Japanese anime is well-tuned to certain genres, be it due to its art style or common traits in storytelling. The action genre is the obvious example, but I've always thought horror as also being such a case. Victorian gothic horror, in particular, doesn't come up often in anime, and despite being a case of Eastern styles conveying a European aesthetic, it typically works well when applied. And in the case of "Black Butler" (originally called "Kuroshitsuji" in Japan and the title credits) we have an anime that is defined by Victorian Gothic trappings, with a dash of horror, a sprinkle of slapstick comedy, and a pinch of homoerotica. It's no wonder that the show would be a popular hit, enough so to spawn a second season and a brevy of animated content in further episodes, OVA's and films, despite the first 24-episode season having an appropriate and anime-original (read: not copied from the original ongoing manga) ending.Anyway, the rest of the franchise is worth a separate discussion. The first season of Black Butler introduces us to Ciel Phantomhive, a young earl and owner of a successful toy company. The aristocrat spends most of his days in elegant fashions while attending important parties and plays, business meetings and balls, all with his trusted and talented butler, the handsome Sebastian Michaelis. But not all seems right about the pair: why does such a young child own a large business and live alone? As the first episode effectively hints at, and as the rest of the series slowly but clearly reveals, Sebastian is not simply "one hell of a butler." Ciel's parents died in murder and Ciel was brutally tortured by the hands of an unknown criminal, and the boy on his deathbed makes a pact with a demon (Sebastian) to offer his soul in exchange for bringing the villian to justice. Thus, Ciel has a unnerving confidence and secretly works by Her Majesty's orders to track down the causes of mysterious and gruesome crimes (earning the nickname "the Queen's Guard Dog"), in hopes that it will lead him to solving the case of his own tragic past. Sebastian, being a loyal demon butler as per the contract, is able to swiftly take care of any problem that arises thanks to quick speed and forward-thinking, often accomplishing incredible tasks and saving the day as if by magic. And Sebastian can unleash his more fearsome powers on wrongdoers when necessary.It's a fine setup for a series of mysteries throughout London, England. And when the show focuses on this, it is at its best. Each of the mysteries don't necessarily require much thinking, but it's fun to watch the characters run across the cobblestone cityscapes and unmask the culprits, sometimes being of the supernatural variety. The story will sometimes make use of well-known English literature to inspire certain characters or episodes. Sebastian is something of a invincible superhero, accomplishing everything with nary a weakness or fault, and Ciel's place is simply to have the conviction to proceed rather than do anything on his own; often, any given episode will end with him ordering Sebastian to take care of everything, which can vary from cleaning up a mess to murdering a gang of thugs. But that conviction is compelling enough, and when it nears its conclusion in the final episodes, wherein Ciel's perpretrator is discovered and a showdown between supernatural beings take place before his contract is fullfilled, its a satisfying adventure. The gothic style of the buildings, frames of dark night skies against horrific fire, and well-designed characters and clothing all make for a pretty production that lends to the atmosphere, and its style makes up for some more standard animation output.But for better or for worse, the mystery-demon subject only makes up about half of "Black Butler." It is also a comedy series, often set up by a large cast of recurring characters, be it the rest of Ciel's well-meaning but clumsy servants, an obnoxious fiancee to Ciel, a flamboyant Grim Reaper, or an undertaker who appreciates a good joke. Naturally, their comedy feels horribly out of place given the subject mater at the core of the show, and often results in slapstick comedy with people falling over or dropping things (if anything of actual value were about to break in Ciel's mansion, Sebastian would save it and clean it up at just the right moment). To add to the humor, most of these characters have terribly cocknyed accents in the English dub, sounding quite unnatural and ruing what would otherwise have been a impressive dub from the main cast (although these secondary performances are tolerable given how much fun the actors clearly had in recording them). If you don't like comedy or mystery, perhaps sexually suggestive undertones? Merry old England has fablulous costume attire that makes the most of its period, and Ciel can be quite cute for a young boy, and Sebastian quite handsome as a loyal manservant. This is not lost on the shows creators, giving us instances where Ciel has to cross-dress as a girl, where Sebastian is the target of gay followers, and a bit of suggested S&M through clever staging, never quite going as far as distasteful, but the creators knew darn well exactly what they were doing. Depending on your perspective, this all could ruin the show, or it could add some much appreciated depth in layers. If nothing else, it makes it more fun to watch with friends. "Black Butler" has a long-running history thanks to its popularity, but thanks to a pretty conclusive ending, one could easily stop with the first season and be satisfied. The show is a good example of what was popular in the mid 2000's, and as long as you aren't homophobic or easily frightened, the show will make for a good time.
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