Waifu Wednesday: Miki Makimura (Devilman Crybaby)

All Articles Anime Features Headliners Waifu Wednesday
Lilia Hellal
March 1, 2023
1

I love my depressing, downer stories. They provide me with some of the heaviest reality checks one can possibly find. Devilman Crybaby is full of these, with one of the most unbearable melancholic being that of Miki Makimura. She deserved way better, and her story reminds us that true horror can come from what humans are capable of doing when despair sets in.

Please keep in mind that the source material referred to throughout this piece focuses entirely on the 2018 anime adaptation.

Minor spoilers up ahead.

Who is Miki Makimura?

Miki Makimura is a supporting character in Devilman Crybaby, and is the love interest to main character Akira Fudo. Miki not only attends the same school as Akira and is a vital player in the track and field team, but she grew up alongside Akira, living with her parents and her younger brother.

She is the purest ray of hope from Akira’s point of view, especially when concerning the wider gravity of things as everything about the world as they know it goes to pot. Her innocence and purity is the exact opposite of what you want to see in a world as ruthless as that of Devilman Crybaby. She was never going to get out of it alive. But she is a constant reminder of there always being actual good to be found and appreciated no matter how dire or cruel our world can be.

Why we love her

Miki Makimura is an angel on earth in every sense of the phrase. She has many notable and impressive traits to her character. She repeatedly stands up for her friends, is not afraid to put others in their place to protect them, and is a true pacifist. Regardless of how dire the situation ends up being in a world that is quite literally spiralling out of control, she never turns to violence and instead seeks a calm resolution through peaceful means.

This is all despite just how bad things have been and always will be for her. As just one example of the trials she has experienced in her life, she was bullied due to her mixed heritage. But this never affected the way she viewed people. She never stopped believing in the good of others.

Why you will love her

Miki is the beating heart to most of the major relationships in the show, even outside of her role as Akira’s love interest. Her relationship with a certain someone who will go unnamed for spoiler reasons is especially important since it has quite a “Misa and Rem” spin on it, further highlighting just how difficult it is to not fall head over heels for her.

Without Miki, Devilman Crybaby would not be such a powerful watch. It’s wonderful to see how cute she is when she appreciates the fundamental traits of Akira’s character — especially when he shows his most vulnerable, emotional side that becomes a main point of contention in the show’s plot. She not only recognises it, but truly values it.

Miki is the one true source that grounds Akira and his humanity, and her impact can be felt even outside of his character; she ends up as an inspirational martyr by the end of the show. Her sweet, naïve and caring personality may have been her downfall, but the way she stays true to herself for the sake of those closest to her — and for the greater good — strikes our very core. It’s loveable ladies like her who make the world go round.

Appreciate her by watching the show now on Netflix.

Join The Discussion

Rice Digital Discord
Rice Digital Twitter
Rice Digital Facebook

Or write us a letter for the Rice Digital Friday Letters Page by clicking here!

^{Disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on them. This is at no additional cost to you and helps support Rice Digital!}