Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen Episode 1 Discussion

What did you think of this episode?

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Apr 15, 4:02 AM

#51

zehrariyoo

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Sep 2023

Overall really smooth storytelling, there were moments where bunch of students disappear in thin air but hopefully the overall quality will be good

Apr 15, 4:08 AM

#52

hanakocheeks

Offline

Jan 2021

1616

"Yes, My Lord" is back! Sebastian and Ciel still look as wonderful as ever ♡

Never thought I'd be able to watch Black Butler weekly :') (I'm touched lol)

It's Ciel's first day of school! It's only the first day, and it's only been a few minutes, but he's already almost got two problems right away xD almost late and stepping on the grass. It's a good thing those prefects didn't give him a punishment... speaking of P4, their introduction felt like an introduction in an otome game lolll xD they are beautiful and charming indeed, eespecially the one from the red house, but still... the most beautiful is Sebastian Michaelis wearing glasses and a cross as a housemaster, dorm supervisor, professor.... :'3

I can't stop grinning and smiling. Looking forward to seeing how Ciel and Sebastian complete their mission as the Queen's Watchdog this time!!

Apr 15, 10:39 AM

#53

bakarocka

Offline

May 2013

Reply to Thalife

Am I the only one who watched the first episode and it was Ciel in Wonderland???? Like, it's what played and I do remember that there was a spin-off like that, but is it truly the first episode of the new season ? From what I see in the discussion, it's not.... what the fuck

@Thalife Same, very confused

Apr 15, 10:58 AM

#54

Jonas-K

Offline

Mar 2019

3279

I don't even remember what happened before haha.🤣

Apr 15, 3:37 PM

#55

Wistaire

Offline

May 2008

137

Well, this was about what I expected I guess...
Stilted animation, the new style is not an upgrade... The OP/ED did nothing for me.
Sad, should have just let it die or rebooted it with decent production value.
I'll watch a few more episodes to see if it improves, but episode one is supposed to be where you blow away your audience so I'm not holding my breath.

Back to the manga I guess, what a waste of the source material.

Apr 15, 4:53 PM

#56

MoonSpider

Offline

Mar 2012

230

Reply to bakarocka

@Thalife Same, very confused

@bakarocka That's a Season 2 OVA episode - sounds like CR playlist shenanigans. You're looking for the "Public School Arc", and it opens with Ciel being admitted to a school.

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Apr 15, 4:55 PM

#57

MoonSpider

Offline

Mar 2012

230

@EngelsGreyrat that's literally the source material... the shota yaoi undertones in this franchise as a whole are stong. If you didn't pick that up with the manga and/or prior seasons, idk what to tell you. Look back at some of the scenes from 10 years ago and you might see some things you didn't before. There's a reason it had such a large female fanbase, speaking as one myself.

MoonSpiderApr 15, 4:58 PM

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Apr 15, 9:18 PM

#58

Hellmika

Offline

Aug 2021

I am very impressed with the quality of the animation!! There are parts that I don't even know if they were animated or if they just recorded something real hahah! Anyway, Ciel is amazing as always and Sebastian... As soon as he appeared on my screen, I accidentally screamed in the middle of the night, but I was really surprised at how much he is simply GORGEOUS!!! I didn't think Sebastian Michaelis could look even more handsome, but the glasses and especially his incredible pointy teeth managed to improve what was already good!! I'm anxious for the next episodes! (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

Apr 16, 8:29 AM

#59

Pandallam

Offline

Mar 2021

I think personally, the style is amazing, the animation is pretty much flawless, it’s always been good from the older series and movies. The style has been updated and it looks incredibly smooth and fresh - however, the problem I had with the first episode was the pacing.

It was rushed, there was no breaks in between scenes really, it was all very fast paced that I could barely process it until the end. I wonder if that was because it was the first episode which was of course the introductory to the series, and they needed to fit it all in? Anyway, that’s the only con, as a fan, I still really liked it but I thought it was too fast paced in comparison to the older series episodes. A good start, I just hope they’ll tame their time and won’t make every episode quite as fast paced.

Looking forward to the dub though, and I’m very happy it came back after all these years! Very interested in how the plot will end up going. Sebastian definitely slayed the most in the first episode, he looked so good!

