Exploring the Blood-soaked Brilliance of Netflix’s Castlevania: Nocturne Series

TV Show Review: Castlevania: Nocturne

An Epic History Lesson on Freedom and the French Revolution

Netflix‘s newest Castlevania animated series, Castlevania: Nocturne, is a blood-soaked brilliance that does justice to the franchise’s best games. Set in the late 18th century during the tumultuous French Revolution, the series weaves together elements of the franchise’s iconic lore to challenge our understanding of freedom, equality, and fraternity.

Continuity and Storyline

Castlevania: Nocturne takes place in the same continuity as Netflix‘s first Castlevania series but introduces new characters and major pieces of lore from Konami’s Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night games. The story follows Richter Belmont, a demon slayer seeking vengeance and vampires in France. Richter’s raw potential, combined with his formidable warrior mother Julia’s tutelage, makes him a uniquely powerful protagonist. However, the series opens with a devastating event in Richter’s past that leaves him orphaned and unable to access his magic.

An Alternate History

What sets Castlevania: Nocturne apart is its deep dive into an alternate history where France is not just a crumbling monarchy but also a colonial nation. The series explores the hypocrisies baked into the historic record of revolutionary movements and highlights the country’s past atrocities committed abroad. The French Revolution becomes a war between undead ghouls, power-hungry humans, and agitators seeking to dismantle the oppressive system that drives France’s global presence.

Characters and Mythology

Nocturne reworks classic supporting characters from the Castlevania franchise, such as Maria and Edouard, to brilliant effect. However, it is the introduction of Annette, a ferrokinetic Vodoun practitioner, that stands out for her Haitian identity and her ability to understand the situation in France with remarkable clarity. Through Annette, the series expands the boundaries of Castlevania‘s magical mythology.

Thought-Provoking Action

While Castlevania: Nocturne delivers on bloodshed and gnarly beheadings, it also delves into deeper themes about the morality of violence. The series makes its characters, and viewers, ponder the meaning of slaughtering technically innocent people for a noble cause. These moments create a resonance between the show’s action and the philosophical concepts it explores.

Art Direction and Animation

While the overall art direction of Castlevania: Nocturne is fluid and dreamy, there are moments where the application of 3D animation can be slightly jarring. The seamless transition between traditionally animated characters and 3D-rendered moments could be smoother, but it does not detract significantly from the overall viewing experience.

Conclusion

Despite minor issues with pacing and some plot rehashing in the latter episodes, Castlevania: Nocturne is a captivating and thought-provoking addition to the franchise. The series successfully combines the franchise’s classic vibes with an exploration of historical and philosophical themes related to freedom and revolution. By the time you reach the finale, you’ll be left hoping for more from this blood-soaked brilliance.

Castlevania: Nocturne stars Edward Bluemel, Sophie Skelton, Elarica Johnson, Richard Dormer, Pixie, Nastassja Kinski, Franka Potente, Aaron Neil, and Benjamin Plessala. All eight episodes are currently streaming on Netflix.