Black Butler volume 28 in five words: look who it is now. Alternatively, “what are you doing here” would work as well. Either way, expect a lot of familiar faces, although some of them are shocked to see a face they never expected!
The younger brother’s tale of how he returned to the mansion was already mostly wrapped up in the previous volume, but this of course leads to the main question: how did the real Ciel return? Well, while this is mostly answered, any further conversation is interrupted, and the younger brother finds himself accused of the goings-on at Sphere Music Hall.
Black Butler has had several arcs over the course of its’ run. But since the cult arc started, the manga hasn’t had clearly defined arcs. There have been phases or mini-arcs, sure, but Black Butler has seamlessly transitioned the story from being about a cult to the real Ciel’s return. Volume 28 is clearly a preparation volume, but I think its importance — or lack of — won’t be determined until later. If Black Butler continues under the umbrella of the cult arc, this may be a largely forgettable volume in between the dramatic revelations and the brothers’ confrontation. If Toboso is planning on a long, drawn-out coup by the younger twin, then this might stand out in people’s mind as the kick-off, ending with protagonist-Ciel making a bold declaration.
As I mentioned, the other part of this volume I was meh about was that so many people arrive in short succession. It probably was cool in the magazine, with readers going, “Oh, wow, what’s going to happen now that so-and-so is here!” But in a collected volume like this, it just feels repetitive. Especially since this interrupts any real conversation between the twins. We know that the two are planning on meeting again (True Ciel looking forward to a fight, Fake Ciel to reclaim his honor), but no doubt their feelings run deeper than what we have time for here.
Still, despite these flaws, Black Butler volume 28 has many bright spots. While the Sebastian on the cover is fully devilish, his dark side is…well, non-existent here. In fact, we see Sebastian’s exasperated affection for his fellow servants, his surprise at his master’s proclamation, and still be the strict butler. He’s always had emotions, but this is certainly welcome here, at a time when his contractor is mostly stunned into silence. There are a lot of these little moments — some humorous, some dramatic – that will also appeal to readers, like Othello’s amazing fighting skills, protagonist-Ciel realizing he’s been cornered. Or maybe you just are dying to see the cast in Chinese clothing.
Plus, with a lot of other characters showing up unexpectedly (and some have been MIA for quite a while), there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy seeing them and their odd eccentricities again after all this time. Still, that doesn’t mean I wanted to see everyone at once!
But now that most of these individuals have scattered in the aftermath of the truth, maybe they’ll make another return on their own time, separately. And not when the twins are face-to-face again after all these years.