Talk:List of Black Butler characters

Some beginning points
Hi this wont be changed for about a month if you don't change it back and I don't want this turning into the same mess as the character page on the main article. The article is based after List of Naruto characters, the Project's only featured character list. Some things I feel I ought to mention:


 * This article is sorely missing references.
 * There are important characters missing, all I can think of is the Noah's Ark Circus.
 * Please don't add too much plot here. Only the parts relevant to the character.
 * Remember WP:FANCRUFT.

~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 01:31, 6 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I've added the Noah's Ark Circus, but omitted it's members. I actually did write summaries for the performers, but I believe they are too short to actually add. So I'll leave them out for now. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 00:18, 11 January 2009 (UTC)

Section headings
I'd like to discuss the section headings of the page, as there seems to be problems with my original set-up and I'd like to hear other editors' opinions.

Some background on the page: The only featured character list the Anime and Manga WikiProject has List of Naruto characters. This is what I base my reasoning for the article on.

I believe that the main level two section headings should be Phantomhive Household (Protagonists would be a suitable substitute), Antagonists, and then Other characters. Level three headings, which I feel should be Nobles, Noah's Ark Circus, then Others, would be found under Other characters only. All characters would be under level four headings. All characters should be listed in appearance or importance order. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 22:04, 8 January 2009 (UTC)


 * There has been no comment on this matter within three days. I'll give this another two days, which is the 13th in UTC. If there is still no comment, I'll arrange the headings as described above. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 02:33, 11 January 2009 (UTC)


 * It is now the 13th UTC. I will now be rearranging the headers as described above due to lack of comment on the matter. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 03:51, 13 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Rather then protagonists, antagonists, and others, I would divide the list into main/primary characters, supporting/secondary characters, and minor character—the latter listing only characters that make repeated appearances throughout the series. --Farix (Talk) 03:56, 14 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I considered other options after AnmaFinotera proposed something similar to yours. I currently have two proposals, here if you want to take a look, although one is still under construction. I'm also finding difficulty figuring out who is minor and who is supporting/secondary characters. It's twenty-eight chapters long. So I can only pretty much tell the obvious supporting from the minor. Lau, Elizabeth, and Undertaker, although I should be sure of the last, are throwing me for a loop. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 23:07, 14 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I personally perfer #1, but I'm not entirely familiar with the plot, but I know in some its just really difficult to figure out who's an angagonist. I guess it depends on what fits this particular series.  BTW, I like it that both proposals keep this in a real-world frame.  :P  -- Kraftlos  (Talk | Contrib) 12:13, 15 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Yea, personally I like that one better too. But my only problem is that there are very few antagonists. Well, yet anyway. I'm hoping there will be more, but there aren't any clean-cut antagonists. The ones that are are really minor. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 00:18, 16 January 2009 (UTC)
 * In that case #2 might be apropriate. It can always be changed later on if it becomes apropriate to divide out antagonists.  -- Kraftlos  (Talk | Contrib) 01:06, 16 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Guess I'll add in those headings now. I don't know, though. Feels as if something's missing from it. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 02:35, 18 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Should I divide the minor characters further or is that too much? ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 03:39, 18 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Nah, they are minor characters so don't need much more than short summaries with a name. -- AnmaFinotera  (talk · contribs) 03:41, 18 January 2009 (UTC)


 * One other thing I would suggest is to only give section headers to the main characters. The minor characters especially shouldn't have section headers. If you want the ability to link to the other characters, the anchor template can be included. This is what I did over at List of Shugo Chara! characters. --Farix (Talk) 15:13, 18 January 2009 (UTC)
 * That helps so much. If only I knew it earlier. I'll get around to fixing that. ~ Itzjustdrama C  ? 03:49, 19 January 2009 (UTC)

Redux
I was rewriting the article and I feel that I should bring this up again. The current layout doesn't really allow for an Other section. At least I don't see how. There are more Antagonists now, I believe we can section them out. My proposal is here. Not everyone will have a section heading. I just did that so it's easier to see the layout. ~ Itzjustdrama ? C 00:02, 20 May 2009 (UTC)

Translation
私はあくまで執事ですから also translates to "I am but a butler", in addition to "I am a demon and a butler". But in the actual anime, not the manga, Sebastian says, "I am one hell of a butler."

Inconsistency
Sorry to bother everyone. I noticed there was an inconsistency with the use of Bardroy versus Baldroy. I know Rs and Ls are a common problem when translating from Japanese, but we should probably pick one. For what it's worth, I think Bardroy sounds better. Plus, if you go with Baldroy, his nickname ends up as "Bald", which is kinda weird... Well anyway, I didn't want to edit without asking, so I figured I'd just mention it instead. Shamooga (talk) 04:42, 1 February 2011 (UTC)

