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Castlevania Season 1 Review
8 years ago
General
Whoa... We actually got a good video game adaption. Castlevania the series is based on the NES title Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castl.....cula%27s_Curse
Some people may be wondering why they chose this title to adapt when there are so many other story lines, some with multiple games (Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow, Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night), to choose from. After watching the series, I think its the one that allows for the most story and characters, as well as allowing additions to it. Many people don't know, or forget, that Castlevania III is a prequel to the first two Castlevania games, Castlevania and Simon's Quest, which I feel means if the series is successful and popular, they can move from Trevor to Simon pretty well. Also, Castlevania III has many of the most popular and important characters from the series, Trevor Belmont (ancestor of Simon), Sypha Belnades (whose Charlotte Aulin is a descendant of), and Alucard (who almost needs no introduction).
Right now there are only four episodes (which almost consists of sitting to watch a movie, rather than a season of a show), but they've already confirmed 8 more episodes for season 2 and this is a great buildup to it. The first episode centers around Dracula. A woman who seeks knowledge to bring to the people battles her way to his castle asks for him to share his. At first cold and distant to the woman, he warms to her headstrong attitude and willingness to learn, especially from him. He agrees to teach her and even takes her as his wife. Unfortunately its not to last, as the knowledge the woman uses to help people marks her as a witch (its 1476) and she uses her dying breaths to beg Dracula to forgive their ignorance. Unfortunately, Dracula isn't in a forgiving mood.
The rest of the series focuses on Trevor and his decision whether or not to fight Dracula (his family has been banished) as well as seek the aid of those who will fight with him.
They did a fantastic job not only telling a story, but incorporating elements of the game into it as well. Just like in the video game, Trevor is seen using not only his whip, but daggers, axes, holy water and the like. He must defeat a cyclops to rescue Sypha who's been turned to stone, again just like in the game. And Sypha is seen using the same magic she did in the game (In fact I think they even drew inspiration from Charlotte's attacked in Portrait of Ruin for her animation), and Alucard is seen using some of his dhampir powers as well.
If I'm going to be nitpicky, there is one thing I didn't like, and that was Alucards design. He always appeared to me as a elegantly dressed man who commands respect and whose presence fills a room. Here it honestly felt like fan service with him looking like a young man barely out of his teens and shirtless. Fortunately they do show him in his usual garb before the end. Also I do have to wonder where the forth playable character is. Grant the pirate was probably the first character most people would recruit on their journey to kill Dracula in the game, but here he's nowhere to be seen. I'm hoping they'll introduce him in season 2, with him reverting to a human being from a monster, similar to how he did in the game.
Despite its dark and gory presentation, it does have several funny moments to balance out the darker tones, especially from Trevor with his one liners and attitude towards different situations and people. The animation is terrific, especially during the battle scenes, there was a lot of work and attention put into this series.
Go and see it, and have a good time. It's probably the best thing associated with Konami we'll get for a long time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castl.....cula%27s_Curse
Some people may be wondering why they chose this title to adapt when there are so many other story lines, some with multiple games (Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow, Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night), to choose from. After watching the series, I think its the one that allows for the most story and characters, as well as allowing additions to it. Many people don't know, or forget, that Castlevania III is a prequel to the first two Castlevania games, Castlevania and Simon's Quest, which I feel means if the series is successful and popular, they can move from Trevor to Simon pretty well. Also, Castlevania III has many of the most popular and important characters from the series, Trevor Belmont (ancestor of Simon), Sypha Belnades (whose Charlotte Aulin is a descendant of), and Alucard (who almost needs no introduction).
Right now there are only four episodes (which almost consists of sitting to watch a movie, rather than a season of a show), but they've already confirmed 8 more episodes for season 2 and this is a great buildup to it. The first episode centers around Dracula. A woman who seeks knowledge to bring to the people battles her way to his castle asks for him to share his. At first cold and distant to the woman, he warms to her headstrong attitude and willingness to learn, especially from him. He agrees to teach her and even takes her as his wife. Unfortunately its not to last, as the knowledge the woman uses to help people marks her as a witch (its 1476) and she uses her dying breaths to beg Dracula to forgive their ignorance. Unfortunately, Dracula isn't in a forgiving mood.
The rest of the series focuses on Trevor and his decision whether or not to fight Dracula (his family has been banished) as well as seek the aid of those who will fight with him.
They did a fantastic job not only telling a story, but incorporating elements of the game into it as well. Just like in the video game, Trevor is seen using not only his whip, but daggers, axes, holy water and the like. He must defeat a cyclops to rescue Sypha who's been turned to stone, again just like in the game. And Sypha is seen using the same magic she did in the game (In fact I think they even drew inspiration from Charlotte's attacked in Portrait of Ruin for her animation), and Alucard is seen using some of his dhampir powers as well.
If I'm going to be nitpicky, there is one thing I didn't like, and that was Alucards design. He always appeared to me as a elegantly dressed man who commands respect and whose presence fills a room. Here it honestly felt like fan service with him looking like a young man barely out of his teens and shirtless. Fortunately they do show him in his usual garb before the end. Also I do have to wonder where the forth playable character is. Grant the pirate was probably the first character most people would recruit on their journey to kill Dracula in the game, but here he's nowhere to be seen. I'm hoping they'll introduce him in season 2, with him reverting to a human being from a monster, similar to how he did in the game.
Despite its dark and gory presentation, it does have several funny moments to balance out the darker tones, especially from Trevor with his one liners and attitude towards different situations and people. The animation is terrific, especially during the battle scenes, there was a lot of work and attention put into this series.
Go and see it, and have a good time. It's probably the best thing associated with Konami we'll get for a long time.
