Phantomhive sounds like a fever
I very recently got into Earl Ciel Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) I think the manga is brilliant and hard to put down with exeption of a few pointless random parts.
I watched the anime as well in only two days haha. of 24 episodes, there were probably only a handful of short scenes (10sec-1min) that I really approved of. Overall, it was full of wierdness.
I think I may blog about Ciel's outfits. That would be a worthwhile endeavor. Cool and artsy too. Couldn't you image images of Ciel's different outfits and comparisons to historical Victorian fashion and a little banter about how pretty his clothes are?? And what function they serve towards the story?
I love the attitude going on here. It is not the way Ciel normally carries himself. He's all slouched with his right arm resting on the couch and a tense stare. hmmmmm desserts . . Whilst I (like most) gawk at his more flamboyant, wildly extravagant overcoats with long trains of fabric and gorgeously addorned top hat, it's really his simpler, more masculine clothes that I like the best.
It might be pointless to say which outfits of his are my favorite because a big part of Ciel's character design is clothes. Not to mention, he has many different outfits. Much more than the typical male shonen character. Which is surprising in of itself!? How is this manga a shonen? The panels are set up like a shojo. Emotion is protrayed like a shojo. It is like a mix.
Ciel's motivation comes from 'tasting shame beneath that of an animal's.' a line from episode 14 of the anime. Shame, which so far we know to be: parents killed, mansion burned, kidnapped, sold to occultists, used as a slave, tortured, sacrifced. Having only been into Kuroshitsuji for less than a week I don't understand the actual sacrifice. It was done with a stab to his chest. But does it kill him or his he put on the edge of death? Because I doubt Seb has the ability to revive life. Anyway . . . not important.
What I mean is that Ciel has powerful trauma in his life and it drives him to want revenge against those responsible. Yana Toboso is very good at only revealing a few snips of Ciel past at a time. A crystal clear image of Ciel's motivation is not provided. It is known that he wants revenge but he can be vauge, contridictary, and fickle. As a reader, it is hard to understand why Ciel behaves the way he does in certaint situations.
In short, it is realistic. Even if his past has a far-fetched qualitiy to it and most children would 1. have severe problems in adult life (ex. social disorders, drinking, drug abuse, depression, sucidality and others) or 2. recover with proper care, but still retain some issues from their abuse. The way Ciel behaves is unique but so believable. He does, however, have some of those natural child-like reactions to abuse. Flashbacks, nightmares, etc. He acts like a puppy when it comes to seeing bodies, blood, fire, cages, knives. It physically bothers him. Being touched, picked up in any familiar way triggers him react like a puppy thinking of a raised hand that hits even if actual intentions are good. In extreme cases like being in the reconstructed room of his torture and sacrifice, opening the door to a warehouse of murdered bodies, etc. he losses his lunch throws up in reaction. Weak stomach much? Poor guy . . .
Ciel is the definiion of a character in the moral gray
For example, in the case of Jack the Ripper: he allows the next victim to be murdered when it is in his power to save her, and instead opts to pursue the culprit in hopes of bringing him to justice for the Queen. When he finds that 'Jack the Ripper' is actually his aunt Anne/Madam Red he can't bring himself to kill her (again, even when it's in his power to do so via the pistol in his back pocket). Anne is killed by Greil Sutcliffe when she refuses to kill Ciel. And to make it even more confusing. In the end, he attends Anne's funeral aswell as make a grave for the victim he did not save.
He lays a red dress and a red rose over Anne's body and places white lillys over the victim's grave. I say talk about a complicated boy!!
I find Ciel Phantomhive to be one of the most interesting characters I don't even know completely.
Now to the prettiness!
The green outfit is my favorite. I'm biased though. Green is my favorite color.
His almost military looking uniform from the cury arc. Complete with miniture hat and plume and ornamental sword.
This outfit is amazing. It is described as 'for the Queen' and Ciel even sings God Save the Queen in it *sqee*
I don't have a picture of what the uniform looks like in the manga . . . oh well.
Ciel's outfit of supreme angst. I love it. This was the part where he visited the grave of the the 'jack the ripper' victim. Anytime his hair is slicked back, I'm for it.
There is something so sad about his king motif. Ciel plays a game where he is the king peice on the chess board and everyone else is pieces on the board. Sebastion is compared to the knight. He plays a game with more emphasis on lasting till the end rather than taking the other player's king. He will be the last piece on the board when there is no one else left.
I think the kings clothes provide the perfect frame for his tragedy, The clothes are in direct contrast with the sinful deeds of Ciel. and almost mocking.
I love it^^