I made a review about this show last 2022 which is only limited to my impressions on its season 1. The show lasted for 3 seasons and concluded recently. My overall positive impression of the show improved from 3.75 / 5 to a 4/5. No spoilers for this post.

Plot:

At the age of 5, the Duke was cursed by a witch with a death’s touch. Any living thing he touches dies. This made his mother shun him and sent him to live in their mansion within the forest. In his involuntary exile, still yearns to find an end to the curse and return to his family. He lives with Rob, his butler and the black maid named Alice, a child of the head maid of their family. Alice came on her own volition to serve the Duke two years after he was sent to live in the old mansion for reasons unknown to the Duke. The Duke’s peaceful days have been mixed with episodic chaos since then. The seductive Alice continues to tease the Duke finding amusement from his reactions. The Duke’s hope to return to his old normal life and his feelings for Alice brings him resolve to break the curse.

I'm not going to redo the entire review since the bulk of the impressions I have for the show didn't change and you can check it out here. But below are key points covering season 2 and 3 that wraps up the entire series.

The Duke and His Black Maid is what I'd consider a modern fairy tale in this age. While it doesn't bring the nostalgia you'd find in reading the works of Brothers Grimm, it follows the same the familiar formula that makes up a fairy tale. The story is long if we're just using 3 seasons consisting of 12 episodes per season as a benchmark but changing the media into a children's fantasy literature and you'll understand that at its core, the Duke of Death and His Black Maid has a mix of elements that can also be found with other children's tales.

The hero must find a way to break the curse given to him by the evil witch to be with the one he loves. He had done nothing wrong to deserve such fate and this is tragedy.

I initially thought the show was going to be something like a the Beauty and the Beast but it had other subplots going for other supporting characters that it no longer felt like a predictable plot. There's going to be a happy ending in the end in some way but how to achieve that end while keeping the audience entertained is the challenge.

This story can be adapted to a live theatrical performance and it still would get the point across. Each character had ample screen time and carried their own weight throughout the show. The show has a lot of cast members but distinguished enough to make a lasting impression. It didn't feel like the supporting cast were just there to cheer the protagonist. They all had an active role that interdependently led to the happy ending.

This show isn't for an audience that isn't fond of theater, romance, and light hearted anime where you can pause your brain while watching. It has a balance between light and serious moments, comedy and it teaches people valuable lessons in life. The last part is what fairy tales are for.

Fairy tales were meant to teach lessons to children and there's plenty of that in the story as the Duke struggles to break his curse and influences the people around him.

I'm not really romantic stories but I do love good stories. The Duke of Death and His Black Maid had one of the most satisfying conclusions and it's worth a try if you're into fairy tale like plots.

Thanks for your time.