D.Gray-man, Vol. 4

D.Gray-man #4

by Katsura Hoshino

Carnival:

Allen starts to question the Black Ministry about the "Clan of Noah" and the reason he became an Exorcist. With his left eye injured and incapable of detecting akuma, he has come to understand the constant fear of not knowing whether the person he is talking to is truly human! Despite his confusion, Allen is sent on a mission to seek out his master, Cross, one of the Marshals of the Black Ministry, and find out why the akuma have suddenly started targeting leaders of the Ministry.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Shonen, Fiction

191 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2005

About the author

星野 桂

Katsura Hoshino ((星野 桂 Hoshino Katsura) was born on April 21, 1980, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, as the younger of fraternal twin girls and the second of three children. She drew her first manga at twenty-one. In 1998, Hoshino moved to Tokyo. She dreamed of bringing her mother to the city and was able to in 2006.

She made her debut with her comics in July 2003 with the publication of her first manga series Continue and is known for her work, D.Gray-man, which began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in May 2004.

Reviews

[Dxdnelion · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Review for Volumes 4 and 5)

These volumes introduce us to Bookmen (it is one of the vital part to this story as mention by the author). Adding Lavi character to this series is one of the good move, Even though there is not much to be reveal about his backstory yet, except how Bookmen should get rid everything about their real personal information. I looking forward to see more Lavi, he and Allen make a good teamwork.

We also get to see how Allen's eyes heal and evolved, a bit information about Noah Clan, and a new Accommodator! Yeayy. It was pretty hilarious about the vampire exorcist, I love how the author did not sexualize the biting part like other manga or anime have done. The author really made clear that vampire and their fangs really hurt, I mean it is hurt when they use those sharp fangs.

There's too much happening in these volumes, which I was too excited to talk about. We also get another villain in Noah Clan reveal, Lord Tyki Mikk sheesh. Why hott if he is the villain?! I think a tanned villain guy is such a bad for my heart. I just love the character design, the details.

I was also excited to know more about Allen's master, General Cross. Something about him remind me a lot of Gojo, and Kisuke Urahara from bleach, except this master really traumatised Allen ahaha.

Some important notes that I just realised is that the dead exorcist body will be cremated at the Black Order place itself, they can't be returned to the family, nor do any member to disclosed the information to them. This in order to avoid the family member from summon the devil for a contract, to bring the dead alive. It is a good way to avoid bad things, but it was so sad. I wish there is some other way for the family to keep the body or cremated at their own home.


5 star because the plot were well developed and the fight already intense. P/s: I also had fun reading the author's note. It was so funny and entertaining after the heavy scenes.

[gabriella escoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome ending.

[Micaylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aw man, this one ended on a cliffhanger. My library doesn't have the next volume. 😭

Anyways. This one was better than the third.
It introduces Lavi, Bookman and Krory.
I don't really like Krory, and Bookman is alright, but I love Lavi.
Most of the humor in this series early-on is so cringey! But I guess that's how most Manga are. Lol!
The only thing I can really complain about in this volume is Lenalee. IMO, she hardly has a case to be that angry at Allen. I remember disliking her most of the time when I read this a while ago, and I don't see that changing. 😬

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lavi è un personaggio spassoso, specie insieme ad Allen. La scena migliore di tutto il volume è sicuramente quella in cui Allen capisce perchè gli esorcisti girano con la divisa e soprattutto con la croce ben visibile.
Il vecchietto del villaggio di Crowley mi fa morire XD

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laaaaavvvviiiiiiiiiii <3 <3 <3

Also this one gets to Krory, and I just love that character as well. :)

[Morton Grove Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Vincent Wu

The battle continues on with the Akuma, we learn more secrets about the book man, and Allen too. The Millennium Earl has started to make some big moves, and with so, Allen and his friends must go and solve it. The book is able to deal with the conflict in a humorous way without detracting from the Earl moving forward with the plot. We are able to feel how serious the Earl has become, and how much is riding on Allen and his friends' task.

