What does Devil May Cry actually mean?

[berto]

Just because Japanese titles often have nonsensical seeming English doesn't mean they weren't trying to convey anything with it, and many of the ones you posted weren't nonsensical at all. I haven't played most of those games so I can't comment on what they signify, but it's clear what "killer is dead" means in a game where you go around killing killers, and "bravely default" (which I haven't actually played) is a reference to one of the game's key mechanics.

Never said 'nonsensical,' didn't even hint it. I said they were stylized and they were there more to sound cool than to be sensible (as opposed to sensical). Do they make sense? Yeah, sure, but there is no getting around that Japanese naming conventions are a thing and that they are, most of the time, obvious when a title is a Japanese one.

 

[asdf]

Never said 'nonsensical,' didn't even hint it. I said they were stylized and they were there more to sound cool than to be sensible (as opposed to sensical). Do they make sense? Yeah, sure, but there is no getting around that Japanese naming conventions are a thing and that they are, most of the time, obvious when a title is a Japanese one.

Well I focused to much on the language then, but my point still stands. There's no reason stylisation must preclude meaning, as demonstrated by the examples I gave, and to dismiss all English language Japanese titles as being unworthy of thought seems excessive.

 

[berto]

Well I focused to much on the language then, but my point still stands. There's no reason stylisation must preclude meaning, as demonstrated by the examples I gave, and to dismiss all English language Japanese titles as being unworthy of thought seems excessive.

First off, no, but in this case it might precede the meaning. The game was, for most of it's development, a Resident Evil game. According to Mikami it took a long while for them to convince Kamiya to change the game to it's own title and so there is just as much likelihood that the name was made and then the story than vice versa; that the name came before the meaning. The order of what came first in this situation is really debatable. With that being said I'm pretty sure I never said that that 'oh, it's just a Japanese name, there is no real meaning behind it.'

Second. Unworthy? I never said it was a bad thing or even that I disliked it. Japanese names are more, far more, interesting than western and I most certainly don't brush them off as 'unworthy' of anything. They can be nonsensical or overly whimsical at times but I never have minded those names and they certainly can't be accused of being boring. Was everyone here running under the impression that I was been disapproving of those titles or something?

Lastly, meaningful or not, it doesn't exclude any of them from been very Japanese in nature. There are staples that are very present in the naming conventions of Japan's action scene, games, manga, or movies, and Devil May Cry certainly belongs on that list. Whether the meaning has as much impact as other names to it's brand is besides the point, I wasn't arguing that (I don't even know if devil may care/cry is grammatically correct), I was pointing out that the name was a very Japanese action one and that it belonged among others that are like it.

Now, as to the meanings the title had adopted, it's actually a bit more than just a devil may care appropriation; It's a direct reference to Dante's saying, devils never cry, because as it turns out that in itself is a contradiction. You see, Dante is known as the man that makes the devils cry, a title that contradicts his phrase but compliments the title of Devil May Cry. Those are the 3 meanings that intertwine with the name, Dante's devil may care attitude, the phase 'devils never cry,' and Dante been known as the made who makes the devils/made the devil cry. Those are the meanings behind the name.

 

[Chancey289]

A lot of that is just your opinion and rather arbitrary explanation backing it up. It's also very narrow minded. Sounds like something I'd hear from a typical weeaboo. "Japanese titles are always far more interesting and better"- bleh. A very narrow minded call to make when referring to the worldwide entertainment industry.

The meaning behind Devil May Cry, is given in the very first game, comeing from the misconception that devils are incapable of empathy.

And there's reasoning behind all the titles you mention, that's not just for the sake of style exclusive to this Japanese mindset.

You're really missing the point on a lot of them with your weird list for the sake of generalization man.

 

[berto]

So, let me see if I get the gesture of what you are telling me. "What's wrong with you? How can you possibly like Japanese names? That's narrow minded of you and all of them make sense in relation to their content." Did I get the gist of it?

A lot of that is just your opinion and rather arbitrary explanation backing it up. It's also very narrow minded. Sounds like something I'd hear from a typical weeaboo. "Japanese titles are always far more interesting and better"- bleh. A very narrow minded call to make when referring to the worldwide entertainment industry.

