Black Butler: Public School Arc
Synopsis
At the request of Queen Victoria, Earl Ciel Phantomhive goes to Weston College—a prestigious public academy for boys, known for its traditions and outstanding curriculum—to search for a relative of hers who has not returned home in months. Thanks to his noble status, the 13-year-old Ciel is swiftly able to enroll as a student, while his devilish butler Sebastian Michaelis assumes a teaching position at the school. Ciel does not anticipate being unable to locate the Queen's relative on campus. To make matters worse, he cannot request a meeting with the headmaster of the college, who may be the only person that knows anything pertaining to the disappearance. The only ones in frequent contact with the headmaster are the heads of the college dormitories, known as the Prefect 4 (P4): Edgar Redmond, Lawrence Bluewer, Herman Greenhill, and Gregory Violet. Ciel must concoct a plan to get in the P4's good graces if he wants to use their connections to succeed in his mission. But the distinguished college and its students hide much that is unseen, making this task more improbable than he could imagine. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
The Public School Arc is a visually appealing and largely enjoyable continuation of Black Butler, pleasing long-time fans with its familiar characters and setting. However, some viewers found the plot rushed and derivative, and others disliked the new animation style. While the arc has its strong points, it falls short of the quality seen in previous seasons for some fans.
Strengths
- Gorgeous animation and art style, a visual upgrade from previous seasons.
- Faithful adaptation of the manga's Public School arc.
- Enjoyable blend of humor, drama, and mystery, maintaining the series' unique charm.
- Strong opening with unique and captivating style.
Weaknesses
- Ending feels rushed and anticlimactic.
- Plot problems, including similarities to Harry Potter's Hogwarts.
- Pacing issues, with the story feeling rushed and lacking depth.
- Some find the new art style less gothic and less true to the original aesthetic.
- Lack of fight scenes compared to earlier seasons.
- Exposition is presented without creativity.