#as long as it doesn’t involve ciel

[thefakeearlhasafancyeye]

Ngl season 2 is lowkey a reflection of the manga now. Alois is supposed to be like the Real Ciel I think💀 they also got some type of trauma over their little brother (who made a deal with a demon and also wanted everyone dead that hurt them)

If our Ciel stabs real Ciel tho….i can see real Ciel begging the undertaker to help him but the undertaker being more concerned with our Ciel (he is the one alive and still has his soul)

[lacryem]

— A surprisingly long and in depth look about symbolism in the recent G-Fantasy cover by Yana Toboso ✦

Including references, flower language, how to decode the meaning of flowers, and a little too much brainrot. As well my personal interpretation drawn from all the sources I looked at. And of course what all of means (and maybe hints at?) for Sebastian and Ciel… and maybe even Sebaciel? 

Originally posted as a twitter thread, but threads suck and I forgot a couple things. so here now.

Disclaimer :

I don’t know FOR SURE that all these things were directly referenced by Yana when creating this art. But being a fan of her work for over a decade I've become familiar with her use of symbolism and reference, and believe myself to have a good eye for it at this point!   I'm also pretty familiar with the use of flower language, including different languages, due to having been involved in a project about it and having to read wayyy too much about this. 

Some of it also includes my own personal interpretation, but the meanings and info I based myself off of ARE factual. I think I made it pretty clear when referencing my personal interpretation. You're welcome to reach your own interpretation based off of the stuff provided!

And lastly, I'm not a sebaciel shipper. I'm not an anti (the complete opposite, actually) and have nothing against the ship, I like the narrative around them and how they're written but I don’t actively ship them romantically or sexually. So I'd say this is actually a pretty unbiased interpretation. Personal taste is one thing, but I don’t deny the author's intention and whats written in front of me! That is what this post is about.

Kuroshitsuji takes place in the Victorian period (1837~1901) in 1889.

The following are both important Victorian books on the language of flowers that I will be basing myself off of.

Language of Flowers by Greenaway Kate (1884), and The Language of flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1857).

(Also, I’m treating Ciel’s rose as a deep red rose. Which is a bit different than red roses. But I am adding some relevant information about roses in general, anyway.

Now, on what they say about these flowers.

Deep rose, meaning "bashful shame". White lily, meaning "Purity and sweetness."

— The White Lily

Most people assume that the lily refers to Ciel's purity, and that’s a fair assumption. But I disagree. 

Firstly, the one holding the lily is Sebastian. Holding it on his right hand, tilted towards the right. However what's relevant here is the VIEWER. From the viewer's POV he's holding it to the left. Note he also holds the scissors on his left hand, where he bears HIS contract seal.

How you hold a flower, what position you give it to someone in, changes the meaning of the flower. These context clues are very important. It tells us that 'purity and sweetness' doesn’t refer to Ciel, but actually refers to Sebastian (…sorta).

This may be a little confusing. Purity and sweetness, Sebastian?! I know, I know. bear with me.

These books provide poems to help us understand how you may interpret the intended meaning. The lily poem is about enduring trials out of love because of the purity and sweetness he sees in his lover's eyes and soul. I believe Yana directly references the poems I will include in this post in her new artwork.

— My Interpretation

the meaning of Sebastian's lily is:

"I do all out of love for the sweetness and purity within you."

Him holding it to the contact seal and cutting the flower could stand for him destroying this sentiment (affection within himself) that has arisen in him as a result of their contract by destroying the sweetness and purity—the source of it—within Ciel (consuming his soul).

Note: This is debatable, as 'reversed' almost always means upside down. But if you consider the lily facing away from the viewer as reversed then it could mean "impurity and bitterness" which fits pretty well with Ciel, and it being held against the contract seal which is a physical representation of his impurity, brought on by his bitterness.

— The Deep Red Rose

There something I find very interesting. The rose is in a teacup, standing in for tea (I think there's even tea alongside it in the cup.) From Yana herself we know that Sebastian's eyes are a reference to the reddish brown colour of tea.

Like I said, I believe this rose to be a deep red rose, which is a bit more specific than the meaning given to red roses. However I think the poem included for roses in general very much applies here.

I was going to add my thoughts but I found this interpretation that sums it up pretty well if you replace the carpe diem theme with a more "running out of time" or "impending death" theme, which seems to be a more accurate reading for this artwork.

Looking at the rose itself, it has no thorns or leaves.

It is not a youthful rose as its already fully open and losing petals. "No hope, and no fear" fits with the poem, the rose is basically an hourglass referring to Ciel. His fate is unavoidable, but this isn't a deterrent. He's dancing on the ledge.

The deep red rose means 'bashful shame'.

When you compare it to the lily, which is a direct proclamation, the deep red rose is a quiet confession one cannot verbalize.

Debatable, to be fair but given the tie in to Sebastian's eye colour and the fact that he is always the one pouring tea for Ciel, I believe the Sebastian to be the speaker here too, but this time speaking on Ciel's feelings (Hence why he's the one holding it) rather than Sebastian's own. 

— My Interpretation

The meaning of the deep red rose Ciel holds, speaking about Ciel's feelings of guardedness, and in response saying:

"Abandon your bashful shame, and let yourself be admired without expectations (hope) or fear"

Sebastian speaks about Ciel's feelings, the deep red rose acknowledges his feelings but they remain unspoken.

The Waller poem is a plead for his beloved to seize the day, for time is short, and allow herself to be loved completely. 

Her beauty is one to be appreciated, she is not meant to be a rose unacknowledged (unloved) in the desert.

Regarding 'expectations', I think this is more about rigid ideas of how 'appreciation' or 'admiration, might be shown or received. Sebastian and Ciel's relationship defies normality or 'expectations'. So this, too, would defy expectations a young boy like Ciel, or a traumatised boy like Ciel, may have.

From Yana herself, we know Sebastian's dedication and how highly he holds 'beauty', specifically Ciel's beauty.

The author of the poem proclaims that beauty not appreciated is not beautiful indeeed, and so he calls his beloved to come to him and be appreciated wholly during the invaluable, limited time they have.

We see the deep red rose's petals fall away, in my opinion not only symbolising the withering away of time, but also the crumbling away of this "bashful shame" that Sebastian ascribes to Ciel.

How Sebastian wishes to "appreciate" this beauty is debatable. How he wants to "admire" and "desire" (per the poem) Ciel is rather open ended. Wether it be in a romantic way, a sexual way or by consuming his soul.

However, I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. And consuming Ciel can easily be a metaphor for the former two. 

— The Lily and The Rose

The Greeneaway book has this poem which im sure was directly referenced. This poem speaks about the lily and the rose in a direct power struggle and fight for dominance, until they eventually unite and reign as one.

Now when speaking about this "union", you could say it refers to their contract, but I don’t think so.

The contract ties them to each other, but it doesn’t necessarily unite them. So I believe 'unity' to be about the appreciation Sebastian speaks of Ciel opening up to. 

"The Lily" and "The Rose" might be interpreted as directly representing Sebastian and Ciel, and the unity that would come from them joining and becoming a truly complimentary pair. I think a power struggle and fight for being the one in control is very accurate way to describe their current dynamic in canon.

It may also be interpreted as "The Lily" and "The Rose" as being representations of their feelings and ideals previously. And then it would represent these two conflicting expressions—a loud  unrelenting and destructive devotion, and a guarded, bashful, unspoken reluctance— coming together and turning from conflicting to complimentary. 

Or as it tends to be with these things, both!

Either way all of this is expressed under the sense of impending doom created by their circumstances and the contract. So there's a sense of urgency permeating all of it.

