Following from the perhaps precipitous plot twist, Ao no Exorcist could only keep the pace for so long. It was at its peak since we were in astonishment by the premise of demons, son-of-Satan protagonist, and Catholic-like organization against the Illuminati. Ao no Exorcist has certainly been on a normal pace with only few spikes of thrill and astonishment. It feeds off the basic plot of son-of-Satan against his identity and to the world. Everything has thus, remained in the necessary pace it needs, at least not until it was revealed who the true spies were. And the great feeling went on for two chapters.
Lucifer has made its appearance. This being we all know by name in the real world, but the clever use of his name and his identity in the story was splendid. King of Light is a title certainly unsuitable for such demon that gained the unlikable reputation. He also does look more human than I thought. Only the mask is a giveaway of his hideous face or the aura of mysteriousness, but his stature is so common, is he even Lucifer? He explains the motive that as now, it attempts to provide true peace by uniting Assiah and Gehenna by reviving Satan first. It was generous enough to have clear-cut understanding behind the Illuminati organization, but this was way too easy.
Later, the commander is known to be a weakened being even after he did all the sparks and flashes, but already dumbfounding enough, he baffles much that he is known to be Gehenna’s most influential person. In what sense could he be? Does his title of King of Light even hold so much water?
Soon after, Izumi is captured and Shima has betrayed the organization. This truly is a staggering development! Not until the story pushes Yukio, the Exwires, and the Upper First Class Exorcist-equal Takara Nemu to go after them. At some point, I should be saying, “This is by far the most challenging battle they will take part! In a global scale! In the hands of a group mostly composed of Exwires! Amazing!” But no, I am past that point. The story has driven itself only to a corner they made. The characters they introduced were a great set, but the attempts to suddenly spike the story and conspicuously negate Gregory, an exorcist of the highest ranks, from the battle is unsettling to where this is leading now.
As if Gregory wasn’t enough to scratch him off the show temporarily, we later see Mephisto and Bronco both occupied by life-or-death conditions; Bronco dying and Mephisto erecting the barrier with cards (cool). Why not take everyone powerful off the show if it can’t even handle them that well! I may sound so antagonistic this moment, but it is undeniably true.
The Exwires group arrive in the suspicious Inari; Izumi and Shima in the same place. Izumi meets her mom in a ragged form, weak and bandaged in the head, desperately and barely able to ask for help. Whatever this human experiment is, they have made their point well enough to understand the gravity of the situation. Izumi is later left in a conversation with Shima. There were only few striking things about this conversation of Shima’s true self and Izumi’s disappointment in friendship. I am appalled in the way this story is shaping. Much as I’m mystified by Izumi being the unexpected target, Shima is leaving me lost as the reader. I’m lost in his sense of self; I can hardly keep up with his thinking right now. He has become too inconsistent, and the points of (fake) smiles are fuzzier even.
Meanwhile, the Exwires continue to dig deeper following the standard mind-manipulative escapade, and later immerse themselves in the history of Inari and Izumi’s family.
The entire three chapters is worth the read. The regret left is the waste of time in giving the characters the development that is even barely put together. Two-three chapters is not enough to sculpt these characters we have learned to liked, but to compensate for that is the story’s progression. Ao no Exorcist has been at this for chapters now, that I honestly feel has been making the same mistakes.
In fairness to discrediting what others see as Ao no Exorcist’s good sides, these recent chapters have been leaps of faith. It was a good choice, but better than this would have been to my admiration to the author.
Bonus Point:
- Gregory’s arrogance gets on my nerves. His purpose has served well for a short time; don’t get it shorter.
Rating: 3/5
Some realizations: great story conceptualization but poor story flow; all factors about making a good story risked by the character development.
Adrift Culture 