Unboxing [US]: Black Butler - Season 1: Anime Classics (BD/DVD)
Friday, May 26, 2017
Funimation's next Aniplex title to expire is Black Butler's first season. I originally ordered this on Amazon but the idiots lost the parcel and I never got it in the end. Rightstuf eventually saved the day but I had to play twice as much because of the price and customs.
Black Butler is a 2008 anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Yana Toboso. The anime adaptation was handled by studio A-1 Pictures and Aniplex. This series has become one of Funimation's most popular properties and in Japan it gathered a lot of fans with more seasons being created. Black Butler is also the rare case where the adaptation is mostly anime original but does contain episodes which are canon (another example of this is Blue Exorcist, also done by A-1 Pictures).
Due to Aniplex deciding they don't want distributors to renew their titles, Funimation had already lost a fair few in their catalogue (Baccano!, Birdy the Mighty: Decode, Darker Than Black Season 1, both Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 and Brotherhood, and just recently both seasons of Sekirei) and now Black Butler Season 1 joins the list. The good news is that Funimation won't lose another Aniplex title until June 2018 with the second season of Black Butler.
This release from Funimation is the Anime Classics edition. The Anime Classics line is basically a special cover on the slipcover and spine which matches for each show but will annoy collector's who want a clean spine. The discs are the same as previous releases so the regions are A and B for Blu-ray and 1 for DVD. The subtitles are locked and the audio options are English & Japanese with English subtitles. It's worth noting that while the set is a combo pack, the Blu-ray is one of Funimation's in-house upscales (SD Remaster).
Blu-ray Specs:
Languages: Japanese, English
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 2.0 [Japanese], Dolby TrueHD 5.1 [English]
Video: 1080p SD Remaster 16:9
Region: A B
Subtitles: English [Japanese language & On-screen]
Subtitles Locked: Yes
Discs: 3
DVD Specs:
Languages: Japanese, English
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 [Japanese], Dolby Digital 5.1 [English]
Video: SD NTSC 16:9
Region: 1
Subtitles: English [Japanese language & On-screen]
Subtitles Locked: No
Discs: 4
Plot Synopsis (via Funimation):
Ciel Phantomhive is the most powerful boy in all of England, but he bears the scars of unspeakable suffering. Forced to watch as his beloved parents were brutally murdered, Ciel was subsequently abducted and violently tortured. Desperate to end his suffering, the boy traded his own soul for a chance at vengeance, casting his lot with the one person on whom he could depend: Sebastian, a demon butler summoned from the very pits of hell. Together, they'll prowl the darkest alleys of London on a mission to snuff out those who would do evil.
They're a rare sight, these two: the Butler who dismembers with dazzling cutlery - and the Young Master who carries the devil's marking. Rest assured that wherever they may be headed, it'll be one hell of a ride.
On-Disc Extra Content:
OVA: His Butler, Performer
Audio Commentaries (Episodes 1, 7, 16, 21)
BECCA: Musician Profile
The Story Thus Far with Narration from Tanaka
Textless Songs
Trailers
Black Butler Season 1 is no longer in print from Funimation as the license had expired. Aniplex of America may re-license the show for streaming in the future.