Black Butler Season 4 Release
Black Butler Season 4 Release: Will It Happen?
Fifteen years after its debut, Black Butler maintains a devoted fanbase, sparking speculation about the possibility of a Season 4.
The historically supernatural animated series first premiered in October 2008, quickly gaining recognition for its dark and unique premise, amassing a large fan following over the years. In fact, its success led to the creation of three seasons, two OVAs, a movie, three musicals, and even a Nintendo DS game.
Despite a perceived slowdown in popularity over the past decade, the manga continues to thrive financially. Consequently, the story has retained a dedicated following and continues to grow steadily since its initial publication in September 2006.
Regardless of the tumultuous timeline of the anime, the numbers speak for themselves, and fans remain curious about the potential for a fourth installment.
Plot and Origin of Black Butler:
Created by Yana Toboso, the manga is published by Monthly GFantasy, with the anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures Studios. The story follows Ciel Phantomhive, a 13-year-old earl living in Victorian-era London. On Ciel’s tenth birthday, the Phantomhive Manor is attacked and set ablaze, resulting in the deaths of Ciel’s parents and his subsequent abduction, ultimately being sold to members of a demon-worshipping cult.
After enduring horrific abuse at the hands of these cult members, on a night during a sacrificial ceremony, Ciel strikes a deal with a demon he later names Sebastian Michaelis. The contract states that Sebastian will assist Ciel in achieving his goals—vengeance against those who mistreated him in exchange for Ciel’s soul.
Sebastian disguises himself as Ciel’s butler to remain by his side as they embark on a journey to fulfill Ciel’s revenge. In doing so, he becomes the Earl of the Phantomhive Manor, assuming his father’s position as Queen Victoria’s watchdog. This role tasks Ciel with investigating significant cases that could disrupt England and the crown, often involving unsavory or unethical methods to get the job done.
When Black Butler Season 4 Release?
With its resounding success, it’s understandable that fans still hope for another season, despite the series receiving mixed treatment. Season 1 aired with 24 episodes, but only the first third of the season had official content, meaning the remaining two-thirds were fillers, including the finale. The production company may not expect significant popularity and might be hesitant to seize this opportunity.
Unfortunately, with the manga being adapted early, this means there aren’t enough manga chapters for another season. Instead, what fans received as Season 2 was famously a poor and lackluster sequel. Season 2 took elements beloved by fans from the first season and removed them, providing entirely original content with new, less appealing main characters.
Nevertheless, Black Butler’s popularity persisted. Rather than treating the manga like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood by starting afresh and creating a more faithful adaptation, fans received Black Butler: Book of Circus as Season 3. Although labeled as the third season, “Book of Circus” is a 10-episode adaptation of the Circus arc from the manga, taking place after episode 15 of the first season of the anime. Season 3 received fairly positive reviews, and subsequently, commercial licensing continued. Following this is Black Butler: Book of Murder, a two-hour OVA adapting the subsequent Phantomhive Manor Murders arc. Lastly, there’s Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic, a film adapting the Luxury Liner arc.
While the last three entries in the Black Butler franchise are accurate, the timeline becomes convoluted, as they all hark back to Season 1 and manifest in various mediums. Moreover, “Book of Murder” and “Book of the Atlantic” are not correspondingly labeled as Season 4 and 5, making it easy to mistake these additions as mere supplementary material rather than officially recognized installments.
In detail, OVAs in the anime are almost never considered canon, while films are a bit of a gamble. The particular decision to compartmentalize different arcs into different mediums makes the commercial licensing messy and challenging for many to follow. Therefore, the likelihood of Black Butler Season 4 happening seems improbable, and fans might be better off following the manga for now.