[MajesticalLion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good volume. I'm invested in this vampire arc, but especially in the development of Allen and Lenalee's dynamic. It looks like they restocked on the 3-in-1s online, so I should be picking up the pace on reading these.

[yvee · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally met lavi and I absolutely adore him

[Daichi Ishii · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was good. Crowchan was so cool and he’s sweet. I like his way to think.
This time, Allen had not many fight moment but I think that he is some important part in Vol.4 even though he had not many fight.

[Nocturnalux]

This was the first manga volume in Japanese that I was able to read in one sitting, which made me absurdly happy.

This volume introduces Lavi and Bookman, kickstarts a whole new overarching arc and sends Allen on a side quest of sorts while he is not fully recovered. With his eye still healing, Allen is unable to see Akuma souls. As a result, he becomes immensely vulnerable.

In the world of D. Gray-Man, paranoia pays off and Allen comes to feel this in the flesh. A crowd of passerby is depicted as threats just lurking, biding their time. Allen comes to realize that his left eye gave him an unprecedent advantage even over more seasoned Exorcists. As Lavi points out, if you only go into battle mode once the Akuma reveals itself, you are pretty much dead. Allen had the luxury of identifying actual threats ahead of time so that he can tell human and Akuma apart. But to everyone else, theirs is a battle against everyone. Anyone who approaches them may be Akuma so their ability to trust becomes considerably hampered.

These hard hitting lessons are imparted when Allen and Lavi get caught in an ambush and it is Lavi who verbalizes them. Apparently happy-go-lucky Lavi may seem like an odd choice for delivering such bitter wisdom, but ends up being just what is required. According to Hoshino-sensei both Bookman and Lavi were originally intended as characters for another manga but since the concept 'Bookman', obscure keepers of hidden history who record events that would otherwise fall into oblivion, were incorporated into D.Gray-Man as a great fit, plot-wise. Given how ancient prophecies and retellings of Genesis- great liberties being taken, of course- play such an important part, it does make perfect sense to have secret historians joining the fight.

With this said, Lavi is not at all the kind of character one associates with scholarly or bookish. He is the rakish kind and likely to use his Innocence, a hammer that can grow massively, to do plenty of collateral damage to property. Lavi even uses it as a makeshift means of transportation, much to Allen's horror. Basically, Lavi pokes fun at everything and his eyepatch and spiky red hair give him an extra roguish appearance.

Despite the somewhat fragmentary nature of this volume, it seems a bit disjointed in terms of narrative, offering a first half that does not exactly relate to the side quest of the second one, some pretty important developments take place. A general was killed and actually crucified, of all things, an engraved message on his back announcing that it's open season for hunting Exorcists. Komui suspects that the Earl is looking for the Heart, the Innocence that can control all Innocence. Since the host of the Heart is unknown, the Earl is targeting all generals in the hopes of one of them being it, which assumes that the Heart will be drawn to a strong Exorcist. He admits that it is entirely possible that the Heart has yet to be found as there is still plenty of Innocence out there. Be it as it may, the new mission assigns Exorcists to form units and protect the remaining four generals.

Allen, along with Lavi and Leenalee are assigned to find Allen's master, Cross Marian. They are using Timcampy to track him down since Cross is known to go his own way and just drop out of the radar altogether. Allen is less than thrilled at the prospect of being reunited with Cross. No one can blame him, all things considered as Cross would have Allen gamble as a young child to make money and pay for pending debts. Allen was pretty much traumatized by his apprenticeship. It is played for laughs but still.

It is implied that Komui has known about the Heart for a while but we and the characters had yet to hear about it. I am not too sure why. I suppose it makes sense to limit information to must-know basis as Akuma can always torture Exorcists to find it out- or, in the cases of Allen and likeminded people, use hostages to get them to spill their guts- but it is somewhat odd. It just feels very convenient that we are told about this at this juncture.

I am also not entirely sure why this particular lineup was picked. Allen is still recovering and Leenalee has just regained consciousness. She could kill an Akuma immediately upon waking up, in a really cool sequence, but using an Exorcist who is not recently scarred from a battle might have been a better option. Allen has to be present as he is the best pick to track Cross but he is already able to use his full power but Leenalee could have been switched.

