Black Butler is one of the most intriguing anime series out there. It doesn't have the wide mass appeal of its juggernaut shounen counterparts, but its loyal fanbase has kept the series alive and vibrant. I've never gotten on the Black Butler train since back when the first season aired (I wasn't into anime back then + I was not at the age where I was interested in watching anime), and I didn't really have that sense of hype when binging all of the episodes all at once, instead of watching it weekly alongside the community; hence, my attachment to this series is not as strong as other people's.
Although it wasn't devoid of hollow, as I immensely enjoyed my journey in bringing the show, the Book of Murder and Public School Arcs have been some of my most enjoyed arcs of the series. However, like what I have written in my (deleted) review of Public School Arc stating that it was a fun ride, yet there's no sense of urgency in watching it, mainly due to the stories it's telling had mostly been present in most animes during the time of it's release. The tides have changed, however, when this new season arrived. ***
Emerald Witch Arc
The opening of this season has by far one of the most captivating mysteries in recent anime. It almost reminded me of the opening of that Sherlock Holmes story in The House of Baskerville—in the basic sense at least. That reference in its story hasn't caught on in the greater anime space—particularly this season. In the sea of familiarity in the anime space—along with its incestuous use of plotlines and tropes—the plot of Emerald Witch Arc has so far one of the most refreshing and intriguing aspects—giving a sense of urgency in watching the series overall. Those first three episodes alone have one of the most captivating pieces of media this year—hooking you into the mystery while itching for more by exploring the extended world-building in its mythology and taking risks in the direction of its story and twists that will leave you in curious awe.
As if we haven't seen these characters much, both Sebastian (Daisuke Ono) and Ciel (Maaya Sakamoto) have taken a step above in their character development. Though we mostly see these characters in specific formulas in their character dynamics, this season has shattered that by giving these characters a sprinkle of divergence, leaving them in an unusual state. Ciel, for example, had taken a more interpersonal role—battling through his own trauma, causing him to take a forced backseat half of the time in the series. Sebastian, however, has a more curious dissonant role in this one. Though we had seen him taking a more proactive role with a confidently cool presence, we'd seen him here in a more subtle—yet vaguely fragile-stern manner, something that we haven't seen much from Sebastian.
Aside from our Main characters, brand new characters had taken a shine as well. Starting from Sieglinde Sullivan (Rie Kugimiya) who shines in every scene she's in, and does not shy away from developing her character in a three-dimensional light in its calm and devastating moments in the series, despite the straightforward role she's playing. This also applies with Wolfram Gelzer (Chikahiro Kobayashi) who's mainly playing a side character alongside Sieglinde, but he has his own moments to shine. Previous supporting characters are back as well with their usual uplifting personalities and sick action moments, yet they had moments where they had to step up for themselves which was captivating.
Aside from the brand new elements this new season provided, this had not deviated from the usual Black Butler formulas, which is a guaranteed assurance in the entertainment value of this season—in fact, far more entertaining combined with the positive aspects mentioned above. However, it also has problems that have plagued previous Black Butler entries—which is a problem in the anime space in general. For instance, there are moments where the tone shifts from serious to comedic, for the sake of a quick chuckle, but it does not work most of the time. ***
Conclusion
This new season of Black Butler brought the entertainment factor from the previous season (Public School Arc), and cranking up the intrigue with its storytelling and mystery elements. If you're already a Black Butler fan, you'd already be watching this series already, but for brand new audiences, this has a better urgency in watching the series, with its original story (compared to other animes this season) brings a sense of refreshment. ***