Also clear to me is a sense of internal conflictedness coming from Sebastian's message that is usually only hinted at like this, and some people end up overlooking.

Sebastian desires Ciel deeply, but having him would also mean not being able to have him anymore.

Sebastian is torn and that’s why he attempts to cut the root of his wavering feelings represented by the lily. 

All of this makes me wonder about what's next, and if we will see these things said more blatantly. Foreshadowing with flower language and references like this, isn't exactly rare for Yana. I wonder if we will see this 'unity' come to be, and what necessary development Sebastian and Ciel will need to undergo to make it possible. As well as what shape it will take.

I also wonder very much about Ciel's perspective in all of this, as this was almost entirely from Sebastian's POV, but I think that's intentional. Ciel has his own goals and a lot on his mind. Sebastian's goal IS Ciel. So I assume he spends a lot more time thinking about Ciel and this kind of thing.

Thank you if you read the whole way through. Like I said before, even though the sources defending it are, my interpretation is not law and you're welcome to reach your own with the things presented.

Links for sources, including free public domain PDFs of the books mentioned are found at the end of my twitter thread.

— Thanks for reading! —

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Hi, could u do yandere ciel, sebastian, ran mao, lau, ash, and hannah from black butler with a reader like teruhashi from saiki k, shes basically a really pretty girl who believes she is completely perfect but acts sweet and humble outside, and has a huge fan club involving other nobles and important politicans, and is actually loved by literal gods and is seen as a goddess to other ppl with ppl willing to sacrifice their life for them all bc just for her beauty.

Teruhashi Reader | Yandere Black Butler

Your beauty is other-wordly, causing all to indescribable chase after your heart and happiness. As it's always been. And just as your fan base has always been so has your arrogance and narcissism. You know you’re the perfect of most perfect and it's all going to your plan. You worried that even those who might have an inkling of your true thoughts might think to stop you but just like the others they're just as obsessed with you:

Ciel Phantomhive

“If you’d be willing, the Phantomhive estate would appreciate your visit.”

He’s not offering this is a warning

He wouldn’t trust the uninformed masses to mishandle you

It's best you stay within his trusted care

Forget about being a bargaining chip 

He sees how others revolve around you and he feels the need to insert himself

Perhaps protect you like he wasn’t 

Sebastian Michaelis

“You are truly someone of power, to deceive so many humans. It's admirable.”

Sees through your actions easily 

Your character is an enigma he finds himself falling for all the same

Perhaps it's not the universal charm you seem to have but your general behavior

Either way, he’s more than happy to be commanded to protect your blissful existence

And it's more than entertaining to watch how the world bends to your twisted will

Ran Mao

“...keep?”

She doesn’t need to speak often for all to know she loves you

Nuzzling into your neck, hugging you from behind, squeezing your chest

Her lack of boundaries works perfectly for her

And you’d be none the wiser holding her roaming hands that had the blood of potential suitors on them

But if Lau approves she’ll start making moves to exact their will

Lau 

“Yes, I think that’s a delightful idea Ran Mao!”

He’s intrigued and in love at first sight

Now that first sight most definitely is not when Ciel holds that ball

No doubt he’s been aware of your existence for awhile

Its only a matter of time before he starts making moves to have you in his grasp

Ash Landers  

“Such purity! You truly are the diamond surrounded by human scum!”

Is definitely unbiased lies

He’s not in love he’s aware of your true purity lies again

He’s madly obsessed no doubt putting you on a deity-like level

He will commit all sorts of atrocities in your name

And should you protest he twists your words

or worst of all he decides you've becomes poisoned

To which he’ll happily sorrowfully remove you’re infected self

Hannah

“My master wishes for you to stay…won’t you please (Y/n)?”

As always Alois’ will is but her own

She’s just happy they match up this time

She’d want nothing more than for you to join their family

No doubt she knows her master and he’d refuse to…punish you the way he does her

It’d warm her heart if you came willingly

A family shouldn’t stay apart for too long

[amethystroselily]

Ok the Undertaker being Vincent’s dad theory is really funny to me, so here’s how I think it could possibly work.

Undertaker was a reaper 70 years ago and seems properly obsessed with the phantomhive family as a whole, and met Vincent later on in his life, so I really don’t think he was married to Claudia. Plus Claudia and Vincent’s father didn’t have the same last name, so whoever he was I doubt they were married (perhaps having to do with Claudia trying to keep her title or something). So I think he had some deep attachment to a previous Phatomhive lord (perhaps he was a servant), but then the earl died or something, and then he killed himself, becoming a reaper. Then maybe he was monitoring the family for years and they kept dying so he snapped and went rogue, maybe his experiments kept failing, so then he was like woah maybe as a reaper I should see what mixing my dna in would do (probably a rule about not fraternizing with humans to avoid this), and around then the current Phatomhive family head is a woman so like great time to test it out, then maybe the relationship fell apart because of some sort of respectability she had to maintain or they were busy or something and she didn’t want him around her kids anymore, then years later undertaker gets back to stalking the phatomhives once his son is the new earl.

Maybe he wanted to use Vincent’s body because he had a higher concentration of reaperness, but then he lost the corpse (maybe bc fire, maybe bc Vincent isn’t actually dead) so he’s using ciel instead.

Also I’ve seen the theory Francis was involved in Vincent’s death, and maybe that’s why he doesn’t seem particularly invested in her side of the family. Perhaps sibling feuds are a long tradition in the Phantomhive family and it makes him think of a previous one and that’s why he keeps getting so involved.

The way Othello talked about Undertaker made him sound like he was a lot like Francis when he was younger, and I think the idea of Francis looking down on this random strange man who worked with her brother and him turning out to be her father whom she takes after in both looks and personality is so interesting.

Also I personally think he like stole some of Othello’s research on resurrection on his way out and that’s where all the tension is coming from. Because obviously Othello can’t tell Grell that, so he has to skirt around it, but there’s obviously something more going on between him and undertaker.

[plague-of-insomnia]

Is Sebastian “Evil”?

Recently, I saw a post by @puppyfan9000 about Sebastian, commenting on whether or not he is evil, suggesting he’s more like a lion, who preys on animals for survival and not because they’re “evil.”

I guess I had not fully appreciated how many people apparently view Sebastian through the lens of Christian demonology and dogma and thus view him as evil, some apparently going as far to say he’s the villain of the series. (Yana has said he’s the protagonist, actually, but go off, I guess.)

While I can’t ofc know what Yana had in mind with Sebastian when she created him, I do feel like the manga does a good job of pointing out that demons are not innately good or evil, and the truly “evil” ones are humans themselves.

(This is gonna be a bit long so I’ll go ahead and tuck the rest under a read more.)

Shinto Kami & Three Natures

One of the cores of Shinto belief is the kami, sometimes translated as “god,” though I think “deity” is better since the former often has an association with “good” in the western mindset.

The thing about kami is they aren’t good or evil; they exist outside those human parameters. They’re more like a force of nature than what we in the west might view as demonic or godly.

And each kami has 3 natures, or mitama:

aramitama - rough and wild

nigimitama - gentle and life supporting

sakimitama - nurturing

[SS from Handbook of Japanese Mythology by Michael Ashkenazi]

Think of these three as different colored liquids all contained within a vessel. Each kami has a diff amount of each, with one or more of these natures dominating in different situations and at different times.

Connected to this, the line between a “god” or “kami” and a “demon” (so many words you can use here, including akuma, or even yokai) is fluid in Shinto belief.

A kami can “fall” and “devolve” into a baser yokai or “demon” if they become impure (purity is a big part of Shinto belief and ritual), and/or if their aramitama nature becomes more dominant.

