What are some of the best scenes Black Butler has to offer?
Black Butler is one of the most popular animes out there, and for good reason. There’s an incredible amount of funny, meaningful, or just generally great scenes in this series. Here’s my list of what I think are some of the best moments to rewatch.
15. Ciel’s laughter
Ciel laughs in the face of the awfulness of humanity.
At the end of the Black Butler: Book of Circus series, Ciel thinks back to all the devastation they’ve caused and takes a very negative view of human nature, himself included.
What’s great about this scene:
- Like much of the Book of Circus arc, this scene highlights the evil side of the main duo. While that may not seem very enjoyable to witness, this is a great part to rewatch after seeing the later arcs. It shows just how much Sebastian and Ciel develop together from this point onward.
14. Will and Grell’s weirdly sexual fight
Will and Grell fight, and Grell makes sexual innuendos the whole time.
This scene is from The Story of Will the Reaper, an OVA that shows Grell and Will in training to become grim reapers.
What’s great about this scene:
- This whole OVA gives the audience a nice taste of what it’s like for reapers to become reapers, and this fight scene in particular is a nice precursor to the later fights these reapers take part in. It’s also funny to see them use their “training” death scythes.
- This seems to be the beginning of Grell’s tendency to turn physical fights into erotic exchanges, and it’s hilarious to watch.
13. Sebastian’s room
Ciel discovers Sebastian's secret collection of cats.
In the midst of the hunt for a murderer in Black Butler: Book of Murder, Ciel opens Sebastian’s closet and a ton of cats pour out.
What’s great about this scene:
- It’s a very Sebastian move to take in cats from the rainy outdoors and hide them against his master’s wishes.
- Even while Sebastian is (supposedly) dead, he still manages to feel present in this scene, which is a really cool touch by the creators.
12. Ciel throws knives
Ciel throws knives with Sebastian's help.
In order to infiltrate the circus in Black Butler: Book of Circus, Ciel has to pass several tests, including a knife-throwing one. Since he has just about no athletic ability himself, Sebastian secretly helps him.
What’s great about this scene:
- It’s hilarious to watch everyone being amazed by “Ciel’s” knife-throwing capabilities, and it’s impressive to see the precision in Sebastian’s rock-flicking skills.
- It’s a great example of Ciel and Sebastian’s unorthodox methods of teamwork that help make this show as great as it is.
11. Sebastian makes the Undertaker laugh
Everyone tells the Undertaker a joke, but only Sebastian succeeds.
While trying to get information on the Jack the Ripper murders, Ciel requests the Undertaker’s help. Of course, the Undertaker asks for his usual payment: laughter. Lau, Madame Red, and Sebastian all take turns trying to make him laugh.
What’s great about this scene:
- It’s a hilarious introduction to the Undertaker’s character, and the fact that Sebastian so gravely agrees to make him laugh--and mysteriously succeeds--makes it even funnier.
- While Madame Red’s telling her dirty joke to the Undertaker, Sebastian covers Ciel’s ears. It’s a small detail, but it’s really cute and funny considering how mature Ciel actually is for his age.
10. “Let’s kill him”
Everyone agrees they should kill Druitt.
In Black Butler: Book of Atlantic, Ciel, Sebastian, and the reapers deal with Viscount Druitt’s egotistical monologue and demands in the midst of a zombie crisis.
What’s great about this scene:
- The ridiculousness of the Viscount, along with the rest of the group’s banding together over a shared desire to kill him, makes this an iconic scene.
- Included in this scene is the best group Phoenix pose in the whole movie, followed by Ciel’s intense embarrassment.
9. Pink Robin Ciel
Ciel seduces the Viscount Druitt.
In order to try to find out Jack the Ripper’s identity, Ciel goes undercover as a girl to seduce Viscount Druitt.
What’s great about this scene:
- Although it’s gross to watch Viscount Druitt sexualize what he believes is a young girl, the amusing fact of Ciel’s true identity and inner monologue make this scene really enjoyable to watch.
- Ciel’s pink dress worn in this scene becomes one of his most iconic, although brief, looks.
8. Sebastian shows his true form to Arthur
Sebastian shows Arthur his demonic nature.
At the end of Black Butler: Book of Murder, Sebastian and Ciel describe to Arthur all of their drastic efforts to catch a “murderer” for the Queen. Sebastian follows this discussion up by revealing his demonic nature to Arthur, scaring him into secrecy.
