Kuroshitsuji 2 - Episode 7

I don't have the proper screenshots to go with this episode, since it was only on hulu. When the fansub is out, I shall do a post. Suffice it to say, it was yet another awesome episode. Maybe not quite so epic as the past two, but still amazing.

Uraboku - Episode 20

Summary: Emo scenes, fight scene with Cadenza begins, zweilts are losing, Yuki protects them, Cadenza goes after Yuki, and Reiga appears to stop him. O_O

Cue the cliffhanger music!

Giant Killing - Episode 19 & 20

I was about to write my notes for episode 20 when I realized I hadn't written anything for episode 19. Then I realized I hadn't even watched episode 19. I skipped an entire episode and didn't even notice. *sigh*

Episode 19: They practice, show up for the game. Coaches talk. Weeee.

Episode 20: They start the game and do well for a while, until one of the guys falls for a trick and the other team scores a goal.

Isn't it sad that it only took that much to sum up both episodes?

Uraboku - Episode 19

The episode was basically backstory on one of the Zweilt partnerships: Hourai and Furuori. Something I did get out of it is that Zweilt guardians' relationships with their partners is more of a marriage-type thing. There are a couple of guy/guy partnerships. I was kind of shocked at that revelation for a bit. Then I noticed that one of the genre labels on wikipedia for the series is shonen-ai. Now it all makes sense. I should have guessed that since Luka and Yuki are a pair, even though Yuki was born as a male for this life. I can't help but keep watching, though. There's the circle of angst, more bishies than you can shake a stick at, cool fight scenes, and lots of mysteries that need to be cleared up. Oh yeah. And Luka. Yup. Luka.

Yumiero Patissiere - Episode 45

Episode teaser from Crunchyroll: "Team Ichigo has been travelling all around Europe, following the instructions from Ms. Sully, on what seems to be a grand European tour! Upon arriving to their latest destination, Neuschwanstein Castle, however, Henri-sensei appears and announces that the rematch with Team Koshiro will happen that evening. They are told to create a variety of bon bon chocolats, but everything else is up to them! What incredible treats will they create this time?"

Team Koshiro makes some great stuff with the Heiress' fancy chocolate. Team Ichigo makes some great stuff with ingredients and themes from their European tour. Team Ichigo wins. Tada.

One thing that was pretty darn hilarious was that Hanabusa randomly whips out an iPad with a bunch of pictures on it. 

I'm starting to wonder why I keep watching this. It looks like it's going to end at episode 51, though, so I'm just gonna stick with it and hope that something interesting happens.

Yumiero Patissiere - Episode 44

Team Ichigo and Team Koshiro are invited to a ball on Mont Saint-Michel. When they arrive, they are surprised by Henri-sensei who tells them that they will have their semi-final match there! They have to make a chocolate dress. O_o  There's a whole bunch of fantasizing about Cinderella and what-not. Blah, blah, blah. So the Heiress makes a big weird led-lit gown. Ichigo and the Princes make a normal-looking pink gown. When it's time for the results, they both get 90 votes. So there will be another match. The only possibly remotely interesting thing in this episode is that Henri-sensei takes Ichigo outside during the ball to dance with her, saying that he was afraid the dress would have been ruined. The Princes look on, somewhat jealous. Well, Koshiro doesn't really look. He just sulks. I can understand a middle-schooler's crush on a teacher, but it looked like he was leading her on in this episode. Kinda creepy. In the end, it was a pretty pointless episode.

Random Icons

Cute, ne? Just a couple of the many icons that are shared at the glitterySUICIDE group at livejournal. (No, the name doesn't have anything to do with the content. No worries.)

Kuroshitsuji 2 - Episode 6

Um.... this is a long post. It's a very important episode. So settle in and get friendly with the scroll bar.

The episode opens with the last scene of the first season: Sebastian is about to make Ciel his dinner. Then Ciel goes limp.

Alois' servants are trying to get Ciel for him. They attack with ... garden tools? The ladder is my personal favorite. They really take Sebastian too lightly. Sebastian talks to himself about how easy it was to carry Ciel around "back then" when he was like a doll. Anyway, Sebastian easily escapes with Ciel.

At the party, Hannah brings out a strange musical instrument and starts to play it. All the guests grab their heads in agony. They are all wondering what's going on. Lau and Ran-Mao have their ears plugged with wine bottle corks, so they are not affected. The guests' eyes start glowing blue and they attack Ciel's friends.

Sebastian hears the noise outside and has Ciel cover his ears. He fends off the triplets while he keeps his hands over Ciel's ears as well. Awesomeness. Ciel wants to return to the assembly hall. Sebastian reassures him, saying that one of his few friends is present. It's cool that Sebastian refers to Agni as a friend. ^_^

Agni hits pressure points on Ciel's party so that they are no longer affected by the instruments' sound. Everyone takes to the task of fending off the spellbound party-goers.

We get to see Maylene without her glasses again! They seem to be doing well, but the guests keep getting up.

