If you’re a troubled teen, life feels terrible indeed. When you’re the son of Satan, it becomes much worse. Blue Exorcist takes you through the trials and tribulations of the son of Satan.
Blue Exorcist is a manga written and illustrated by Kazue Kato, inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale and features many Biblical themes and references. In 2011, A-1 Pictures adapted it into an anime television series.
With the first volume released in April 2011, the manga has been licensed by Viz Media for North American production, with the first volume released on April 5, 2011. Learn more about this manga series next.
Plot
The plot centers around Rin Okumura, raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto, an Exorcist, together with his younger twin, Yukio Okumura. One day, Rin discovers that he and Yukio are the sons of Satan.
After seeing Shiro suffering to shield him, Rin draws the demon-slaying sword Kurikara, which holds back his demonic powers, Rin ends up developing demonic features such as fangs and a tail.
From that point on he also has the ability to burst into blue flames that consume almost all he touches. Like his guardian, Rin wishes to be an exorcist to become powerful and conquer Satan.
He is enrolled at the elite True Cross Academy, an exorcist cram school, which is primarily the True Cross Order’s Japanese branch, an international organization dedicated to defending Assiah (the human realm) from the Gehenna (demonic world)
Rin learns that Yukio is now a veteran exorcist and is one of his professors, much to his surprise. Thus, surrounded by his brother and his fellow students who soon become his close friends, Rin’s journey to becoming an Exorcist starts.
Setting
There are two dimensions of the Blue Exorcist universe, connected as a mirror and its reflection. The first, Assiah, is the material world where humans reside, and the other is Gehenna, the world of demons that Satan rules.
Initially, it is difficult to make a journey between the realms, or even to maintain contact between them. However, by the possession of a living being in it, every demon can pass to the dimension of Assiah.
There are demons roaming around people in history, however, and only those who can see are those who have had firsthand experience with a demon of some degree.
In comparison, there are the so-called Exorcists, people who train in Assiah to defeat demons who behave destructively.
With more than two thousand years of history, this group has many operations around the globe, secretly under the control of the Vatican itself, operating in deceit to the masses.
Production
Since about July 2010, five tankōbon serial chapters have been compiled, with the first volume being issued on August 4, 2009, and the fifth volume being published on December 3, 2010.
There were 24 chapters released as of April 4, 2011. In the September 2008 issue of Jump Square, the one-shot manga was first featured and was entitled Miyama Ying House Case.
Starting on April 5, 2011, Blue Exorcist was also released in the Shonen Jump Advance magazine. The series is also licensed by Kazé Manga in France, with the publication of the first volume on May 27, 2010.
Conclusion
Blue Exorcist’s main theme, which is simply the notion of being distinct and alone, undoubtedly resonates with many. During our teenage years, most of us find or found it difficult to come to terms with who we are.
It’s interesting how anime and manga get to the core of the human experience. The Blue Exorcist explores the theme of finding yourself and gives you a glimpse into the two sides of who you are.