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. Rhesyuzz
    Jul 24, 2017
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. We have been waiting for a Castlevania adaptation for a very long time. In addition, having a good art style, dubbing and Netflix’s logo, I would welcome it. However, it stops there; nothing else is in this series. Bland, shallow, stupid and pandering to political correctness.
    Let’s dig in
    In all four episodes, the hero kills just one monster. Yes, the hero spends 75 percent of the show’s runtime beating priests and common people. Just like in the game, isn’t it?
    Not mentioning, he does flee from entering Dracula’s castle all the time. Again, just like in the game, hum? Only that, in the games, the first stage is entering the castle.
    I could go on indefinitely. No inciting incident, the character does not show personality, none of them does. Church is evil for evil’s sake. No motivation whatsoever. No good supporting cast. Hero has no flaws. And on, and on.
    Do yourself a favor; stop hipping things. If you don’t press for quality in your entertainment, they won’t try to reach for it.    … Expand
  3. sprafen
    Aug 9, 2017
    3
    Can't understand how this show is getting a pass. Is very mediocre in every angle: Bad dialogues, bad writing (this is sad because Warren Ellis is a very good comicbook writer) and the animation es really poor. Is a wasted oportunity, but that worked I think because every video game adaption are bad.
  4. BabeRuthless38
    Sep 19, 2017
    0
    I remember playing the original game when I was a kid, and later playing a bunch of the series up through the masterpiece that was Symphony of the Night. This show perfectly captures what we all loved about the games:

    - The way Trevor spends most of the series brawling with inbred peasants and slaughtering Christian priests, instead of fighting monsters - The fact that Trevor never    I remember playing the original game when I was a kid, and later playing a bunch of the series up through the masterpiece that was Symphony of the Night. This show perfectly captures what we all loved about the games:

    - The way Trevor spends most of the series brawling with inbred peasants and slaughtering Christian priests, instead of fighting monsters
    - The fact that Trevor never meets Dracula, who is barely even in the series
    - The way we see almost nothing of Dracula's castle
    - The incessant gratuitous gore that would make Quentin Tarantino queasy
    - Trevor being a foulmouthed drunken vagabond instead of a selfless, aristocratic hero

    /sarcasm

    You get my point. Look, Warren Ellis: we get it. You hate Christianity and when you got the chance to write a story about a noble family that battles Count Dracula you instead made an ultraviolent fanfiction about corrupt, psychotic priests run amok and the scruffy Mary Sue drifter who kills them all with slurred wisecracking and whip-fu. I'm sure college sophomores will think that's, like, totally edgy, man, but anyone who just wanted to see a great series of games translated to the screen is in for a huge disappointment at this hacky, ham-handed caricature. It only shows any life once Alucard shows up, i.e. the last 5 minutes of a 100 minute series. Not worth your time.    … Expand
  5. JustinOhio
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Video game adaptations are very difficult to pull off, with the biggest issue usually being the lack of faithfulness to the original source material. However, while Castlevania does go in a couple of questionable directions, it also manages to stay very true to the game that it's based on, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. The voice acting, animation, and story telling are all nearly flawless, which elevates this show even further. My biggest complaint is that it was WAY too short. Only four episodes, each only 25 minutes in length? Overall, it felt more like a large prologue then a season that could stand on its own. The wait for Season 2 just got that much longer. Hopefully, the next season will at least be twice the length. Other than that, I highly recommend this series. It's not the greatest video game adaptation (yet), but it's getting there.… Expand
  6. Skeletal
    Jul 8, 2017
    9
    R-Rated Castlevania goodness! I really like how they showed Dracula's backstory, so you can actually understand why he is slaughtering all these people. The characters in general are very well written and funny. 4 episodes were not enough.
  7. dieg657
    Jul 16, 2017
    10
    Lives up to Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse! Plot, Soundtrack, Characters, side histories, absolutely AMAZING! I can't wait for 2nd Season! Seriously candidate for GREATEST game adaptation in an animated series!
  8. Vercis
    Jul 7, 2017
    10
    Beautiful graphics, nice story and good characters. Being close to the feeling of the game yet offering something fresh. To bad only 4 episodes for season 1.
  9. veilex
    Jul 7, 2017
    10
    Not only is the series true to established cannon, but there are intertwined facets of the game threaded throughout the TV show, enriching it and adding flair in all the right ways. Add to that, the voice acting is amazing, and the characters are interesting. This show is sure to please, not only fans of the series, but anyone else who enjoys a quality show.
  10. 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
  11. MovieNerd_EP
    Jul 7, 2017
    10
    Stunning animation, great voice-acting, well developed Characters and a dark, violent atmosphere make this season a must-watch.
    (I have not played the games, but from what i've seen of them, this also seems to heir closely to their art style)
  12. 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
  13. Arzen353
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    I thought it'd be mediocre at best but they totally nailed it.

