The Big Picture
If you were watching anime in 2011, you most likely remember Blue Exorcist. It was a popular shōnen at the time, though maybe not at the level of Hunter x Hunter or Gintama, which both came out the same year. The series has two seasons, a film, and an OVA. There is also a new season on the horizon for January 2024, though no concrete premiere date has been announced. Even so, there’s no time like the present to try and get involved with the series. Blue Exorcist is adapted from a manga of the same name that is penned by Kazue Kato. It is a dark fantasy series that follows teenager Rin Okumura, a boy who often finds himself in trouble despite his good heart. When his and his brother Yukio’s surrogate father is killed by Satan, they find out that Satan is their true father, and Rin’s demonic powers are awakened. Rin vows revenge on Satan and begins studying under Yukio to become an exorcist.
It may seem like a pretty straightforward series, but it’s worth noting that there’s a bit of complexity in the timeline of the series between Seasons 1 and 2. So before you watch, take a second to read through and decide in which order you’d like to experience this supernatural fantasy.
What Happens in ‘Blue Exorcist’ Season 1?
Of course, the best place to start watching Blue Exorcist is with its first Season. Season 1 has 25 episodes and adapts volumes one through four of the manga. It sets up the series as a whole, introduces the world of Blue Exorcist, and establishes the characters. It also finishes on a huge cliffhanger and conflict for the series.
Or it would, if the first Season had strictly followed the source material of the manga. The manga-based storyline of Season 1 ended with Episode 16. This is because the anime had actually run out of source material; the writers of the anime had to come up with a story to fill the rest of the first season. Episodes 17 through 25 contain an anime-exclusive arc that receives mixed reviews from fans, and overall is considered non-canon.
If you would prefer to only see the story of Blue Exorcist as adapted from the manga, stop at Episode 16 and move on. If you want to form your own opinion on the anime-only storyline, keep watching until the end. Just be warned; it may make things a little muddy later.
Why You Should Watch ‘OVA’ Next
Blue Exorcist’s OVA, Runaway Kuro, should be watched after finishing Season 1. Watching Blue Exorcist’s first Season helps to establish the connection between Rin and fuzzy feline demon companion Kuro, which makes the OVA that much more heartfelt. Ultimately, you don’t have to watch the OVA at all to understand Blue Exorcist. However, that’s part of the fun of it; the OVA is a little silly, very adorable, and a highly enjoyable twenty-four minutes that you won’t regret.
After ‘OVA,’ Check Out ‘Blue Exorcist’ Season 2
Blue Exorcist’s second season, dubbed the Kyoto Saga, consists of twelve episodes and adapts volumes five through nine of the manga. This season is where things get a bit messy. It’s recommended to start this season right after Episode 16 of Season 1. That’s where the Kyoto Saga starts, and if you are new to the series, it’s a bit jarring to finish all 25 episodes of Season 1 only to move on to Season 2 and have it not acknowledge the last nine episodes of the previous season.
It’s a good season that helps establish the relationship between Rin and his classmates. For those who enjoyed the anime-only arc of the previous season, though, it might be a little frustrating.
Why ‘Blue Exorcist: The Movie’ Should Be Your Next Watch
Blue Exorcist: The Movie exists in a weird place in the timeline of the series. It’s standalone from the source material, so it isn’t a manga adaptation, and in release order, it should be watched after Season 1, as it was released in 2012. However, it is at the end of this timeline because it can actually fall in two places, depending on how you want to watch the series.
If you watch Season 1 all the way through to the end, the best time to watch the movie is between Episodes 18 and 19. This is roughly where the film takes place chronologically, and that makes sense, as both the ending of Season 1 and the movie are both unrelated to the manga. However, if you choose to stop watching Season 1 at Episode 16, it’s recommended that you wait to watch Blue Exorcist: The Movie until you’ve finished all the other parts of the anime.
Why You Should Read ‘Blue Exorcist’s Manga
Yeah, this is a watch guide. However, it’s impossible to talk about Blue Exorcist as an anime without mentioning its manga. The manga currently has 27 volumes, and the anime has only covered nine of them. So, if you’re eager for more after finishing the Kyoto Saga, try picking up the manga to continue the story! While you could start at Volume 10 after watching the anime, it is best to start at the beginning. There are plenty of small things the anime leaves out, and it’s interesting to see how certain scenes and battles play out in print versus on the screen. Plus, the arc directly after the Kyoto arc is absolutely wild; why wait for it to be animated?
Of course, you can also read the manga first and amp yourself up for the anime. There’s no wrong choice on when to read the manga.
This is the ideal order for watching Blue Exorcist: Season 1 until Episode 16, OVA, Season 2, and Blue Exorcist: The Movie. However, if you don’t want to skip the anime-only ending of Season 1, the order should be more like this: Season 1, Blue Exorcist: The Movie between Episodes 18 and 19 of Season 1, OVA, and then Season 2. It may seem odd to have two different orders to watch in, but both are perfectly fine depending on your preference in the storyline and whether you prefer to be a manga purist or embrace the anime-exclusive content. Regardless of how you choose to watch, one thing is for sure; you will love this exciting, action-packed shōnen title and have fun following it.
