sickly greens, and deep reds. The animation, while sometimes stiff, excels in moments of extreme violence. Limbs are torn, bodies are crushed, and blood sprays in thick, arterial arcs. This isn't the stylish ultraviolence of Ninja Scroll ; it's the nasty, claustrophobic violence of a nightmare. In the vast, sprawling legacy of Go Nagai’s
The OVA follows Amon’s rampage through a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, a hellscape of ash, blood, and crying survivors. He tears through demon generals, cultists, and anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. Meanwhile, the demon Sirene—who has her own tortured history with Amon—seeks to either control him or destroy him. The story becomes a question without a hero: Can anyone stop a force of nature? And more importantly, does anyone even deserve to be saved? Where other Devilman adaptations lean into cosmic horror or psychedelic imagery, Amon chooses grunge and gore. The character designs, by Yoshihiko Umakoshi (later known for My Hero Academia ), are muscular, grotesque, and heavy. The demons aren't elegant or beautiful; they are chitinous, veiny, and dripping with viscera. Amon, the original "Demon of War," seizes the moment
Released in 2000 as a two-part OVA (Original Video Animation) directed by Hideki Takayama, Amon is not a remake or a sequel. It is a reimagining and a direct adaptation of the Amon: The Darkside of Devilman manga (written by Yu Kinutani and Go Nagai), which itself is a retelling of the final, most nihilistic arc of the original story. If Devilman Crybaby is a tragic opera of emotion, Amon is a brutalist, industrial noise album—raw, ugly, and unforgettable. The plot picks up at the most desperate moment of the Devilman saga. Akira Fudo, the kind-hearted boy fused with the demon Amon, has been fighting a losing war against the demonic hordes of the fallen angel Zennon. Humanity, manipulated by the demons and their own fear, has descended into paranoia and violence.
The inciting incident is psychologically brutal: Akira’s beloved childhood friend and unrequited love, Miki Makimura, is publicly tortured and killed by a mob of terrified humans who falsely accuse her of being a demon. The sight of Miki’s crucified body, defiled and broken, is the final straw.
For fans of extreme anime, body horror, and tragic monsters, Amon: The Apocalypse of Devilman is essential viewing. It is not comfortable. It is not fun. It is a two-part, 90-minute descent into a mind that has broken completely. It asks a simple, terrifying question: What happens when the hero doesn’t just fail, but disappears?