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Under the production of Cloverworks, Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 premiered on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Titled His Butler, Doing Fieldwork, the episode enlivened the iconic panels from Yana Toboso's manga and enthralled fans with the Emerald Witch Arc adaptation.
While the episode didn't have the chance for the esteemed production studio to truly flourish in terms of animation and production, it nonetheless offered fans a captivating narrative to set up the season. Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 remained faithful to the source material, bringing life to each panel.
The mood and tone seemed slightly different from the Public School Arc - the preceding story, and it was only fair. The ashened cinematography fitted the narrative and added a sense of intrigue. However, the episode still had some minor hiccups, with an extended recap from the previous season. While it was essential to maintain continuity, it could have been handled in some other way.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1.
Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 review: Exploring Cloverworks' production and the narrative
From an adaptation perspective, Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 covered Chapters 86, 87, and half of chapter 88. As a result, Cloverworks had 2.5 chapters worth of content to fill in the 20-minute runtime. This narrative choice didn't let the episode become too wordy.
What it did instead was to establish the narrative coherently. While some aspects from the manga can be lost in an adaptation, Cloverworks ensured Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 retained the essence from the manga.
Every panel from Yana Toboso's dark fantasy manga was brought alive with absolute precision. Whether it was Ciel Phantomhive studying German in a train or the Phantomhive servants having a wholesome time in Germany - multiple moments were vividly presented with crisp and clear animation.
One of the major plus points of Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 was the art style. The esteemed studio retained the cinematic art quality from the previous installment (Public School Arc), even though some frames featuring Michaelis Sebastian appeared different from his depiction in the Public School Arc. In addition, some long shots of Ciel and Sebastian looked less detailed.
That said, the overall art quality was on point, except for those minor hiccups in between. At the same time, one must mention how Cloverworks studios used the camera angles, something which is only possible through an anime adaptation. As a result, Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 added more depth to Yana Toboso's manga series, showcasing the characters from different points of view.
For example, the scene where Ciel Phantomhive talked to Chlaus exhibited those changes. Although the episode followed a 1:1 adaptation, in some moments, the production studio took the artistic liberty to show the characters from a different camera angle. That's how an audience could appreciate the episode's decent art style.
Obviously, it wasn't as crisp as Attack on Titan or any other popular anime with an impressive art style, but it was still adequate enough to suit the show's theme and environment. Yet, that's not all. One should also note the OSTs used in Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1.
Since the narrative this time is set in Germany, the official staff has done well to modify the show's OSTs to cater to that change. Most importantly, the OST complemented the episodes well. While they weren't loud, it was apt for a viewer following the episode.
However, one must also look into the narrative aspects of Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1. As mentioned earlier, the episode covered 2.5 chapters from Yana Toboso's manga. Following a linear pattern, the episode commenced the events from the previous installment and saw two hunters chase after a few dogs into the woods.
However, it was the infamous Werewolf's forest, which was rumored to be cursed. After searching for the dogs for a while, the hunters confronted an old woman, who told them to run away. Yet, the hunters paid no attention to the old lady's words. Eventually, they confronted a sinister beast that looked akin to a Werewolf. After returning from the forest, the hunters died mysteriously.
Their faces were swollen, and they bled to death. Undoubtedly, the opening scene set up the narrative for the rest of the episode. Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 then moved to Ciel learning German from Michaelis Sebastian in the train. After that, a mini flashback revealed how Ciel received an urgent mission from the Queen to go to Germany and investigate a series of mysterious deaths.
Since the Queen's orders were absolute, Ciel had no choice but to accept the mission. After that, Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 saw Ciel go to Chlaus to ask him about the case. Chlaus revealed how the victims had one thing in common: They all went to the Werewolf's forest.
Chlaus further revealed how the forest was said to be cursed by the Witches. Yet, Ciel didn't believe in Witches or Curses. Therefore, he decided to go there and see everything himself. That's how Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 set up an interesting premise, and slowly delved into the plot through words from different characters.
For example, Ciel and Sebastian met a man on the outskirts of Nuremberg, who told them about one of the hunters surviving the curse. However, the focal point of Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 was the introduction of Sieglinde Sullivan, who happens to be a major character of this season.
Cloverworks has done a fascinating job of presenting Sieglinde. Rie Kugiyama has done well to perfectly portray Sieglinde's personality through her voice acting. Even though Sieglinde was a young lady, she carried the burden of being the liege lord of a village in the Werewolf's forest. While the episode didn't reveal much about Sieglinde, the narrative showcased her unique bond with her butler, Wolfram, who was rather protective of her.
The episode ended with Ciel and others following Sieglinde and Wolfram to the Emerald Castle. Undoubtedly, Cloverworks has done a decent job of capturing the intriguing moments from the manga in a linear pattern.
While the episode didn't have many anime original moments, it was still a pleasant experience for fans, who have been waiting for the Emerald Witch Arc's adaptation for a long time.
Conclusion
Black Butler Season 5 Episode 1 was a wholesome experience, which takes fans to Germany along with Ciel Phantomhive, Michaelis Sebastian, and others. The episode set up the narrative, with lore on the Witch's curse and the existence of the Werewolf's forest.
Given how Cloverworks has produced the premiere, it remains to be seen whether the esteemed studio maintains the same quality and tempo throughout the season.
Also read:
- Black Butler season 5 episode 1 full highlights
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