If you’ve played the games, you know her as Lady. She’s the badass, rocket-launcher-toting human who gives Dante a run for his money in Devil May Cry 3. But when you sit down to watch the 2007 Mary Devil May Cry anime, things feel a little... different. Specifically, Dante starts calling her Mary. It’s not a mistake, and it’s not a new character. It’s actually one of the most grounded, human elements in a series that is otherwise about pizza-eating demons and mid-air sword fights.
Honestly, the anime gets a lot of flack for being slower than the games. People wanted the high-octane "Stylish Action" of the PlayStation hits, but instead, Madhouse gave us a noir-inspired character study. Mary—or Lady, if we’re being informal—is a huge part of that tonal shift.
The Identity Crisis of the Mary Devil May Cry Anime
Why the name change?
Basically, "Lady" was never her name. It was a label Dante threw at her in the third game because she refused to tell him who she was. By the time the Mary Devil May Cry anime timeline rolls around, she’s in a weird spot. The anime takes place between the first and second games (or third and first, depending on which retcon you subscribe to this week). She’s trying to move on from the trauma of her father, Arkham.
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In the anime, she’s trying to reclaim some semblance of a normal life, or at least a professional one. When Dante calls her Mary, he’s actually acknowledging her humanity. It’s a sign of respect that’s easily missed if you’re just looking for explosions.
She’s a debt collector now. Well, sort of. She spends most of her screen time in the anime hunting down Dante to make him pay back the absurd amounts of money he owes her. It’s a hilarious dynamic because, despite Dante being a literal demi-god who can survive being impaled by five swords at once, he is absolutely terrified of Mary’s bill-collecting skills.
A Different Kind of Hunter
In the games, Mary is a wrecking ball. In the anime, she’s a professional. She wears a suit. She rides a motorcycle. She carries a briefcase that definitely isn't just full of paperwork.
The Madhouse production team, led by director Shin Itagaki, chose to highlight her role as a foil to Dante’s laziness. While Dante sits in his shop waiting for the phone to ring, Mary is out there hustling. She’s the one finding the jobs, doing the legwork, and then getting annoyed when Dante swoops in and breaks everything.
It’s worth noting that Fumiko Orikasa (who voiced Rukia in Bleach) did the Japanese voice for her in the anime. She brought a certain "done with your crap" energy that differs from the more aggressive performance in the games. If you watch the English dub, Kate Higgins returns, keeping that continuity alive for Western fans.
Is She Actually Mary or Just Lady?
Fans still argue about this. Some purists hate the name Mary. They think it makes her sound too soft. But that's the point. The Mary Devil May Cry anime explores the idea that these characters have lives outside of the missions.
- She uses her birth name when dealing with "normal" society.
- She keeps the "Lady" persona for the demon-hunting underworld.
- Dante uses "Mary" specifically to annoy her or show rare sincerity.
The anime features a specific episode where she and Trish meet for the first time. It is legendary. Usually, in these kinds of shows, the two female leads would fight over the protagonist. Not here. They basically team up to bully Dante and go shopping on his tab. It’s one of the few times we see Mary relax, even if "relaxing" for her involves threatening a legendary demon hunter with a Kalina Ann rocket launcher.
The Connection to the Broader Lore
If you’re looking at the series chronologically, the anime is essential for understanding how Mary goes from the vengeful teenager in DMC3 to the seasoned veteran in DMC4 and DMC5.
In the Mary Devil May Cry anime, we see her grappling with the fact that she’s just a human in a world of monsters. She doesn't have a Devil Trigger. She can't heal instantly. Every scar she gets stays there. This vulnerability makes her much more relatable than Dante, who is essentially a cartoon character who can't die.
The anime depicts her as a woman who has found a weird, dysfunctional family. She’s not just a sidekick; she’s an independent contractor. She often takes jobs that Dante is too "cool" for, showing the gritty, low-level side of demon hunting that the games skip over in favor of boss battles.
Why the Anime Version Matters Today
With the upcoming Netflix Devil May Cry series by Adi Shankar on the horizon, people are looking back at the 2007 version. The way it handled Mary's character is a blueprint for how to do human characters in a supernatural setting.
You can't just have people standing around while the hero does all the work. Mary works because she provides the stakes. When she gets hurt, it matters. When she’s mad at Dante, it’s usually because he’s being a reckless idiot who doesn't understand the value of a dollar—or the value of his own life.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're going back to watch the series or exploring the lore for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of it:
- Watch Episode 4: This is the big "Lady vs. Trish" episode. It defines Mary's personality more than any other chapter in the anime.
- Listen for the Name Cues: Pay attention to when Dante switches between "Lady" and "Mary." It usually signals a shift in the seriousness of the conversation.
- Don't Expect Game Mechanics: The anime is a noir mystery. Mary isn't going to do a 50-hit combo. She’s going to use her brain, her bike, and occasionally a very large gun.
- Check the Timeline: Remember that this takes place years after she killed her father. The "Mary" persona is her attempt at a "New Game Plus" for her own life.
The Mary Devil May Cry anime isn't just a spin-off; it’s the bridge that turns a vengeful girl into a legendary hunter. It grounds the franchise. It reminds us that even in a world of demons, names have power. Whether she's the Lady who hunts or the Mary who collects debts, she remains the most grounded part of Dante's chaotic world.
To fully appreciate the character arc, look for the official Devil May Cry: The Animated Series DVD or Blu-ray sets, as some streaming versions have slightly different subtitle translations that can muddy the "Mary vs. Lady" distinction. Stick to the primary source material to see the nuance in her transition from a traumatized daughter to a self-reliant professional.