The lore of the world has always told of demons lurking in the shadows ready to prey upon unsuspecting innocents, and the D.Gray-man series gives substance to these warnings. The story takes place at the end of a fictional 19th century, where a nefarious monster called “The Millenium Earl” is corrupting souls and turning them into Akuma: demon-like beings capable of destroying humans with but a touch. Such abominations serve the Earl in combating the Black Order of Exorcists, an organization dedicated to safeguarding relics called “innocence” from his wicked schemes.

Possessing a naïve sense of justice and a desire to defend the weak without a need for grandstanding or the melodramatic whining that seems to ruin so many protagonists in anime these days, the main character, Allen Walker, is genuinely likable. His personality also makes him someone the audience will naturally feel protective of, although there is no need, as he is a well trained exorcist possessing an anti-Akuma weapon of immense power.

The Earl exemplifies an inspired villain that isn’t content to just embody a nebulous archetype in the story. His role in the creation of Akuma is very personal, as he delights in tricking those who have recently lost someone they love into calling them back from their eternal rest to instead suffer as a host for the Earl’s demonic marionettes; and as a cruel twist, their first order is always to kill the one who summoned them.

Allen is all too familiar with the Earl’s methods, having himself fallen victim to his treachery. An orphan rejected by his own parents because of a deformity, he has seen only glimpses of kindness, and even those have been heartlessly torn away from him. The revelation of Allen’s past unquestionably adds to the sadness of his character, but it also provides a credible motivation for the person he has become.

Thankfully, Allen seems to have found genuine friends in the Black Order, and his kindness is likely to win him many more. And while the back stories of Allen’s new colleagues have not yet been given the same nuance and depth as he and the Earl in the initial portion of the US release, the sentiment shown to even the minor characters involved in the subplots foreshadows promise for the rest of the cast as the series progresses.

Totaling 103 episodes in all, the first 13 make a strong enough impression to encourage the anticipation of the releases to come. For those who enjoy a lengthy series with a lot of heart, D.Gray-man would seem to be a worthwhile addition.