Even so, these beings aren’t considered “evil” in the same sense that a Christian views Satan as “evil.”

Just as the destruction caused by a hurricane can’t be called “evil,” the behavior of a kami or other spirit likewise is neither good nor evil. It simply is.

Yana has described him as “without shame or moral sense” but I think this is a bit misleading in translation (though the original Japanese is lost so I can’t say for sure what she said exactly). I think what she means isn’t “he’s evil” but that “he exists outside the framework of human morality.”

Humans Vs Demons in the Manga

I feel like to call Sebastian evil is to miss the fundamental message of the manga: that humans (and formerly human creatures like shinigami) are far more demonic than demons.

Ciel says that almost verbatim, depending on the translation (and if you’re talking about the manga vs the anime) at the end of the circus arc, and Seb replies that is something that sets humans and demons apart.

Sebastian doesn’t kill for the sake of killing. He only kills on command/when necessary to execute (ha) Ciel’s orders/goals. More than once he’s expressed either his distaste at Ciel’s desires, and while Ciel calls him a beast, he takes offense to that.

From Sebastian’s perspective, humans are interesting because they are more complex than demons, who seem to be driven largely by their hunger and not much else.

Recall that Sebastian hesitated to burn down Kelvin’s manor with all the children inside, and it confuses him enough he even questions Ciel about it later. Likewise, while he does kill everyone involved in the Green Witch arc, that was far less about his being “evil,” and more about his doing the job that Ciel ordered him to do while giving him a chance to get his own “revenge” for nearly losing his meal due to the effects of the gas.

I think the closest thing to “evil” Sebastian gets in the manga is when he first makes the contract with Ciel and tries to trick him by making him believe his brother is alive, since he can’t actually resurrect the dead. But I feel it’s telling that is “day one” Sebastian and he has certainly grown and changed since then.

The Ripper Arc: The First Evil

The first true arc is the ripper arc, and I think it’s important because it shows us early that while Sebastian is a literal hellspawn, it wasn’t a demon involved in the serial murders but rather a human—Madam Red—and someone who was once human—Grelle.

Grelle then kills Red in cold blood because she’s become “boring,” which, as far as we know, Grelle never regretted or felt remorse over.

I’m not quite sure if I would even call Grelle evil, but the point is clear: humans, and former humans, are more demonic than demons.

We see it again and again, with the cult, with Kelvin, with the German military in the GWA, with Undertaker and the Aurora society— perhaps it is telling that Sebastian is the only known demon in canon (no, season 2 of the anime is not canon), because it really forces us to see that even the worst of Sebastian’s actions pales in comparison to the depravity of human beings.

If we do wanna look at non-canon, the first season of the anime featured an Angel, a being that is normally associated with being “good,” who becomes so twisted and obsessed with “purity” that they let their aramitama nature take hold and commit great evil in their quest for purification. Even so much as to try and ally with a demon and offer Sebastian any souls he wishes in exchange for Ciel.

So once more we see a non-demon character being the evil one— and Pluto, who is technically a demon, isn’t “evil.” He only “becomes evil” when Ash/Angela break his mind and force him to attack the city.

Ignoring Ciel’s Commands

Finally, I think it’s important to point out that despite promising to always fulfill Ciel’s orders, there have been several times in the manga that he has disobeyed in order to protect Ciel.

One example happens in the circus arc. Ciel’s asthma flares from the harsh conditions at the circus, but he’s determined to go out regardless. But they’re stopped by Agni and Soma.

Agni then gives Sebastian a harsh lecture that makes him realize that simply always following Ciel’s orders isn’t enough if doing so puts his life at risk. So he goes against Ciel’s wishes and not only makes him rest, but let’s him sleep as long as he needs to.

Later, during the Weston arc, when confronted by Undertaker again, Sebastian ignores Ciel’s orders to try and catch him because he learned from his experiences on the Campania and doesn’t want to risk putting Ciel in danger again.

If Sebastian were truly such an evil being, an embodiment of sin, then why would he care about Ciel’s health? Yes, he’s cultivating his soul for optimum yumminess, but harvesting him a bit early wouldn’t really affect him that badly.

Though Sebastian says that he’s doing it because of the terms of their contract or because he’s “taken great pains” to cultivate Ciel’s soul and doesn’t want him stolen, I don’t think that is entirely the truth. While he ofc doesn’t want to lose his meal, I think it’s more than that.

No, he protects Ciel because he wants to. He keeps him safe and out of harm because he chooses to. And demon or not, I don’t think someone like Agni could call an evil being his friend.

[kywaslost]

I was wondering if you could do a request that’s slightly crack but at the same time angst and fluff? Or you can just read this as crack because idc.

Ciel x reader but basically the reader is a criminal who is almost constantly doing things that go against the Queen but every time she gets caught, Ciel is so just—

Ciel: … Are you sorry for what you did?

Reader: yes…☹️

Ciel: she’s innocent.

Sebastian: what no—

He’s like a gentle parent that gives a gentle hit on the wrist then apologizes because he doesn’t ever want the reader to hate him or be taken away from him because he already has had all that he loves taken from him. So no matter if the reader is using him or not to get away with things he will always vouch for her innocence. So he makes Sebastian frame people for the readers crimes. And Sebastian is getting sick of it because of how repetitive it’s getting.

Turn The Other Way - Ciel Phantomhive

A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this one! I hope you like it! Also, today is the first ‘fanfic Friday’ as I’m gonna call it. And requests are still open! <3

Warning/s: mentions of murder, arson

You were much like Snake, a lost ally of the Earl Phantomhive with nowhere to go. Similar to Snake’s upbringing as a servant, you met Ciel and Sebastian during one of their missions from the Queen. You were actually not involved with the case what-so-ever, but got caught up in one of the duo’s man hunts as they chased after someone they thought was the criminal. They ended up chasing you, mistaking you for the man they were looking for.

The man in question was a skilled arsonist, setting fires all throughout London without being caught. One would call it a coincidence that you had nothing to do with this case until you were caught by Sebastian and CIel. They apologized, releasing you and explaining what they were trying to do and who they were trying to catch. You brushed them off, rushing to get home. What the two didn’t know was that you had just robbed a small store, and were on the run back home.

It didn’t take much longer for you to run into the two again, accept this time it was much worse. You ran home to see smoke billowing into the dark sky common from the direction of your apartment. You arrived on scene, seeing someone hiding in the dark smoke of your now-burning home. 

Being a skilled criminal, you knew a thing or two about escapism, making it easier to catch the man who had burnt your home to a crisp. He was fast, and you’d admit he was also very skilled, but so were you. It didn’t take long at all to catch him and tie him up.

You were dragging him by the rope you tied him with, swearing at him and threatening to end his life when you bumped into someone. Being in your current terrible mood, you began yelling at the person you ran into, not realizing it was Sebastian until you managed to get a good look at him.

“Here’s the guy you were looking for,” you growled, shoving the skilled criminal into the butler. “Too little too late.”

Ciel stood close by, watching as firemen attempted to quell the flames of the burning apartment building. “Is this your home?”

You glared at the Earl, then growled, “Yeah. Like I said, too little too late. I caught the guy and I wasn’t even looking for him.” All you had left of your belongings was a small backpack field with a spare outfit and everything you had stolen just hours ago. You adjusted the bag on your shoulder and turned to leave. “Thanks for nothing, guard dog.” You turned your back to the two, stomping away in anger. 

“Wait!” Ciel exclaims, gripping your wrist to stop you from leaving. “Come with us.”

You raised an eyebrow, turning back to the boy. “What?”

