Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen

This won’t be a long review—at least it wasn’t supposed to be. But there’s one major issue that overshadows the entire season and drains all my enthusiasm to praise what could’ve been one of the best arcs in the series.

I’ve been following this series for 5 years, and I know many who’ve been with it even longer. The arc adapted in Season 5 is phenomenal in the manga. It’s full of important plot revelations, brilliantly written twists, and finally gives side characters—and even the servants—major narrative roles. Every chapter felt purposeful, well-written, and emotionally striking.

But the anime adaptation? It’s a disaster.

The decision to stretch it ... into 13 episodes is the first and biggest mistake. Because of this, scenes are dragged out pointlessly. Episode 9 literally wastes about 7 minutes on a recap. It’s baffling. Book of Circus worked in 10 episodes. The school arc barely survived being stretched to 11. But 13? Without adding meaningful, new content or better pacing?

They could’ve added anime-original scenes with approval from the author, or at least made the direction visually engaging. Instead, the adaptation comes off as cheap, soulless, and handled with zero creativity. There’s barely any actual animation—just a lifeless slideshow of manga s. And yes, this problem existed in the school arc too.

People complain about the art style, but the issue is deeper than that. The faces look odd in several scenes, and the coloring is incredibly basic. This isn’t just a change in style—it’s a clear attempt to cut corners and save budget wherever possible.

The only thing I can praise is the opening and ending. They genuinely match the mood of the arc and were well done. The voice actors also did a solid job, but that alone doesn’t justify watching this when the manga already does everything better. The artwork is weaker, the direction is weaker, and the emotional flow is nonexistent.

So why watch this anime at all?

This arc deserved a 10/10—but not like this. If you’re new to the series, I highly recommend reading the manga. Even earlier anime seasons mixed in filler and altered the original story. Ironically, the fillers are known as “Season 1” and “Season 2,” while the canon arcs are just named after their respective titles.

Another issue is the fragmented way this story is adapted. The arcs are short, yes, but they’re also deeply connected. If the anime had continued seamlessly like Hunter x Hunter or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the perception of the story and its quality would’ve changed entirely. But that would require a studio and production committee that actually respects the source material.

How many people even know Season 1 wasn’t canon? Probably not enough. Many dropped the show early or disliked it without ever realizing what the real story is.

If there’s no budget—don’t force it. This adaptation only increases disappointment. Just adapt simpler stories instead. Black Butler deserves better. If anything, it needs a full remake from the very beginning—like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Without that, anime-only viewers will never grasp the full depth of the story, and manga readers will continue to be heartbroken.

This manga ranks among the best, and with the right direction, it could’ve been legendary. But no season has ever felt as lazy and mishandled as Season 4 and 5. This anime no longer holds any meaning for me. It’s heartbreaking. It’s an insult to a story created with such ion.

Writing this review makes me sad. I waited for this arc for years—and instead of praising it, all I want now is for it to end. Leaving a negative review for a series I love is painful. But don’t fool yourselves—this adaptation is not what it deserved