Alternative TitlesEnglish: Blue Exorcist Synonyms: Ao no Futsumashi Japanese: 青の祓魔師(エクソシスト)
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 25
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 17, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.131 (scored by 46905 users)
Ranked: #3242
Popularity: #66
Members: 80,526
Favorites: 2,775 1 indicates a weighted score
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SynopsisThis world consists of two dimensions joined as one, like a mirror. The first is the world in which the humans live, Assiah. The other is the world of demons, Gehenna. Ordinarily, travel between the two, and indeed any kind of contact between the two, is impossible. However the demons can pass over into this world by possessing anything that exist within it. Satan the god of demons, but there's one thing that he doesn't have, and that's a substance in the human world that is powerful enough to contain him!! For that purpose he created Rin, his son from a human woman, but will his son agree to his plans? Or will he become something else...? An exorcist?
(Source: MU) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Ao no Exorcist
Side story: Ao no Exorcist Specials, Ao no Exorcist: Kuro no Iede
Other: Ao no Exorcist (Movie), Ao no Exorcist (Movie) Special
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Archaeon
179 of 283 people found this review helpful
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25 of 25 episodes seen
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| Overall |
6 |
| Story |
6 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Character |
5 |
| Enjoyment |
6 |
"Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years!" - Anton LaVey
One of the constants of many religions is the idea that sin and evil stem from a higher power. In some cases this means another deity that works in opposition to all things good, but for Christianity, Islam and Judaism such things are viewed as the domain of Satan (or "Lucifer, Fallen Angel, Prince of Darkness, Bringer of Light, Ruler of Hell, Lord of the Flies, Father of Lies, Apostate Supreme, Tempter of Mankind, Bringer of the Apocalypse, Old Serpent, Prince of this World, Seducer, Accuser, Tormentor, Blasphemer" - Glen Duncan).
Whatever name is ascribed to this being, the idea of him being the enemy of all things good is so deeply ingrained in society, he is usually depicted as the epitome of darkness and evil. While there are tales out there that try to cast Satan in a different light (for example, DC Vertigo's "Lucifer"), most writers find it easier to go with the prevailing opinion - which is a bit ... lazy to be honest.
Adapted from the ongoing shounen manga by Kato Kazue, Ao no Exorcist follows the adventures of Okumura Rin, a boisterous teenager with superhuman strength and a problem controlling his temper. Together with his younger twin brother Yukio, they live in a small Christian monastery run by their father, Fujimoto Shiro, and several monks who have helped raise the two boys. The series opens with a group of priests who are frantically praying in unison, but one by one they are being killed by a mysterious blue fire.
The scene shifts to Rin, who has just punched a delinquent for shooting pigeons with a crossbow.
Because this is a shounen anime, the plot adopts the action oriented, fight-of-the-week format that is so common in the genre. While this method is formulaic, it does have two advantages, the first being that the story becomes very easy to follow. Overly complex details and anything truly thought provoking have been discarded, which is more than a little ironic as, in true shounen anime style, this simplistic approach is reflective of the content of the series. The second advantage is familiarity, and while it doesn't seem like an important factor, it does play a key role when it comes to enjoying this show.
Sadly, Ao no Exorcist also suffers from many of the problems that plague the shounen genre, partly because of the formulaic plot, but mainly because the series lacks the much of the depth needed to keep the story interesting. The lacklustre narrative is filled with bland humour and pointless angst, and because of these factors, the series has a tendency to veer off track. Although there are attempts to keep everything running smoothly, the underlying lack of creativity and complexity make this difficult to achieve. In addition to this, only a part of the manga has made the transition to anime, and much like the first adaptation of Full Metal Alchemist, the latter portion of the series is completely original - and it shows (more on this in a bit)
When it comes to looks, Ao no Exorcist is on surer footing, although a part of that is because this is a manga adaptation. The majority of the character designs are very typically shounen in style (even down to the short, bald guy), but while the source material adds a degree of refinement to their composition, there are also a few inherent limitations. That said, there's a surprising degree of creativity in the supernatural elements of the series, and a few of the weird and wonderful concepts really steal the show. There are also a few imaginative settings that make a nice contrast to the rather humdrum everyday scenery, and when everything comes together the overall effect can be colourful and slightly outrageous (in a good way).