Sebastian then appears and begins playing a tune on water-filled glasses, in his impossibly perfect manner. The music he plays fits with the music Hanna is making and produces a strangely calming melody. Agni says that it shows the pure hearts of the one performing. HA!

The guests are no longer entranced. The instrument breaks, obviously planned by Sebastian. Sebastian thanks Hannah for assisting in a wonderful performance. The instrument is apparently called an armonica, buried in the past as an instrument of the demon. Which makes it perfect for Sebastian.

Alois Trancy appears, acting pleased that everyone enjoyed the "entertainment". Sebastian asks to speak with Claude. Alois gives Claude 10 minutes to settle the matter with Sebastian or he will be punished. Ciel tells Sebastian to finish Claude off. Claude and Sebastian go to a pond outside to "talk".

Claude is trying to get Ciel simply because it was an order from Alois. Sebastian insists that Ciel is his master. Claude dismisses this possessiveness as a useless notion. Sebastian finds it disgusting to even think of anyone else touching Ciel. They begin fighting.

Flashback to the point where Sebastian was about to devour Ciel's soul. A spider is seen crawling over the raven which we saw flying away during the last episode of the first season. Sebastian has realized that Ciel's body is empty. It is useless to devour the body without the soul, or visa versa. He gets so pissed off that he destroys part of his little island place. We see him walking out of the rubble carrying Ciel's body.

Claude talks about when Sebastian came to the Trancy mansion and took back Ciel's soul. But his soul was incomplete. All of the memories, all the pain, all of the time Sebastian had spent "raising" him, was lost. Sebastian realized it as soon as he placed the ring back on Ciel's finger. What Sebastian wanted was a soul carrying out revenge, but Claude says that he feels the Sebastian has a strong attachment to Ciel's soul. Claude doesn't seem to have any sort of special attachment to Alois. Just the usual Imma-gonna-eatchya relationship. Claude doesn't believe there's any point to having Ciel get revenge a second time. Sebastian insists that Ciel is special. The problem is that there is no one to be the target of the revenge. Having Ciel taken from Sebastian would be a pain worse than death.  Sebastian proposes a trade.

At the party, Ciel tries the curry bread that was made for him. It doesn't stir any memories, but admits it tastes good, even though he dislikes spicy things.

In another room, Claude and Sebastian sit opposite each other at a table. In front of each of them is a white rose on a plate. They remove their gloves and slit their wrists, letting their blood drip on the rose in front of them. As the roses absorb the blood, they turn a deep red. The deal they make is this: "I will have you two become those my young Master will carry out his revenge against." "Under the condition that I will receive the soul of Ciel Phantomhive who has carried out his revenge." They exchange roses and drip their blood on the others' rose, affixing the seal. As the blood drips on the roses, they turn black.

Claude appears at Alois' side. Ciel is momentarily shocked, thinking that Sebastian had lost. Sebastian immediately appears in front of him, wearing the rose. Ciel is furious that Sebastian did not get rid of Claude, until Sebastian produces several documents.

They show that the Trancys were investigating him as well as his father. Alois is upset with Claude because he didn't kill Sebastian, until Claude points out that killing Sebastian was not one of his orders.

Alois insists on dancing with Elizabeth. Everyone is surprised when Ciel joins in. Claude and Sebastian exchange knowing glances across the room. Sebastian sniffs his rose and reiterates, "Young Master is mine."

The episode ends with Alois vowing to possess Ciel and Ciel vowing to kill Alois.

Awesome episode, but there are a few things that are bugging me.

In the first season, we learned that the closer the curse seal is to the eye, the stronger the bond is between the demon and his master. Since Ciel's is on his eye and Alois' seal is just on his tongue, that means that the bond isn't as strong, right? So does that mean that Claude can give up on Alois? Sebastian gave up on Ciel for a while there during the first season, as I understood it ...

The next thing that's bugging me is the deal that Sebastian made with Claude. How can this benefit Sebastian in any way? Sure, Ciel will get some sort of revenge, but then Sebastian won't be able to reap the benefits. I are confuzzled.

And then there's Ciel's father. Have you noticed how similar his appearance is to Sebastain's? They're almost twins! Did Sebastian assume this form so that he would remind Ciel of his father? Or is there some other connection? Was Ciel's father devoured by Sebastian? Are Ciel's father and Sebastian one and the same? There could be no connection at all, but it still piques my interest.

Kuroshitsuji 2 - Episode 5

Finally, some pieces of the puzzle are coming together! We learn from a scene with Prince Soma that Sebastian has told everyone that Ciel has amnesia and that they must pretend not to know anything so they don't hurt him. But is that really the reason why Sebastian is having them keep quiet?

 Everyone's going to a costume party at the Trancy estate. Alois Trancy was kidnapped at an early age, only to return 3 years ago with a mysterious butler, just before the former Earl Trancy died. Sound somewhat familiar? Three years ago was when Ciel's home was burned down and his parents murdered, so he sees a link in this.

Ciel gets dizzy as soon as he enters the Trancy mansion, clinging to Sebastian in a very uncharacteristic move.

When Ciel finds Elizabeth and Lau in the drawing room, he wonders aloud why Madame Red isn't there as well.

