Is it worth watching the anime adaptation at all or is it better to start straight with the manga?
Many fans who began their acquaintance with Black Butler with the anime and then decided to read the original source were extremely surprised and a little disappointed. But what happened?
The first thing fans point out when talking about an adaptation is that it doesn't follow the canon. The story in the anime is very different from that in the manga (exceptions are the separately adapted Book of Circus and Book of Murder arcs, which were filmed following the source material).
Even the personalities of some characters were slightly changed to suit the anime. Despite the fact that some episodes are still film adaptations of some arcs, many moments were simply cut out and replaced with non-canon, sometimes even fanservice moments.
In addition, if we look only at the first season, then the anime can be considered a complete story that does not require continuation.
Some fans, by the way, see this as a plus, because the first season can be watched in isolation from the main story, and see what would have happened if the story had gone in a different direction and Ciel had achieved his goal earlier.
However, there are still a large number of secrets and characters that have not been revealed to the end, and thus after watching there are still some things unsaid.
As for the second season, it misleads many viewers even more. The second season of the anime is a complete invention of the writers, in no way connected with the manga or even with the first season of the anime. It can be seen as a completely alternative story with new characters. However, even if you do not connect the second season with the canon, then, according to some fans, this story still remains incomprehensible and completely unnecessary.
This is why some consider the anime to be an entertaining addition to the main story, to see their favorite characters animated and perhaps see just another interpretation of how the story could have ended.
By the way, the new season of the anime is planned for 2024, which is supposed to be an adaptation of the Weston College arc. Many fans are hoping that the new adaptation will strictly follow the source material, as this arc is quite important for the further course of the story.
Is it worth watching the anime adaptation at all or is it better to start straight with the manga?
Many fans who began their acquaintance with Black Butler with the anime and then decided to read the original source were extremely surprised and a little disappointed. But what happened?
The first thing fans point out when talking about an adaptation is that it doesn't follow the canon. The story in the anime is very different from that in the manga (exceptions are the separately adapted Book of Circus and Book of Murder arcs, which were filmed following the source material).
Even the personalities of some characters were slightly changed to suit the anime. Despite the fact that some episodes are still film adaptations of some arcs, many moments were simply cut out and replaced with non-canon, sometimes even fanservice moments.
In addition, if we look only at the first season, then the anime can be considered a complete story that does not require continuation.
Some fans, by the way, see this as a plus, because the first season can be watched in isolation from the main story, and see what would have happened if the story had gone in a different direction and Ciel had achieved his goal earlier.
However, there are still a large number of secrets and characters that have not been revealed to the end, and thus after watching there are still some things unsaid.
As for the second season, it misleads many viewers even more. The second season of the anime is a complete invention of the writers, in no way connected with the manga or even with the first season of the anime. It can be seen as a completely alternative story with new characters. However, even if you do not connect the second season with the canon, then, according to some fans, this story still remains incomprehensible and completely unnecessary.
This is why some consider the anime to be an entertaining addition to the main story, to see their favorite characters animated and perhaps see just another interpretation of how the story could have ended.
By the way, the new season of the anime is planned for 2024, which is supposed to be an adaptation of the Weston College arc. Many fans are hoping that the new adaptation will strictly follow the source material, as this arc is quite important for the further course of the story.
