The series updates the original 1970s setting to the 21st century but retains the basic premise of Nagai's manga, following Akira Fudo and his friend Ryo Asuka as they face an ancient race of demons that seek to destroy humanity.

The anime's themes of puberty, sexuality, sex, love, and LGBT identity were explored in critics' analysis of the work, along with a debate over whether the series' perspective and ending are nihilistic.

High school student Akira Fudo lives with his only friend and longtime crush Miki Makimura, her brother Taro, and her parents Noel and Akiko.

Ryo tells Akira that his recent expedition to the Amazon rainforest revealed the existence of demons, but that the world's governments are suppressing this information.

Disgusted by Ryo's apathy toward the chaos he has caused, Akira, alongside Koda and fellow devilman Miki "Miko" Kuroda, begins trying to find other Devilmen.

After returning, Ryo lies about the origin of demons during a worldwide broadcast and shows footage of Akira transforming into Devilman, causing the world to descends into mass violence and genocide.

It was produced as a Netflix original series by Aniplex and Nagai's Dynamic Planning, and animated by Masaaki Yuasa's studio Science Saru.

[7] Yuasa did Crybaby aware that Nagai was probably restrained in the depiction of its sexual and violent content by having Devilman published in a shōnen (young males) magazine.

[11][12] Yuasa commented that the technologies and social media's popularity made the 21st-century situation very close to the Devilman manga's violent scenario, as "people are a lot more connected, for good and bad".

[11] On the bad side, he cited people getting shot over a video game, police brutality towards African-Americans, the rise of nationalism in politics, and problems being blamed on foreigners.

[9] Japanese clothing brand Beams produced Devilman Crybaby-inspired street fashion,[19] while Aniplex released polystone statues based on the anime.

[28] Vincent stated it was a story about "self-discovery, and coming to terms with yourself",[37] while Allegra Frank of Polygon said the series shows "a real love for young people".

[38] Nick Creamer of Anime News Network called it a tale "about the chaos of puberty, about struggles with sexual identity and unrequited love".

[39] James Beckett, also commented for Anime News Network, that it reflects on how young people deal with sex, love, and self-identity, and how it affects their "sense of worth".

[33] Bridges commented it has a positive message to LGBT watchers, as it depicts "the destructive nature of the closet", while also showing that self-acceptance can strengthen people who are suffering.

[33] The Japan Times writer Matt Schley stated that despite being an adaptation of Nagai's Devilman, it felt more like a spiritual successor to Kemonozume, since both handle the subjects of identity, prejudice, religion and star-crossed love.

[3] Daryl Surat of Otaku USA called it nihilistic,[41] while Remus Noronha of Collider commented that "a sense of tragic inevitability" is presented through the whole series.

[26] Kotaku's Chris Person wrote that, despite ending in a tragedy, he does not think it is appropriate to characterize Devilman Crybaby as nihilistic "because it has an emotional core and a thesis that it strongly believes in".

[51] Because of Devilman Crybaby's popularity, GKIDS showed interest in releasing Science Saru's previous works Night Is Short, Walk On Girl and Lu over the Wall.

[41] Likewise, Sam Reach of Anime News Network commented, "Go Nagai fever is running red-hot nowadays, thanks in no small part to Devilman Crybaby".

[31][37][38][66] Peters wrote it exhibits all the a attributes of "an artistic cult classic",[44] while Bridges of Anime News Network deemed it "just top-to-bottom perfect".

[83] Emily Gaudette of Newsweek called it "the bloodiest, most profane animated series of the year",[40] and Thurm of Decider described it as the "grossest show on TV".

[80] While Peters of ComicBook.com and Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network said most of the content was "gratuitous",[44][80] Farokhmanesh of The Verge disagreed, saying it is "a tool used to demonstrate the overindulgent, sometimes disgusting nature of being human".

[31] Alexandra of Kotaku was divided on the topic; while understanding the story's focus on humans' vileness and indulgency, she described it as "occasionally distracting" and said the amount of violence makes it lose its impact fast.

[26] Kotaku's Person commented that the sexual depictions were "deeply silly" and fit the plot, since the first part is about sex's ludicrosity and absurdity, especially to young people.

[80] Loveridge called it a "visual trip unlike any other",[80] while Salkowitz of Forbes stated that the series "breaks out the most eye-melting psychedelia seen on the small screen" since MTV's Liquid Television.

[32] Writing for Otaku USA, Vincent said, "Yuasa's signature fluid animation [...] transform[s] what could have ultimately been an unattractive gorefest into an attractive ballet of human and demonic interaction".

[57] Another aspect of Devilman Crybaby that was commended includes its "pumping" and "pulsing" soundtrack,[33][43][68] which Inoa qualified as "so good it is an outright tragedy that it isn't available on Spotify".

[25] The ending was divisive; PewDiePie considered it "flat" and a "fatal flaw" in the series,[43] while Frank deemed its "beautiful, devastating finale" to be "perfection".

[51] Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network concluded that "it elevates the material into something else entirely, a spectacularly gay firestorm, a screaming, crying apocalypse that takes hold of you the moment it starts and never lets go".