You have a way with condescendence, don't you?

So you can't tell Japanese titles apart, doesn't mean I can't and apparently I did something wrong for it. View it however you want but I'm not going to apologize for it nor for liking them, why would I? You certainly make it sound like I am doing something wrong for it and even mentioned that I was 'narrow minded' for it, twice. Anything else I shouldn't like for fear of being narrow minded?

The meaning behind Devil May Cry, is given in the very first game, comeing from the misconception that devils are incapable of empathy.

Yeah, and then it was furthered explained in the novel when Dante was killing demons left and right and he made them cry which led to the title 'the man who makes the devil cry.' I just mentioned that.

And there's reasoning behind all the titles you mention, that's not just for the sake of style exclusive to this Japanese mindset.

I still don't understand. So you think that these titles could've just as easily come from a US developer/publisher, that Japanese naming of their action games is indistinguishable from the western names, is that what you are saying? That you can't tell them apart?

By the way, are you sure you even read my post? This is the second time I have to point out that I never argued that the games titles lacked meaning or connection to their works, go read the first paragraph of my first post again because I just finished pointing this out.

You're really missing the point on a lot of them with your weird list for the sake of generalization man.

I never said they weren't meaningful, did I? Do I have to say it a 3rd time? Meaningful or otherwise, it doesn't exclude them from having a Japanese air to them. For example, what the hell does 358/2 Days even mean? What kinda sense does that make? Oh, I'm sure there is a correlation to the content but you can't possibly tell me that it's not a title that could've only come out of Japan and no American, Canadian, French, or whatever other Country that develops video games would name their game.

 

[Chancey289]

I didn't say anything was wrong with liking anything. No, you're still trying to back up your arbitrary point.

Whatevs. I don't care enough to continue.

 

[berto]

I didn't say anything was wrong with liking anything. No, you're still trying to back up your arbitrary point.

Really? Because you certainly make it sound like it's wrong to like it.

just your opinion

very narrow minded

Sounds like something I'd hear from a typical weeaboo

"Japanese titles are always far more interesting and better"- bleh.

A very narrow minded call to make

By the way, what is this arbitrary point you keep talking about?

Whatevs. I don't care enough to continue.

And here I'm left without answers.

 

[V's patron]

Well back what it was a RE game, Tony (the precursor to Dante) was described with a devil may cry attitude so that might have led the creative team to call it DMC when they made it its own thing and thats probably how they decided on Dante being half-demon etc.

 

[berto]

Well back what it was a RE game, Tony (the precursor to Dante) was described with a devil may cry attitude so that might have led the creative team to call it DMC when they made it its own thing and thats probably how they decided on Dante being half-demon etc.

Tony was also powered by the T-virus, which was how he could do the superhuman acts that he does. He was an experiment, along with Vergil.

Notice the umbrella logo?

 

[V's patron]

Tony was also powered by the T-virus, which was how he could do the superhuman acts that he does. He was an experiment, along with Vergil.

Notice the umbrella logo?

I know but my point was they probably came up with the name because of tony's character and the supernatural angle came in as a way to explain his powers since they couldn't use the experiment angle anymore.

maybe it was Biohazard 4's subtitle (Biohazard 4 Devil may cry)?

 

[berto]

Yeah, I was just making a side comment related to yours.

However, I don't think they had a subtitle for it, much less one that refers to DMC. I've got no evidence of this but I get that impression from what there is from what I know of the development, it wasn't a supernatural title at first and I think that's a name it got when it took on the supernatural elements. Resident Evil subtitles also have a different vibe to them, with either key names or related to the zombie theme (Code Veronica, Nemesis, Dead Aim, Outbreak, Survivor). It still was a RE game, though, so not that much of a stretch but I just don't think it's likely.
(If you want to learn more on the development of DMC before and after it's transition from a RE game check this guy's work out: http://projectumbrella.net/forum/Biohazard-4-Devil-May-Cry-Ver
I made a thread with this dude's material in the DMC1 section but it got locked. Some of the stuff there isn't available anywhere else, anymore, the original thread died.)