    I had assumed this would be a PG-13 property, but it's crazy death metal, brutally violent animation all the way. Which is exactly what I want in a story that's basically like "Dracula's gonna murder everyone, go fight Satan's undead army." It literally rains blood & mutant fetuses while demons pour out of hell. It's also    I thought it'd be mediocre at best but they totally nailed it.

    I had assumed this would be a PG-13 property, but it's crazy death metal, brutally violent animation all the way. Which is exactly what I want in a story that's basically like "Dracula's gonna murder everyone, go fight Satan's undead army." It literally rains blood & mutant fetuses while demons pour out of hell.

    It's also just about the only videogame-to-film adaptation I've seen that doesn't feel like they just threw the script or order of events from the game in the garbage. It's obviously not quite the same, but the references to the game and sequence with the source material is obvious and compelling with characters being more fleshed out and an expanded backstory.

    The first season is also ridiculously short: Four episodes with a total run-time of 80 minutes, I'm guessing because they needed to do this season as a test run to see if there'll be any interest.

    About the only way I think could do better is in the soundtrack - ironically, the actual games had way better music despite being all chiptunes. If they couldn't use that, they probably should have gotten some good metal, but instead it's all serviceable, but forgettable, atmospheric stuff.

    Overall though, it's a huge suprise how great this is.    … Expand
  14. dc127
    Jul 10, 2017
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I went into this show with mixed expectations. The trailer looked pretty good, but you never know with these sorts of things. After watching it I have very mixed impressions.

    The good: The animation is top notch and there are a number of very good action sequences. This is really why I am here to see the show. I want to see crazy fights between Belmont/Alucard and vampires. These animation is definitely rated R. In one episode it literally rains down monster fetuses covered in blood. Depending upon your view this over the top violence is either a good thing or a bad thing. The music score was also okay, not great, but decent.

    The bad: The show is crazy over the top anti-Catholic. Every single priest in the show is lazy, evil, and manipulative. I'm fine with there being corrupt priests, but this is just **** Dracula is turned into an emo, brooding person because the church burn his wife at the stake. They also ran the Belmonts out of power, don't care about the people, and on and on and on. There is no way this portrayal could ever occur if you replaced "Catholics" with Jews, Muslims, gays, blacks, or any minority group of any kind. There is no reason for the blanket, over generalization. You could have made them a nuanced villain, people doing something wrong that they think is right. Instead they are caricatures of villains. I mean the show goes out of the way to make Dracula sympathetic, and he is slaughtering literally thousands of humans over one death. I'm giving the show a negative rating because of this. Bravo writers, you are bigots.

    Further Cons: The four episode length is just unacceptable. By the end of episode 3 you are barely scratching the surface of the world the story is set in. A 10 episode season would have been ok, 4 is not enough. It is just weird.    … Expand
  15. Likan
    Jul 11, 2017
    3
    After reading some confident interviews from the staff and positive reactions from a part of the audience, I had meager hopes for this show. Alas, they were quickly doused.

    I won't elaborate on the plot, which is decent despite its slow progression, and drawing quality ranges from mediocre to alright. But pretty much everything else turned out sub-par imho. Apart from a few    After reading some confident interviews from the staff and positive reactions from a part of the audience, I had meager hopes for this show. Alas, they were quickly doused.

    I won't elaborate on the plot, which is decent despite its slow progression, and drawing quality ranges from mediocre to alright. But pretty much everything else turned out sub-par imho.

    Apart from a few characters (Belmont), voice-acting is poor, further accentuated by an abysmal sound design : most of the time, voices seem unaffected by the characters' surroundings, giving them a very unnatural feeling, almost like one is hearing the actors directly in the recording studio.

    Characters themselves are chlichéd (special mention to the one-dimensional Dracula), the setting is as generici as they get, there's plenty of gore which is fine by me unless it's totally gratuitious like it is here (a cheap attempt to turn the show into something more mature than it really is). But the nail in the coffin (see what I did there ?) is the animation : apart from a few action sequences, the animation is just terrible, some movements look like they are rendered with two frames, faces occasionnaly twist and deform, reminding me of Dragon Ball Super (although not quite as bad, to be fair). How is it possible with today's techniques and decent budget, in 2017, to air an anime show with such a lack of fluidity ? After the surprisingly satisfying BLAME!, I don't understand how Netflix could let that pass.

