The previously announced new Blue Exorcist anime, titled Shimane Illuminati Saga, revealed a trailer and key visual, along with the January 2024 release date. The Shimane Illuminati Saga is the third season of the TV anime.
There are two more arcs between the end of the Kyoto Impure Arc (second season) and the Shimane Illuminati Saga, which covers chapters 50-64. They are titled Terror of the Kraken and Academy Seven Wonders. The staff for the new season was also announced:
- Director: Daisuke Yoshida
- Series composition: Toshiya Oono
- Character design / Chief Animation Director: Yurie Oohigashi
- Music: Kohta Yamamoto / Hiroyuki Sawano
- Production: Studio VOLN
Blue Exorcist anime is based on a manga by Kazue Katou. It started serialization in Jump Square magazine in 2009. The first season of the anime came out in the Spring of 2011, but it featured an anime original final arc (episodes 16-25). In 2012 a Blue Exorcist Movie movie also came out. Season 2 titled Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga aired in the Winter of 2017 season. It ignored the anime-only arc from the prequel and continued to adapt the manga’s storyline. Side-story titled Blue Exorcist: Kuro’s Trip Away From Home also exists, along with a 2-episode OVA from season 2. A-1 Pictures animated the whole franchise. The main cast included:
- Nobuhiko Okamoto as Rin Okumura
- Jun Fukuyama as Yukio Okumura
- Kana Hanazawa as Shiemi Moriyama
- Eri Kitamura as Izumo Kamiki
The manga is available to read on MangaPLUS:
Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth–the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won’t be easy, especially when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!
Source: Official Website
©Kazue Kato/Shueisha, “Blue Exorcist” Production Committee
