Ranked #113

Kuroshitsuji

Holy flippin' A!!! Where to even begin with this anime?! There is so much here that I look for in an anime; I even added it to my favorites list before I was even done watching. It's got beautiful and THICK plot, hidden meanings, a GORGEOUS musical score, wonderful and zany characters, and enough emotional hitting power to make me keep a tissue box handy for those sad and happy tears. This would be my first review to be an absolute 10 in score if there weren't just a few unanswered questions and assumed understanding after everything was said and done. Even with those there, though, this anime is one of the best things I've seen in a while, even better than Hikaru no Go which had be so wrapped up spring break. I'm sad to see it end 'cause I want more of this world, but, on the other hand, I'm glad it's got a definitive ending and isn't really leaving us cliff-hanging.

STORY - 9

The story of this show is something else. There's just so much depth, and it's so cerebral. I'll definitely have to do some re-watching to get all the little nuances and plot points down. I wouldn't recommend this show if you're just looking for some simple anime that would kill an afternoon. This is a thinking anime that touches on a ton of dark and deep issues. You'll also need to be paying close attention to all the plot twists! These little suckers come out of NOWHERE and twist the story into a completely different direction that one would expect. I was left gasping like fish more than once here. For me, that's one of the best aspects of this story is those little plot twists. I never know what I'm going to see when watching something like this. Now that I've mentioned the good, let's talk about why I couldn't give this aspect a perfect 10. After watching the ending, I was left with some unanswered questions regarding some of the details here. While these details didn't sour the complete story for me (hence the 9), they might sour it for someone else. One detail that they didn't address did leave me a bit peeved, but my mind made a connection with another story aspect that I could guess was the answer. If everything had been addressed here, this would have been a DEFINITE perfect 10.

ART - 10

A simple word here. BEAUTIFUL!!!! The animation flows so gorgeously in this anime. From the fight scenes to humorous antics to zany parties to heart-wrenching death scenes, absolutely everything here is flows so smoothly and sweetly. An aspect I noticed a lot in this anime was lighting. I don't see that a lot in anime and found it very appropriate for this title. If the characters were experiencing a dark and horrific scene, shadows and reds played big parts. If they were experiencing light-hearted birthday parties or servant antics, colors were bright, vibrant, and day-filled. Besides just the lighting, the art conveyed the atmosphere so much. It almost seemed to reflect character emotions and fates/destinies as well as set the mood for the anime. You will not be disappointed here! Just a slight warning, though, this anime doesn't shirk from blood. Not that it's gratuitous, every scene with it almost requires it and the blood adds to the atmosphere. But do be warned; I wouldn't let kids watch this.

SOUND - 10

This is the crowning glory in my opinion. Every single piece of music adds to the atmosphere of this anime and leaves a person breathless. It's so haunting...... It's full of fast consistent beats for the fighting, chants and drones for the dark, plot-filled moments, sad female-filled melodies for the gut-wrenchingly sad parts, and a soft operatic finish for the final anime finale. There was use throughout the anime of a really fast beat chanting/droning thing used towards some combat and many plot-revealing scenes that I found particularly innovative and unusual. It added something really unique to an already beautiful track of music. The opening and ending themes fit the anime to a tee; the 2nd ending, Lacrimosa by Kalafina, especially fits the ominous ending the anime is barreling towards when this ending comes in. It's haunting, lyrical, and so emotion-filled. Just beautiful!! Besides the glorious musical score, this anime exhibits very good character voices. I especially loved Sebastian's dark and low voice. I could imagine my demon butler having that voice. *shiver* I can't think of any misplaced vocals at all. Everyone was distinct and complete unto themselves.

CHARACTERS - 9

There were so many hidden depths to most of these characters that absolutely no one seems two-dimensional. Everyone is fleshed out to some degree with emotional back stories and plot twists. Oh the plot twists!! There were a lot where it came to character development. I only wish that there had been equal attention to all characters. For some of them, the viewers were left wishing fervently for more. I personally wished the back stories of the servants at Phantomhive were fleshed out more. We are given some back hints in a few episodes and one episode almost completely devoted to the four of them, but not really a lot and I was curious! Oh well. The gradual building of Ciel's character and his relationship with Sebastian is more than enough to make up for it. There were some characters who I thought I had pegged when something radical happens and their intents and motivations turn in a completely different direction. Again, oh those plot twists!! Gotta love 'em!!

