The Duke of Death and His Maid
The Duke of Death and His Maid is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series by. It was serialized online via Shogakukan's website from October 2017 to May 2022, with its chapters collected in sixteen volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff aired from July to September 2021. A second season aired from July to September 2023. A third and final season aired from April to June 2024.
Plot
A young noble named Viktor is cursed as a child by a witch, causing him to kill anything he touches. As a result, his mother disowns him, and sends him to live in a separate estate with only a maid named Alice and a butler. Viktor and Alice knew each other since they were children. Although Alice is Viktor's maid, they love each other. However, they do not know each other's intentions at first. Viktor's best friend and he himself thinks he is a monster. Viktor wanted to give Alice a white rose, but it would soon wither in his hands. Alice took the withered white rose from his hand, explaining to him that in the language of flowers a withered white rose means "to stay together until death". In the process, the noble becomes close to Alice, and she to him. He tries to adapt to living with the curse and attempts to find out about the person who cursed him. He makes new friends and his relationship with families gradually improves. One day, he will put a ring on Alice's ring finger by himself.Characters
;The Duke / Viktor;Alice Lendrott
;Rob
;Viola
;Walter
;Cuff
;Zain
;Daleth
;Sharon Lendrott
;Gerbera
;Sade
;Ringmaster
;Amelia
;Niko
;Ichi
;Free
;Viktor
;Liz
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by, The Duke of Death and His Maid was serialized on Shogakukan's website from October 3, 2017, to May 17, 2022. Shogakukan collected its chapters in sixteen volumes, released from January 12, 2018, to July 12, 2022.In July 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it had licensed the series for English release.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff was announced in February 2021. The CGI-centric anime series was directed by Yoshinobu Yamakawa, with Hideki Shirane overseeing the series' scripts, Michiru Kuwabata designing the characters, and Gen Okuda and Takeshi Watanabe composing the series' music. The series was broadcast on Tokyo MX, BS11, and ytv. The first season aired from July 4 to September 19, 2021. At the end of the first-season finale, a second season was announced; it aired from July 9 to September 24, 2023. At the end of the second-season finale, a third and final season was announced; it aired from April 7 to June 23, 2024.Funimation streamed the series outside of Asia. Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia and aired it on Aniplus Asia.
Reception
By September 2023, the manga had over 1.8 million copies in circulation.Cartoon Cipher of Anime News Network praises the first season of the anime for defying his initial expectations by blending teasing with heartfelt wholesomeness and effective world-building and adding that the anime balances lighthearted moments with a deeper exploration of its world, depicting the Duke's secluded life as a refuge from harsh realities. He also noted that the CG animation maintained the original manga's expressive style despite some choppiness. He concludes that the show offers a surprising amount of love and wholesomeness, suggesting it should be approached as a romance rather than a dark fantasy. MrAJCosplay of ANN commented the pacing flaws of the third season adding that after the first episode, the story stagnates for five episodes which affects overall the story telling and rhythm hindering the narrative's flow. He commented the third season the lacks the same visual dynamism as the previous seasons. He praises the voice acting for being strongly well-delivered. He also praises the second half of the season noting that it is "a perfect blend of narrative progression and emotional pathos."