“Come with us,” Ciel said again. “You are clearly skilled in something, and you caught the man we’ve been looking for for 4 days, in just an hour.” Ciel smiled ever so slightly. “We could use you. Come be a servant at Phantomhive Manor.”

You shook your hand from his grasp with a scowl. “Why would I want to serve you?”

“We can make a deal,” Sebastian offers. “If you serve Lord Phantomhive, we will provide you with housing and meals, free of charge. All we ask is that you accompany us on any missions we may require you of, as well as completing daily household chores.”

That’s how you came about becoming one of Ciel Phantomhive’s maids. You were spiteful at first, and you had the right to be. Afterall, the Queen’s guard dog failed to save your home, and all of the very few belongings you possessed. But after a few months, you got used to your new life, and dare you say you even enjoyed it. Your room was small yet larger than your old one, and you were allowed to decorate it any way you pleased. The food was excellent, incomparable to the scraps you had to eat as a criminal. 

Living with the Earl made it difficult to keep up with your hobbies.The manor’s other servants kept a close eye on the property, making it nearly impossible to sneak out. So you took your off time on missions to sneak off and break every rule the Queen had set in. You weren’t entirely sure why you found it so enjoyable to be rebellious against the Queen, but it filled you with adrenaline that you couldn’t find anywhere else. 

You were staying in London with Sebastian and Ciel. You were used to the system by now, hunting day and night for whoever, or whatever, you were looking for. You were often left to your own devices, since Ciel ended protection 24/7. This left you open and available for whatever you desired. Today’s task was vandalizing a new monument the Queen was having built in Central London. 

You gathered everything you needed, buckets of brightly colored paint, gloves, and paint brushes. You snuck through the quiet city, enjoying the peacefulness of it all. The unfinished monument left vulnerable, practically asking to be messed with. Smiling widely, you dipped a gloved hand into an open bucket of yellow paint, taking a handful and splattering it across the monument. 

You were 3 colors in when you felt someone grab your hand tightly, keeping you from flinging more paint.

“Y/N?” You froze, breath stalling as you hear Ciel’s voice from behind you.

“Yes master?” you say quietly, afraid of what the boy would do to you. Was he going to fire you? Kick you out and make you live on the streets?

“What are you doing?”

“It seems as if she is vandalizing the Queen’s new prized monument,” Sebastian answers with a glare. The demon awaited for Ciel’s punishment with great joy. Sebastian liked you, don’t get him wrong, but he knew there was something up with you since day 1. His glowing red eyes turned to Ciel with a wicked smile. “How should I punish her, my lord?”

Ciel did not look at Sebastian, eyes still on you. He looked over you, and then your new work of art. He sighed, then asked, “Are you sorry?”

You raised an eyebrow in confusion and Sebastian’s smile dropped almost instantly. “Huh?”

“Are you sorry for what you’ve done?” Ciel asked again, staring at you as he awaited your response.

“Sir, with all do respect,” Sebastian interrupted. “Y/N deserves to be punished and turned in to the Queen for her crimes.”

Ciel raised a hand to silence his Butler. “Y/N, are you sorry?”

You were beyond confused but answered the boy with a soft, “I’m sorry master. I feel awful.”

Ciel straightened, then finally turned to Sebastian. “She’s innocent.”

Sebastian shook his head with shock. “What?!” 

Ciel began walking back towards the place the three of you were staying. “Y/N, follow me. We must get you cleaned up. Sebastian, pin this on someone else. We will continue our search for John Doe tomorrow morning.” Turning to look at Sebastian one last time Ciel sternly said, “That’s an order.”

You shot a sly smile towards Sebastian, then followed the Earl. “Yes, sir.”

Sebastian grumbled, but bowed slightly. “Yes, my lord.” He shot you a glare before disappearing.

You weren’t sure why Ciel let you off the hook, but you didn’t complain. In fact, you pushed your luck, letting yourself get caught every time you tried to steal, vandalize, or rob. Each time, Ciel asked you if you were sorry. You’d say yes, fein a pout, then watch as Sebastian would growl, then grumble as he’s left to clean up your messes. 

After one night where picking up after you was particularly brutal, Sebastian came grumbling to Ciel. “Why do you excuse her behavior?”

“I’m sorry?” Ciel asks with a raised brow. “Who are you to question my actions?”

“She’s a criminal, my lord,” Sebastian continued. “She should not continue to be around you with this behavior.”

“Has she ever harmed me or my name?”

“No, but-”

“Then leave it.” Ciel barked, standing from his spot on the bed where Sebastian changed him from his night clothes. “I cannot lose anyone else. As long as she is safe with us, you will continue to watch after her and keep her from being caught by the queen.”

Sebastian took a deep breath. “I did not know that you felt this way about Y/N.” Bowing lowly, he continued. “I will protect her as I do you, my lord.”

“Use me as an excuse if you have to,” Ciel sighs. “I don’t care. Make sure she stays with us.” He couldn’t risk losing you. Whether you truly were using him, or just doing this due to old habit, you were all Ciel had left. He couldn’t risk anything happening to you or the other servants, so as long as he’s alive he is going to see you as innocent and keep you out of harm’s way of the Queen.

[fowlblue]

I don’t really which fandom though if you want direction to head black butler would do

Hmm… let me think…

Sebastian fights with silverware because Ciel does not do regular knives. He can barely handle seeing a kitchen knife, it unnerves him.

Ciel is 100% blind in his marked eye, and his limited depth perception means he bumps into things a lot when he’s not in the manor (he’s become used to everything there). He can’t gauge distances very well either.

All demons have claws, which are usually their preferred weaponry in combat with one another/otherworldly beings in general. They are usually kept as-is, though Sebastian keeps his retractable like a cat’s because he has to pick up/move Ciel around so often- to say nothing of how unsightly it would be for a butler to have them.

A deal with a demon does lead to some supernatural influence over whatever mortal is involved, and sometimes that means vaguely supernatural traits bleed over. Ciel has limited night vision and uncanny perception, for example.

Ciel rides around on Sebastian’s shoulders sometimes, if the alternative is being carried/a long walk.

Because he has been partially raised by Sebastian over time, Ciel slowly picks up small demonic behaviors and habits from him. Sebastian finds this cute deep-down but doesn’t recognize that he does.

Ciel is claustrophobic.

Demons cannot have mortal food, it makes them ill (Sebastian had to learn proper cooking over time the hard way)- grim reapers, on the other hand, can. Grell loves red velvet cake, for example.

[satoshi-mochida]

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon launches June 27 in the west

From Gematsu

Visual novel remake Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon will launch for PlayStation 4 and Switch on June 27 in the west, Aniplex and TYPE-MOON announced. Physical limited editions will be available for $79.99. Pre-orders are available now.

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon first launched for PlayStation 4 and Switch on August 26, 2021 in Japan.

Here is an overview of the game, via the official website.

About

The celebrated visual novel from Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON is born anew… Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon collects the two tales that make up the “Near Side of the Moon” portion of the original Tsukihime: Arcueid’s scenario, “Moon Princess,” and Ciel’s scenario, “Midnight Rainbow.” Creator Kinoko Nasu has painstakingly disassembled and rebuilt the story, updating the setting to 2010s Tokyo and expanding the narrative. This reimagined presentation will exhilarate players with its hard-hitting tension and realism. Featuring beautifully evolved visuals, animations, and music, Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon presents a fresh take on TYPE-MOON’s genre-defining classic.