ENJOYMENT - 10

I thoroughly enjoyed this title, unanswered questions and all. My mind can find connections between points where there may be no connection and so I can answer those questions in my own little mind. It was a beautiful and haunting ride that took me on an emotional rollercoaster and through a thorough mind-wringing. There was so much content here, from plot to wacky humor. I loved every bit of it. And the music!! Ack!! I'm going to be haunting ebay and the net in general looking for this OST ASAP!!

OVERALL - 10

I think I pretty much summed it up in the enjoyment section. Everything just came together beautifully and created an anime that has made it to my favorites and re-watchable list. I absolutely adore it and wish there was more!!
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Now 6/10 isn’t a bad score; it equates to 3/5 stars so I do recommend people to watch this.

So, Kuroshitsuji is an anime that is labelled “shounen” but I don’t really know why - I mean it’s filled with bishounens, pretty clothes and the fancy Victorian age backdrop with massive shounen ai and shota hints. Oh, and the obvious gay shinigami who keeps trying to kiss the butler.

The story: the 10 year old child exchanging his soul for a demon butler who will help exact his revenge. Two/three years later they are still together; Ciel Phantomhive the 12 (later 13) year old Earl also the head of his house and company and Sebastian Michaelis, the demon butler who could do anything and together working for the Queen to solve mysteries and at the same time learning about Ciel’s past.
It would have been a great story. If not for the amounts of filler episodes that had been injected in due to the lack of material that had come out from the manga and the confusion in later episodes that still left me with many, many questions.
The first and second episodes was indeed spectacular. I got the anti hero vibes and I do love anti-heroes. Instantly you could tell this isn’t going to be a fluffy anime and it isn’t - it is dark and mysterious throughout the entire series. Even up to episode 6 it was still good. However, after that it just started to get a little tiring with all the missions they have to carry out. Boring in fact. It does pick up with the story though and some of the other episodes that has nothing to do with the story were still interesting.

When I first heard Sebastian’s and Ciel’s names I literally lol’d. I mean ‘Sebastian’ as the butler’s name, that was so cliché and Ciel ‘Phantomhive’ - now that didn’t sound conspicuous at all did it? Well it certainly did humour me with these obvious names, but the characters themselves aren’t ones that you can laugh at. Sebastian is seriously one badass butler, the anti hero of our story; he can do anything and I mean ANYTHING. After episode 17 when he SEDUCES A NUN to get information he certainly got my respect - I mean I never thought he would use those tactics. And Ciel… well he is bratty. And he certainly does talk a lot of bull when it comes to why he is doing all this and such. He also seemed like a doll since he practically modelled fashionwear of the 19th century. However both characters seemed to lack in personality - Sebastian does whatever Ciel says without a second thought, all he has going for him is that he’s cool - which isn’t a personality trait in my opinion. Ciel is bent on revenge and spoilt so I guess that is a personality…sort of. Both characters are too bland and 2-dimensional, there’s no realistic streak in either of them.

Sound wasn’t entirely special, I mean apart from the opening and ending I’ve forgotten all the other soundtracks used so forgettable it is. Art and animation was impeccable is all I can say. In the few action scenes they had there was no blurred lines anywhere - every action or move was clear and distinct.

The most enjoyable part of this anime was the London/Victorian age setting. I was actually quite impressed with how well they displayed and used London and its history, like how they made Bethnal Green the base where all the drug dealers were from or the fact that there used to be fairs on the Thames during the winter when the water turned to ice. The producers did use the London card to the max - playing with different versions of “London Bridge”, using the Jack the Ripper character and displaying the fashion of the time. And of course since it’s set in England there is some engrish, but the best one is Sebastian’s “Yes, My Lord” - makes me smile every time. The setting practically made this anime, I mean if you replaced the setting to a modern time, different place this anime would have immediately failed.