Prince Soma arrives and forgets his promise to act like he doesn't know Ciel. Thankfully, Agni is able to save the day.

In another room, Alois is upset with the costume choices he has. He ends up throwing a crown at Hannah. He momentarily considers making Claude wear a dress, which I think would have been hilarious. Then he makes Hannah strip. Alois is a disgusting kid. He's obviously going to use her dress as a costume, but it is disturbing how he treats Hannah. I wonder why she takes it.

I'm rather amused that Ciel's costume is a pirate, what wiith the eyepatch and all. Finnian, Mey-Rin and Baldroy are the three traveling companions from Journey to the West.

Sebastian is searching a room when Claude discovers him. They are both rather nonchalant about it, but Sebastian makes sure to tell Claude that he will not give Ciel to them. It is at this point where Claude definitely states that he's also a demon butler, although the subtitles I've seen don't reflect the wordplay.

Back at the party, Finnian, Mey-Rin and Baldroy try to demonstrate their prowess as servants, but just end up breaking everything. Their follies are all quickly repaired by the weird triplet Trancy servants. I wonder what they are...

Alois, disguised as a servant in Hannah's clothes, spills a glass of wine on Ciel. He takes Ciel to another room on the pretense of cleaning off the jacket. However, when he says that he's done, the stain is just as it was before. Alois admires Ciels ring, says some weird stuff, talks about his eyes, gets way too freaking close, and licks his ear. Eeew!! He takes Ciel's eyepatch off when he backs away and calls his eye impure (which it is, of course). Alois runs off and Ciel starts to feel dizzy again as he gives chase.

At the party again... Agni made curry bread using the mansion's kitchen in the hope that Ciel may remember something if he eats it. This is the point where Lau learns that Ciel has amnesia. -_-"

When Ciel get to the basement, he thinks to himself that he knows the mansion, but then dismisses the thought. Then he starts seeing faint images of Sebastian going down the stairs, just like the first episode. He hears the conversation that took place back then. Ciel proceeds down the stairs. He goes even more woozy when he sees the boxes of tea where his ring was stored and barfs.

Ciel runs out of the basement and into the woods outside, where he encounters Alois. Ciel reveals that he knew it was Alois all along, he just wanted to let Alois feel that he could make his move. Claude shows up, as well as the triplets, and Sebastian reveals himself. When Ciel asks Alois what he wants, he says that he wants Ciel, to possess him. Alois tries to coerce him into giving himself up with the threat of killing everyone back in the mansion, but Ciel will have none of it. Ciel has all confidence that it won't be so easy to kill his friends back at the mansion. Alois claims that Claude is the better butler and reveals the contract seal he has on his tongue. Alois orders Claude to get Ciel for him and Ciel orders Sebastian to protect him. It's the battle of the butlers!

Uraboku - Episode 18

Yuki goes out to look for Luka, but can't find him anywhere. He and his companions arrive at an area where they sense a massive negative energy and they run for it.

Meanwhile, Luka meets up with Elegy who invites him to come back to the Duras. Luka tells her that he never considered himself one of them.

"My past and my future ... Everything belongs to Yuki." Ah, Luka... *sigh* They fight. Luka is about to kill her when the female version of Yuki appears in her place.

Luka totally loses touch and embraces the fake Yuki. Toko and Tsukomo show up and dispel the illusion. Elegy leaves peacefully, for now ... (dun dun, duuuuuun!)

Uraboku - Episode 17

Backstory! Reiga was initially part of the Giou clan, but he was half duraga, so many called him a monster and shunned him. Takashiro trusts him and leaves Reiga in charge of the village while he goes to slay demons in the capital.

When he returns, the village is in flames and Yomi is dead, all done by Reiga. They never give an explicit reason why he does all this, the only thing that is said is that Yomi is afraid that Reiga won't know what to do with his power. Knowing all this, Yuki chooses to fight.

Yuki learns about his mother. He was very much loved and wanted, something which he had never believed before.

Behind again...

I'm about 9 days behind on my manga and anime. It's partially because of a fabulous trip to see my sister and her family in Dallas. I also spent some time working on the scanlation of chapter 161 of Skip Beat for Franky House. I hope they release it soon! I'll be catching up on my posts as soon as I can.

Occult Academy - Episode 6

Still dealing with Kozue and her sudden lost of interest in the occult after the simulated near death experience. The teacher had explained away the images of Kozue looking for her glasses in the afterlife as time lag in the instruments. Maya is convinced, however, that Kozue left her occult-loving heart in the afterlife. Abe-sensei goes into the NDE machine with Kozue to try to bring her back. Abe remembers parts of his life having to do with his childhood, when he was performing his bend-a-spoon act, and how his mother used and abused him.

Then we get a flash of the end of the world, when the earth is invaded by aliens. Maya is the only one who knows that it is real. Everyone else thinks it's either a movie or Abe is nuts.

Abe brings Kozue back and she is very excited about her near-death experience.

Maya then agrees to join forces with Bunmei to find Nostradamus' Key.