As for the animation, A-1 Pictures have done a decent job for the most part, even with the typical shounen posturing and theatrics. The characters move well, if at times a little unrealistically, and the majority of action scenes are fluid and well choreographed. Unfortunately there are some noticeable occasions where the standard drops, and sadly these aren't limited to periods of frenetic activity.
The strong shounen theme is prevalent in the two opening sequences, both of which are filled with action, posturing, and a smattering of angst. In addition to this, the two introductory tracks, "Core Pride" by Uverworld (episodes 1 to 12), and "In My World" by Rookiez Is Punk'd (episode 13 onwards), are very typical rock songs that one might find at the beginning of any shounen anime. Ao no Exorcist also features two ending sequences, the first one being a CG "journey" through a city that is accompanied by "Take Off" by South Korean boy band 2PM. The second features a montage of the characters against a variety of patterned backgrounds, all to the tune of "Wired Life" by Kuroki Meisa. The rest of the soundtrack is features dramatic orchestral pieces and strange little comic relief ditties, and while these are generally well choreographed, as a whole there's nothing really special about the background music.
One of the biggest problems with the shounen genre is that it can often be too formulaic, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the dialogue. The script appears to have been written by people with no idea of how teenagers actually talk, and the conversations are filled with pointless banalities, angst ridden diatribes and cumbersome bravado. Everything's a bit too contrived, and to further compound matters, the voice actors have obviously been instructed to play their parts with extra "oomph". The result is that emotions like anger, frustration, joy, fear, etc, often involve lots of shouting, while the rest of the acting has enough ham to start a business making sandwiches.
The characters are a veritable "who's who" of stereotypes, and it can sometimes seem as though the mangaka has followed the instructions in "How To Make A Shounen Character" to the letter. Rin is the typical lead male - all brawn, very little brains, and tries to solve every problem by hitting it, and surrounding him are people who epitomise their archetypes. In addition to this, Ao no Exorcist makes the age old mistake of assuming that overcoming trials and tribulations equals development, and while some of the characters do learn a thing or two over the course of the series, much of what passes for growth is nothing more than window dressing on a mannequin.
In all honesty the only interesting person in the whole show is Yukio, but given how shallow everyone else is, this may not be saying much.
Ao no Exorcist isn't a new concept, and much of the inspiration for the story has obviously come from Mike Mignola's "Hellboy". The sad part is that although the latter work is a gripping supernatural horror/thriller that touches upon many different cultural beliefs, legends and aspects of folklore, virtually none of that is present in this anime. The decision to make this a shounen tale has placed severe limitations on what can and cannot be done, and this means that the narrative can't achieve the atmosphere, the tone, or even the level of complexity of Hellboy.
Which brings us back to the latter portion of the anime.
Once the series moves away from the source material the story takes a slightly darker turn, and several themes are introduced that, if they had been used earlier, could have raised the show above mediocrity. Unfortunately these concepts are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame as there was an opportunity to take the anime in a direction that would have made it far more interesting than it actually is. That doesn't mean it should have gone done the path used by The Omen trilogy though (i.e. Rin becomes The Antichrist), but it would have been nice if the wistful, almost melancholy desire of his father was examined in more detail.
With all of its flaws it may seem as though Ao no Exorcist has nothing to offer, so it's surprising that the show is reasonably enjoyable. That said, the best way to treat this anime is to think of it as a rather long action movie that has difficulty getting to the point, and if it's watched for the sole purposes of no-brain entertainment, then viewers can expect a decent return for their time.
That said, with two live action movies, two animated features, and a world of difference in content, some people may find Hellboy a better proposition. read more
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ILYUHA
280 of 527 people found this review helpful
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7 of 25 episodes seen
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
A classic Shounen,what else to say. I think a lot of studios thinks about making anime about son of satan. But then they said "Oh no. It will be too stereotyped" When A-1 pictures said "hm...why not?".And they weren't mistaken. Now we have one of greatest anime of summer 2011. I enjoyed it so much and I hope you will too.
