Post by Teahouse Keeper on Aug 9, 2010 11:15:36 GMT -5
8 Aug 2010
You need to hurry.
Season 2 is playing in Japan as of July this year, playing as we speak!
Start watching while the anime is still up and easy to grab! Once they fully license it, it's gonna be hard(er) to catch it online.
According to Wiki, on March 29, USA's Funimation announced they licensed Black Butler. But seems it will take some time coz at the moment, the anime is still easily available for watching and downloading from quite a number of sites.
So hurry!
Kuroshitsuji Season 1 is only 24 episodes. Season 2 at 13 eps (on-going!).
I've upturned my posting and put the links ahead of my spoiler comments (it was originally comments first with the links behind.).
Watch them while they are still here! There are also other links you can check out besides these. Whatever works for you. Different episodes, different quality though.
Season 1:
Episodes 1~10: Quality is good and clear. After ep 11, the player doesn't work. I used the Flash Player instead of Veoh.
www.animeseason.com/kuroshitsuji/
Ep 11~20:
www.otakucenter.com/kuroshitsuji-black-butler-f895.html
Ep 21 ~24 & OVA:
www.animeseason.com/kuroshitsuji/
Season 2:
Ep 1~2: www.gogoanime.com/category/kuroshitsuji-2
Ep 3: 1st half couldn't be played in gogoanime. Proceed to: onepieceofbleach.com/category/kuroshitsuji-season-2/
2nd half: back to gogoanime
Ep 4~6: gogoanime
Ep 7: (as of this moment) gogoanime says: Air Date: Thursday Aug 12th, 2010 @ 11:00am – 12:00pm (Timezone: Pacific Time)
- Raw version will be available here first then English sub within 24 hours.
Wow! WAyyy Cool! That fast? 24 hrs??
---------------------
Comments based on Season 1 and Season 2 till episode 6:
Based on manga magazine series by Yano Toboso. Checked up and yeah, he's a man. But drawing is surprisingly like a woman mangaka--the style, the bishounen (quite handsome men), the fashion sense.
Wondered about that. For a while, I thought Yano might be a woman because of the bishounen and some very suggestive yaoi-ness such as... at the end of episode 3 trailer with corset.
But then... in Ep 18 Season 1, the black butler said something only a man would say.
It cannot be entirely confirmed that Sebastian had sex with the nun in a farm house, even though it's very suggestive.
But in that scene where the "nun" seemed to climax (or about to), he said, "No matter how it is done, there is always a smell.".
Now that comment is very odd and vulgar for him to say. Quite out of character and sounds very much like a very human male opinion just intruded.
The butler looked to be still clothed in an odd position, but only the top shoulders of him can be seen. It's unbelievable he had sex with the woman, so suddenly, so unexpectedly unlike him, without sound reason.
It's possible he was searching for clues, as he again mentions the smell later, "the smell of rotten apples from the ground.", which actually, didn't have anything to do with the case at all. Or could be merely suggestively playful, just like the corset trailer, and they didn't actually have sex.
So what was that romp with the nun for?
The scene is odd because:
1) Why would Sebastian suddenly have sex with the nun when he's not interested in women (or in humans)?
2) Purpose? Purpose of Sebastian with the woman was on the pretext of gathering information but wouldn't he have gotten the information from her another way?
Ergo, Yano Toboso should be a male mangaka, rather than female.
I wonder if he is gay. The anime is not yaoi, but is yaoi suggestive.
Looking at his blogs, his drawings seem similar to male fashion designer styles. The way the curves go... Male fashion designers can draw women but with a sense of masculine style to what they think is beautiful.
He likes ... from what I see of his favorites: darkness. "His favorites: bats collectibles, black cat goods, cats, vampires, movies, rock, Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. The evening. Dawn. I like Japanese things."
Now, "The evening. Dawn." are times of darkness. Except for "Japanese things" (what that might be) and the movies he likes, the list is one of darkness.
If it wasn't mentioned that he likes NBChristmas, I wouldn't have realized that Kuroshitsuji has a somewhat Tim Burton feel to it or that the black butler Sebastian Michaelis moves and stands and looks quite like Jack.
The Tim Burton feel: the darkness, the bizarre and surrealistic developments in the cases that Ciel investigates, the music.
Sebastian stands tall and lanky, long thin legs, moves fast and fluidly, wearing a butler's shirt and coattails just like Jack. Even his smile, closed eyes without an upper lip, has the essence of Jack.
The influence of the NBChristmas is there, if one knows it. If not, things may seem familiar but I won't be able to point it out.
Obviously, the creator did a little research into 19th century England, with the inclusion of Jack the Ripper, spontaneous human combustion and other interesting objects, events and people of that era.
