Black Butler: Book of Circus
Synopsis
Full of wonder and excitement, the Noah's Arc Circus troupe has captured audiences with their dazzling performances. Yet these fantastic acts do not come without a price. Children have mysteriously gone missing around London, correlating to that of the group's movements. Unsettled by these kidnappings, Queen Victoria sends in her notorious guard dog, Ciel Phantomhive; and his ever-faithful demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, on an undercover mission to find these missing children. Trying to balance their new circus acts with their covert investigation under the big top, however, proves to be quite a challenge. With the other performers growing suspicious and the threat of the circus' mysterious benefactor looming overhead, what the two discover will shake Ciel to his very core. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience sentiment is largely positive, appreciating the faithfulness to the manga and the darker, more emotional storyline. While some find the limited episode count a detriment to character development and emotional impact, the arc is generally considered a strong improvement over previous anime-original seasons. The show's thematic darkness and mature content are appreciated by some but off-putting to others.
Strengths
- Faithful to the manga, providing a more complete and satisfying story.
- Excellent character designs and animation quality.
- Engaging and well-paced plot, despite being only 10 episodes long.
- Explores Ciel's past, adding depth to his character.
Weaknesses
- Some find the story execution rushed due to the limited number of episodes, hindering emotional connection.
- The heavy themes and sensitive subject matter may not appeal to all viewers; some reviews note the presence of shotacon themes.
- Character development is limited for new characters due to the short length of the arc.