The "D.Gray-man" characters were praised by A.E. Sparrow of "IGN" in his review of the first volume. He said that, "Walker is a solid hero with a dark past". Sheena McNeil from the web zine "Sequential Tart" praised Allen's character design, commenting that his anti-Akuma weapon is "quite impressive", and his cursed left eye paired and with his white hair make the design "much more striking". Ross Liversidge of the UK Anime Network said Hosino had "an excellent quality of storytelling" and found the cast appealing. Kevin Leathers, also of the UK Anime Network, noted that Allen differed from the main characters often seen in the genre which made him quite likable. On the other hand, Yu Kanda earned mix reviews as he was often compared with other anti-social characters seen in other series. Nevertheless, his dynamic with Allen and his character development resulted in praise. Anime News Network's Casey Brienza commented, "Fan favorites Kamui and Kanda in particular are sketched out strongly, with their dominant traits facing forward".