Series: D.Gray-Man – Series Two: Part Two
Release date: 18th October 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 274 mins
Director: Osamu Nabeshima
Starring: Sanae Kobayashi, Ai Shimizu, Hiroki Touchi, Junpei Takiguchi, Katsuyuki Konishi
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan
Adapted from Katsura Hoshino’s twenty volume manga, the epic battle between the Exorcists of the Black Order and the evil Millennium Earl continues in Season 2: Part 2 of D.Gray Man.
The Millennium Earl has enlisted the help of the Noah Clan to track down and destroy young Allen Walker and his group of Exorcists as they travel across 19th century Europe and into Asia, searching for pieces of Innocence and Allen’s former master, General Cross. The overarching narrative of the rest of the series takes a back seat for part two, as the story arc of Lulu Bell and her maid Mimi hunting the intrepid Exorcists of the Black Order as they search from town to town is brought to the fore.
The four main protagonists grow closer as they are forced into combat with the relentless Akuma (the Earl’s army of possessed souls), banding together to solve mysteries and distractions during their continued journey. A town’s water supply has inexplicably dried up in China, and a boy is framed by Lulu for stealing a statue, whilst the group encounter a new potential exorcist in Mei-Ling, the fortune teller.
After crossing the Himalayas and arriving in China, the group hope to finally locate General Cross, but are instead met by his lover, Anita…
The most striking aspect of D.Gray Man is the sumptuous, elegant production design. The gothic aesthetic is an amalgamation of Tim Burton and Edgar Allen Poe, combined with traditional anime stylisation. The character design is magnificent, with appealing, varied creations providing a solid foundation for their development. The background art, however, is at odds with the setting. Every town the group enter, regardless of its geographical location, looks the same, with no cultural significance or narrative relevance. The concept of the journey is utilised simply as a narrative tool, while the Macguffin of the search for the Heart of Innocence is a clichéd concept.
The characters are interesting and diverse, strengthened by strong voice acting in both the original Japanese and the English dub. The only notable issue is in Allen Walker himself, voiced in Japanese by actress Sanae Kobayashi and English language anime regular Todd Haberkorn in the dub. This is significant as it greatly affects the characterisation of our protagonist, with Kobayashi’s sensitive, understated performance enhancing the vulnerability and naivety of the character. The vampire, Alistair Crowley (Arystar Krory in the Japanese) is another truly unique character. Physically imposing and striking, but goofy and charming, Crowley provides much of the comic relief, and is a refreshing take on what could have been the typical brooding anti-hero. When he loses the rest of the group in another new town, his blind panic as he rushes around looking for them is hilarious, providing a neat juxtaposition between the gothic aesthetic of both the setting and the character, and slapstick comedy. The Millennium Earl also stands out, psychotically talking through massive gritted teeth, like a sociopathic used car salesman.
The series moves along at breakneck pace, with the short, twenty minute episodes rarely straying from a repetitive mould. The group arrive at a new town, fight some Akuma, foil Lulu and Mimi’s plans to separate them, and solve whichever problem or mystery presents itself. The overarching narrative of the D.Gray Man universe is seldom explored, resulting in the impression that these episodes are merely filler. They are, however, entertaining and seldom boring, despite being somewhat derivative.
In this action heavy series, almost every episode features at least one battle scene. Allen’s gift of a massive claw and Akuma spotting cursed eye, along with some imaginative weapons, allow for some spectacular action scenes. They are heavily layered and stylistically interesting. In one notable scene, when the group are attacked by a swarm of large beach ball sized Akuma, Crowley flies from enemy to enemy, using his fangs to burst them, as Lavi extends his massive hammer, Tettsui, and yells out the names of each attack as he launches fireballs at the swarm. These moments are so typically Japanese (think Pokémon meets Final Fantasy) that it is impossible not to smile and appreciate them.
The cat and mouse nature of the Noah Clan’s pursuit of the protagonists does wear thin after a few episodes. Each scheme is quickly overcome, and the pair are sent back to lick their wounds and plan for the next episode. This is, however, compensated for by a rich mythology and interesting back stories, such as the historic relationship between Lulu and Mimi as Princess and maid and Allen’s history training with General Cross. These are all shown through flashbacks during the normal episodes, adding some respite from the formulaic nature of the show.
Series 2: Part 2 of D. Man Gray is an exquisitely produced, if slightly derivative anime. The production design is where its main strengths lie, as the world is brought to life by the excellent characters and epic action scenes. RB
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