By Dustin Cabeal

This was my first year reading Blue Exorcist. I’ve seen the series around and never really wanted to check it out. After getting a couple of review copies I was kind of forced to do so and I wish I hadn’t. This is the classic short-sighted shonen storytelling that I hate. It’s what’s wrong with the manga formula in Japan because it forces a lot of creators to make big concept stories out of small concept ideas. Blue Exorcist is unnecessarily drawn out due to its popularity and nothing more.

The story is tired and just trying to add more shit and background info to keep afloat. When you’re on as many volumes as this series is and you start going back and fucking with the origins and changing the details from the beginning, it’s not good. It signals weak planning on the creator’s part, and that’s why Blue Exorcist is on my list.