black butler

Anime Like Black Butler

Young Earl Ciel Phantomhive is a noble in the service of Queen Victoria of England. Not only does he handle the business affairs of his family’s toy business, but he travels around solving mysteries that irk Her Majesty’s kingdom. However, he doesn’t do it alone. After the death of his parents and in his darkest hour, Ciel formed a pact with a demon to help him get revenge on those that wronged him in exchange for his soul afterwards. Now this demon poses as his butler, Sebastian, a man with superhuman abilities.

Folks – He’s one hell of a butler. Other anime just can’t compare, but do try to fill Black Butler’s void with these anime recommendations.

Anime Like Black Butler

For Fans of European Settings

gosick anime

Gosick

Kujou Kazuya is a transfer student to the elite Saint Marguerite Academy in the Southern European country of Sauville. However, because of his Japanese descent, he is shunned by the other students. One day in the library of the school, he ends up following a long blonde hair to a beautiful doll-like girl call Victorique de Blois who can predict the future, including their own currently entwined one. Together, the pair begin to solve the mysteries that are beginning to plague their surroundings.

Both series start off pretty straight-forward with two vaguely supernaturally linked people solving various mysteries. However, unlike Black Butler that seems to get lost in the sauce of things, Gosick maintains plot progression.

hellsing ultimate anime

Hellsing Ultimate

In this world, there are monsters that lurk in the darkness. Ones waiting to devour everything you are and hold dear. To stem the tide of this darkness is the Hellsing Organization. Commanded by Integra Hellsing, the organization’s powerful military force dedicate their lives to fighting monsters. However, their most powerful weapon is the vampire, Alucard, who turned against his own kind in service to Hellsing. Now with his new vampire assistant Seres at his side, he must battle not only monsters, but anyone that stands in Hellsing’s way.

Both Hellsing and Black Butler take place in Victorian Era England, showcasing a good bit of action. However, while Black Butler is more mystery-oriented, Hellsing is straight up bloody action, but both are pretty dark. It is also worth noting that both also feature badass butlers that would kick your butler’s ass.

d gray man anime

D Gray Man

After three years training with one of their prestigious Generals that saved him as a kid, Allen Walker is finally ready to join the Black Order, an organization of exorcists that fight Akuma and their leader, the Millennium Earl. With their Innocence weapons, Allen and his fellow exorcist embark on a journey to stop the Earl’s plot of ultimate destruction.

Although not specified, D. Gray Man has the same feel of Victoria Era Europe, but with a few modern touches. Both series have those with special powers fighting against demons and other supernatural foes. However, D. Gray Man becomes more like a shounen battlers as it goes on.

moriarty the patriot anime

Moriarty the Patriot

William Moriarty is the second son of the noble Moriarty family. During the day, he is a mathematics professor, but at night he uses his keen mind in order to work as a consultant for individuals with a particular need for his intellect. He has dedicated himself to revenge against nobility in order to crumble the crushing social hierarchy that oppresses much of England.

It is perhaps a strange thing to say, but both Moriaty the Patriot and Black Butler capture the sort of quiet cunning that defines the main characters. They are always plotting, always planning, and not always working towards the side of good. They both surround the characters solving problems, but Moriaty isn’t an action anime.

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian anime

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian

After losing his eccentric grandfather, Lord Hugh “Huey” Disward is set to inherit his estate, but on one condition. He must take over care of his grandfather’s archives full of forbidden knowledge and care for a mysterious girl named Dalian. However, he soon learns that the rival of his grandfather’s and his suspected killer is in the possession of a cursed tome that is causing problems in the world. Now with Dalian’s help, he must work to do what his grandfather failed to do – seal the tome away.

Both shows are set in a similar European era and dash in heaps of supernatural on top of that. Both shows feature intermittent action, but maintain a dark tone throughout as well. However, in terms of darkness, Black Butler still wins out.