This series was just ‘okay’ to me, it wasn’t particularly special and it’s quite tedious. I have had many unanswered questions formed in my mind and quite a few qualms about it. For those of you who actually read manga I suggest reading the manga first or instead of this since it just contains the main story.

Will I be watching the second series? Well, yes for numerous reasons. I liked the manga enough to want to see it animated. I want to see if my questions will finally be answered. And most of all I want to find out WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED after the end of the last episode. read more

Ladies and Gentlemen, i bring you, a classic anime like nothing you have ever seen before. so get you 'cups of tea" ready and sit back and enjoy the masterpiece that is "Black Butler" 1. 2. 3..Nah, just kidding. im here to review "Black Butler" a story about a kid and his butler.

Story 8

The story takes place in London. about a 12 year old kid named Ciel Phantomhive. and his butler Sebastian Michaelis. he also have servers that works for him. "Black Butler" is a like a mix of Gungrave and Code Geass. Ciel is a royal dog! meaning he works for the queen of London. he takes care of JOBS! which made the story a little better. i personally couldn`t stand all the "MEN LOVE" from this anime. i almost dropped it for that reason. but dont worry, its not a yaoi. "Black Butler" is really enjoyable. I'll definitely buy the DVD set (if it ever gets dubbed) I wouldn't recommend this anime to anyone. sure it might start off "Happy and Funny" but it takes a Dark turn that i never seen in a (Comedy) anime in my 10 years of watching anime. but, thats just my own opinion. there is alot of loss ends that i would like to know about this show. if they had a little more details about some things, this would`ve gotten a 10.

Art 10

The Animation is just outstanding! one of the best work A-1 Pictures Inc did. A-1 gotta be one the most underrated producers ever! their art work is just off the chain. its simply beautiful. everything about the animation was perfect. the food, houses, clothes and the characters. a perfect 10 out of 10.

Sound 10

The music was just phenomenal. especially some of background music. it was beautiful. i`ve listened to the opening theme song at least a million times! its so good. and not to mention the last ending theme song. which shows some things about Ciel and Sebastian, which might make you thing about the climax. i really liked the first ending theme song too. Becca Hollcraft did a great job singing that song. it was done in English and not Engrish. the music was really likable and will get you addicted.

Character 8

The characters were pretty decent them selfs? what am i saying!?!? they were totally awesome. even though Ciel could get annoying here and there, you grow to respect his doing. i mean c`mon! his only 12 years old and controls a butler,old people and girls. imagine a older Ciel. Lelouch (From Code Geass) or Light (From Death Note) wouldn`t be able to hold a candle to him. god knows what i was doing at age of 12. anyways, getting back to the characters. their really likable characters. especially Sebastian. hes just always there to help out. the characters them self have some back story to them and you might find it interesting. theres all kinds of characters in this show. from all over the world. which kept the story enjoyable.

Enjoyment 9

I think i been searching for a anime like "Black Butler" since i dunno, Like FOREVER! i had some great laughs watching this show. i almost made my neighbor call the cops on me. now, i wouldn`t want the same thing to happen to you but it might. just try to keep in it under control. anyways, i really enjoyed this show. from its hilariousness to its sight down darkness.

Overall 9

Overall, the series is worth a watch. it might be a little in the overrated section but still, its worth a watch. i personally found it entertaining, but if you found it boring than i wouldn`t bother it. there is still a lot that i would like to know about the ending. theres just to many loss ends out there and they need to be clear. i would very much appreciate it if the director would explain some things about it but i guess theres no way of knowing now. i dont really see a second season or what not, because of the way it ended, but who knows! the manga is still ongoing, soo there is a possibility. but for now there isn`t. this would`ve gotta a 10 if they explained a little more but since they left it unclear i guess it will get 9. to end things up, i really enjoyed this series and would watch it again. this series gets a 9 out of 10. read more

Note: I haven't read the manga, but I know that from volume 5 on the anime completely strays from the original plot. Therefore this review will only refer to the anime.


