Black Butler, also known as Kuroshitsuji, is one of the most visually stunning and imaginative shounen manga out there, but what is its current status? Is the Black Butler manga finished or still ongoing?
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Black Butler's Intriguing Victorian World
Yana Toboso's iconic story of young Ciel Phantomhive and his demon butler, Sebastian, has been loved by many due to its neo-Victorian aesthetics, fun characters, and cool ideas.
The manga and its anime adaptation enjoyed great popularity in the 2010s when an anime adaptation came out.
While the attempt at a second season -- which was not based on the manga -- was quite a flop, more adaptations came out based on specific arcs of the manga. These were much more well-received.
A few years ago, the manga featured a major plot twist, essentially revealing that the Ciel Phantomhive we know isn't Ciel at all.
Instead, our protagonist is a younger twin, and his older brother -- revived by Undertaker -- is now back. This upsets everything we thought we knew about the series.
At this point though, some fans feel like Black Butler has lost its momentum, as the latest arcs seem to drag a bit, compared with the more concise earlier stories.
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Is Black Butler Finished or Ongoing?
The Black Butler manga is still very much ongoing in 2023, sixteen years after the first chapter came out.
There are now 32 volumes and around 200 chapters in total, which is not as outrageous as manga lengths go.
However, many manga have more content to show in less than Black Butler's 16 years.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with a manga that isn't the most prolific. Fewer chapters mean that a manga is less intimidating for newcomers.
That being said, stories that don't release content very frequently might sometimes fall through the cracks.
The manga's release schedule hasn't been the most reliable, and there have been some relatively long hiatuses.
Since Black Butler doesn't have a dedicated weekly release schedule like other manga series do, some fans might be unsure about the manga's status.
Is Black Butler on Hiatus?
Black Butler is not on a long-term hiatus in 2023, but it might feel that way because its release schedule isn't the most reliable.
Right now, there's roughly a new chapter a month, so the story does move often, albeit very slowly.
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Will Black Butler End Soon?
At this point, many long-time fans might hope for Black Butler to end soon so that they can appreciate it as a complete story. However, the ending is not in sight yet.
With the manga's rather infrequent release schedule, the endgame seems far off.
Since the beginning of Black Butler, the implication always was that, eventually, Sebastian would eat Ciel's soul, and that knowledge loomed over fans' enjoyment of their dynamic.
However, with so many new subplots and arcs with an almost episodic style, some readers might feel that the day we find out will never come.
There's no indication that the Black Butler manga will remain unfinished, but at this pace, and given where the story currently is, we wouldn't expect a curtain call very soon.
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