The Amazon Prime TV series “The Boys” has been a worldwide phenomenon since its release. Not only does it serve as an excellent parody of the “Superhero“, but it also features one of the most iconic antagonists in recent memory, “Homelander“. While people patiently await what the creators have in store for the next season, many wonders if they can experience more The Boys content in other forms of media, such as a The Boys anime featuring their favorite psychopath.
Well, you’re in luck! Because that’s exactly what we’re bringing to your attention. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome The Boys: Diabolical!
The Boys Anime is not so Daijobu
Well as the title suggests, this is not your usual run-of-the-mill animated show meant for pre-teen and above. The Boys: Diabolical is gory, promiscuous, foul-mouthed and a blast till the end for anyone who is clamouring for more The Boys content.
While it is not completely canon to its live-action senpai, it is very much The Boys in both its tone and writing, many fans would even be glad to hear that our favourite serial killer in red and blues, is well represented in all his glory.
Who needs Superman?Â
Homelander in Diabolical is used sparingly but to great effect, his cameos serve as either the “oh s**t!” (Pretending to be Butcher) moment in an episode or just invoke pure hilarity in watching him pull out fake platitudes while being completely disinterested in reality as the media and fans buy it without question.
But for those wanting to add to his narcissism by clamouring to see him in the spotlight! do not fear because he stars in arguably the best episode of the show, which is not only canon to the live-action series but adds unexpected depth to his character and adds more background to his history.
Is The Boys: Diabolical even an Anime?
In a literal context, no. The Boys: Diabolical is an inherently Western production thus it can’t be classified as an anime. but when it comes to its episode structure and storyboarding, we can see that it’s a little bit of everything! from clear inspiration taken from the likes of
- Hannah Barbara cartoons
- Rick and Morty
- Anime
With this introspection in mind, we can say that Diabolical is less than intrigued by being tied to a single form of production and is more akin in creativity with shows such as Star Wars: Visions, which is clearly an anime production but takes inspiration and creative liberties with multiple different art styles and storyboards when it comes to each of its episodes.
Do we need a The Boys Anime?
No, not really. The Boys is a series that by concept is a parody of Western ideals and systems, and while it being adapted as an anime is surely captivating and will be for the lack of a better term “cool”, I don’t see the need for it. We have a great live-action series, an iconic comic book and now an animated show.
In reality, a conceptual The Boys Anime could possibly never work due to the diverge in values that Western media and Japanese media have and maybe it’s best to leave both to each other’s strengths. But this is just speculation and when we are considering shows such as The Super Crooks and Cyberpunk Edgerunners, one may think a The Boys anime could surely become a sleeper hit.
Conclusion
The Boys: Diabolical, while not being the anime masterpiece most were expecting, is still a really fantastic show worth watching just for the feeling of catharsis it provides and while a The Boys Anime may never happen, we can at least appreciate the effort that’s been put into respecting the medium by the show creators