My rundown comparing season 1 of Castlevania Nocturne to the lore of the Castlevania games its based off of. I touch upon how the characters and story line up to the games and offer insight for fans wanting to know more about either (with some light snark). [Warning for season spoilers ahead.]
You can also find me on social media: linktr.ee/sindravania
Music:
âCross of Fearâ, âCemeteryâ & âDivine Bloodlinesâ (Michiru Yamane, Akiropito) â Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles
Sources Referenced:
Super Castlevania 4
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood/Akumajo Dracula: Chi no Rondo
Castlevania: Dracula X
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania Bloodlines
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania Nocturne Season 1
Voice-Over Mastering â http://vikingguitar.com/
Castlevania is © Konami Entertainment
Castlevania Nocturne and all associated is © Netflix, Powerhouse Animation, Project 151, Frederator Studios
source
Idk man I kinda like that the series is very different from the games. The games have cool lore yeah but it was a gameplay first series and I don't think the show would be better if it was a direct adaptation.
I don't mind what they're doing here, I had my fair share of issues with the previous show (Hector and Isaac's storyline never merging with the main one and feeling really unfinished and sometimes very fillery, Saint Germain's motivation to resurrect Dracula, how static was season two as the season that should've set up the final Dracula fight, Season 3 alucard storyline being completely useless, i could probably go on if i think about this more) but at this point I accept that Castlevania Netflix is its own thing entirely, and from a narrative standpoint i understand why they're not just sticking with Dracula as the main antagonist, it would become very formulaic very quickly as a tv show while for games it works because well, they're games.
There are some things here that I actually like even more in comparison to the game, Annette is a much more interesting character, but it's kinda unfair seeing how the original one didn't exactly have a defined personality, the setting is AMAZING and I love how moody it is, I really wish there was a game that actually took place in France like this. I just hope Elizabeth will be a cool villain cause so far she's not even close to being as cool as Dracula was in the original show. And in general, hopefully this time they'll stick with a single storyline to keep the story simple and fast.
Now, greatest videogame adaptation? I don't think so because it's not "adapting" anything, but it's a good show that works as something inspired by the games and that still bring these beloved characters on screen, but ultimately does its own thing.
But all the changes to Curse of Darkness in seasons 3-4 of the first series were just fine, right?
In summary, the character in Netflix show ARE way better written than in the games. More background, more develpment and better motives tying them in the Plot, that is also a better story than killing DrĂĄcula in his castle for the 45th time. I like this totally different direction that this universe story is heading, we have to agree that the story of these game are shallow, ok at best. Anette not being just an NPC that you save and having a plausible background that has sinergy with her powers is also great and shows that in this universe many mithologies can coexist. Overall I hope that season 2 can build over this solid foundation.
Loved the first series, this one wants to be great but falls short But it's still kinda like sex and pizza, even when it's bad it's still good.
Considering how little story is actually in CV games, I am perfectly fine with the direction the OG and Nocturne went.
Inclusivity bullshitery is the main problem.
My ethnic has been abused by white power,our resources being drainef,our people displaced.
Yet i could enjoy original rondo if the blood and symphony of the night,without turning the already establshed character blackđ€Ł.
Let me tell you,that is called pandering.
Why the wtiter and ptoducer not making their original brand of story
Richter and Anette will marry,and if it is consistent with the lore,their grandson will be julius belmont.
And julius is far from being black.
So ,what kind of fuckuppery netflix writer will present in the future?
Rondo if blood castlevania.
Richter is man with conviction,without mental burden.
Nocturne
Richter is person with mental problem,trauma and depression.
Anette rondo of blood
Beautiful,but helpless noblewomen,richter fiancee.
Being helpless is not all bad thing if driving story advance.
Not all women must fight in battle.
That is fine.
Anette nocturne.
They turn it into black anime women fighter protagonist.
I don't have a berf with black women fighter protagonists.
I have a peoblem with this women being anette,richter fiancee.
