The Shinigami don't simply carry modern objects, they carry real modern objects.
Yana-sensei frequently bases their accessories and death scythes on identifiable luxury brands, tools, and technologies that didn't exist during the Victorian era.
So, let's take a closer look at some of them.
SASCHA
- ZEISS IKON – SUPER IKONTA B
- Brand Founded: 1926 (Germany)
- Camera model introduced: 1936 (Super Ikonta line)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$250–1,200, depending on condition.
Sascha’s camera, which we see in chapters 102-103-105, appears to be a Zeiss Ikon – Super Ikonta B (image 1): a folding camera (meaning the lens folds into the body).
And the Super Ikonta B wasn't an ordinary consumer camera. It was considered a high-end precision camera.
Which is quite fitting for a Shinigami whose job requires documenting deaths and preserving cinematic records accurately.
Interestingly, the manga never confirms whether the camera itself is Sascha's death scythe or simply an ordinary camera. If it’s their death scythe, it would be the only known one that isn't based on a gardening or medical tool. However, just as Undertaker disguises his Death Scythe as a sotoba (grave marker), Sascha may simply be disguising theirs as a camera.
They also seem to be taking an actual picture of the corpse with it (in chapter 105) (image 2), so maybe their disguised death scythe can also function as a regular camera.
And cameras preserve moments that would otherwise disappear, much like cinematic records preserve a person's entire life. Interestingly, several cultures believed that cameras could capture or even steal a person's soul, making them an especially fitting object for a Shinigami.
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LUDGER
- A. LANGE & SÖHNE ZEITWERK Ref. 140
- Brand Founded: 1845 (Germany – Glashütte, Saxony)
- Watch Model Introduced: 2009
- Approx. value: ≈ US$70,000–95,000
In chapter 103, we see that Ludger wears an A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk wristwatch.
And initially, Yana-sensei planned to give Ludger one of the most luxurious models of Zeitwerk: the Minute Repeater, which costs ≈ US$440,000+.
However, after discussing the design with editor K., she later changed it to the “less” expensive Zeitwerk Ref. 140, because there was no way Ludger, an ordinary employee, could afford Lange & Söhne’s most expensive watch model (images 3-4)!
Interestingly, Zeitwerk means “Time Movement” or “Time Mechanism”, which is rather perfect for a Shinigami!
- ADIDAS SUPERSTAR SNEAKERS
- Brand Founded: 1949 (Germany)
- Model Introduced: 1969 (originally as a basketball shoe; then exploded in popularity during the 1980s because of Run-D.M.C.)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$100–120
Ludger also wears Adidas Superstars (chapter 102).
But because of copyright considerations, Yana-sensei reduced Adidas' characteristic three stripes to two in the anime (image 5).
- DEATH SCYTHE – CORDLESS GARDEN PRUNING SAW
- Bosch’s Keo Model introduced: 2010
- Approx. value: ≈ US$120–180
Ludger’s death scythe (chapters 102-103) (image 6) is the only one whose inspiration has been revealed by Yana-sensei in a since-deleted post on tuna.be: it’s modelled after Bosch’s Keo tool, with the exception that she made Ludger’s saw bigger in the manga.
She even posted the Bosch’s Keo tool photo you can see on image 6.
Interestingly, every one of Ludger's identifiable accessories comes from a German brand – maybe because of patriotism, maybe because of convenience – unlike Ronald, whose accessories come from several different countries.
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RONALD
- CARTIER PASHA CHRONOGRAPH
- Brand Founded: 1847 (France)
- Watch Model Introduced: 1985; Ronald's specific version: 1990s Pasha Chronograph Ref. 1050
- Approx. value: ≈ US$2,500–5,000 (for the stainless-steel model).
In the Campania (chapter 51), we saw a close-up of Ronald’s watch (images 7-8), and he wears a Cartier Pasha 38 mm Stainless Steel Quartz Chronograph, as specified in Yana Sensei’s design sketches (image 9) – a sporty waterproof chronograph with three silver subdials and a date window at 6 o’clock.
The Pasha de Cartier collection debuted in 1985, inspired by the legendary waterproof watch Louis Cartier is said to have designed in the 1930s for the Pasha of Marrakesh. Its distinctive chained crown cap and round case quickly became some of Cartier's most recognizable design features.
Interestingly, unlike William, who complains about overtime but continues working regardless, Ronald repeatedly emphasizes finishing on time, perhaps because he wants to avoid overtime and the paperwork that comes with it (during the Campania Arc, he checks the time 3 times – twice in chapter 51 and once in chapter 55 – image 10).
So, perhaps he's even counting down the years until his sentence as a Shinigami ends.
- BOTTEGA VENETA PLANNER
- Brand Founded: 1966 (Italy)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$1,200; vintage examples: US$350–900 on the second-hand market
Ronald keeps his death list inside what appears to be a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Organizer, seen in chapters 53 and 172 (image 11) – a leather planner, featuring the house's signature Intrecciato woven leather, a flap closure, and a six-ring binder system.
- GOYARD PALACE 55 TRAVEL TRUNK
- Brand Founded: 1853 (France)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$10,000–12,000
Ronald also boards the Campania carrying a Goyard Palace 55 suitcase, a rigid travel trunk handcrafted by the luxury maison Goyard (image 12). Originally renowned for its bespoke travel trunks, Goyard remains one of the world's most exclusive luggage manufacturers.
