Castlevania Netflix series gets a release date, and it’s close

Castlevania: Nocturne, the next animated series from the anime giant, is set to arrive on Netflix next month.

Castlevania: Nocturne

The next Castlevania Anime from Netflix, titled Castlevania: Nocturne, is set to arrive next month, with a release date set for September 28. Serving as a spin-off from the previous series, Castlevania, Nocturne is set in Revolutionary France, and sees a descendant of the Belmont clan take up the legendary whip to fight back against the forces of Dracula. Based on Rondo of Blood, the first Castlevania game for the Nintendo Famicom, Nocturne sees Richer Belmont, descendant of Trevor and Simon, take up arms against the forces of evil. We don’t know much about the show just yet, other than the trailer above, but I’ve watched the first four episodes, and I’ve got some thoughts on the new series.

First off, I want to say that the animation from Powerhouse is visually stunning. It maintains the same level of gore as the previous series, and even improves on some of the character designs. The voice cast is impressive as well, bringing in notable actors like Franka Potente and Nastassja Kinski.

Clive Bradley, who worked on Trapped, and is currently on the team behind the third series of Black Mirror, is writing alongside co-showrunner Kevin Kolde, and I honestly can’t say I’m impressed by what I’ve seen so far.

The original Castlevania series was crude and free-spirited, and Nocturne feels like it’s trying to tone that down a bit. I’m not saying it needs to be as extreme as the first series, but I don’t feel like the characters are as fun as they could be, and the dialogue doesn’t feel like it belongs in a Castlevania show.

Hopefully some of this will change as the series goes on, but based on the first few episodes, I’m not convinced. The characters feel a bit wooden, and there’s a general sense that the plot is taking creative liberties with the Castlevania lore. I’m sure it’ll still be good, but it’s not as great as I was hoping.

The aesthetic of the show is crucial, and I think Powerhouse nailed it. The series feels like a Hammer horror movie, and I love it. The use of music is also incredible, and I’m hoping the soundtrack gets a release somewhere down the line.

The presence of a whip, and a character named “Belmont” are pretty much the only things Nocturne has in common with previous Castlevania series. That said, I’m not looking for complete fidelity to the games, and if the plot and characters can remain engaging, it doesn’t matter to me if there are changes to the lore.

Earlier this year, rumors of a new Castlevania game emerged, with Konami expressing its desire to satisfy fans’ cravings for the series. Hopefully, Nocturne will tide us over until we get to see a new game on the horizon.