Scenario, Director: Kinoko Nasu

Character Design: Takashi Takeuchi

Art Director: Koyama Hirokazu

Graphics: Takao Aotuki, Shimokoshi, Shimaudon, Sunadorineko

Animation and Scripting: BLACK

Scripting: Urushinohara

Programming: Kiyobee

Music: Hideyuki Fukasawa, Keita Haga

Logo Design: WINFANWORKS

Main Theme: ReoNa “Seimeisen” (SACRA MUSIC)

Opening Animation: ufotable

Planning and Production: TYPE-MOON

Story

Ah… just how beautiful the moon is tonight… Gravely injured at a young age, Shiki Tohno was practically banished to a distant relative’s home, where he lived a peaceful life until one day, news arrives of his father Makihisa’s death. Shiki returns home to find his sister Akiha, who has inherited their father’s position, living with two maids. There, he begins a new chapter as the eldest son of the illustrious Tohno family, finding that a life of luxury doesn’t sit right with him. As the days pass, familiar sights of the past awaken fragmented memories. Then, one day, he passes by a monster in the shape of a human… Thus begins the celebrated story of Tsukihime, first created in 1999 as an indie visual novel. See the masterpiece reframed and retold after twenty long years!

Ciel’s Route

After a chance encounter on the morning train with Ciel, a popular upperclassman at school, Shiki finds himself quickly becoming close to Ciel. His school days are warm and lively thanks to colorful characters such as his best friend Arihiko and the new teacher Noel… However, the idyllic times were not to last. A sudden string of killings rocks the city. Shiki finds himself in a pit of despair due to a tragedy of his own making. Amidst it all, someone’s heartfelt words offer him a lifeline in the darkness. They come from none other than Ciel.

Arc’s Route

High schooler Shiki Tohno has been living with distant relatives since a major accident seven years ago. He is recalled to his distinguished family home upon news of his father’s death, and begins a new life in an enormous mansion. Despite the creature comforts, he can’t help but feel an air of disquiet in the house. One day, while in a haze, Shiki crosses paths with an enigmatic woman who introduces herself as Arcueid, and becomes involved in a battle against inhuman vampires beyond human comprehension.

[animeyanderelover]

Erm..I guess that I got one for you somehow..

The Midford and the Phantomhive household headcanons of them quite protective (yandere) over Edward Midfords infant daughter including Edward.

Platonic Yandere stuff is always welcomed. I only included those I could see going Yandere over Edward’s daughter, so only Ciel from the Phantomhive household is in here.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, overprotective behavior

Edward’s infant daughter

Edward Midford

🎩He was pretty much during the entire pregnancy of his darling laying at their feet and the moment his daughter was born, he just cried. He knows as a man he shouldn’t cry and he did his goddamn best, but he couldn’t stop the tears for the love of his life. Just look at her! Just look at that little bundle of love that his darling and him created, so small, fragile and absolutely beautiful. Once again this man finds himself head over heels, the first time for his darling and the second time for his daughter. One look and he’s in love and he just knows from the moment he gets the honor to hold his daughter in his arms that he will do absolutely everything to give her the best and safest life, the same vow he made to his s/o before as well. Edward hardly wants to leave his darling’s and baby’s side ever after.

🎩He’s a bit paranoid that something might happen to both of them whilst he isn’t there and he’s far more attached than some people might approve, it hurts to leave baby and darling alone. Can’t get enough of holding the baby in his arms and he finds himself getting low-key jealous when someone else from his family, except s/o, wants to hold her. It’s only going to be members from his family though, maybe Paula as well since she’s a maid, but everyone else is a big taboo, he constantly worries about a reason that stays mysterious, it’s sheer overprotective feelings. He doesn’t even want people to see her during the first few months, they might infect her and his darling with a sickness or something else. And the mere imagination that one day she’ll grow up to marry someone else awakens a nauseous feeling in his stomach. He spoils his daughter just like his s/o, scold him if you want too, but he can’t resist buying presents of all sorts for her.

Elizabeth Midford

🎀She was so excited to be an aunt for her brother’s and beloved sister-in law’s baby and the day of delivery was emotional, just purely emotional for her and she shed a few tears as well. Elizabeth found herself touched as she saw a tired, but happy s/o, her crying older brother who looked nothing short of blessed from god with everything he could have ever asked for and the small and crying baby. She joins her brother in spoiling the little girl and she especially loves buying clothes and cute little dresses and hair accessories for her. A lot of plushies are her second-favorite choice and if she finds the baby actually cuddling with one of them, she’s swooning. It’s not like she isn’t swooning already most of the time over Edward’s gorgeous baby daughter and she’s constantly telling Ciel about everything involving the infant.

🎀It takes so long for her to convince her brother to let Ciel near his nephew, she’s aware that her brother was never the fondest person of Ciel, especially when it comes to his darling and their freshly born daughter. Ciel is as her fiancé still part of the family and that is why Frances is most likely going to force Edward at one point into easing up a little bit, Edward is begrudgingly beyond end of I may end honestly, he keeps a hawks eye on Ciel if that guy is interacting with the baby. Lizzy tries her best to ease the tension as well, family is important to her and so much more with the arrival of the sweetest little girl. She wants to be the best auntie out there, playing together with the babies tea parties and with the plushies whenever she has time.

Frances Midford

💋She holds her hands somewhat the entire time in the play in a slightly more controlling manner, but she does not mean it in a bad way. During the pregnancy it was important for her that the well-being of Edward’s spouse would be ensured and that they had a few of the best doctors under their supervision since the baby is going to continue their bloodline. Frances is a woman who has her feelings under good control, rules and laws of the society are important for her and so she would never present her emotions in public in a way that would be unfitting for a lady of her position. There’s still no way that she didn't she feel her heart swell with warmth and love when her granddaughter was born though, she even let Edward stay emotional for a while before she put in some words that he shouldn’t cry too much. Not in front of his s/o who had spent the last long hours going through harsh labor pains.

💋She sympathized with his darling a lot though, she knows herself how painful contractions can be and that’s why she was putting Edward’s s/o under rest for the following days so they could get a well-deserved break. She didn’t have to do much in the first place, Edward was already in a fully grown mother hen mode after birth, but she took care of the things that he overlooked. Frances is a lady with fine taste so she can not resist herself to get her hands on some gorgeous clothes and things for the baby, from the whole family she’s still the one who can potentially also go with a stricter love since she wants her granddaughter to be a strong and fine woman when she’s all grownup. There’s no denial that she harbors a soft spot for the baby though and even if she won’t be quite as bad as Edward, she only lets that much people she trusts near the infant during the first few months as well.

Alexis Leon Midford

⚔️Alexis exposes his feelings on multiple occasions differently from his wife who likes to keep her composure. He was looking forward to being a grandfather and meeting his little grandchild and oh god, he was terribly excited and just as much of a nervous mess on the day of birth. Like father, like son I suppose because Edward had the exact same reaction. Frances was not exactly as lenient with her husband when he couldn’t hold back his tears since this all was Edward’s and darling’s moment, though she knew that Alexis would react very openly emotional as well. He’s a guy who wears his heart at his sleeves most of the time after all. He joins his son and his daughter in pampering the little child, Frances accompanies such acts from time to time as well, even if she’s stricter when it comes to the part of education and continuing the traditional fencing.

⚔️Alexis is the affable and easygoing part, he’s together with his wife immensely proud of their grandchild and he kind of gets slightly nostalgic when he thinks about how fast time passed on, Frances occasionally points out that he is being a bit dramatic with this all. Spending moments together with his granddaughter is the highlight of his day and it always brightens his mood. Lizzy and him are currently busy to teach the baby how to say “aunt Lizzy” and “grandpa Alexis”, it is ridiculous and at the same time funny to witness. He’s really all nice and friendly so he isn’t quite as possessive over the little baby as Edward and Frances, but take my word that Lizzy and him can turn to scary people as well if someone would do as much as looking wrongly at the infant.

