Welcome back, adventurer, to another discussion on some of anime and manga’s meanest and grittiest characters! Today’s rap is featuring a pint-sized earl with a literal demon serving as his personal butler. That’s right, y’all, we’re talking about ‘Ciel’ Phantomhive from Kuroshitsuji!

Let’s go ahead and start with the obvious: ‘Ciel’ is not a nice kid. At just the tender age of twelve to most recently in the manga thirteen, as the Queen’s Watchdog he lies, blackmails, and orchestrates violence with a precision that would make seasoned villains flinch. He routinely uses people as tools by discarding them the moment they stop being useful. Age aside, Ciel’s moral compass is skewed at best and just nonexistent at worst. For viewers expecting a sympathetic child protagonist, this is pretty jarring. ‘Ciel’ doesn’t soften situations, he absolutely escalates them. He’s petty, vindictive, and often punishes enemies far beyond what feels “just,” which fuels the perception that he’s less hero and more tiny tyrant with a tragic backstory.

‘Ciel’’s past is horrific. Abduction, abuse, loss, and betrayal at an age when most children are still learning how to play. That trauma undeniably shapes him, but it’s also where much of the controversy lies. Trauma explains ‘Ciel’’s behavior, but it doesn’t erase the harm he causes. His emotional detachment and obsession with revenge often lead him to make choices that hurt innocent people, reinforcing the idea that he’s crossed a moral line and refuses to step back. And why should he? Given not only his role as the Queen’s Watchdog but also the master of a demon dedicated to serving him, that much power after having his humanity stolen from him must be quite the responsibility.

Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of ‘Ciel’ Phantomhive is that he succeeds. He wins. He outmaneuvers criminals, nobles, and supernatural threats alike. There’s no comforting lesson where innocence triumphs… only survival. That success forces the audience to grapple with a disturbing idea: that a child can be shaped into something monstrous yet effective. ‘Ciel’ isn’t particularly meant to be aspirational; he’s meant to be tragic. His bad rap stems from the fact that Kuroshitsuji never pretends otherwise.

So, does he deserve his bad rap? Yes. And no. ‘Ciel’ Phantomhive earns his bad reputation through ruthless decisions, emotional detachment, and moral compromise. But that reputation is also the point. He’s not a misunderstood cinnamon roll or a secret soft boy. He’s a survivor who weaponized his pain and sacrificed his humanity to keep moving forward. I think a lot of us can relate to that in some way, which makes loving this character all the more complicated. But damn, do I love ‘Ciel’!

Well, what do YOU think, does our tiny murderous earl deserve his bad rap? Let us know in the comments below and share this article on your socials to keep the convo going!