With a new season of Black Butler looming on the horizon, excitement among fans has reached a new high. The hype surrounding it is almost reminiscent of the initial fervor the series received when it first aired, back in 2008. Given the considerable gap since the release of the last canonical season, it's quite understandable that fans would want to revisit the previous storyline and reconnect with their favorite characters.

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Black Butler doesn't fall into the typical black-and-white portrayal of characters seen in some other action-mystery anime. Instead, it presents a varied ensemble cast, each with its unique quirks and complexities. The entire show boasts a set of characters that are so distinct in their own right, that it's really hard to categorize them into a textbook definition of "strong" or "weak." With that being said, some characters do have certain skills and powers that give them an edge over others.

10 Ciel Phantomhive

Cunning, Ruthless, And Manipulative

• Species: Human

While there are a lot of anime that feature children and teenagers with unfathomable powers and skills, Ciel Phantomhive—for better or worse—isn't anything special when it comes to strength. Despite that, the young Earl of the Phantomhive Family is anything but normal.

Despite being a kid, Ciel is diabolically cunning, completely ruthless, and incredibly arrogant. He's accustomed to people underestimating him because of his age and ingeniously uses that to his advantage. He's also not afraid to exploit people around him to gain an upper hand and is never remorseful for the damage and destruction he causes. He is very entitled and is fully aware of the power he holds over his demon butler.

9 Ran Mao

Highly Skilled Martial Artist

• Species: Human

For an anime that features demons and supernatural humans in their most primal forms, Ran Mao's character tends to fall way behind others because of its relatively "human" nature. But, in the realm of everything mortal, she's a pretty strong contender in terms of both physical strength and speed.

She's one of the first side characters to be introduced in the show and is mostly seen as a harmless, passive, and non-threatening young girl accompanying the Lau. In reality, she's Lau's personal assassin and bodyguard and is a highly skilled martial artist. She wields two lethal maces as her choice of weapon and uses a blend of her martial arts and weapons to fight anything threatening her boss.

8 Baldroy

A Dangerous Explosives Expert

• Species: Human

Baldroy, like all the household help in the Phantomhive manor, is a man who's utterly useless when it comes to performing the duties assigned to him. He's the household cook for the manor and is known for being atrocious at it—simply because that isn't his true calling.

Baldroy is an American man with a traumatic military background and a knack for blowing up everything around him with his handmade explosives. He's very skilled with all sorts of arms and can make explosives using basic kitchen ingredients like flour. He's clumsy and chaotic, but his battle IQ, occasional bouts of intellect and leadership, and battle-hardened past are what make him a dangerous opponent.

7 Mey Rin

A Deadly Sniper

• Species: Human

Clumsy domestic staff with hidden powers and skills is a pretty central theme in the Black Butler manga and anime. Sebastian's penchant for choosing these people simply stems from the basic "more skilled manpower, less danger" philosophy that is evident in a lot of the sequences of the series.

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Mey Rin, the Phantomhive manor maid, is awkward, uncoordinated, and frankly pretty self-sabotaging when it comes to household work. This is completely reasonable, seeing that she's secretly a professional sniper and her large round glasses are essentially just a prop for her remarkably sharp long-distance vision. Her personality takes an opposite turn when she's in her "killer" mode, and she shows absolutely no mercy to anyone she deems a threat to the manor.

6 Finny

Possesses Superhuman Strength

• Species: Human

Finnian is a bright, scrawny, German teenager who works for Ciel as his manor's gardener, something he's—again—notoriously bad for. His clumsiness and ineptitude at keeping the manor's garden alive often get him in trouble with Sebastian and result in him being called an idiot by the butler.

Now, beyond all the superficialities, Finny possesses remarkable superhuman strength that he, himself, is unable to control most of the time. His inability to garden is directly caused by it, and it's sort of useless for standard combat purposes. He's very loyal to Ciel and, despite his kindness, is willing to go to any length, dubious or not, for the Phantomhive Family.

5 Tanaka

A Skilled, Agile Swordsman

• Species: Human

Tanaka is the old, unassuming, and seemingly frail steward of the Phantomhive household, who is typically seen in his tiny chibi art form. His old age and tendency to join the other staff in their clumsy antics often make him seem innocuous.