The main factor which makes this work so gripping, besides the art and soundtrack of course, is that it is refreshing: In many other stories you get the hero who talks nice and even though he went through so much he is still naive and trustful to everyone.

The story itself wouldn't be that great, average at best, however it got one anti-hero and his master, a smart young tortured boy bent on revenge.

Now don't say: how gloomy ._.

I always thought anti-heroes to be pretty refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy to read about nice and helpful people, however sometimes some characters filled with platitudes can get pretty annoying and reading about two characters with a darker side can be fairly fascinating. The talks they sometimes have for example often seem like a preparation for the grand final. They love to tease and insult each other, but you still can't help but think that at least one party cares for the other.

Hence another thing that's suspenseful is the Ciel-Sebastian relationship. It probably won't be the story that will leave you glued to the screen, but the question "how will their relationship turn out? will he really be killed in the end?"
I would prefer an open ending, since neither yes nor no seems attractive, but it's not up to me.

There are some hints at Shounen-Ai, but as stated they stay "hints". Mostly they are used for gag-moments anyway, so even if you are somehow averse to Shounen-Ai, if you enjoy the a bit darker fantasy genre don't miss this because of that reason!

Therefore I think, while the plot isn't exactly character-driven, the characters make Kuroshitsuji much better than the story alone could do. It's the characters with their pasts interwoven into the storyline that bring the plot to life. There are, of course, still ones like the three servants present, who will probably remember you of the typical shounen anime-hilarity.

Overally, if you like anime which are a bit abstract and angsty, you'll most likely enjoy it. While it starts out pretty much harmless the anime starts to show some angstier aspects soon. read more

A butler is commonly defined as a male servant who takes charge of providing service to his master and keeping everything proper and organized in the household. Yana Toboso presents a devious twist to the meaning of a Butler, giving the audience on hell of a good show. Excuse the pun.

~[S T O R Y]~ [9]
Viewers have seen it all: servants and masters working as partners in crime, so to speak. The master is devious, and the servant is obedient in general Japanimation. We've seen older men be served by seniors or young children. Yet there is a sense of originality captured in Kuroshitsuji. Never before have we ever seen not only a professional and sophisticated demon butler, but a butler that can definitely outshine the common traits of a servant. Kuroshitsuji displays a series of mysteries inside and outside the Phantomhive household, spurring great thought into the audience as to who is involved, what is going on, and of course: WHY. Not only that, but Toboso knocks us out with twists never to be expected. There are dark themes weaved into the plot, but Toboso attempts to calm us down by providing us a nice handful of humour in between episodes - especially the antics of Finny, Meilin, Bard, and our little old tea-drinking butler Tanaka whom Sebastian respects surprisingly so. Although the series is still running anime and manga-wise, the plot gradually grows stronger along with our mental and visual appetite for knowing more on the backgrounds of Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis.

~[A R T]~ [9]
London during the Victorian era is where Kuroshitsuji is set. The art is done well enough for the viewer to realize that it is during the nineteenth century London without being informed of its setting. The artists aside from Toboso who have designed the characters and sets have presented a nice taste to the Victorian era, such as the historical city streets, the enchanting landscape of Phantomhive manor, and the eerie scenes of reveries and places where Ciel and his team are compelled to go - such as cemeteries, haunting passageways and of course the base where our beloved Undertaker resides. The opening animation theme gives us a sense of experimental art: consisting of a sense of grunge followed by dark, elegant art that is weaved into the story's style. The reason why I had not marked the art category a 10 is due to the ending animation theme. The cute scrolling cartoon that separates itself from the general art of the anime leaves the audience wondering whether they are attempting to add random humour to the end or not. Were the ending to be just as beautiful as the beginning theme along with the rest of the animation in the series, the art would've recieved a perfect score.

