Black Butler

Last updated: 10 November 2026

About Black Butler

Black Butler mixes gothic mystery, dark comedy and supernatural action in Victorian London. Ciel Phantomhive, the Queen's Watchdog, investigates the crimes polite society cannot touch, while his flawless butler Sebastian is secretly a demon who will claim Ciel's soul when their contract ends. The early seasons stray from the manga, but from Book of Circus onwards the anime adapts Yana Toboso's arcs directly, from the Noah's Ark Circus case to the Weston College and Emerald Witch storylines.

Black Butler is a TV anime from 2008, first released in Fall 2008. It belongs to the Mystery and Supernatural and Drama genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.

Story & Plot

On his tenth birthday, Ciel Phantomhive lost his parents, his home and his freedom in a single night of fire and cruelty. At his lowest moment he summoned a demon and made a deal: serve me, protect me and help me take revenge on everyone behind this, and my soul is yours. The demon took the name Sebastian Michaelis, after Ciel's old dog, and the shape of a perfect butler. Two years on, Ciel runs the Funtom toy and sweets company by day and works as Queen Victoria's Watchdog by night, solving Scotland Yard's strangest cases with a butler who can do anything except lie to him.

The 2008 first season adapts the manga's opening cases, including the Jack the Ripper investigation, then drifts into an anime original second half. Season 2 in 2010 goes further off script with a rival earl and butler pair, Alois Trancy and Claude Faustus, and an ending that divides fans. Both seasons are stylish and popular, but neither ending happens in the manga, which is why newcomers often get confused about what counts.

From 2014 the anime fixed that. Book of Circus adapts the Noah's Ark Circus arc straight from the manga, Book of Murder turns a locked room mystery at Phantomhive Manor into a two part OVA, and the 2017 film Book of the Atlantic takes the pair onto a luxury liner full of the walking dead. These entries ignore the anime original endings and follow Toboso's story properly.

After a long gap, CloverWorks revived the series with the Public School Arc in 2024, sending Ciel undercover into Weston College, and the Emerald Witch Arc in 2025, which follows a cursed German village and the werewolves said to guard it. The manga, still running since 2006, returned from a long hiatus in April 2025 and is openly heading toward its climax, so Ciel and Sebastian's bargain is closer to its endgame than ever.

Story Arcs & Episode Guide

The Black Butler anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.

Why Watch Black Butler

• A gothic Victorian setting packed with style and dark humour
• Sebastian's flawless butler act hiding a demon's patience
• Manga faithful arcs from Book of Circus onwards
• Self contained mystery cases alongside a long running revenge plot
• The manga is still running and openly heading for its climax

Who Is It For?

For teens and up. Murders, demons, child endangerment and some grim twists run through the series, and the circus and witch arcs get genuinely dark. Not suitable for young children.

Voice Actors

The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Black Butler.

• Ciel PhantomhiveCiel Phantomhive
  Japanese voiceMaaya Sakamoto
• Sebastian MichaelisSebastian Michaelis
  Japanese voiceDaisuke Ono
• Grell SutcliffGrell Sutcliff
  Japanese voiceJun Fukuyama
• UndertakerUndertaker
  Japanese voiceJunichi Suwabe

Staff & Production

Director (Season 1)

Toshiya Shinohara

Director (Book of Circus, Murder and Atlantic)

Noriyuki Abe

Director (Public School and Emerald Witch Arcs)

Kenjirou Okada

Music

Taku Iwasaki (Seasons 1-2), Yasunori Mitsuda (Circus and Murder), Ryo Kawasaki (2024-2025)

Animation Studios

A-1 Pictures (2008-2017), CloverWorks (2024-2025)

Manga & Source Material

Black Butler is based on Yana Toboso's manga, which has run in Square Enix's Monthly GFantasy since 2006. The anime's early seasons invented their own endings, but every entry since Book of Circus adapts the manga directly.

• The manga began on 16 September 2006 in Monthly GFantasy and is still ongoing.
• By April 2024 the manga had reached 34 collected volumes, with a 35th volume following in November 2025.
• Toboso returned from a long hiatus in April 2025, announcing the manga is moving toward its climax.
• Season 2's story, including Alois and Claude, was created for the anime and never appears in the manga.
• The manga had passed 36 million copies in circulation by 2025.

Music

Taku Iwasaki scored the first two seasons, Yasunori Mitsuda handled Book of Circus and Book of Murder, and Ryo Kawasaki took over for the CloverWorks seasons. SID's Monochrome no Kiss remains the franchise's signature opening.

Opening Themes

• “Monochrome no Kiss”by SIDFirst opening of Season 1 and the franchise's best known theme.
• “Enamel”by SIDOpening for Book of Circus (2014), also by SID.

Ending Themes

• “I'm Alive!”by BeccaFirst ending theme of Season 1.
• “Aoki Tsuki Michite”by AKIRAEnding theme for Book of Circus.

Series Timeline

1. 2006

   Yana Toboso's manga begins in Monthly GFantasy.

2. 2008

   Season 1 airs, animated by A-1 Pictures.

3. 2010

   Season 2 tells an anime original story with Alois and Claude.

4. 2014

   Book of Circus returns to the manga, followed by the Book of Murder OVA.

5. 2017

   Book of the Atlantic brings the Luxury Liner arc to cinemas.

6. 2024-2025

   CloverWorks adapts the Public School Arc and Emerald Witch Arc.

Release Schedule

First episode

October 2008

Latest episode

28 June 2025 (Emerald Witch Arc finale)

TV episodes

70 across five seasons

Also released

Book of Murder (2 OVA episodes) and Book of the Atlantic (film)

Streaming

Crunchyroll and Hulu (regions vary)

The manga is still running toward its climax. Details as of 10 November 2026.

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