D.Gray-man

Imagine being abandoned by your birth parents because you were born with a deformed left arm, then being adopted by a loving father named Mana Walker, who dies and leaves you behind. While you mourn your dead father, an unusual man named the Millennium Earl approaches you and tells you that he can help you resurrect your father. You, being a child in grief, agree to the proposal and end up turning your father into an Akuma which is a mindless soldier that is doomed to follow the Earl's orders for all eternity. Your resurrected father then curses you by slicing through your left eye, leaving the mark of the Akuma also known as a "Pentacle". After this your disfigured left arm transforms into an anti-Akuma weapon which immediately and instinctively kills your beloved father. Because of the immense shock you received from killing your father, your hair turns snow white and you are left alone, confused, and broken. This is the story of Allen Walker, the exorcist.

After destroying his father, Allen comes across a general from the Black Order named, Cross Marian. Marian clarifies what Akuma are and how exactly they come to be. He also explains that a soul entrapped in an Akuma is trapped forever, and that the only way to save it is to exorcise it. Allen decides to become Cross' disciple and spends three years with him. Cross then sends Allen to the Black Order to become an official exorcist. The Black Order is a group of exorcists that are connected to the Vatican in Rome. Their primary purpose is to stop the Millennium Earl from destroying all humanity. The Earl believes he will cleanse the world by annihilating all humans, the way God did in Noah's great flood. The Exorcists are people who are gifted with the ability to use and control Innocence which is a weapon that was created in the past in order to fight against the Akuma and the Earl. There are supposedly 109 pieces of Innocence scattered around the world. The only way Innocence can evolve and become a weapon is by finding its compatible person.

The first time I encountered D.Gray-man was when a friend of mine let me borrow the manga. I didn't think too much of it after I read it. Later on I decided to watch the anime because the animation was awesome and I loved the music they chose for the opening and closing of the show. I have to say that the anime is easier to get into than the manga it's also a load of fun. The voice actors are great and the series moves on in a reasonable fashion. There are currently 37 episodes out now and it is still going. I recommend this anime to Gothic-like lovers and Shonen readers because this anime is dark but still fun and full of adventure and action. The plot thickens gradually and each episode is filled with exciting material. Allen is a very deep character with many layers, like an onion. He seems like a happy 15 year old kid but the more you watch the anime, the more you, as the viewer, understand his pain and his suffering. I am enjoying this anime very much. I give it three and a half stars out of five.

Written By: Amanda
p.s. One of my favorite characters is Lavi.
You'll understand when you meet him, haha.