Le Chevalier D'Eon anime

Le Chevalier D’Eon

In 18th century Paris, Lia de Beaumont, spy for Louis XV, has been pulled out of the river. Her recently knighted brother Charles d’Eon connects this to several disappearances around the city. Hoping to find her killer, he joins a secret police force. When a suspect turns into a murderous gargoyle, d’Eon discovers that he can now become possessed by his sisters vengeful soul.

While Black Butler is English and Le Chevalier D’Eon is French, they are both dark and supernatural shows in a similar era. Furthermore, both series have main characters that are focused on revenge and spend their time investigating various matters.

Gankutsuou anime

Gankutsuou – The Count of Monte Cristo

In the year 5053, French aristocrats Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d’Epinay attend Carnivale on the moon. While Franz wants to have fun, Albert is looking for something more fulfilling. However, after catching the eye of the Count of Monte Cristo at the opera, he finds more than he bargains for. Albert introduces him into French society, but the Count has vengeance on his mind as he seeks to ruin those who wronged him.

Both series set themselves up in a similar type of era and then add in their fictional liberties. In Gankutsuou, it justifies them by making it far, far in the future rather than just using supernatural as a justification like Black Butler. Aside from that, they are both dark, revenge-driven tales, though Gankutsuou lacks the same battle element to it.

earl and fairy anime

Earl and Fairy

In Scotland, Lydia Carlton makes her living as a fairy doctor. Though no one believes her, she insists that she can see and communicate with fairy creatures. However, Edgar believes in her powers, and after rescuing her, becomes her employer hoping that she can help him deal with the many mysteries that follow him.

If you want something in the same era as Black Butler, but a little brighter, then this is for you. Earl and Fairy dashes in the supernatural to a historical-inspired era, but it instead focuses on a tamer set of mysteries and romance.

case study of vanitas anime

The Case Study of Vanitas

Scorned by his vampire peers for being born under a blue moon, it is said that the vampire Vanitas created a powerful grimoire known as the Book of Vanitas that would bring retribution to all crimson moon vampires. On his way to Paris, Noe is searching for this fabled book. While traveling aboard an airship, he is saved from a vampire attack by an eccentric man that claims to posses the Book of Vanitas and uses it to cure the attacking vampire that was driven rabid by a progressing event afflicting vampires called the Charlatan’s Parade.

While Vanitas focuses on vampires, there is perhaps no other series that captures the same sort of tone as Black Butler, right down to the occasional shounen ai vibes. It creates a dark atmosphere, but also has plenty of action to keep idle minds occupied as Vanitas explores the mystery of the Charlatan’s Parade.

For Fans of Master-Servant Relationships

inu x boku ss anime

Inu x Boku SS

Ririchiyo Shirakiin is the sheltered daughter of a rich family, but she has been dependent on them her entire life. However, while she seeks to change that, she has a sharp tongue that needs minding. When she moves into a high security apartment complex to start her new life of independence, she discovers that the residents are not only strange, but everyone in the apartment – including herself – are half-human and half-yokai. Furthermore, as a condition of being able to move out, she now has to live with her new bodyguard, Soushi – a handsome and oddly submissive secret service agent.

Both series feature a distinct master-servant relationship where someone older serves a spoiled teen. However, unlike Black Butler, there is a distinct air of sexual tension in Inu x Boku with a much more lighthearted tone overall.

pandora hearts anime

Pandora Hearts

Young Oz Vessalius is the heir to his noble house. However, during his coming of age ceremony, the Baskerville Clan comes to oust him from his seat and force him into the Abyss that he once thought fictional. Inside, he finds it much like the terrible stories. Now he must learn to survive and escape this place infested with beings called Chains.

Above anything else, these two anime series have a very distinct Gothic visual style in common. Otherwise, Pandora Hearts has a similar master-servant relationship where an older person protects a young boy. However, in this case, that person is a girl. Both also walk the fine balance of drama, humor, and darkness.

kamisama kiss anime

Kamisama Kiss

Homeless and in debt, high schooler Nanami Momozono thinks things are looking up when she rescues a man and he offers to let her stay at his home. She soon discovers that his home is a rundown shrine. Trying to leave, she is mistaken for the man she saved – the man that is also the land god of the shrine, Mikage. Finding out she was tricked into being a god and not wanting to be homeless, Nanami tries to embrace her new divine duties, but has to deal with a hot-headed fox familiar to keep things running smoothly.

