English Dub Season Review: Blue Exorcist – Kyoto Saga

Should you feel blue?

Being the Son of Satan must have its perks right? Just ask Rin Okumura. He’s literally the Son of Satan. Whenever he uses his Satanic powers he’s engulfed in a blue flame – a flame that the rest of the world is terrified of because of the “Blue Night”, a night where Satan’s power was unleashed upon the world and many, many people lost their lives. Rin’s dream is to become an exorcist and kill demons… wait what? The Son of Satan wants to become an exorcist? That’s right, The BLUE EXORCIST!

Blue Exorcist’s “Kyoto Saga” takes place shortly after Rin used the power of his blue flames to defeat a powerful demon named Amaimon and save his friends lives. However, Rin’s classmates still hate him for being the literal Spawn of Satan. But of course, Rin is trying to make amends with everyone. I guess the Son of Satan isn’t such a bad guy after all. This story is centered in Kyoto, where an evil entity is trying to steal the Left Eye and the Right Eye of the Impure King, a powerful demonic force capable of causing mass destruction to the world.

Rin is also trying to gain more control over his blue flames. He is being watched under very close supervision and if he uses the flames, he will be sentenced to death, with no question. Dang… looks like being the Son of Satan comes with a price, eh? As Rin struggles to control his powers while those around him who know of his secret do nothing but judge from afar. They’re scared to even get close to him and be his friend, but shit, how would you act around someone you knew was the literal spawn of Satan? Throughout the arc, we are introduced to quite a few of Rin’s classmates’ families and given their back stories because their families are all monks practicing under the same sect and live at the temple where most of this story takes place.

I really thought that the “Kyoto Saga” was executed exquisitely. It’s only 12 episodes long. I binge watched the entire season in one sitting and by the end of the twelfth episode, I was ready to watch at least another three or four episodes. Admittedly, there were a few places in some of the episodes that seemed to drag,  but those instances only lasted for a few moments and never affected the overall flow of the episode. On the positive side of things, however, there wasn’t a single episode where there was some type of exciting action to behold. To top that, the plot twists and interactions between characters was handled excellently. A couple of powerful scenes come to mind like the interactions between Ryuji and his father, the master monk of the temple, who has been keeping a secret from him for his entire life.

One of the things I enjoy about Blue Exorcist is that it isn’t only centered on the main characters, Rin and his prodigal brother Yukio. Every character plays an important role. This arc, in particular, has plenty of awesome action scenes, yet also has deeper more emotional interactions as well. There are plenty of transformations that occur, both internal and external. The only thing I didn’t like about the series this go around was that it felt kind of short, and I was a little disappointed with one of the villains. I can’t say why without spoiling most of the story, but let’s just say that I wish that there had been a little bit more information about his character. And plus, if you look for them, there are even some very important life lessons that you can learn from watching this arc. I think the biggest one I took away was about learning to accept yourself for who you are and being comfortable in your own skin.

All in all, Blue Exorcist is dope. It’s not one of my favorite animes that are out there currently, but that didn’t stop me from binge watching the entire season in one sitting. I strongly suggest that you check out the entire series, not just this one arc. The action, plot, dialogue and deeper messages are all there. There are plenty of awesome fight scenes, mixed with some comedy, as well as treachery and foul play. There was even one specific scene that left me with my mouth hanging wide open in shock. Newcomers to the series will find themselves thoroughly entertained, while those familiar with the series already will be very satisfied with this part of the story. Hell, even if it’s been a while since you last saw Blue Exorcist, there were enough references and flashbacks to earlier episodes to jog your memory. So go ahead, jump on Hulu and check Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga from a comfortable couch near you.

SCORE
8.5/10