Seeing the array of reviews here, I realized most of them are biased, so I'm going to be frank. Instead of going on about how much I love or hate this manga, I'm going to give the things that stuck out the most.

Gorgeous artwork: There is a level of detail to this manga that I don't usually see in of shonen works. You have textures, variations in coloring, facial details on close up... the list goes on.

Humor tinged with dark undertones: Anyone that reads the manga will say that it starts off dark. However, a common tool in writing is to introduce static characters as comic relief. Kuro Shitsuji does this. While the initial chapters are dark, spots of light peak through in the form of Ciel's staff, the infamous butler included.

Seemingly pointless plot arcs: Ah, the curry arc... was there really a point to that? It was hilarious, but it didn't seem to add to the plot. Of course, since the series is not finished, we really have no way of knowing whether or not this arc pertinent. Recall the second season of Ghost in the Shell. Seemingly pointless episodes played a part later on.

Plot isn't immediately obvious/ character motivation: Many mangas introduce the goal of the character in the first five minutes and then spend forty plus volumes having the character complete this goal. Not Kuro Shitsuji (Naruto anyone?). You know Ciel has a goal at the beginning, that much is clear, but the finer details of the goal remain obscure. We know he is hunting someone, and that he was humiliated. The rest of the details are given in snippets throughout the manga. This is good story telling. A good author never reveals all his/her cards at the beginning, ^_~ In addition to this, there is depth to Ciel's goal. It is emotionally driven and passionate in a believable fashion. Even though we don't know what it is, we see how it influences him. To see a counter example, consider the Inuyasha series. The main character, Kagome, has a very simple goal and there is nothing left for the reader to discover. Inuyasha's character is a bit better, but still easy to figure out. Ciel's mind is a maze of idea's that we have weed through to figure out why he behaves the way he does.

Ciel Phantomhive: A flaw in many manga/ anime is the lack of a strong BELIEVABLE main character. Ciel fulfills this role. He is not a sweet little angel, but manipulative and conniving, wanting to do whatever it takes to get is goal, but this creates faults. In addition, he doesn't change. A lot of characters have 'major revelations' and change for the better for it. Not Ciel. He has revelations, but continues on with achieving his goals in the same manner as before.

Sebastian: Oh, the butler, so many references to a Gary Stu. He's perfect at everything. It's exaggerated, however, so it's humorous. In addition, you don't know HIS motivation either, though it is clear that he has a reason for serving Ciel. With Ciel at least you get an idea of why he acts the way he does, not Sebastian. Subtle hints, like well placed glares, shrewd glances and such indicate that there is more to it that the author and artist reveal on the surface.

Shonen-ai hints: There are hints of romance between Ciel and Sebastian. No need for elaboration here, the manga speaks for itself. However, it is possible to ignore this aspect as it is not a huge focus and is only subtly hinted at.

Now that I gave the highlights, it is up to you, dear reader, to interpret them and see if you are interested in reading the manga or not.

... Last updated on March 15th, 2009, 5:34pm

Kuroshitsuji is by far one of the best mangas in existence. It made a huge impression on me, and I definitely think it's something everyone should at least give a shot.

Plot
It's a wonderfully unique story about a young boy in Victorian England who, after being kidnapped, tortured, and sacrificed, makes a deal with a demon: his soul in exchange for the demon's help with avenging himself. The main storyline takes place 2-3 years after the deal was made, and as the story progresses through the different arcs, you get little forshadowings (i know, not a word) of what's to come.

The greatest part, when reading this dark intense story, is that in the back of your mind, you know eventually that what it's going to come down to is Ciel (the boy) finally getting his revenge (we still don't know who kidnapped him, by the way) and Sebastian (the demon) finally taking his soul.

Or not?

As you read this story, if you are like many fangirls of Kuroshitsuji, you'll find yourself hoping for the alternative ending: Sebastian deciding not to take Ciel's soul. So far, there's no evidence pointing towards that, but it's still possible, and the fact that none of us can be sure of how it will end is part of what makes this manga so intriguing. And just for the record, I don't usually read a manga unless it has a romance in it. I just don't. But this manga doesn't really have a romance in it (unless, arguably, you count the relationship Ciel and Sebastian have-we're not exactly sure what that is, though) and still it is the best manga I have ever read, just because it's so interesting (the plot, the concept, the characters). And if you don't like suggested male relationships, you'll still be able to enjoy this story. Because their relationship can be seen in a whole lot of ways, and there is no proof of romance.

