Black Butler

By: Robert Murphy

The time period is set in Victorian England and we open on a fiery seen as the Phantomhive estate burs to the ground and the sole survivor of the blaze is young Ciel Phantomhive and after losing both his parents to the fire he alone is left in charge of his family’s business. However Ciel is not alone for long, for after the fire Ciel emerges with a strange man never before seen or employed by the Phantomhive family. This strange “man’s” name is Sebastian Michaelis and he is ever present at Ciel’s side as his loyal butler but he is not only a butler, he is also a demon, yes you heard me right. Ciel has undergone a deal with Sebastian that in exchange for his mortal soul Sebastian will do all it takes to see that justice befalls the house of Phantomhive and find out what unfolded the night of the fire at the Phantomhives estate. Now with someone like Sebastian at your side, I would be frightened to be someone who is after as he possesses high levels of speed, strength and agility as well as being an expert on just about anything he is put to the task to preform by his master, making him “one hell of a butler.”

You’ve never seen a butler like this before.

Most of the show centers around young Ciel and Sebastian as Ciel preforms his duties as Lord Phantomhive and serves Queen and country in the family business which is being the loyal dog of the empire and putting an end to any mysterious or wrong doings occur. These events usually very from mysterious murders to strange happenings in a remote town but are often seen as too daunting or delicate to be handle or entrusted to the police. And while this all seems to be an incredibly serious job and task you find yourself not feeling the seriousness as Sebastian leaves you laughing and smirking with his devilish grin and demeanor. Ciel and Sebastian bicker with one another constantly throughout the shows span and you often forget that this is a demon that wants to and will eventually one day devour Ciel’s soul. The often whacky situations the show features also bring the appeal to the show with things like a curry cooking competition or when Ciel must dress as a young girl to find out a missing girl plot is simply hilarious. The show also isn’t without its serious moments especially when it comes to uncovering the secrets behind Ciel’s parent’s death on the night of the fire as well as some serious cases involving mysterious murders, making “Black Butler” a perfect mix of funny and serious.

 Some of the amazing character of Black Butler.

Now demons alone aren’t the only supernatural thing that is going on in the show, many if not all the cases Ciel is sent to complete have a supernatural aspect to them and we are introduced to a world of unique characters. These characters that you meet are just another aspect that makes the show great for me and even though “Black Butler” revolves around Ciel and Sebastian, there are many other enjoyable side characters in the show as well and not all of them are human like I said. Perhaps one of my favorite characters, other than Sebastian, is the Undertaker who is sort of a wild card with his off brand sense of humor like hiding in coffins and his overall appearance makes him a truly unique character. All the character in the show are brought together with beautifully designed animation, characters seen in the background are unique from one another and fit the era they are set in and this of course carries over to the main and supporting cast of characters as well.

No this isn’t Code Geass, but just as cool.

What else is there to say about “Black Butler” except you should be watching it, smooth and sweet talking Sebastian steals the show whenever he is on screen as his seemingly endless knowledge and skills with just about everything makes him an amazing character. The relationship between Ciel and Sebastian is also very unique and enjoyable to watch as often time Sebastian makes Ciel feel is age but at the same time Ciel’s quick wits get the best of Sebastian at times as well. If a thing could be said about the show that may not go over well with viewers, it’s that the show was initially meant to be a romantic show about Ciel and Sebastian but was changed to what we have now. This aspect does shine through at times though when Sebastian’s affections for Ciel seem to go beyond that off a demon wanting his soul. But what remains can be dispelled as Sebastian’s true desire to feast on Ciel’s unique soul as Sebastian rarely feeds on souls that are not exceptional and that are weaker and lesser human beings. The seriousness of soul eating aside, “Black Butler” is an exceptional show with great characters and a lot of laughs tide together with serious scores of murder and mystery that comes to fall on Ciel’s life and duties to the Queen and country.

Good:

-Great main and supporting characters

-Sebastian is a truly exceptional character

-An endearing an highly enjoyable story

Bad:

-The sometimes confusing romance that seems to befall Ciel and Sebastian may not go to well for everyone

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10