Go Nagai
Devilman

Actually, I'm not a big Manga enthusiast. I might have read a few, just for fun.

Among the most beautiful ones, I still remember "Solarlord," "Magic Blade," and "Street Fighter III," the latter two brutally interrupted at volume 9 and 38 respectively (if I'm not mistaken) and withdrawn by Jade for reasons unknown to us mere mortals. Who knows what happened to them......

However, one manga left a significant impression on me. Something that literally shocked me, scared me, and, yes, made me feel moments of emotion.

"Devilman."

The manga is nothing but a collection of 5 volumes, the work of master Go Nagai who, I still cannot define if he is a genius or a madman. Or both, who knows.

The fact is that the relationship between Go Nagai and religion has always been quite controversial. Just think that Devilman is the continuation of his previous manga, "Mao Dante," censored and withdrawn from the land of the rising sun (can you believe it!), because it was too blasphemous and irreverent.

However, in "Devilman," the master holds back. Thus, he offers us his most successful work, from every point of view.

Before starting with the description of the manga in question, I would like to open a small parenthesis. Namely, that the Devilman that became popular on our TVs in the glorious eighties has nothing to do with Go Nagai's Devilman, even though it is more or less related.

Going back to the manga. Well, it immediately presents its protagonist, Akira Fudo, a boy who is as weak and incapable as they come. The classic nerd, in short. He even lets his friend Miki, perhaps the most angelic being ever drawn by Go Nagai, defend him from being bullied.
And it is here, right from the start, that the personalities and psychology of the characters begin to take shape. Akira is a pure soul. Miki is a fighter who, however, hates bullying and does not stand still and indifferent in front of it. The figure of the bullies, on the other hand, is very ambiguous. You'll understand why later.

The plot is very intricate and not easy to follow. This starts from the appearance of the third main character of the story, Ryo, Akira's childhood best friend. A character who will shatter Akira's entire existence, for better or worse. Ryo, an orphan like Akira (and how could it be otherwise? Every Japanese protagonist has the loss of both parents in their profile... I wonder why?) is a vigilante but NOT a pure one. He fights for justice but doesn't think twice about pulling out his gun to chase away the bullies.

Without delving too much into the story, which would really be very long, it is with Ryo's appearance that Akira's life will be completely upended.
This "great friend" will bring him to the terrible realization: demons are taking over the world. He discovered this thanks to his father, who died trying to fuse with one of them. After his death "...his body weighed twice as much!". Akira is baffled and astounded but after the first demon attack, he realizes that Ryo is right.

The only way to counter the demons is by merging with them through a satanic ritual (a black sabbath). Akira manages to fuse with one of the most powerful demons, Amon. And this is where the story truly begins.

Until now, it was just a simple introduction to the characters. From now on, we will know the real Akira, the REAL Ryo. And the demons, the inhabitants of the Earth, the first inhabitants of our planet who, following an ice age, remained trapped for millions of years, until their current awakening, finding their world inhabited (occupied) by humans. Ergo: extermination of the human race without mercy.

Akira becomes the avenger of the story. He won't hesitate to transform into a devilman whenever he must confront his opponents (the fight against the harpy Silen is tremendous).

But Akira also changes as a person. He is no longer the fool to be bullied at school. Even his gaze changes, his demeanor, the way he dresses. Miki will find him "cooler." The bullies, however, will be mercilessly beaten, punched, and kicked by Akira himself, with a Miki who is astonished and flabbergasted. She, finally, has found the man she desired (in fact, Akira had always liked her... but now she finds him more attractive... I'll never understand women).

In the 5 volumes that make up the manga, the story takes an increasingly dire turn. The demons begin to multiply, Xenon, one of the most powerful demons, declares war on humans who now know about the existence of demons, who, even at the cost of exterminating men as soon as possible, attempt fusions with them. Fusions that most often are kamikaze-like, as both the human and the demon that possessed them die. 
And here there is something to reflect on. Akira was never truly as weak as Go Nagai had presented him. Otherwise, he would never have managed to fuse with a demon of Amon's rank.

However, now, the plot becomes insane. Fear, xenophobia, and madness rage and devour humans who begin to kill anyone suspected of being a Devilman, even forming a demon-hunting squad with their own headquarters.

And Akira becomes the most misunderstood man in the world because he is a man with demonic blood. The one who had sworn to protect his own race, humans, the same humans who are now killing each other.

However, Akira will not be alone. Because, on many occasions, human-demon fusions do occur and work perfectly, allowing the human will to prevail. Especially when it comes to Buddhist monks. 

We are at the epilogue. An army of devilmen against an entire army of demons.

How did it come to this?

The answer is simple: Ryo.

Ryo was never who he seemed to be. Introduced as a vigilante, as the man who, along with Akira, would save the world, he actually turns out to be the grand piece of son of a b**ch that he is: Satan himself.

Satan who, at the time of the glaciation, had thought all of this through. He hated God because He preferred humans over demons and had allowed them to reside on Earth. Now it was a personal matter. Taking back what belongs to him. Incarnating in an ordinary human's body, Ryo's, creating a life for him with fake memories, and making him experience the same feelings as humans. Fear, hatred, love, weakness. To conceive them better, understand how they think, and discover their weaknesses. And a man's weakness is love and fear.

Akira will prove to be weak, in the vain attempt to save Miki's parents accused of being devilmen. They will all die. He will return to his beloved but will only find her head. They killed her, the men. Fear is rampant, along with madness.

We are in chaos. Miki defended herself to the end, with all her strength. Helping her were the same bullies who had become Akira's best friends. Those bullies introduced to us as "bad" actually show to have a heart of gold, great strength, and courage. They, too, will die.

Akira, in a fit of despair, kills everyone, humans and demons.

The tragic final epilogue sees Ryo-Satan against Akira-Devilman. Because Satan spared Akira from the slaughter since he had spoiled his plans more than once.

Because, even Ryo, had experienced the feeling of love. He had fallen in love with Akira. And he will confess to one of his demons, "...you know I am a hermaphrodite..".

But the fight begins. Devastating, deadly, cruel. Whoever survives will earn, by right, the RIGHT TO LIVE on Earth. Or on what's left of it. A Earth that will be populated by demons or devilmen.

War. Devastation. Clash. Death. Epilogue.

"..... the moon.... is the only beautiful thing that hasn't changed all these years...."

Perhaps the most beautiful sentence uttered in the entire manga. And it will be pronounced by Ryo-Satan after he cuts Akira-Devilman's body in half, now at the end of his strength and nearing death.

The two enemies, both, lying on the beach staring at the moon. A touching moment before Ryo's last words: ".... forgive me Akira. I have been foolish. The strongest believe they have the right to exterminate the weaker...."

Satan realizes he made a mistake. The same mistake God made in wanting to punish the Demons, imprisoning and freezing them, giving humans refuge on Earth.

PITY. FORGIVENESS. REPENTANCE.

It's too late. Akira slowly fades under the tears of a desperate and REPENTANT Satan. Akira's body is torn in half. Only the upper part is visible.
The last words:

"..... Akira! An eternal sleep.... you have fallen asleep....."

I don't think I've read anything more tragic and moving in the world of manga. Where we are used to happy endings. Where good triumphs.

Here, there is the triumph of death and the prince of darkness in tears.

The greatest work of Go Nagai.