Why Does Ao No Exorcist Okumura Rin Hate His Father?

Ever since I started binging 'Ao no Exorcist' on a rainy weekend, Rin Okumura's powers have been the thing I gush about the most. At his core he’s a half-demon whose signature ability is the notorious blue flame — the very same flame that marks him as Satan’s son. Those flames are more than pretty visuals: they’re destructive, purifying, and tied directly to his demonic lineage. The sword Kurikara (the katana that seals his demon side) is central: sheathe it and he looks like a normal guy; draw it and the seal breaks, his demonic traits push through, and the blue flame roars to life. Mechanically, Rin’s flames let him do a few different things. He can coat his blade with them to slash through demons and barriers, spit concentrated bursts of fire for ranged attacks, or simply let the flames boil around him for an explosive area effect. Beyond fire, he gets the classic demonic upgrades: higher strength, speed, and durability plus an accelerated healing factor. He also develops a kind of demonic presence — he can sense other demonic energies and, in moments of extreme stress, partially or fully shift into a more monstrous form (horns, tail, sometimes wings depending on how far the manga goes). What I love is that his power isn’t just raw output; it’s a constant struggle. The Kurikara seal acts like both a limiter and a training wheel: it keeps him human but also forces him to confront the demon inside. The blue flames are devastating but dangerous — emotionally-triggered flare-ups can hurt allies too. Watching Rin learn control, combine swordplay and flame manipulation, and figure out how to be an exorcist while carrying Satan’s inheritance is what keeps me coming back to 'Ao no Exorcist'.

I still get a little buzz thinking about how 'Ao no Exorcist' plays with the whole nature-versus-choice setup, and that’s where my gut says Rin can absolutely be redeemed in canon — if the story wants it. From day one he’s written as someone who chooses humanity despite his bloodline. The canon manga keeps leaning into that tension: Rin’s violent impulses, his reluctance to use power responsibly, and the moments he chooses to protect people are all set pieces for a redemption arc (or, more accurately, continuous self-redemption). Kazue Kato has shown she’s comfortable with slow burns and messy growth, not tidy moral resets, so I’d expect any redemption to be earned — consequences, broken relationships, and then rebuilding trust. I’ve read the chapters hunched over on a train, laughing and crying at the same time, and what struck me is how the supporting cast anchors Rin. Characters like Yukio, Shiemi, and the exorcist corps aren’t plot props; they’re moral mirrors. In-canon redemption for Rin wouldn’t just be him deciding to be “good” — it’d be a sequence where he accepts responsibility for harm done, faces the fallout, and actively works to fix things, maybe even confronting Satan in a way that breaks the inherited cycle. That’s more compelling than a sudden flip. Practically speaking, the biggest obstacles are the stakes the author wants: if Kato ups the cost (losses, public mistrust, legal consequences within the exorcist world), redemption becomes harder but more meaningful. I’d love to see a canon arc where Rin’s redemption is iterative — small, painful steps rather than a final, cinematic absolution. It feels truer to the series’ themes, and honestly, I’d be here for every messy page of it.

If you jump into 'Ao no Exorcist' from the manga, the simple, reliable starting point is this: Rin Okumura is 15 years old when the story opens. That’s the age given in official character profiles and it’s the state we meet him in—hot-headed teenager, suddenly confronted with being Satan’s son, shoved into True Cross Academy with a sword that won’t leave his side. It’s the classic shonen setup: teenage protagonist, big feelings, and a steep learning curve. That said, the series is serialized and time moves forward slowly. As arcs progress, Rin naturally gets older by months (and in some cases a year or so, depending on how you count the timeline between major events). Most fans cite 15 as his canonical age for the beginning of both the manga and the anime, while later chapters portray him as mid-teen—roughly 16 in later arcs. If you’re checking wikis or character sheets, they often list him as 15 because that’s the defining starting point, but context matters: “current” age can creep up a bit as the story continues. I still love re-reading the early volumes; Rin’s teenage awkwardness and fury are half the charm.

I'm still buzzing about Rin every time I think of his reveal in 'Ao no Exorcist'. To put it simply: Rin Okumura is the biological son of Satan and a human woman, and his demonic side is literally tied to those blue flames that only his father possesses. He looks mostly human, but when he unsheathes Kurikara (that sword with the heavy mythology around it), it releases a seal and his blue flames become active — that’s when his demonic attributes come out. You get the fangs, the sharper ears, the intensity in his eyes, and sometimes a more dramatic, winged or horned silhouette depending on how far he pushes the power. The flames themselves burn demonic energy and can’t be doused by normal means. What I love about this is the emotional origin as much as the physical one. Rin was born as one of two boys — twins — and the knowledge of his parentage is the engine for so much of his identity struggle. Raised away from the world that fears him, he still carries the mark of Satan’s existence: that hereditary blue flame and the potential to become something far more monstrous if he loses control. In the story, Kurikara’s sealing is as much about safety as it is about choice; when he draws it he’s choosing to accept that lineage, for better or worse. If you’re curious about the fuller, manga-heavy transformations, they get progressively more visual and symbolic — Rin’s demonic form can be a mirror of Satan’s, with greater size and more pronounced limbs or wings. But emotionally the core stays the same: the flames are heritage incarnate, and the origin is both supernatural and heartbreakingly human. I still get chills when he lights up those flames.

