Chrono Crusade is based on a manga by Daisuke Moriyama. The anime series follows the manga through the first half, but then diverges into its own story after the halfway point. The Chrono Crusade anime was produced by Gonzo, and directed by Yu Ko. The twenty-four episodes of the series aired on Fuji TV from November 24, 2003-June 10, 2004. ADV Films holds the North American distribution rights to Chrono Crusade. The English dub version of the series aired on Showtime Beyond in the United States from February 17-July 28, 2006.

Chrono Crusade is set in the United States during the 1920’s. Rosette Christopher is the main character of the series. She’s an impulsive sixteen-year-old girl who is an elite exorcist for The Order of Magdalene. Rosette is part of The Order of Magdalene in order to search for her lost brother, Joshua Christopher.

The Order of Magdalene is an organization of the Catholic Church that banishes devils and demons to Hell. Rosette works for the New York branch of the Order, which is headed by Sister Kate Valentine and Father Ewan Remington. Sister Kate is a strong-willed woman that leads the order with an iron resolve. Father Remington is the Minister of the Magdalene Order. He is also a field agent and second-in-command to Sister Kate.

Rosette’s partner is a demon named Chrono. When Rosette was eleven, she made a contract with Chrono. As part of the contract, Chrono feeds off of Rosette’s soul as an alternative to the astral energy he got from his horns (his horns were taken by Aion, the main antagonist of the series). Rosette has the power to unseal Chrono’s true devil state, but it comes with the cost of Chrono taking more of Rosette’s life. It turns out that Chrono had formerly helped Aion. However, when Aion ordered Chrono to kill Mary of Magdalene, Chrono refused because he was in love with her. Now, fifty years later, Chrono has fallen in love with Rosette. During the series, Rosette and Chrono travel around the country to eliminate the demonic threats to society.

Chrono Crusade does have some sexual innuendo, due in large part to the character of Edward “Elder” Hamilton. He makes the weapons used by the exorcists, but he can also be a bit of a pervert. Between the sexual innuendo and some of the violence in Chrono Crusade, I would recommend this series to anime viewers who are fifteen or sixteen years of age and older.