To some extent, I am glad she was not. She is not yet ready to let go of what happened in Miranda's town and gives Allen a well needed piece of mind this time around. It is an important link in terms of continuity as it shows a character processing past experiences and acting on them. As I have mentioned before, this manga has a bit of a problem when it comes to adding and then dropping characters from the main roster. Miranda is entirely absent in this volume, presumably she was assigned to another general, or is in training; whatever it may be, she is not here to do this harking back. So having Leenalee express how she will not have Allen dash to his death is the kind of detail that gives depth to the story.

The side quest that I keep referring to is the piece of narrative the blurb focused on: the Vampire. On route, Allen is detained at a train station by the mayor of a village that is beset by a vampire. Lavi joins up as well and the two end up forming the main team in this later part of the volume. Which means we have two characters with eyepatches, now what is the likelihood of that?

Their are more less forced to go exterminate the vampire at his very cliché Gothic mansion that I am sure is made deliberately so. It comes as no surprise to us that it turns that this 'vampire' is in fact an Innocence user but Alistair is rendered in such classic vampire fashion that he even has a cape. As was the case with Miranda, his character design is wilder and less fixed than the usual cast so sensei> can play around with drawing him in a sketchy, free-flowing style, introducing him first in a series of manically fast series of vignettes made of flurry, sharp fangs, glowering eyes, before actually showing his full figure. And even then, Alistair remains unfixed, his face crisps up in snarling terror just like a vampire would but when he is 'normal' he just looks sad. The aesthetics is still that of a vampire but he seems beaten down and is very much horrified at what he views as his vampiric nature. This duality is a bit Miranda's but I am not too sure it was as well accomplished. Then again, this volume ends in a cliffhanger and Alistair has yet to reach the crux of his development as a character.

This volume's battle scenes are not as impressive as the franchise can deliver. Perhaps because the focus is more on the aftermath and even more importantly, on the leading up to the battle proper- it is more about Allen being surrounded by potential enemies than their actual attack. The later chapters, though, do deliver on the battle front and quite well.Allen's Innocence activating while he is unconscious was the highlight. It even creeped out Eliade and she is an Akuma. The giant claw lifting his limp and unresponsive body made me flinch. Allen can get back from the brink of death and in pure shounen hero fashion, he is not dead until he is actually, truly, irrevocably dead (and even then...) and going on autopilot when in severe stress is pretty common. But this presents a particular problem to the kind of hero that Allen is. His is a fight against Akuma and that means that his weapon activating of its own accord, even if it is to protect him, denies him the agency to decide when, who, and how to strike. In fact, this was how Mana was slaughtered before Allen's very eyes.

This time around, Eliade is an Akuma so Allen, conscious or otherwise, is validated and all the more or as his left eye gets an upgrade. He regains his ability to see Akuma in the creepiest of manners, a skull-like ghost of sorts emerging from his eye socket and actually talking, his 'black and white world' being rendered in a very visually interesting manner: We get to see his POV, Eliade's image split in two, the two halves color flipped so that the whites and black and vice-versa, the Akuma soul hovering only in one of these halves. It is a bit of a shame that is a not a wider panel, it could have been a two page full page panel.

But the danger of losing control over his destructive power and not just hosting an weapon but becoming one, is already latent, in embryo, waiting. Just like all those Akuma who look just like humans.

The cliffhanger ending is a novelty and a welcome one as it gives the manga a greater sense of unfolding organically. It was quite hard to stop here to write this review before moving on to volume 5 which I will do as soon as humanly possible.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 The 4th volume of D.Gray-man introduces several new characters. Firstly the exorcists Lavi and Bookman. Lavi and his growing and shrinking hammer is great comic relief. Bookman thus far is just a panda looking enigma. We are also introduced to the emo vampire Arystar Krory. This volume mostly covers the teams recuperation after their battle with Road Kamelot and then later starts the arc involving Arystar the vampire.