Fun fact: the English voice of Rin Okumura from 'Blue Exorcist' is Bryce Papenbrook. I still get a kick out of his performance — there’s this raw, energetic edge he brings to Rin that fits the character’s hotheaded, stubborn charm perfectly. If you watch the Funimation English dub (which is where this performance comes from), you’ll notice how Bryce balances those snarling, impulsive moments with surprisingly tender lines when Rin shows his softer side. I first heard his Rin while rewatching a binge session late at night, and it reminded me why dubs can be so satisfying when the casting clicks. Bryce also voices several other big shonen leads, so his voice is one of those I recognized instantly. The English dub of 'Blue Exorcist' is available on physical releases and through the usual streaming services that carry Funimation dubs, and he reprises the role in related releases too. Hearing his take on Rin adds a different flavor compared to Nobuhiko Okamoto’s original Japanese performance, and I honestly enjoy both versions for different reasons.

Whenever Rin Okumura goes full blue-flame, it feels like watching a lit fuse chase the rest of him — brilliant, dangerous, and not always under his thumb. I’ve binged 'Blue Exorcist' on a rainy weekend and kept thinking about how his strengths are basically mirrored by his weaknesses. The obvious physical limits: his blue flames are devastating against demons but they’re not infinite. He tires, and when he’s exhausted his flames weaken and become more chaotic. Kurikara is both his key and his leash — seal or break the sword and his whole status quo shifts. If he’s disarmed or the seal is manipulated, he can be rendered far less effective or forced into a dangerous berserk state. On a personal level, his emotional impulsiveness is huge. Rin charges in because he feels protective and angry, and that works sometimes — until it doesn’t. He’ll put allies and civilians at risk because the blue flames don’t discriminate, and he’s had to learn to hold back in crowded areas or risk massive collateral damage. Tactically, he’s weaker at long-range and trickery; he’s more of a close-combat powerhouse. Smart enemies exploit that by forcing him into situations where fire isn’t helpful or by using ranged holy tools and coordinated tactics. The psychological stuff matters too: identity issues, fear of becoming like Satan, and guilt around hurting people slow his growth. These are storytelling weaknesses but real limits in combat — hesitation, emotional breakdowns, and the moral weight of being a half-demon all make him human, and that’s where he’s most vulnerable. I love that balance; it keeps fights tense and makes his eventual control feel earned rather than just powerful for the sake of being powerful.

Picking up Rin's look from 'Ao no Exorcist' felt like trying to bottle lightning — in a good way. My approach was practical: start with the silhouette. I used a slightly oversized black blazer (school uniform style) and tailored the shoulders so they weren’t boxy; Rin’s shape is lanky but not sloppy. The red tie is iconic, but I softened it by picking a matte fabric so it photographs less shiny. For the white shirt, I ripped the collar just a touch and frayed the hem subtly to convey Rin’s rough-and-ready swagger without looking like you slept in your costume. Wig work made the whole thing for me. I bought a layered black wig with a longer nape and thinned the sides; then I used a hair dryer and paste wax to create those spiky, messy tufts. Don’t forget the little cowlick at the front. I darkened my eyebrows slightly to match and did subtle contouring along the jaw to give that stubborn, boyish face extra dimension. For the demon aesthetic, I built a removable tail from wired foam and faux leather — it’s lightweight and bends realistically, and I attached it to a belt loop so it sits correctly. Props and small details sell the cosplay: a safe prop sword wrapped in cloth for the Kurikara look, a set of cheap blue LEDs taped inside a translucent sheath for a hint of flame, and a pair of clip-in fangs for the occasional smirk. Practice Rin’s slouch and his mischievous grin in front of a mirror; posture and expression make him feel alive. I ran through photos in different lighting — harsh sunlight kills the flame LEDs, but dusk shots made everything glow. If you’re headed to a con, double-check weapon rules and pack extra glue and thread; nothing ruins the mood like a popped seam mid-photoshoot.

My take on Rin and Yukio starts with the kind of messy, loud sibling energy I kept laughing at when I first binged 'Ao no Exorcist' late into the night. Right away you feel the push and pull: Yukio is the stoic, buttoned-up type whose protective streak makes him snap orders at Rin, while Rin is hot-headed, impulsive, and eager to prove himself. That early dynamic is basically them wearing armor—Yukio's sternness hides fear and guilt, and Rin's bravado hides insecurity about being tied to a demon father. As the story moves on, their relationship becomes less a static “guardian vs. wildcard” and more of a complicated partnership. There are scenes where Yukio's medical knowledge, tactical sense, and unwillingness to abandon his brother literally save Rin, and other moments when Rin's sheer nerve and demonic power pull Yukio through. The evolution isn't tidy: they argue, betray each other emotionally at times, and both make decisions that hurt the other. But those fractures lead to growth—Yukio slowly admits vulnerability instead of just issuing commands, and Rin learns to temper his recklessness with trust. What I love most is how their bond keeps being tested but never reduced to a single label. They oscillate between rivalry, duty, resentment, and fierce brotherly love. By later arcs, you can see an uneasy truce turn into mutual respect and interdependence: Yukio trusts Rin's choices more, and Rin leans on Yukio's steadiness. It’s messy, human, and sometimes heartbreaking, but it feels earned, like two people figuring out how to be brothers in a world that keeps trying to tear them apart.