Kuroshitsuji Drama CD!

[insaneneko]

I just heard the Kuroshitusji Drama CD and am in love. First and foremost, Morikawa Toshiyuki you have redeemed yourself after your anemic turn as Sousuke in Hakkenden! He plays the butler Sebastian so perfectly, always unfailingly polite and perfectly composed. I especially love how Morikawa voices the line about how a certain someone looks so unsightly and so lovely on his knees, weak and small. XDXD Ciel is voiced by Sawashiro Miyuki, a voice actress I am completely unfamiliar with. I haven't seen any of the shows she has more than a bit part in. In any case, perfect casting. She sort of reminds me of Minagawa Junko, except softer. She has the child who is more mature than his age aspect down perfectly, giving him the ennui that he had to have (considering how he lounged about in all those lovely gothic outfits in the manga). Even the retarded servants of Ciel come alive in the drama. In the manga I found them kind of extraneous and silly, but in the drama they provide a great contrast to the more serious stuff. Even Ciel's betrothed was very well done. Yes, she has a high squeaky voice...But what else is she going to sound like? She comes off as a sweet if spoiled young lady with her heart in the right place. Her concern for Ciel after the ring thing sounded genuine, as it should.

It's always hard to stage action sequences in drama CDs, but I think this one did quite a good job. It loses something when the images aren't there, but at the same time it gains the shininess of Morikawa. Which I think for the most part makes up for the lack. It helps to have the manga in front of you while listening because it's quite faithful, but it's not necessary. The big moment (for me) from the manga, however, did lose quite a bit of oomph in the drama CD. I can't blame the production because it's a play on characters and can't be conveyed very well through sound.

Overall, an A++++ adaptation.

Just wanted to add...Though it's a minor point, I also adore the track titles:

1. The butler, he is capable
2. The butler, he is outstanding
3. The butler, he is the mightiest
4. The butler, he is most evil

So appropriate! So pat (in Japanese)!

And the pictures in the booklet are so lovely (as can be seen on this post--click for a bigger image!).