Castlevania: Nocturneasks whether the format of the excellentCastlevaniaNetflix series can be reworked to support a new story, characters, and setting. The answer is a resounding yes, as the first season ofNocturneis a spectacular evolution of its predecessor. It’s not perfect in every way, but these eight episodes capture everything excellent about the franchise, the genre, the medium, and its potential for new horizons.
Warren Ellis, showrunner ofthe original Netflix series, isn’t present for this spin-off. Instead, Clive Bradley, best known for writing several well-received UK crime dramas, steps in as showrunner. The new show still has Sam and Adam Deats as directors, maintaining consistency between the two series while staying refreshingly different. Powerhouse Animation Studio found spectacular ways to keep things fresh. It’s a fascinating new team that brings a lot to the material.
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Castlevania: Nocturneoccurs 300 years after Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard saved the world from Dracula. It’s 1792, and the French Revolution is in full sway. In a charmingescalation of the usual subtext, vampiric aristocrats live in luxury while feeding on the poor populace. Richter Belmont is the last descendant of the Belmont Clan and a fresh-faced teenage monster hunter. He lives with Maria Renard, a sorceress who leads small bands of revolutionaries against the rich and powerful. One night, after slaying a few vampires, Richter and Maria hear tell of a “vampire messiah” who will come to eat the sun. They dismiss the threat but escaped slave Annette and opera singer Edouard arrive to inform them it’s no myth. Along with Maria’s mom, Terra, they discover a deep conspiracy of dangerous forces that threatens to cast theworld into eternal darkness.
It’s impossible to avoid comparisons betweenCastlevaniaandNocturne. They’re very similar overall, butNocturnetakes bold steps toward its own horizons. The theming is much stronger here.Vampires aren’t just astand-in for the rich targets of the French Revolution. They’re living avatars of the forces that put them in power. Wealth, greed, colonization, slavery, and racism are given voices through fanged mouths. Monsters hold up these old social orders to oppress those they consider inferior cattle. The heroes are all youthful rebels fighting against the establishment. It’s not subtext anymore. The rich and powerful are explicitly evil. The only morally correct option is to dethrone them. The church’s role in the conflict is perhaps the most compelling.Nocturneis more politically aware than its predecessor but sacrifices none of its action.
As expected, the fight scenes inCastlevania: Nocturneare magnificent. It achieves many of the same powerful accomplishments as its older brother. Each protagonist comes equipped with a visually engaging fighting style that never ceases to develop new dimensions.Richter has the Vampire Killerand all the panache of his ancestor, Trevor. Where Treffy backed up the whip with a short sword, Richter prefers a brace of daggers, which are fun at every range. Maria eschews Sypha’s fire and ice for summoning strange creatures that rip her enemies apart. She’s reminiscent of Megumi Fushiguro fromJujutsu Kaisenwith everything that implies. Annette is the descendant of a god who can bend stone and metal with her mind. Edouard is mostly there to provide diegetic music to accompany the spectacular score. The villains may never reachthe iconography of Dracula, but they’re intensely compelling. Add in wild cards like Olrox, and the action remains impossibly enjoyable. There isn’t a weak action set piece in the season. It builds consistently and still finds a magnificent payoff.
If there is a weakness inCastlevania: Nocturne, it isn’t likely to remain weak for long. Without wishing to spoil, the ending of this season demands a follow-up. It’s almost tradition for this franchise to build to a visually spectacular conclusion before ending without a satisfying conclusion. Remember thefirst season ofCastlevania? It was four episodes long and entirely devoted to establishing characters and setting pieces on the board for the masterpiece second season.Nocturne’s debut isn’t as limited. It doesn’t feel like a trial run or a proof of concept, but it’s clear they have much more to do with this idea. It’s an excellent season of TV either way. Netflix has made some questionable cancelation decisions, making any cliffhanger dangerous. The ending ofNocturnecould be seen as a promise of more to come. If that promise goes undelivered, it’s a massive loss for everyone involved.
Fans ofCastlevaniaknow they need to seeNocturne. Everyone else will almost undoubtedly enjoy it. From the spin-off’s new color palette to its messaging,Nocturneis a masterful new frontier that will satisfy returning fans.Castlevania: Nocturneopens thefuture of this seriesby expanding its mythology. There could be much more of this franchise on the horizon.Nocturnemay not often reach the most moving moments of the original series, but its baseline is significantly higher in quality. Those who were praying for Richter Belmont, your prayers have been answered.
Castlevania: Nocturne
Cast
Pray for Richter Belmont, the last descendant of his clan of vampire hunters, as he joins a band of heroes to defeat an all-powerful monster at the height of the French Revolution.
