Forum - View topicREVIEW: Black Butler GN 3
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Starre257
 Posts: 90 |
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I guess that's all true about "Grendel", but how do you feel about Grelle?
*Hugs the Trio of Adorable in the corner, they get no love* Edit: Thanks for fixing that! Last edited by Starre257 on Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Thanks for the name correction, apparently it was autocorrected somewhere. It's been fixed.
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neocloud9
 Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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YESSS~
This one has been my favorite volume yet! 
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kuriousity
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 45 Location: Canada |
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Sorry - completely my mistake! I turned on my spell checker again to help with grammatical issues forum users have been noting and didn't realize it had gone and changed a name on me. I'll be far more careful about this in the future. |
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Jaymie
Posts: 915 |
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I really like Black Butler, but it's a pity that it will always overshadow the far superior Pandora Hearts. Black Butler still hasn't diverged into the main story yet after ten volumes, and Pandora Hearts started the revelations in Volume 4.
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neocloud9
Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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Hmm, I'd have to disagree with you there. I've always loved Black Butler, so I tried to get into Pandora Hearts as well (since they both ran in GFantasy magazine) but it never really grabbed my attention like Black Butler did. It wasn't a matter of one being "superior" to the other, I was just drawn in by certain elements of Black Butler, such as its themes of corrupted innocence, its Victorian setting, its art style, etc... It's just different strokes for different folks, no need to make it a competition. Pandora Hearts definitely has a lot to offer fans. I thought the art style and humor were very cute and I really enjoyed the anime adaptation - great music! Also, regarding the "main plot" thing. Black Butler does give you clues to the overarching story in several chapters, actually. I have a feeling it's just going to be more of a slow burn, which is totally fine by me. I don't think it's detrimental to the series at all; it suits the tense, mysterious atmosphere quite well... |
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wandering-dreamer
 Posts: 1733 |
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I have to agree with this review, it's certainly fun stuff to read and nice to look at as well but when I'm done I feel rather unsatisfied and wonder if there is a central plot to this whole thing. Honestly that's why I dropped this and buy the Pandora Hearts volumes instead, even if there are more mysteries than answers there at least you can see the main plot and where it's going.
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neocloud9
Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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How strange, I had the exact opposite reaction... Black Butler follows the traditional "quest for revenge" format, which I found pretty straightforward, but I had a lot of trouble trying to follow Pandora Hearts' convoluted plot. (Large cast of characters, multiple timelines, etc.) How weird we were left with such disparate reactions. Guess it's just different strokes, like I said before. |
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wandering-dreamer
Posts: 1733 |
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Actually no that's pretty similar, I like really complex/confusing plotlines and since BB is an old fashioned story of revenge it wasn't as engaging for me. Guess it's more a matter of taste than interpretation since it looks like we actually have pretty similar views on the series. |
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Mistypearl
 Posts: 517 |
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What a coincidence, I just finally was able to sit down and read this last night.
The art was truly beautiful, I agree. I actually spent long periods of time just staring at the prettyness!!! |
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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I'm still reading both, but I find PH to be a simpler, less layered story. BB is like Clamp, particularly CCS where the team dropped hints as to who Yueh was so some time before he actually appeared, etc. We're what-3 or 4 voumes in on PH & it's all too obvious where the story is headed. Basically to me the biggest dif is PH is much more fishing for dudes than BB which is very much aimed at gals with an almost non-existant "cute girl" recurring cast. I disagree on the master/butler relationship being standard. I'm very much enjoying the venom between Ciel & Sebastian. Their hook-up occurred in a most dire situation & the ultimate climax is pretty much destiny so their les than harmonious relationship is fascinating. And also lacking in PH. |
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Aylinn
 Posts: 1684 |
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I agree that PH’s main strength is the fact that there are no filler-like mini-stories there; the main plot is never forgotten, even if the focus shifts from searching for Alice’s memories to the headhunter, and the Headhunter arc is quite good. It adds a bit of creepiness - Off with his head
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Pandora Hearts’s plot is not that difficult. It is a mystery and everything revolves around the tragedy of Sabrie that happened 100 years ago. Alice was right in the center of this, so her memories are connected, but the remaining characters are also directly or indirectly connected with it. |
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neocloud9
Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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Totally. And I think that's probably the main draw of the series. Definitely one of the most interesting aspects. (That and the whole "loss of innocence" motif.) I didn't actually notice anyone here in the forums call Black Butler's master/butler relationship "standard," come to think of it... |
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Aylinn
Posts: 1684 |
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Interesting, I think that Pandora Hearts is like Clamp that skipped a long introduction and got down to the real meat of the story. The whole gouging eyes out thing reinforces this feeling. And speaking of the whole master/servant relationship, I found the relationship between Elliot and Leo to be far more interesting than the one between Oz and Gillbert. |
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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The original review. The relationship id pretty crackly. We also are getting into the part that explains the special skills of the useless staff which also humanizes Ciel. For my money PH is just another Shakugan no Shana cute girl appeals to male audience. There's a lot of hot guys which is why I'm still buying, but the story doesn't get me on the edge of my seat. The mystery isn't all that mystery. It's mystery lite. I'm a semi mystery fan-read some Ellery Queen mag as a teen, Columbo, McMillan & Wife...I'd say Robert Bloch & Poe but it's not the mystery stuff of theirs I like but the sense of humor. I like the sparking, crackly relationship between Cial & Sebastian. I like that a demon butler like Sebastian has a HUGE soft spot for cats which his master is constantly fighting. I love the morality stuff-little boy Ciel as the Queen's dog losing his soul. It's almost like Angel Heart, peeling the layers of his humanity one by one until there will be no escape for him. I really don't want him to be saved somehow. He knows the path he's on is eating him up but he is still trodding that path. In the end, his soul will be black. Can PH deliver that? |
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