Blue Exorcist: The Movie was released in Japan on December 28, 2012, and in the United States on August 17, 2013. The film grossed over $5million worldwide.
Plot
Centuries ago, a demon lived in a small village and gained the sympathy of the villagers. As they left their land unattended to spend time with the demon, the villagers lost all of their goods. An exorcist then arrived to permanently seal the demon and protect the village again.
In the present day, preparations for a festival, which is celebrated every 11 years, are ongoing around True Cross Campus Town. Rin Okumura and his brother Yukio, and Shiemi Moriyama are sent on a mission to exorcise the "Phantom Train" that got lost control after Rin and Shiemi tried to save the ghosts that are unconsciously trapped inside. After the fight, one of the demons inside the Phantom Train escapes. Rin later encounters the little demon with a child-like appearance and names it Usamaro. Usamaro is taken by the exorcists, but Rin opposes their decision to exorcise him so they give him the duty to look after the demon instead. Usamaro is revealed to be a benevolent kami that became a demon after suffering the pain of being betrayed and abandoned by the villagers he cared for and had used his power to erase the bad memories from their minds to make everyone live through happiness. While living with Rin, Usamaro uses his power to make him and his other exorcists his friends and forget about their tasks of protecting the town during the festival.
As a result, the town is infested with demons. During these circumstances, Rin discovers Usamaro's power and learns that he is the same demon of the tale his father, Shiro Fujimoto, shared with him and Yukio when they were only children. Thanks to their friendship, Rin helps Usumaro understand how valuable memories are, even the painful ones, and makes him promise to never use his power again, to which the little demon agrees. Although he is accepted by Rin as part of his family, Usamaro decides to sacrifice himself due to the demons taking control of the city, breaking his promise. In the end, everyone seems to forget about Usamaro's existence and the chaos that occurred during the festival, but Rin seems to remember Usamaro and will visit his temple, promising him that he will never forget him.
In September 2011, an anime film adaptation of Kazue Kato's manga series Blue Exorcist was confirmed via the release of the November issue of Jump Square magazine.[4] In March 2012, Atsushi Takahashi was announced to be directing the film at A-1 Pictures, along with Reiko Yoshida as the screenwriter, Keigo Sasaki as the character designer, and Shinji Kimura as the art director.[5] The cast of the 2011 anime television series Blue Exorcist returned to reprise their roles for the film,[3] with Rie Kugimiya and Hidenobu Kiuchi joining them in October 2012 to respectively voice the new characters Usamaro, a boy demon, and Cheng-Long Liu, an exorcist from Taiwan.[6] The English dub cast also reprised their roles for the film.[7]
Music
In March 2012, Hiroyuki Sawano was announced to be composing Blue Exorcist: The Movie, after previously doing so for its anime television series.[5]UVERworld also returned in October 2012 to perform the film's theme music titled "Reversi".[6][8] The film's original soundtrack was released in Japan on December 19, 2012.[9]
Blue Exorcist: The Movie – Original Soundtrack track listing
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Shuku Eigaka!!"
1:45
2.
"Shuku 1000M!!"
4:26
3.
"Battle Scars"
4:05
4.
"Ni Kazu Shio Ha Chu Ei U Jo"
3:33
5.
"Ni Fuoha Gen Den No I Tai Ke"
4:09
6.
"20121228"
5:44
7.
"Matsuri"
5:57
8.
"En Kin Nai Kan Sin Ki Ei Satsu"
3:11
9.
"I Na Ra Ke Ha Ki Se No E Ma"
4:12
10.
"Kekkai"
5:46
11.
"Coal Tar"
4:11
12.
"Blue"
3:57
13.
"Usa-Maro"
4:50
14.
"TV Outtake"
11:19
Total length:
67:05
Marketing
In July 2012, a teaser trailer for Blue Exorcist: The Movie was released.[10] The film's full trailer was released in November 2012.[11] A day before the premiere, a promotional video for the film was released.[8] On December 28, 2012, the film's novelization written by Aya Yajima was released.[12]
Blue Exorcist: The Movie was released in Japan on December 28, 2012.[18] The film held its American premiere at Anime Expo in Los Angeles in July 2013[19] and had limited screenings in the United States on August 17.[7] The film was also released in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2014.[20]
Home media
Blue Exorcist: The Movie was released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on July 3, 2013,[21] and in the United States on December 17.[22] The film was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment in April 2014.[23]
Reception
Box office
Blue Exorcist: The Movie grossed $5.97million in Japan and $21,796 in the United States, for a worldwide total of $5.99million.[2] The film ranked seventh in its opening weekend in Japan,[24] placing behind The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).[25]
Critical response
Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network graded Blue Exorcist: The Movie "B+", feeling that the film was a "sumptuous spectacle with a warm, beating heart—a tightly-constructed romp with enough humor and headlong action to earn its shonen-action label but that never forgets that real feelings always trump fantasy fightin[g]". He praised the "meticulous, sometimes surreal beauty" of the world of True Cross due to A-1 Pictures' "gorgeous cinematic artwork" and "fluid camerawork".[26] Conversely, Sarah of Anime UK News gave the film 6 out of 10, finding it "thin on dramatic content". She felt that the story would be a "good chapter or two in the manga, or a single episode of the TV series" instead of making it into a film.[27]
References
^青の祓魔師（エクソシスト）劇場版 [Blue Exorcist: The Movie]. Eiga.com (in Japanese). December 28, 2012. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
^「青の祓魔師-劇場版-」特典付き前売り券で、ふたつのコンビニチェーンが異例のコラボ [Unusual Collaboration between Two Convenience Store Chains for Blue Exorcist: The Movie Advance Tickets with Special Offers]. Anime! Anime! (in Japanese). October 17, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
^映画割引券付きポテロングが発売中！ [Potelong with movie discount coupons are on sale now!]. Aniplex (in Japanese). November 12, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
^青の祓魔師 真冬の大江戸温泉フェスティバル [Blue Exorcist Midwinter Ooedo Onsen Festival]. Ooedo Onsen Monogatari (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 13, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
^燐や雪男とカラオケしよう！青エク部屋がビッグエコーに [Let's Karaoke with Rin and Yukio! Blue Exorcist is now in Big Echo]. Natalie (in Japanese). December 3, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
^今週の映画ランキング 12月29日～12月30日 [This Week's Movie Ranking December 29–December 30] (in Japanese). Kogyo Tsushinsha. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