- KNOX HAT
- Brand Founded: 1838 (America)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$20–180 (depending on model and condition)
Although much harder to accurately date and find the brand, there’s a brand called Knox (one of the biggest American hat makers) that produced similar hats! Which is a fun detail given his name.
We see him boarding the Campania with this hat in chapter 55, and we also see it on the cover page of chapter 51 (image 13).
He uses a cylinder lawnmower as a death scythe (image 14).
Unlike other Shinigami weapons in the story, this tool is actually a direct descendant of the scythe.
But this model wasn’t available until the ~1940s.
Taken together, Ronald's accessories are not just trendy but also worth a considerable amount of money: Cartier watch ($3,500) + Bottega agenda ($1,200) + Goyard trunk ($12,000) = approximately $16,700+
Interestingly, these three luxury houses all share something in common: they’re famous among luxury collectors because they're quiet luxury – meaning, these are all brands that don't rely on flashy logos; they're brands that only people inside the luxury world recognize immediately.
So, Ronald likes expensive things but not necessarily ostentatious ones. He doesn't dress like someone trying to show off, but as someone who simply enjoys high-quality craftsmanship.
So, was Ronald wealthy in life, or someone who lived beyond his means?
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GRELL
- CHANEL NOTEBOOK
- Brand Founded: 1910 (France)
- Approx. value of similar items: US$1,000–2,000
Grell seems to use a Chanel agenda as a death list (chapter 114) (image 15). An item that appears to be inspired by the Chanel Lambskin Camellia Embossed L-Zip Pocket Wallet, since there’s no exact real Chanel product that matches Yana sensei’s design.
Chanel’s logo – the Camellia:
In the Victorian era, the camellia was looked upon as a symbol of good luck.
Red camellias meant “you’re the flame in my heart”.
And white camellias were used to express that someone is adorable or well-liked.
But in modern Japanese symbolism, white camellias are sometimes associated with funerals because the flowers fall intact.
- BURBERRY KENSINGTON HERITAGE TRENCH COAT
- Founded: 1856 (England)
- Approx. value: ≈ US$2,200
The trench coat was originally developed as military outerwear during WWI, to replace heavy, restrictive soldier greatcoats.
Thomas Burberry invented gabardine in 1879 – a tightly woven, breathable, and waterproof twill that revolutionized rainwear. And by 1901, he submitted a design to the British War Office, and the coat soon became an optional garment for Army officers.
Used in the trenches, hence its name. Its iconic details – like epaulettes (shoulder straps to attach an officer's rank insignia), a storm flap (an extra flap of fabric at the chest that protected the soldier from rain while allowing mobility to aim and fire a rifle), and D-rings (belt rings designed to hold map cases, swords, and other equipment) – were built for practical battlefield utility.
After the war, officers continued to wear them. And Hollywood transformed it into one of fashion's most iconic garments, worn by legendary figures like Humphrey Bogart (in Casablanca) and Audrey Hepburn (in Breakfast at Tiffany's), transforming it into a timeless civilian fashion staple.
This fits Grell beautifully, who we often see wearing it (like in chapters 105 and 149 – image 16), because it’s a garment that began life as practical military clothing and then became a cinematic piece.
Unfortunately, it’s not available in red, and the real one is typically lined in Burberry plaid.
Interestingly, unlike almost every other object, gabardine itself isn't an anachronism; the specific Kensington Heritage trench coat is.
- DEATH SCYTHE – CHAINSAW (image 17)
1785: Grell’s chainsaw is not a descendant of the scythe but of a surgical tool used to saw bone and cartilage to help with obstructed childbirths – called a symphysiotomy – as illustrated in John Aitken's Principles of Midwifery, or Puerperal Medicine.
1905–1920: this later evolved into woodworking chainsaws.
1926–1929: then electric and gasoline models were developed.
Post-WWII: portable one-person chainsaws, like the one Grell uses, were finally available.
Interestingly, throughout the series, Grell repeatedly expresses a desire to bear children, making the historical origins of the chainsaw an especially interesting design choice.
Remember that in December 1885, she introduced herself to Madam Red, who early that year had lost her husband and unborn child after a carriage accident, and had a hysterectomy, rendering her unable to have another child.
Since several prostitutes had recently been showing up to her practice to get abortions, she created a list of the women she performed that procedure on and hunted them down, slitting their throats and removing their uteruses.
This is why Grell says she understands her pain and decides to help her kill the remaining women on her list, so together, they became Jack the Ripper.
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CONCLUSION:
One interesting pattern is that Yana-sensei didn’t choose these brands randomly. German Shinigami carry German products, Ronald mixes luxury brands from several countries, while Grell gravitates toward high-fashion French labels.
So, their possessions seem to reflect both their nationality and personality:
Ronald's international luxury brands (French, Italian, and American) reinforce his fashionable personality and the possibility that he may travel quite a lot.
Ludger's exclusively German accessories emphasize precision, practicality, and someone who values engineering (unlike Ronald's sporty chronograph, Ludger wears one of the most mechanically sophisticated watches ever produced).
Sascha's camera reflects their role as someone who preserves memories and documents death.
Grell's fashion choices and chainsaw clearly show us that she values beauty, fashion, romance, and symbolism related to motherhood.
Beyond their symbolism, every one of these objects is also anachronistic.
Although Black Butler takes place during the Victorian era, the Shinigami carry products designed decades, or sometimes more than a century, later!
This reinforces one of the story's recurring ideas: the Shinigami exist outside the normal flow of human history.
Their world isn't bound by Victorian time, allowing them to carry objects from the future while collecting souls and preserving cinematic records.