——To be blunt, what will the 2nd season be about!?
Shimizu: Sorry, this is still a secret (LOL).
——What happened to Ciel and Sebastian after the last episode of season 1......?
Shimizu: We don't know the details. Personally, I wondered whether Sebastian had actually taken Ciel's soul or not, and since the anime ended like that I really wanted to make a sequel. That's the reason why we started to think about a new series.
——Everybody is wondering the same!
Shimizu: Yes. But I still cannot tell you whether the new series will be a sequel, a totally different story, an original story, a spin-off or what else.
——Will any of the other characters appear in it?
Shimizu: That's another mystery. When it comes to the servants and Lau we're not even sure whether they survived or not. But sorry, I can't tell you who will appear yet.
——Are there new characters?
Shimizu: What I can currently say is that two new characters will appear. These charas are Alois, the head of the Trancy household, and the butler Claude.
——Please tell us more about them!
Shimizu: Well, Claude is tall and slender, he's loyal to his master and a skilled butler. This might remind you of Sebastian, but his glasses make him clearly different. What kind of man is he? Or... since he's wearing glasses, he might be a shinigami? (LOL)
——He will be voiced by Takahiro Sakurai-san, right?
Shimizu: Sakurai-san voiced the "medicine seller" in the anime "Mononoke", and that's the image I had of him. I thought he would fit a new character that, while looking cold and indifferent, also seems to possess an immeasurable power. That's why we decided to cast him.
——What about Alois?
Shimizu: At first sight he looks refined and elegant like a noble should be, but on the other hand he also seems to have an ill-mannered side. He's a boy of rare beauty, but he might be hiding something, so I'd like you to pay attention to his future development.
——Alois will be voiced by Nana Mizuki-san, right?
Shimizu: Yes. She's a popular seiyuu and has an excellent reputation for her acting ability, boys' voices included. If she can put her heart in Alois, I think he will really stand out as a character.
——Please tell us something about the character design.
Shimizu: We asked the author of the manga, Toboso-sensei, to create the character plans. Since Trancy is a noble family, there might be other servants too. Sensei is currently working with us on all sides, not only character designs but, as with the previous series, she's also contributing ideas for the story. Please keep your hopes up.
——Compared to the previous series, in what will "Kuroshitsuji II" be different?
Shimizu: We want to make it more interesting and action-packed than the previous series. We're also collecting more data about England, so that viewers will be able to enjoy a more historically accurate depiction of the 19th century. The entire staff are doing their best to make full use of the original manga's charm and turn it into a more enjoyable anime, both visually and story-wise. We're aiming for "more entertainment!".
——What is "Kuroshitsuji"'s charm, according to you?
Shimizu: I've always liked Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" and other gothic-inspired works, so when I first saw "Kuroshitsuji" I was attracted by its world and thought that I'd like to animate it. Moreover, "Kuroshitsuji" can't be confined to a single genre, because it's full of many different elements like gag, mystery, action and more. This time I want to make every effort to express this work's entertainment qualities through animation in a more effective way compared to the previous series.
——Is there anything you would really like to include in the 2nd season?
Shimizu: Since Tim Burton's movie rendition will be released soon too, I think it would be nice to include some connection to "Alice In Wonderland". Toboso-sensei also drew some parody sketches of it using "Kuroshitsuji" characters and they were extremely interesting. There are many other things I would like to include, so please look forward to it!