Ao no Exorcist

Humans and demons are two sides of the same coin, as are Assiah and Gehenna, their respective worlds. The only way to travel between the realms is by the means of possession, like in ghost stories. However, Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, cannot find a suitable host to possess and therefore, remains imprisoned in his world. In a desperate attempt to conquer Assiah, he sends his son instead, intending for him to eventually grow into a vessel capable of possession by the demon king.

Ao no Exorcist follows Rin Okumura who appears to be an ordinary, somewhat troublesome teenager—that is until one day he is ambushed by demons. His world turns upside down when he discovers that he is in fact the very son of Satan and that his demon father wishes for him to return so they can conquer Assiah together. Not wanting to join the king of Gehenna, Rin decides to begin training to become an exorcist so that he can fight to defend Assiah alongside his brother Yukio.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Okumura, Rin Main

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

Okumura, Yukio Main

Fukuyama, Jun Japanese

Pheles, Mephisto Supporting

Kamiya, Hiroshi Japanese

Kuro Supporting

Takagaki, Ayahi Japanese

Amaimon Supporting

Kakihara, Tetsuya Japanese

Kirigakure, Shura Supporting

Satou, Rina Japanese

Fujimoto, Shirou Supporting

Fujiwara, Keiji Japanese

Moriyama, Shiemi Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Shima, Renzou Supporting

Yusa, Kouji Japanese

Suguro, Ryuuji Supporting

Nakai, Kazuya Japanese

Kananiwa, Kozue Producer

Maruyama, Hiroo Producer

Furukawa, Shin Producer

Adachi, Satoshi Producer

Reviews

Feb 18, 2026

hamsolo474

Recommended

This anime is enjoyable if you turn off your brain. As a 35 year old man watching shounen anime I feel like it was too childish and could have been deeper and more interesting with some of the plot points. The world is weird, in the story it seems as if Catholicism is objectively correct however its also mixed with a possible frequent mistranslation of the word demon as there are many Japanese folk spirits who appear to be the same thing as demons but are benevolent? Its not very consistent there. There is also one important character who I think we are meant to ... empathise with but they make the most insane unexplainable choices in the name of compassion for all? The people in the story who react negatively to these incomprehensibly insane decisions are portrayed as the bad guys rather than very reasonably crashing out over a series of inexplicably terrible decisions made by this character.
The fight scenes are cool, the mc is interesting.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Mar 27, 2026

elumizu

Mixed Feelings

Blue Exorcist depicts as a supernatural action story built around the conflict between the human world and the realm of demons. Beneath its energetic battles and dark fantasy setting lies a narrative about identity, inheritance, and the struggle to choose one’s own path despite a destiny shaped by forces far beyond personal control. The story follows Rin Okumura, a seemingly ordinary teenager raised in a church together with his younger twin brother Yukio. Their guardian, Father Shiro Fujimoto is an experienced exorcist who works to protect the human world from demonic threats. Rin grows up rebellious and hot-tempered, often clashing with authority and struggling to ... find direction in life. Despite his rough personality, he carries a strong sense of loyalty toward the people who raised him. Rin’s life changes abruptly when a violent demonic incident reveals a truth that had been hidden from him since childhood. He is the biological son of Satan, the ruler of the demon world known as "Gehenna." This revelation explains Rin’s abnormal strength and the mysterious blue flames that emerge from his body when his demonic power awakens.The existence of demons within the story operates through a dual-world structure. "Assiah" represents the human world, and "Gehenna" is the domain of demons. These two realms normally remain separate, but demons constantly attempt to cross into Assiah by possessing physical objects or living hosts. Exorcists act as the defenders who prevent this infiltration by forming an organized system under institutions dedicated to combating supernatural threats. After Satan’s appearance leads to the death of Father Fujimoto, Rin is forced to confront the terrifying possibility that his own existence could become a gateway for destruction. Instead of accepting the role assigned to him by his demonic heritage, Rin makes a radical decision. He becomes an exorcist himself in order to defeat Satan. This choice leads Rin to enroll in True Cross Academy, a secret training institution, where students learn the skills required to combat demons. Within the academy, Rin hide the truth about his identity from classmates and instructors, since knowledge of his origin could lead to immediate execution. The academy setting therefore introduces both external dangers and internal conflict as Rin struggles to control powers that many believe should not exist.