Grell's Gender
Yes, well, not to be a nuisance. It is just that, like I said, Grell's pronouns keep changing from female to male and vice versa. I didn't think it was a big deal what Grell's gender was anyway. However, I suppose that we'll have to follow Wikipedia's rules. According to MOS:IDENTITY, "Any person whose gender might be questioned should be referred to by the gendered nouns, pronouns, and possessive adjectives that reflect that person's latest expressed gender self-identification." Which means that Grell will be referred to a female in the article (no matter how weird that is.) I usually don't care, but now that part of the article changes almost everyday, and it's gotten to be kind of annoying. I just thought I'd mention this. Cutiehoney12 (talk) 13:51, 4 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Hello. I have been viewing this war over Grell's gender for quite some time and thought I would finally say something. I agree with the rules in MOS:IDENTITY about what to do if someone's gender is in question. But the fact is, Grell's gender is not in question. He is a man. I'm not trying to start a fight, I'm just stating a fact. In the third volume of the manga, page 50, Grell says to Madame Red: "I want a baby of my very own too, but my being male is a biiiit of a problem." Grell knows he is a man, he just likes to call himself a lady. We need to keep our personal feelings out of the article and just state the facts. People who don't know Black Butler very well are going to get confused reading this article, because half of it says Grell is male and the other half says he's female. He is male. Please take what I said into consideration. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 18:26, 5 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I guess I agree. But at the same time, Grell wants to be a girl, right? I mean, sure, Grell is male biologically. But in the Kuroshitsuji Character Guide, it says Grell wants a 'sex-change'. So wouldn't Grell be transgender then? Just saying. I agree with you, I was just thinking about it for a while, as someone who often researches LGBT type things. Not trying to be crazy serious about this, it is just that if Grell wants to make an effort to be female, then Grell would be transgender. I was just thinking about it, for too long, maybe. Plus, the opening text in the Kuroshitsuji Character Guide says Grell is a 'her'. It kind of reminds me of Birdo, actually.

Cutiehoney12 (talk) 01:33, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I understand what you're saying. I know he wants to be a lady and that he uses lady pronouns, but that still doesn't change the fact that he's male. According to this article the first known sex change was in the 1930s. If Black Butler took place after this time, I would totally agree with you. But Grell can't have a sex change in the Victorian era, so he is a man. It's not possible to become a woman just by wishing you were or talking like you are. I'm not trying to be mean to Grell, I'm just trying to keep this article as accurate as possible. If it's okay with everyone, I think we should use male pronouns with him to avoid confusion. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 04:59, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I understand what you are saying also. But even so, according to what transition is, the Wikipedia article for Transwoman states that:

"Transition" refers to the process of adopting a social and personal identity that corresponds to one's own sense of the gendered self, and MAY or MAY NOT include medical intervention (hormone treatment, surgery, etc.), changes in legal documents (name and/or sex indicated on identification, birth certificate, etc.), and personal expression (clothing, accessories, voice, body language)."

For Grell, it would technically be the last one. Just saying. It doesn't always have to include surgery, from what I know.Cutiehoney12 (talk) 16:26, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Yes, I see. Grell definitely meets the description. I just think that it would make more sense to the readers to use male pronouns throughout the article but also make sure they understand that Grell is a transwoman who calls himself a lady and dresses like one on occasion too. That way people know that he is a man, but prefers to call himself female. I believe this description would be less confusing and more accurate. Do you think this would satisfy both parties? Or does anybody have a serious problem with this? --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 20:41, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I see what you mean. One party usually refers to Grell as female, and the other as male. Let's see here, well, maybe if we say that Grell is a transwoman and we refer to Grell as female, but then say Grell is DEFINITELY male biologically. Do you think that's a good idea? It is true, Grell is a transwoman, no denying that. Grell is of course biologically male, right? I was just thinking it over. It's just that, we do want both parties to be happy, correct? I just thought this was the best way to go over things. I totally agree with you, though. Because if we refer to Grell as female, the opposite party would blow a gasket and vice-versa. It's true, I've seen it happen on some of the Kuroshitsuji forums. Actually, Grell's gender seems to have become a general problem with the whole fan base.Cutiehoney12 (talk) 20:53, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * That might work. I still believe that it would be more accurate to say it the other way around, but I'm willing to compromise. This way just feels less accurate to me. The episode list and the manga chapters also use male pronouns for Grell, so it seemed better to me to keep it consistent. Grell's page in the Kuroshitsuji Wiki also refers to him as a male. If only we could make a poll, then we could take a vote and see what the majority of people think is correct. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 22:25, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Eh, I don't know. I just think about it this way. If you refer to Grell as female, it'll be what half the fans want and what Grell wants. If you refer to Grell as male, then it'll just be what half the fans want, but not what Grell wants. That's how I thought of it. But I agree with your way too, I suppose. Cutiehoney12 (talk) 23:41, 7 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Good point. I know that's what Grell would want, but I had always felt that a wikipedia article should just state the facts. Not based on opinion, but on what was real. Biologically, I mean. It shouldn't really be based off of what the fans and Grell want, it should just be filled with the truth. I know what you are saying too though. I'm not trying to rain on Grell's parade by saying this, I'm trying to think about what's best for the article. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 00:52, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, would it really be an opinion? Grell is a transwoman for fact, but also biologically male for fact. I believe that they're both facts, it's just that different people take on one fact, and the others believe in the other fact. Both Grell being a transwoman and Grell being biologically male would be right, yes? You have a good point, it's just that the Kuroshitsuji Character Guide said 'her' and some other places say 'he'. It's as if nobody even knows how to officially refer to Grell. Not even Yana Toboso, who wrote the manga and the character guide. Plus, I mean, what about Deirdre McCloskey? She's male biologically, like all other transwomen, but referred to as female, correct? Cutiehoney12 (talk) 01:32, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Hmmm. Is there any way for you to give a URL for the Kuroshitsuji Character Guide? If it says 'he' and 'she' it could have been poorly translated. In the manga, anime, and musical Grell is usually referred to as a man by everybody except for himself. On every other Kuroshitsuji related website (including the other Black Butler pages on wikipedia) they use male pronouns, so why shouldn't we? We need to stay consistent with the other articles on this site. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 01:55, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Nah, forget it. I guess it's not that serious anyway. If you want it male, you want it male, even though it seems kind of one-sided. I mean, I always thought that Grell was more pangender then anything. Wants to be female, refers to self a female, but everyone else refers to them as male. But, whatever. Cutiehoney12 (talk) 02:04, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, we all have our opinions. From anyone's view point, either argument could sound one-sided. It just depends on one's opinions. So has this war finally been settled? Are you okay with me changing the pronouns? --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 02:23, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * You have a point. I personally think either argument would be correct. But if it makes you happy, you could change the pronouns. Cutiehoney12 (talk) 16:07, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm glad we've finally settled this. I will change the pronouns. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 21:22, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm happy, too. Cutiehoney12 (talk) 22:33, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Good, then please stop changing the pronouns back after I change them. Thanks --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 23:23, 8 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Please stop changing the pronouns. This applies to any who are doing it. You know who you are. The debate has been settled. Grell is a man. His pronouns are to be male. The Black Butler episode list, the manga chapters, and Grell's page in the Kuroshitsuji Wiki all use male pronouns. This page is the only one that isn't consistent. So please stop changing them. Thank you. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 18:11, 9 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Using male pronouns for a trans woman is transphobic and a violation of MOS:IDENTITY. The creator of the series has specifically stated that Grell is a trans woman. Do your research. "Another wiki uses the wrong pronouns" doesn't mean anything. The issue was brought up with them and they decided that disrespecting trans people was more important than accuracy. The GLAAD Media Guide has stated to use the pronouns that they use for themselves. And since Grell has specified female pronouns for herself, those would be the correct ones. 99.103.228.19 (talk) 16:25, 10 July 2012 (UTC)


