Kuroshitsuji: Book of Circus

Full of wonder and excitement, the Noah's Arc Circus troupe has captured audiences with their dazzling performances. Yet these fantastic acts do not come without a price. Children have mysteriously gone missing around London, correlating to that of the group's movements. Unsettled by these kidnappings, Queen Victoria sends in her notorious guard dog, Ciel Phantomhive; and his ever-faithful demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, on an undercover mission to find these missing children.

Trying to balance their new circus acts with their covert investigation under the big top, however, proves to be quite a challenge. With the other performers growing suspicious and the threat of the circus' mysterious benefactor looming overhead, what the two discover will shake Ciel to his very core.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Michaelis, Sebastian Main

Ono, Daisuke Japanese

Phantomhive, Ciel Main

Sakamoto, Maaya Japanese

Sutcliff, Grell Supporting

Fukuyama, Jun Japanese

Undertaker Supporting

Suwabe, Junichi Japanese

Mey-Rin Supporting

Katou, Emiri Japanese

Finnian Supporting

Kaji, Yuuki Japanese

Midford, Elizabeth Supporting

Tamura, Yukari Japanese

Snake Supporting

Terashima, Takuma Japanese

Joker Supporting

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Spears, William T. Supporting

Sugiyama, Noriaki Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Kananiwa, Kozue Producer

Hashimoto, Ryuu Producer

Kimura, Yasutaka Producer

Reviews

Apr 24, 2025

colelouch

Recommended

This truly feels like the real beginning of the Black Butler franchise and what the series is fundamentally about. The earlier seasons almost seem like they existed just to introduce characters like Grell and Agni, but this arc sets the actual tone and emotional depth of the story. The atmosphere is fantastic, and the opening theme is strikingly unique, one that will definitely stick with me. It subtly hints at the emotional emptiness and sorrow the show is about to dive into.

Though the arc is relatively short, it’s sharply focused. The circus troupe is largely memorable, and the core members make a strong impression despite ... their limited screen time, though I do wish we had gotten to spend more time with them. The narrative is deeply tragic, and for the first time, we truly get to explore the thoughts and emotions of Ciel and Sebastian in a way that feels far more real and human than in the first two seasons.

We see Ciel stepping outside his sheltered mansion life and encountering a harsher world, and we witness more of the dark, flawed sides of other characters which unlike Season 1, where many characters felt more like archetypes serving a theme. This story wraps up in a satisfyingly imperfect way. It's morally complex, and while characters make questionable choices, their feelings are portrayed as valid and understandable.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Nov 27, 2015

ryuuForte

Mixed Feelings

Akuma no Shitsuji continues onto the 3rd season with Book of Circus.

This arc takes place sometime after Madam Red's incident from the first season.

I am left speechless about what to say about this season. All the things that happen in this season is just so fuutsu(normal) that i just can't think of anything unique to write about this. Oh, i just remembered something. Was there so many shotacons(lolicons being 'lolita complex' and shotacon being 'shouta complex', shouta means small boy-the male version of loli) in the 19th Century? Or is this to please the fanbase of shotacons who want to see this or that done ... to shoutas? Whether it is fan service or reality, it just doesn't fit well with me. Once you notice this, you can see nothing but shoutacons and old men everywhere.

Shotacons will love this season(probably) as it has our Shota shuujinko(protagonist) Ciel Phantomhive who shows of his dizty self in the circus.

In the previous review of Kuroshitsuji II, i said something like 'this season is a must watch if you want to see the next season'. But, it looks like the Kuroshitsuji II is the end of the Kuroshitsuji series, at least according to the chronological order of the story.(As a side note, i haven't read the manga so i don't know if it ends then or not.)

As for whether you should watch this season or not, if you liked the first two seasons or if you want to complete the series, i recommend to watch this season but if you haven't watched any season yet, you can skip the series altogether as there is nothing worth mentioning about this series.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jul 25, 2021

LoopsiePages

Not Recommended

Funny

If this didn't have snake or doll this would be unwatchable. it is only for edgy shock value and the creepiest anime character ever made that people still inexplicably ship with a 13 year old.

The anime is like watchable in the first half not gonna lie, they had us, and then BOOM it all went down hill and started being really really edgy and really really really have Sebastian do horrible things cause he's a horrible person. Why must he be so close to this child? Constantly? Because he’s traumatized and is basically being groomed by this stupid demon that wants to literally eat him.

Everything ... about the circus people is suffering after suffering for no reason except to be edgy. There wasn’t even a clown in this circus.

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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