The training environment expands the characters. Students such as Ryuji Suguro, Shiemi Moriyama, and Izumo Kamiki, each bring different motivations and personalities. Some pursue exorcism as a duty inherited from family tradition, whilst others seek redemption and personal growth. Through these interactions, Rin begins to understand the responsibilities and sacrifices required to protect others. The narrative often balances two parallel developments. On one side, Rin must strengthen his ability to control the demon flames sealed within the sword Kurikara, a weapon designed to restrain his true power. On the other, he must prove to others and to himself that bloodline does not define moral character. Yukio’s role adds further complexity. Despite being Rin’s younger twin, Yukio is already a highly skilled exorcist and serves as an instructor. The brothers’ relationship carries subtle tension, as Yukio’s disciplined nature contrasts with Rin’s impulsive behavior. Beneath their cooperation lies a growing emotional divide shaped by jealousy, responsibility, and the burden of secrets. Throughout the series, various missions expose the students to different forms of demonic influence. Haunted locations, possessed individuals, ancient rituals, all illustrate how fragile the boundary between the two worlds can be. These encounters expand the mythology of demons, while gradually revealing the larger forces manipulating events behind the scenes.

Despite its strong premise, the narrative also reveals several structural weaknesses. One noticeable limitation appears in the pacing of the larger conflict involving Satan and the demonic hierarchy. Although Rin’s lineage establishes enormous narrative stakes early in the story, the central confrontation develops slowly and sometimes feels distant from the day-to-day missions within the academy. Another issue emerges in the balance between character development and action sequences. Even if the story introduces a wide cast of classmates, many of them receive limited exploration beyond brief backstory episodes. This uneven focus occasionally prevents secondary characters from reaching the same emotional depth as Rin and Yukio. The tonal balance between comedic school life and dark supernatural conflict can also feel inconsistent at times. Moments of lighthearted humor often interrupt scenes that are meant to carry serious dramatic weight, which may weaken the tension built by earlier events. Adaptation choices within certain seasons further complicate the narrative flow. Changes made during the anime’s early conclusion diverged from the original manga storyline, which creating continuity adjustments when later seasons returned to the source material.

From a production standpoint, animation by A-1 Pictures emphasizes dynamic battle choreography and vivid visual effects. Rin’s blue flames serve as a distinctive visual symbol throughout the series, representing both destructive power and internal struggle to control it. Background art often contrasts the ordinary appearance of school life with the hidden supernatural elements surrounding the academy. Churches, classrooms, and city streets become battlegrounds when demonic forces reveal themselves, reinforcing the idea that danger can exist beneath familiar environments. The soundtrack combines intense orchestral pieces with darker choral elements that highlight the religious imagery surrounding exorcism and demonic mythology. These musical choices help establish an atmosphere where spiritual symbolism plays an important role in shaping the world. In the end, Blue Exorcist tells a story about resisting the expectations imposed by one’s origin. Rin’s journey as the son of Satan training to become an exorcist reflects the broader theme that identity is ultimately defined by choices rather than inheritance. While uneven pacing and underdeveloped supporting characters limit some narrative potential, the series remains engaging through its supernatural premise and the emotional conflict at the heart of Rin’s struggle to control both his power and his destiny.

Anyway, keep in mind that no opinion is ever purely objective, and every perspective remains open to discussion. Even so, each viewpoint still holds its own value. If you happen to see things differently, simple mutual respect is more than enough. That same respect is the spirit behind this reflection as well. Wishing everyone a peaceful day ahead, and thank you for taking the time to read.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 26, 2023

_yibin_n

Not Recommended

Blue exorcist was anime that has a great premise that I really like, 2 sons with the mother of a human and a father of Satan himself. With high expectations of this being as great as the manga but I guess the studio had other plans and decided to go their own route an try making it an anime ending. The characters were really bland and I didn't really came to like any of them but the only on i think had to most personality was rin and i think he is annoying. The animation style was really good for its time but ... the song choices wasn't the best. I enjoyed it till its second course, and in all honestly I don't remember any part of this show that i enjoyed to make this redeemable besides the comedy being involved here and there which i didnt enjoy too much but it was still ok, so what I rate this show is what I honestly believe it deserves.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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