Castlevania exploded onto Netflix and immediately claimed medals in many categories. It's one of the best video game adaptations ever made, one of Netflix's best original projects, and the apparent vanguard of a new direction for adult-oriented animation. Its first spin-off, Castlevania: Nocturne, represents the series' potential for expansion. Luckily, it's spectacular, and fans may enjoy this franchise in its current form for many years to come.
Castlevania proved something to the people at the top. Not only are they doubling down with a spin-off, Adi Shankar has his hand in adaptations of Farcry 3: Blood Dragon, Assassin's Creed, and Devil May Cry. It took decades and several terrible examples, but the animated series has proven itself as the correct medium for these attempts to translate video games. It's the best showcase Castlevania has gotten outside re-releases since 2008.
Castlevania: Nocturne Review
The follow-up to Netflix's best video game adaptation maintains its standard of quality with some of the best animated action-horror of the era.
What is Castlevania: Nocturne about?
Richter Belmont was only a boy when he saw his mother slain by a powerful vampire. His mom, Julia Belmont, was the current holder of the Vampire Killer and representative of their long line of monster hunters. She was slain by Olrox, who spared the life of young Richter, knowing that he would one day seek vengeance. Richter became the last descendant of the Belmont Clan and grew to earn that title. He lived with his distant Aunt Tera and her daughter Maria Renard. Richter and Maria fight for the French Revolution, seeking to overturn the aristocracy. The French ruling class is lousy with vampires or their puppets. During a fight, a vampire warns Richter and Maria that a "vampire messiah" is preparing to consume the sun and hand the Earth to their fellow bloodsuckers. They laugh him off but quickly learn that the threat is real.
Annette, a runaway slave with magic in her blood, and Edouard, an opera singer who helped her escape, arrive and alert Richter, Maria, and Tera to the vampire messiah. Erzsébet Bathory, an ages-old royal vampire, is gaining power and making alliances across Europe to secure global control. They agree to work together to defeat her before her messianic prophecy can come true. Their first outing as a team goes awry. Edouard is captured and killed, but his story isn't over. The Catholic Church in France, led locally by the sinister Abbot Emmanuel, has forged a deal with Bathory through her second-in-command, Drolta Tzuentes. The Church offers armies of night creatures constructed from corpses to do Bathory's bidding, seeing more evil in the people's revolution than in the vampire messiah. Richter, Maria, Annette, and Tera discover the night creatures in the basement and attack, coincidentally running afoul of Drolta. Annette finds Edouard in his new form but can't set him free. During the brawl, Olrox appears, taunting Richter again. Despite all his training, he runs for his life.
Richter's friends are divided on his betrayal. Annette is furious, while Maria and Tera are more forgiving. Annette travels alone to fight her former slave master, killing him in a fair fight and establishing that she's free from fear. The abbot, caught red-handed when the heroes raided his cathedral, comes to Tera's home to plead his case. Tera and Maria reject him, but they inadvertently reveal that the abbot is Maria's father. She's devastated and furious with both of them. Edouard discovers himself through his music, finding his lost identity in the art that connects everyone in his world. His singing awakens other night creatures to their previous lives. Richter wanders the streets, lost and ashamed. He sits in a bar, where he meets a stranger who buys him a meal. When a vampire kicks in the door, Richter reaches for his whip, only to see it in the stranger's hand. Richter's new acquaintance introduces himself as Juste Belmont, Richter's grandfather. Abbot Emmanuel strikes a deal with Bathory, who demands a sacrifice. He must give up his daughter to secure the deal. Richter must discover who he is to save his closest friend and the world.
How does Castlevania: Nocturne end?
Richter regains his magic powers after an unhelpful chat with Juste and a life-or-death ambush by vampires. Flush with newfound capabilities, Richter gathers Annette and Tera to assault the cathedral. Mizrak, a Catholic soldier who turned against the abbot, comes to tell them of Maria's potential fate. Olrox, who has pretended to support Bathory while secretly undermining her, gives Tera the secret to stopping night creature production. As they attack, Bathory makes good on her promise, causing a permanent eclipse to block the sun. An army of vampires spreads, threatening to consume the world. Richter, Annette, Maria, Tera, and Mizrak strike, holding their own and killing vampires. Bathory unlocks her new form, the goddess Sekhmet, and becomes invulnerable. To save Maria's life, Terra agrees to allow herself to become a vampire.
Richter, Annette, Maria, and Mizrak escape with Tera's sacrifice. Drolta, greatly empowered by Bathory's magic, pursues them through the city. Annette has expended most of her sorcery while Richter and Annette are tired and injured. They're caught off-guard by a lethal vampire. Just when all hope seems lost, and Drolta reaches forward to attack, she's suddenly impaled by a familiar silver sword. Alucard, the son of Dracula, emerges from the darkness. He offers his help in toppling Erzsébet Bathory as the season concludes.
Will there be a Castlevania Nocturne season 2?
Netflix has ensured nothing is certain, but Castlevania: Nocturne has a better bet than almost any other recent example. Its narrative is unfinished, its fans are excited, and its model is being replicated on the streamer. Netflix should expect outrage if there is not a second season of this spin-off. The next chapter in the story would cover Symphony of the Night, the most popular entry in the franchise. It's mostly safe to assume fans will see another season of Castlevania: Nocturne, but Netflix has disappointed the world before.
Castlevania: Nocturne reaches the high standards set by Castlevania's first four seasons. It's an excellent spin-off and continuation of the franchise. It covers a ton in eight episodes, but there is clearly much more to tell. The first of what could be many seasons of Castlevania: Nocturne is available now on Netflix.