The Black Butler anime series continues with the highly anticipated Emerald Witch Arc, plunging Ciel Phantomhive and his ever-efficient demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, into a new and perilous investigation. The season premiere has arrived, and here’s a breakdown of what to expect from this thrilling new chapter.
Premiere Details
- Premiere Date: April 5, 2025
- Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll
- Regions: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, and more
- Original Airing: Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV channels
A Return to Form
After a nearly decade-long hiatus, Black Butler made a comeback with its fourth season, adapting the Public School Arc. The series’ faithful return to Yana Toboso’s manga garnered acclaim, reigniting enthusiasm among fans. Now, Black Butler continues its momentum with the Emerald Witch Arc.
Synopsis: A Dark Mystery Unfolds
At the behest of Queen Victoria, the thirteen-year-old Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his demonic butler, Sebastian Michaelis, journey from London to southern Germany. Their mission: to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. Legend has it that those who enter the Werewolves’ Forest are cursed, but Ciel and Sebastian venture forth to uncover the truth.
The recently released trailer paints a foreboding picture. Ciel and Sebastian are summoned by Queen Victoria to investigate a series of grotesque deaths in a secluded German village. Rumors swirl of a cursed forest and the enigmatic figure known as the Emerald Witch. As the duo unearths the village’s dark secrets, they encounter Sieglinde Sullivan, a young girl revered as the Emerald Witch, alongside her stoic butler Wolfram.
Episode 1: “His Butler, On Board”
Ciel and Sebastian receive a letter from the Queen to investigate unexplained deaths in Germany. Arriving with the Phantomhive servants, they learn that the victims had entered the Werewolf Forest and suffered the “Witch’s Curse.” Seeking answers, the duo travels deeper and discovers a secluded village inhabited solely by women. There, they meet Sieglinde Sullivan, the village’s young liege lord, and her butler, Wolfram Gelzer. The episode introduces key characters and sets up the Emerald Witch Arc.
Characters
The Emerald Witch Arc introduces new characters while bringing back familiar faces.
- Ciel Phantomhive (Maaya Sakamoto): The young Earl of Phantomhive, tasked with solving mysteries for the Queen.
- Sebastian Michaelis (Daisuke Ono): Ciel’s demon butler, skilled in combat, cooking, and everything in between.
- Sieglinde Sullivan (Rie Kugimiya): A young girl known as the Emerald Witch, ruling over a mysterious village.
- Wolfram Gelzer (Chikahiro Kobayashi): Sieglinde’s loyal and stoic butler.
- Finnian (Yūki Kaji): The Phantomhive household’s gardener, with a hidden strength.
- Mey-Rin (Emiri Katō): The clumsy but skilled Phantomhive maid.
- Baldroy (Hiroki Tōchi): The Phantomhive cook, known for his explosive methods.
- Tanaka (Mugihito): The Phantomhive house steward.
- Snake (Takuma Terashima): A member of the Phantomhive household.
- Queen Victoria (Hiromi Seta): The Queen of England, who tasks Ciel with investigating the strange occurrences in Germany.
The Emerald Witch Arc: What to Expect
A Darker Tone
The Emerald Witch Arc is one of the darker storylines in the Black Butler series. Curses, werewolves, and witches—it all might sound like some fairy tale, but Black Butler is not known for giving happily-ever-afters. In a world where demons, grim reapers, and zombies exist, one can only expect something more sinister for Ciel to discover.
Folklore and Mystery
The shift in setting to Germany allows the plot to delve more into folklore. Demons are one thing, but can the Phantomhive crew also handle witches and werewolves?
Sieglinde: More Than Meets the Eye
Ciel may spend his time running around with his eccentric staff at the behest of the queen, but he’s also a well-bred young gentleman. And nothing in that upbringing has prepared him for the realization that his hostess eats like a feral warthog and expects that Ciel and Sebastian have come to unlock her “secret room.”
Sieglinde had already been presented as Ciel’s mirror, and Ciel himself was among the many children who were kidnapped by cultists in order to summon Sebastian. Black Butler is not a series that shies away from putting younger characters in harm’s way or even killing them off completely.
Themes of Isolation and Prejudice
So far Emerald Witch Arc has managed to avoid some of the more troubling aspects of witch and werewolf folklore, such as the way those two beings are used to demonize those deemed Other by society. Instead, the issue is outsiders in general, and Ciel is clearly that even if he could speak German properly.
The Village
According to the locals that were questioned, every person who had died with similar symptoms had all previously visited the same forest. This forest, referred to as the “Werewolves’ Forest” by locals, is said to be cursed. For this reason, people have surmised that the mysterious deaths are all caused by the witches, who live within the forest. In order to escape the torture and executions, many witches fled deep into what is now known as Werewolves’ Forest, where they established a village called Wolfsschlucht. The stories say that these witches summoned werewolves to protect them from being hunted down, which is what earned the forest its name.
Manga vs. Anime
For those new to Black Butler, there are differences between the manga and anime adaptations. The anime series uses canon material for the first half of the first season, the third season (Book of Circus), and the OVAs Book of the Atlantic and Book of Murder. In season one, the story pivots after episode 6 or so into a different storyline (Regarding the missing girls and the puppeteer). This is not manga related. The second season is not canon in any form.
Final Thoughts
The Emerald Witch Arc promises to be a thrilling and dark addition to the Black Butler anime series. With its intriguing plot, new characters, and exploration of folklore, it’s sure to captivate fans old and new. Prepare to be bewitched!