Review of Black Butler

This anime is one of the most breathtaking, gloriously beautiful masterpieces that I have ever seen. It manages to mix in character development, humour and action at the same time. They are all well balanced, so there isn't too much of comedy and such. Though it may not look like it, Kuroshitsuji is a dark series and thus there are lots of thought provoking themes and symbolism. The series is such that you could be crying with either happiness or sadness with the character. To be frank the show had me crying at times I thought I wouldn't. Though there are some questions left unansweredat the end, it is still worth watching.

Story [9]

Indeed, the storyline was unique in its own way. The beginning arc is by far one of the best I've seen. But after it strayed away from the manga, it got a bit floppy around the middle, leaving some unanswered questions and vague hints. The series could definitely maximise its potential if not for the somewhat weaker storyline in the middle. But of course, this is merely my opinion. Don't worry, though it went in a different direction than the manga, the ending is not like soul eater's *cough* The ending was AMAZING, there hasn't been any other ending that made me emotional and depressed for a few days other than FMA, CG and GoTF. If not for the loose ends, it would have been a 10 for sure.

Art [10]

The art is one of the drawing points that led me to watch this series. Sebastian and Ciel's designs are beautiful, and there are hardly any scenes in the anime that makes the characters look weird. 19th Century London was also amazingly done, and it feels like I could have been there. The outfits and also the ambience was equally well done.

Sound [10]

Wow. The soundtrack of Kuroshitsuji is I can confidently say, the BEST I have ever heard. The OST doesn't comprise of pointless yelling and electric guitars. It takes a more .. classical and latin like hymns approach, can't exactly describe it. There are many beautiful melodies that will make you take notice of it immediately. For me, I was so transfixed by the music at the end of episode 3 that I missed out what was being said and had to replay. The songs play a vital role in the emotional impact on the audience. The end of the final episode, especially, wouldn't have so much of an impact if played without sound. The ED 2 , Lacrimosa is so hauntingly beautiful. Matches the dark gothic theme perfectly. The seiyuus were all also extremely good, portraying the characters the way they are supposed to be! The best to me was of course Sebastian. His low voice just makes you melt.

Character [10]

Character development is amazing. You can see the difference from the beginning and toward the end of the show. Their emotional dilemmas are not portayed as an obstruction, but as a way to help the characters grow. Madame Red in particular is the character that I was riveted upon. The way her character came to be, and how it ended.. Just speechless. Ciel is also the same. But no spoilers here!

Enjoyment + Overall [10]

Everything falls into place perfectly, making this anime an amazing artwork, especially with its design and soundtrack. God the ED 2 is still stuck in my head even now, it's just so hauntingly beautiful. Though I was skeptical about this anime initially, I'm glad I picked it up. What are you waiting for? Watch it NOW