What’s great about this scene:
- Sebastian’s true form serves as a dark reminder to the audience that, despite all his efforts to appear human, he is in fact a demon.
- The creators’ idea of making this the “origin story” of the real-life Arthur Conan Doyle is a really cool choice, and it serves as just one example of the show’s continuous efforts to tie itself in to real-life events.
7. Sebastian and the tiger
Sebastian pets a tiger and the tiger isn't a fan.
In Black Butler: Book of Circus, Sebastian volunteers to participate in a circus act. However, it turns out that he only wants to get close enough to pet the tiger.
What’s great about this scene:
- Despite the fact that he is a demon, Sebastian does have weaknesses, and one of them is cats. In this scene he seems to forget his real mission in his excitement to pet a big cat.
- The fact that he “miraculously” survives being bitten in the face by a tiger is also a pretty close call in terms of his status as an undercover demon. No human would come out of that encounter perfectly fine, making it an automatic risk to show his own ability to emerge unscathed. But for the sake of petting a cat, Sebastian does it.
6. Elizabeth’s sword skills
Elizabeth shows off her swordsmanship.
As zombies close in on Ciel and Elizabeth in Black Butler: Book of Atlantic, Elizabeth protects herself and Ciel with her previously hidden and very impressive swordsmanship.
What’s great about this scene:
- It’s a stunning revelation of Elizabeth’s skills, turning her from a cutesy side character into a girl with her own talents and secrets of her own.
5. Sebastian gets stabbed
Sebastian is stabbed by a death scythe.
In a fight with the Undertaker in Black Butler: Book of Atlantic, Sebastian rushes to save Ciel as the Undertaker holds him hostage. But the Undertaker tosses Ciel down the stairs, taking Sebastian by surprise and allowing him to get stabbed by the reaper’s deadly scythe.
What’s great about this scene:
- The moment where Ciel’s fingers slip from Sebastian’s grip is heart-wrenching to watch no matter how many times you see it--it seems that, for the first time since making their contract, Sebastian will fail to protect Ciel.
- Adding to that moment of anxiety is Undertaker’s stabbing of Sebastian. It’s a pretty severe injury, even for a demon, and it completes the visually dramatic scene and ups the fear factor of the audience.
4. Undertaker’s reveal
Undertaker's identity revealed!
Occurring just prior to the previous scene in Book of Atlantic, Undertaker’s identity as a former grim reaper is revealed.
What’s great about this scene:
- Just like Elizabeth, another side character shows their true colors as a pivotal part of Black Butler. Undertaker’s reveal is not only cool to watch, as his green eyes appear among a rain of shattered glass, but it also marks a turn in his character to villainy.
3. Sebastian’s death
In Black Butler: Book of Murder, Sebastian apparently dies, and Ciel reacts badly to it.
What’s great about this scene:
- Although Sebastian and Ciel both are later revealed to have been faking the entire tragedy, they did try to make it seem as realistic as possible, meaning that Ciel’s rare display of emotion is likely how he would react if the situation had been real.
- This showcases the extent of the bond Sebastian and Ciel have developed, both in the undercurrent of their acting out the scene in perfect concert, and in the apparent grief of Ciel at the loss of his butler and closest friend.
2. The Faustian contract
Sebastian and a young Ciel make a deal.
As the Undertaker goes through Sebastian’s memories in Book of Atlantic, he sees the making of the Faustian bargain between Sebastian and Ciel years prior.
What’s great about this scene:
- While it is a bit jarring to see Sebastian before he was… Sebastian, it’s really interesting to see him change his appearance to suit his new role as Ciel’s butler.
- This is a great opportunity to see the cold, businesslike agreement that started it all, especially considering the emotional peril that Sebastian and Ciel are currently undergoing thanks to the Undertaker.
1. Ciel tells Sebastian to rest
Ciel and Sebastian at the end of Book of Atlantic.
What’s great about this scene:
- This is the first time Ciel’s ever told Sebastian to take a rest, showing his developing genuine concern towards the demon.
- Especially taken in juxtaposition to scene #15 (Ciel’s villainous laughter), this scene really stands out as an example of his growing empathy. No longer is he as cold-hearted as in previous arcs; despite the violent chaos of his life, or maybe because of it, he’s growing as a person.
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