Paula

👒She’s only a maid, but Paula is at the same time a close friend of Elizabeth about whom she cares greatly. So it’s not avoidable that she’s on closer terms with Edward’s s/o as well and since she serves under the Midford family, she was part of the entire pregnancy. Caring for Edward’s spouse, sensing the visible excitement and happiness of Lizzy and how the whole family was causing a silent and invisible commotion during the entire spam of the pregnancy, she was infected the one or other way. Why wouldn’t she be looking forward to it with great joy and a slightly bubbling nervousness as well? Oh, how much she congratulates everyone as soon as the baby girl arrives, how joyous she is as she sees the pretty girl for the first time and how much her joy only increases as she can basically grab the feelings of happiness, adoration and love that are dancing around in the air. Paula is still not as entitled as to think that she has the right to interact and hold the baby in her arms from the very start.

👒She’s only a maid and she respectfully steps back to give the Midford family time to indulge in their joy upon this unbelievable cute addition to the family. Instead she stays obliged, ready to do whatever she can for Edward’s love and their newborn girl, she will do whatever she can do to help and assist them even if just a little bit. Ends up doing a lot more than what others ask of her, preparing s/o’s favorite meals, tea and carefully picking out gifts with the money that she can afford. Far too shy to ask if she can ever get to spend a bit time with the baby, but Lizzy puts in good words for her and Edward and the rest of the family appreciate her work so at one point they allow her to meet the baby. She’s absolutely over the moon.

Ciel Phantomhive

☕️There is this small tension between him and Edward so he did not get to see the darling too often as soon as it was announced that they were carrying Edward’s baby. The Phantomhive is aware of the certain dislike Lizzy’s brother holds against him, but he never intends to provoke him since Elizabeth is his fiancée and he wouldn’t want to ruin the relationship between him and the Midford family. It isn’t like he wasn’t left in the dark about anything, including childbirth. Elizabeth just had to share every single detail with him and she ended up with tears in her eyes again as she told Ciel about the moment the precious little girl was born into this world and the tears of adoring love ran down her brother’s face.

☕️Honestly, there’s not too much personal interest in the baby at first and the fact that Edward is refusing to let Ciel near his baby at first doesn’t help to build an emotion relationship either. It isn’t until both Elizabeth and Frances remain hard that the young father finally invites Ciel over to meet his nephew. The first meeting was kind of awkward since Ciel is not exactly the best with small and young toddlers and the drilling gazes of Edward never left the back of his head. He’s not someone to fall in love at first sight, he needs a good amount of time until he starts growing more protective and fond, that is possible thanks to Elizabeth who wants Edward’s daughter to get to know her uncle as well. More of a reversed person, Ciel won’t outright end up showering the infant like his fiancé, but he won’t hold back when he deems himself to be in the mood either.

[grelleswife]

I am just confused why they resort to calling Doll "he" right away, I know it was plot related in book of circus where She was pretending I think so she could bunk with Ciel? But that isn't the case here? I just hope if it actually comes up and Doll corrects them saying she's a she she doesn't do it the same way, like making Finny touch her like that time with Ciel, cause that was very poor humor :/

Hi, anon! I was somewhat perplexed by that, myself. In the circus arc, Doll explains that she shares a tent with O!Ciel as Freckles rather than remaining aloof from the rookies (despite being a first-string member) because she doesn’t like rooming alone and sleeps better when she has a companion nearby.

But even if Doll remains in her casual attire at the orphanage (since she likely doesn’t do much tightrope walking these days) and fulfills a role where she helps newcomers settle in (a bit of conjecture on my part, but it wouldn’t surprise me), I can’t see the advantage to her using he/him pronouns in the present arc. She also introduces herself to Finnian as “Doll,” not “Freckles,” further suggesting that she wishes to be perceived as feminine.

Moreover, while Snake wasn’t a founding member, he’d been with the circus troupe long enough to form a close bond with them. I’d therefore assume he would be aware that Doll and Freckles were the same person…unless there’s a detail from the circus arc disproving this that I overlooked? 🤔

Although I can’t say for certain since I (sadly) don’t read Japanese, I’m wondering if there was a translation error here? Or perhaps Doll prefers to be addressed in a masculine way when she’s presenting like this? I honestly have no clue, but hopefully we’ll gain some clarity as the orphanage arc progresses!

(And I’m with you—praying Yana doesn’t pull another tasteless gag involving underage characters. That scene was quite offputting, to say the least 😣)

[abybweisse]

I can’t wait for Finny and snake story, first because Finny is a sunshine and Snake is so mysterious to me, like at first I thought he was just a shy boy but then reading some posts saying he could be a demon or smth, tbh I don’t think he’s an experiment subject like Finny because he was shown inside a circus cage like he doesn’t have any memories of being a test subject, maybe he never met his demon parent he was in a circus environment since little. And also I have to add that the interaction between Finny and snake is really cute and I feel like they can be genuine friends, Finny is more like an older brother to Ciel imo, and Finny and snake had similar childhoods being neglected and abused.

Norfolk flashbacks

I think the main idea of Snake being an experiment is one in which Snake is born as an experimental genetic cross between human and snake… or something like that. Not like how Finny was given injections. Still, it’s a stretch. It’s actually easier for me to believe Snake might be part demon, and I’ve posted a time or two about that.

I don’t know which one of them we will get the major flashbacks from. But I say it’s probably Finny, since he was the first servant to be hired after our earl’s return to the manor, and because he’s so completely loyal to our earl. We have hints about his life at that research facility, and we have hints regarding how he escaped, but that’s about it. We don’t know how long he was there or how he got there, but I have a theory he’s the son of the researcher who was sent to kill the subjects. I take special note of how the guy kills the other two subjects first and then still hesitates on S-012. I see Finny and Sieglinde as having very similar situations, growing up in military facilities where they are lied to and forced to do as they are told. And it’s their own parents, who should be protecting them, who get them involved. We know that’s the case with Sieglinde, but I theorize it’s similar for Finny, except that his father didn’t want to kill him, whereas Sieglinde’s mother was perfectly willing to sacrifice her own daughter to keep the military’s secrets. And Sieglinde leaves with the knowledge her own mother set her up. If that researcher is Finny's father, he might have escaped without learning the truth.

I would love to see Finny's story, because details are definitely missing from the snippets we've seen. I wonder if the guy (if he's Finny's father) ends up confessing this to his son... and then takes his own life. We don't actually know who kills this guy; is it Finny or himself? I'd previously assumed it was Finny, but now I'm not sure. Either way, this guy has a reason for hesitating to kill S-012, when he shows no such hesitation towards killing the other two kids. Even more interesting if the guy calls him by anything other than S-012 before he dies.

We could get some more background on Snake, but I don’t think it matters quite as much. Plus, we saw him join the Phantomhive household, so Yana-san doesn’t need to cover that again. It’s quite possible Snake doesn’t even know whatever particularly interesting truth there is to learn about him, like why he looks part snake, why he can communicate with snakes, why the pungi (snake charming instrument) affects him, etc. Reminds me of the first kuromyu, Friendship, in which the demon, Kirito, is fatally injured by Yuuki playing this special flute that exorcises spirits and demons. I see that musical as a huge parallel to Agni's later death. He's not a demon, but he can go toe to toe with one, thanks to the Right Hand of Kali. In the link just above, there's a discussion about this.

