I’m gonna be honest here, I haven’t watched the anime nor read any of the Black Butler manga. The faintest thing I remember about the Black Butler anime was back when I was 10 or 11, and I witnessed a few scenes on Animax with my middle brother who was into Anime. There, the entire London was in flames, the residents of the Phantomhive Manor were in disarray and dying one after another, and Sebastian fights an Angel and loses an arm in the process.

Nonetheless, I am totally excited about the upcoming Black Butler: Public School Arc as it left a lasting memory during my brief encounter with the previous seasons long ago. ColverWorks, the studio most notably known for producing Spy X Family and Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, is tasked with the animation Black Butler Season 4. The news of this beloved anime coming back for a new season must be an exciting tune to fans’ ears.

As of 2023, many of our favorite anime that had ended on a sour note or left with a cliffhanger had new seasons announced – Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Bleach to name a few. But were they good, or were they bad, that’s up for another debate. Our current topic rests on the return of a Fan-favorite anime, with a Fan-favorite character. And it is based on our favorite demonic butler, Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler.

Black Butler, The Entity From Hell

Black Butler is a Japanese serialized Shonen Manga centered around the lives of Ciel Phantomhive, the current head of the Phantomhive Corporation, and his mysterious Butler, who is actually a Demon in disguise.

Set in Victorian Era London, Ciel loses everything in his life the moment he turns ten. His family, his pet dog and the very essence of his life. And if it couldn’t get any worse, the perpetrators that attacked Ciel and his family sell him as a slave to a Demon Worshiping Cult where he is tortured physically, and mentally and he is sexually abused. Then comes the day he is set to sacrifice.

The Demon the cult had summoned swore loyalty to Ciel instead of the Cult itself. Because Ciel possessed a soul that fit the requirements that he wished to consume. However, he will do so by serving that very soul. Ciel takes the opportunity to kill and free himself from his captors, he then returns to his homeland with the demon by his side, whom he names Sebastian Michaelis. Ciel takes up his rightful title and position and sets on a mission to find and exact revenge on the perpetrators that ruined his life.

The Demon In Many Forms

If we were to talk about Sebastian Michaelis, well he has three forms in total. His butler form, where he possesses strength, speed and stamina beyond that of a regular human. His crow form, when he is not occupied with his butler duties. And of course, his true form, which was never shown in the anime, but was given hints of in the manga.

Speaking of manga, it has 33 volumes and several adaptations including a Live Action adaptation. The anime itself has a confusing continuity. It has two seasons of anime that aired from October 3, 2008 to September 17, 2010. Another season titled, “Book of Circus,” was directed by Noriyuki Abe (best known for Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho and Boruto), and came with 2 OVAs titled, “Book of Murder”. And an anime movie titled, “Book of the Atlantic Arc.”

At Anime Expo 2023, the fourth season of Black Butler was announced. It was titled, “Public School Arc”. It is slated for a 2024 release. With teasers and trailers out left and right, the hype for the demon in many forms is growing day by day. Long-time fans are waiting with bated breaths to witness their favorite demon butler in action once again.

Black Butler Public School Arc Expectations

“So, what are your expectations from the upcoming season of Black Butler?” I asked Tae Jung a cosplayer friend of mine who is a long-standing fan of the series, since she had finished consuming the Black Butler as of this year. To which she replied, “Honestly, I hope to see Sebastian’s real form. Which was never shown in the anime.”

“And what was his real form like?” I asked her, being curious myself. She responded, “Well, Sebastian bears a striking resemblance to Ciel’s father. In the anime, Sebastian can take the form of a crow. However, his true demonic form has never been revealed but it has been depicted to be of sharper teeth, high-heeled boots, and elongated nails. In the manga, Sebastian appears to Ciel in his true form, while in the anime version, he appears as a crow.”

“And what can you tell me about Sebastian himself?”, I asked knowing this character intrigued her. She held back her excitement as much as she could and answered, “Sebastian Michaelis is the series’ antihero. Even though he is named after Ciel’s deceased dog, his name is similar to that of Father Sebastien Michaelis, who compiled a hierarchy of demons in Hell. He is the butler of the Phantomhive household and acts as Ciel’s bodyguard. And his catchphrase, “Because I am one hell of a butler.” The phrase plays on the word “demon” in Japanese and can translate to, “I am a demon and a butler”.”

“And what makes him special as a butler?” I inquired further. She responded, “He is highly skilled in any area and handles every task, no matter how impossible it is as well as any problem that arises from the errors of the other staff with ease, stating it is only natural as the butler to the Phantomhive family.” Realizing we kind of went off-topic, I returned to it by asking her, “Is there anything about the new season that scares you? Or at least, makes you worried?” “Not much, except for the Animation. The new animation that they had revealed, butchers Sebastian’s good looks.”

An anime changing animation studio can lead to massive changes in the form of distribution and of course, audience perspective. It is a hit-or-miss chance and can either make or break an anime. Where Attack on Titan can be held as the best example of a studio switch, Hataraku Maou-sama can be considered an example of failure. However, CloverWorks is an Animation Studio that was rebranded from A-1 Pictures’ Koenji Studio. In short, it is not a complete change. And people from the previous season, except Noriyuki Abe, are returning to it. And of course, the Studio has a strong resume of its own.

The Hype Is Real

After talking with Tae, I can say this, the latest season of Black Butler has a lot of fans excited. As they get to see their favorite Demonic Butler return with a new adventure. But they are also worried about the new animation and fear that it will ruin the essence of Sebastian. But whatever the feelings may be, I hold out a hope on behalf of all of these viewers that Black Butler’s latest season does do well.

And I am saying that as someone who is planning to watch Black Butler beginning from season 1. As Tae had encouraged me after the interview. As if I was not interested before, but a little push, does not hurt anyone. And when I do start watching it, hopefully, I’ll make it to the point where I won’t have to wait for the next season and just watch it on the go.