Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/22145/Kuroshitsuji:_Book_of_Circus
Name: Black Butler: Book of Circus 黒執事 Book of Circus Kuroshitsuji: Book of Circus
Parent Story: Kuroshitsuji
Sequel: Kuroshitsuju: Book of Murder
Status: Completed
Episode: 10
Release Date (for eng subs): Every Saturday
Summary:
The TV series will adapt the Noah's Ark Circus Arc, picking the manga story back up from the point at which they diverged. This arc immediately follows the Curry Contest Arc in the manga, which ended at episode 15 in the first season of the anime.
Summary Source: MAL News
Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/22145/Kuroshitsuji:_Book_of_Circus
Personal Ratings: 2.5
This season has no connection with the 2nd season of Kuroshitsuji at all. This series follows the manga quite closely, and since the 2nd season of Kuroshitsuji has no link to the manga, it's really quite different, and cannot be seen as a sequel from there.
The good thing about this is that people can watch this as a stand alone, and do no need to watch the first or 2nd season of Kuroshitsuji. It has all the proper introduction of how Ciel actualy met Sebastian, which the first season doesn't. Well of course it actually has a lot to do with the main plot of this arc, so it was necessary to show that. They also specially included parts in the first episode, like sebastain doing his perfect butler job (which includes all the other underground work), so that people who is watching it for the first time would be able to grasp his strength and charisma.
However for those that is actually trying to see this as a proper sequel to the anime, would realize that there are some inconsistencies with the incident about the queen and Lau. So there were some contradictions, because they did change the story line for those parts. So I would suggest reading the front few parts of the manga before watching this anime.
Some minor changes in the sequence of the anime and also some added scene. Some changes makes sense, but some of them do not really matter if changes. Overall it gave off that kind of feeling that the person organizing everything read the manga once, sort of remembers the plot but not the exact scenes. So for people who actually remembers the plot from the manga quite well will find it a little weird at some parts. (I loved this arc so I read it like more than 5 times so I can remember the plot quite well.)
Some added scenes actually makes it more funny and kind of loosen the heavy mood in the anime.
But since they actually followed the manga quite closely this time round, especially the parts about the servants of the phantomhive family, it is actually needed to show us their past, because without that the story would be incomplete. Which is probably why their going to have another sequel called "Book of Murderer", which actually clearly shows the snippets of their past and how they got recruited to the phantomhive household. I'll be anticipating a good mysterious and exciting story for the next arc, though I don't see how they can pull it off with 4 episodes.
Since this season's anime are all quite dark, I feel that this anime pales a lot in comparison to those other dark setting animes. Even though the story line is good and interesting (I mean if I can read the manga 5 over times and not get bored it must be real interesting), it isn't that good overall because the execution if flawed in many ways.
One of the huge component which was really flawed was the animation. It was so bad that there were even parts where the characters are talking but the mouth doesn't move. They also seem to not be making use different effect of animation to make the scenes stand out more, and give it more depth.
The planning was also probably quite bad because the anime seem to have having lesser of an impact as compared to the manga. As usual (i'm sure I've actually mentioned this for some animes), the proper emphasis on certain scenes were not there and the pace of the whole anime seems to be way too consistent, to the point where even the action scenes doesn't seem that flashy. For example, some scenes were suppose to be a lot quicker to give it that cool effect, the pace just seemed to be consistent, which in turn made it look really slow. The last part were they showed the servants fighting the circus crew, they somehow lacked that bang and coolness effect that got me all hyped up when I read the manga.
The lack of explanation and emphasis really reduced the character affection. I don't think I actually felt anything about Ciel's or the Circus crew's past, even though I actually felt that sort of sadness and shock when I read the manga.
Not really the seiyuu's fault but I thought that there were some character whose voices just didn't actually match. This always seem to happen for animes which manga I've read before and grew an affection for. Usually over time I get over this weird feeling, however, this time it's just too off for me too ignore it. (most of them are from the circus crew)
For snake, I thought there lack that kind of lonely and shy attitude in this voice. For Peter and Wendy, I thought that their voices just doesn't really suite that small and petite body, even though their already adults, I was still expecting something that sounded a little more on the childish side. For Jumbo, I was expecting a lower and more husky voice, but not forced or filled with anger, this one was just too high for my liking. For Kelvin Baron (the old dude), I thought that they should have make his voice a little higher for the scenes in the past (for a more cleaner and less tainted image).
Overall, good story line, bad execution.
Kuroshitsuji for more information
Recommended for:
Gender: Both
Age: 15 and above
My Ratings: PG-13
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