 * It is not a violation of MOS:IDENTITY. It states that if "the gender is in question" to use the pronouns that they do. Grell's gender is not in question, because even he said himself that he was a man. If the creator did say that he was a transwoman, I would love to see proof because I have never heard her say that or seen that written anywhere. The Kuroshitsuji Wiki does not use the wrong pronouns, they use the right ones. I saw their Talk Page and they did cover this issue almost a year ago and they firmly decided on leaving the pronouns male. So that's what we will do as well. Considering that all of the Black Butler characters (except for Grell himself) and the majority of the Black Butler fanbase refers to Grell as a man, we will do the same thing. We have to think about what is less confusing for the readers of this page, because they will be confused if this article is inconsistent with the rest of the Black Butler pages on Wikipedia and the Kuroshitsuji Wiki. And please don't make false accusations. Using male pronouns for Grell does not make us transphobic. That would be like me saying you are homophobic for giving him female pronouns. I'm not saying you are, I'm just saying it would be incorrect to assume something like that. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 17:08, 11 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Just because a person who is not knowledgable about trans issues decides to have every character misgender someone does not mean that it's acceptable for you to do so. It's listed on that Grell is trans, the Kuroshitsuji wiki you link to even says that Grell uses female pronouns for herself, which according to the AP Stylebook and GLAAD Media guide means that you should as well. Also the TV Tropes Page uses female pronouns for Grell so clearly that's "proof" since if one site does it then all other sites should as you have said. Wikipedia is not about what's "less confusing" it's about facts.108.66.54.181 (talk) 23:24, 11 July 2012 (UTC)


 * As I have said before, Grell being male is a fact. And you are wrong, Wikipedia is supposed to be less confusing. Wikipedia is supposed to give people a better understanding of what they are searching for. If someone who is new to Black Butler read this article, they would get confused because it is inconsistent with the manga, the anime, the rest of Wikipedia, and the Kuroshitsuji wiki. If we use female pronouns for Grell and say in one sentence that he is biologically male, people will get confused. If we use male pronouns and say that he likes crossdressing and talking like a woman, people will get a better understanding of the character. The TV Tropes website you mentioned is not meant to provide facts, it is "a catalog of the tricks of the trade for writing fiction" as it states on the front page. The Kuroshitsuji Wiki provides facts specifically about Black Butler, so it is more likely to be correct in regards to this particular subject. Wikipedia is about facts and what is less confusing for our readers. Using male pronouns with Grell is both factual and less confusing. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 01:21, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Alright, I'm sick and tired of this. Any person with common sense will know what 'biologically' and 'trans woman' mean. They can look it up if they don't know what those words mean. First of all, Grell isn't a 'cross dresser'. I know what that is, and Grell isn't that. Grell is a male-to-female transsexual. Crossdresser is someone who dresses opposite their gender, but identifies as their actual gender. Grell is transgender because transgender means adopting a social identity, and Grell identifies as female in public. You could just say that Grell is a trans-woman, (which implies a third gender) say that Grell is biologically male, but refers to herself as female. Or you could say Grell is born as male, and identifies as female. I don't see what's so confusing about that. Grell is a woman if she says she is. But if she also said she was male, than Grell would be pan gender. Okay? Sounds okay to me. Sorry to be rude, but I feel very strongly about this. It matters more about the person/character sometimes than what's less confusing. It also seems you have three against one. I feel that this should settle it. By the way, Wikias are done by fans. You can REALLY right anything you want on Wikias, even the one you just mentioned. Just because everyone else refers to Grell as male, it doesn't mean anything. People usually refer to Wikipedia before a wiki, anyway. Plus, as someone who is transgender, I find it a little rude that you would say something like that. Since I'm transgender, I feel kinda angry when people say things like that. I'm so sorry for being unkind. VERY sorry. I'm kind of a hothead. That is all. LuckyStarFan120 (talk) 02:00, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