đ
oof, the comments here are really overrun by reactionaries… The beginning of nocturne honestly felt really weirldy paced, as it only gets really good towards juste. But fuck I love how they replace our funny skeleton enemies, with the other amazing aspect of castlevania, monsters and lore from all kinds of cultures. Fuck yeah too ancestor magic!
NĂŁo sou um grande conhecedor de Castlevania, mas acho uma pena que essa discussĂŁo de ser ou nĂŁo fiel tenha chegado a adaptação. Pois de um lado eu entendo perfeitamente quem estĂĄ aberto a mudanças, eu mesmo estou bem tranquilo com isso e atĂ© gostei da sĂ©rie, porĂ©m eu tambĂ©m entendo quem fique chateado com esse tipo de produção que basicamente diz: "Estamos mudando totalmente a histĂłria mas… Ei! Olha aquela referĂȘncia ao jogo, fique feliz."
I'm getting the feeling that this story takes place sliiiiiightly before Rondo of Blood honestly. They did jump the gun a bit on Alucard's appearance too. I'm interested in season 2!
The problem with netflix is they're trying to replace half of the characters a black person and constantly put sex scenes in the plot. Yo. This is not about black people being enslaved. It's about killing vampire. Another failed series imho.
I believe Abbot (SOtN) and Erzabeth (Bloodlines) will be a major key plots in each future season here.
Season 2: The Dark Priest arc. Abbotâs ideals has turned warped has been fully converted as a dark servant of the night as he transforms into the Dark Priest shaft. The price for the new transformation? A virginâs blood as he makes night creatures attack âAljibađâ to distract Richter thus kidnapping Annette & Maria anyways. Richter panics & searches for Juste as they plan a battle plan and a map (cue Rondo of Blood intro scene). He rescued Maria and teamed up to save Annette. After all the struggles getting to the Dark Priestâs dark church, Richter will face the Dark Priest in the end. Richter will face all the famous pop culture night creatures that he summons (Big Bat, Medusa, Mummy, and Frankenstein) & defeats him but his vengeful spirit lingers still as he said âNo I wonât end it like thisâ (like in the Dracula X Chronicles) and performs a destructive magic around the church. Richter senses danger as he tells Maria and Annette to run as Shaft teleports Richter and posses him in the process leading to the future SOTN season.
Season 3: Erzabeth arc as she sends night creatures all around the world (Bloodlines stages) to spread her cultâs influence even more as weâll get to see other Vampire hunters like John Morris and Eric Lecarde separately battling night creatures and vampires from their jurisdictions. Meanwhile Maria is also battling night creatures as she ran in search for Alucard after being rescued saying Richter hasnât returned from facing Shaft as they hurry on to Erzabethâs castle but night creatures blocks their path once more. After saving some parts of the world going to the final stage the 4 heroes was led to Erzabethâs castle. The heroes battles her and defeats her but itâs too late as she summons a hell version of Castlevania to fulfills the final battle in Bloodlines and also sets up via Draculaâs resurrection inâŠ
Season 4: Symphony of the Night as John is exhausted after using the fake cursed whip and Eric helps him & him also to return from their hometowns as Maria and Alucard continues their search for the Shaftwashed Richter. Death appears once more to take Alucardâs sword. The succubusâs sister tricks Alucard by warping the events of Lisaâs burning while telling him lies about the cruelty of humanity. Alucard knows itâs not real as he tries to call his sword and stabs the succubus and heâs snaps back to reality. Finally Alucard and Maria found a Richter but he wasnât himself as they fight him but Maria tells Alucard she senses something behind Richter try to aim your sword there as they vanish Shaftâs ghost but his malice knows no bound as the castleâs was affected by shaftâs desire for blood lust and desire for true power as the castle becomes inverted as if going to hell itself to find the broken soul of Dracula. The castle is a creature of hell and together with shaftâs magic and lingering malice it controls the spirit of Dracula to remember the cruelty of humanity to confront 3 heroes.
