The Most Beautiful Death in the World (Kuroshitsuji Musical)

Did you know that the Japanese turn some anime and manga into musicals? No, I didn't either. (UN)Fortuantately I was set homework about musicals and when my research lead to the discovery of a Kuroshitsuji you can understand my interest. Now, I share this interest with you.

The plot is obviously derived from the original manga, Ceil loses his parents and his greatly humiliated so he summons a demon to help him get revenge. This help comes in the form of the super-butler Sebastian. (Read my Kuroshitsuji Review for a longer summary.) But the actual story of the muscial is not quite like any of the anime episodes, but more of a mix of some of the best moments with a unique twist. Ceil is ordered by the Queen to investigate the mysterious deaths of young ladies in London. Meanwhile in the Dispatch Management Headquarters every one's having to work overtime as the number of souls is not equal to the number of deaths. So also investigating these mysterious deaths are three shinigami and a Inspector from Scotland Yard. With all this murder and mystery, there is a love line too between the shinigami! There was also a tonne of humour!! Just as enjoyable and intriguing as the anime, in fact, in some ways better with the addition of gay shinigami and slapstick policemen! The plot may be re-using a lot of ideas from the manga, but it's still very fresh and surprising!!

I was worried that the actors might look like they were obviously cosplaying, so it was a relief to see the actors looking so natural in their costumes, even Mey-rin, whose glasses-maid look I was especially concerned about! They looked exactly like how the anime portrays them while still looking very human. The extra characters were also dressed superbly, white and black lolita dresses that not only fit in the story but were used very effectively in some of the dances. The set was so simplistic, yet so effective. They had no backdrop, but used lots of moving stairs and floors and used a variety of levels to show the range of locations, I was exceptionally impressed with the way that, when Sebastian was reading the news paper they had the story acted out in the background and it looked completely natural!! And might I add how beautiful the shinigami weapons looked?
The acting was just.... I can't begin to describe how perfect everyone was!! Such unconventional characters portrayed so earnestly was truly captivating!! Mey-lin, Finny and Bard were as loud and hard working in the show as in the anime, but it wasn't turned into a running screaming mess.  Sebastian was a brilliant actor, honest! But... he didn't act the way I think he should, I may just be being stupid here, but I think he's moments of un-seriousness were to exaggerated and he wasn't quite as mono-toned as I love my Sebastian. However, the highlight of the show was Ceil, looks sounds and moves EXACTLY like the anime!! I couldn't control my inner fangirl when he had such a horror at the start and then his uncaring interruptions into the comedy. He even pulled the same facial expressions as Ceil!! Just.... WOW.
With the musical being split almost half between the horrible mystery and delightful comedy, the score was very varied. They had really dramatic opening but I wasn't too keen on this. I don't want to sound like I'm picking on him but.... I don't like Sebastian's voice.... I'm sure it's in tune and everything, it's just a personal dislike for his voice. But I did like his intense duet with Ceil, the opera girl beats all in terms of voice though, so eerily beautiful! But that also had the comical upbeat song for the shinigami and the super sad song for the lover's. My favourite though is probably (it's difficult to pick) the finale. What better song for the audience to clap to than one using the shinigami's upbeat song but changing it to sing about how applauds make them happy and who will see the show a second time? Made me want to cry in awe and delight, and sadness that it was over!! But yes, ingenious music, gothic and techno is an immpressive mix for one musical!!
I do believe I mentioned that the extras (I do hate to call them that, they are so important!) wore all white, or all black, I can now share with you the importance of this. Through out the anime the metaphor of chess is used, Ciel often refers to Sebastian and other friends as 'pawns' so to put this into the musical they had a checker board on the floor, all those in white on one side and black on the other. They then performed a very precise 'dance' of chess. It was so well rehearsed that the dancers didn't need to look at any one, they knew they're own parts so well that the parts of others didn't even need to be taken into consideration! There was a lot of metaphorical dance, especially at the beginning when Ciel first summoned Sebastian. They also had a very talented girl do some pointe work at one point! But the highlight of the choreography was the fight scenes. In the anime fight scenes, Sebastian practically flies through the air as he uses knives like darts, obvioulsy, this wouldn't really work in a musical. Instead, Sebastian goes head-to-head with the shinigami, using his knives a lot like Wolverine's claws!! But really, the swiftness and flow of every fight scene almost seems impossible!! How can a shinigami wave a lawnmower through the air and not cause any mistakes? Really, my compliments to the choreographer... for EVERYTHING!
Before any one tries to catch me out, I know this musical is techincally the second one, and that's what they call it on youtube, but it's not a sequel. I couldn't find the first one subbed, not that it matters any way. I can't see how in any way shape or form, the other musical could exceed this one. I just love everything about it!! I went into total hyper fangirl mode after it, you can't even comprehend it's excellency. You just absolutely MUST watch this!! You don't need to have watched the anime or read the manga, just watch it and worship it for ever after!!

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