Sousei no Onmyouji (Twin Star Exorcists): Season 1/ Episode 1 "The Destined Two – Boy Meets Girl" [Series Premiere] – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Episode Overview

Two young exorcists, both with slightly mysterious past, converge one day as demons begin to attack and they are pulled into action.

Episode Rating: Stick Around

Trigger Warning(s)
Some blood, but nothing gratuitous

Review Summary

Sousei no Onmyouji is an anime which, to me, has a similar vibe to Kekkai Sensen [Blood Blockade Battlefront] in the sense that while it has blood, action, and characters dealing with past trauma, generally most of the show you can’t take seriously. However, unlike Kekkai Sensen there isn’t the type of distinct personalities or villains to grab hold of you and officially have you hooked.

Main Plot (with Commentary)

In what seems to be the modern world there are these beings named Kegare. In the show, they appear to be demons, of which don’t get the same polish as most of the characters in terms of design, and they attack at will. To combat these beings are exorcist of which we meet a handful though the two which matter are Rokuro and Benio. Now, Rokuro is the type of character who, like his counterpart Benio, seems largely familiar. Rokuro had something traumatic in the past happen to him which leads to him holding back his true potential and, on top of that, he is bad with girls. Making him pretty much a two sided coin. On one side he is this potential badass exorcist who can seem really cool, and then on the other side, he is this slightly lame guy who tried, but is basically someone you don’t think twice about. In terms of Benio, honestly, she is just your usual aloof female prodigy with social issues. Which pretty much sums her up.

Together it seems they are to fight these formidable in either size or number Kegare. Now, whether they are to face some sort of big evil Kegare and that will be it, their adventures will last forever, or maybe some former exorcist is the one pulling the strings, who knows. As of the first episode, all that is presented are these two powerful, and young (Rokuro is only 14) exorcist who are still in training.

Things To Note

Part of the reason for a Kekkai Sensen comparison is that this anime shares a special screen to show when special attacks are done.

Highlights

The episode begins with what is known as the Hiinatsuki Tragedy and makes you believe the tone is going to be a bit dark, serious, and maybe even brooding.

Low Points

However, once you see Rokuro fail in asking out a girl and running away right into his friend’s breasts, so goes any need to take this show seriously. But unlike the aforementioned Kekkai Sensen, there isn’t a smooth transition from serious moments and the comedic ones. Everything feels a bit fractured and it is like the writers/ animators want to combine both genres into this one anime, but didn’t take their time to make their ideas one cohesive product. No, instead they present these oddball characters with great power and potential, and just as much as we see they can kick ass, they pair this with how socially awkward some can be. Hoping to win those interested in both genres in the long run.

The art style of the enemies, especially in comparison to everything else, looks almost like it hadn’t evolved from the planning stages. Also, despite how scary and fearsome the demons seem like they should be, there is something generic and bland about their look.

On The Fence

Benio and Rokuro to me seem like run of the mill characters. Granted, this is but the first episode, and it seems between Benio’s family and Rokuro dark past there may be more to them than which meets the eye, but honestly I just don’t feel, even with how odd they are, that they have that certain something to keep you loyal to the show.