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Disclaimer: This manga is based on KH2, the Square Enix video game. Although I LOVE LOVE LOVE KH BBS and KH COM, as I got older, I grew a little out of KH2. Nevertheless, the game was epic when it first came out. BUT the manga is a little different...

The original plot of the video game is actually pretty decent, but the manga...The manga adaption emphasized the Disney aspect of the story than the actual plot, as it seems. Sora and his buddies are drawn in an almost-cartoon style, and the Organization looks more like a bunch of people with hearts pretending not to have ... them then a group of Nobodies willing to do anything for a heart. The manga also highlighted the cute/funny parts, and glossed over much of the little character development for Sora and the gang.
Another thing is that after Sora got a character upgrade from pubescent trying to be 14 (Seriously, Sora in KH1 is supposed to be 14!) into an actual 15 year old guy. That doesn't really happen in the manga, so Sora is stuck looking like an idiot, despite his costume change.

BUT...The beginning "Roxas" arc is the most redeeming quality of the manga. For one thing, Roxas isn't drawn like a doodle and doesn't joke every thirty seconds. Another point is that this arc is made many viewers quite emotional, even more so than the original video game did. Shiro doesn't take KH very seriously, but he isn't without talent.

Basically: If your a fan of the series for its deepness and complexity while managing to have Disney in it, especially the more recent games, the manga won't suit you, but at least read the "Roxas" arc. If you like the series because it provides an opportunity to play/ally/defeat various Disney characters, than you'll like the manga.

Alot of the reviews have touched on the things I thought mentioning in a review already, so I will be writing whatever I thought should still be said in a review. There will be lots of spoilers

Unlike the original series, there is ALOT more ambiguous yaoi material. The farther off the anime goes from the manga, the more ambiguous yaoi material. Thankfully, Sebastion and Ciel aren't responsible for this, its the two new characters, Alois and Claude.
Alois has a pretty dark past, and its much nastier than Ciel's. Also, especially after certain incidents, Claude...the best way to say this is that Sebastian ... has more honor than Claude will ever have.
But the most horrible thing about the second season was the extreme yaoi concerning Alois's past as well as Claude himself. It hurt to get past that crap and those scenes were easily the worst I've ever seen. If you don't like yaoi, you might need to get used to skipping ahead
Character-7
The household staff and other minor characters don't show much at all after episode 6. Alois may seem like a complete and utter douche, but as more of his past is developed, he isn't what he seems to be.ts ironic that the character everybody assumed would have a horrible end to his existence would actually end up the most satisfied one out of the show.
Claude...is not what a demon is supposed to be, manga or anime wise. Imagine Grell, but a jack*** who is still in the closet, and you've got Claude. Hannah may seem like a victim, but by the end of the 10th episode, you'll want take a lesson from Alois and stick a finger in her eye.
Grell is more or less the male incarnation of a fan girl in this season, and the only source of comedy within the later episodes. The story reason for his reappearances is for Sebastian to use him, but its probably because theres no room for comedy by the main characters, Grell must contain it all. Its not a bad thing, just something you should keep an eye out for. Though Grell's fangirl moments are funny, the only true hilarious moment was when Sebastian found that adorable basket of kittens...aww..
The Viscount's portrayal in this season is a perfect example of the anime being COMPLETELY out-of-character. Last time I checked, Viscount is an sadistic person AUCTIONING PEOPLE FOR SACRIFICE. So how come HE FAINTS AT THE SIGHT OF BLOOD? No logic at all.
All the main characters are well-developed, and I have to admit, Ciel and Seb haven't changed too much from their original anime counterparts. But if you do anything, do not jump to conclusions.
\. But, as with the predeccessor, I strongly dislike when they try to speak in English. I know, its awesome how they are trying to be authentic and all, but it sounds horrible. I am compelled to throw up every time I hear "Your highness" or "Yes my lord". I know its unfair to criticize japanese voice actors for their English, but its one of the pet peeves of the show.
Story
You know the feeling of when you see a movie adaption of your favorite book, and its really good until they forgot one major detail or skipped over something that you were looking forward too, and then you get extremely pissed and temporarily detest the movie? That's what happened here.
I have to admit, the show has quite a lot of almost-random twists, which is what Kuroshitsuji the anime is known for.
Ciel probably wouldn't be able to get a better ending, but the problem here is that the ending isn't balanced.
The protagonists (or anti-heros) are supposed to BOTH have satisfying endings, not just one. I know this isn't easy for this show, but this season is cruel towards Sebastian. Sebastian can't have Ciel's soul, despite all the effort of having protected it from everything thats happened (Seriously think about that for a second), only to find out it was all for nothing, and is stuck in a contract with a another demon FOREVER, and can't have the world's most delicious soul, let alone any.
I I have to admit, the first half of the last episode was spetacularous (made that word up) but I'm in shock. When I first started the season, I thought there would be no way to get further out of the manga's reach. I WAS WRONG. All, I MEAN ALL, of the characters besides Sebby and Ciel are more or less deleted from the anime, because they all think Ciel's dead. Even the basic idea of Kuroshitsuji *A kid is in a contract with a demon to do whatever he pleases in exchange for the kid's soul* has been erased. Only Sebby and Ciel left, and I have no idea whats in the next season at all.
If the Kuroshitsuji 2 ended with Ciel's awakening as a demon, and let the beginning of season 3 be the last half, I would have been more satisfied.
But despite everything, I still anticipated every week's episode, and have rated this a 7. The first five episodes are more focused on the Sherlock Holmes aspect of the original kuroshitsuji, but only after does the show go wild. But thank god, theres NO FILLER. Maybe because of the fact the season is only 12 episodes, but I digress.
And the funny thing is that in the first five episodes, they constantly refer to Claude, but his role in the events of the first five episodes IS NEVER EXPLAINED AND IS NEVER MENTIONED AFTER THOSE EPISODES. Why include him at all then in the beginning?

Enjoyment-7
This depends if you've got a strong stomach and how much you like the fanservice directed to the girls. Yes, its a lot more present then in the first series, but the plot is amazing. It isn't Yona's style of story after the first five episodes, but that isn't a bad thing concerning how good the story is. There are probably plot holes towards the end, but that was the same as the first season. Its definitely worth watching, but the conclusion is going to slightly spoil your feelings toward it. I don't recommend this to any newcomers to anime. But if you liked the first anime series, go ahead and enjoy. If you loved the manga, don't come here hoping for the Circus arc. It isn't here, and trying to watch this will probably get you mad.
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