Can we have a discussion about Blue Exorcist now that it's over? I know it was a pretty divisive show in here but oftentimes it was my favorite show on the block.
The first couple of episodes do a great job establishing the world, characters, and overall narrative for the show -- right from the start the viewer knows this is going to be about Rin discovering his newly awakened demonic powers and avenging the loss of his father. Other themes such acceptance, friendship, and the importance of family are touched upon but in a very poor manner for the most part. I'm willing to give that a pass though since these are things we see in almost every shonen, BE didn't seek to reinvent the wheel or even tweak it a little, this show is the definition of status quo (some would say generic).
After the brief introduction the show shifts to true cross academy where things grind to a halt. I think we can all agree that BE spent
way too much time
attempting to develop the main cast; everything seemed to drag on for MONTHS until we got to Rin vs
Amaimon where the plot started to kick into high gear again. Still, I found myself enjoying these episodes due to the humor which I think is done very well. BE has some of the best reaction faces I've seen in quite some time and the voice actors really helped make the script come alive which made for better flowing dialogue and more believable interactions.
Ultimately, I think BE was pretty much the equivalent of a Micheal Bay's Transformers or TMNT for toonami -- a summer blockbuster that doesn't require you to think very much, has questionable pacing, and ultimately ends up being an enjoyable, although predictable ride. I thought the whole '
thing made sense but was presented in such a way that made the whole thing feel like a cop out. There was no build up, it just came out of left field really. The ending in general just seemed rushed but I had a good time with it each week.