In Japan, Grell wouldn't be referred to as transgender, but as an okama character (crossdresser/drag queen). A lot of people think that is a negative term or that it only applies to gay men, but it isn't meant to be insulting and it doesn't always apply to gay men. It refers to men in Japan who crossdress, wear makeup, talk in a girly way, or who openly flirt with other men. The actor who played Grell in the muscial, Uehara Takuya, had said in an interview, "This is not the first time I've played an okama character" (unfortunately, I could not re-find this interview so you don't have to use it as evidence if you don't want to). Grell is very similar to other okama characters such as Haruhi's dad in Ouran Highschool Host Club and Okura Masaru in Atashinchi no Danshi. Haruhi's dad is referred to as a man in the manga, anime, drama, this Wiki, and the Ouran wiki; and Masaru is referred to as a man in the drama, and this wiki. Since Black Butler originated in Japan and the author is Japanese I'm pretty sure Grell was intended to be an okama. Also, Grell is a crossdresser. He wears a woman's coat and heels (which, in Victorian times, would definitely be considered crossdressing), and in the musical he wore a dress on two different occasions. Another point I would like to bring up is that Grell doesn't seem to care if he's referred to as a man. He never seems offended when the other Black Butler characters say he's a man, and he doesn't have any problem with admitting it himself. I'm sorry if my opinions are offending anybody. I don't mean any disrespect to people who are transgendered. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 03:06, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Okay, fine. You can do what you want. I'm sorry for kinda yelling at you, I just go a little crazy when people say those things. Thank you for explaining yourself, though. I know who you're talking about though, Haruhi's dad? I saw Ouran, but Haruhi's dad doesn't want to be a woman. He just dressed as a woman to make Haruhi feel better about her mom dying. Grell's kinda different. But okay. But why wouldn't Grell be referred to as transgender? Grell wants to be a woman. Any okama wouldn't. Japan doesn't really seem to care if one is a transwoman or not. There was a transwoman politician and even though she specifically said she would run a a woman, the government referred to her as male 'officially', despite the fact she was running as female. (Once I find it, I'll give you the link to her Wikipedia page) Here it is: Aya Kamikawa. Here's her profile: http://ah-yeah.com/profile_e.html LuckyStarFan120 (talk) 03:15, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I'm sorry too. I hope I didn't offend you with anything I had said :( I'm not sure whether or not an okama would want to be a woman. I think there are probably some who do. I had just believed that since no other okama characters are referred to as women, Grell shouldn't be treated differently. Japan has different views on things like this so it's hard to say what the creator of Black Butler had in mind when creating Grell. I think it's unfair for Aya to be referred to as male when she specifically said she would run as female, but I think that since Grell never said that he wanted others to refer to him as female he should be referred to as male on an information site like Wikipedia. Grell had always seemed perfectly content thinking of himself as a female even when the other characters called him a male. I know everybody has their own opinions though, and even though this seems right to some, others might feel differently :) --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 04:23, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I suppose. But an okama character wouldn't want to be a woman in any way. Not from what I know. This is what makes Grell different. But I see what you're saying. Have you ever heard of Birdo, though? Originally they referred to her as male, but then they referred to her as female. One of the most confusing characters in gaming history. Plus, in another Wikipedia article, List of transgender characters in film and television, Grell was actually listed. Plus, in Japan, Birdo would probably be referred to as being okama also. Japan is very different from America when it comes to that kind of thing. LuckyStarFan120 (talk) 13:46, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * In the character interview, Grell specifically states that she is a woman. She states "god made a mistake". A common feeling trans people express about how they were born. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 17:30, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Yes, I see. But Grell is an okama character. I'm not sure where LuckyStarFan is getting that no okama wants to be a woman. I haven't seen every anime in the world or met an okama in person to know that and I'm not sure that user has either. Even though Haruhi's dad and Masaru, two okamas I had mentioned in a previous post, used female speech they are not referred to as women. No other okama character that I know of is referred to as a woman so I don't see why Grell should be treated differently. He doesn't get upset when the other characters in Black Butler call him a boy, and he does not have any trouble admitting it on his own so I'm not sure how seriously Grell actually takes this. I don't think the Kuroshitsuji Character Guide is a very good reference to use since it was fan-translated. A user had said in a previous comment that the guide had used 'he' and 'she' to refer to Grell so not only was it fan-translated, but it was obviously poorly translated as well. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 20:24, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * How do you know that Grell is "an okama"? Is it completely impossible that it's just the writer is is unknowledgable about trans people while trying to make a trans character the best they can based on their own misconceptions? You seem to think that "biological sex" is a deciding factor in it when it literally has no affect on how you should refer to them. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 21:53, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Grell meets the descriptions of an okama. He crossdresses, wears makeup, talks like a lady, is a comic relief character, and flirts with other men. I don't think Yana Toboso was trying to create a trans character. She was probably trying to make an okama character since it is a popular character type for anime and manga in Japan. Okamas provide comic relief and sometimes cause trouble for the main character. Grell definitely does both of these things. Many different anime and manga have characters like these. An okama is a common thing, like a tsundere character or a shota. Since Black Butler originated in Japan, I believe that Grell was meant to be an okama. I have never seen an okama be referred to as a woman by anyone but themselves, so I don't think Grell should be any different. Okamas that I know of include Haruhi's dad from Ouran, Okura Masaru from Atashinchi no Danshi, Bon Clay from One Piece, and Zoisite and Fisheye from Sailor Moon. I have also seen okamas portrayed in many different Japanese stage plays, but they aren't well known so I can't find a good description of them online. I think that if Grell isn't offended by being called a man, we might as well go ahead and call him one. If Grell had shown signs wanting to be called a woman by other people, then it would probably be okay to do that. He has never tried to correct the other characters who call him male and he is comfortable with admitting that his is a man. We wouldn't be offending anybody if we called Grell a man, since Grell doesn't care and we wouldn't be offending him. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 22:54, 12 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Except she's not crossdressing, she's a woman. She wears make up because she's a woman. She talks like a lady because she's a woman. She's a comic relief character because the writer doesn't understand what they're doing is transphobic. All of these are easily explained either way. And you would be offending trans people because you're literally saying "What other people refer to you is more important than how you refer to yourself." Which is transphobic.108.66.54.181 (talk) 05:43, 13 July 2012 (UTC)