Read 9/20/20

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, but I'm just not feeling this installment as much as the others. I don't really feel a lot of connection to Lavi as a character and he's got major screen time here. He's supposed to be the quirky, comedy relief...but he just blends into the background a lot.

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!! :D

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

~

[kate vnry · Rating 4 out of 5]

.

[Leigh Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started the search for cross and Tidal as the Black Order has been given the orders to search for the generals.

What's interesting is that in the animation General Yeeger and the bell guy that's travelling with Kanda have back stories. In fact they have their own episodes dedicated to telling their story before they die. Allen for instance, met General Yeeger and found that he was a lovely caring person, and the bell guy - well I didn't like his backstory so much, I found it unecessary, but you got too understand his attachment to General Tidal. In the book series however, Yeegers death was just mentioned as the decisive factor to go searching for the other Generals, and Allen never met him, so he had no emotional reaction to his death. And, bell guy - we still don't know much about him and I'm kinda glad we don't. In fact, his name hasn't even been mentioned yet, nor has the connection he have with Kanda. Also, in the anime, Kanda and bell guy meet up first and then find Marie on the their search for Tidal, i'm sure a few episodes were dedicated to this too. However, in the book series, they were just with Marie - that's it. It's almost as if the anime was making up for lack of story progression or story syncing.

I do like Krory's story. It's so sad, and he's quite an emotional character. But, for the life I me I can't remember what his original name was in the animation when they first met him. I just remember them later calling him Krory thanks to Lavi nicknaming him. Obviously Lavi/Rabi hasn't yet had the chance to give him the nickname yet, but for now his name is Alister Crowly...I don't remember Crowly being his last name though. Maybe I need to rewatch the episodes.

Aside from events mentioned above, everything else happened as it did in the animation. And I know that Krory will eventually become part of their team. It's so weird though reading it after watching it. All these events happened SO SLOWLY in the anime, whereas in the book series they are happening quite fast. Like Allen's anti-akuma weapon has now upgraded twice in the span of four books, whereas it took half a season - maybe more - for Allen's weapon to upgrade.

Looking forward to reading the next installment.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allen Walker meets yet another exorcist, the cavalier and playful Lavi, Bookman Jr., even as he gets a glimpse of the world without the cursed eye which detects akuma, a world where everyone is a potential enemy and every exorcist is a target. It’s in this state that he and Lavi are drawn into the mystery of a village terrorized by Count Krory, a vampire living in a castle with a mysterious woman. It’s a classic tale, only there’s more to this one than meets the eye, and Allen’s is undergoing a dark revolution, a descent further in the world of black and white.

This was a great story, offering a twist to the vampire trope which works into this world’s conflict of Exorcists versus akuma with a ruthless practicality and romantic tragedy. Krory was a fascinating character, very dualistic between his vampire persona and the shy, vulnerable shut-in he is the rest of the time. Lavi was a fun, flirtatious, and mischievous individual, not to mention very easy on the eyes. :) He and Bookman, his master offer an intriguing little puzzle themselves in their existence. The Millenium Earl’s quest for the Heart, accompanied by the Noahs emerging from the shadows to hunt Exorcists for it offered spice, danger, and intensity to the overall plot arc, although I wasn’t sure about the effectiveness of Komui’s counter plan, to find the Generals among the Exorcists and protect them. The development of Allen and his eye was exquisitely moody, depicted with a Gothic beauty, as were the village filled with akuma and Castle Krory. For all of these qualities, I give this book four stars.

[Meredith Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volumes 3 and 4 are good but sort of feel a bit 'monster of the week'-y, even though it's actually "recruiting a new teammate of the week". Which is to say that across these 2 volumes they introduce 3 new Accommodators. (Technically more since you see Kanda's team briefly, along with the Generals, but since you don't actually learn about them I'm not counting them.)

That said, on reread, I genuinely like the hmm... lore pacing that's being parcelled out here?
- Vol 1 is introduction to Allen's backstory and to the Mana mystery (as well as the Curse and the limited amount of Innocence and how it will drive the Church to do all kinds of things to get them).
- Vol 2 is introduction to Kanda's drive to find "that woman" while introducing the concept of Innocence as something with a sense of self rather than just a weapon.
- Vol 3 introduces the secrets of the Noah and shows what Innocence looks like in the wild.
- Vol 4 introduces the idea of secret history, and also that an Akuma who 'levels up' enough will develop their own identity and feelings.