And here's another post on the topic... making parallels between these dynamic duos: Yuuki and Kirito, our earl and Sebastian, and Soma and Agni. Kirito and Agni each become better people, and they both end up dying to protect their masters. Could Sebastian, particularly if he learns to become a better person, end up dying, too? Even if Snake isn't a demon/part demon, he has very special non-human abilities, while Finny, though "fortified", is still apparently 100% human. And even though Finny isn't Snake's master, Snake could end up dying trying to protect him... or dying trying to indirectly protect our earl. Whatever the exact scenario, if we lose Finny or Snake in Norfolk, I envision us losing Snake.

[kitkatopinions]

Nitpick Number Nine: Why aren’t there any sports outside of ‘being a Hunter’ in the schools, or other extracurricular stuff?

This one’s pretty simple, but I don’t understand how the only thing people do in school in the universe of RWBY is be a hunter or hang around their room.

Of course, someone might say “I don’t know why they’d have to mention if extra stuff exists in Beacon or the other schools because it doesn’t matter at all to the plot,” but tbh, small things like people liking sports or wanting to join clubs really go a long way towards helping flesh out characters. Imagine Pyrrha avoiding sports because she doesn’t want to draw attention to herself, but her and Nora supporting Ren and Jaune in trying to start up a chess club even though Velvet is the only other member, and Neptune joining their chess club later. Nora and Yang playing basketball for Beacon with Fox and Yatsuhashi, complaining that they can’t go all the way and use their semblances while they play, and Ruby pointing out that she thinks learning self-control is part of doing sports in combat school? People pestering Weiss to join the choir, but she decides to get involved in Ruby, Blake, Sun, and Neptune’s book club with the newly arrived Neon, Ciel, and Penny (who got special invitation to go.) Ruby in special metal shop classes that are specific to weapons building and enhance, begging people to join her because she doesn’t have any friends in the club with her.

Idk, I just think this is one big missed opportunity just to even have characters mention in passing. Little moments like these flesh out characters, just like having Yang and Weiss doing party planning, and having Yang and Ruby super involved in a board game they clearly have played a lot, and having Nora talk about a crazy dream she has. All the characters could’ve done with some fleshing out even in the early seasons and sports and other extracurricular stuff could’ve been a very nice addition.

[uozlulu]

Black Clover chapter 331 reaction and spoilers

Between the spoiler I saw because I got curious about Lucius as a trending topic (and Twitter said it was about Our Flag Means Death) and Ciel standing before Yuno on the first page of this chapter, I can tell this is going to be one of those chapters I’m just going to internally scream throughout the entire chapter.

As I always suspected, Yuno chooses Asta and Clover, but I like that Yuno does have this opportunity to reconnect with his mother no matter what the future holds for him.

I still love how Asta and Yuno constantly move in parallels as any good rival pair should. Even though Licita is truly dead, Asta still got to see her and learn about her through Liebe, and I love that so much especially because off screen Asta can learn even more about Licita through Liebe as they continue to grow their bond together.

What I’ve always liked about Damnatio is that he does truly have Clover Kingdom’s best interests at heart. This is why we can trust the information coming from him about the devils even though he’s an antagonist towards Asta and the others. I also like that Damnatio takes this information directly to Julius. They’ve been working together for a while now, which is part of the theory I’ve had for a while now that Julius would become some kind of antagonist one day. It’s clear that Damnatio trusts Julius and respects him. I think Damnatio was hoping either a) his suspicions were false and Julius would help him find the correct analysis or b) if they were correct, Julius and he could work towards a plan to stop Astaroth. It’s also kind of a shame that Damnatio trusts and respects Julius because that’s what’s going to get him killed now.

As I found out because I click on trending topics no thoughts head empty (which is how I got spoiled for Joy Boy accidentally a few weeks ago), Lucius is the final Zogratis sibling and was lurking within Julius. The sun symbol is interesting since Loyce had sun magic and the Zogratis siblings do look like they could be related to Yuno (though that could also just be a stylistic thing).

I also really like how the reason that Julius’ grimoire looks like that is because it’s actually Astaroth’s grimoire spinning constantly while concealing its cover. I’m curious if this means that Lucius has always been Astaroth or if Lucius himself also has his own grimoire and his own power in the them of his siblings (blood, bone, and body). If so, then perhaps Lucius’ actual magic is soul magic, which might also be how he was able to create Julius with a soul that’s the antithesis of his own.

Adrammelech presents Luciferio’s heart to Lucius, likely for Lucius to consume. I’m curious if Lucius wanted to consume Megicula and Beelzebub’s hearts too or not.

What I’m curious about now is since we know that the Dark Triad were younger than they were during the coup when Lucius still lived with them if Lucius did a Yoko Kurama and let himself be born as Julius or if he just rewound himself with a time spell and a noble family adopted him as Julius or if he implanted himself in Julius much like how Patri and Vangeance shared a body. I’m also curious if the Dark Triad knew where he went in specifics or generalities too.

I feel really bad for Marx who is going to take this possibly hardest of all. Also Yami and Vangeance too, who will both feel probably the weight of that loss and also the weight of being unable to stop it. It’ll be interesting to see how characters react and how the news of Luicus killing Julius will play out for all involved across the kingdom. The next arc is called The Ultimate Wizard King, so I would think it might be a war of succession kind of arc, but at the same time kind of hoping it’s more than that especially because the Spade Arc was a long war arc.

It’s going to be interesting to see how angels or the divine might also play a role in the upcoming arc. We know that Charlotte was cursed by something that doesn’t look like a devil and we know that Nacht spoke to something from above that criticized him for looking for spiritual guidance after trying to make a deal with a devil. Tabata is always good about returning to such things so it’ll be interesting to see how that will fit into the final arc.

I’m also really glad and grateful that Jump is going to let Tabata take some time to really work on the final arc and get it ready before putting him back into weekly deadlines. I was around for Kubo vs. Jump during the Fullbringer Arc of Bleach and that was honestly at times genuinely painful to watch not just because of the narrative choices but also because of the fact we all knew Kubo was ill at the time and Jump was having none of it. I’m glad that Jump has learned from that experience not just because it’ll give us a better story, but also because nobody deserves to be under that situation either. It’s also why the Fullbringer Arc’s ending doesn’t bother me as much as it could.

Anyway, I’m really excited to see where the story is going to go from here and I can’t wait to find out where we’ll pick up when Black Clover returns even if we have to wait some months for that to happen.

[satoshi-mochida]

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon launches in summer 2024 in the west

Gematsu Source

Visual novel remake Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon will launch for PlayStation 4 and Switch in summer 2024 in the west, Aniplex and TYPE-MOON announced. Physical limited editions will be available for $79.99. Digital editions will be announced at a later date.

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon first launched for PlayStation 4 and Switch on August 26, 2021 in Japan.

Get the latest details below, via the official website.

About

The celebrated visual novel from Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON is born anew… Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon collects the two tales that make up the “Near Side of the Moon” portion of the original Tsukihime: Arcueid’s scenario, “Moon Princess,” and Ciel’s scenario, “Midnight Rainbow.” Creator Kinoko Nasu has painstakingly disassembled and rebuilt the story, updating the setting to 2010s Tokyo and expanding the narrative. This reimagined presentation will exhilarate players with its hard-hitting tension and realism. Featuring beautifully evolved visuals, animations, and music, Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon presents a fresh take on TYPE-MOON’s genre-defining classic.