 * You are saying that Grell is a woman because it is your own opinion. My opinion is that Grell was meant to be an okama. There are people in this world who share your opinion, and people in this world who share mine. That's why this debate is so hard to settle. Crossdressing is the act of someone dressing up as the opposite sex. Grell is biologically male and he dresses like a woman. Therefore, by definition, he is a crossdresser. Yana Toboso isn't doing anything transphobic. She created an okama character, because that is a popular character type. It's a writing style. I'm not offending trans people because I'm not talking about every trans person, I'm just talking about Grell. I just don't agree that he should be referred to as a woman. The fact that Grell is a fictional character and a supernatural being means that different rules may apply to him. "Okama" is usually used to describe a male character who dresses like a woman, wears makeup, talks like a woman, provides comic relief, and is sometimes attracted to other men. Okama is listed in the Glossary of Anime and Manga Terms so it definitely applies to Grell since he is a character in an anime and a manga. And don't call me transphobic. I have absolutely no problem with trans people. Calling me transphobic is like calling you homophobic for trying to say that Grell is a woman. I'm not saying you are, but I just want to show how silly it is to make accusations like that. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 17:00, 13 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Trans women are not crossdresers, just because of "biology" or whatever it is you're saying. It is not silly to to say you being transphobic is transphobic. When you say that, that's transphobic. Grell has clearly stated that she wants to be a woman. That she think that god made a mistake. She refers to herself as female pronouns. She has stated she wishes she could have a child. And so on. She is a trans woman. Biology has literally nothing to do with this whatsoever. Cis people are well known to be ignorant about trans people but still attempt to write stories about them. It's very common for cis people to be transphobic so I don't see how you think she can't possibly have done anything transphobic. The way you describe Okama it sounds like the entire thing is just a "let's make fun of trans women" trope. And you constantly referencing it is just more evidence of it being transphobic as you've repeatedly claimed biology and how other people refer to them is the most important thing when it comes to trans people. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 22:54, 13 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I am not transphobic. I have nothing against transgendered people and I don't find being transgendered wrong in any way. I just don't believe that it is correct to call Grell transgendered. He might be transgendered by your standards, but by Japan's standards, and most of his fans', he is most likely an okama. Okamas don't make fun of transwomen. It's just a character style. Most of the okamas in my previous post used female pronouns as well, but are always referred to as men on wikipedia and other websites. Transwomen are referred to as women because they want to be, and it would be impolite to call them men. Grell has never gotten upset over being called a man by the other Black Butler characters, so he obviously doesn't care like most transwomen would. Grell has no problem with being referred to as a man and is willing to admit it himself. Calling himself a woman is for his own enjoyment, and the enjoyment of the fans. I think that if Grell was really serious about being a woman, he would get angry at the other characters when they call him a man. I think you are just taking this more seriously than he is. And I know Grell says that he wants to have a baby, but that always seemed strange considering he hasn't gotten along with any of the children he's met in the story. I just wonder how seriously Grell really takes this compared to you. Yana Toboso didn't mean to upset you with Grell's character. She was just trying to make a fun character who would cause trouble for Sebastian and be awesome/hilarious at the same time. Grell is a manga/anime character, therefore manga/anime terms (like okama) should apply to him. If Grell was a real person, I might agree with you. But since he is a fictional character/Grim Reaper, human rules don't apply to him. I'm sorry if my opinions seem "transphobic" to you. I really don't mean to be offensive, but if I have offended anybody I am truly sorry. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 23:55, 13 July 2012 (UTC)
 * She probably doesn't get mad because she's written by a cis person who doesn't understand trans people. Fictional character DO NOT exist in a vacuum. Real life prejudices come into play with them all the same. Your continued insistence that how other characters and how the fans refer to her, cis fans I might add who have literally no experience with trans people and are likely extremely prejudiced, matters more than her constant insistence that she is a woman. That would be like saying "Well your family doesn't accept that you're trans so I don't think you really are. Their opinion is more important than how you feel." 108.66.54.181 (talk) 00:07, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * How you've described Okama here: Trans women being called men, gross, and constantly insulted for cis people's amusement. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 00:19, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Grell doesn't get mad, because he is not trans. He is an okama. That was what was intended when his character was created. He is a manga/anime character so manga/anime terms apply to him the most. And Grell doesn't "insist" that he is a woman, he just finds it fun to act like one. Like I said, he never "insisted" that he be called a woman. He was fine being called a man by the other characters. He was fine calling himself a man. I never said that okamas were transwomen who are gross or constantly insulted. Okamas are not transwomen, they are not gross, and they are not constantly insulted. Grell is constantly insulted by Sebastian and William only because they are jerks. Haruhi's dad was never insulted and no one ever said he was gross. Zoicite was never insulted and he certainly isn't gross. Masaru was only picked on by his brother, but they're brothers so that's just siblings arguing. Okamas are definitely not gross. Most of the time, they are the best characters. Zoisite was the tenth most popular male anime character in a May 1993 Animage poll according to this article. It just sounds to me like you're trying to force your own opinion and you aren't listening to anything I've said. Manga/anime characters are described by manga/anime terms. Grell is a supernatural being and a fictional character. I don't believe that your rules apply to him. If Grell doesn't care about being called a man, then he obviously isn't a serious transgender. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 00:43, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * According to you there are zero trans characters because they are all "really men". Real life affects media because it's created by real people. It doesn't just pop into existence fully formed completely devoid of any impact from real life. Her saying she's a woman should be enough, but you as a cis person has to decide "No. It's not enough. I want more proof." and then flat out ignore any of it. You cannot be reasoned with. Congratulations on your insistance on hurting trans people and using a common -phobic trope of "I have no problem with ______ but". In the end, the rule is already stated MOS:IDENTITY The expressed identity and preferred pronouns are that she's a woman and that's all that matters. One of the primary differences between a crossdresser and a trans person is the expressed desire to be that gender. Grell has met this requirement. If she were a crossdresser she wouldn't believe that her being born male was an accident of god. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 00:49, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I cannot be reasoned with? You can't either. I have not ignored anything you have said. I have reviewed what you presented, then presented my own argument calmly and without falsly accusing you of some ridiculous phobia. I don't believe Grell is a transwoman because I believe he was intended to be an okama. Every okama I have named is referred to as a man, and I think Grell is an okama. Okama is a Japanese character type and since Black Butler originated in Japan this should apply to him as well. Since he is an anime/manga character, anime/manga terms should apply to him. He also is obviously not very serious about being a transwoman. He doesn't even try to correct the other characters when they call him male and he has absolutely no problem stating it himself. He says that "God made a mistake", but how serious about that is he really? We all know that Grell hasn't taken anything seriously in the entire span of the story. Grell's personality is just like that. He can't stay serious about anything; everything is like a game to him. MOS:IDENTITY states that "any person whose gender might be questioned" you should use the pronouns they use, but Grell's gender is not in question because he said himself, completely willingly, that he was male. I have not insisted on hurting trans people at all. I have stated why I believe Grell was not meant to be a trans character. All you have done for the past few comments is falsly accuse me, Yana Toboso, and most of the Black Butler fanbase of being transphobic; which is not very productive in a debate. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 05:02, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * If her gender weren't in question, would this be a debate? No. It wouldn't. And you can't just decide that some things she says are joking and other's aren't. What if she's joking when she says she's a man? You said she can't be taken seriously. You're holding a double standard. You keep putting the cart before the horse though. Let's start at what we know. Grell uses female pronouns for herself. She says she wants to be able to have a baby. She says god made a mistake making her a man. She sometimes says she's a man and other times says she's a woman. If she were a crossdresser would she be saying god made a mistake? No. She wouldn't. Crossdressers don't say they are women, don't call themselves women, don't want to be able to get pregnant, and don't claim god made a mistake making them a man. Grell does all of these so she is not a crossdresser. She may fit into your trope, but that doesn't mean she can't be a trans woman. Not all drag queens are men after all. Some trans women start off as drag queens until they realize they're trans, but that doesn't make them any less of women. Three people now have tried discussing this with you and you still ignore everything stated and cling to your false assumptions hand waving away stuff as "well maybe she wasn't serious." 108.66.54.181 (talk) 05:20, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * In the end, what you're doing is going "I know nothing about trans people and have no experiences pertaining to being trans, but here's what I think about trans people and their experiences." 108.66.54.181 (talk) 06:03, 14 July 2012 (UTC)

