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Black Butler: Book of Murder
Movie

Black Butler: Book of Murder

2014 • Animation, Adventure, Crime

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

At party held at Phantomhive Manor is; in secret, a set up by Ciel to gather information on one of his guest for the queen. But when the attended target is murder in the middle of night, Ciel,Sebastian and small time doctor and story writer most solve the case. All seems well; until someone close to Ciel gets caught by the killer.

Overall Series Review

The film is a self-contained, high-quality Gothic-mystery OVA, directly adapting a popular arc of the Black Butler manga. The plot centers on a fake murder mystery at the Phantomhive estate, which is actually a cover for a political assassination orchestrated by the Queen. The story focuses heavily on the mental chess match between the young Earl Ciel and the forces attempting to undermine him, with his demon butler Sebastian executing the necessary supernatural and physical maneuvers. The film is a faithful Victorian-era whodunit pastiche, featuring a character based on Arthur Conan Doyle who is an observer to the events. It prioritizes intrigue, action, and the complex, cynical dynamic between the two male leads. The narrative is not concerned with modern social or political commentary, sticking to a classic genre framework of human corruption, demonic contracts, and aristocratic power games. The aesthetic is historically detailed and the primary conflict is purely personal and occult-driven, making it free of contemporary identity-based lecturing.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

Characters are all part of the English aristocracy or its service class in a historical Victorian setting. There is no insertion of race-based themes, race-swapping, or lecturing on systemic oppression or privilege. All characters are judged entirely by their competence, loyalty, and intelligence—a universal meritocracy lens.

Oikophobia2/10

The setting is Victorian England, which is depicted as a complex, ruthless, yet beautiful society of high aristocracy and political intrigue. While the Queen's and Ciel's actions involve cynical political assassination and manipulation, this is a classic Gothic/political critique of the *ruling class*, not a broad demonization of the civilization or its ancestors. The narrative is not primarily focused on civilizational self-hatred, but rather a suspenseful mystery.

Feminism1/10

The core dynamic is between the male Earl Ciel and his male butler Sebastian. The Queen is a powerful, ruthless figure, fulfilling the 'sovereign' role without being presented as a 'Girl Boss' trope. There are no plots or dialogue focused on anti-natalism or career-over-motherhood messaging. The few female characters occupy traditional or supporting roles, judged by their abilities (e.g., as a Queen's assistant or a maid).

LGBTQ+2/10

The story does not feature or center alternative sexualities, nor does it contain any lecturing on gender theory or deconstruction of the nuclear family. The Black Butler franchise carries an inherent *shonen-ai* subtext in the intense, devoted relationship between the two main male characters, but this subtext is a long-standing aesthetic element of the genre, not a forced insertion of modern queer ideology to drive the plot or deliver a social lecture.

Anti-Theism4/10

The entire premise of the series, including this arc, is based on a demonic contract, where the protagonist trades his soul for power. This foundation promotes a transcendent moral relativism and rejection of traditional Christian redemption, as Ciel has chosen a 'dark path' for revenge. However, the film itself is not explicitly anti-Christian and does not feature Christian characters as villains or bigots; the primary antagonist is a political agent of the Crown.