| Spoilers! |
|---|
| This article contains plot details and potential spoilers for the Kuroshitsuji manga. If you have not begun reading the manga or are not up-to-date with the latest chapter, please do refrain from reading or read at your own risk. Click on the spoiler button to reveal manga spoilers throughout the page. |
| “ | I am he who sniffs out those who violate the commandments of the British Underworld and disposes of them. The Watchdog of the Queen. | ” |
| —Ciel Phantomhive in Chapter 49 | ||
| “ | By all rights, they function as the royal 'shadow' — a 'phantom,' which should never have come into being. | ” |
| —Arthur Randall in Chapter 15 | ||
The Phantomhive family crest
Phantomhive is the name of a prominent noble family based in England. The head of the house is entitled Earl. The current head is Ciel Phantomhive.[1]
The Phantomhive earldom is in charge of a strictly confidential agency known as "Phantomhive," which has been under the direct control of Queen Victoria for generations. The earls themselves are often called the "Queen's Watchdogs" or the "Aristocrats of Evil."[2]
Overview
The agency Phantomhive covers up any number of criminal acts carried out by the Royal Family and eliminates all who may seek to harm the Royal Family as well as every thread linking to the Royal Family's involvement, no matter how dirty the method.[3] Fred Abberline describes Phantomhive as the opposite of Scotland Yard in that it uses the powers of "evil" to carry out Queen Victoria's orders.[4]
The Phantomhive earldom maintains the division between the "polite society" and the "underworld" of Great Britain. It employs its "monstrous authority" to rule over and police the country's underworld. It makes sure that the underbelly of the East End, and criminals and blackguards of other nations who congregate therein do not disrupt the polite society.[5] An interference with the polite society usually prompts the Queen to rely on the Phantomhive earldom to annihilate it, as clearly depicted when the Queen ordered Ciel Phantomhive to investigate and solve a number of cases.[3]
Since Phantomhive is a secret committee that carries out special duties, the funds for its activities and its rewards cannot be included in the nation's budget. Thus, the Scotland Yard members personally deliver the bribe money to the existing head of the Phantomhive family.[6]
The Phantomhive house has an underworld intelligence network that operates from Europe to Asia, known as the Aristocrats of Evil.[7]
Base of Operations
- Main article: Phantomhive Manor
The Phantomhive earldom's primary base of operations is the Phantomhive Manor. However, when carrying out missions, the Phantomhive head can temporarily relocate to his townhouse in London for convenience and to facilitate his task.
Identified Members of the Phantomhive House
- Countess Cloudia Phantomhive[8] (1830-1866)[9]
- Earl Vincent Phantomhive (1851-1885)
- Countess Rachel Phantomhive (née Dalles) (?-1885)
- Lady Francis Phantomhive (later married into the Midford house and became Marchioness Midford)
- Earl Ciel Phantomhive (1875-)
Phantomhive Household
The Phantomhive servants. From left to right: Sebastian Michaelis, Finnian, Baldroy, Mey-Rin, Snake, and Tanaka.
- Ciel Phantomhive (head)
- Sebastian Michaelis (butler)
- Finnian (gardener)
- Mey-Rin (maid)
- Baldroy (chef)
- Tanaka (house steward)
- Snake (footman)
- Snake's snakes (footmen)[10]
- Sebastian the dog (deceased)
Trivia
- Francis is not included in the Phantomhive family tree[9] because it only shows Ciel's direct lineage, not because she is not related to Ciel; she and Vincent are full siblings.[11]
Out of Universe
- In the anthology short story "With Father!" by Yana Toboso, Vincent states that female members of the Phantomhive family are often strong-willed.[13]
See also
References
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 69, page 15
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 15, page 9
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 15, page 10
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 15, page 11
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 49, page 37
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 23, pages 29-30
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 86, page 13
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 85, page 22
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 103, page 4
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 202, page 9
- ↑ Yana Toboso on Twitter
"Come to speak of it, I was asked whether Frances isn't blood-related (to Ciel) since she wasn't mentioned in Ciel's family tree that appeared (in the manga) a while ago, however, it was a family tree that featured 'Ciel's [direct] roots', that's why Frances, his aunt, wasn't mentioned. [Vincent and Frances] are real siblings."
(translated by akumadeenglish) - ↑ Kuroshitsuji manga; Chapter 103, page 5
- ↑ Kuroshitsuji anthology; Rainbow Butler 2: "With Father!", page 4