I never said Grell was "joking" about anything. I said he wasn't very serious, meaning that he probably doesn't care about being called a woman as much as you seem to. Grell has never gotten angry over being called a man, and he has never had a problem calling himself one. He says he wants to have children, yet he doesn't seem to like children very much. He says that God made a mistake but, like I said, he doesn't show any evidence of caring when he's called a man. If he was really trans, wouldn't he try to correct the other characters? Crossdressing is the act of dressing as the opposite sex, which Grell does. How do you know crossdressers don't say they are women? How do you know they don't call themselves women? How do you know they don't want to get pregnant? How do you know they don't think God made a mistake? Have you met every crossdresser in the world to find out? I rather doubt it. The word "okama" is a Japanese term used to describe characters in Japanese anime/manga. Grell is an anime/manga character who meets the description of an okama, so I believe this term is the most correct to use. No other okamas that I know of have been referred to as a female, so why should Grell be treated differently? I am basing my argument off of things that you have told me about trans people. I have countered all of your opinions on the matter with my own evidence and argument. I don't believe that Grell should be considered trans. Don't be so surprised that there are people who have a different opinions than you. That's going to happen a lot in life. I have not ignored anything that anybody has said, and I am not "clinging to false assumptions". Nothing that I have said has been a lie. This is what I believe to be true. I could just as easily say you are "clinging to false assumptions" but I am not because I realize that you believe that what you are saying is true also. Don't try to use the "you're out-numbered" thing on me. Two (and probably more) of the people who have commented on this subject were the same person and were blocked for using multiple accounts to appear as if they have more support and to disrupt the article. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 06:41, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * So you assume every Okama character is a man by default and use that as proof that they are men. If a character is trans then you claim them as Okama and use that claim of being an Okama as proof that they aren't trans. That's very circular. Crossdressing also has nothing to do with assigned sex. At all. Saying it does is saying that all trans people are "really crossdressers". Also way to accuse me of being a sockpuppeter just because I disagree with you. 108.66.54.181 (talk) 08:35, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * The word "okama" refers to a man who wears women's clothing, makeup, or talks like a woman. They are also usually comic relief characters. Since Grell does all of these things, I believe that "okama" is a better word to describe him. Especially since it is an anime/manga term and Grell is an anime/manga character. I didn't say that all trans people are just crossdressers. I am talking about Grell because I don't believe that "transwoman" is the best term to use for him. I did not in any way say that every trans person in the world is a crossdresser. I am not accusing you of being a sockpuppet, I had just said that you shouldn't say I'm out-numbered if someone had cheated and used a couple of accounts to look like they had more support. I didn't say you were involved. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 17:52, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Okama means "homosexual man". Grell isn't homosexual. Grell is bisexual. You do realize this, right? Nobody can be "homophobic" if they use female pronouns for Grell. That's why Grell can't be an okama, you see. Because Grell isn't gay. Do you see what I'm saying? Masaru isn't gay either. He was gynophobic for a little while. But then he fell in love with Misato. If someone isn't gay, they can't be an okama. Omega145 (talk) 23:02, 14 July 2012 (UTC)


