Kuro Shitsuji (Black Butler)

I've been meaning to watch this anime for AGES!!! Loads of my friends have watched it, and everyone of them loved it. Well I can't blame them. It is a good anime!!
It covers a whole range of genres making it hard to pinpoint specific pros and cons, but it still has a fairly distinguished plot. Although the opening scene is very strange and confusing, it does explain itself as the anime moves on. It's based in England, which makes a change because instead of referencing strange sounding Japanese culture and traditions, it clearly portrays England in the Victorian times. It is very accurate as well, and includes lots of tea and cakes and all the cakes are clearly named with a picture of them (of course).
Ciel Phantomhive, a young boy who found himself as head of his family after his house burnt down with his parents still inside. Now he's an Earl with two 'jobs': head of the Phantomhive toy company and 'guard dog' for Queen Victoria. However, he does not do this alone, he gets Sebastian -the 'Black Butler'- to do all the hard work. Sebastian is everything you could ever ask for in a butler. He cooks, he cleans, he prepares his masters schedule, and of course he fights like a ninja! No flaws appear in Sebastian' duties, he really is "one hell of a Butler". Or you can just call him Ciel's personal Demon.

This anime covers all genres so it really is an all-round pleaser, although I have yet to encounter any real romance... It starts mostly light-hearted and comedic, especially in the actions of the other employers at Ciel's mansion (Gardener, chef, maid and... some old man) who are all pretty pathetic. The maid is clumsy and becomes bashful around Sebastian; the Chef tried to cook some meat with a flame thrower and ended up with a lump of charcoal; the gardener is a a very sweet little boy, but he's so lazy I have yet to see him do any gardening; and the old man..... well if you want to know about him you'll just have to watch the anime! Everything they do is so exaggerated and unnecessary you just have to laugh at them, they are characters put there for comedy relief! And they do a good job of it, ruining some really intense scenes with an entirely random scene. Not that I'm complaining!
But as it goes on there is some important history mentioned and Ciel does some detective work (a new version of Jack the Ripper) and gradually it becomes more Gothic and dark; more sinister and evil; more demonic and mysterious. I expect it will come to some really serious conclusion with dramatic revelations, but that's just my prediction. They are also very good at action scenes. Ingenious ninja moves which are not only pulled off with style and conviction, but they also show some well-done animation.
My favourite point in this anime is the amount of detail included. The writer must have done A LOT of research - the Victorian era is portrayed perfectly. Every episode there is at least one dessert show cased in such a desirable way that I always long for cake while watching this! Traditional portraits line wide corridors leading to rooms of dark wood and four-poster beds. The landscapes look like open country land and the streets of London are stony and narrow and even give you a glimpse at what a poor Victorian is! The clothes may be slightly exaggerated in a rather Gothic Lolita sense, but they do look absolutely dashing in suits of blue red and green. Although my favourite would have to be when Ciel is dressed up in a pretty pink dress. Everything is drawn so lovingly, even the tiniest details are given the utmost care with drawing, colouring and animation! It's a spectacle for the eyes!
It's a spectacle for the ears too! Grell singing along to Sebastian's violin was so beautiful! And the whole soundtrack uses string instruments which connect themselves to Victorian times, and I love violins!!
So yeah, pretty violins, pretty dresses, pretty mansions, pretty animation and demons. What more could you ask for? Romance would be one. But surely the VERY subtle Ciel X Sebastian moments make up for it! But you're not a fan of guy love? Well that's OK, it's just innuendos and subtle hints used to a comedic effect! So it's a win-win situation! It's perfect for me really. I love cake, I love Victorians, I love Mansions, I love Goth-Loli clothes, I love exaggerated comedy, I love innuendos and I love slowly unravelling mysteries! I can't REALLY think of anything to criticise, it's like this anime was made for me! So I'm going to have to do some thing I've never done before....

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