Castlevania

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 7, 2017
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 301 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 249 out of 301
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 301
  3. Negative: 26 out of 301
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  1. bob13bob
    Sep 4, 2017
    4
    has promise, but not executed well enough. just random fights not making sense, doesn't have the cleverness, creativeness, or character development of many better animes: attack titan, naruto, death note, etc.
  2. shaggykid41
    Jul 13, 2017
    4
    The visuals are adult, but the writing is anything but. At four episodes, you're really getting a single episode of content and story, but every scene is full of forced, unrealistic dialog, delivered with so much attitude that you'll be waiting for the fight scenes just to see something done moderately well. It's really quite strange how poor so little content can be, the show starts offThe visuals are adult, but the writing is anything but. At four episodes, you're really getting a single episode of content and story, but every scene is full of forced, unrealistic dialog, delivered with so much attitude that you'll be waiting for the fight scenes just to see something done moderately well. It's really quite strange how poor so little content can be, the show starts off introducing the world, which is gothic, and then the characters, which are modern, and then proceeds to stumble through having our hero (who is so reluctant to do anything that it's amazing he gets out of bed in the morning) use his whip and morals to save the day. The two female characters in the whole show are there to be beautiful and annoying. Both of them had to comment on the manners of the men opposite them upon their first meet, which makes me wonder if the third woman to grace the screen in the next season will start off the same way. The fact this is written by Warren Ellis is shocking, as nothing here reflects his talent. Please don't watch this so Netflix will spend their money on shows worth your time.… Expand
  3. papadrew7
    Jul 7, 2017
    4
    I had high hopes for this show but it was a chore to watch this season. First off the main character was not likable at all until the final episode. Throughout the first three episodes he was just an annoying/ selfish drunk. Oh and the show is only 4 episodes of twenty something minutes a piece which is just pathetic. The writing was also pretty bad. The first scene is dracula meeting hisI had high hopes for this show but it was a chore to watch this season. First off the main character was not likable at all until the final episode. Throughout the first three episodes he was just an annoying/ selfish drunk. Oh and the show is only 4 episodes of twenty something minutes a piece which is just pathetic. The writing was also pretty bad. The first scene is dracula meeting his soon to be wife which is a major story arch of the show but we only get maybe 5 minutes of that interaction but we'll get endless bar fights and europeans talking about screwing goats. Parents be warned this is a VERY mature animated show.… Expand
  4. Yosa
    Jul 9, 2017
    5
    This plays out as more an introduction than a season one, and I would be fine with that if there was more backstory and direction; the main plot is overreaching and much of the show used shady plot mechanisms to create shock and drama. The animation is well done, the main character of Belmont is a drunken ass but grows on you. Heavy religious setting is contrived and overly done to theThis plays out as more an introduction than a season one, and I would be fine with that if there was more backstory and direction; the main plot is overreaching and much of the show used shady plot mechanisms to create shock and drama. The animation is well done, the main character of Belmont is a drunken ass but grows on you. Heavy religious setting is contrived and overly done to the detriment of the show. I would say watch all 4 episode to get a good idea of the direction of the series, but dont expect to get invested in this until they release a longer more comprehensive series in the next season.… Expand
  5. nacenko
    Jul 10, 2017
    4
    This show took a big Christian dump on a childhood classic.

    There's a lot of potential to this series. The decision to focus on Castlevania 3 was a good one, since it centers on Belmont, Sypha, Alucard, and (eventually) Grant. Game-wise, this has the most depth regarding Dracula's character outside of Symphony of the Night, and if the show takes off, could lead to that story arc. The    This show took a big Christian dump on a childhood classic.

    There's a lot of potential to this series. The decision to focus on Castlevania 3 was a good one, since it centers on Belmont, Sypha, Alucard, and (eventually) Grant. Game-wise, this has the most depth regarding Dracula's character outside of Symphony of the Night, and if the show takes off, could lead to that story arc.

    The good: the animation was very good at times, and was excellent when it needed to be. The decision to make Dracula a sympathetic character was a good one. Making Belmont a reluctant rogue was also good, though a bit ham-handed. The show was appropriately violent and vulgar, and painted a bleak picture of the world. It sets a feeling of despair that drives up the stakes (no pun intended) of the conflict.