Apr 16, 1:23 PM

#60

Homura24

Offline

May 2020

1428

pretty good start to the new season
but a recap would have been nice
the ed is amazing

Apr 16, 1:29 PM

#61

scarlettttt

Offline

Apr 2020

Reply to JayHeartay

I'm reading people say the animation is great, very smooth and I'm just wondering if we were watching the same episode..? Am I going crazy? Do I need new glasses? Doesn't the animation as a whole for the first ep feel... wayyyyy off? Very little is animated, and the things that are, are often CGI..?

The episode opens with a slideshow. I'm pretty sure everything that does move in the first ENTIRE MINUTE is exclusively CGI. The one character that does most of the talking has his face completely darkened by this weird shadow-y effect, so there aren't even mouth flaps. If you pause the episode around 00:38 you can see so many things that look off. Characters in front look off (not just talking about the off-focus effect). Also, are the 2 characters in the back half-rendered, blurred and darkened CGI? Why does the desk on the left look like it's not meant to be there? Even Ciel's character looks off here with this effect applied to him (though you could argue it's a stylistic choice, but personally I think it does NOT look good).

The first shot after the opening also looks... weird? Looks CGI to me (look at the shoulder especially) and if it is, it almost feels like they're trying to hide it? Then from 2:38 to 3:00 we get *actual* animation (except for the CGI gate). But then it's back to 40 straight seconds of slideshow with 1 or 2 CGI characters moving on some of the slides. Not only that, the shots using CGI characters are super blurry, again as if they're trying to hide it, but it's obvious. "First impressions are crucial." That is SO ironic because my first impression of the episode is quite bad.

The whole "meeting the P4" segment looks decent but also starts a trend for the rest of the episode: quite a lot of the lip flaps/sync seem to be noticeably off.

Then there is 7:04 to 7:07. If he is meant to be running in place, that is not how you convey that. Then there is the segment starting from 7:58. Ciel is meant to be on the ground surrounded by other students, yet the moment the camera shifts when Sebastian goes to help Ciel up, everyone has vanished from the room while Sebastian is still MID-SENTENCE. Where did everyone go? If they scattered then they did so fast, quietly and without it being conveyed at all on screen (other than the fact they've suddenly disappeared).

This is only 9 minutes into the episode. The rest of the episode has many repeats of what I've expressed to be disappointed with; the slidehows, the CGI, the mouth/lip flaps/sync... The CGI especially. It feels way overused to cut some very silly corners.

I'm glad Black Butler is back, and the show does look good most of the time when you pause it... but idk the animation just ain't it.
/rant

@JayHeartay I'm so glad someone else is pointing this out. I was honestly disappointed from the get go with the slideshow opening. Not only has the show somehow been ripped of it's gothic style (maybe that will change, I will keep my hopes up) but the entire thing REEKS of CGI! It is not subtle, it is not clean, and it is not creative. Totally takes me out of the moment...

Apr 16, 8:37 PM

#62

luv_ciel

Offline

Apr 2024

I have been a Black Butler mega-fan for almost three years now!! I started watching the anime in July 2021 and read the manga (still reading the current ones coming out) in September 2021. When I read this arc for the first time, I was so saddened that there was no anime for the school arc. I loved all of the new characters and thought it was such a shame that there was no adaptation. I would literally check sites like quora and ask people if they know anything about a possible season 4. I checked for years. I would hang on to the hope that some miracle would happen and it would get an adaptation.

In July of 2024, the fourth season got announced. When I Tell you I was BAWLING! I cried for the beautiful animation! "How is this real?" I said.

I cried of happiness for every. single. new trailer we got. When I watched the first episode, I saw Ciel (my absolute favorite) animated again. I was extremely overjoyed. The animation is so beautiful, the frames are like 60 frames per second, the OSTs are GORGEOUS, and the art style was something easy to get used to. Honestly, I think I prefer this art style over any other Black Butler art style! I have literally memorized the entire manga, so i was able to see that the episode was literally word for word, panel for panel, taken STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MANGA! It was perfect! The voices are spot on, and the episode was so interesting and captivating.

I'm so so sooo excited for the next episode! Thank you, Cloverworks!!

