Castlevania Netflix TV Series Season 1 Review: A Whip-Smart Start

Adi Shankar has an excellent track record when it comes to doing something unique with franchises. [...]

By ComicBook.com Staff

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Adi Shankar has an excellent track record when it comes to doing something unique with franchises. He gave The Punisher a new means of life with the short film Dirty Laundry (with Thomas Jane in tow!), and he gave the Power/Rangers a bit of a boost with an unauthorized – and mature-rated – mini-film.

So, yes, we were thrilled when we learned he would be headlining a new Castlevania animated series for Netflix…but we were also thrilled because it's practically the only new product to come out of Konami's franchise since Lords of Shadow 2 hit consoles years ago. Seriously – this is a series that is long overdue for a new entry. And, no, Konami, we don't mean a damn Pachinko machine.

The series focuses on the Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse era, with Trevor Belmont (voiced by Richard Armitage) finding himself on the cusp of a deadly battle with the creatures of the night, led by the deadly Vlad Dracula Tepes (Graham McTavish of Preacher fame). But there are other factors to consider as well, including scholar Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso), who gets introduced about midway through, and series favorite Alucard (James Callis), who has his own score to settle.

We can say it right now – the first season of Castlevania is criminally short. It's only about four episodes long, and, all tied together, it barely fits into a 90-minute format of a film. But there is a tremendous amount of promise here, and Shankar – along with writer Warren Ellis and the animation team at Frederator Studios – make the most of their material.

Many Factors At Play

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What's great about the series is that it digs deeper into the lore of Castlevania than the games ever could. You actually see what's up with Dracula's motivation. It turns out he's too much of a dick – well, okay, he is when he starts murdering innocents – but he's got his reasons, mainly involving a religious group hurting him in a very personal manner. You mostly see what he's capable of in the first episode of the series, before the action shifts over to Trevor and his cohorts.

It's an outstanding set-up of things to come, and it's impressive that the series doesn't hold back on the carnage. At one point, a monstrous bat smashes the heads of both an innocent mother and her daughter before setting a building ablaze with its fire breath. And the carnage doesn't stop there, as Trevor shows off his impressive whipping skills, particularly in a season-closing fight at the end of episode four that's something for the ages.

It was also interesting to see another villainous group at play here, instead of just Dracula being the only threat. We learn more about this religious sect that hurt him so badly, led by a power-mad Bishop (Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame, though you'll barely recognize him here) who will stand by the word of God – no matter the cost.

The animation style may not be buttery smooth like other anime products of this nature, but it nails the Castlevania influence, from the colors that pop up throughout (the yellowing of flames, blood splatters across the screen) to the stunning character design. When you get to Alucard's reveal, you may be gasping at how accurate it is – especially if you're a die-hard Symphony of the Night fan.

Short, But Definitely Sweet

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Ellis does a great job with the show's script, and even throws in a couple of moments of humor, such as when Belmont runs into some ne'er-do-wells at a tavern who learn of his legacy, or when some of the scholars discover a body he's left behind in a battle, swearing "that it moved." It moves along breezily, and sets the stage for some great action in later episodes. We can only imagine how much better things will get with the second season, especially since it'll be double the count of episodes, eight instead of the four provided here.

The voice acting is right on par with what we'd expect from the Castlevania lore. It avoids the cheesiness of Symphony of the Night (for now, anyway) and instead gets strong delivery from all of the leads. Armitage sounds like a natural as Belmont (even if he works off a slow start in the beginning), and McTavish is a stellar Dracula. Can't wait to hear more of them in action.

Castlevania only has so much to work with in a short amount of time. Netflix probably would've been better off rounding off the seasons, giving us six in one shot, then the other six to follow, to provide a little more depth in terms of excitement for season two. But we're happy to report that the four episodes provided here do provide a great start for what could be an even more epic adventure down the road. Sure, we'll have to wait a while, but with Shankar and team firmly in command, it'll be worth it.

RATING: Four out of five stars.

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