Castlevania: Nocturne is now out on Netflix and we are happy to inform you that it delivers big time! Not only is it a worthy follow up to Castlevania but is also better than it in a few aspects. Based in France, 1792 during the height of the French Revolution, Nocturne follows the exploits of Richter Belmont, the last descendant of the long-fabled family of vampire hunters. Just like its predecessor, Castlevania: Nocturne is a dark fantasy tale full of complex characters, a high stakes narraitve, engaging subplots, and a lot of bloodshed. So, if you are sceptical about watching it owing to a few poor reviews by certain groups of fans, read on to find out how good it is! Beware that some major spoilers might follow below.
Compelling Characters Keep You Invested In the First Half
If there’s one thing Castlevania knows well, it is how to craft complex and root-worthy characters. Being a dark fantasy tale, there are many morally grey characters in the series who often end up being the favorites. Within 8 episodes, it introduces us to so many varied characters from vampires and monsters, to hunters and sorcerers. In fact, these numerous characters turn out to be the saving grace of the season’s first half. Since, the first half is pure world-building, we follow each characters’ past trauma and motivations. Remove that, and the first half of the series would amount to absolutely nothing and would in fact, seem quite dull.
While Richter Belmont himself gets significant growth throughout the series, characters like Annette, Tera, and Olrox play a huge role in making the series interesting throughout. Olrox, in fact, turned out to be one of the best Castlevania characters with his power, seductiveness, and intricately woven arc. Although there is one thing which didn’t work that well with Castlevania: Nocturne’s characters. It is that most them lacked enough motivation including Richter Belmont, as we never fully understand why they are doing what they’re doing. However, complex characters like Father Abbot, Olrox, Mizrak, and Annette make up for it. That aside, the inclusion of Julia Belmont and Juste Belmont was a masterstroke as well. Not only did they expand the lore of the series and Belmont clan, but we also got to see some slick action sequences involving them.
Castlevania: Nocturne Features Jaw-Dropping Animation and Action
Castlevania is one of those series which believes in showing stuff rather than just talking about it. Unlike certain Japanese anime series, Nocturne doesn’t waste time by making characters endlessly engage in banter. Instead it showcases some deft action sequences both choreography and animation wise. The OG Castlevania itself featured jaw-dropping animation but somehow Nocturne has managed to top it. Although, when it comes to action, the OG still stands mighty high, Nocturne did a great job too. It was highly creative with action pieces but was a bit held back by character development. Since the protagonists are mainly young fighters learning to be better, we do not see the full extent of their powers.
However, sequences like Episode 6’s battle where Richter unlocks his magical abilities and all the sequences with Annette and Maria prove that we are in for a wild ride ahead. Once they fully learn to use their abilities, the scope for more creative action would increase many folds. As for the animation, there are certain shots in the series which feel too good to be animated and the character designs are varied and gorgeous as well. Viewers are especially in love with Olrox and Erzsebet Bathory’s designs. Same goes for the night creatures designs as well which are so creative that in some cases, they feel too icky and terrifying.
A Terrific Second Half and Ending
As mentioned above, the first half of the series is rather slow and struggles to fully hold your attention, the second pays off massively. In the second half we learn more about the Belmonts, we see a lot of character growth for every character, some insane fight sequences, and the introduction of Vampire Messiah Erzsebet Bathory. And while Bathory is no Dracula, she is an absolutely terrifying threat. In fact, the extent of her power is so vast that it would make one question how our protagonists would ever beat her. But the answer comes in form a breath-taking moment – the return of the fan-favorite Alucard Tepes!
The already brilliant second half was elevated beyond measure by Alucard’s arrival as fans all around the globe lost their minds. So, even though, the finale made our heroes lose quite badly and sacrificed Tera, it left us more hyped than ever. While many of us wanted Alucard to make an appearance, none of us could have ever guessed he’d make an entrance in the final 2 minutes of the series, leaving it on a massive cliffhanger. Also, from this move, it is pretty clear that Alucard will be a major part of the series going forward. Aside from Alucard, we hope to learn more about Juste Belmont, Julia Belmont, and Olrox as well.
Final Verdict
Castlevania: Nocturne is a worthy sequel to a nearly perfect series. Even though it has a simple and straight-forward narrative, its compelling characters, animation, action, and hype-worthy ending make it one of the spin-offs ever made. Being an audio-visual delight, it is meant to be viewed on the biggest screen and best sound system you can find. It is further elevated by its beautiful cinematography, excellent attention to detail, and atmospheric setting. Who could have thought that a supernatural tale of vampires and vampire hunters could be so complex, meaningful, and captivating; but Castlevania has now done it not once, but twice!
Rating – ★★★★1/2
If you have any questions regarding Castlevania, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!
2 thoughts on “Castlevania: Nocturne Review – A Worthy Follow Up With Terrific Animation”
Comments are closed.