The first season of the D.Gray-man anime series is named the 1st stage. The episodes are directed by Osamu Nabeshima and produced by Dentsu, TMS Entertainment, Aniplex and TV Tokyo. The animation was produced by TMS Entertainment and Aniplex was responsible for the music production. The plot of the episodes is based on that of the D.Gray-man manga series by Katsura Hoshino, and follows the adventures of Allen Walker, an excorcist that wields the power of "Innocence" in order to fight against the Earl of Millennium, an ancient sorcerer seeking to destroy the world with monsters called akuma.