It's somewhat surprising that a Japanese would be this interested, not just in Europe, but specifically in the 19th century. All the more interesting considering that the mangaka likes Japanese things and did not mention any interest in European things.
Check it out. The mangaka's (or rather the company's) e-mail is there: d-6th.com/
Sebastian is demon. Not really handsome but can be handsome and sexy in certain frames. Hahaha...
It's a contract between a 12 year-old aristocrat, Earl Ciel Phantomhive and the demon Sebastian Michaelis (not his real name, but given by Ciel). 19th century England.
Having suffered humiliation under the evil hands of unknown persons, and having lost his parents and his home in a fire on his birthday, Ciel calls upon a demon.
The terms: the demon is to serve and protect the boy under the guise of a butler until the time comes when the truth is found and the boy takes his revenge. Once revenge is achieved, demon will take Ciel's life and soul. For now, the boy is the master and the demon is bound by contract to absolute obedience.
Mark of contract: pentagram in Ciel's right eye.
After 24 episodes, I understand Ciel, but I don't understand Sebastian.
I thought I understood Sebastian at first. Or maybe, I wanted to understand him in the way I would have wanted it.
It seemed he wanted and hoped the boy would someday, somehow find happiness and peace, that he would one day feel the warmth of the people around him.
I thought Sebastian was secretly glad and approved every time Ciel showed some small human kindness. Ciel would just as quickly smooth it over, covering it with a hard exterior and cold reasoning, and Sebastian would have an enigmatic smile.
I thought the demon, looking so kind and gentle, was helping Ciel to recover what was lost.
But seems I misunderstood.
Towards the end of Season 1, I realized it wasn't what I thought at all.
Just when Ciel showed the most obvious sign of returning to a human heart in his consideration for others, Sebastian left him, with the consideration that his master was no longer worthy.
The only soul Sebastian wanted was Ciel's and this soul could only be worthy if it made decisions without hesitation, knowing exactly what it wanted, regardless if others were hurt or killed in the process.
Realizing this, I began to find it difficult to hold the same respect and admiration I had at the start for Sebastian. If that is what he is, then he is nothing more than a demon, with a demon's selfish motivation and aim.
Season 2 reveals the demon is "raising", nurturing, grooming this soul to its height of delectable-ness for itself to consume. Besides being capable in many things, Sebastian is also an excellent chef. So. It can also be said that he is cooking Ciel to perfection before he consumes the boy.
So, what is this affection and devotion for his young master Ciel? Always there when needed, always knowing even without Ciel's saying. The affection and devotion for a plate of food?
Season 2 explains the cliffhanger at the end of Season 1. But raises more questions.
Denied Ciel's soul that he had been waiting to consume for so long, Sebastian had to get it back. Yet.. it is not mentioned if Ciel's soul is in the ring. Claude said a soul without its body is not perfect. So, it meant Sebastian couldn't just consume the soul within the ring. He had to get the soul and put it back into the body.
But when he did and Ciel awakened, why didn't Sebastian consume him then? The contract had in fact been completed, Ciel had uncovered the truth to the past and revenge had been taken. The only thing missing was Ciel's memory of it. Does it matter if the master doesn't remember even when the contract has already finished?
Season 2 episode 3:
Sebastian: Forsake the future, sacrifice your dreams, while stained with deep despair, elude the past, fight the reality and never relinquish your nobility. Just like that, young master. That's the soul I wish to consume.
In other words, Sebastian wants Ciel to be in deep despair, never coming out of it so that he remains always fighting. He wants Ciel's proud fighting spirit. Should it be diminished, Sebastian would not want.
That fighting spirit still remains in Ciel even if he has lost his memory of the completion of the contract. Ciel doesn't remember what happened, but does it matter? Or is it not fair to take his soul when he doesn't remember?
I don't think it's a matter of fairness in that demon. Sebastian seemed genuinely hurt that all that they had gone through together has been forgotten. It is as if this makes the completion of their contract meaningless.
And he would rather go through it all again, start all over again, to build this soul up from scratch again. Or rather, I suspect, he is using this as an excuse to be with the boy once more.
As the fellow demon Claude Faustus observed, a second round of the same contract is unusual and it seems Sebastian has formed an attachment to this soul.
So. Affection and devotion... for a meal, for a human boy... blurs. I guess for Sebastian, it is both the same. Love for the boy is the same as love for a meal.
A bond beyond contract.
-------------------------------
Side notes: Some of the things said in the anime hold truths that are too close to reality to just make up. Makes me wonder if the creator himself had lost people or someone he loved before.
