Victorian manga? That's the basic idea behind Black Butler, a manga series with an anime adaptation and even a Japanese live-action film. The most famous work by mangaka Yana Toboso plunges us into a supernatural plot set in late 19th-century England, during the reign of Queen Victoria. The French version has been available since 2009, published by Kana.

The demon butler

The story centres on a duo of characters: Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis. The title Black Butler refers to the latter, 'Butler' meaning butler in English.

Ciel Phantomhive comes from an aristocratic background. His father works in the service of Queen Victoria and has to solve dark cases linked to the supernatural that the Queen considers dangerous for the country and her power. Until the day when a demonic sect attacks and murders Ciel's parents, taking him prisoner and torturing him in order to perform a Satanist ritual.