Blue Exorcist

Blue Exorcist (Ao No Exorcist in Japanese) is a Japanese anime series based on the manga series of the same name. The series was produced by A-1 Pictures with Hitoshi Okamura as the producer. Originally, the series was scheduled to begin airing on April 10, 2011 on MBS, replacing Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto, however due to the March 11, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami the series' broadcast was delayed until April 17, 2011. The series concluded its first season with the final episode (episode 25) on October 2, 2011. A second season was confirmed for 2017.

The story revolves around Rin Okumura, a teenager who discovers he is the son of Satan born from a human woman and is the inheritor of Satan's powers. When Satan kills Rin's guardian, Rin decides to become an exorcist in order to defeat his father.

Blue Exorcist was licensed for North American release by Aniplex and an English dub was produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment, which made its U.S. television premiere on Adult Swim's Toonami block on February 22, 2014 and completed its run on August 9, 2014.

Plot
The story revolves around Rin Okumura, a teenager possessing abnormal strength and endurance who, along with his twin brother Yukio, was raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto. One day, Rin learns that he is the son of Satan, the strongest of all demons. Witnessing Shiro dying to protect him, Rin ends up doing what his guardian asked him never to do: draw the demon-slaying blade Kurikara, which restrains his demonic powers, from its scabbard. From that moment on, Rin not only gains permanent demonic features like fangs, pointed ears, fiery "horns" and a tail, but also the power to ignite himself into blue flames that can destroy almost anything they touch.

At Fujimoto's funeral, Rin has an encounter with Fujimoto's friend Mephisto Pheles, who agrees with Rin's wish to become an Exorcist like his guardian to become stronger and to defeat Satan. Rin enrolls at the prestigious True Cross Academy, which is actually the Japanese branch of an international organization dedicated to protect the human realm, Assiah, from demons and other creatures from the demon realm, Gehenna. Rin takes part in a special Exorcist course, the existence of which is known only by a few. Much to his surprise, he finds that his brother Yukio is already a veteran Exorcist and will be one of his teachers.

Protagonists
Rin Okumura — Rin Okumura is the fifteen-year-old protagonist of the story. He is a son of Satan born from a human woman and is the inheritor of Satan's powers. His powers were sealed at birth into the demon-slaying blade Kurikara by Mephisto Pheles, the True Cross Academy principal, allowing him to live a normal human life for nearly 15 years with his twin brother Yukio and his foster father Shiro Fujimoto. Rin becomes aware of his true identity after Kurikara can no longer seal his powers, setting off a chain of events that lead to the death of Shiro at the hands of Satan, who attempts to drag Rin back to the demon realm, Gehenna. Mephisto Pheles later confronts Rin who demands Mephisto to let him join the exorcists against the demons. Mephisto personally enrolls Rin into the True Cross Academy so that Rin can pursue his goal to become a Paladin and to defeat Satan. While currently an Exwire, Rin wishes to obtain the highest rank of an Exorcist, Paladin, to prove Fujimoto did not want to use him as a weapon.

Yukio Okumura — Yukio Okumura is Rin's younger twin brother. When it was discovered that the woman impregnated by Satan was going to have twins, it was believed that Satan's powers would be split between them. Due to the weakness of Yukio's body, however, he did not inherit any of Satan's powers, thus being born fully human with the full extent of Satan's powers going to Rin. Yukio did, however, receive a spirit wound at birth from his brother, which allowed him to be aware of demons for as long as he can remember. Yukio secretly trained to become an Exorcist from the age of seven in order to protect Rin through the help of Fujimoto. While both Yukio and Rin are in their first year at True Cross Academy, Yukio is already an instructor at the Exorcist cram school teaching Anti-Demon Pharmacology to Rin's class.

Exwires
Ryuji Suguro — Ryuji Suguro (nicknamed "Bon") is a stubborn and hot-tempered individual. Despite his delinquent appearance and attitude, he is very hardworking and the best student in class. Ryuji is the heir to the Cursed Temple in Kyoto. Because of the destruction of the temple in the Blue Night and his anger towards his father Tatsuma Suguro, he swears he will defeat Satan and rebuild his Temple.

Shiemi Moriyama — Shiemi Moriyama is the daughter of the woman who runs an Exorcist-only shop. She is kind and has an abiding love of gardening, but often lacks confidence in herself. Before the series, Shiemi never went out of her home and tended to the garden with her grandmother. After her grandmother died, Rin and Yukio exorcise the demon that was leeching her life force and she decides to become an Exorcist.

Izumo Kamiki — Izumo Kamiki is easily one of the best students and she is aware of it. She has a tsundere attitude and is offensive towards everyone except her childhood friend Paku, who was the only one in her elementary school who would talk to her. Very prideful and often difficult to talk to, Izumo does care about her fellow Exwire and is the first of Rin's classmates to accept Rin after his identity as Satan's son was revealed. Izumo's reason for becoming an exorcist is unknown, but connected to an incident that happened when she was a child. Izumo attempts to achieve a Meister in Tamer, and can summon two Kitsune (foxes) to fight for her.

Konekomaru Miwa — Konekomaru Miwa is a timid but brilliant individual, able to come up with complex strategies in a short window of time. He is very loyal to Ryuji and Renzo, since they grew up together at the same Temple in Kyoto. He is kind to everyone, but it takes long for him to reconcile with Rin after discovering his secret, despite seeing his true character. He is an orphan and the surviving head of the Miwa family. He plans to achieve the Meister in Aria.