Characters
The main characters are very interesting. Ciel, because you just can't figure out if he's a good person or a bad person. He does a lot of "bad' things, and he won't hesitate to kill someone he thinks deserves it, but at times he'll also show some kind of compassion. You get the feeling that he's the sort of person who's willing to make the tough decisions and be the bad guy, even though it hurts him, just because someone has to. You also get the feeling that, while he shows a very cold adult exterior self, on the inside he's very human.

Sebastian, on the other hand, is just the opposite. On the outside he appears friendly, even warm, but inside he views human beings as stupid, and he's unable to see the good in anyone (save for, arguably, Ciel and Agni-this guy who shows up later). Everyone loves Sebastian. Which is funny, because if he met any one of us readers, he'd probably laugh in our faces. But he's a very awesome character. And he's also interesting, because you're not sure what he thinks of Ciel, other than that he is amused by him. Their relationship is great.

Anime
What I've got to say about this is: watch it. About a third of the way through the first season, it starts to stray from the manga, but that's fine. It develops it's own very well-thought out plot that is very realistic based on the characters. And Sebastian's relationship with Ciel becomes so interesting in the second season. He becomes very possessive of him, even getting jealous at times (and believe me, there's almost nothing better than a jealous Sebastian) and he seems to start to view Ciel as a person rather than just food.

The anime and the manga both offer interesting storylines, and while you should absolutely read the manga, no question, you should also definitely watch the anime. They do a good job of making the episodes fairly light, but making the overall tone extremely dark. There are some really emotional moments, especially towards the end of the first season and around the 9th episode in the second season, which is good.

Art
The art is some of the best, if not the very best, art that I've ever seen in a manga. The author has a very sophisticated clean drawing style that looks very professional.

In conclusion...
If you like dark humor, this is for you. And even if you don't, this is for you. Trust me. It's about the furthest thing away from the manga I normally read, but I loved it. The fact that the storyline is so unique is what makes this manga so special. And god, sometimes you get so envious of the closeness between Ciel and Sebastian, and you just want to get inside their heads to see what's going on in there. But while you can guess as to what they're thinking, you can never really be positive as to what kind of people they are, or why they do the things they do. But you love them anyway, and so you don't really care whether they are actually good or actually evil. Because there's so much more to it than that.

By the way, it's listed as shounen, but that's not very accurate. I think it's put in that category because it's definitely not a shoujo, but I feel like this manga sort of deserves a genre of it's own, because it's not really a shoujo or a shounen.

... Last updated on February 22nd, 2011, 8:28pm

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE SEBASTIEN IS HOT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.[/b]Although he is gorgeous....

I love this story for all its darkness, struggles, and moral ambiance. Honestly, there were many times when I wondered if I would resort to doing some of the inhumane things mentioned because I actually felt like i understood the causes.

Furthermore, Ciel is the one who truly attracts me. He may be a boy, but he is a boy who went through such horror that he managed to gather the resolve to sell his soul to a demon for the sake of revenge. To me, that is one heck of a delicious human.

He also has what it takes to reach the top with the help of a demon. He is intelligent, with the cruelty of a devil. But, at times, a more humane side of him surfaces, and it tears at my heart because it makes me realize that Ciel is, in the end, still a child.

But in truth, Sebastian has a huge fanbase for a reason: He is freaking badass and I'm not exaggerating. He has that dark allure coupled with a twisted version of knight in shiny armor. Plus, he has a thing for cats. He also has a very mysteriously cynical side to him, and he often subtly ridicules Ciel affectionately whenever Ciel shows his humanity. There seems to be a part of him that makes me believe that he won't end up eating Ciel's soul.... but, I think that might just be my desperate wish.

Conclusion: The characters in Black Butler drive the story--they are what made me fall in love with this series over and over again.

... Last updated on July 25th, 2014, 11:23pm

Why a lot of people like Kuroshitsuji (with me probably over analyzing some parts):

It's quite dark, and unexpectedly so. Why? Because of the silly first chapters. But as the story progresses, the adventures of Ciel and Sebastian take on a darker theme. It is not simply about revenge and corruption. It's also about the fallacies of mankind, their hope in the face of desperation, and the will to sacrifice everything for one goal. It's tragic because Ciel is young; younger than most of us who read the manga. Yet he has suffered more than we could ever believe. Is he a strong character? Perhaps not. But as a human being, he perseveres to achieve his one goal of revenge. Will he be able to fulfill it? We have yet to know. It is interesting to see his wavering humanity and how he tries to keep his sanity during his everyday life. In recent chapters, he has become a more mysterious character, especially in regards to his contract with his butler, Sebastian. Ciel seeks salvation by, ironically, giving himself over to evil, thus portraying the weaknesses and the desperation of human beings.