How I got to watching this anime...
A week or so ago, I dropped by Comics Connection at one of their outlets (Pasir Ris). Love rummaging through their anime necklaces, keychains and mobile phone straps. Somehow that day, I had to go in. It has been a while since I stepped into such a shop.
Found a pendant with pentagram design inside, among a few other interesting necklaces from other anime.
It's 2-sided with the same pentagram design that is on the hands of the demon butlers, in the right eye of Ciel and on the tongue of Alois Trancy (another victim of abuse that called forth a demon to be his butler).
Golden smooth, shiny convex surfaces on both sides that make it very unique among pendants that are usually flat with a flat backing. This one can be flipped front or back and both sides equally beautiful.
Surface seems to be made of glass. Just now I tapped a fingernail on it and it sounds like it. It explains the smooth shine that plastic would not achieve and explains its weight. It looks (except for its pentagram design) and feels like a waistcoat pocket watch.
It came with a thin black wire wound up inside a plastic case. The cardboard backing of the plastic case had a picture of a young boy in elaborate black Victorian costume. The expression in his eyes was one of dead, tragic, fateful surrender (usual in yaoi in what suggested was yaoi).
Close beside him, seemingly to own him, was a somewhat handsome man with an intriguingly devilish smile.
Hmm... now what might this be about?
The Victorian costumes intrigued me. Among the other anime items, the items from this anime were more unique and interesting. But what was this anime?
The backing had the title in Kanji. Black something...
I thought nothing of it, merely liked it for its design and well-made finish, and bought it home with a few other necklaces. For this pendant, I specially bought a wine red velvet ribbon to replace the poorly suited thin wire.
The pentagram with its wine red ribbon around my neck went well with the black gothic lace outfit I had.
Later, at another outlet of the comics store, I browsed again the anime stuff, to see if there was more or other necklaces to buy. That's when I took note of the name: Kuroshitsuji.
I came home, Googled and viola.
The first episode began.
-------------
Cuteness: Grell Sutcliff calls Sebastian "Sebas-chan".
In the OVA, the guys call him "Seba-san". Hahaha...
I didn't even think of his name that way. Sounds like "Sebastian". Cute.
----------
The horses and carriages move very fluidly. Like real. I haven't seen anime of this movement quality before so far. Japan's animation technology has upped so much.
And the moving, changing, shimmering red in Sebastian's eyes... wow.
You need to hurry.
Season 2 is playing in Japan as of July this year, playing as we speak!
Start watching while the anime is still up and easy to grab! Once they fully license it, it's gonna be hard(er) to catch it online.
According to Wiki, on March 29, USA's Funimation announced they licensed Black Butler. But seems it will take some time coz at the moment, the anime is still easily available for watching and downloading from quite a number of sites.
So hurry!
Kuroshitsuji Season 1 is only 24 episodes. Season 2 at 13 eps (on-going!).
I've upturned my posting and put the links ahead of my spoiler comments (it was originally comments first with the links behind.).
Watch them while they are still here! There are also other links you can check out besides these. Whatever works for you. Different episodes, different quality though.
Season 1:
Episodes 1~10: Quality is good and clear. After ep 11, the player doesn't work. I used the Flash Player instead of Veoh.
www.animeseason.com/kuroshitsuji/
Ep 11~20:
www.otakucenter.com/kuroshitsuji-black-butler-f895.html
Ep 21 ~24 & OVA:
www.animeseason.com/kuroshitsuji/
Season 2:
Ep 1~2: www.gogoanime.com/category/kuroshitsuji-2
Ep 3: 1st half couldn't be played in gogoanime. Proceed to: onepieceofbleach.com/category/kuroshitsuji-season-2/
2nd half: back to gogoanime
Ep 4~6: gogoanime
Ep 7: (as of this moment) gogoanime says: Air Date: Thursday Aug 12th, 2010 @ 11:00am – 12:00pm (Timezone: Pacific Time)
- Raw version will be available here first then English sub within 24 hours.
Wow! WAyyy Cool! That fast? 24 hrs??
---------------------
Comments based on Season 1 and Season 2 till episode 6:
Based on manga magazine series by Yano Toboso. Checked up and yeah, he's a man.
But drawing is surprisingly like a woman mangaka--the style, the bishounen (quite handsome men), the fashion sense. Wondered about that. For a while, I thought Yano might be a woman because of the bishounen and some very suggestive yaoi-ness such as... at the end of episode 3 trailer with corset.
But then... in Ep 18 Season 1, the black butler said something only a man would say.
It cannot be entirely confirmed that Sebastian had sex with the nun in a farm house, even though it's very suggestive.
