D.Gray-man

The Black Order
"I soon came to a point where I didn’t know whether my smiling face was a lie or not."

THE PREMISE

The Millennium Earl preys on those who have lost loved ones. He offers to bring the dead back to life, but there is a catch: the soul is trapped in a mechanical body (Akuma) and forced to kill the person who called them back. This is the tragic core of the Holy War.

Feast your eyes

EXORCIST PERSONNEL

ALLEN WALKER The cursed protagonist. Wields a Parasite-type Innocence " and possesses a left eye that can see the souls trapped inside Akuma.
YU KANDA A cold swordsman wielding the Equipment-type katana "Mugen." He is a Second Exorcist with a mysterious past.
LENALEE LEE A powerful exorcist who uses the "Dark Boots." She views the Black Order as her only home and her comrades as her entire world.
LAVI The successor to the Bookman line. He wields an size-shifting hammer and struggles between his duty to record history and his love for his friends.

Mangaka's skills

One of the most compelling reasons to follow the series is the breathtaking evolution of Katsura Hoshino's art style. It transforms from a classic, gritty 2000s shonen look into an ethereal, highly detailed, and painterly aesthetic.

ARCHIVE STATUS: SERIALIZATION REPORT

CURRENT STATUS: Ongoing / Active
SERIALIZATION: Jump SQ.Rise (Quarterly)

The manga currently releases four chapters a year. While the wait is significant, wild even to be honest, the quality of the art and story remains unmatched. It's Katsura sensei's hardwork, she has been sick the past years yet still tries to continue her story..

ARCHIVE TERMINOLOGY

AKUMA: Weapons of mass destruction created from a human soul, a mechanical frame, and the Millennium Earl's dark matter.
INNOCENCE: "Divine Crystallization." A holy substance used by Exorcists to combat Akuma. It is the only thing that can truly "save" a soul trapped in a machine.
ACCOMMODATOR: A human chosen by an Innocence fragment to be its wielder. Without a compatible host, Innocence is just a dormant stone.

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

THE MANGA: The definitive experience. Katsura Hoshino’s art is a central part of the story's soul. Start here for the full, uncut tragedy.

THE ANIME: The 2006 series (103 episodes) is famous for its haunting soundtrack and early-gothic atmosphere. While it has some filler, it captures the melancholic "vibe" of the early series perfectly.

And there is a second season with 13 episodes, it has a nice opening intro and isn't that bad at all.

Archivist's note: Kindly speaking I'm in shock. I didn't remember how many episodes the 2nd season had so I googled it, it was 13 but...

What Could You Possibly Mean That DGM's 2nd Season Aired on 2016. This cannot be happening. I watched that weekly, I don't remember when I first watched the 1st season but it could be the same year or a one or two behind maybe 3 or 4 I genuinely don't know .

But.... it has already... been... a decade....?!

Archivist Reaction Live "slug" Reaction

Archivist's notes

With the way I just realised I've known this series for more than a decade (edit: or maybe nearly, my anime account says I've watched the first season on 2016 too), you'd think I'd be able to write an essay on it.. But no, I don't remember much on command sadly as usual...

Though, one of the interesting things about DGM is that it subverts the classic "Holy vs. Evil" trope. The Innocence(the very power used by the heroes)is often portrayed as a cold, demanding force that doesn't care about the wielder's life.

It explores the idea of being a "tool of God" (Which is what the exorcists are called too i think) in a world where the villains (you'll get to know them later on) often seem more humane than the ....Black order's leaders.

And beyond the battles and the horror, DGM is a story about found family.

The main cast,The exorcists, are outcasts, orphans, and survivors who have nowhere else to go.

Their love for each other is the only thing that keeps them sane in a war against despair. Which BTW you're going to see lots of it, it's fun, it's dark & moody, and doesn't shy away from misery

Favourite OPenings

OP 1: INNOCENT SORROW
OP 3: DOUBT & TRUST