Story - 7.4/10 (C)
The tale begins with the introduction of Allen Walker, a young man with a strange power to send demons packing. His adventures in the Black Order, his encounters with many different types of Akuma, and his relationships with his fellow Exorcists are shown.
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The beginning felt a tad awkward, it was a little on the comedy side (When Allen goes to the Black Order), and for a show like D.Gray-man, it didn't really fit. It took me a few episodes (and some motivation) to get me into it. It was a moderate experience, some good turns, some bad ones. I liked how the filler episodes (yes, there were filler) didn't feel like filler, but more of a depth in character views (Ex. Lenalee, Allen, Miranda). Then there were a couple of "Naruto"-long fights, that really didn't have to be that long. Overall, it was a pleasant ride.
Animation - 7.0/10 (C-)
The animation was far from what we see today, but it doesn't mean that it was THAT bad. The OP sequences were great, however the ED sequences were just a bunch of pictures moving in cool angles. The fights were a mixture of both good and bad. But for the most part, the animation doesn't really change.
Sound - 7.5/10 (C)
The OP/ED themes were really a great step-up than most animes, and i really enjoyed some of the lighter, lax music it had. The trouble of it was, sometimes it got to lax that it started to get boring fast. Mainly, the rest was just a mix of great tracks (Lala's Lullaby from one of the earlier episodes was a great, moving song) to plain tracks.
Characters - 8.4/10 (B)
I can honestly say, none of the D.Gray-man characters will disappoint you. We have the polite and respectful Allen, the protective and light-hearted Lenalee, the mysterious and sometimes shady Kanda, the cheery, upbeat Exorcist Lavi, and the pessimistic time-user Miranda. Each character will leave you feeling the same way they do, and each character brings a uniqueness that leaves you wondering how it can be done.
Enjoyment - 7.3/10 (C)
For the most part (and that same phrase you keep reading in this review), it's a mixture of some good elements and some bad ones. I really enjoyed the light-hearted actions and the teary-eyed moments of the first season, the second season got more intense with the arrival of the Noah Clan, and the rest is ok. The animation needed a good tune-up though, and some better choices of BGM.
Overall - 7.5/10 (C)
The Good:Great character backgrounds, interesting way of presenting each episode, the filler episodes make you feel like it's not filler
The Bad:
Lackluster animation, combined with lackluster BGM made the show more towards a "good" rating. Some episodes left you scratching your head more than others.