Apr 17, 4:25 AM

#63

Ronninn

Offline

Jan 2020

1988

Damn I wish Blue Exorcist got this treatment

Apr 17, 2:40 PM

#64

travaa

Offline

Jun 2021

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DRAMA

Apr 17, 2:41 PM

#65

travaa

Offline

Jun 2021

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DRAMA

Apr 17, 4:33 PM

#66

phoscel

Offline

Jan 2024

hearing yes my lord in the year 2024 healed my soul

Apr 18, 6:43 PM

#67

AlienOikawa-Chan

Offline

Apr 2018

JayHeartay said:
I'm reading people say the animation is great, very smooth and I'm just wondering if we were watching the same episode..? Am I going crazy? Do I need new glasses? Doesn't the animation as a whole for the first ep feel... wayyyyy off? Very little is animated, and the things that are, are often CGI..?

The episode opens with a slideshow. I'm pretty sure everything that does move in the first ENTIRE MINUTE is exclusively CGI. The one character that does most of the talking has his face completely darkened by this weird shadow-y effect, so there aren't even mouth flaps. If you pause the episode around 00:38 you can see so many things that look off. Characters in front look off (not just talking about the off-focus effect). Also, are the 2 characters in the back half-rendered, blurred and darkened CGI? Why does the desk on the left look like it's not meant to be there? Even Ciel's character looks off here with this effect applied to him (though you could argue it's a stylistic choice, but personally I think it does NOT look good).

The first shot after the opening also looks... weird? Looks CGI to me (look at the shoulder especially) and if it is, it almost feels like they're trying to hide it? Then from 2:38 to 3:00 we get *actual* animation (except for the CGI gate). But then it's back to 40 straight seconds of slideshow with 1 or 2 CGI characters moving on some of the slides. Not only that, the shots using CGI characters are super blurry, again as if they're trying to hide it, but it's obvious. "First impressions are crucial." That is SO ironic because my first impression of the episode is quite bad.

The whole "meeting the P4" segment looks decent but also starts a trend for the rest of the episode: quite a lot of the lip flaps/sync seem to be noticeably off.

Then there is 7:04 to 7:07. If he is meant to be running in place, that is not how you convey that. Then there is the segment starting from 7:58. Ciel is meant to be on the ground surrounded by other students, yet the moment the camera shifts when Sebastian goes to help Ciel up, everyone has vanished from the room while Sebastian is still MID-SENTENCE. Where did everyone go? If they scattered then they did so fast, quietly and without it being conveyed at all on screen (other than the fact they've suddenly disappeared).

This is only 9 minutes into the episode. The rest of the episode has many repeats of what I've expressed to be disappointed with; the slidehows, the CGI, the mouth/lip flaps/sync... The CGI especially. It feels way overused to cut some very silly corners.

I'm glad Black Butler is back, and the show does look good most of the time when you pause it... but idk the animation just ain't it.
/rant

I kept getting annoyed cuz like 90% of thr background is blurred and as a fan of the manga it's disappointing cuz the the background is what I love to see in the manga and the past seasons of the anime. I love the background details, and for them to be blurred out most of the time is disappointing. For me, episode one was almost unwatchable for me. and some of the effects looked like the dimensions were wrong, copied, and pasted over the blurry background... the only thing keeping me watching is staring at the characters and nothing else behind around them cuz everything else just looks not good in my opinion, and doesn't live up to the Manga and black butler as a wholes aesthetic.
some of the effects were good though a will say and we got peak voice actors. these are just my thoughts. who knows, I might end up liking or getting used to all the stuff I don't like just from ep 1, because I really just wanted to see this arc animated so badly. hopefully, I can find some medium where I can still enjoy this shows season.

Apr 19, 6:00 PM

#68

Ten

Offline

May 2015

3227

Oh yes. Been a while since I read this arc, it wasn't my favourite but the aesthetics are top-notch as always. Sebastian disguised as a teacher with glasses and a cross is possibly the only thing that got etched into my memory, and arguably the best. Not disappointed.

I can see a slight difference in the "feel" of adaptation by another studio but so far so good, excited to see the rest.

Apr 20, 5:04 PM

#69

beigechan

Offline

Apr 2019

I can't get used to the new artstyle, they went too far giving Sebastian shoujo lashes.

