Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/03/13/netflixs-castlevania-show-is.html
…
6 Likes
I’ll try not to binge watch the whole dang thing in one session.
4 Likes
My wife and I struggled to watch it and stopped after the 4th episode. I don’t understand what everyone sees in the series. If you enjoy it, great, I can think of hundreds of anime series that I liked better. My criticism is that it was built around some overdone tropes and there was wasn’t enough character development to engage me. I think it’s missing a lot of elements that make a good story, but I haven’t really pinned down what exactly is gone.
2 Likes
Finally, a third season!
1 Like
That’s fair. Season 1 is definitely a lot of mood setting and putting dominoes into place. But Season 2 lets the snowball roll, and it’s wonderful. I’d try to stick it out if I were you — you’ll get the character development you’re looking for.
6 Likes
As someone who spent the mid 90s-mid 00s ranting about how big budget 2D animation would someday be seen as a distinct art and not subsumed or replaced by 3D animation, I feel overjoyed.
2 Likes
Thanks. I don’t think my wife will go back to it, but I’ll give it another shot. Lots of free time on my hands now that I’m working from home, not commuting, and not going out 
1 Like
Warren Ellis is the writer. His works frequently involve badass violence (if you’re into that), but as well bonkers plot twists and dialog. On this score, Castlevania is more conventional fare, but still has a bit of that flavor.
Characters say “fuck” a lot, where you wouldn’t really expect vampires to curse much. So that is different. There was some lines lifted out of Ellis comics (someone mentions, “I feel like I just shat out my heart” – which there was a comic where a man who had wronged a witch or something literally did just that.).
8 Likes
I must watch a lot of dirty anime to have not considered this exceptional.
6 Likes
I’d recommend sticking with the series all the way to the end. There are some very creative things that happen, some amazing animation sequences, and a floating globe of magically-controlled zombies that uses its mass for ammunition.
4 Likes
Adi Shankar is the main producer. Sam Deats is the director.
4 Likes
Apparently it was supposed to be the first film in a series, but Netflix abruptly changed their order to a series, which I think is why you get the janky character development.
Season 2 is definitely better. Pacing is more interesting, there’s more character development, and the setpieces and action sequences are much more involved.
Still haven’t watched S3, but the wife and I’ll get to it after our current show.
3 Likes
Ars had a scathing review of the first season, but it sounds like it’s picked up?
Edit
Here it is:
3 Likes
…draw the doujinshi, creating a plot of escalating adjustments and counters where people end up not obliged to buy much toilet paper ever again and/or capable of gift wrapping creatively with excrement, take up hobbies where you further the Dr. Stone and Castlevania trends of all blown glass labware and no violence to the living, comic glowing reviews of the Portuguese voice actors, plus maybe an ep. of OnePace.
5 Likes
S3 is excellent, there’s 4 separate plotlines where one in particular I found the least interesting, another was merely ok but the other two were solid. I would be more specific but I don’t want to give much away, that said I highly recommend the show regardless of ones familiarity with the games
3 Likes
Bill Nighy - thank you! I spent the whole last season trying to work out who’s voice that was. When I checked IMDB it hadn’t updated with Saint Germaine’s character yet.
My husband and I love the show, finished it last night. Can’t wait for the next season.
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
