Finished the Devils’ Line anime and find yourself craving more of its dark, intricate world of vampires and humans? You’re not alone. The 12-episode anime adaptation, while introducing viewers to the core conflict and characters, often leaves audiences wondering about skipped details and the story’s continuation. If you’re looking for Where To Start Reading For Devil Line Anime continuation in the manga, this guide will point you in the right direction and explain why diving into the source material is highly recommended.
A Quick Recap: The Devils’ Line Anime
Produced by Platinum Vision and aired in Spring 2018, the Devils’ Line anime adapts the dark fantasy manga by Ryo Hanada. The story introduces Tsukasa Taira, a human college student, and Yuuki Anzai, a half-devil, half-human hybrid working for a specialized police unit tackling devil-related crimes. In this world, devils look human but can transform into uncontrollable monsters upon tasting blood. The government officially doesn’t acknowledge their existence, creating a tense underground society.
Devils’ Line main characters Anzai and Tsukasa standing close together
The anime explores the budding, complex romance between Tsukasa and Anzai, alongside police procedural elements, political intrigue surrounding devil-human coexistence, and action-packed confrontations. It touches upon themes of prejudice, control, and the blurred lines between humanity and monstrosity.
Anzai in his transformed devil state looms over Tsukasa
While featuring solid voice acting, particularly from Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Anzai) and Yui Ishikawa (Tsukasa), and decent theme songs (“Eclipse” by Shouta Aoi and “Sotto Toketeyuku Yo ni” by Mamoru Miyano), the anime adaptation has its limitations.
Why the Anime Leaves You Wanting More
A common criticism of the Devils’ Line anime is its pacing and assumption of prior knowledge. The adaptation condenses a significant amount of manga content into just 12 episodes, leading to a rushed feeling. Key plot points, character motivations, and world-building details crucial for a deeper understanding are often glossed over or omitted entirely.
Anzai confronts another character in an intense nighttime scene
This condensed storytelling becomes particularly apparent towards the finale, which can feel confusing and abrupt for anime-only viewers. Unlike adaptations that serve as introductions to entice manga readership, Devils’ Line almost requires familiarity with the source material to fully grasp the nuances, which is counterintuitive. The anime essentially covers the broad strokes but lacks the depth and satisfying resolution found in the manga.
Tsukasa Taira looking determined outdoors
Where to Start Reading the Devils’ Line Manga After the Anime
So, you’ve finished episode 12 and need to know what happens next. The Devils’ Line anime adapts roughly the first 7 volumes of the manga, concluding around Chapter 35.
Therefore, if you want to pick up directly where the anime left off, you should start reading from Volume 8, Chapter 36 of the Devils’ Line manga.
However, it is highly recommended that you start reading the manga from the very beginning (Volume 1, Chapter 1). Why?
- Deeper Understanding: As mentioned, the anime skips significant details, character background information, and subtle world-building elements present from the start of the manga. Reading from Chapter 1 provides a much richer, more comprehensive understanding of the plot, characters, and the complex societal dynamics.
- Character Development: The manga offers far more in-depth exploration of characters like Anzai, delving into his past, internal struggles, and the psychological toll of his hybrid nature. Tsukasa’s independence and perspective are also more fleshed out. Minor characters who feel underdeveloped in the anime are given more space.
- Pacing and Nuance: The manga’s pacing allows the intricate plot threads involving politics, the anti-devil CCC organization, and the central romance to unfold more naturally and logically. The nuances of prejudice and the fight for coexistence are explored with greater depth.
- Relationship Authenticity: The relationship between Anzai and Tsukasa feels more earned and organic in the manga, with more detailed interactions and emotional development that the anime had to condense.
- Artistic Details: Ryo Hanada’s original artwork captures the atmosphere and character expressions in a way the anime sometimes struggles to replicate consistently.
Anzai and Tsukasa share a tender moment, highlighting their complex relationship
Starting from Chapter 36 will technically continue the plot, but you’ll miss the foundational details and character nuances that make the manga experience superior. Reading from the beginning ensures you don’t miss any crucial information skipped by the adaptation.
Manga vs. Anime: Key Differences and Manga Benefits
Beyond just continuing the story, the manga offers a fundamentally more complete experience.
- Expanded Plotlines: The political intrigue, the motivations of various factions (like the CCC), and the societal implications of devils living among humans are explored in much greater detail.
- Character Depth: Anzai’s backstory and psychological struggles are central to later arcs barely touched upon in the anime. Tsukasa’s strength and agency are more consistently portrayed. Supporting characters like Johannes Kleemann (Hans Lee) and Juliana Lloyd have more developed arcs. Lee, initially mysterious, evolves significantly, earning reader trust through detailed interactions absent in the anime.
- Mature Themes: The manga delves deeper into the mature themes of desire, control, prejudice, and societal fear without shying away from complexity. The romance, while central, is intertwined with these heavier elements more effectively.
- Satisfying Conclusion: The manga, completed with 14 volumes plus an extra, provides a proper conclusion to the story, including epilogue chapters that detail the futures of various characters, offering closure that the anime’s abrupt ending lacks.
Hans Lee looking thoughtful in profile
While the anime presented some visually exciting action sequences, particularly during devil-on-devil fights, its overall visual execution had inconsistencies. Character designs sometimes appeared awkward from certain angles, and the depiction of transformed devils wasn’t universally appealing. The manga’s consistent art style provides a more stable visual experience.
Juliana Lloyd, another member of the police squad
Anzai in mid-transformation, showing red eyes and fangs
Close-up of Anzai’s intense transformed eyes
Tsukasa looking vulnerable yet resolute
Anzai and Tsukasa embrace in a poignant manga panel style illustration
The unresolved nature of the anime’s ending, particularly regarding the status of Anzai and Tsukasa’s relationship and the broader societal conflict, is a major reason viewers seek out the manga. The source material addresses these lingering questions comprehensively.
Anzai looking serious in street clothes
Conclusion: Start Your Devils’ Line Reading Journey
While the Devils’ Line anime serves as a decent introduction to its world and characters, it ultimately falls short of capturing the full depth and complexity of Ryo Hanada’s manga. For those wondering Where To Start Reading For Devil Line Anime progression, the technical answer is Chapter 36. However, for the most rewarding and complete experience, embracing the story from Volume 1, Chapter 1 is the best approach. The manga offers superior character development, richer world-building, nuanced exploration of themes, and a truly satisfying conclusion that the anime adaptation couldn’t fully deliver. Embarking on the manga journey will reveal why Devils’ Line is considered a gem in the dark fantasy and romance genres.
