Supersonic Eternal Autumn: Anime Review I: Black Butler

[Top picture, plot summary, genres, themes, and objectionable content from animenewsnetwork.com]

Plot Summary: To what extent must a housekeeper do things to be acceptable. One of the noble families of England, Phantomhives butler Sebastian Michaels has got unquestionably perfect knowledge, manners, talent with materials, martial arts, et cetera: but is also able to serve a 12 year old master. Wearing a grey tailcoat, gracefully brewing the worlds strongest red tea, please read on to see how such a perfect butler copes with such a master...

Genres: comedy, mystery, supernatural

Themes: bishounen, demons, detective, historical, shinigami

Objectionable content: Significant (bloody violence and/or swearing and/or nudity)

Review [contains little to no spoliers]:

So I randomly saw this anime almost a year ago when I was looking up similar anime to Blood+ (it just came as a suggestion, have no clue why). The plot sounded... eh, but it was set in the Victorian times--my favorite time period--so I clicked 'watch'.

The story starts out kind of vague... almost like crack. You see a young boy

Ciel Phantomhive. Sounds pretty impressive and from the first shot of the house, being a mansion, I'm pretty sure we can all assume that he is rich. He even has someone waking him up, and it's not his father! It happens to be this guy:

Well, this is his butler. A pretty young one. And here I always thought butlers were those old guys with grey hair, glasses, and mustaches. No, that's Tanaka...

So the show starts out making this guy (butler, Sebastian-- how unoriginal is that name for that time period?) seem like such a hot shot compared to these guys:

I mean, I guess anyone can look better than them when Ciel has to deal with this everyday:

Yes, that is his gardener... in a cat suit.

Now since I mentioned these comic relief morons, time to explain them!

Here is Finny:

I totally believe he is gender queer. I mean come on! Look at this:

Absorb the cuteness!

Both my friend and I thought he was a SHE for the longest time (until a flashback where he didn't have clips in his hair nor the obnoxious eyelashes). Now if you were like me and just went: "wait... that's a boy?!?" well, join the club. No, seriously. There is a club for this.

Next is Bard (or Bardroy):

Funny guy (in English, his voice is what makes the show in my opinion) who likes to burn things with his flamethrower... even himself! (why does he never wear his goggles?)

Finally, you have the maid May-Rin:

A total klutz and lewd, you have #1 great shot May-Rin. Yep. She knows her way around a gun. You never really get to see her eyes so much. Sad.

So! Back on to the story. At first, the whole thing seems like a major crack. There isn't so much of a plot per say in the first couple of episodes. I showed the anime to Hoshi once and by episode three he was like:

"WHAT IS THIS SHIT?!"

But he soon became addicted like me (excluding a few minor details that he just cringed about).

Soon you realized that the hot, young, perfect butler Sebastian isn't so perfect after all. No, he didn't spill the milk during breakfast time. The audience finds out that he is a demon. *over dramatic gasp* such a big shocker *sarcasm sarcasm*. Sebastian hinted it perfectly well in the first episode and the audience definately felt something off about his creeper face.

So now that you found that out, welcome to the plot. Ciel wants revenge on whoever killed his family, burned down his house, and made him get tortured (and suggested rape? and possibly killed?). Sebastian takes full opportunity and snatches the little boy (someone call Amber!). Sebastian will kill whoever did it and, wait for it, gets Ciel's soul in the end. Oooooh, never guessed that one!

Now that there is a plot, it is just like Yami No Matsuei or other anime that I can't think of right now in the sense that the show has "arks". Here you meet random people that you would probably never see in any of the other arks!

Look! A character you hardly ever see. I think they are called, minor characters? Eh? Haha.

The first ark, it's basically the background of Ciel and his work being the queen's "guard dog" (other wise known as "the bitch that follows orders"). He is sent to get rid of Jack the Ripper. Yes, that creeper that chopped up pros.

Here you meet a reoccurring character named Grell (a boy... woman... thing), a shinigami. (Note: some subbed version mention this creeper guy named Greil... it's the same person)

Fail to mention that Grell is in love with Sebastian or, er, "Sebby"?

Grell is a confusing, cute, funny, and odd character in the series. This is where all the suggestive themes start. Whether it's Grell's obsession with Sebastian (yaoi/shounen-ai) or total implied Sebastian and Ciel (previous plus shota). (Grell once says: "Oh Sebastian, are you asking me a favor? Then, when we kiss it will be... with tongue.") So this is where Hoshi cringes and says:
"If Kuroshitsuji didn't have this crap... then it would be amazing."
Then read the manga sweetie...
(Oopies, lied there. I'm pretty sure it's a lot worse)

In the first ark, it's where the shinigami's come in (they become important later).
And you get to see this:

Yep... Ciel dressed as a girl xD

Next "ark" is all about dogs (and Sebastian HATES dogs so it is entertaining). In the end, you get this fluff ball:

Om Nom Nom?

It may look like a human to you but in my magical eyes-- Just kidding, it's an actual demon dog that turns into a cute little man (cute... little... man? What am I on?) when he is excited and that he is also in love with Sebastian. But I liked to use the excuse that they are both demons and this is what demons do to greet each other (picture) but Sebastian doesn't join in because he is trying to look cool.

Then you have a few fillers (which are just great by the way).

The next "ark" finally gets to the good stuff. The "puppet" ark I like to call it. It isn't all puppies and sunshine anymore! Here you have twists and turns and you suddenly start getting to know what happened to Ciel! ... Oh, and some stuff happens with Elizabeth but who cares!

In the next ark, you met this guy:

Ah! Holy crap! Indian! When are they EVER in anime?!

And some strange stuff happens like women turning purple.

Maybe too many red onions?

She obviously didn't have her bowl of Total that day.
In this ark, you finally see the queen and this shady looking guy:

The queen magically went to a curry tasting competition... well, I don't see the president of the United States doing that...
CURRY!
*cough* Well, anyway...

When Queen Victoria entered, everyone started singing this song about her. It had the beat of Star Spangled Banner and they all sung in English (which sounded so creepy) and SOME people didn't sing! Obviously they hated England.

Then a filler episode.

Next ark! Final ark! It's all about this creepy cult and how everyone not in it is "unclean" (though one of those woman has sex with Sebastian. Guess whose unclean now?!)

And where this old lady:

Is magically this... girl...?

There is a lot of information and closure in the ark (since it goes to the last episode) so I won't ruin it.

Black Butler is an anime with a original plot and a un-original concept which makes in a semi-amazing show. There is a lot of suggestive themes (as mentioned before)