Story 9/10:
+:The story is just masterpiece. As i said, it stereotyped,but it does not affect at fun of watching. You just watch and say "oh Sh**t! That was awesome!"
-:The story little bit slowly accelerates. I mean when you watch 1-2 episodes you think "in the next episode he definitely will kick someone's ass!". But in 6-7 story become boring a little bit. Because Rin collect his own team or smt else.
But I completely sure it will be briliant story. We just need to wait...
Art 10/10:
+:I really love how ANE are drawn.It doesn't lose quality at battle scene, how does bleach or smt like that.
-:Nothing to say. Just 10/10
Sound 9/10:
+: Rin's voice actor is Nobuhiko Okamoto. He famous for acting in Bakuman, Bleach, Durarara!!, Shiki, Toaru Majutsu no Index, etc. Of course he great and I totally approve set of voice actors.
-: Opening, ending and soundtrack isn't so cool how it could be
Character 9/10:
+: All the characters are charismatic and hilarious. Especially Rin. He is really character with balls. I definitely love moments when he release his demonic power. It looks amazing. Also in anime we have kinda tsundere, nerd, foolish beauty, badass friend and brother. Yes, I told you it is cliched. But it's doesn't nary irritate.
-: Too many minor characters. Trolls and atc...Why did you do that, men? they don't need to anybody! why you made the whole episode about it?
Enjoyment 10/10:
Nothing to say. I just in love with it since first episode.
Overall 9/10:
If you whant a classic shounen, which will cause you to scream "OH MY GOSH!" and all it conjugate with wonderful art, marvelous sound and damn good fightings so this is anime for you! m/
P.S. This is my first review. I from Russia...Yes. Yes. Vodka, Bears, Balalaika. And i am not so good in English. Sorry. I hope my review will help you. read more
Recommendations
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Ao no Exorcist is very similar in storyline to D. Grayman. The main protagonist is a young boy named Okumura. He however is cursed with being the illegitimate son of Satan. He then is rescued along with his twin brother by a society of exorcists. A priest, who Okumura calls father raises him, in hopes that he Okumura will use his powers for good, and not evil. After Okumura's foster father is killed, he pledges himself to train to be an exorcist, and defeat Satan's forces. In D. Grayman the main protagonist is Allen Walker, who is becomes cursed after he turns his dead relative, and father figure into an akuma, by being tricked by the evil Earl. However Allen's relative instead of killing Allen fights the urge, and then curses him. Allen then leaves after destroying his relative to then be found by General Cross, an exorcist of the Black Order. Allen then after a time of apprenticeship goes to the Black Order to be trained and become a full fledged exorcist. So if you like Ao no Exorcist then you will love D. Grayman.
Both about exorcists and devils. Both main characters are in the gray zone.
Both are shounen action series where the protagonists are Exorcists with special powers who fight and defeat demons, and who are regimented in an academy setting with their comrades. Both are battle series with strong biblical themes and dark gothic art.
Same feeling to it. A bit of gothic/dark art and exorcists. Both created from a female manga artist. Also, both have cute main characters!!
* exorcists, demons theme
* both main characters are very special
* action, shounen
* both are very enjoyable!
Similarities: Exorcist and demons
Both of the main protagonists are Exorcist that fight against demons. Both have dark, evil side within them.
The characters who fight the demons/akumas are called Exorcists. Also, the demons take advantage of the weaknesses of people.
1. Exorcist vs. Demons. Although the point is a bit different.
2. The main character in both of these animes is good, with a dark side.
well if you love demons and love the exorcist that train to combat them and save the world, you are gonan love ao no exorcist but its a little more kid friendly then d. gray man so your mileage may vary
Both animes have characters support the main are exorcists and the main characters both have a dark side of them.
both are about exorcists and in both is a main character with a dark side
They both have this Exorcist vs Demons theme in them. There are Exorcists and Demons + the main characters are kind of similar.
Well... it's clear that they're both supernatural shonen genre-wise... but D.Gray-Man seems a bit darker atmosphere wise in my opinion... both are Great series which display an organizational structure against opposing forces (akumas/demons) and the main characters of both series respectively (Allen & Rin) seem to have a daunting character growth ahead of them....