 * Actually, Wikipedia is wrong about that. Okama does not always apply to homosexual men. They can be bisexual or heterosexual. Haruhi's dad is bisexual and considered an okama. Actually if you watch the Ouran drama, Haruhi specifically said that her dad was an okama. In the Ouran anime, Tamaki was the one who said her dad was an okama. Masaru was specifically called an okama on Atashinchi no Danshi as well. Using female pronouns can actually come off as homophobic. I have met two people who choose to view Grell as female because they believe it is wrong for men to flirt with other men. That is the only reason I had said that. To address your other concern, I definitely believe Grell is bisexual, but there are others who believe he is 100% gay. Grell's sexual orientation was never established. He flirts with men and said he loved Madame Red. I choose to believe that Grell's love for Madame Red is real (hence why I think he's bisexual), but there are others who believe the love was purely platonic and think he is homosexual. That really has nothing to do with being an okama though, obviously not every okama is homosexual. Some are bisexual (Grell and Haruhi's dad) and some are heterosexual (Masaru). --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 01:59, 15 July 2012 (UTC)

I swear, this entire debate reeks of transphobia. The pronouns should be changed. Grell is confirmed transwoman, in and out of the manga. Get over it and accept her for what she is. This avoidance of calling her a woman is going beyind ignorance and right into bigotry. 70.27.79.192 (talk) 19:49, 12 February 2013 (UTC)


 * It's not transphobia. I have no problem at all with people who are actually transgender. But Grell is considered an okama in Japan. If Black Butler were created in America, I would probably agree that he is a transwoman. But an okama is a Japanese character type used to describe flamboyant men. There are many characters like Grell out there (Haruhi's Dad from Ouran, Masaru from Atashinchi no Danshi) and they are referred to as okamas and are referred to with male pronouns. I don't see how Grell should be different. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 23:10, 14 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Sigh*… Listen to me, please ma'am. A cross dresser wouldn't have a desire to be a woman, on average. A cross dresser is actually still under the transgender spectrum, just not the same thing. Grell is considered transgendered because of her desire to be a woman. She refers to herself as a woman. Haruhi's dad isn't transgendered because he doesn't have a desire to be a woman. For example, Hana from Tokyo Godfathers, on the article, has female pronouns because she is a trans woman, and this is mentioned on the article. Nobody seems to disagree with THAT, so why is there such a disagreement here? Honestly, ma'am, you have to listen to me. I mean, Hana is considered an "okama" in Japan, but not in America.Engress32 (talk) 22:38, 15 April 2013 (UTC)Engress32


 * And yes, Grell IS different. Grell, either way, is transgender. I don't understand why you keep putting off the fact that Grell is a woman. Grell being bisexual or not has NOTHING to do with her gender identity. At all. Sexual orientation and gender identity are two separate things, so Grell flirting with men, and liking Madame Red, don't really matter when discussing gender. This argument is way to long and if it goes on any longer, I will most definitely go mad. And, I don't know why so many of the people here have such unclear arguments anyway. I am pretty sure the definition of transgender is identifying as a sex opposite than what the individual is born with. Grell does this. Grell seems to consider herself a woman, refers to herself as female, and obviously desires to be female. Logic and rationalization seems to have left the building on this argument. I also don't know why Haruhi's dad, a transvestite, is being mentioned. Grell and Ranka are not in the same category really. Haruhi's father is not a woman. He doesn't desire to be a woman, at least not from what I have seen. Grell does. So, no, don't compare a cross dresser to Grell. I also don't see any sensitivity AT ALL in this. You, ma'am, make yourself sound insensitive and transphobic (I am not saying you are, you may be a very lovely person.) But even so, it isn't fair to say Grell is male because of a trope. Just saying. Grell thinks of herself as a female, and dresses like one, acts like one, and talks like one. Or is that not enough proof for you? Basing things on tropes like "yandere" or "tsundere" Isn't usually a good thing to do on Wikipedia. I would appreciate you not saying offensive things as well. Some of what you said could be considered offensive, even if you don't know it. I don't like anyone's rude attitude on this argument. At all. But sometimes things have to be laid down like that. Engress32 (talk) 01:00, 18 April 2013 (UTC)Engress32


 * And, actually, it turns out okama can either refer to gay men or transsexual women. So, saying Grell is an okama isn't really selling anything. By the way, Yana has never said, "Hey! Did you know? GRELL IS a guy!". Seriously, I mean, why is it so hard for some people to accept the fact she is transgender? Really now? She calls herself female and looks a lot like one too. And insists she is. And seems to consider herself female. So there. Engress32 (talk) 00:13, 23 April 2013 (UTC) Engress32


 * First of all, Haruhi's Dad is actually completely relevent. Ranka uses "Anata" and "Atashi" just like Grell does and he looks, acts, and speaks like a woman just like Grell does. How can you say they're not in the same category? Saying "Atashi" or "Anata" is not the same as saying "I'm a woman. I want to be a woman.", it's just a feminine way of saying "I" and "You". Typically okamas in anime and manga talk this way and they are considered male. Second, I have never seen the definition of okama the same as being transgendered. I've only ever heard it meaning "flamboyant man" or "gay man". Also, I never said that sexual orientation and gender identity were the same thing. I was merely pointing out that you don't necessarily need to be gay to be an okama. Another point that I would like to bring up: You claim that Grell insists on being called a woman, but he has never done that. He uses female pronouns, sure, but so does Ranka. All the other characters refer to him as a male. William and Ronald call him "Mister Sutcliff". Has Grell ever corrected them or gotten mad over it? No, he has not. He himself even called himself male! If he really wanted to be a woman and be referred to as a woman, why would he say that? And Yana Toboso may not have said "Hey, Grell is a guy!", but she's also never said "Hey, Grell is a girl!". You also say that Grell "looks a lot like" a female too so apparently that makes him a female. Doesn't that contradict what you've been saying? Should you really be judging people by how they look? It just seems to me that you are reading way too much into this. My intention is not to offend anybody whatsover. In fact, throughout the course of this argument, my mind has been opened to a lot of new things. I now know more about transgendered people than I did before this, and I am thankful for that. I just don't believe, based on what you've told me, that Grell is a transwoman. He has never corrected anyone when being called a man, and even called himself a man. That just doesn't seem like the definition of transwoman that you've been shoving down my throat. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 04:42, 4 May 2013 (UTC)

