Alan Humphries

“	Flowers? Those are Erica flowers. Yes... in the language of flowers, they mean 'loneliness.' All people are alone. From the time they are born to their last moment.	”
—Alan to Eric Slingby

Alan Humphries
Kanji	アラン・ハンフリーズ
Rōmaji	Aran Hanfurīzu
Characteristics
Species	Grim Reaper
Gender	Male
Professional status
Affiliation	Grim Reaper Dispatch
Personal status
Status	Deceased
First appearance
Manga debut	Volume 22, Chapter 105 (flashback)
Anime debut	6th OVA (cameo)

Alan Humphries (アラン・ハンフリーズ, Aran Hanfurīzu) is a Grim Reaper. He is a member of the Grim Reaper Dispatch, and works directly with Eric Slingby—who is also his tutor, partner, and best friend—William T. Spears, Grelle Sutcliff, and Ronald Knox.

Character Outline

Yana Toboso's sketch of Alan

Alan is a young man with short brown hair. Similar to all Grim Reapers, he has yellow-green eyes and wears glasses due to nearsightedness; a black suit; and a bolo tie.

His Death Scythe is a Japanese long-handled garden slasher.

Alan is a generally solemn and calm individual, but can also be incredibly stubborn. Alan prefers to work alone and, despite his poor health, he is willing to take on large jobs by himself if allowed too. He is also very stern, and has little tolerance for those who break the rules or slack off. In addition, Alan likes Erica flowers, and had taught Eric Slingby the meaning of them: solitude. It is also shown that him and Eric share a close relationship that goes outside of their past mentor and apprentice dynamic years ago.

Musicals

The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World

Matsumoto Shinya as Alan Humphries

Alan is stricken with a disease called The Thorns of Death (死の棘, Shi No Toge). The Thorns are contracted when a soul destined to die becomes vengeful and fight against the Grim Reapers that would reap it; it would manifest into the form of thorns, which will eventually suffocate the heart. There is no known cure; however, it is rumored that it can be cured by the sacrifice of one thousand pure souls.

Alan, despite his illness and his frequent attacks, participates in the hunting of his partner and best friend, Eric Slingby, who is thought to be killing random people simply for his own pleasure. He disguises himself in a dress in order to find Eric at the opera scene.

After Alan confronts Eric, it is revealed that Eric has been collecting souls in an attempt to save Alan's life. Alan forgives Eric. The two agree to run away together, after Alan makes Eric promise not to kill anyone else. They both remove their glasses, which signifies their resignation as Grim Reapers.

Alan is weakened by his illness, and Eric comforts him.

Later, when Eric tries to kill Ciel Phantomhive, Alan intervenes and is killed by Eric's Death Scythe. Eric is deeply upset, and asks Sebastian Michaelis to kill him. Sebastian, with the consent of Ciel, ends Eric's grief by slashing through him with Alan's Death Scythe. When Eric dies, the souls that he has collected for Alan are released. They fall like snow around Sebastian and Ciel, creating "the most beautiful death in the world."

Quotes

• "I was born alone in this world and alone I will die. If this is my fate, why are tears coming out of my eyes?"

• (To Eric Slingby) "I told you I can't see without my glasses. I can no longer see any sin you have committed. Let's go."

Trivia

• General
• Manga
• Anime

Out of Universe

• According to the official Kuroshitsuji character popularity poll, Alan is the fifty-fifth most popular character in the series, with two votes. He shares this spot with Funtom Corporation's rabbit, Arthur Randall, Ludger, Chlaus and the Prince Albert puppet, who also received two votes.

• Alan and Eric Slingby are both original characters of Yana Toboso.

In Chapter 105, Alan's corpse is shown in a panel; Eric is holding him while crying.

• He and Eric cameo again in Chapter 191.

Alan and Eric Slingby's cameo in The Story of Will the Reaper.

• Alan's silhouette is shown briefly in Episode 39.

• Alan makes a cameo appearance in the sixth OVA.