~[S O U N D]~ [9]
Normally in an anime such as Kuroshitsuji, one would expect the musical scores to consist of classical music and gregorian chants. Nonetheless, the series goes slightly beyond the music that would stereotypically match the setting where the anime takes place. The classical music and gregorian chants capture the essence of a dark, dramatic anime. The rock music flowing at the ending theme of the show gives the anime a connection to a modern age of rock and roll. The lyrics to the beginning and ending themes match the anime almost close enough, as though the musical artists created their songs just for the show's sake. The background music in random scenes gives us a sense of what to expect: epiphanies, a comedic episode, dark and nostalgic reminiscence, et cetera. Yet the music is not too obvious. The sounds are not cheesy unlike other animes set around the nineteenth century. They relax us emotionally yet drive our minds wild out of raging curiousity.

~[C H A R A C T E R]~ [9]
Daisuke Ono gives Sebastian Michaelis his signature smooth, demonic voice that no other seiyuu could ever match. Sebastian is the pure personification of a demon butler, what with his eloquent nature and satirical humour. Demons are often looked upon as ravenous creatures who are hideous inside and out. Yet Sebastian gives a whole new definition to the name of a demon. He is the subject of pure sin, provoking all seven of the sins [more in the manga than the anime] to humans or even observing them in the human world. He does not give into temptation and turns into an angel like other stereotypical animes. He keeps up his sinful guard, making the anime a more interesting watch. He is mysterious, smooth, and attractive enough to make him appear more like a talented, demonic angel than a regular demon in disguise. Moreover, Ciel Phantomhive is not your typical 12 year old. The murder of his parents followed by the destruction of his home and childhood brought forth a dramatic transition no one would ever expect of the boy. He is more mature than his age, seeing as he is the proud owner of a toy company along with playing his role as the Queen's underdog. Together, the two make a fantastic, brilliant team that leaves no stone unturned and no mystery left folded. The other characters seem slightly minor earlier in the series. But as time progresses, their ranks incline and make us wonder more about them. How did Finny become so strong? What dwells in the mind of Elizabeth Middleford? How is Tanaka able to change heights from a short old man to a tall sophisticate? Ignorance definitely is bliss when watching this anime.

~[E N J O Y M E N T & O V E R A L L]~ [9]
Overall, the series is worth enjoying. The anime is yet to be complete, and the manga seems far from over. We are filled with a sensational tension to know the answers behind the questions, know the solutions to the mystery, and understand how our world and the world in the Victorian era are not that different. Both worlds share their moments of profound mystery, moments of drama and laughter, moments of sin versus virtue... I am definitely looking forward to what other tricks Yana Toboso has left up the sleeve. And if you were an individual who prefers tricks and treats, then allow the black butler to serve you. :] read more

Kuroshitsuji is a story about a demon butler named Sebastian who serves the 12 year old Count Ciel Phantomhive. Bond to the count Sebastian carries out all of Ciel's tasks without fail.

Story(8/10): Kuroshitsuji has not had much of a story yet but i am optimistic about this show in specific. Most of the important plots and points to the story have not been unveiled.

Art (10/10): The art is one of the best i have ever seen. The backgrounds are animated beautifully and the sceneries both pleasant and eerie. The animation engineers have recreated old London extremely well. The Character designs are amazing expecially Sebastian and Ciels.

Sound (10/10): This is the best part of the show. The background music is the best thing I have ever heard. The composer is one of my favorite composers ever, Iwasaki Taku. He has done TTGL, Soul Eater, Persona, Kekkaishi, Black Cat and many other. The OP is very good while the ending quite average. The voice actors are very good such as Daisuke Ono(Sebastian), Maaya Sakamoto(Ciel), Paku Romi (Madame Red), Jun Fukuyama (Greil), Noriaki Sugiyama(William T. Spears), Junichi Suwabe (Undertaker) and a lot more those are the only one's i noticed.

Character (10/10): Sebastian is one of my favorite characters of all time as he is funny, smart, kicks ass and says some of the best dialogues anyone can ask for. With his demonic look and his evil grin Sebastian is one of the best characters you can find. Then their is Ciel the spoilt, rude Count Of The Great Phantomhive family and due to some incident lost his beloved parents. Finnian, Meilin and Bard the incompetent servants, they cause all the problems in the hpuse while Sebastian has to save them. All of the characters are unique and funny in their own way.