So, the basic gist of all this is that we're all required to be transphobic and unaccepting because some people simply don't wish to believe the absolute canon fact that Grell is trans woman. Okay.

Oh, for the record, Grell's not only attracted to men either, for those who seem to think she is. If she is, go ahead and explain why she was in love with Madam Red. Without using bullcrap animu-ass explanations like "Madam Red was an exception". 69.158.182.126 (talk) 15:34, 20 April 2014 (UTC)


 * Dude, have you read anything that's been written here? It's already been discussed; nowhere does it say in the anime, the manga, the musicals, the video games, or Yana Toboso's blog that Grell is a transwoman. So please stop saying that it's an "absolute canon fact", because it isn't. No one, not me or anyone else, said that this means we all have to be transphobic and unaccepting. I don't even know what that has to do with this. I'm not saying he's a guy because I'm transphobic, I'm saying it because I truly have not seen any other reason to believe otherwise. Until someone has real not fan-speculated proof of Grell identifying as a women instead of just acting flamboyant, than I see no reason to change his pronouns. --Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 01:02, 21 April 2014 (UTC)


 * Um... Grell's Confessional came out LAST YEAR, dude... You know, the one where she flat out SAID SHE WAS A WOMAN? Here's a link, (with helpful highlights) if you don't remember: http://dweebzilla.deviantart.com/art/GRELL-SUTCLIFF-IS-A-WOMAN-386666411 She's a woman, end of story. Now fix the damn pronouns.72.161.8.239 (talk) 20:54, 15 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Yes that has been shown to me before on this talk page. I have already pointed out that the page you just showed me was fan-translated and is not in any way an official translation of text. Please read the entire "Grell's Gender" argument to avoid repeat evidence. I'm sorry that this may seem unfair, but based on everything I've seen Grell just does not seem to match the description of a transwoman.--Voldemort&#39;s BFF (talk) 03:31, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

Thanks for compromising. c: 50.5.113.204 (talk) 18:37, 16 March 2015 (UTC)


 * So I just wanted to add my not so humble opinion, why do we have to define him/her at all? -- — Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.240.41.215 (talk) 12:16, 30 September 2018 (UTC)

English Dub voice actors for Black Butler 2 announced.
http://www.funimation.com/rojas/blog/one-hell-of-an-announcement/563371

It has been announced. Luci Christian will be voicing Alois Trancy, Jason Douglas will be voicing Claude Faustus, and Caitlin Glass will be voicing Hannah Annafellows.

--*Yukio Okumura* (talk) 01:06, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

Missing content on Ciel Phantomhive
The details such as the fact that at the end of season 2 of Black Butler Ciel Phantomhive is transformed and this is referred to in the section on Sebastian Michaelis. I believe that this information should be added but I am unsure weather it would be allowed or wise to do so. This post is meant to be a notification of the change. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.108.136.113 (talk) 23:29, 22 April 2012 (UTC)

Lau and Ran-Mao
My edit: "Although he acts carefree, comical, and easy-going, he can be very coldblooded and cryptic, willing to go further than Ciel would, such as intimidating Harold West and his wife Mina when they cheated in a curry competition."....

…was reverterd to: "Although he acts carefree, comical, and easy-going, he can be very coldblooded and cryptic, willing to go further than Ciel would, such as having Harold West and his wife Mina killed because they cheated in a curry competition."

The reason given is "It is implied, though. Earlier in the arc, Lau did, in fact, stated that if West has his rival instead of Ciel's, he would kill him."

I am looking at the sequence right now (Chapter 22 "At night: The Butler, Victorious" p 134-135). In the sequence West and his wife talk about "next time", which brings out Lau and Ran-Mao. Lau said "But I must strike some fear into the hearts of the naughty little mice who made a mess of my garden here, in the East End." This does NOT imply that Lau and Ran-Mao killed West and his wife. Rather, it implies that he only intimidated them -- IE gave them a fair warning.

Also, in HIS BUTLER STRONGEST, Lau commented “I am but a tame Guinea Pig dedicated to my lord. If the Earl instructs me not to act, I am bound to do nothing.” Taking this into account clearly ‘’implies’’ that they were not killed.

Finally, there is Prince Soma and Agni. It was his search for Mina (West’s wife) that brought him to England in the first place. If Mina had in fact been murdered, he would surely have found out about it and would have sought out the murderer. No such even happened in the series; which also imlies that they were NOT killed.

Given all this, why was my edit, which makes more sense, reverted to what is only an assumption? Jason Palpatine (talk) 01:47, 26 May 2014 (UTC)

External links modified
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Undertaker, Sebastian and ciel's own page’s
I truly believe that undertaker, ciel and Sebastian, deserve their own pages because they play major roles ,especially undertaker because his role as an antagonist in the manga and anime has been quite a large one. Ūndertaker san (talk) 22:02, 11 March 2021 (UTC)