The character of Sebastian is incredibly demon-like. He is cruel, sadistic, and yet loyal (but only to his aesthetics). He is skilled at everything yet he can only do it alone; He is not human and therefore cannot interact with them. He may be the image of perfection but he is not. As we read the story, Sebastian and the rest of the characters seem more and more separated. This disparity, though I do not know if it is intended or not, isolates Sebastian and marks him as a devil. Yet, he can blend in to the society as if he were a human. This is frightening as it shows that evil exists among good, but it is so well hidden that we could never recognize it, even if it should be obvious. Yes, Sebastian is quite a "cardboard cut-out" but I believe that it's only his facade so he can hide his true self. Personally, I find that Sebastian is an interesting character because I just can't quite understand him at times, thus causing me to come to the conclusion that Yana Toboso successfully created a being that cannot be comprehended by humans because he is a demon.

The relationship between Sebastian and Ciel seems to be one of absolute trust. They are so intricately intertwined that it is a bit scary to think how much Ciel has associated with evil. Yet, he does it because he is willing to sacrifice his soul for revenge. Ciel and Sebastian are alike in a way, but Yana Toboso also manages to keep them separated. Ciel succumbs to evil and is more susceptible to it, even without Sebastian's help. His fate lies with the devil, and is forever connected to the dark. Human nature is more demonic than a demon.

The main plot is usually shrouded in mystery and is seldom shown. It is perhaps because of this that people love Kuroshitsuji so much; whenever the main conflict surfaces, the readers get drawn into the darker side of the story... Although, at first, the story seems to be going nowhere, each arc has a subtle foreboding undercurrent that usually keeps us reading. Not to mention the exceptionable art that appeals to the eye and is usually very clean and very clear. Yana Toboso has great designs and seems to put a lot of effort into researching about Victorian England (although, she does tend to slip up quite a bit...).

Although it seems that the main storyline lies with Ciel's conquest for revenge, I really do believe it is more about Sebastian's perspective on humanity which, in consequence, also gives the readers a different view on the nature of human beings. Every character seems to have a darker side to them, and they all have their own dark secrets. So although some characters may annoy the hell out of you at first, you grow to love them...

One problem I do have with the manga is that sometimes, the "fanservice" is a little over-the-top. You'll see what I mean if you read it. Also, as someone has already mentioned, sometimes, the comic relief is completely unnecessary and overdone.

Oh, and I can't believe I have to clarify this: Kuroshitsuji is NOT YAOI. For goodness' sake people! Although it is labelled as "shounen" its target audience is more on the female side than the male side, therefore, be prepared to have many fangirl comments that will make you confused.

With all that said, Kuroshitsuji is my personal favourite. So, of course, I'm going to rate it 10/10. However, this may vary with other people due to the aforementioned problems above.

If you're into the slightly gothic style, Victorian England and mysteries, you'll probably like Kuroshitsuji. It's not the best, but it you may just become addicted to it

... Last updated on October 17th, 2011, 12:09am

Kuroshitsuji was what drew me back into the world of manga after my short three year reprieve. Art wise, it utterly appealed to my sense of aesthetics, but as I've always said, art is entirely subjective; so clearly what might me a perfect masterpiece for me, might be something else for someone else. However, if my opinion matters however much, it was dripping with gorgeous scenes, the evolution of art, though, is certainly obvious, As it is, Yana Toboso's style had grown more refined, and delicate in the later volumes as compared to the first. Nonetheless, we have stunning eye candy with exquisite wardrobes, and scenic views from the get go.

Regarding the characters themselves, for I place plenty of importance on character development as opposed to plot, Ciel, in my opinion, is the perfect protagonist. Controversial, no doubt, but I do so tire of those pure, earnest do-gooders... The selfless, innocent, naive heroes, I have naught against them, but I do enjoy a taste of bitter sweet after all the sugary goodness. Ciel may not be morally upright, but in that sense, he behaves like a human. Humans aren't morally upright; even if we assume we are, when it comes down to it, we take care of our own. If we didn't, our species would have been wiped out eons ago. Ciel is a human. As much as I adore Manga Characters, and I adore them lots, I relate to humans better.

