Devil May Cry: The Animated Series, Level 3

The press notes promise that this is “the final chapter in the year's most exciting animated adventure,” which may be a blessing in disguise since the series—based on the popular video game franchise for Sony's Playstation 2 and 3—appears to have run out of gas (which is a shame, since earlier installments were fairly entertaining). In this go-round, the demon hunter Dante (who happens to be half-demon himself) is on a quest to bring down his ultimate quarry: the demon Sid and his squad of less-than-merry devils. Several butt-kicking female characters from the previous installments—Lady, Trish, and Patty—show up to aid Dante in this four-episode collection that feels like an endless loop of style-rich, substance-poor violence, full of sword-sliced flesh and flowing blood, but little in the way of inventive storytelling, memorable characters, or even a sense of purpose. Presented on a dual-language disc, rated TV-MA, this will be of interest to those collecting the series, but is optional elsewhere. Aud: P. (P. Hall)