Renzo Shima — Renzo Shima is a very carefree yet fearful character. He is very loyal to Bon and Konekomaru, since both grew up with him at the Cursed Temple in Kyoto. Renzo is the second of the cast who accepts Rin after discovering his identity, finding ignoring Rin to be troublesome. He is infatuated with Izumo, obsessed with women. In elementary school, he was referred to as the "Erotic Demon". Now that he is in high-school, he is trying to be more refined. His hair is naturally black, but he dyed it pink (to the chagrin of his father). Renzo carries a K'rik (Khakkhara) staff to fight like his two brothers and plans to achieve the Meister in Aria.

True Cross Order
Mephisto Pheles — Mephisto Pheles is the Chairman of True Cross Academy's Japanese branch. He is portrayed as a man with more money than sense but is very cheap when it comes to spending on others. After Shiro Fujimoto's death, he is ordered to kill Rin but instead accepts Rin's proposal of becoming an Exorcist and enrolled him into True Cross Academy. Mephisto is a powerful exorcist (holds a Meister in Honorary Knight) and claims that he desires to "bring peace to both Assiah and Gehenna". Despite having served the True Cross for at least two centuries, elements of the Order still consider him suspicious. Their mistrust has its reasons as during the series it is hinted that indeed Mephisto has some secret agenda which involves Rin, working behind the scenes regarding the events around him since the joined the order. Just like Amaimon, Mephisto is a son of Satan and one of the "Eight Demon Kings", originally known as Samael, the "King of Time". His ability of transforming into a small dog or conjure a giant cuckoo clock is just a sample behind his true powers that allows him to control space and time.

Shiro Fujimoto — Shiro Fujimoto is a priest at the Southern Cross Monastery, a Paladin in the True Cross Order (the title awarded to the strongest exorcist), Shura Kirigakure's mentor, and foster father to Rin and Yukio Okumura. He was qualified as an Knight, Dragoon, Doctor, Aria and Tamer through his cait sith familiar, which he called Kuro. Shiro is a man dedicated to his duties and was considered the strongest exorcist. Stealing the demon-slaying sword Kurikara, Shiro and Mephisto ultimately used the sword to seal the demon heart of the son of Satan and Yuri Egin. Shiro then adopted Yuri Egin's children, Yukio who did not inherit Satan's power, and Rin, full inheritor of Satan's powers. Shiro is thought to be the only man in the world able to sustain possession by Satan himself and thus Satan was constantly after his body. He fights off Satan's attempts at possessing his body through sheer willpower, but after receiving a mental shock from Rin accusing him of "playing father" and not caring, Satan takes over his body. After Satan summons the Gehenna's Gate to retrieve Rin, Shiro regains control of his body temporarily and commits suicide in order to stop Satan.

Shura Kirigakure — Shura Kirigakure is an Upper First Class Exorcist. She trained under the guidance of Shiro Fujimoto to obtain the title "Meister" in Knight and can draw a demon sword from a symbol above her chest when she states, "Devour the Eight Princesses, slay the Serpent". Her sword skills allow her to fight on par with upper level demons like Amaimon. Frequently chipper and obnoxious, Shura is carefree about her job, as she drinks alcohol in excess and oversleeps. She appears to harbor a dark past, as she claims Shiro "came and rescued" her.

Igor Neuhaus — Igor Neuhaus is an Upper First Class Exorcist as well as lecturer in the Academy, who obtained the titles of Tamer, Doctor and Aria. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye, and has Aria incantations and magic circles tattooed on both arms. He had a run-in with Satan when he was younger, which robbed him of his family and the sight in his left eye, which is why he holds immense hatred for Satan and demons that are related to Satan. Yet ironically, he is extremely loyal to Mephisto, willing to listen to his every command, which is why he stopped his attacks on Rin prior to the latter becoming an Exorcist.

Antagonists
Satan — Satan is the main antagonist and the lord of demons who wishes take control of the humans' world, Assiah. He is also the father of Rin and Yukio Okumura with both of them being born from a human mother. When Rin awakes his demonic powers inherited from his father, Satan takes control of Rin's guardian, Shiro Fujimoto, in order to encounter and use his son to destroy Assiah.

Amaimon — Amaimon is the "King of the Earth" and another son of Satan. Among the Eight Demon Kings, he is the seventh in strength. Amaimon has vast control over the land, such as being able to create earthquakes. He is eccentric and hates being laughed at or ignored. Unlike his father and elder brother Mephisto Pheles, Amaimon initially had little interest in Rin, instead wishing to tour Japan upon arrival, but quickly became obsessed with his younger half-brother after fighting him. Amaimon mentions he has a cousin who has an interest in the occult and even goes on to say that he would be happy if he brought him a human eye.

Episodes
Aniplex of America released the English dub of Blue Exorcist on DVD in four sets, starting by releasing the first DVD on October 18, 2011. In 2011, an OVA was also released, titled Ao No Exorcist: Kuro no Iede. In 2012, Blue Exorcist: The Movie was released.

Broadcast History
Blue Exorcist began broadcasting in Japan on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 17, 2011, and concluded on October 2, 2011. The series was originally scheduled to start airing on April 10, 2011, however due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the series' initial broadcast was delayed by a week.

The episodes were simulcast in the United States and Canada with English subtitles online via Hulu, Anime News Network, and Crunchyroll, starting on April 20, 2011. The English dub began broadcasting in the United States and Canada on Viz Media's online network, Neon Alley, on October 2, 2012. On February 22, 2014 the series made its U.S. television premiere when it began airing on Adult Swim's Toonami block.
 * Japan (MBS, TBS) — April 17, 2011 - October 2, 2011
 * United States (Adult Swim) — February 22, 2014 - August 9, 2014