D.Gray Man

I am not so sure how to review an anime or whet the criteria is to judge whether an anime is good or not. I bet everything is based on personal preferences. “D.Gray Man” is essentially alternative history as farfetched it is as it is set in an Earth, where the old fashioned telephones and steam trains ruled the world. However the same Earth seems to possess computer and complex data analysis machinery and holographic screen walls, which make it hard to determine anything.

The series follow the team of exorcists as they make the world a safer place by killing of demons sent by the Millennium Earl. The origin of the demons is really fascinating as Millennium Earl creates them using the soul a dead person called back from their beloved and the body of the mentioned beloved. This idea alone hooked me. Then of course came the different stages of evolution, where from one shape demons grew into more individual monsters of great variety.

The exorcists are people, who are able to synchronize with a godly material called “innocence”, which is equipped on them through a special object, thus becoming special weapons. The cast of exorcists is wide of course, but the main story revolves around four characters. Allen Walker is the protagonist, being the only exorcist equipped with a parasitic innocence that has his arm transform into various weapons. Lenalee Lee is his love interest and she uses special boots that allow her sonic speed, flight and major kicking force. Kanda is the sour one in the team, who barely speaks a word and uses illusionary swords. Last but not least comes Lavi, who has a hammer that can summon forces of nature and grow in size and length, and is also in love with Lenalee. I am expecting the love triangle to finally come in focus.

The first 40 episodes or so have almost no plot. The team is sent out on missions and we are slowly introduced to the world, the agency of exorcists, the history, mythology and other operatives and higher exorcists. Right about there the focus falls also on the bad guys and from there starts the real plot as the Children of Noah prepare for an attack. I liked this side of the world building as these Japanese took something from the bible and spun it in a wild way. Basically the Children of Noah have in stored different memories of Noah and want to obliterate the world, because of human transgressions. Of course they have wicked powers and create the demons, with which they plan to take over the world.

Right about now the battle is reaching its peak, but from all the dialogue being swapped around, I get the feeling that this is the battle before the final stand. So far there have been released 80 episodes. I am not really informed when it will end. I will post another review, when the series is over for sure.

Side Notes:
~ The art I managed to scavenge is not entirely original. The group shot shows Allen (down), Lenalee (left), Kanda (right) and the Millennium Earl (up).
~ The black on brown outline shows Allen with his advanced claw form of his innocence after he reached further synchronization with it. The other picture shows Lenalee’s boots activated.