[Contemplation] Ao no Exorcist Season 2
It was a regretful thing that my blog didn't existed after I watched the First Season of Ao no Exorcist aka Blue Exorcist, so I wasn't able to share how awesome of a shounen it was. But after announcing a continuation which kicks back with a Season 2 - six years after its last series - continuing the story arc after the eventful battle of Rin Okumura and his classmates at Truee Cross Academy, against Satan and his Demons. So what's really in store for us now? Lezz seee
Here is the synopsis of the anime:
The ExWire of True Cross Academy are beset with shock and fear in the aftermath of discovering that
one of their own classmates, Rin Okumura, is the son of Satan. But for the moment, they have more pressing concerns than that of Rin's parentage: the left eye of the Impure King, a powerful demon, has been stolen from the academy's Deep Keep. After an attempt is made to steal the right eye in Kyoto as well, Rin and the other ExWires are sent to investigate the mystery behind the Impure King and the ultimate goal of the thief. While this mission has them cooperating for the time being, Rin has never felt more distant from his fellow exorcists. In his attempt to reconcile with them, he undergoes specialized training to control his dark power. However, when the right eye is stolen not long after their arrival, the unthinkable threat of a traitor amongst them leaves them in need of all the power they can get.
Now before I give nothing but praise, the greatest disapproval I had with this anime was that it was only 12 episodes short. While the season 1 showered us with whooping 25 episodes, I was disheartened to know how abrupt Season 2 was. Also it took me quite a while to remember a lot of details from the first season as this season bears no preamble and jumps feet first into the story without much explanation (there’s a brief flashback sequence deep into the episode but that’s it).
Ao no Exorcist left a mark for me. This was truly an excellent shounen, one of the more interesting exports from Japan which I believe notch truly great shounens like Hunter X Hunter and Full Metal Alchemist. And with that long awaited return, the thing that’s most gratifying and the real cause for celebration is that Ao no Exorcist still has all the magic that made the first series so memorable. It is very traditional shounen which deals with themes of weakness, envy, friendship and self-loathing in a considerably more sophisticated manner.
Like the first season, this season also made me cry big fat tears. The feels were real because it deals with acceptance. That whole reaction, the fact that Rin actually becomes ostracized and isolated because of his lineage, adds some real color to the story and the dynamics between the characters. And a big part of what makes Ao no Exorcist Season 2 awesome is the whole establishing of 'friendships conquers all' which happens to be an emotional payoff that overwhelms us every time.
This show is like seeing an old friend after a long absence – and you certainly just want to be with that friend.
My Rating:
Plot: 9.5/10
Characters & Dialogue : 9.8/10
Structure & Pacing: 10/10
Theme: 9.0/10
Style & Tone: 9.0/10
OVERALL RATING: 9.4