Black Butler 1
February 6, 2010
Yana Toboso – Yen Press – 2010 – 8+ volumes
I don’t think I’ve ever been so simultaneously angry and fascinated by a first volume. I was pretty excited about this since a lot of people were hyping it up, but the first chapter made me want to throw the book away. A rich little boy with a staff of zany incompetents working for him and a very able butler with a secret at his beck and call serving a one-off guest… not my idea of a good time at all. Not my sense of humor, and not interesting enough to keep me coming back for an episodic story.
I’m happy I didn’t run across this in Yen Plus, because I would have never, ever given it another chance after that chapter. But since I had the volume, I kept reading. The second chapter was slightly better, but I still didn’t like it. While Ciel was developed into a more likable character, his fiancee was extremely annoying, and the continued mystery surrounding Sebastian coupled with the continual use of static background characters to crack stupid jokes got on my nerves. These characters got worse in the third chapter, but the story was much better, with Ciel getting kidnapped in a mofia plot that let the reader in on the full significance behind the Phantomhive Earldom and their role in English society. Then the fourth chapter, the second half of the kidnapping story… even better. Way better. We found out about Sebastian.
It’s… it’s a plot device I can’t resist. One of my weaknesses. I can’t help it. I won’t spoil it, because I was so delighted when I found out, but I hate myself for being so weak. A series can be the worst ever and use this… explanation/plot device/character type/whatever, and I will love it indescriminately. Now I want to read more of the series, too.
I also seem to have an inordinate fondness for many Square-Enix series. A lot of them use character types I really hate (for instance, the rest of the Phantomhive staff, who serve no purpose aside from terrible comedic relief and as some sort of guidepost for normalcy, I suppose), but the plots are usually supernaturally-oriented and eventually interesting and well-written. Nightmare Inspector is sort of the same way (though I only read two volumes, so I can’t vouch for how well-written the episodic plot was), and I loved Record of a Fallen Vampire almost as soon as I set eyes on it three or four volumes in. Fullmetal Alchemist too, which took me around four or five volumes to really get into. I didn’t realize this was a Square-Enix series until I was finished, but now I’m definitely curious to read future volumes to see where it goes.
I hated you so much, Black Butler, but you had me at the “d” word. You’ll have me for as long as you want me.
February 15, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Nice review. :)
We share this weakness. Don’t worry; it gets better as the chapters turn away from the other servants and into the larger world. Soon you won’t have to feel as guilty about liking it.
I find myself wondering what you think of Pandora Hearts, maybe because they’re both in Yen+ . . .
February 16, 2010 at 2:09 am
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the review!
Heh, thanks, it’s good to know it moves away from the jokier servants. I thought it might, they seemed like a kind of convenient device to lean on while the meat of the story was revealed.
I haven’t tried Pandora Hearts. It sounds excellent though, thanks for pointing it out. I’ll probably wait for a couple more volumes to come out before I pick it up.
April 17, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I actually got into Kuroshitsuji from the anime, so reading the manga is particularly hard for me since the anime had so much going for it (if you can’t stomach the manga I’d suggest switching to the anime for a while, at least for the first couple episodes, since it starts to change from the manga after that), but even so Kuroshitsuji is still one of my favorites. I don’t particularly care for the servants either myself, but you also discover more about them later on, too. I always wondered why Ciel kept such horrible servants, but then you find out.
Also, Grell and Undertaker. That is all.
April 18, 2010 at 12:08 am
I should give the anime a try. I don’t often dabble in anime, but if it comes with a high enough recommendation, or I enjoy the manga enough, I sometimes try it. That might be what I need to boost my interest level in Black Butler.
To be fair, I am curious about the second volume because of the whole demon thing. Demons are a serious weakness of mine, no matter what the context. I just love when they step into a story.