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

Kuroshitsuji or Black Butler is still an on-going series so I cannot say how it will finish, but so far in the current 165 chapters available it has been a fantastic series worth following. It's anime counterpart does it absolutely no justice (outside of a fantastic soundtrack) and it's really worth reading.I think this series would be better read in an omnibus version or when you have several volumes at a time, as someone who has been reading it since it first began (so many years ago with one chapter a month), the story doesn't hold up quite as well with waiting.Someone below (who I question how much anime or manga they've actually read/seen since they questioned the cultural aspect) disliked the first volume which is literally an introductory volume meant to be light hearted before diving into what will become a dark series.The servants were hired despite not being good at servantry due to their combat abilities, which you would only find out by continuing the story past volume one.As an introductory volume I can see where people might be turned off. The art isn't as stunning as it is later on in the series, the characters are at their worst because we know nothing about them outside of their comedic settings and the story is fairly episodic at this point for the purpose of world building.Once you get past volume one and delve into the character's personalities, mindsets, abilities, and start to have a better understanding of the world this takes place in the story becomes more intricate and enthralling to read; its a shounen so it doesn't get as intricate as a seinen might but it does get very dark at random intervals (especially when you delve into our protagonists past).This was a series I initially didn't think much of, I can see why people might be put off of it at the beginning. For me, it didn't truly pick up till after the circus arc started (though to be fair, madame red's arc was honestly a great read), but if you have any interest in this story at all I genuinely recommend reading through it in a binge, it really helps the story flow a loto better and make more sense. It's worth while to see how our main character came to be where he is and how he will progress in the future.I personally really enjoy this series.

I didn't like the tiny scuff marks on the sides but I'm sure it can't be produced perfectly every time, and they aren't too noticeable though.. as well as the first two pages might seem a bit stuck near the center, don't rip it though like I tried.A lot more fun reading with bigger and clearer pictures, where as reading it online isnt as good quality. and was on sale! original price is $13.00.so :3 I'm happy

1st volume and it's already better then the anime.. came in great condition other then the connor being bent but that could be because my dad threw the package at my door. Also I swear theyre trying way to hard with Sebastian on these covers though cause why is he so zesty. DO BUY!!!

Daughters friend absolutely adores this book.

He can fix me

i'm new to the manga scene and don't speak traditional Japonese, nor can I read it, but I did (and do) enjoy reading this four-chapter translation of Black Butler. if you read the main chapters up until the end of chapter three, where sebastian's master is kidnapped and held hostage, sebastian seems to be more of a domestic demigod, but once chapter four is completed, sebastian is seen killing in the name of both self-defense and to protect his master. he even appears to be immortal and can take out multiple gunmen with simple butterknives thrown from implausible distances despite implausible odds. the other characters in this collection include the histrionic trio of sidekicks who aren't the best manor managers but add to the charm of an otherwise one -sided powerhouse of a butler. they provide the comic backdrop for such things as spilling wine on a tablecloth during the meal of an important business client, the cooking of raw meat with a blowtorch, and the accidental spraying and destruction of the manor's front lawn. sebastian uses a little smooth-talking and last-minute errand assignments to remedy these problems. more awaits, which is surprising. if you enjoy nitpicking, you will treasure the attention to detail. one may dislike the overly polished look of the magazine, but the story somewhat offsets this somewhat hyper-snazzy polish the artwork has. it would be absurd to call myself a manga critic, much less one who has read enough of other titles to compare this to others. i like it now, yet don't think it quite merits five stars. it lacks that special genius i see in the works of akira toriyama. if you beg to differ, or know more about manga and japanese culture than i do, please add comments below my review. altogether, this seems to have potential. this collection was more of a teaser than anything else

Black Butler, or Kuroshitsuji, was my first anime. As a 31 year old woman, I think I have fallen behind the game a bit. I asked younger friends for recommendations and this was right up there.So I watched Black Butler and I couldn't get enough! But this is not a review of the anime..it is a review of the manga ;)When I found I couldn't get enough of the anime and had read that it differentiated a bit from the manga, I knew I had to try reading manga also(another first for me). I immediately purchased this book, and at $6.66(cute, guys) it was half the price of going to my local B&N to purchase it. Prime membership made it worthwhile; otherwise I think I might have just gone and picked it up. It seems like shipping would have been several dollars.As a conventional reader of novels, my instinct is to READ. I am not accustomed to looking at pictures. The art in this is beautiful, however, and while it might be difficult for some, myself included, please try to take the time to slow down and enjoy the ride. I never knew such beautiful "graphic novels" were out there.It would seem I have been under a rock for the past 20 years, and I am glad to have been brought out from under it!