Finally, I'm back with this series again and like I felt while watching its first season, my excitement is still high even though I tried to lower it a notch by watching another anime and distracting myself with my school requirements. It somehow lowered a little, but the moment I watched its first episode and saw the Okumura brothers back in action, ahhhhhh I barely couldn't contain my excitement again.
Also, I'm really looking forward to seeing Mephisto again (which unfortunately took time lol) because I kinda missed his cute aesthetic and cool demeanor. I don't know but I really find gray characters attractive, and Mephisto is definitely one of them. So before I can't stop babbling about how attractive and husbando material Mephisto is, let's join the Okumura brothers as they get themselves involved in the incident that's bound to test the weight of their resolve in Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga.
About the Anime
Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga (Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen) is a shounen anime that premiered in the winter of 2017. This anime series is a sequel to its first season and it aired from January 7, 2017, to March 25, 2017. Like its first season, it was animated by A-1 Pictures, but this time it's only 12 episodes that were an adaptation of volumes 5 to 9, chapter 34 of its manga. The story still revolves around the life of Rin, but this time, things have been complicated since his true identity has been revealed. It is important to note that episodes 16-25 in season one aren't canon—meaning they won't affect the plot at all—and that means his classmates were still at the stage where they feared and hated him for being the son of Satan.
However, with the agreement sealed in the Vatican, Rin was granted another chance not to be exorcised, but of 'course there were conditions—one was that he would not show his flame to the public and the second was that he needed to pass the exorcist exam in the next 6 months. They were tough conditions, but it was a must for him to keep on living. However, those conditions weren't only his problem, for his classmates—who were mostly victims of Blue Night—still resented him. Being the son of Satan is indeed tough if you're among exorcists who have a lifelong grudge against Satan, yet they need to set that aside because a more concerning situation appears. The left eye of the Impure King was stolen and an unexpected betrayal happened!
Further, an attempt was made to as well steal the other one, and with that, the higher-ups decided to deploy the exwires to investigate the stealing incident and also to uncover the mystery behind the action of the traitor who stole it. Even though they were forced to cooperate, the rift between Rin and his classmates is still as evident as it was, but he won't give up on them. With Shura, he tirelessly trains to control his flame, and along the way he somehow learns it. But the catch is, at what cost?
I love how this season ended up because honestly, the feelings I felt upon watching the end episode are the same as what I felt at the end chapter of the Kyoto arc. I was bracing myself for some dark sneak peek or foreshadowing at the end, but they ended it the usual heartwarming way. It's not a bad end because considering how things will turn out in the later sequels, I guess it's good they ended it that way. Also, the emotions here are much more raw and they resonate more with me. The way they used the introspective tone in narration was probably one of the things that made it relatable for me. Unlike season one's plot which focused more on the unfolding of the events in Rin's life, this season is more character-driven.
It's nice to watch that they're gradually letting the viewers know not only the POVs of the main characters but also the supporting ones. There are really subtle foreshadowing in their POVs that in the later part of the plot will be relevant. Moreover, there are dialogues that we thought were just there to enhance the emotional impact of the scenes, but in truth, they are part of something that will be later on revealed in the next sequels. If you pay attention to them, of 'course you won't be caught off guard by the character improvements that will manifest soon. So much for that, I'm also impressed how they're able to insert the emotional flashbacks without really disrupting the emotions that are high in those scenes. They aren't long flashbacks that lasted for many episodes—they're just enough to sate some of your curiosities and yearning for backstory.
As for its visuals, this season's animation is much more pleasing to look at. The movement of the characters is more fluid and the way they animated those fight scenes was something else. If season one's action scenes kept me, this one kept me and got me really hooked up. The action scenes in this sequel are more well executed. The art style and character design compared to the previous season, look softer. It's not bad, but I kinda liked how they look in its first season or maybe I got used to it so it kinda felt off when there's a subtle change in their designs. Anyway, they still look good so it's not hard to overlook that little change in their style.
Moving on from that, this season's soundtrack is quite toned down. I guess they wanted to shift the focus more onto the dialogues so they kinda made the sound less conspicuous. Also, this tuning down made me notice how effectively the voice actors portrayed their characters. I don't know but I find Mephisto's voice this season more pleasing to hear—or maybe just because he had less screen time so I'm more absorbed and keen when it's his screen time. Ok, ok, so much for him, the voices of other characters were also nice to hear. I somehow didn't notice how good they were in season one so I guess it's high time to appreciate them.
Overall, my rating for this anime is still 9/10. This season may be shorter than the previous one, but like the first season, I like how it turned out. I was kinda hesitant whether I would like this one because I accidentally read some negative reviews about it, but it turns out, our perceptions are really different. I'm glad that it stayed true to the flow of the story this time without adding parts that would confuse the viewers especially those who haven't read the manga. Also, like the previous season, I still enjoyed the entirety of it and I wouldn't mind rewatching this season if I finished its later sequels. So if you're looking for an engaging supernatural anime series with a nice sequel, then you better try Blue Exorcist then later watch its sequel Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga.
Before I end this review, I'll share with you its trailer, so—
Have you watched this sequel already? Or you haven't yet? Well, if you have something to share about this sequel, please feel free to share it in the comment below. So that's all for now, minna-san~ I hope you enjoyed reading my review.
Arigatou and tanoshinde ne~
The pictures that didn't have source were screenshots from the anime while the last picture was edited in Canva.