D Gray Man - Series 1 Part 1 [DVD]

`D.Gray-Man' is the story of Alan Walker, a young boy born with a deformed arm which can transform into a powerful weapon. In order to protect people from the demonic weapons known as Akuma, Alan becomes an Exorcist of the Black Order and must fight the forces of the Millennium Earl.

`D.Gray-Man' is a good series with some nice action and some interesting characters. This set contains the first thirteen episodes of the series and although they are al entertaining I would say that the series only really gets going around episode nine with the storyline that introduces Road and Miranda, two of my favourite characters from the series. Before this point the series is mostly focusing on the introduction of the world and the characters and the best part these first few episodes is the three episode Ghost of Mater storyline which is surprisingly emotional in places.

The animation of the series is good but I did feel that the English dub was a bit hit and miss in places with some of the voices not really suiting the characters (although that is just my opinion). Overall the anime is an interesting series and once it gets going it is very enjoyable.

I'm not reviewing just this DVD but the whole series; the series has to start somewhere- the first DVD of course!

"Set in a fictional 19th century England, D.Gray-man is the story of Allen Walker, a 15-year-old boy who roams the earth in search of Innocence. Washed away to unknown parts of the world after The Great Flood, Innocence is the mysterious substance used to create weapons that obliterate demons known as akuma." (taken from the blurb of the manga). The Millenium Earl creates the akuma by visiting someone who has lost someone close to them and offers them a chance to bring them back to life. He creates a metal skeleton which is then ordered to kill the person wishing to resurrect them and live as them. They can transform into their natural state (a big metal thing with tons of guns sticking of it, well the Level Ones anyway)and kill. That's where the exorcists come in- to get rid of the akuma. I won't go into the characters because yu have to watch it to find out!

I can not recommend D.Gray-man enough as it is my favourite. You have to check out this anime and buy the other DVDs because you will not regret it. It contains action, comedy, romance (not that much but it is in a comedy way), fantasy, and a bit of horror as well, but if I can watch it then you won't be scared (HATE HORROR!).

If Tim Burton were ever to attempt a steampunk horror story, then I imagine the results would be something like "D.Gray-man."

And the first thirteen episodes of this gothic, deeply quirky anime attempts just that kind of atmosphere. "D.Grayman: Season 1 Part 1" starts off relatively slowly as it introduces the main storyline, the akuma and the sweet-natured Allan Walker. But the story really blossoms as our likable, haunted hero begins his new life among other exorcists.

Two cops are investigating an abandoned church when Officer Moore encounters a strange boy with a deformed hand, Allen Walker. After her partner is killed, Allen manages to save Moore from an akuma -- an enslaved human soul under the control of the evil Millennium Earl. When Allen is placed under house arrest in Moore's home, he reveals that the akuma is nearby... and its origins lie in a horrific tragedy from Moore's own past. Only Allen can stop it.

Later Allen arrives at the clifftop Exorcist Headquarters to introduce himself as an official exorcist. But things don't go very smoothly -- he's mistaken for a spy, the exorcists are weirdos, and the place is governed by mad genius Komui and eerie Hevlaska. But Allen finds out just what "Innocence" is, and why the exorcists are racing to find it.

His first missions are no less stressful: first Allen is called to accompany antisocial swordsman Kanda to an abandoned city haunted by a "ghost"... and a shapeshifting akuma. And he encounters a young boy determined to fight the akuma, but unaware that someone close to him is one -- and a face-to-face encounter with the Earl reveals the horrifying reason Allen became an exorcist.

Then Komui's sister Lenalee is sent with Allen to a town that is repeating the same day over and over -- and only the pitiful Miranda Lotto notices. But their mission is complicated by a mysterious human girl who has come to locate the hidden Innocence... and take it for the Earl.

Cyborg demons, cross-embedded magic arms, virus-filled biobullets, giant glowing worms with collagen lips, and a mountain fortress filled with eccentric exorcists out to save the world from a grinning, rotund demon who looks like a Blue Meanie and may (or may not) have rabbit ears. Yup, "D.Gray-man" is not your typical manga series, even as quirky horror goes.

And "D.Grayman: Season 1 Part 1" does an excellent job sticking to Hoshino Katsura's manga series, introducing a gothic Victorian world and introducing the akuma, the Earl, and the exorcists. It also lays the groundwork for what the Earl's plans are, and what the exorcists are doing. It's a pretty standard "get the artifacts before the bad guys do" goal, but with a couple interesting twists.

And along the way, we're given plenty of explosive, horrific action with macabre creatures, graveyards, little shadowy towns, and the tragic, horrific origins of the akuma. But lest the series become too grim, we get plenty of funny stuff as well -- including an entire episode devoted to Komui's deranged robot rampaging through Headquarters, trying to operate on the exorcists.

Allen is a pretty endearing hero from the start -- polite, apologetic, selfless and courageous, even when people are nasty to him. But he becomes truly striking character it's shown how got his cursed eye, white hair, and ability to kill akuma. He's backed by a solid supporting cast -- the snotty Kanda, sweet-natured Lenalee, eccentric Komui and frenetically depressed Miranda. And the Earl is a very creepy villain -- not just because he wants to kill God, but because he smiles cheerfully even as he destroys people.

"D.Grayman: Season 1 Part 1" has a few episodes that don't quite reach "superb," but it's an excellent start to an outstanding anime series. Absolutely brilliant -- and promises to get even better.