Forum - View topicRIGHT TURN ONLY!! - Sebastian the Combat Butler
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2606 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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Yes, he is a great deal older than he appears - that was more a butler-manga-in-general complaint. And yes, there are stories originating in English-speaking countries with SuperButlers, and...yes, they annoy me too.  It's really the straight-up butler fetishism of "Black Butler" in particular that bothers and annoys me. He's ultra-capable, he appears young and hot, the rest of the staff drools over him, he saves his master's behind in nearly every episode - it's as if he's stepped out of a fangirl's butler cafe or doujinshi.
Why does this bother me so much in this particular story? I don't know - maybe I haven't read enough in the butler sub-genre. As I said before, perhaps it's less the story and more all those Victorian lit classes. Whatever the reason, it's my least favorite series in a long time. /complaining rambling |
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neocloud9
 Posts: 1178 Location: Atlanta, GA |
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As a fellow Victoriaphile, I can definitely agree that this series doesn't make any effort to convey historical accuracy. (Nintendo DS consoles? Cell phones?) However, that didn't bother me at all. Probably because I went into it already knowing that the focus of the series was more on the demonic contract and quest for revenge than it was the setting. |
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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Really? I'm one who sees gay written all over Light Yagami (maybe bi, but I say gay between his attitude/treatment of females & the way he only comes alive in his battles with guys) & I'm sorry, but it's also all over Aizen/Gin. Doesn't Sebastian make some sort of comment on the subject to Grell? Grell is absolutely on that side of the fence, but he's also a psychoboy (who do run to being gay, don't they? Stereotyping?) However, while there are places it can be inserted (the author's one who does yaoi under a different name-Yanao Rock), but Minekura, the undertone is there with no solid link yet. In fact, Ciel seems fond of torturing Sebastian, testing his limits. Perhaps because I see the contract as being pretty much the same as 12 Kingdoms (The kirin captured the demon which then submits to the kirin, serving & protecting the kirin on the promise that upon the kirin's death, the demon gets to eat the body of the kirin, gaining power. Some kirin like En province's live quite long lives meaning those demons are waiting a long time for that reward) I don't really see the sexual connotation as all that great. I do love Sebastian's kitty fetish. I thought it was going to just be the one cat, but it is kitty love. Agent- I know what you mean about 12 K-I got the 4th one 2 days ago & probably will tackle it tonight (over 600 pages, though). The Ripper stuff-I watch whatever's on whenever I come across it. History Channel had an ep on Mysteryquest on it. There was a recent special where someone's latest pet suspect is an undertaker assistant who worked some of the victims which would give him a knowledge of anatomy. My sister read a comment once that all these Ripper fanatics probably on the other side first question they ask is "Who was Jack the Ripper" & it probably turns out to be no one anyone suspected so they'll all be disappointed. Right now it's a giant mystery & short of finding a diary or letter where someone flat out admits to being Jack, there will never be an answer.
But he has to save his master. It's the binding contract. Look at the incident at the end of the 1st vol. where Ciel berates him for fooling around. While he is not Alucard overpowered, he IS pretty vastly above normal humans so it is pretty evident not only in this volume, but future stories that he IS playing a bit, trying to make things interesting (like Inigo Montoya in Princess Bride saying he had to make the fight interesting). He IS pretty confident in his abilities so that he IS somewhat shocked at the effort he has to put out against Grell. The whole point of this aspect of the story is Sebastian being a demon of a butler is only Ciel & Sebastian are party to the joke amongst the main cast. The rest of the staff are pets Ciel's picked up Sebastian tries to make useful, but they really are little better than Tanaka being told to go have a glass of tea. Each actually has a decent skill, but it's also their flaws. (Doesn't the one dude-the cook-seem just a step or 2 removed from Tim Allen's show-more power? How many projects did that character ruin using too much power? The gardener is just freakishly strong. If the maid would accept a new set of glasses, she'd be fine). All were outcast for one reason or another & Ciel showed them kindness they'd never been shown so like lost puppies, they attached themselves to him. |
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kailegh
 Posts: 66 |
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It’s true, there’s many different points where Sebastian's actions seem almost affectionate. Like when he does more than is necessary as far as the contract requirements go & I don’t mean the extravagant ways he fulfills tasks. I'm talking about situations when he acts much nicer than you would expect him to be, in a way that seems genuine… special emphasis on the word “seems”. I don’t think anyone knows what’s really going on. |
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