Kuroshitsuji

Kuroshitsuji, or Black Butler, is a manga and anime series that follows the adventures of a twelve to thirteen year old boy, Ciel Phantomhive, and his demon butler Sebastian Michaelis living in Victorian era London.

Plot

In Victorian-era London lives the young boy, Ciel Phantomhive. On the night of his tenth birthday, a fire engulfed his manor house, his parents were murdered, and he was captured by a mysterious organization. After a month of enduring excruciating and humiliating torture, Ciel returns to the Phantomhive household with an enigmatic black-clad butler, Sebastian Michaelis. To others, it seems that the butler is simply the best at his craft, from anticipating his young master's needs to carrying them out to the best of his inexplicable abilities. Little do they know, Sebastian is actually a demon that has entered into a contract with Ciel, promising to help the boy achieve revenge on those who have wronged him in exchange for his soul. As the Queen's Guard dog and standing at the top of the British underworld, Ciel solves the crimes plaguing London while waiting for the day he will exact his revenge.

Main Characters

Ciel

Ciel is a short, thirteen-year-old boy with black hair and rich, deep blue eyes. As described by Nina Hopkins, his tailor, Ciel has a "wonderfully proportioned body." His arms and legs are thin, his shoulders slim, and his waist narrow. Ciel typically dresses in a way that suits his noble standing, and he has a very extensive wardrobe. Ciel is the head of the Phantomhive noble family and the business owner of the Funtom company, a toy manufacturer. Ciel is an arrogant and shrewd boy. He and Sebastian frequently work together.

Sebastian

Sebastian takes on the appearance of a tall, handsome adult with black hair, red eyes, and pale skin. He typically dresses in a butler outfit, which consists of black trousers, a six-button double-breasted tailcoat, and a gray vest. Sebastian is a dedicated butler to Ciel Phantomhive, and upholds a strong sense of duty to his master and household. He faithfully follows and carries out every one of Ciel's orders, while ensuring that the Phantomhive house runs smoothly. He does not sleep—for demons deem it a form of luxury—and thus, he frequently performs tasks for Ciel at night. He always responds to Ciel's demands with the saying "Yes, my lord." When Sebastian has helped Ciel avenge his parents' deaths, Sebastian will be allowed to consume Ciel's soul.

Reception

Black Butler has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, 5 million outside Japan.
Sebastian and Ciel have been popularly "shipped" together in [yaoi|yaoi], with many doujinshis for sale online and in stores.
The series has been so sucessful that it has become the subject of a Drama CD, a video game for Nintendo DS, a live action film, and musical adaptation was run in 2009 titled That Butler, Friendship (その執事、友好 Sono Shitsuji, Yūkō).
The characters have also appeared on a variety of merchandise including clothes and bags.