But in that scene where the "nun" seemed to climax (or about to), he said, "No matter how it is done, there is always a smell.".
Now that comment is very odd and vulgar for him to say. Quite out of character and sounds very much like a very human male opinion just intruded.
The butler looked to be still clothed in an odd position, but only the top shoulders of him can be seen. It's unbelievable he had sex with the woman, so suddenly, so unexpectedly unlike him, without sound reason.
It's possible he was searching for clues, as he again mentions the smell later, "the smell of rotten apples from the ground.", which actually, didn't have anything to do with the case at all. Or could be merely suggestively playful, just like the corset trailer, and they didn't actually have sex.
So what was that romp with the nun for?
The scene is odd because:
1) Why would Sebastian suddenly have sex with the nun when he's not interested in women (or in humans)?
2) Purpose? Purpose of Sebastian with the woman was on the pretext of gathering information but wouldn't he have gotten the information from her another way?
Ergo, Yano Toboso should be a male mangaka, rather than female.
I wonder if he is gay. The anime is not yaoi, but is yaoi suggestive.
Looking at his blogs, his drawings seem similar to male fashion designer styles. The way the curves go... Male fashion designers can draw women but with a sense of masculine style to what they think is beautiful.
He likes ... from what I see of his favorites: darkness. "His favorites: bats collectibles, black cat goods, cats, vampires, movies, rock, Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. The evening. Dawn. I like Japanese things."
Now, "The evening. Dawn." are times of darkness. Except for "Japanese things" (what that might be) and the movies he likes, the list is one of darkness.
If it wasn't mentioned that he likes NBChristmas, I wouldn't have realized that Kuroshitsuji has a somewhat Tim Burton feel to it or that the black butler Sebastian Michaelis moves and stands and looks quite like Jack.
The Tim Burton feel: the darkness, the bizarre and surrealistic developments in the cases that Ciel investigates, the music.
Sebastian stands tall and lanky, long thin legs, moves fast and fluidly, wearing a butler's shirt and coattails just like Jack. Even his smile, closed eyes without an upper lip, has the essence of Jack.
The influence of the NBChristmas is there, if one knows it. If not, things may seem familiar but I won't be able to point it out.
Obviously, the creator did a little research into 19th century England, with the inclusion of Jack the Ripper, spontaneous human combustion and other interesting objects, events and people of that era.
It's somewhat surprising that a Japanese would be this interested, not just in Europe, but specifically in the 19th century. All the more interesting considering that the mangaka likes Japanese things and did not mention any interest in European things.
Check it out. The mangaka's (or rather the company's) e-mail is there: d-6th.com/
Sebastian is demon.
Not really handsome but can be handsome and sexy in certain frames. Hahaha...It's a contract between a 12 year-old aristocrat, Earl Ciel Phantomhive and the demon Sebastian Michaelis (not his real name, but given by Ciel). 19th century England.
Having suffered humiliation under the evil hands of unknown persons, and having lost his parents and his home in a fire on his birthday, Ciel calls upon a demon.
The terms: the demon is to serve and protect the boy under the guise of a butler until the time comes when the truth is found and the boy takes his revenge. Once revenge is achieved, demon will take Ciel's life and soul. For now, the boy is the master and the demon is bound by contract to absolute obedience.
Mark of contract: pentagram in Ciel's right eye.
After 24 episodes, I understand Ciel, but I don't understand Sebastian.
I thought I understood Sebastian at first. Or maybe, I wanted to understand him in the way I would have wanted it.
It seemed he wanted and hoped the boy would someday, somehow find happiness and peace, that he would one day feel the warmth of the people around him.
I thought Sebastian was secretly glad and approved every time Ciel showed some small human kindness. Ciel would just as quickly smooth it over, covering it with a hard exterior and cold reasoning, and Sebastian would have an enigmatic smile.
I thought the demon, looking so kind and gentle, was helping Ciel to recover what was lost.
But seems I misunderstood.
Towards the end of Season 1, I realized it wasn't what I thought at all.
Just when Ciel showed the most obvious sign of returning to a human heart in his consideration for others, Sebastian left him, with the consideration that his master was no longer worthy.
The only soul Sebastian wanted was Ciel's and this soul could only be worthy if it made decisions without hesitation, knowing exactly what it wanted, regardless if others were hurt or killed in the process.
Realizing this, I began to find it difficult to hold the same respect and admiration I had at the start for Sebastian. If that is what he is, then he is nothing more than a demon, with a demon's selfish motivation and aim.
Season 2 reveals the demon is "raising", nurturing, grooming this soul to its height of delectable-ness for itself to consume. Besides being capable in many things, Sebastian is also an excellent chef. So. It can also be said that he is cooking Ciel to perfection before he consumes the boy.