    The bad: 4 episodes is too short. The story barely moved plot-wise, and felt like a mid-season set-up more than a season finale. Even with that, story had to be packed in, and many plot points did not get the attention they deserved. storylines that should have lasted multiple episodes got a 5-minute exposition. The writing was... well, it was bad. There were a few good lines here and there, but for the most part, the dialogue served as a big blunt hammer hitting the same points in eye-rolling irritation.

    The ugly: It was decided to make the Christian church as the major antagonist of the show. A bishop (the main bad guy) and his lackeys are the ones responsible for setting off the whole tragedy of the show. This in and of itself, I'm more than OK with. Corruption in religion, especially during this period in history, can be justifiable and interesting. However, when the idea is bludgeoned into the viewer every five minutes with some vitriolic comment, it is just annoying. On top of that, every priest is some kind of blood-thirsty jerk who carries weapons and is self-righteous to a fault. In stark contrast, a group of pagans in the show are the model of human beings: dare I say, they are more Christian in their actions than the Christians themselves. The one-dimensional broad brush of the church really soured the whole show for me.

    I can only hope that this gets balanced in future seasons. Hopefully the writers will remember that any institution, however unpopular in today's pop culture, is made up of people, both good and bad, sinners and saints.    … Expand
  6. therandomperson
    Jul 16, 2017
    4
    This is definitely one for those castlevania fans. I do consider myself a fan, but not a big enough one to care for this series. I thought the hand drawn cross CGI animation was done very well, along with the sound design and the voice acting. But, the writing was bad, the characters were unlikable, and the story was unbearable. I honestly wanted to love this series and watch theThis is definitely one for those castlevania fans. I do consider myself a fan, but not a big enough one to care for this series. I thought the hand drawn cross CGI animation was done very well, along with the sound design and the voice acting. But, the writing was bad, the characters were unlikable, and the story was unbearable. I honestly wanted to love this series and watch the second part when it eventually comes out, but i was bummed out. There were things to like, especially most things in episodes 1 and 4, but 2 and 3 were boring and unwatchable.… Expand
  7. Hughishness
    Jul 16, 2017
    5
    It's a tough show to review, they just kind of drop you into it and then 5 minutes later there's a flash forward. They cut away from a woman being burned alive then show the mutilated remains of a child, I'm no prude but it's just so schizophrenic in the beginning it's hard to get a feel for it. Once the protagonist is introduced it's a bit more focused and sticks to a narrative. IIt's a tough show to review, they just kind of drop you into it and then 5 minutes later there's a flash forward. They cut away from a woman being burned alive then show the mutilated remains of a child, I'm no prude but it's just so schizophrenic in the beginning it's hard to get a feel for it. Once the protagonist is introduced it's a bit more focused and sticks to a narrative. I personally don't mind the world not being explained but it feels like everything gets kind of bunched together because of time constraints (each episode is about 25 min at 4 episodes total). It's pretty good as a kind of pilot but for future installments some things should probably be a little fine tuned, specifically the animation in some sections and the meandering borderline atrocious dialogue.… Expand
  8. mKaaru
    Jul 7, 2017
    6
    The first season of Castlevania is lacklustre and has severe issues in pacing, weak storytelling and besides Trevor Belmont not that great character development. I couldn't help feel but dissapointed after watching the first episode (which ends abruptly for no reason at all. While the show does catch on after the second episode and somehow manages to regain the spirit of the classicThe first season of Castlevania is lacklustre and has severe issues in pacing, weak storytelling and besides Trevor Belmont not that great character development. I couldn't help feel but dissapointed after watching the first episode (which ends abruptly for no reason at all. While the show does catch on after the second episode and somehow manages to regain the spirit of the classic franchise, it leaves you curious as to how the second season will procede.

    With the statement of Castlevania being an animated series one would expect the production value to be of high standards, but it lacks convincing visuals in the first three episodes with most of the budget reserved for the highly anticipated showdown in the season finale it seems. The drawings don't feel sharp or crisp to the eye. and doesn't manage to impress at all. In comparison to the recent release of another "exclusive" Netflix release Little Witch Academia, the production value fails in comparison with obvious highs and lows. Ofcourse it's Studio Trigger of Kill la Kill fame and my all time favorite Gurren Lagann, so maybe i'm spoiled as an avid anime fan but it just doesn't hold up.

