Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Black Butler manga, anime seasons 1-4, and the movie Book of the Atlantic.
Summary
Yana Toboso’s supernatural gothic seriesBlack Butlerhas enjoyed enduring popularity since its first publication in 2006 and first anime adaption in 2008. The manga is over two hundred chapters and counting, anda fourth season of the anime dropped on Crunchyrollin April 2024, witha fifth season confirmed for release sometime in 2025.While fans are ecstatic to see this beloved classic continue to thrive, those fully up to date on the story will notice that most seasons have been adapted and titled in ways that can make itdifficult for canon-oriented viewers to determine how best to watch it.
Season 1 ofBlack Butlerboth follows and strays from the manga at various points, and some episodes do not follow the manga chapter order. One arc,Book of Murder(2014), was adapted into only two episodes, each one hour long – neither of which appear on Crunchyroll.
The following arc,Book of the Atlantic(2017), was a feature-length movie, adaptating the entire arc from the manga as opposed to using a serialized OVA or televised anime.
Black Butler and Black Butler II: What to Watch and What To Skip (and What to Read)
Some Episodes Are Not in Order, or Completely Non-Canon
Black Butler(2008), which is season 1 of the series, interweaves events from the manga and original content in the first fifteen episodes to build its story, after which the remaining ten episodes veer from the canon completely. It is also important to note thatsome episodes are only partially faithful to the manga, and some chapters were not adapted. The table below lays out the proper episode order and content missing from season 1.
Season 1 Episode / Manga Chapter Order
Notes
Season 1, Episode 1 - His Butler, Able / Manga Chapter 1 - That Butler, Able
Only minutes 00:00-14:36 are canon
Season 1, Episode 3 - His Butler, Omnipotent / Manga Chapter 2 - That Butler, Omnipotent
Optional filler
Part 1 of the “Indian Butler Arc”
Season 1, Episodes 14 - His Butler, Supremely Talented
Part 2 of the “Indian Butler Arc,” ignore minute 21:17-21:45
Season 1, Episode 15 - Competing / Manga Chapters 21 & 22
Part 3 of the “Indian Butler Arc,” minutes 14:01-20:40 are non-canon and Ash does not feature in the manga
Black Butler IIcan be skipped completely, as it is entirely original content with no connection to the manga. TheBlack Butler II OVAs are also non-canon, though"Ciel in Wonderland" parts 1 and 2 and “Welcome to the Phantomhives” are fun bonus episodes for fans interested in side content.
It’s Mostly Smooth Sailing from Book of Circus Through to the Public School Arc
These Adaptations Have a Few Keynotes When Approaching the Correct Watch Order
Four years afterBlack Butler II,Book of Circusreleased with the two-part OVABook of Murderfollowing close behind, both episodes of which are often considered OVAs.Book of Circusis entirely canonical except for episode #1, which serves to reintroduce Ciel’s and Sebastian’s characters and dynamic after the four-year break between seasons. In 2017, the feature-length movieBlack Butler: Book of the Atlantichit theaters.
Despite being only two episodes and a movie respectively,Book of MurderandBook of the Atlanticare fully canon to the manga, and can be watched in chronological release order.The latest series release is thePublic School Arc, which is the series' official season 4. There are also a few manga filler chapters that can be read between seasons for fans interested in a bit more content. Though season 5,The Emerald Witch Arc, will not be out until sometime in 2025, based on previous installments, there is a good chance it will also faithfully follow the manga.
2014
2-10
1 & 2
2017
2024
Though Lacking in Canon, Black Butler and Black Butler II are Still “One Hell of a Ride”
Ciel and Sebastian’s Fate Takes an Unpredictable Turn
Black Butler(2008) andBlack Butler II, or seasons 1 and 2 ofBlack Butlerrespectively,came out during a time when it was very common for an anime to deviate from its manga.This was often because the manga was still ongoing, thus leaving room for studios to take liberties with the plot. Both seasons 1 and 2 adhere to this practice as well, offering a unique take on the story of protagonist and child earl Ciel Phantomhive and his contractually-bound demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, as well as its ultimate conclusion.
Both the manga andBlack Butler(2008) follow the duo as they navigate a Victorian England plagued by kidnappers, killers, and supernatural beings, all while searching for those responsible for the deaths of Ciel’s parents and his suffering at the hands of demon-worshipping cultists. Unlike the manga, which has yet to reveal the culprit,season 1 turns Queen Victoria and an original character named Ash, an overzealous and murderous angel masquerading as a white-clad butler, into Ciel’s archenemies.Ultimately, the queen dies from disturbing body modifications granted to her by Ash, and Ash is defeated by Sebastian in a epic final battle atop the incomplete London Bridge.Sebastian later claims Ciel’s soulas promised after a bittersweet last conversation between master and servant.
Black Butler IIis the infamous, entirely non-canonical season 2 of the animethat many fans tend to either have a love-hate relationship with or pretend never existed. It introduces the unhinged young earl Alois Trancy and his enigmatic, spider demon butler Claude Fautus, who at first appear to be the new mains of the series. However,Ciel is revealed to be alive, with no memory of obtaining his revenge thanks to Claude, and that is soul in no longer fit for consumption.
Sebastian is forced to make a deal with Claude: the spider demon and Alois will become Ciel’s new targets and Claude will be permitted to battle Sebastian for Ciel’s soul. In a bizarre twist,Alois’s maid Hannah is revealed to also be a demon, who turns Ciel into a demonat Alois’s behest. Alois, Claude, and Hannah all essentially die, and Sebastian becomes bound to Ciel for all eternity.
ThoughBlack Butler(2008) andBlack Butler IIlack many significant elements of the canon, the series as a whole is still going strong more than a decade and a half after season 1’s premiere. It is difficult to determine how well the series would have faired past 2010 had fans not come to love the early anime—most of it anyway—so much. For all its flaws,the story told by seasons 1 and 2, if nothing else, serves asan enigmatic yet compelling comparison to theBlack Butlercanon that is more than worth a watch.
Black Butler, season 1
2008
2010
2025
Black Butler
Cast
Black Butler is an anime series set in Victorian-era England, revolving around Ciel Phantomhive, a young nobleman, and his enigmatic butler, Sebastian Michaelis. Sebastian, who is more than he seems, aids Ciel in seeking revenge on those who wronged his family. The series combines elements of dark fantasy, mystery, and supernatural themes, portraying their complex relationship and the lengths they will go to achieve their goals.
