Black Butler (黒執事 Kuroshitsuji?) is a manga written and illustrated by Yana Toboso. Since its debut on September 16, 2006, it has been serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy.
The series follows Sebastian Michaelis, a demonic butler who is bound by a supernatural contract to serve Ciel Phantomhive, the thirteen-year-old head of the Phantomhive noble family and the business-savvy owner of the Funtom company, a toy manufacturer. In return, when Sebastian has helped Ciel finish all of his tasks, including avenging his parents' deaths, Sebastian will be allowed to consume his soul. It was announced in July 2008 that an anime adaption, directed by Toshiya Shinohara and produced by A-1 Pictures, was expected. It premiered in October 2008, and has since ended with 24 episodes. The second season aired in 2010 spanning 12 episodes with two new main characters, Alois Trancy and Claude Faustus. The series has been licensed by Yen Press in North America and published in Yen Plus' August 2009 issue for the magazine's first anniversary.
Just a stone's throw away from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom and its young master, Ciel Phantomhive. On the night of Ciel Phantomhive's tenth birthday, a fire engulfed his manor. The boy was missing for a month before returning with a mysterious black clad butler, Sebastian Michaelis. To others, it seems that the butler is simply the best at his craft, from anticipating his young master's needs to carrying them out to the best of his abilities. Little do they know, the servant is actually a demon that had entered into a contract with Ciel, promising the boy to help him achieve revenge on the arsonists in exchange for his soul. Sebastian Michaelis, an exceptionally loyal butler, is ever at Ciel's side, ready to carry out his young master's wishes. As the Queen's guard dog and standing at the top of the British underworld, the young boy must face many difficulties along the way. Black Butler is set in the Victorian era, and carries with it the typical eloquence of its time.
