Black Butler, Vol. 1 (Black Butler, 1)

by Yana Toboso

Book Overview

Just a stone's throw from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom, its master one Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce, Queen Victoria's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316080845
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Yen Press
• Length: 194 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.5" x 0.5" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Black Butler, Vol. 1

I've read the scans on [...] up to chapter 44 and I have to say, it's going to get better and better. This first volume, in my opinion, is great. I saw a few errors in the translation but otherwise it was very nice. The artwork is beautiful (but as the series goes on, it will get better. The mangaka's - the artist of the manga's - art improves with each volume). If this volume doesn't set a good first impression, hang in there and wait for the next volumes because things will pick up. If I had to rate the plot for this volume it would be a 8/10. When I first read it I thought to myself that the mangaka seemed a little pedophile-ish. A 12-year old boy with a young man/devil as his butler seems a little strange to me. (That and the fact that the mangaka has written a shonen-ai - light boy on boy romance - manga as well.) The characters have the typical varied personalities. (A maid who is a klutz and has a thing for Sebastian, a gardener who is very adorable, and a cook who cooks meat with flame throwers.) Overall, Black Butler is definitely something to give time. The start might be wobbly for some but it has potential.

Bad Butler

If Hellsing had a younger, cuter brother, it would be Sebastian. I would highly recommend this to Hellsing fans, or just fans of good manga in particular. Eagerly awaiting the next volume.

The Right Dose of Mayhem and Humor-- Welcome to 19th Century England

As a person who usually enjoys mangas and animes that make her think and have dark, depressing stories, it was odd that I ever set foot into Kuroshitsuji. I would normally never get a kick out of something so light and airy as having someone's butler fight another person solely to avoid homework (although I do understand the notion and temptation). It's child's play. Next. Except I couldn't stop reading it when I first started this manga on Onemanga. The artwork is beautiful and the story is set in one of my favorite time periods ever-- Victorian London. Although, I would not recommend you read Kuroshitsuji for the value of learning. Toboso has no qualms with breaking the time bounds of Victorian London (even creating a spoof of Nintendo in the series), but then neither did Kaori Yuki. However, Toboso is more vocal about it. At any rate, she is not creating a story meant to follow strict Victorian guidelines; she is writing a story about a 12-year-old master and his butler. Only the butler isn't all he seems. The element of the occult is first presented in the first volume, but it's not as strong; it's a tantalizing treat. I would suggest if you've only read the first volume to hold on. Toboso did not introduce the plot of her manga yet and there is so much more to this manga than the first volume showcases. Hang in there. If you love the occult, a little bit of Victorian (if you don't mind a dash of modern reality splashed in), Count Cain/ Godchild, and stories that are dark and twisted, then you will love this tasty morsel of a treat. And trust me, I'm picky about what mangas I indulge in.

That Butler, finally in English!

I first picked up this manga because I was drawn to the gorgeous art. If you're into Gothic Lolita and Gothic Aristocrat fashion, Black Butler is worth reading just for the characters' clothing. There's a reason this series is popular with cosplayers! However, Black Butler isn't just pretty, it's also a good read. Yes, it gets off to a slow start. I admit I spent the first several chapters wondering if there was any plot at all, but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. Having read further volumes, I can assure you the plot does pick up. More characters are introduced later on, and some characters I wasn't impressed with at first really surprised me! If you like your stories dark and supernatural with a hint of mystery and a touch of humor, then I highly recommend Black Butler.

That Butler, Making a Good First Impression

Meet Sebastian. He's the charming butler of a young nobleman, Ciel, head of the House of Phantomhive and its toy company. He excels at any task he is given, be it cooking, redecorating the Phantomhive mansion, or taking care of any of his charge's demands. In fact, he does these tasks so perfectly that he almost seems to be inhuman... The first volume of Black Butler introduces us to this duo of servant and master and shows us the trials and tribulations that they have to face living in an alternate-world Victorian England (last I recall, people in the Victorian Era didn't own cell phones or video games). While its premise might sound similar to Kaori Yuuki's Count Cain Saga, it takes itself much less seriously. The first couple of chapters are essentially a comedy-filled slice of life centered around the young Earl and his servants, and even after the tone starts to darken, it still retains the same goofy sense of humor it had in earlier chapters, albeit with slightly less of it. The artwork in this manga is gorgeous if a bit shojo-like. All of the characters are beautifully drawn with a great amount of detail spent on the costumes of the period. Even the background details and food in the volume are well-drawn, and it certainly provides a good deal of eye candy for its readers to look at. The characters themselves, however, leave a little to be desired in this first volume. Ciel and Sebastian are intriguing enough, but the rest of the recurring cast comes off as a bit annoying. The Phantomhive staff, with the exception of Sebastian, are all a bit... bumbling to say the least, and while they aren't that bad, they do start to grate on your nerves after a few chapters. Likewise, Ciel's fiancee Elizabeth came off as somewhat irritating, if well-meaning, though hopefully her personality will grow a tad bit more tolerable in later volumes. Overall though, Volume 1 of Black Butler was an enjoyable start to what could be a great new series. The setting and art were both very well done, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to fans of Godchild/ Count Cain who wouldn't mind reading something lighter or even to people who enjoyed the first volume of Pandora Hearts.