- Episodes : 20
- Genre : Action, Fantasy, Shounen, Supernatural
- Airing Date : April 17, 2011 - October 2, 2011
- Producers : A-1 Pictures
Blue Exorcist (Ao no Exorcist) Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)
Rin Okumura and his twin brother Yukio are two young boys who live in a monastery. They were raised by the clergymen after their mother died. Father Shiro Fujimoto is the head priest, their legal guardian, and the closest thing to a father that the boys have. The young boys were raised as normal children and the knowledge of their past was kept secret.
However, around the time the boys turn 15, things start to take a turn for the worse. Rin is starting to see strange creatures that no one else can see. They start to cause problems in his daily life. An even stranger occurrence takes place when he gets into a fight with a local bully. The boys appearance starts to change to that of a strange creature and his actions become increasingly more violent. Father Fujimoto steps in to protect his son and fill him in on what’s actually going on.
It’s revealed that Rin and Yukio are actually the children of a demon. That is why he can see demons and, more importantly, why they can see him. He can no longer hide the fact that he is the son of a demon, especially since his own blue demonic flames manifest in times of distress. Demons are now trying to hunt him down and use his body as a vessel for Satan to enter the human world.
Who does Blue Exorcist cater to?
This show is for people into Shounen anime. There is a lot of action involving sword fighting, hand to hand combat, magic, and various other weapons. A lot of the story revolves around teenagers going to school and learning how to become exorcists.
It’s a coming of age story that deals with family loss, peer acceptance, sibling relationships, staying true to your goals, and accepting responsibility.
What's so appealing about this piece of work.
The supernatural element of the show is what will draw in viewers. Though there are a few Biblical references, for the most part the show leaves religious context out of the narrative. Magic, supernatural powers, various creatures, and possessions are where the show focuses its strengths as a supernatural anime.
Plenty of battles, character variety, and character growth are what will keep the viewers entertained throughout the series.
Ao no Exorcist Trailer
Blue Exorcist Main Characters List
Rin Okumura
Voice Actor :Nobohiko Okamoto
Born from a human mother and Satan. Rin has always been hot tempered and immature. He gets into far too many fights and at the beginning of the series struggles to find a part-time job. He’s an immature slacker, but he has a good heart.
The realization of how much his brother has achieved and the sacrifice of Father Fujimoto break him out of his adolescent bubble
Rin was motivated to follow his father’s footsteps and become the strongest exorcist, the Paladin. He also wants to destroy Satan to enact revenge and bring justice to the lives he has taken.
He is an excellent cook. He possesses the ability to communicate with Kuro telepathically. Secretly wants to be accepted by his peers.
Yukio Okumura
Voice Actor :Jun Fukuyama
Though he is Rin’s younger twin, Yukio is the exact opposite. He is intelligent, logical, and dependable. He exudes maturity and is trying his best to follow the path that Father Fujimoto set out for him.
He learned about his demonic heritage at a young age. He decided to keep the information a secret in order to protect his older brother. He began his training as an exorcist under the tutelage of Father Fujimoto.
He became an instructor at True Cross Academy at a very young age. He is the youngest exorcist in history. And, he is viewed as a genius by his peers and seniors.
He holds two Meister titles, one as Dragoon and the other as Doctor. Though it isn’t explicitly stated, it appears that he is the only person to hold dual Meister titles.
Though he doesn’t exhibit any demonic abilities like his brother, he does contain an unusual birthmark that continues to spread across his body. He undergoes daily check-ups to make sure he is healthy and that he isn’t exhibiting any demonic symptoms.
Contains Spoilers
Blue Exorcist Review
This show executes exactly what it set out to do. It created a good story with engaging characters. Supporting that are good action sequences, some touching moments, good character designs, and some amazing opening and ending songs.
The animation is great and fluid. The smaller story arcs are all very entertaining. The fights are entertaining. The music and voice overs fit the series perfectly. It’s an excellent series that deserves a top placing among other shounen anime.
The biggest gripe with this series is that it could have done so much more. The first half of the show is superb. It sets up the world, it slowly introduces fascinating characters, and develops meaningful relationships among the fellow exorcists.
But, just as you start to follow their progress as exorcists, the show suddenly accelerates the story. Suddenly, we’re rushed into a chaotic plot where the True Cross Order is determined to quickly annihilate every demon in existence and destroy Gehenna itself. We’re given a brief look into how Rin and Yukio were conceived from a human and Satan. Mephisto undergoes a trial before the Grigori for his crimes. Plus, a lot more happens in the span of about 10 episodes.
Whatever happened to these kids studying to (one day) become full-fledged exorcists? Why wasn’t more time spent on Rin learning how to master his demonic abilities?
The title of Paladin was given so much praise and authority only to have it quickly stripped from Arthur Angel and pass it on to Yukio.
I also would have loved to see some kind of story arc involving the “8 Demon Kings”. We saw that one of them was Amaimon. But, there was no mention or glimpse of the other seven.
There is a simple explanation for why the story was rushed: the anime caught up to the source material. The show has to either come up with fillers or create anime-only material. It decided to do the latter and the show suffered greatly because of it.
1. Fujimoto’s Sacrifice
One of the earliest, and most impactful, scenes is Father Fujimoto’s battle with Satan’s possession. Satan successfully takes over Fujimoto’s body creates a Gehenna Gate. Rin is almost pulled down through it, but Fujimoto momentarily retakes control of his body. He grabs his pendant and stabs himself in the heart before Satan can complete his task.
2. Rin vs Amaimon
This fight is where Rin finally reveals his demonic powers to his classmates. They are all in danger of being killed by Amaimon. He decides to stop deceiving them and use his powers, even if that means they’ll turn on him because he is a demon. While in berserk mode he almost destroys Amaimon but Mephisto manages to save him and send him back to Gehenna.
3. Kuro’s Backstory
One of the most touching moments in the show included our favorite cat, Kuro. We find out that this demon once lived in harmony with humans. But, over time, people began to forget about Kuro and he became enraged. Father Fujimoto was the exorcist who was sent to deal with the matter. When he showed up he offered Kuro some catnip sake and asked if they could become friends.
Looking past what the show could have been, I still stand by the fact that it is a solid show. I’d still recommend it to anyone looking for a good supernatural anime, something shonen-like, or something containing demons and magic.
Author: Javier Garcia
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