Apr 21, 7:47 PM

#70

senekohan

Offline

Jul 2015

257

Reply to Thalife

@Thalife thats 6 series ova special ciel in wonderland

Apr 22, 2:29 AM

#71

Mariaslwrite096

Offline

Jan 2022

I quite liked it for the first chapter I was afraid they had done something bad to Sebastian because when the trailer came out, many people complained that they had ruined it, but to me it seems the same as always, just with lighter colors I don't understand those complaints now

Apr 22, 8:09 AM

#72

Chuuyax

Offline

May 2017

Finally!!! ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝ Kuroshitsuji is back and better than ever! <3

I am so excited for this arc and can't wait for each episode's release~
As a manga-reader I am so happy this is getting picked up, the Public School Arc is definitely one of my favourite arcs just because the many new characters that will be introduced to us throughout this season!

Either way, we're in for an amazing season!! (´꒳`)

ChuuyaxApr 22, 8:14 AM

"No matter how much you regret or wish, if you couldn't do something in life...

you can't do it either after death"

~ Hanako-kun (Toilet-bound Hanako-kun)

Apr 26, 3:55 PM

#73

Lorenzz_zo

Offline

Apr 2024

nice, I'm excited for black butler to be back

May 2, 5:54 AM

#74

whither

Offline

Aug 2015

346

I thought I was losing my mind for the entire episode until the flashback reveal of the plan. I kept telling myself "haha, they're doing a bit, poking fun at school anime tropes and Harry Potter" but then it just kept going. And going.
Anyway... looking forward to the lads solving another fucked up supernatural mystery.

May 12, 2:40 PM

#75

Sun_Chan

Offline

Aug 2019

3003

Just seeing and hearing Sebastian made my day ten times better.

I’m so glad that I’m able to see black butler come back once again after so many years. I'm also excited about the new hot characters lmao.

May 31, 5:11 PM

#76

Tiwibis

Offline

Feb 2019

my favorite scene is where the representatives are on the floor saying pardon pardon pardon <3

Jun 25, 7:03 PM

#77

bushman66

Offline

Mar 2019

9428

Ciel Phantomhive infiltrates a Private School searching for lost Boys.
Nice mysterious plot.

Jul 4, 3:37 AM

#78

_MushiRock11_

孔真・コウマコト

Offline

Jun 2017

7870

Seeing that headmaster fall flat on his head from the stairs got me good. I was not expecting that during the serious tone there, lol. I burst out laughing, definitely caught me off guard there.

Looks like a pain in the arse kind of system here, so over the top xD. It should be fun to see show Phantonhive will try and warm up to the 4 Ps. Queen’s request, no wonder. Cousin though, huh? Interesting, time for some family secrets maybe…

Looks like the character designs have gone up a few notches and the general animation style has gotten a little more ambient which I’m not sure is the best fit for the series but let’s see. Michaelis-san in educator clothing isn’t half-bad either.

SID with another Kuroshitsuji track, they really go hand-in-hand and no complaints from me on that. Op visuals were pretty cool and I like the energy already.

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Jul 15, 10:32 PM

#79

iridi

Offline

Mar 2016

137

I know this series has always been extremely cringe and my enjoyment of it comes from the fact that I got into it as a mentally ill 12 y/o who was actively being groomed at the time but holy fuck this made me want to off myself. Like it's pretty enough on a visual level and Sebastian can still get it but it's on par with the non-canon second season in every other aspect. Possibly worse honestly.

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Jul 26, 5:23 AM

#80

Yannvq3

Offline

Jul 2023

I really loved the animation, and the scenes of this episode are so look like the manga, like an old fan of this manga and anime I really appreciate that <3.

Jul 29, 4:32 AM

#81

Fatephile

Offline

Sep 2017

4065

I miss the catchy op and ed from season 1

هیچوقت بهتر نمیشه

Aug 7, 6:17 PM

#82

Jobn_Bibblbe

Offline

Jun 2024

this actually hit so hard. with this sparkling and smooth animation and the plot this sets up. this is so damn awesome. looking forward to where this goes (I'm late ik shut up).

Oct 22, 10:42 PM

#83

Thaliel

Offline

Feb 2013

240

Man, those 4 houses with their colours, animals and specific traits seem oddly familiar. Seeing as the show is set in england, I am rather sure the resemblance to Hogwarts is intentional

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