roleplayerlexi
Black Butler, what can I say about it? First, it's about a boy named Ciel Phantomhive and his demon butler, Sebastian. The show takes place in Victorian England, Ciel being an Earl in that time. His life was well at first, but then his parents were murdered in a house fire. Filled with grief and wanting revenge, he summoned Sebastian. He made a contract with him saying that he would be able to devour his soul in exchange for getting revenge on the people that killed his parents. Sebastian acted as a butler, saying that he would never lie, always do as his young master said, and following through with the contract. Kuroshitsuji can be dark, but still is very interesting. If you don't like darker themes with violence, then this anime is not so much for you. I still think you should watch a few episodes or see other reviews before making your decision to watch it. I got a couple of friends before who did not like darker animes, but they still really enjoyed it. The first few episodes, we are introduced to some of the other characters, pretty much the Phantomhive manor staff. There is Mey- Rin, the clumsy maid, Baldroy, the chef who doesn't cook anything edible, Finny, the innocent gardener, and Tanaka, the house steward. We are later introduced to many other characters, each having their own unique traits that make them lovable.The first season was great. I'm not too sure why the second season's facts are included in this page, as it's actually considered a whole new 'show'. "Black Butler" is season one, while "Black Butler II" is the second season, if that makes any sense. The other 'seasons' are actually arcs, which are different 'shows' as well. Anyways, the first season was amazing. It somewhat followed through the manga and had a great plot. Some episodes may pull at your heartstrings or leave you awestruck. It's violent at times, but doesn't have much more violence than modern day PG-13 action movies. There's gore as well, again, not much more than PG-13 action films. There are some swears, but I do not think they say any 'f' words in either the sub or dub. Throughout the series, there is not any nudity, only minor innuendo which is sometimes played for laughs. A few of the episodes talk about the murdering of prostitutes, but again, there is no nudity, mostly just innuendo or references. Overall, it was amazing. I highly suggest the first season. I say that people 12/13+ should watch it. You will more than likely fall in love. The first few episodes are slow, but most shows are like that, after all. Throughout the season, you'll be shocked and on the edge of your seat sometimes.The second season was very, very crazy. Literally most of the things mentioned in the parents guide was only in this season. Again, it's considered Kuroshitsuji II, not just Kuroshitsuji, so if you're concerned about missing something important, you're not. Mostly because it's not even canon either. There is much more gore in this than in season 1 and much more sexual references as well. As someone who has read the manga before watching the show, I can say that I was slightly disappointed after waiting for this. To sum it up, this season is about a boy named Alois Trancy and his demon butler, Claude. Alois 'wants' Ciel, yet he attempts to kill him multiple times. I did not like it very much, so you can skip this over. I've said it many times, I'm not sure why season 2 is included in this page when this page is for 'Kuroshitsuji' not 'Kuroshitsuji II', which has it's own page on the site. I just didn't like this season very much and don't think it should share the ratings the first season deserves x-x I say that those 15/16+ should watch it. But again, it's not that good in comparison to the first season.The arcs are well done as well, Book of the Atlantic will forever be my favorite. I don't want to give too many spoilers, so all I have to say is that they're lovely. They are adaptations of the manga and are like the first season. I suggest watching these as well. All the arcs (Book of Circus, Book of Murder, and Book of the Atlantic) should be watched by those who are 12/13+. They are very, very good. The art style is beautiful and the voices, both in Japanese and English, are amazing. Some people may get annoyed by the accents, but I thought they were fine. You will surely have an adventure with this anime no doubt! At least one character will have a close place to your heart.To sum this up, Kuroshitsuji is one hell of the show (reference to Sebastian's line - One hell of a butler). The first season is really good as well as the arcs, mainly violent with gore over anything else. The only thing that made me continue watching Kuroshitsuji II was Ciel and Sebastian, that is it. I highly suggest watching Black Butler if you love mysterious/action animes with little fan-service. If you watch it, check out the manga, too. It has yet to finish, as more and more pages are still coming out to this day.
The Anonymous Critic
Black Butler is my favourite anime for a reason. It blends dark humour in with dark plots with the same anime charm that Fairy Tail and many others have. It's also the only anime I've found that has a dub that's better than the original. It's the best anime dub I've ever heard, and since the show is set in late 19th century England, British sounding voice actors fit even more. The accents are exaggerated and are made to be extra posh, but they never ever annoy me. The plot is straight forward, young Ciel Phantomhive summons a demon to save himself from the torture he was being put through. Ciel names the demon Sebastian and asks him to take on the form of a butler to help him as he is now the owner of the Phantomhive manor, previously belonging to his murdered parents. Ciel makes a deal with Sebastian stating that when he finds the killer of his parents, Sebastian can have his soul. Together they police England's criminal underworld and dispose of anything the Queen tells them to dispose of. All the main characters are likable and interesting and are well developed. Ciel is my favourite character. He is arrogant and is aware of it and is very pessimistic, but he has a reason for his sadness (his parents murder) and we get plenty of flashbacks revealing his backstory. He also has some of the funniest lines in the show. Sebastian comes close to being my favourite, however I just like Ciel a little more. Sebastian just doesn't give a single damn about the current situation most of the time and is an absolute bad ass. The two work perfectly with each other. The story arcs are some of the best I've ever seen in any form of media and there are no plot holes. Even the FILLER episodes are enjoyable because I just love watching what life is like in the Phantomhive household with Sebastian, Ciel, and the servants. The all have great personalities that bounce off of each other perfectly. And, without spoiling anything, the ending is incredible. This season blew a lot of people away. So many people were blown away in fact, that they've turned it into a full on franchise. Releasing constant chapters of the manga every year, a second season, and 3 manga adaptions that are absolutely spectacular. Black Butler has a consistent good quality throughout season one, and I'm glad that they have that consistency. Check this season out and then watch the second one and the manga adaptions. It's honestly such and underrated and overlooked anime and despite the giant fan-base, most anime watchers aren't aware of it's existence or it's brilliance. Which is understandable as there are tons of great anime out there that came out at around the same time as Black Butler like Fairy Tail, Attack On Titan, Death Note and so much more. But this one definitely stands out from the rest in my opinion. Absolutely amazing anime.
hkbolen
This is by far one of the best series! It has mystery, drama, romance, comic relief and involves the supernatural world. I would give it more than 10 stars if possible! Every character is complex. Every so often viewers will want to cry, laugh and get angry at Ciel and Sebastian. Some of the characters (Finny, Bard, Mey-Rin and Lizzy) not only add comic relief, but also have stories on their own that they tell. I will defiantly be watching the next season. Oh yes, and if you are interested in finding out more about what happens to our faithful butler, Sebastian, the Queen's watchdog, Ciel and the rest of his gangly crew, the manga version is really, really good as well. If you ever have a chance, watch this because you will not regret it. At first it might seem a little weird, but after the second or third episode viewers will be hooked on the show and will want to see more of the adventures of the amazing duo, the butler and his master, Ciel and Sebastian!