Ep 1. His Butler, Presenting

In the first episode of Black Butler: Book of Circus season 1, titled "His Butler, Presenting," we see the ever-dapper and expertly skilled butler, Sebastian Michaelis, and his young master, Ciel Phantomhive, embark on a brand new adventure.

This time, they've been invited to attend a traveling circus, which has been causing a stir amongst the nobility in London. The audience is left to wonder what could possibly be so special about a circus that the Queen herself would request its presence in the city.

As the episode opens, we see Ciel and Sebastian arrive at the circus, dressed to the nines in the typical Victorian era fashion that we've come to know and love from this series. The first thing they notice is the abundance of strange and unsettling characters roaming around the circus grounds, and they soon come to realize that this circus has much darker secrets than they could have ever imagined.

Before long, the circus performance begins, and it's not long before we see that there is something very wrong with this particular show. We see contortionists steering far too close to snapping their own spines, acrobats performing death-defying stunts that leave the audience gasping for air, and performers who seem to have very real supernatural powers.

Throughout the entirety of the first episode, we're left to wonder what exactly is going on behind the scenes of this circus. As the show carries on, it becomes apparent that there is a group of children who are being forced to perform by the circus' master, and it's up to Ciel and Sebastian to figure out why.

What sets this episode apart from the rest of the series is its focus on the theme of dark human experimentation. Through the introduction of new characters such as Beast and Joker, the anime explores the idea of people being used solely for the purposes of entertainment and gain, while completely ignoring their individual rights and humanity.

As always, the animation in this series is breathtaking, with each scene perfectly capturing the dark and gothic atmosphere of Victorian era London. The voice acting is also superb, with Sebastian's deep and velvety voice perfectly embodying the cold, calculating nature of Ciel's demonic butler. What really stands out, however, is the unsettling and eerie music that's played throughout the episode, setting the tone for an atmosphere shrouded in mystery, darkness, and danger.

Overall, the first episode of Black Butler: Book of Circus season 1 is an exciting and captivating addition to the already beloved Black Butler universe. With its exploration of dark themes and gothic atmosphere, it's sure to please both new and old fans alike.