Idk letâs see how Netflix will save this bloated show but those key points I said with each season should practically save the show without all the bloat inclusion BS and Agenda backstories.
Extra: As for Eduardo as he is a Devil which gives a lot of EXP in the games he will give his life happily to Richter in extension of his feelings to Annette this powering up Richter in the Final Stage: Bloodlines
Let me shorten the comparison
Netflix Shit piss and other garabage
Games : Masterpiece
I've experienced /much/ CastleVania-related disappointment in my time.
Why expect a "proper" adaptation of Rondo in season 2? It's obvious they are steering clear of hardcore fan expectations and doing their own story. The key to happiness is low expectations. Just enjoy it for what it is. I couldn't for the first series, but I can for this one now with more humbled expectations. It's much more fun when you just go with it. I agree 100% about the music though! Come on!
Anyways, great info regarding Drolta lore. I had no idea!
The show is so inconsistent with how they want magic/supernatural/holy things to work. It's like the writers can't decide or flat out don't know. It really feels like some vampire fanfic that they just slapped the Castlevania name onto.
Can Everyone just stop Bitching about about Castlevania being bad, cause it Really isnât!
8:32 I would like to point out something interesting to note! While itâs true the information about whether or not the âCrossâ affects Vampires given what Trevor says and what Annette does! There is one possibility that hasnât been ruled out. Consecration!
âVampires are affected by Divine magics!â
Annetteâs bloodline is tied to a God of iron and forging! So itâs more than likely she Used her Connection to Consecrate the Iron fences and form a Holy Cross that she then used more of!
Not unlike how the Whip and Morning Star are literally made from Materials that were blessed! Same with how Hecter revived the Dead Bishop to Sanctify the River to kill off much of Draculaâs Army!
As a lifelong fan of the Castlevania series, I can enjoy the animated series for what it is, a story using characters inspired by the games as opposed to a proper adaptation of them. I just treat it as a separate continuity, the same as the Lords of Shadow games, and it makes it a lot more tolerable from the fanboy side of me. Do I still want a proper Castlevania adaptation? Absolutely! It's unfortunate that there isn't more crossover between the Castlevania fanbase and the indie animation community as I'm sure they'd do the games justice.
As for the Netflix series, I think their biggest problem has been in calling them 'adaptations' when they're clearly new stories using characters 'inspired' by the games. Doing so set up certain expectations from the fans and it's totally understandable that fans of the games feel unsatisfied with the direction they went. Though with that said, anyone going into Nocturne with any expectation of a straight adaptation of Rondo of Blood after seeing the first Netflix Castlevania series are only fooling themselves at this point.
The Annette race swap didn't really bother me as much as I know it does other dedicated Castlevania fans. That may be in good part due to my "this is a separate continuity to the games" attitude, but also because Annette was such a non-entity in the one game she was in. Sure, it was a little jarring at first, but I was still interested to see what direction they'd take her. Could they have expanded her character without changing her entire background and ethnicity? Of course, but even in doing so she's still a fair bit better than the generic damsel in distress/love interest role she originally filled. Granted, expanding Annette and making her more interesting is a pretty low bar and they could have done just about anything to clear it.
Personally, with Simon's Quest being my first Castlevania, I was a little salty at first that they completely skipped over Simon's story. After I got over those initial feelings though, I could understand why they would. The Netflix series is very character driven in its storytelling, and they would need to create mostly completely original characters to fill out the cast for a series covering the time period of Castlevania and Simon's Quest or otherwise use an entirely different storytelling style. Maybe something more along the lines of Samurai Jack, which is the only series that immediately comes to mind that has a single, consistent central protagonist. However, I'm not entirely sure the Netflix Castlevania writers would be able to pull that off, so it's probably for the best that they skipped over him. A brief mention or nod to him would have been cool though, in the same vein as the portrait of Leon in the first series was.
A lot of people don't like this Castlevania I do cuz Victor is my favorite Belmont even though they made him look like a punk but he's redeeming his self
I personally like it
Yes I like your channel
I think tera gonna die season 2