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Does The Blue Exorcist Anime Follow The Manga?

Skipping episodes so I don't get filler. How close is the seasonal anime adaptation to Kazue Kato's manga story and its plot progression?
2026-02-09 22:10:48
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12 Answers

Best Answer
Devontae Sankey
Devontae Sankey
Anime Blue Exorcist is a pretty direct adaptation of the manga up to about a dozen episodes in, and then it completely diverges into an all-new anime original story arc. That being said, the first part of the anime is a pretty good way to experience the beginning of Blue Exorcist. Note, however, that many manga adapt into anime, and with a premise as straightforward as a power fantasy as in my reading of I Was Reborn As The Most Powerful Princess In History?!, the entire story is a running joke centered around the main character’s overpowered status. So there is no risk of a filler arc totally undermining the premise of the story and screwing everything up.
2026-07-31
Brianna
Brianna
It’s an anime, it has good and bad points to it as a long term fan of the work. The original ending of season one was really frustrating as Rin’s powerful up had been completely unearned after the way that it had been built up in the manga. ‘Kyoto Saga’ on the other hand is a fans love letter as it has stayed very true to the original source material, even bettering some of the parts along the way, particularly the mentor/protégée relationship between Shura and Rin. If they continue the seasons in the future then I hope that they will finally adapt the Illuminati saga correctly, until then read the manga and then enjoy the anime for what it is – a very spectacle oriented work that stands as a great addition to the franchise.
2026-02-10
Xander
Xander
When I started to watch Blue Exorcist I had high expectations, since it’s an adaptation of a manga by Kazue Kato. The first season is really good and stays close to the source material, especially in the first arcs of the story like Rin’s entrance in True Cross Academy and his struggles as a half-demon. The gritty and dark atmosphere is perfectly translated into animation and the characters really behave as in the manga. However, from episode 15 onwards, the anime starts to fill in the missing chapters of the story, because at that time the manga had not yet been finished yet. It wasn’t all bad, but it lacked depth, compared to the source material. Especially the Kyoto Impure King arc, which is entirely anime original, is not as good as it could have been.

The Kyoto Saga of Blue Exorcist is far superior, it is a proper adaptation of the manga, following the story of the Impure King arc in a far more cohesive manner with much tighter pacing and much more emotional climaxes. If you are a completist then watch the first season to episode 17 and then immediately proceed to Kyoto Saga. The movie and Shimane Illuminati Saga are also very good and have been adapted correctly from the source material, hopefully future adaptations will be of the same high standard.
2026-02-12
Tabitha
Tabitha
A while back I read the entire Kyoto Arc in both the manga and anime. At first the anime portrayed Rin and Yukio just fine in the early scenes, including the scenes at the Monastery, but then went down a completely different path after that, going into the filler Exwire storyline for the fake and boring final battle, whereas the actual Impure King arc in the manga is far darker and really delves deeper into the lore of the Myōō Dharani as well as Shiemi’s character development.

The “Kyoto Saga” chapters somehow manage to redeem the whole series though. The rough black and white artwork of the printed chapters contrasts starkly with the pretty, smoothed-out anime, but the two versions work equally well. Bon’s backstory is especially heart wrenching in the printed chapters, but the voice acting of the anime really brings out the characters too. Mephisto’s scenes in the manga are even more surreal and disturbing than in the anime. In the end, if one values world-building, then reading the manga is the best option. But the soundtrack and animation of the fight scenes are so great that watching the anime is worth it for those reasons alone.
2026-02-14
Mayra Sanchez avila
Mayra Sanchez avila
One good thing about the manga is the consistent power scaling of Rin’s opponents. They are very powerful and also very clever. The anime had its original arcs, but in many cases Rin was overpowered too fast. Also, many opponents were created only to be defeated by power of friendship in the most convenient way possible. The manga makes Rin use strategy, has him work with his friends, and test the limits of his own demonic power. In the end, he grows up by failing, learning, and adapting. That’s more than just getting more powerful.
2026-07-31

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