Television series

Blue Exorcist

Name: Blue Exorcist
Genre: Comedy, Action, Anime, Supernatural
Released: 2011
Cast: Nobuhiko Okamoto, Jun Fukuyama, Kazuya Nakai, Kana Hanazawa, Hiroshi Kamiya

Fantasy

Blue Exorcist follows a hot-headed teenager discovering he's Satan's son—and choosing to become an exorcist instead. It's a supernatural action-comedy that balances genuine stakes with humour, character growth, and friendship. Perfect for anyone who wants shounen energy wrapped around real emotional stakes.

TVMaze rating

3.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love shonen anime that pairs a hot-headed, flame-throwing hero with a sly sense of comedy and a steady build of supernatural menace, the kind where school-life silliness keeps undercutting the stakes.

Skip it if you find the mix of goofy slapstick and demonic horror jarring, or you want a tight, self-contained story rather than a long, episodic series that takes its time arriving at its bigger ideas.

What it asks of you: Seventy-three half-hour episodes across five seasons, so you need to commit to a long run. Expect frequent switches between gags and fights, with a pace that rewards patience.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Demon Slayer2019

Stunning animation elevates a similar premise: ordinary kid discovers supernatural heritage, joins a training organization to fight demons. The action sequences are breathtaking and the character bonds are earned.

But Moves at a slower burn than Blue Exorcist's pace, and relies heavily on anime fans' genre familiarity. The early episodes feel familiar.

My Hero Academia2016

Same DNA: a 'powerless' protagonist discovers hidden strength, enters a school for supernatural combat, builds genuine friendships. Balances comedy, action, and real emotional weight across its run.

But The sheer length (six seasons and counting) is a commitment. Also leans harder into wish-fulfillment than Blue Exorcist ever does.

Jujutsu Kaisen2020

Dark yet addictive supernatural action with a charismatic protagonist, a found-family vibe, and animation that consistently stuns. The humour lands differently—sharper, meaner—but it's there.

But Genuinely graphic violence in ways Blue Exorcist rarely ventures. Also demands you care about supporting characters quickly, which not every viewer will.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Blue Exorcist

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Michiko e Hatchin2008

Both explore the question: what do you do when your blood legacy is darkness? Both answer with chosen family and stubborn love.

A masterwork about found family and belonging that shares Blue Exorcist's heart: two misfits learning that blood doesn't define you, love does. Gorgeously animated and emotionally genuine in ways few anime achieve.

But It's a live-action/rotoscope hybrid, not traditional animation. The first arc is deliberately uncomfortable as it deals with child abuse. Not an action show—it's a character study.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood2009

A complete story with real stakes, character arcs that matter, and the same balance of action and emotional weight. Two brothers, different powers, searching for redemption. It earns every beat.

But 64 episodes is a substantial ask. The opening arc is slower than Blue Exorcist's hook, and it gets progressively darker.

Fire Force2019

Another shounen about kids training to fight supernatural forces—with sharper comedy and more unpredictable character arcs. The action is inventive and the character dynamics genuinely funny.

But Tonal whiplash between comedy and serious drama sometimes jars. The premise (firefighters who are also superheroes) feels more gimmicky than grounded.

Soul Eater2008

A quirky, confident supernatural action show with a similar school setting and misfit-team energy. The visual style is inventive and the characterization is stronger than the plot demands.

But The anime original ending is polarising. Many prefer to jump to the manga. The pacing sometimes falters mid-season.

Noragami2014

A supernatural comedy-action hybrid about gods and spirits with genuine warmth beneath the comedy. Shorter and punchier than Blue Exorcist, with characters you'll want to follow anywhere.

But Only two seasons before it stalled. The second season shifts tone significantly, which not everyone welcomes.

Black Clover2017

Pure shounen joy: an underdog with no magical power joins a magic academy to prove himself. The found-family element is sincere and the protagonist's earnestness is infectious.

But Relentless optimism can feel exhausting. The early episodes have pacing issues that test patience before the show finds its rhythm.

Bleach2004

The supernatural action-comedy blueprint that influenced shows like Blue Exorcist. A student discovers he can see spirits and must protect the human world. Fast, fun, and packed with character charm.

But Famously bloated with filler arcs. The later seasons lose direction. You'll hear fans debating which episodes to skip.

Carole & Tuesday2019

Both feature a protagonist fighting an inhuman force trying to control their world. Both say: your agency and choices matter more than your origin.

Two girls on Mars chase music dreams in a society that's forgotten human creativity. It's a 24-minute-episode sci-fi musical with genuine stakes, humour, and the same 'misfits against the world' energy.

But The ending divides viewers. It's more introspective than Blue Exorcist—less action, more consequence. Some find the sentimentality overwrought.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners2022

A misfit kid inherits a dangerous power and builds a chosen family to survive. Blue Exorcist lets them win; this one doesn't. Both are about the cost of refusing to become what your blood demands.

A 10-episode masterclass in found-family tragedy that somehow balances comedy and genuine darkness. Rin's 'I won't be controlled' defiance runs through this show's DNA, but with lethal consequences.

But Genuinely dark—people you love will die. Ultraviolent and occasionally sexual. It's cyberpunk noir, not supernatural adventure. The animation style is jarringly different from Blue Exorcist.