Blue Exorcist Vol 1 by Kazue Kato

Meet Rin, the son of Satan, raised by an exorcist monk, Father Fujimoto. Rin has sworn revenge on his real father and vows to become the best exorcist in all the land! Father Fujimoto gives Rin a sword that contains his demonic powers, and tells Rin never to draw the sword, for his power will overtake his humanity. Rin and his twin brother Yukio attend True Cross Academy, a prestigious school with an exorcism training ground. Yukio is a teacher and has also vowed to become a great exorcist, and knows Rin’s true heritage.  Through teaching, Yukio make several friends (as his students are all his age), and Rin struggles to learn and keep his heritage a secret from all his exorcist buddies.

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I should have seen this coming' but I honestly didn’t expect the school angle from this story. I really like Yukio being a foil for Rin, having the skills and patience to do the job right, while Rin likes to go in swords blazing and handles some of the tough demons.  There is also some mystery surrounding the headmaster of True Cross, and I doubt it’s going to be all good surprises in the end for Rin.  I think the art style also perfectly fits this story with lots of detail and beautiful scenes.  The exorcism school in True Cross Academy is beautiful, and I sort of want to go there and explore its mysteries. 

VIZ rates this for Teen Plus, and I imagine that is for the somewhat gory fantasy violence, some language, and a few suggestive themes.  

Right now, there are 23 volumes, with more planned, so there is a little bit of a purchase commitment for this series.  However, this is one of the most popular series in my library, so it is worth investing in the first few volumes to see how your students/patrons enjoy it.

​Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Demons, Horror, School Age