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However, just like the other staff, Tanaka's non-threatening persona is only a disguise. In reality, the man's a highly agile and skilled swordsman who can slice through bullets with his katana. He's also physically strong, and an expert at Baritsu. His history with Ciel's parents and his original position in the house garners him respect from everyone around him.

4 Agni

Extraordinary Physical Might & Prowess

• Species: Human

Prince Soma's right hand, Agni, was initially a shallow man who lived for no one but himself. He eventually finds his true path through Prince Soma and in return harnesses powers that match those of the supernatural beings in the series.

He is the only human throughout the entire show who has physical strength and prowess on par with Sebastian's demonic abilities. In fact, during their duel, they're so evenly matched that it makes Ciel question whether Agni is a Grim Reaper and not human. And while Sebastian confirms otherwise, it still earns him the demon's admiration and the two end up becoming unlikely acquaintances.

3 Grelle Sutcliff

A Cruel, Bloodthirsty Combatant

• Species: Grim Reaper

While Black Butler undoubtedly boasts several formidable human characters, it's the non-human entities that truly steal the show. Beyond the exploration of demons (well, singular—Sebastian), it delves deeply into Grim Reaper lore. Its affinity for grim reapers is evident from the fact that one of the most famous antagonists of the series is a rogue known as Grelle Sutcliff.

Grelle Sutcliff is a malevolent, cruel, and bloodthirsty being with heightened senses and powers that naturally come with being a grim reaper. They're initially featured in the series as Madam Red's inefficient and awkward butler with a massive crush on Sebastian—instantly establishing themselves as someone who poses no threat. Beneath the surface though, they're Madam Red's accomplice in the Jack Ripper murders, and are shown to derive twisted pleasure from them. In their face-off against Sebastian, they not only hold their ground equally but also come close to outmatching him and bringing him down. Their choice of Scythe is a chainsaw.

2 Undertaker

Effortlessly Outmatches His Opponents

• Species: Grim Reaper

Given that Black Butler revolves around Sebastian, he naturally receives more attention and development regarding his powers and strength. However, there's one character who not only surpasses the others in strength but also succeeds in immobilizing and defeating Sebastian in one of their confrontations, despite his brief appearances—the eccentric, unsettlingly lively, and thoroughly unnerving informant of the Phantomhive Manor, Undertaker.

Even before his identity as a Grim Reaper is revealed, Undertaker commands this sort of presence that cannot be felt in any of the other characters. He has a sadistic affiliation with the Phantomhive household, particularly Ciel, and considers Sebastian a threat to the latter. This results in a showdown between them, where Undertaker holds the advantage. He effortlessly outmatches both Grelle Sutcliff and Ronald Knox (who are also part of the battle) in the ensuing fight and easily overpowers all three of his opponents. Ultimately, he deems the fight ineffective and casually disengages without facing any major setbacks.

1 Sebastian Michaelis

His Abilities Exceed Both Humans & Grim Reapers

• Species: Demon

It's only fitting for the strongest character of the series to be its titular character. Sebastian Michaelis is one of the best-written demons in the anime industry. He initially gives off impressions as being an above-average butler who's just a tad bit too good at his job, or in his words, he's "simply one hell of a butler." However, as the story progresses, viewers are introduced to his "demonic" side—the part of him that leaves everyone queasy and unsettled.

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Sebastian's demonic nature grants him abilities far beyond the reach of ordinary humans and even Grim Reapers: he's immortal, has superhuman strength, agility, and stamina, and is unnaturally smart, cunning, and foresighted. Moreover, his reflexes and strength outclass those of any other character in the series, which he combines with an extensive arsenal of weapons. He's extremely adaptable and can take on any situation without breaking a sweat. He's also remarkably sinister and deliberately puts Ciel into certain dangerous situations, just to gauge his reactions.

Black Butler

Supernatural

Suspense

Release Date

October 2, 2008

Studio

A-1 Pictures, CloverWorks (Public School Arc)

Japanese Title

Kuroshitsuji

Number of Episodes

57