Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc
Are there any urban legends or folklore in your hometowns that have piqued your interest? Perhaps it isn’t from your own birthplace, but there are so many fascinating tales spread by word of mouth that you can’t help but feel there is some truth in them. These stories exist for a reason, one that may be far-fetched from the truth, but their very existence leads to budding curiosity and imagination that keeps the tale going for generations. Over time, they may undergo some altercations, but as long as the core theme remains, it will persevere…
“Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc,” also known as “Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen,” is a 13-episode TV Anime series that aired from the 5th of April until the 28th of June in Spring 2025. It was produced by Aniplex, Square Enix, Magic Capsule, and Crunchyroll and brought to life by Studio CloverWorks. The main staff behind it includes producers Yuuichi Fukushima, Kanako Takahashi, Shizuka Kurosaki, and Yoshito Itou. Each episode has a runtime of 23 minutes and features the genres of action, mystery, and supernatural, as well as the themes of history and mythology. Targeted at the Shounen demographic, it earned a rating of R-17+ for its violence and profanity, making it suitable for mature audiences.
The series is based on the Manga series “Kuroshitsuji,” also known as “Black Butler,” which began publication on the 16th of September 2006, and is still ongoing. Featuring the additional genre of Fantasy, it was the work of author and artist Yana Toboso, serialized in GFantasy. As of 2014, the Manga series had already sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and it had also been published in English via Yen Press since the 26th of January 2010, alongside the digital version since the 8th of April 2014. It was even adapted into drama CDs, a number of video games, a musical titled “Kuroshitsuji: The Most Beautiful DEATH in The World,” and a live-action movie owing to its massive success. The prequel Anime series “Black Butler: Public School Arc,” also known as “Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen,” aired for a total of 11 episodes in Spring 2024.
Queen Victoria of England orders her ever-so-loyal watchdog to investigate an eerie series of mysterious deaths that occurred in southern Germany, kicking off this chapter of Black Butler. Thus, the 13-year-old Earl, Ciel Phantomhive, embarks on yet another perilous quest to investigate the unknown. Across the numerous villages where the incidents occurred, all the victims had one thing in common: they had all entered the so-called Werewolves' Forest and then proceeded to develop strange deformities that subsequently led to death. The local rumors attribute it all to a "witch's curse," which the villagers refuse to deny based on ancient folklore. Ciel, being his usual self, refuses to accept that any supernatural power is at play and jumps right into the fray alongside his demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, and his Phantomhive servants. Soon, they discover an isolated village within the Werewolves' Forest, and all of its residents appear to be exclusively women, who all show hostility towards outsiders and unify in their service to a young girl with emerald eyes and bound feet: Sieglinde "Green Witch" Sullivan. The duo must now uncover the ominous truth at all costs, but things don’t go so smoothly as they fall victim to the curse themselves; this leads them to believe that there is much more to the local legends than what meets the eye…
I started reading the Black Butler manga a long time ago, but stopped after reaching the latest chapter available at that time, which had not yet included this arc. I heard this arc was great, so I was ready to jump into the anime version, but it wasn't as good as I anticipated. While this season isn't terrible, I felt that the execution was flawed due to a multitude of minor issues that consistently irritated me throughout the show. One big issue I had is that the arc itself is short; there’s not enough source material to make a proper 13 episodes, so the anime had to get “creative” to fill the gaps. Their so-called genius idea involved bombarding viewers with a large number of recaps in every episode! It assumes the audience remembers almost nothing about the previous episode, and the repetition is incredibly tiresome over time. According to the Manga, the next arc is extremely long, so the Studio could have at least started working on it during the latter half of the season instead of focusing solely on a show that ends with a wonderful cliffhanger meant to hype everyone up for the next season. Further, I sincerely hope this inflexible episode count doesn’t lead to a rushed sequel that cannot hope to cover all its mind-numbing content.
The story being told itself is excellent, but the adaptation is cheap, soulless, has zero creativity, and is just being done as a tick-box exercise. Needless to say, the pacing is awful, and I kept wondering why they didn’t include some anime-original scenes with permission from the author. Furthermore, each arc feels fragmented and disconnected from the expansive, overarching narrative of the Manga. At its core, Black Butler is a complex network of interconnected stories, where every minor decision has far-reaching consequences in the future. Neglecting this aspect would mean losing the essence of the story. I strongly recommend reading the Manga for this arc instead.
Similar to the original story, these characters consistently stand out from the crowd. This show tricks us into thinking we know the cast, only to be hit with the glaring realization of just how little we actually know. You may think you know Ciel Phantomhive after all the past seasons, but this season destroys our assumptions using flashbacks owing to a certain trigger that allows us to deepen our acquaintance with the MC. We see more of his actual personality, emotions, goals, and well-kept secrets with a mind-boggling impact that I savored every chance I got. They also use expert foreshadowing that will become apparent later on, but I will not spoil it. Sebastian is the same as always, “One hell of a butler,” and I never tire of seeing the main duo’s dynamic undergoing all sorts of otherworldly crises. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Phantomhive servants are also quite active during this arc, getting their well-deserved time in the limelight and detailed character buildup. Then comes Sieglinde Sullivan, a very intriguing new addition full of curiosity and talent, who is a perfect example of how solid the author’s character writing is.
The Art and Animation department is beautiful with its Victorian charm and embellishment, as always. But there is a massive flaw here: they rely on the storyboards from the Manga far too much. I kid you not, there are 1:1 copies of the Manga panels being played out exactly as in the manga without changing a thing. I appreciate adhering to the source material as much as anyone else, but an anime adaptation requires its own unique flow and individuality while still being faithful to the author's vision. They could’ve added so many transitional scenes and brought out the dynamic charm of a TV series, but nope, they chose the cheapest route available that shamelessly exploited the Manga. The art style is still stunning and faithful to the Manga, and I love these character designs for being refined and memorable through the ages. But overall, there’s nothing positive about the Animation, because it is mostly just the Manga panels with minimal movement and no fluidity.
Next, let's discuss the Sounds and Music department, which stands out on its own. The Opening theme is "MAISIE" by Cö shu Nie, feat. HYDE and the Ending theme is "WALTZ" by Ryugujo, both of which are spectacular pieces that suit the series perfectly, even in visual terms. The team flawlessly conveys the arc's mood, demonstrating genuine creativity and effort. The Voice Actors also deliver outstanding performances despite all the creative decisions weighing them down, like the terrible, terrible direction and nonexistent emotional flow. The issue in this department ties into the dragged-out story, where they dedicate roughly 2 minutes and 15 seconds to each piece. Mind you, these are 20-minute episodes, and they decided to have nearly 4-5 minutes set aside for the Opening and Ending. Couple those with 5 minutes of recap, and you’ll understand the issue.
Overall, this Season is a letdown for the Manga readers who came here looking to see one of their favorite arcs come alive on the small screen. The source material is so good that it's difficult to call this series bad, but I will call out lazy direction and flawed execution. But if you are an avid fan of this franchise, don’t let this one season convince you to drop the diamond in your hands. It would be a greater loss not to follow such an intriguing series through, especially considering what's coming up next. So skip the Opening and Ending sequences after 1-2 watches, forgo the tiresome recaps, and absorb the limited but impactful content because it will become relevant later on.