While distinctly a romance show, Kamisama Kiss and Black Butler share a similar relationship between the main characters. An older, occasionally malevolent spirit cares for the human in their charge, protecting them in all respects and taking care of their house.

blood plus anime

Blood+

Saya Otonashi lives a dull life as an amnesiac in Okinawa City. However, her forgotten past comes back to haunt her one night when she is attacked by a creature that feeds on human blood. After being saved by a mysterious man, he forced her to drink blood, sending her into a monster-slaying trance.

While Blood+ and its master-servant relationship is romance-focused, it, like Black Butler, features an action-rich show that maintains its very dark tone. However, its action is more focused on blade skills.

servamp anime

Servamp

High schooler Mahiru Shirota dislikes difficult things, but things become a lot more trouble when he rescues a black cat from the middle of the road that turns out to be a vampire. Giving him the name Kuro, from that day onwards a contract between Mahiru and the servant-vampire Kuro is born, pulling them both into the war between the other servamps.

While Servamp and Black Butler features master and their servants that battle for them, Servamp definitely has a lighter feel to it despite being about vampires. Regardless, it has the good action and inventive characters much like Black Butler.

The main chracters of the Vampire Knight anime standing extra dramatically

Vampire Knight

Cross Academy is separated into two classes, the day class and the night class. The day class is filled with normal students while the night class is made up of gorgeous elites. However, what the day students don’t know is that the night students are vampires. This is the tale of Yuuki and Zero, guardians of the night students that keep their secret. While Yuuki is the adopted daughter of the chairman, she is happy to interact with her night student savoir, Kaname. Zero, on the other hand, has an intense hatred of vampires.

While Vampire Knight is a romance-oriented show, it loves to be just as moody and melancholy as Black Butler. There is much drama as two vampire boys essentially fight over one human girl, as well as preventing her death as she comes across constant threat.

For Fans of Demons

Demon Detective Nougami Neuro anime

Demon Detective Nougami Neuro

Enter Nougami Neuro, a demon that feeds on mysteries and puzzles. When he comes to the human world, he noshes on the negative energy released by humans planning crimes. However, he cannot afford to be on the radar of the authorities, so he makes a deal with Yako who he helps solve crimes to keep him hidden from the law.

Both series are about demons that help a human solve mysteries. Naturally, both demons are vaguely evil and great at everything they do. However, Neuro gets immediate pay off from his mystery-solving while Sebastian works for the promise of sweet, young soul.

devils and realist anime

Devils and Realist

After his uncle fails in his business venture, William, heir of his family, returns home with his butler to search for stuff to sell. In the basement, William ends up inadvertently summoning a devil named Dantalion. This devil reveals that apparently William is the designator who can choose the acting ruler of the demon world.

Both series involve demons making a pact with a rich boy, both take place in a gothic world, both are distinctly dark with random funny moments, and both feature many of the same character types in them. However, Devils and Realist lacks the same revenge focus and emo tone.

tactics anime

Tactics

Ichinomiya Kantarou grew up with the ability to see demons, and found it impossible to make friends because of it. Instead, he befriended demons. One day, his friends told him about the existence of the strongest demon, the ogre-eating Tengu. With that, he set out to find him, traveling and making a living as a folklore writer and demon-buster. He had just about given up, until one day he gets a job at a shrine where the Tengu is supposedly living.

Both Tactics and Black Butler tell the story between a highly intelligent human with little family to speak of and the demon that is bound to them. While Black Butler is in Victorian England, Tactics takes place in Edo period of Japan. Aside from that, the only real difference is in the tone. Tactics is much more oriented towards comedy.

Do you have more anime recommendations like Black Butler? Let fans know in the comments section below.

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