Sebastian is a demon. I've really not much to say about him, because there's really not much to say. He does brilliant work, looks like a dream, and assumes a rather mysterious contradictory personality. The thing I love best about Sebastian, is actually his relationship with Ciel- they often bring out the best and worst of each other. Ciel makes Sebastian less of a demon, and Sebastian makes Ciel less a human (that being easily corruptible, self-centered and greedy). Either way, they've admirably interesting relationship dynamics.

Plot-wise, I love it all, save maybe, the arc after the circus, it seemed to drag on too much for a bit, but it was nonetheless a refreshing change to watch our main duo from a third party's point of view. My current favourite remains the circus arc, it sent chills down my spine the first time I read it, and it still makes my heart flutter every time I decide to revisit that plot. The irony of life and the inadequacy of humanity was so well woven into the plot, it just made me smile.

The zombie arc was a nice action-packed bit, and it had a nice pacing too it, it didn't seem too rushed, nor did it seem dragged out; and we got to see Ciel's first-class manipulation skills, it just made me fall in love with him more. As for the current school arc, the premise is certainly noteworthy. Clearly, there are those who detest the apparently overused setting, but I would say, I'm leaning towards the supportive side. However, I reserve to make judgement, as there's a wealth of unseen potential.

Overall, it's a beautiful manga, (with several historical errors, but I'm not quite the nit-picky sort over factual details like this), and I would give this manga two thumbs up. I would give ten, if I had ten thumbs. A hundred, if I had a hundred. And yes, a thousand if I had a thousand. So on and so forth.

I'd imagine that most readers don't read Kuroshitsuji to drool over Sebastian. The description may seem a bit yaoi-ish, but don't be deterred if you're not into that. If you don't stay for that gorgeous hell of a butler (okay, I'll stop), you'll definitely appreciate the dark aura, fantastic characters, and the action.

Rich with plot twists, dynamic characterizations, and hefty shock factors, Black Butler enthralls with its intricate story. Two years before the current timeline, Ciel Phantomhive hires Sebastian as a butler in the mansion where Ciel lives alone, save the other servants. Ciel is twelve years old, but don't be fooled. Acutely intelligent and mature, Ciel is the most recent Earl of his family line after his predecessor passed away. Though he's only 12 years old, his age is still relevant; in later arcs, Toboso-sensei tragically elucidates the limitations of his age. Ciel is a boy of both strong loyalty and appalling cruelty. Sebastian serves to both mediate and exacerbate these traits. The two act as foils, but both are much more fleshed-out and dynamic than that. It's no surprise that they have a huge fanbase.

I could never forget the supporting cast, who are immensely powerful as well. From Meylin to Lizzie, each character has a tale behind them. Some of these have yet to be revealed, but I doubt Toboso-sensei will disappoint. I read a review calling some characters shallow; all I have to say is that nothing in this manga is exactly as it seems. If you find yourself frustrated with certain people in Kuroshitsuji, I'd advise you to keep reading. Most likely, the circumstances will change.

As said in other reviews, there are some historical inaccuracies in the Gothic setting. But this is a highly fictional work (hence the supernatural tag), so unless you're a huge Anglophile and a stickler for accuracy, the inconsistencies won't even register on your radar. 19th century England really is the perfect place for this manga. Darkness lurks-- but not just in the nighttime streets. The events and inventions of the time period feed much of the action and drive the plot fairly well.

Amongst the arcs that have already been translated, I'd have to say my favorite was the Circus Arc. If you're confused with anything that I said earlier, no other arc will so clearly demonstrate what I mean. This arc was absolutely heart-wrenching, but this was the one that did me in. I fell in love with the manga immediately afterwards (I can't believe I had the first three volumes sitting on my shelf for TWO MONTHS before I started reading.) I'll admit, I'm not too keen on every single arc; one in particular I felt dragged on for way too long. But it's worth it, I promise you that.

At the moment, I'm torn between wanting this manga to end so that I can know the ending(!!!) and hoping that Kuroshitsuji never ends. So far, an ending doesn't appear to be soon approaching-- 20 volumes and going strong. I wish chapters came out with higher frequency, but I'm thankful as is.

... Last updated on January 14th, 2015, 8:17pm

I love this manga! I really took the time to read EVERYTHING in the span of a year and I loved it.
Though I have to be honest about this manga...

