Toonami, Adult Swim’s venerable anime programming block, is set to premiere Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Saga, beginning Saturday, August 23rd, at 1:30 AM Eastern. This highly anticipated broadcast marks the return of the popular shonen series to the late-night block, following the conclusion of the Kyoto Saga on August 16th.
A Return to the World of Exorcists
The Shimane Illuminati Saga is the third season of the Blue Exorcist anime, adapting volumes 10 through 15 of Kazue Kato’s original manga. It originally aired in Japan from January to March 2024, produced by Studio VOLN. The return to Toonami is a significant acquisition for the block, which continues to bring major anime franchises to cable television despite the increasing prominence of streaming services.
The story continues with Rin Okumura and his fellow Exwires returning to True Cross Academy after their battle with the Impure King in Kyoto. However, a new wave of mysterious events and an increased number of demonic consultations begin to spread across the world. The arc sees the sudden appearance of Lucifer, the King of Light and Commander-in-Chief of the enigmatic Illuminati organization, setting the stage for a new conflict.
Blue Exorcist‘s History on Toonami
Blue Exorcist has a long-standing relationship with Toonami viewers. The first season of the anime originally made its U.S. television premiere on the block in February 2014, running for 25 episodes. The second season, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga, which focused on the Kyoto Impure King Arc, aired in Japan in early 2017 and subsequently made its way to Toonami, with its run recently concluding on August 16th.
The Shimane Illuminati Saga marks the first time Toonami has aired a new season of Blue Exorcist since 2017. Fans have eagerly awaited the continuation of Rin and Yukio Okumura’s journey as they delve deeper into the world of demons and exorcists.
What to Expect from the New Saga
Viewers can expect the continuation of the intense action, compelling character development, and intricate world-building that the Blue Exorcist series is known for. The Shimane Illuminati Saga delves into a new, complex antagonist group and expands on the lore of Assiah and Gehenna. Studio VOLN took over animation production for this season, with Daisuke Yoshida directing and Toshiya Ōno handling series scripts. The opening theme, “Eye’s Sentry,” is performed by Uverworld, while the ending theme, “Gakkyū Nisshi,” is by Mulasaki-Ima.
Following the Shimane Illuminati Saga, the Blue Exorcist anime franchise has already seen further developments in Japan, with a fourth season split into two cours: Beyond the Snow Saga and The Blue Night Saga, which aired from October 2024 to March 2025. This suggests ample future material for Toonami should they continue to acquire the series.
The addition of Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Saga reinforces Toonami’s commitment to delivering fresh and fan-favorite anime content, alongside other current block staples such as Dragon Ball Daima, Dan Da Dan, and One Piece.