    It's really one of those times where I find that the public's standards have gotten very low, to dish out positive reviews for this such a mediocre (at best) production. For all amateurs of dystopian Castlevania-esque vampire animation, do yourselves a treat, and go (re-)watch Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust. Which is leagues ahead of Castlevania in every department, despite being 17 years older...    … Expand
  16. euu
    Jul 15, 2017
    1
    I guess now I know how Berserk 2016 would have looked like if it had decent animation but bad writting.

    There is really nothing about the plot that hasn't been done before. It feels like it was written by some fedora tipping, white knight atheist redittor who thaught he is being clever and edgy by making the Church the main antagonist of the series. That's right, Dracula is not the main    I guess now I know how Berserk 2016 would have looked like if it had decent animation but bad writting.

    There is really nothing about the plot that hasn't been done before. It feels like it was written by some fedora tipping, white knight atheist redittor who thaught he is being clever and edgy by making the Church the main antagonist of the series. That's right, Dracula is not the main villain of Castlevania, he is just some bland romantic vampire who is angry the ebil christians killed his wife because she **** loved science. It seems they are making Dracula worse and worse with each interpretation, not to mention that it's implied his powers are not the result of a curse or a pact with dark forces, but instead they are a result of... SCIENCE! The main villain is some bishop and his army of ninja priests who kill people because they are evil religious bigots. It's boring, cliched and has been done to death, and a lot better than it was done here.

    The same thing goes for the main character: he is the selfish, sarcastic rogue that acts like a jerk for the first half but then decides to fight the good fight just because some pagan hippies hold some generic speech about hope and crap.

    The only thing that's serviceable is the animation, but I think it could have been a lot better, especially since it's Netflix and the show has only 4 episodes.

    This is pretty much what happens when you try to add depth to a series that was cocieved for kids. They could have had a series about a muscular dude fighting monsters with a whip, it would have been just as cliched, but at least it would have been fun.    … Expand
  17. 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
  18. Michaletos
    Jul 22, 2017
    10
    The first season was amazing! The only drawback is that it had only 4 20min episodes. The story, the characters, the animation is perfect! Can't wait for season 2!
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. Ekoc_77
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    wait what!, this is really good stuff, it is so great when you are watching something with no espectatives and end with Castlevania, great use of the IP, great story, great anime, it is just a freaking good show, goon on Netflix, it is one of the best use of IP i have seen in the last time
  22. raporgi
    Dec 22, 2017
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Lame. Castlevania lacks the spooky, mysterious atmosphere and just plain creepy fun. Instead we get a long winded rant againt Christianity. Warren Ellis is a hack.… Expand
  23. JorgeLestre
    Jul 12, 2017
    8
    Although the animation needs some improvement, the story is actually very addictive and it emerges as one of the best videogame adaptations known to mankind.
  24. 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
  25. vaaron
    Oct 28, 2017
    8
    The animation is smooth and fluid, the atmosphere fits the theme and the voice acting is great. The pacing is still very slow for a 90 minute season, more steady content would have got the story going better. Nevertheless an enjoyable experience for Castlevania fans and like-minded. Second season needs higher production value.
  26. Elias_Schmitz
    Jul 9, 2017
    9
    Besides the fact that it has only 4 episodes, it is still very good and has potential to be a very huge hit!! Can't wait for the second season. If you are a Castlevania fan or not, you should watch this
  27. 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
  28. Oxnardo
    Jul 8, 2017
    7
    Fantastic animation, as well as story adaptation; This including the character's and environment's design. I expected a more mature, dramatic and introspectiive point of view regarding the characters, but the mix between the gothic, violent story and the light comedy was fun to watch! I'm excited about the next season, and expecting more to come in the future since Castlevania's story hasFantastic animation, as well as story adaptation; This including the character's and environment's design. I expected a more mature, dramatic and introspectiive point of view regarding the characters, but the mix between the gothic, violent story and the light comedy was fun to watch! I'm excited about the next season, and expecting more to come in the future since Castlevania's story has a very rich plot to exploit.… Expand
  29. ProGamerZix
    Jul 8, 2017
    10
    This is the first time I was introduced to the Castlevania universe and i just f*****g love it. It's R-Rated and the visuals and animation are stunning, but the thing that kept me interested was Dracula. His short performance is amazing and definitely the star of the show (for me at least)...
  30. Jax360
    Jul 8, 2017
    10
    one of the best animes ever after BRESERK original
    animation 9.5
    sound fx 10
    music 9
    voice acting 10
    story 10
    directing 10
    writing 10
    fun factor 9.5
    over all 9.5
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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