Both animes center around an order of exorcists fighting demons!!
Similarities to genre,publishers.
Both are an Exorsists stories. And very good stories :)
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Both are generic shounen series on the surface, but are enjoyable regardless.
They both take place in a school dedicated to defeating the supernatural and both stories revolve around the students, mostly.
The main characters also both deal with being demonic
Ao no Exorcist - a young man who finds him self thrust into a world of demons and exorcist attending a school to learn to control his ability's to defeat demons and eventually satan...
Soul Eater- fallowing a couple who are teamed up to defeat demons and witches as part of their school assignments they are sent after deams and train to become stronger
Both animes have student studing in a big academy to fight demons.
In soul eater they are demon hunter. In Ao no Exorcist they are demon exorcists and they go out slaying demons with teacher supervision sometimes, just like in Soul Eater.
The stories are very similar except in Ao no exorcist they have their own weapons, unlike in soul eater where they had the meister and "weapons" which were actually another person.
They both have a dude that thinks hes all that. They both have similar character. They are both about kids hunting evil and go to a school to learn how.
The art is very similar!
Both are exceptionally good;
and they both include an academy and demons! :o
the op. song/art has the same style as soul eater also the story is very similar .. both anime are GREAT !
The both animes involve two worlds in which the characters are related to. Te looks of the characters are also similar. In they both share the same geners.
Honestly, when I first started watching Ao no Exorcist, I felt it screamed Soul Eater. I mean, not only are the art styles similar, but Rin (the protagonist) reminded me greatly of Soul. Even then, as you continue to move forward through the series, you'll be able to make more and more comparisons. For instance, Faust is a lot like Lord Death, having that same wackiness.
There are a lot of other similarities, like similar humor and such. But regardless, you should take the time to watch this.
Similar animation, similar setting
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Opening Theme#1: "CORE PRIDE" by UVERWorld (eps 1-12)
#2: "IN MY WORLD" by ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D (eps 13-25)
Ending Theme#1: "Take off" by 2PM (eps 1-12)
#2: "Wired Life" by Meisa Kuroki (eps 13-25)
Fansubbing Groups
Which fansubbers do you like the best? Click + to approve of their subs for this show. Click - if you don't think they did such a great job.
Related ClubsMephisto Pheles Club, Coffee Shop, Demon Lovers!, Cat Sidekick Fanclub, Character Manager, Unique Yaoiness, ★Pictorial Culture Miscellany★, Ao No Exorcist, Anime Card Obsession (A.C.O.), Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist) fanclub, Polski FC Ao no Exorcist, VACCC AKA Virginia Cosplay Convention Club, Any&All, A Certain Incandescent Anime Club, Cutiep809's Palace, Anime Music Downloader, Amaimon Fanclub, We love Bishies!, Okamoto Nobuhiko FC, Official Rin Okumura Fan ClubHiroshi Kamiya & Daisuke Ono Fanclub, ~*~Rin & Yukio~*~ , One-eyed characters, Black Rain Cards [BRC], ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D Fanclub, AnimeServ Club, ~supernatural anime/drama club~ , Kirigakure Shura FC, Okumura Yukio Fanclub, The Fukuyama Jun Fanclub, ~*~Rin & Ryuji~*~, Hanazawa Kana's Fans!, Shiroku✰Highschool, K-POP Club, Rin x Shiemi FC, UVERworld, Anime✫R✫Us™, Yuuki Kaji Fans., Exorcist Club, Rin Okumura Fanclub, Role Players Unite!, Animanga Lovers, Moriyama Shiemi Fanclub, Renzou Shima FC, Kamiya Hiroshi fanclub, The Planet of Cards!, Ao no Exorcist FC, The Best Anime PL, Anime Card Society (A.C.S), New York anime club, Daisuke Ono Fan Club!, Ao No Exorcist Brasil, Au No Exorcist (Blue Exorcist) RP, Okumura Rin Fanclub [O.R.F.C], Izumo X Shima Fanclub, VOMIC (CLAIM UR LE CARDS NOW!!!), ♥ Kuro Fan Club ♥ see all
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