Episode 1

The Boy Who Hunts Akuma (アクマを狩る少年 Akuma o Karu Shonen) is the first episode of the D.Gray-Man anime.

Short Summary
On his way to the Black Order, Allen ends up taking a detour when a cat ends up swallowing his companion, Timcanpy. He later finds himself in an abandoned church in chase of the cat, where he meets Officer Moore who had been investigating the claims that the church is haunted, along with her colleague Charles.

Nevertheless, after Charles meets his end thanks to the Akuma virus, Allen becomes the prime suspect. In an effort to clear his name, he tells the Inspector and Moore that the real culprit is an Akuma. However, the two of them are sceptical and the Inspector orders Moore to keep an eye on Allen.

It soon turns out that Moore's brother-in-Law Marc is in fact an Akuma who was created upon the death of his wife, and it is then that she learns they truly do exist. After destroying the Akuma and offering comforting words to Moore, he and Timcanpy continue their journey to the Black Order.

Long Summary
Allen Walker arrives in London with his golem, Timcanpy, and begins to make his way to the Exorcist headquarters, also known as the Black Order. Meanwhile, Officer Moore heads to investigate a supposedly haunted church with her colleague, Charles. During their search Charles panics when he feels something touching him, but Moore is quick to realise that it is just a cat.

Suddenly, Moore finds herself being violently grabbed and pinned to a chair by Allen, who is under the impression he had just captured the cat, which as it turned out had swallowed Timcanpy. She swiftly handcuffs him to the chair while he desperately tries to explain his situation. At that moment, they hear Charles screaming and Moore heads out to investigate.

To her horror, she witnesses the death of Charles, who had succumbed to the Akuma virus. The toxic Akuma gas begins to spread and Allen attempts to stop Moore from breathing it in. She ends up passing out.

Some time later, she awakens in the police station where Allen is being questioned about Charles’ death. The Inspector interrogating Allen is very suspicious of him, however Moore explains that Allen was with her the entire time when Charles was killed. Furthermore there was simply no evidence to suggest that Allen had anything to do with his death.

Allen tells them the culprit they are looking for is an Akuma. Showing them his left arm, he explains that he is an exorcist, whose job is to hunt Akuma. Incredulous, the Inspector insists that he must spend the night at Moore's home so that she can keep an eye on him. Despite being unhappy with the arrangement, Allen obliges, taking the cat along with him.

Meanwhile, the Millenium Earl makes his way to Moore’s house to meet up with an Akuma in the form of Moore’s brother-in-law, Marc. When he hears Moore arriving home, the Millennium Earl takes his leave. Moore then speaks with her brother-in-law, but they are interrupted when she overhears Allen trying to escape to the scene of the crime. She, of course, does not allow him to leave.

Some time later, they discuss Akuma. While Moore continues to be sceptical, Allen explains that Akuma are completely different than what is described in books. Not only this, but they take on the form of humans which makes them difficult to find.

At that moment Marc enters the room and Allen notices that he is Akuma with his cursed left eye. When the Akuma takes its real form, Allen is able to see the soul of the person dwelling within it. It begins to attack and manages to blast Allen and Moore all the way back to the church. During the attack Allen had managed to catch one of the bullets and warns Moore not to touch it because it houses a highly toxic virus which can spread through the body in under a minute. As if to demonstrate, the cat Allen had with him had been infected and almost immediately disintegrated.

Allen explains that Marc was already dead and had been taken over by an Akuma. At that moment, the Inspector and a group of Moore’s colleagues arrive at the church and attempt to take the Akuma on, but their guns are useless and they are wiped out. Allen then explains to a distressed Moore that the Akuma are unable to hear anyone’s pleas and they are programmed to do nothing but seek evolution through murder. On top of this the souls inside the Akuma are aware of what is happening but are powerless to do anything to stop it - ultimately, it is these feelings that are used as energy for the Akuma. He also tells Moore that he can see that the soul inside the Akuma was someone who was close to Marc.

Moore thinks back to her sister Claire 's wedding day. The sisters were not on speaking terms that day because Claire did not agree with Moore's decision to become a police officer, but little did Moore know the two would never reconcile. She remembers how her sister had selflessly pushed Marc out of the way of a falling chandelier. Sadly, Claire loses her life and Marc is overwhelmed with grief. Soon after, Marc is approached by the Millennium Earl who promises that he can bring Claire back to life, but this brings her back as an Akuma. Marc is promptly killed and from then on the Akuma wore his skin as its own.

Meanwhile, Allen activates his left arm and destroys the Akuma, freeing Claire’s soul. After assuring Moore that Marc and Claire are happy together in heaven, he explains to her that it is his job to put an end to the Millennium Earl’s reign. Timcanpy emerges from beneath his jacket and they take their leave, Allen finally heading off to the Black Order.

Episode Notes

 * In the manga, rather than a chandelier, Claire is crushed by a giant cross which was suspended from the Church ceiling.