The plot development (Ciel's revenge) isnt really developing. We see some archs of the manga that hint about what happened to the Phantomhives before the story timeline, but it isn't enough. Some characters tend to be a bit too much to handle. Some situations flux from hilarious to serious at unexpected rates. And yet...
The characters develop at a normal pace. The more you read the manga, you are faced with characters who are more than what you think. Ciel isn't just your cold-hearted, antihero brat one may think, he is multi-faceted. Elizabeth isn't your typical annoying fiancee because the more you read, the more you find out that she herself carries a burden of her own which makes her endearing. And Sebastian isn't perfect. I admit that I can scream "I love Sebby" but there are times when you get annoyed with him.

I also noticed that Yana Toboso poured her heart out into the manga. She uses the characters to voice out some of her opinions and perspectives. How ordinary people can be geniuses in their own right, how perfect people are more than what they seem, and so much more!

It is also no surprise that Yana knows her Victorian times. From characters to events to games and rituals, you can see that the author researched on it. She also has great taste in fashion and she knows her orchestra pieces!

This is Yana Toboso at her best! The art, the characters and the concept of some archs as well as the idea of selling your soul to a demon and making him you butler is just...*faints*

I love this manga though I feel mixed about it (time and time again)...

... Last updated on March 13th, 2013, 4:43am

Contrary to some people's thoughts, I believe Kuroshitsuji has an amazing plot. The fact that Sebastion is so utterly perfect in the area of physical abilities might be a turn-off for some, but keep in mind that this manga isn't an action/fighting one. It has an underlying tone of drama that occurs less in the beginning but starts to become more prominent later on. Also, the negativity shown so often towards Ciel's position in terms with the Queen gives me the joy of anticipating a complete character break-down with lots of angst.

I do admit though, the curry arc was pointless, other than to introduce two characters of whom I feel like will never play much part into the plot except to be nuances.

But, this mangaka is a great story-teller. It may not be favorable to people who haven't read millions upon millions of stories yet, but for those who have, a story where the plot is entirely focused upon exactly one thing is appealing. SUBPLOTS ARE AWESOME!!! The way Toboso Yana gradually shows the past is one of my favorite story-telling methods. She really knows how to end on cliffhangers too. >.>

Well, all in all, the reason I like this manga is probably because of the tragedy. I can imagine it wouldn't appeal to many people who didn't like the element of tragedy.

This just might be me starving for more tragedy.

And the art is hot, and I think it looks so much better in the black and white state that it's in than in a colored form. This again, might be just feeding my black and white addiction, and probably doesn't appeal to other people like that.

I have been reading Kuroshitsuji since the summer of 2008, when only a few chapters were translated to English. For about four years now, I have been following the manga. The series has a good premise, is very interesting, and the art is nice and clean. However, now at 14 volumes, I think the manga lacks a distinct and forward main plot. I understand that Ciel works for the Queen while also using Sebastian to discover the true perpetrators of the death of his family, however, I think the series has become slow. I honestly don't know why things are happening now. Ciel just continues to get jobs from the Queen. And that has been going on for 14 volumes now. I am a little disappointed with the introduction of the new arc - the school arc, because I fear the story is just reverting back to the same formula with yet again another order from the Queen. However, I can not be sure yet. I have a feeling that eventually, like all of the arcs, something WILL happen to further the story at least a little bit. Right now, though, the school arc just isn't to my taste.

The good thing is that with the last arc - the ship/zombie story - many character developments and revelations occurred, and I believe the dark undertones fit the manga. I'm glad the shinigami were included again. I hope that their world will be further explored in the manga, because it is intriguing and will open up the manga more, I think.

Overall, in the manga, I do believe some good developments have happened, at least. I'm just concerned that not enough has happened in the 14 volumes released so far. But, I have a feeling the manga will have many more volumes (I HOPE) that will answer questions and develop Ciel and Sebastian. In a way, I hope maybe that Yana Toboso will create a part 2 of the series in which Ciel is older by a few years, that way we can see his maturity. To be honest, I thought Ciel would look at least a little older after all of these volumes, but I guess he looks a bit younger due to Toboso's changing art style or something.

Something else that irks me a little is

I still read this manga because I do enjoy it and I've invested much in it ( like buying the English volumes ). But, as I've read the story, I've noticed unfortunate drawbacks that I've expressed here. To me, many things can make the story more concise and better. But, I'm sure the author is working on it, gradually, in her own vision. So, I don't mind waiting for now as the story hopefully expands. Kuroshitsuji still has many great elements (Victorian Era, nice mix of the supernatural and the darkness, shinigami, demons, Ciel and Sebastian's contract), but it angers me to see them become overridden with the poor factors in the story.

... Last updated on May 25th, 2012, 5:38pm