    In terms of writing the dialogue is witty, has great humor at times to make the series feel light but also becomes dark as it reflects upon the actions of the Church and the impact of their decision to the inhabitants of the world of Wallachonia. Trevor Belmont is a likable character who is first portrayed as some annoying drunk with childish features but comes into his own as the story progresses and we see his character develop over time.

    Don't expect too much from the first four episodes, it's a fun ride but mostly forgettable    … Expand
  9. imthenoob
    Jul 8, 2017
    6
    This season is sadly only four episodes long and that fact that it's so short results in a very mixed season. At first, There's absolutely no plot to this show, No explanation as to who the characters are either, They just appear on screen and that's that. It's really rough story telling in the first two episodes but by episodes three and four, It's fantastic. The story gets into motionThis season is sadly only four episodes long and that fact that it's so short results in a very mixed season. At first, There's absolutely no plot to this show, No explanation as to who the characters are either, They just appear on screen and that's that. It's really rough story telling in the first two episodes but by episodes three and four, It's fantastic. The story gets into motion and that characters become quite interesting. And the finale makes you really want more, So it definitely ends on a high note.

    I think the reason this show suffers and why I give it a mixed review is because it's so short. This should have been a minimum of 5-6 episodes. There should have been more depth to the story and the characters but sadly it was short ordered and that's why I can only give it a 5. Don't let the mixed review get you though, You could easily end up loving it. It's a well animated and well acted series, It's just too short imo. I will definitely keep an eye out for season 2 because it's suppose to be longer.    … Expand
  10. HJRodrigo
    Jul 10, 2017
    4
    A bit more adult than I had expected. The series is an adaptation of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, which was a NES game meant for youths. Nintendo of America's games in that era tended to be censored to be somewhat non-controversial/family friendly, so I was a little unprepared for how crude/vulgar the language was at times. I am fine if it had some gore/nudity (This was in theA bit more adult than I had expected. The series is an adaptation of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, which was a NES game meant for youths. Nintendo of America's games in that era tended to be censored to be somewhat non-controversial/family friendly, so I was a little unprepared for how crude/vulgar the language was at times. I am fine if it had some gore/nudity (This was in the original Japanese game to some degree), but the language seemed unnecessarily strong at times. I find that writers often use strong language as a way of covering up poor writing and/or poor character development. I honestly felt Belmont's personality a bit flat and unlikable, which kind of made the series drag on for me. The biggest plot flaw for me was when they had Belmont fight and kill priests, which seemed not in character for a Belmont and very silly. It might have made more sense and been a bit more realistic to put him fighting trained warriors or knights who were defending the name/honor of the church, instead of stupid priests charging into their death. There were also several changes from the game that just plain confused me. The first to catch my eye was them putting light bulbs and electricity in that time period (I don't remember that being present in the original game). The short hair on Sypha seemed like an unnecessary modernization, as the game originally had Sypha with long blond hair. Long hair was more true to the time period, as short hair on women was viewed as inappropriate or sinful back then. I am also not sure why she was changed to being a "Speaker", as she was supposed to be a witch or sorceress. Overall I like that they took the source material seriously, I just don't like the portrayal of the main character... The priests trying to fight him was also a bit much.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Matt Gerardi
    Jul 10, 2017
    75
    While the animation and writing in this first “season” occasionally stumble along the way, the series’ creators have gone above and beyond to wring a resonant story from a game that never really had or needed one. It’s a promising start, and while this isn’t saying much, that alone makes it one of the most successful video game adaptations to date.
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  2. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: Will Ashton
    Jul 10, 2017
    60
    Bleak, bold, blackhearted, brutal and very, very bloody, Netflix’s Castlevania is an uneven, weirdly paced but vividly realized and often captivating anime adaptation, one that propels the video game genre to newfound heights and a promising, if very short, glimpse at the show’s potential.
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  3. Collider
    Reviewed by: Dave Trumbore
    Jul 10, 2017
    80
    This definitely isn’t kid friendly. And yet the violence and gore serves the story, one that’s not about a simple action-packed adventure of a trio of heroes wandering the Wallachian countryside, but the very real battle of complex heroes fighting for what’s right and protecting the innocent from darkness, death, and ignorance.
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