Devil Survivor 2 the Animation

Hibiki Kuze and Daichi Shijima (best buddies) and fellow high school student Io Nitta rashly sign up to the Nicaea App on their phones that promises to show them the face of a friend who’s just about to die (the reverse of DeathNote?). And whose faces do they see? Their own. Caught up in a trainwreck as an earthquake strikes the Tokyo subway, they ‘die’ and are offered a choice of Life or Death. Accepting Life, all three are gifted with the ability to summon a demon via the Demon Summoning App on their phones and are instantly plunged into a terrifying battle with supernatural forces. Hibiki’s demon, the tiger Byakko, is immensely powerful and saves the day. But Japan – and the world – is under threat of destruction as the Septentriones launch six more of seven days of attacks, leading to the end of everything if they cannot be stopped. Now Hibiki and his friends must join forces with the secret organization JP’s, led by the ruthless Yamato Hotsuin, who has been preparing for the impending Armageddon. They meet other Demon Summoners, part of a special team that Yamato has assembled, who include a dancer, a young aspiring pianist and a trainee chef.

But is it just a straightforward battle for survival between humanity and this seemingly undefeatable extraterrestrial power? Who is the mysterious Alcor, the self-styled Anguished One, who appears with increasing frequency to talk with Hibiki? Why does Alcor reveal that humanity is being judged by a higher power called Polaris – and found wanting? If he has been on earth for a long while as a detached observer, why has he begun to develop human feelings? With so many lives already lost, can Hibiki continue to fight alongside Yamato Hotsuin – or must he challenge him to stay true to his own beliefs in the value of friendship as the Seventh Day approaches?

And lo, we have yet another anime based on a game (in this case the Shin Megami Tensei series for the Nintendo DS). It soon becomes apparent that watching Hibiki, Io and Daichi battle the Septentriones to save the world is probably a lot more fun – and makes a lot more sense – if you’re familiar with the source material. (It’s worth noting that the ‘2’ in the title refers to the version of the game and there is no Devil Survivor 1: The Animation.) But does it succeed in its own right as a drama – and can you watch it without having played the game?

On the plus side, this is a good-looking series with stylish original character designs from talented Suzuhito Yasuda (Durarara!!, Yozakura Quartet). But because the script hits the ground running and keeps going, the viewer has no time to get to know the three high school protagonists (or their fellow Demon Summoners) – and the rather half-hearted attempts to give us character profiles over the eye catches is just not enough to create that important connection that we need to feel with the three. Little snippets of back story appear in the later episodes, but they are meagre crumbs and we could have done with much more.

The seven visitations (the end of the world takes place over seven days) of the Septentriones is somewhat familiar and will evoke memories of Evangelion in the more seasoned anime fan. Echoes, also, of CLAMP’s X, as well-known landmarks in Japan are reduced to rubble. And then we have the detached all-powerful observer testing humanity and finding it not worthy of survival (‘Are you/Do you mean God?’ asks the baffled Hibiki when confronted with this revelation and not receiving a straight answer (cop-out, Scriptwriters?).

Devil Survivor 2 is nevertheless an exciting watch with plenty of demons (drawn from world mythology) and dazzlingly animated apocalyptic battles taking place to a stirring soundtrack composed by the excellent Kotaro Nakagawa (07-Ghost, Code Geass).

The Opening Theme is “Take Your Way” by livetune, adding Fukase from SEKAI NO OWARI, and the main Ending Theme is “Be” by Song Riders. A more thoughtful, touching atmosphere is created at the conclusion of Episode 10 with the ballad “Each and All” by Livetune.

The US dub has a lively script and strong performances from experienced VAs Greg Ayres as Daichi, Jessica Boone as Io Nitta, and relative newcomer Patrick Poole as conflicted hero Hibiki, although the original Japanese cast are well worth listening to, especially Junichi Suwabe (Undertaker in Black Butler) as the ruthless Yamato Hotsuin.

Extras comprise textless Opening and Ending Themes and trailers.

In Summary

Devil Survivor 2 is a stylish, well animated fantasy adventure that takes us to the end of the world as we know it. But even thrillingly animated demon battles can pall after a while, and it could have been so much more if some time could have been devoted to developing the characters.