Enjoyment (10/10): Personally, this my favorite show of the season and i cannot wait for each episode to be subbed. The wait is killing me. I highly recommend it to anyone with any taste, you wont be disappointed. read more

The thing that sets Kuroshitsuji apart from a lot of other shows, especially the over-hyped shounen anime that most people (myself included) have gotten used to, is just how damn dark it is. It’s a show where evil triumphs… and that’s a good thing. It’s a show that isn’t afraid to kill off characters. And just when you start thinking that maybe Sebastian, for all his demonic powers, isn’t such a bad guy, his utter apathy for the death that unfolds around him shocks the viewer back into the realization that the hero of the show is just plain evil. In fact, it seems that most of the characters are shady bastards with hidden agendas, leaving the audience rooting for the forces of evil. Ah, the refreshing feeling of evil winning. [insert maniacal laughter here]

In most anime worlds, revenge is a fruitless endeavor that never fulfills the way the avenger hopes it will. Most anime, especially shounen anime, exist under the assumption that good will always triumphant over evil (eventually) and that fighting in the name of friendship, honor, or for the sake of others will guarantee victory. So that must make Kuroshitsuji the opposite of shounen anime. The hatred and revenge that dominate Ciel’s heart is what drives Sebastian’s loyalty, and as long as their contract remains, Sebastian’s demonic strength will overcome any of Ciel’s enemies. So, the moral of the story is, live for hatred and a demon will make all your wishes come true. Selling your soul for the win! But I guess when the hero of the show is a demon, evil is going to win over good… and everything else. read more

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 unanswered at 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 read more

I normally wouldn't consider writing a review of something I had only seen 4/24 of, but for this, I'll make an exception, because it has a high rating but I found it about as enjoyable as a kick in the balls.

This series appears to be targeted at people who want lots of guys crossdressing with hints of yaoi. That's not me, but it explains the rating of this series to some extent. If that's what you want, you might like this show.

The plot and characters also bother me. The main character is all style and no substance. On the other hand, if you want to watch a cartoon kid pretend to be brilliant and important while doing nothing but look fancy in expensive cartoon clothes while his butler does all the work, this might be the show for you. The butler is also shallow. He has unspecified powers with no apparent limits, and no real personality. The plot also only pretends to have any depth whatsoever.

Voice acting is fine, though not great. Animation is OK for most parts, but the 3d things look bad and the action scenes are terrible.

In conclusion, this series is strictly inferior to Chevalier d'eon and El Hazard the Magnificent World for any kind of person I can think of, and not worth watching if you don't like crossdressing guys and/or yaoi.
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The real crux of why this anime fails to have any impact is the characters. Not a single one is capable of pulling off the swagger they purport to have, summed up by the incredibly terrible "catch phrase" of the butler being "one hell of a Butler," which is always said so apathetically that it makes it even more boring. The main shota-boy is the worst of all, as Ceil manages to pull off nothing at all. Ceil is constantly bratty without being really grating or especially irate because all he likes to do is complain. The series plays up his parents' death making him ungodly fixated on revenge, but even that passion is never actually displayed in the series. Another good example of a purely character related flaw is how much time people spend blushing over Sebastian, each time being groan worthy.

Now, of course, the anime had to have some reason I kept watching (even though I was playing Ocarina of Time the whole time), and that was because the plot did have a decent trajectory. It was interesting to see them play out the demons' existence and purpose and Ceil's quest, although it was of course bogged down repeatedly by things like the aforementioned lack of passion and the fact that when it did choose to finally fixate on characters, they were often horrible.

The way the characters are drawn is horrible, but the way the rest of this is drawn is great. I could mostly ignore the characters and look at the otherwise pretty art though (except when it was terribly chibified or the like).

The voice acting is thoroughly mediocre while the music is pretty great.

All in all, it was not enjoyable, really, but was not godawful at the same time, as contradictory as that might seem. I still would never recommend anyone to watch this with so many series that actually achieve being "epic," not merely pretending like this one does. read more