Scenario, Director: Kinoko Nasu

Character Design: Takashi Takeuchi

Art Director: Koyama Hirokazu

Graphics: Takao Aotuki, Shimokoshi, Shimaudon, Sunadorineko

Animation and Scripting: BLACK

Scripting: Urushinohara

Programming: Kiyobee

Music: Hideyuki Fukasawa, Keita Haga

Logo Design: WINFANWORKS

Main Theme: ReoNa “Seimeisen” (SACRA MUSIC)

Opening Animation: ufotable

Planning and Production: TYPE-MOON

Story

Ah… just how beautiful the moon is tonight… Gravely injured at a young age, Shiki Tohno was practically banished to a distant relative’s home, where he lived a peaceful life until one day, news arrives of his father Makihisa’s death. Shiki returns home to find his sister Akiha, who has inherited their father’s position, living with two maids. There, he begins a new chapter as the eldest son of the illustrious Tohno family, finding that a life of luxury doesn’t sit right with him. As the days pass, familiar sights of the past awaken fragmented memories. Then, one day, he passes by a monster in the shape of a human… Thus begins the celebrated story of Tsukihime, first created in 1999 as an indie visual novel. See the masterpiece reframed and retold after twenty long years!

Ciel’s Route

After a chance encounter on the morning train with Ciel, a popular upperclassman at school, Shiki finds himself quickly becoming close to Ciel. His school days are warm and lively thanks to colorful characters such as his best friend Arihiko and the new teacher Noel… However, the idyllic times were not to last. A sudden string of killings rocks the city. Shiki finds himself in a pit of despair due to a tragedy of his own making. Amidst it all, someone’s heartfelt words offer him a lifeline in the darkness. They come from none other than Ciel.

Arc’s Route

High schooler Shiki Tohno has been living with distant relatives since a major accident seven years ago. He is recalled to his distinguished family home upon news of his father’s death, and begins a new life in an enormous mansion. Despite the creature comforts, he can’t help but feel an air of disquiet in the house. One day, while in a haze, Shiki crosses paths with an enigmatic woman who introduces herself as Arcueid, and becomes involved in a battle against inhuman vampires beyond human comprehension.

Watch a new trailer below.

Trailer #2

[blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk]

headcanons for joker and sebastian sharing an s/o because I lowkey ship them 🥲

... I can see that ;)

Well, they’re not so much competitive as they are… show-offs. Both of them, really, it’s just that Sebastian is a lot less conspicuous about it. After all, most people pay attention to him and are charmed when he’s literally doing nothing. What could he do to catch your eye? The most mundane of things, like giving you a particularly winsome smile. Joker, on the other hand, loves to impress you with magic tricks. Preferably ones that involve flowers or a puff of smoke or things like that. He loves the amazed look in your eye, like you’re focused on nothing other than your delight at something he’s just done.

They both adore sweeping you off your feet with romantic gestures. Surprisingly, as well, both of them are actually quite simple with the way they go about those things. You might not expect from Sebastian that he likes to treat you tenderly… almost like a wolf kissing a lamb with mouth wide open. The dichotomy of what he is and what you are and how you (and only you) allow him to be soft is fascinating to him, even if you don’t know anything about his true nature. And Joker is rather a simple man in general, all sweet hugs and neck nuzzles and affectionate pecks before life whisks him away. You make him feel, which is the highest compliment he could give to anyone, after all the rest of the intensity of emotions overwhelms him. He feels like all the good things he has, like you, could be snatched away in an instant… he has to soak it up, and show it at every opportunity, so that if you do get taken from him, at least you’ll know how much he loved you.

There are nights when you sleep at the Phantomhive estate, and nights when you sleep in Joker’s tent at the circus fairgrounds. Sebastian is incredibly reluctant when this starts, because regardless of how the timeline is going, it’s a… liability, to have you piecing together his master’s identity and/or role in what’s happening with the circus. He only allows it because Ciel trusts that you’ll stay quiet about anything strange that you see (and possibly threatens you into it). He’s thrilled, though. He loves to lie in bed with you in his arms, feigning sleep, and watching you at rest. Of course, Joker often tells you that you don’t have to stay, if you would rather go be with Sebastian; he’s got business at night with the other first-stringers, after all, so you should be with someone. But when it’s Joker’s turn, it’s his turn, and you’ll have none of it. That you can lie in bed surrounded by the blanket that smells like him is a comfort to you. When he does return, you always know, by the delicate arms that encircle you and the soft kiss ghosted across your forehead. At least the two of you get a few hours of sleep with one another.

… Do they kiss each other too?? Maybe. Nothing’s out of the realm of possibility when it comes to arrangements like yours. It’s all too likely that they both had an immediate attraction to each other, and simply didn’t or wouldn’t act on it until they had you in the mix as well. Sharing you means the two of them are in closer proximity than they might have otherwise been. It affords them more moments to get a little intimate between themselves, more potential for longing glances and lingering hands and quickly stolen kisses. Should they find out that you’re interested in the romantic scenes between them as well, and not just yourself, it’s practically a guarantee that the two of them will find ways to create more opportunities for them to kiss. Both to entertain you and/or turn you on, and, well, because they enjoy kissing each other. Surely it doesn’t have to all be so complicated, right?

[thedarkestcrow]

there is wisdom in sebastian's decision to not destroying the music hall and advising ciel not to keep elizabeth by force but he didn't know humans are afraid of the unknown which is a pretty basic fact about us. so for a creature that has lived for centuries, do you consider him a wise character? he is all about his meal. does he lack ambitions or doesn't he see anything fascinating about ruling over a bunch of grasshoppers? is he capable of appreciating art (literature, painting, music)?

Good questions! I think Sebastian likes to think about himself as being wise and knowledgeable about humans. However, throughout the time spent by Ciel’s side he was often surprised about human behavior and learnt a lot new things about humans. He even grew to respect some of them, at least to a certain amount - which for someone who sees humans as grasshoppers is really something. 

I think Sebastian isn’t very wise when it comes to understand or predict human behavior. He probably only had short-term contracts before where he didn’t really have to interact so much with humans. He just did whatever job the contract required him to do and got a meal out of it. Quick and easy. Through that, he could only ever see a fraction of human nature and he probably only ever came across a certain type of human: Those who are easily tempted and who would stop at nothing in order to fulfill their egoistic desire, regardless of hurting others. That’s Sebastian’s view of humans in general which constantly appears in the manga.

In the Jack the Ripper arc...

...the Circus arc...

...the Campania arc...

Sebastian seems to think that every human is like that. He doesn’t see them as individuals but thinks their motivation and behavior is basically all the same. Kinda like we humans wouldn’t think that grasshoppers each have their own personalities. So when a human doesn’t act like Sebastian would expect them to act due to his view on human nature he is surprised. Especially if emotions and feelings like love or selflessness are involved because as a demon Sebastian probably doesn’t know these feelings. But these unknown surprises are what Sebastian finds interesting and fascinating. It’s a change from his otherwise boring routine. I also think he could appreciate art since that often is an expression of emotions that Sebastian is unfamiliar with.

The contract with Ciel is something new to him. It’s a long-term contract and it requires him to act human himself, to blend in and to interact with all kinds of humans. Because of that he now experiences human behavior much more detailed and diverse. And I think he is learning a lot about humans. He might never be able to fully understand or sympathize with human emotions but he begins to see that there are differences and that humans are more complex than he used to believe. And that fascinates him. Getting to know people like Agni who are willing to die in order to protect those important to them...

...or trying to understand people like Elizabeth who’s struggling with her feelings of love and duty...

Those are new experiences for Sebastian which changes his understanding of humans. So these few years he has spent by Ciel’s side have probably taught him a lot more than decades or even centuries of contracts before. And while I don’t think Sebastian will completely change in that he still thinks as himself above humans, I like to believe that this contract is special to him and that he’ll gain more from it that just a delicious soul: a new understanding and respect of the complexity and individuality of human nature.

Thanks for your interesting questions, Anon. Have a nice weekend and stay healthy! :)