StoryLike all standard action-packed shounen anime, D.Gray-Man focuses on the age-old struggle between good and evil. In this case, evil
arises in the form of the Millennium Earl who intends to use his army of
‘Akuma’ – demons – and the powerful Noah Clan to bring darkness upon the world.
Fighting against him are the Exorcists of the Black Order, who each play host
to a fragment of the ‘Innocence’ – mankind’s only weapon capable of defeating
the akuma.
The series starts out slowly enough, following its central
protagonist, fifteen year-old Allen Walker, from his arrival at the Black Order
and through his various assignments. Initially the show centres on fighting
akuma and investigating paranormal occurrences linked to missing Innocence
fragments. Though the beginning of the series had me hooked, only when its
central plot emerges, does D.Gray-Man truly get a chance to shine.
D.Gray-Man creates a feeling of unease by including
surprising plot twists, which shatter the preconception that the ‘good guys’
will always win. Removing the certainty of the protagonists’ victory creates a
more compelling narrative, allowing the series to maintain its viewers
interest. Unfortunately the series’ best material only manifests itself during
the second season (episodes fifty-two onwards). One or two less than stellar
filler arcs precede this and, in particular, I found myself regularly stalling
during the Lulubell storyline. However, make it through the twenty-odd episodes
of filler and a reward of the impressive Edo and Noah’s Ark saga prove well
worth the wait. One reason for this comes from the fact that none of the
battles drag on for longer than two or three episodes, a stark contrast to
other shounen series like Naruto, Bleach, and especially One
Piece, which typically dedicates ten, twenty or possibly more episodes to a
single fight. By condensing the action into fewer episodes, each fight creates
a more intense atmosphere and makes for captivating viewing.
The balance of comedy and kick-ass action demonstrates
another positive aspect of D.Gray-Man. From the jokes surrounding
Allen’s relationship with Cross to ‘Komurin II’ rampaging through headquarters,
in allowing the drama of the story to mix with some genuinely humorous moments,
the series succeeds in providing all-round entertainment.
D.Gray-Man’s
biggest disappointment is its lack of resolution. Though it is foolish to
expect a full conclusion considering that the manga is still ongoing, I felt
the series left too much unexplained. Adding to my frustration, I found that
even during the final set of closing credits I was adding to my number of
queries! While it guarantees that I will watch any future series, this does not
excuse the lack of fulfillment it leaves.AnimationWith splendid animation such as the activation
of Allen’s cursed eye and the realistic movement demonstrated in fight
sequences, D.Gray-Man’s characters receive an added vibrancy. The
series’ visual design, while pleasant to behold, remains standard and provides
no innovative style. Nevertheless with its smooth motion and agreeable
character design, D.Gray-Man delivers a pleasing ocular experience.SoundThe voice acting perfectly fits each character and brings
out the various aspects of their personalities.
D.Gray-Man’s
handful of opening and ending themes work nicely with the series, often
choosing an upbeat rock track to open and a soft, gentle song to close. This
nicely mirrors the harmony between action and emotion portrayed throughout the
series. Accompanied by a wonderfully orchestral score, the series’ soundtrack
leaves very little to complain about.CharactersD.Gray-Man’s cast improves upon an already
captivating (well, for the most part) plot. Displaying a medley of different
personalities, the majority of the characters are complex. Most demonstrate
contradictory personality traits, such as sociable Lavi who bears the lonely
fate of a ‘bookman’ – a clan charged with the job of impartially observing and
recording history. This makes them more intriguing, with the exception of
Lenalee who, as the series’ weakest character, takes on the role of ‘the nice
one’.
The Millennium Earl is one of the most intriguing characters
in the series and on the surface he merely resembles a portly old man. This
harmless façade makes him appear a feeble villain, but this is where D.Gray-Man’s
excellent characterisation comes in. While his grandfatherly exterior
encourages a sense of security, the occasional glimpse of his terrifyingly evil
eyes, which hide behind glasses, remind viewers not to get comfortable.
Alongside D.Gray-Man’s impressive characterisation
comes equally impressive development. Throughout the series, most of the
protagonists face their own personal hell. These individual struggles allow
each person to evolve; while demonstrating nothing new, this development
effectively executes itself within a limited time rather than stretching across
two to three hundred episodes. Following these gruelling trials in a more
condensed time frame results in a greater emotional investment in this small
group of exorcists.
While the concepts of contrasting personality traits,
personal improvement and a seemingly harmless antagonist seem like clichés
expected of any action-based series, the characters turn out to be anything but
generic. By not overemphasizing their flaws or traumatic pasts, and
incorporating them into the series’ laudable plot and darker tone, D.Gray-Man’s
characters gain an unexpected freshness.OverallThough not perfect, this series has many positive
attributes, which compensate for the tedious filler episodes and the series’
lack of completion. Sure, D.Gray-Man conforms to the basic formula for
its genre, but with its sumptuous myriad of characters, stimulating plot twists
and striking battles, it stands as one of the better shounen series out
there. So while easy to rest on the belief that ‘seen one shounen anime, seen
them all’, I would advise at least giving it a chance.