So, what is this affection and devotion for his young master Ciel? Always there when needed, always knowing even without Ciel's saying. The affection and devotion for a plate of food?
Season 2 explains the cliffhanger at the end of Season 1. But raises more questions.
Denied Ciel's soul that he had been waiting to consume for so long, Sebastian had to get it back. Yet.. it is not mentioned if Ciel's soul is in the ring. Claude said a soul without its body is not perfect. So, it meant Sebastian couldn't just consume the soul within the ring. He had to get the soul and put it back into the body.
But when he did and Ciel awakened, why didn't Sebastian consume him then? The contract had in fact been completed, Ciel had uncovered the truth to the past and revenge had been taken. The only thing missing was Ciel's memory of it. Does it matter if the master doesn't remember even when the contract has already finished?
Season 2 episode 3:
Sebastian: Forsake the future, sacrifice your dreams, while stained with deep despair, elude the past, fight the reality and never relinquish your nobility. Just like that, young master. That's the soul I wish to consume.
In other words, Sebastian wants Ciel to be in deep despair, never coming out of it so that he remains always fighting. He wants Ciel's proud fighting spirit. Should it be diminished, Sebastian would not want.
That fighting spirit still remains in Ciel even if he has lost his memory of the completion of the contract. Ciel doesn't remember what happened, but does it matter? Or is it not fair to take his soul when he doesn't remember?
I don't think it's a matter of fairness in that demon. Sebastian seemed genuinely hurt that all that they had gone through together has been forgotten. It is as if this makes the completion of their contract meaningless.
And he would rather go through it all again, start all over again, to build this soul up from scratch again. Or rather, I suspect, he is using this as an excuse to be with the boy once more.
As the fellow demon Claude Faustus observed, a second round of the same contract is unusual and it seems Sebastian has formed an attachment to this soul.
So. Affection and devotion... for a meal, for a human boy... blurs. I guess for Sebastian, it is both the same. Love for the boy is the same as love for a meal.
A bond beyond contract.
-------------------------------
Side notes: Some of the things said in the anime hold truths that are too close to reality to just make up. Makes me wonder if the creator himself had lost people or someone he loved before.
How I got to watching this anime...
A week or so ago, I dropped by Comics Connection at one of their outlets (Pasir Ris). Love rummaging through their anime necklaces, keychains and mobile phone straps. Somehow that day, I had to go in. It has been a while since I stepped into such a shop.
Found a pendant with pentagram design inside, among a few other interesting necklaces from other anime.
It's 2-sided with the same pentagram design that is on the hands of the demon butlers, in the right eye of Ciel and on the tongue of Alois Trancy (another victim of abuse that called forth a demon to be his butler).
Golden smooth, shiny convex surfaces on both sides that make it very unique among pendants that are usually flat with a flat backing. This one can be flipped front or back and both sides equally beautiful.
Surface seems to be made of glass. Just now I tapped a fingernail on it and it sounds like it. It explains the smooth shine that plastic would not achieve and explains its weight. It looks (except for its pentagram design) and feels like a waistcoat pocket watch.
It came with a thin black wire wound up inside a plastic case. The cardboard backing of the plastic case had a picture of a young boy in elaborate black Victorian costume. The expression in his eyes was one of dead, tragic, fateful surrender (usual in yaoi in what suggested was yaoi).
Close beside him, seemingly to own him, was a somewhat handsome man with an intriguingly devilish smile.
Hmm... now what might this be about?
The Victorian costumes intrigued me. Among the other anime items, the items from this anime were more unique and interesting. But what was this anime?
The backing had the title in Kanji. Black something...
I thought nothing of it, merely liked it for its design and well-made finish, and bought it home with a few other necklaces. For this pendant, I specially bought a wine red velvet ribbon to replace the poorly suited thin wire.
The pentagram with its wine red ribbon around my neck went well with the black gothic lace outfit I had.
Later, at another outlet of the comics store, I browsed again the anime stuff, to see if there was more or other necklaces to buy. That's when I took note of the name: Kuroshitsuji.
I came home, Googled and viola.
The first episode began.
-------------
Cuteness: Grell Sutcliff calls Sebastian "Sebas-chan".
In the OVA, the guys call him "Seba-san". Hahaha...
I didn't even think of his name that way. Sounds like "Sebastian". Cute.
----------
The horses and carriages move very fluidly. Like real. I haven't seen anime of this movement quality before so far. Japan's animation technology has upped so much.
And the moving, changing, shimmering red in Sebastian's eyes... wow.
