Yes, that is an actual screenshot, from episode three. Even now, when we have it easy, we still like to cut corners.
I'm quite fond of the Kuroshitsuji soundtrack, and seeing as an OST is yet to be released, I tried to relieve myself by rewatching the first episode of Kuroshitsuji, as subbed by Shinsen-Subs.
Maybe I shouldn't have done that.
Watching the first episode of Kuroshitsuji, it was as if I was reliving my falling in love with the series, despite the "flaws" (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) that were presented to me. The gloomy and somber atmosphere, the pragmatic and pessimistic earl, the awe-some butler, the sardonic soundtrack, and the macabre and ruthless mindset of the first episode was what drew me to Kuroshitsuji. The awkward silliness of the obtrusive secondary characters and their obtrusive secondary aura were all overshadowed by what I loved about this episode and the promises it made of a show that consistently charmed. But those promises have not been kept, at least for me.
Fast forward to spisode three (as subbed by Shinsen-Subs). A stereotypical young girl at least thrice as more adoring, annoying, and high-pitched as Misa from Death Note makes an appearance as another secondary character, and this time as the good earl's fianceé. She seems to be also twelve times dumber than Misa (seeing as Misa surprisingly had a bit of common sense and some more), or at least twelve times more inconsiderate/impulsive/all of the above. This character, Elizabeth, begs several questions: how the hell could anyone think that the addition of such a character can be a good idea for any story?; what percentage of all such fictional females are blonde?; are stupid annoying fictional females in general considered attractive by more of the population in Japan than in America?; are all creators of such characters actually towels?
Episode five (subbed by Shinsen-Subs), a male-to-female transvestite Reaper obsessed with Sebastian is revealed as a secondary character. While the Reaper himself is admittedly important in Kuroshitsuji's plot, I can't help but feel that the creator endowed this love for Sebastian upon the Reaper absolutely not because this would make Kuroshitsuji more enjoyable. While the true Jack the Ripper was admittedly an interesting plot twist, what is memorable about this arc isnot the suspect, his motives, and his past, but how terribly irritating the Reaper was.
Fast forward to episode eight (Shinsen-Subs). An oversized devil dog that morphs into a (nude) human form when excited makes a new addition to the cast. His adoring love for Sebastian makes for the subject of instantly operose fujoshi-aimed jokes. The primary purpose of his addition to the cast is not to make the series more fun and wholesome, but to fit in some more annoying fujoshi-aimed jokes. The devil dog, Pluto, is an uninteresting, bothersome, shallow character. Ironically, he plays a role in the "important plot twist" in episode twelve. By this point it seems apparent that the creator is fond of outlandish and annoying characters madly in love with Sebastian.
Fast forward to episode thirteen (Shinsen). A contemptuously juvenile, incompetent, and pathetic Indian prince and his personal butler—
You know what? I'm tired of this. The show has its merits, but the show's transitions (or lack of) from severity to hilarity (and they're so often) characterise the show just as much as the young and grave earl and his unfazed butler from hell. It's gradual, but definite; as the show went on my standards dropped, and dropped, and dropped... until I've reached the point where all of the jaded heartlessness that I so loved has faded right before my eyes, with me strikingly unaware.
Perhaps I should have never rewatched episode one, but for better or for worse I'm dropping Kuroshitsuji as a series I'm tracking. At the very least, the honeymoon was quite pleasant.
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