Anime Review: Ao no Exorcist / Blue Exorcist

Produced by: A-1 Pictures

Manga and Art by: Kazue Kato

Anime available in: Netflix and Crunchyroll

By Aliraluna

Review:

Ao no Exorcist also known as Blue Exorcist, is the story of Rin Okumura a teenage boy with super strength, who doesn’t like school and studying, and has a knack at picking fights. Along with Rin is his twin brother Yukio. Both were raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto, who reads and studies devotedly, and was accepted at the prestigious True Cross Academy. One day Rin got a job at a supermarket, afterwards he saw a little girl running and trying to catch something. He noticed she was after a small demon and his life changed forever from that day on. A while after the occurrence, he found out that Satan is his father and if he drew out the demonic sword he possessed he’ll gain the demonic powers. Just when he discovered this, Satan appeared and attacked a church. Rin drew out the sword freeing his demonic powers, new appearance, and a blue flame– a symbol of Satan. He decided to become an exorcist afterward. Then, Mephisto Pheles, a friend of Father Shiro Fujimoto, who’s the director at True Cross Academy, made Rin’s wish come true by enrolling him in the academy to become an exorcist, he would need to take normal classes. 

While he waited for his first class to begin, he never imagined who would be his teacher and not just any teacher but a veteran in exorcism… Along the way of becoming an exorcist Rin would face many challenges such as being accepted by other students, having to hide his true self and personal story, and something even worse, the Vatican. Will he be able to defeat Satan and know more about his past?

Thoughts:

This was such a great anime. I searched and read about the manga’s storyline and it hasn’t been finished yet because of its popularity in Japan, and – no wonder – it really is a fantastic anime. I really like the religious themes used in here and how the author kept all the different opinions from our daily lives in balance, while demonstrating the horrible issues with the Vatican and religious beliefs. Even Rin, as Satan’s son, is not at fault for being his child; just like in our lives there are good children with horrible parents.  The artwork is exquisite and the story as well. I cannot wait to get my hands on the manga and set out on this wonderfully-painful journey with them once again.