D.Gray-Man

author: Katsura Hoshino
review type: manga/anime
status: ongoing/completed
genre: Shounen, Supernatural


Synopsis

D.Gray-Man begins with Allen Walker, the main protagonist joining the Black Order, an association that trains and prepares exorcists; a group of people chosen by a substance called the innocence which enables them to have extraordinary powers while combating demons of different levels. There he encounters another fellow exorcist, Yu Kanda for being mistaken to be a demon. After being recognized as an exorcist, Lenalee prevents Kanda from friendly fire.

As Allen is received into the Black Order, he becomes aware of his destiny; basically being the "Destroyer of Time". A title given to the one who would eventually defeat the Millenium Earl; the series main antagonist and the ultimate root of all evil.

Allen, Lenalee, and Yu Kanda then team up for missions. During this period, they meet Lavi an aspiring bookman and Bookman whose a bookman! The bookmans are basically a group of people who observes the happenings of events and the record them. They comply to a strict code, so as not to get attached to the events to a point where their judgments are clouded. Well for Lavi, he goes from being just an observer to a companion.

Allen and his team discovers the intentions of the Millennium Earl; which is basically to destroy all of humanity. And that he is not in this alone. He is aided by a group called the Noahs; a special breed of demons and a group of humans that are bent on destruction as well.



Rempit's Vrooming Comment:

The concept is definitely interesting. Goth-styled, dark and mysterious. Basically sets a different tone to the common shonen supernatural type. Katsura Hoshino does well in bringing the likable elements of such supernatural ideas to the manga. Krori the good willed, demon combating vampire is one such character.

However in terms of style, she (you guessed it, the author is a girl) still sticks to the shounen routine. Yu Kanda is a reminiscent of Ishida Uryuu from Bleach. Lenalee is also the stereotypical image of a shonen fanfare: short pleated skirt, talented, loving, nice, etc.

A good part about D.Gray-Man would be that it basically lays a plot that is realistic. The daunting task of fighting evil firstly would remind you of Bleach which seems like the old shounen routine at first; you have the big ass clumsy demons that kill exorcists, then you have the smaller in sized stronger demons that somewhat can kill clumsy exorcists, then you have a more able and well trained demon that can almost kill an exorcist, then you have the smart well abled and strong demon that can kill exorcists. But what is realistic would be that the deaths and sadness portrayed involve even characters that can be loveable through time. Now that's realistic enough. Dark indeed.

For subcultural lovers, D.Gray-Man would offer something insatiable. And again here is another shounen story that does not trickle down the line of Naruto. While it may rub shoulders with Bleach, this one is sadistic enough to create that desirable read we want after a huge happy ending dosage of shounen manga.



Rempit Rates:

Character Development: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 3/5 ( this is simply because of the similarity with Bleach)