Shall We 'Dance With Devils'? Review

Dance with Devils tells the story of Ritsuka Tachibana, a “normal” high school girl who happens to discover that her home was invaded, and her mother was kidnapped. Ritsuka discovers that she is stuck in the middle of a war between devils and vampires. It is believed that she is the last remaining key that knows the whereabouts of the forbidden grimoire, a magical item that gives its owner immense power and control over the whole world.

Story:

I’ve watched countless reverse harems where there wasn’t much of a plot as opposed to the main girl just getting to know each and every guy per episode. One example of such an anime is Kamigami no Asobi.

Yet for a twelve-episode reverse harem, Dance with Devils does an excellent job in sticking to a solid plot line within a timely manner. There’s a mystery aspect of the anime that perks the audience’s curiosity. Why is Ritsuka Tachibana so special to the vampires and devils? Also, what secret does she hold? As each episode progresses, we are given clues and characters’ backstories that help shape the main storyline.

By the end of the series, though, Dance with Devils only resolves and concludes one of its storylines. In fact, a second problem arises that possibly implies another season, but such indication of a new season is unknown.

Characters:

Now, for fangirls, there is a good dose of screen time for each male character. Yet I enjoyed that this reverse harem doesn’t focus only on the male characters and fanservice, but instead, as viewers we get immersed into the story and the situation that the female protagonist, Ritskua, is in. If you think about it, Ritskua’s mother is missing, and she has no one to trust or turn to, except for these demons and her brother, Lindo Tachibana. Hence, these guys help drive the plot along as oppose to just being fanservice.

These male characters, such as Urie Sogami and Shiki Natsumezaka, are able to sweep any girl off her feet just from their physical appearances. However, their mischievous actions and dialogue suggest that they have a hidden agenda. As a member of the female audience, this gives a reminder that not every man is a prince charming. Men can be wolves too. We are also reminded that these male characters are complex: they can exhibit both good and bad qualities. In fact, Rem Kaginuki tells Ritsuka to stay away from him, because he isn’t a good guy for her to be around.

(On a side note, though, did anyone else feel that all of the guys in Dance with Devils have eyeliner and mascara on? Or is it just me?).

Yet, the female protagonist, Ritsuka, becomes aware of these men’s evil intentions, and is cautious when she is around them. I didn’t find her aggravating, but instead, I have much respect for her, because she places her family to the utmost of importance.

Art & Music:

I don’t have much to say about the art, because it looks similar to most reverse harems I’ve seen. However, I did find it interesting that whenever they recall a flashback, they use a distinct border around the scene to indicate that this happened in the past, or that a character is recalling a memory.

Now, the title of this anime is Dance with Devils, but ironically they only danced once. There is more singing involved. I found the inserted songs within the anime, irritating. It felt like watching a Disney Sing-A-Long or High School Musical in anime form. I wouldn’t categorize this anime into the music genre, though, despite the constant singing from the characters, because the storyline isn’t related to music. I think this sing-a-long aspect is just to please the audience, and make this reverse harem different from others.

Unique Anime Factors:

As I said before, Dance with Devils has an (annoying) musical aspect to it. Sadly, though, you can’t actually skip the singing parts, because the lyrics express the characters’ emotions about the situation at hand, or their feelings for the other characters. Rather than expressing these emotions through dialogue or action, the characters sing it. So yes, it is annoying, but it does add character development.

The ending came out as a surprise for me. I won’t reveal what happened, but I wasn’t expecting it. But I will tell you this, the last episode made me like Ritsuka Tachibana as a female protagonist, because she was able to take control of her own destiny.

Worth Watching?

Dance with Devils is for fans that like the supernatural fantasy romance such as Vampire Knight and Diabolik Lovers. Yet if you like idols and musical anime, I think you might want to check this one out. The ending left me wanting more, and I hope (but highly unlikely) there will be a second season. You can’t just leave me hanging like that, though!