Like, having read further in the past, it's really neat seeing how Hoshino sets this all up in seed form so that full storylines and major arcs can be played out years down the line off these bases.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second half of the volume is a bit more fun. Lavi seems like he will be an interesting addition to the ‘team’ as it were. D. Gray-man takes a stab at vampires (narf narf). And this sucker doesn’t glitter or suck…He bites. That’s an interesting sentence. I will leave it at that.

I want to see more. There’s enough space within the creative confines of the pages for Hoshino to take off. Plus, notes from the author are entertaining and let me know that we’d probably be friends given the chance. I don’t have access to the next volume so I’ll be slow to come around. Eventually I will get there.

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 2017 reread progresses one more volume. One little thing to stand out to me as...sketchy...is how the Bookmen don't generally share information of the Noah with other members of the Order. I could understand not sharing such secrets with the general populace, but it seems like vital info to be shared amongst those protecting the aforementioned populace.

[Kelsey Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume introduces a few more really great characters. I like Lavi and Bookman separately and the way they interact with each other is quite entertaining. I also loved Krory, the vampire with a heart of gold. He is very sympathetic and you can't help but feel bad for him. The "vampire" angle of this arc was also pretty unique.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allen is in a bad way: his powers are gone, leaving him vulnerable to akuma, and he has plenty of questions for the Black Order, though they must wait when he is sent on a mission to find his master! Hoshino is sure to please fans with this intriguing entry. What more does Allen need to know about the Clan of Noah...?

[SwedishGeekGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again a great volume from a great series! This series is so dark and intresting at the same time and very underrated. So mutch lies in mystery yet and I cant wait to find out what is gonna happen in this battle between light and darkness.
D.Gray-man volume 4 by Katsura Hoshino get a 9.8/10 stars.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to find this manga, after being obsessed with the anime. It is so satisfying for something that you have watched to meet all your reading expectations.
Allen and his companions continue with their fight against the Millennium Earl and his Akuma, making new friends along the way. I particularly liked the discussion forums where we get to learn more about the Exorcists.

[Josi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers Chapters 27-36

Allen still has to regain his sight from the last battle with a member of the clan of noah. He also learns how it’s like for everybody else, being that everybody is an akuma until they aren’t one to the rest of the black order. He’s the only one that can truly see them. I really enjoyed this volume and I love Lavi - a future book master with a big ass hammer 🥰💕

[Carolyn Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's good. I think rn Hoshino has issues with building suspense and intrigue at the beginning of the arc, but hey Crowley's here now and we get to meet Eliade. I think going from anime to manga, we get to see more of the foreshadowing of Allen being the 13th Noah and the sort of abilities that being a Noah grants him

[Sedna Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a big strp up as it deals with the consequences if the last volume. Yet I lived the psychological side of this as Allen has to deal with the fear of anyone being able to attack him at any moment as well as the isolation of his life.
Yet I found the final story very gripping as there are plot twists after plot twist.

[D.J. Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lavi is the spice that the series needed imo. This volume pops off and feels like the Shrek 2 of the series - in the sense that the first 3 established the foundation, but this one has all the memorable shit that sticks with you later. Hoping the next one is equal to the Far Far Away Idol (real ones know)

[Isaiah Wofford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This by far is my favorite volume this far into the story. The character lavi is good bro to Allen and their banter back and forth is funny. Lavi also has a cool power in which he can enlarge a hammer and swing it around like it’s a feather. This volume also introduces us to a vampire which has some cool art work and panels to go along with the story.

[René Esteban · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Seguimos con D.Gray-man! En este tomo vemos el daño ocasionado por un miembro de la familia de Noé y vemos la aparición de mas exorcista. Como siempre la acción nunca faltara pero también vemos un avance en Allen, en el mundo que Hoshino esta creando y en la trama que esta prometiendo bastante.