Blue Exorcist -- Episode 18

Hi Everyone! I'm Konekomaru, and I'm featured in this episode!

And, Welcome to my Blue Exorcist Blog. Actually, Squeefinity is an all things anime, manga and otherwise blog, but I'm currently just feeling super squee about this show!

The last few episodes have focused a bit on Rin's place in the academy and has been all "big picture" stuff, you know, Holy Sh*tballs, Mina-san! Rin's a Demon! Can we reforge the Kurikara Sword?, Should the Vatican execute Rin? kind of stuff.

Anyhoo, this week's episode brought the show back to its heart; it focused on Rin's relationship with his friends. And, it even made me a little teary.

When last we saw Rin, his friends learned he was the son of Satan, and they saw him kick the crap out of the King of the Earth, another big time demon kin. Needless to say, this was a bit of a shock, considering a number of their family members were killed during Blue Night, when Satan murdered a ton of righteous people with his blue flames. Rin's buddies are a bit non-plussed by his own blue flames.

Konekomaru, the little, raised by monks looking Ex-wire, is downright terrified. His parents were slaughtered on Blue Night, and he was brought up on tales of death by demon. A mid-level Demon known as a Hurricane or Tornado or something sneaks into the academy and starts taunting him, basically playing on his weakness, fear and doubt; it tries to get Konekomaru to allow it to possess him.

Everyone knows there is a demon on the loose, but no one realizes it is attached to Konekomaru. All of the Ex-wires, except for Rin, are given the task of searching for it. Rin is supposed to stick to his studies and learn to control his blue flames. Konekomaru shows up; Rin does see the demon attached to him, but no one else does. When Rin tries to attack the demon, everyone thinks he is after Konekomaru, and they get super-pissy about his flames and being the son of Satan, and it pretty much sucks for him. Poor Rin!

Konekomaru gets sent to the infirmary and Bon hangs out with him. While mentally struggling with his demon buddy predicament, Konekomaru asks Bon about Rin. Bon is a gruff guy. As the audience, we understand he's just really motivated by friendship. Even though he talks a lot of trash about Rin, and lays the law down on him, he doesn't hate him. Bon just doesn't want to see anyone hurt. Konekomaru takes Bon's trash talking at face value, and he let's the demon in.

Transformed into a super powerful bird looking thing with Konekomaru's cute little face protruding from its beak, the demon immediately goes after Rin, but Rin works his My Little Demon Friendship is Magic Awesomeness, and he convinces Konekomaru he can believe in him. This breaks the possession. Konekomaru jumps into Rin's arms, while Rin simultaneously slays the demon. Everybody Wins! Hurrah!

Of course, there is some more cute friendship stuff, and then some ties to the bigger story. Questions remain, like, how did the Demon get in to True Cross Academy to begin with? Why is there a secret bombed out artificial life lab in some snowy woods that can be gotten to through a magical opening in an abandoned kidnapper van? Who is that man? Why do I get the feeling that Rin's brother, Yukio, is hiding some kind of demon power / sickness something-thing?

Until Next Week...

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Also, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but somewhere around episode 13, the show got a new beginning and ending song. I liked the old ones a lot, but I like the new ones, too. Here's the ending theme:

Blue Exorcist -- Through Episode 10

Hey, Blue Exorcist, I like you. I mean it. You are everything I like in an anime!

What is not to like about an exorcist cram school where the teenage son of Satan, a demon in human form, Rin, studies under the tutelage of his twin (younger) brother, Yukio, who just happens to already be an amazing exorcist himself? Absolutely nothing!

Though he may be the devil's spawn, Rin Okumura, plans on learning to harness his blue flame powers and demon dispelling sword, so that he can one day avenge the death of his adoptive father, a pretty bad ass priest and exorcist, Shiro Fujimoto. In order to do this he must attend exorcist cram school with a group of fellow (misfit-type) pupils.

Exorcist cram school, True Cross Academy, exists in a place called Academy Town where students can go to study anything. Rin's brother, Yukio, happens to be an instructor there, even though he is only fifteen. The chairman is a man named Mephisto Pheles (who I keep wanting to call Dr. Faustus). He's a bit off and seems to have some secret ties to the demon world. All of the students at the academy have their own special reasons for being there, mainly wanting to defeat Satan. Some have stories that will clearly emerge as time passes. Studying happens. Things ensue. Enjoyment is had.

This anime is a salty mix of high school comedy and supernatural hijinx. In some ways it reminds me of the best things I loved about Bleach in its first season. I hope Blue Exorcist doesn't lose its momentum but stays on course to remain a really fun show.

I love Rin's character. He's a sweet guy with a bit of a temper in service to the people he loves. He is not over the top angsty, though being Satan's kid, he's probably got some stuff to deal with.

Actually, I like all of the characters so far. They are all adorable, especially Shiemi, the budding tamer with her little demon familiar the infant greenman.

She reminds me of my little sister when she was a kid :)