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Castlevaniais anything but a bog-standard vampire story. From its visuals to its plotline, the series does absolute justice to the franchise in every way. Moreover, Powerhouse Studios went above and beyond in their animation.
But what truly makes it stand out is the protagonist’s story. His trajectory as a greyscale character ridden with conflict and morality is impeccable. There is, however, a catch to that as well.
While the anime is stellar and spectacular in its visuals and pacing, it stands in contrast to the game. This has majorly to do with Dracula’s fleshed-out character in the series. His trajectory of love and loss embodies gravitas and depth which further adds to his character’s appeal.
Interestingly, it all ties well with the themes of morality and conflict along with the ever-present binaries. This holds true for the good, the evil, and the in-betweens in the series.
Dracula’s trajectory of love and loss as a villain
WhileVlad Dracula Tepesis fashioned from Bram Stroker’s novel, his character is different in many aspects. Stroker’s novel was laden with Gothic horror, whereas Tepes is a re-imagination of the creature with a dash of romance and tragedy.
As an omniscient and perennial being, he holds mastery over the secrets of life. This also extends to his penchant for knowledge and wisdom along with strength. His distrust of humans and their ways are plausible which proves to be true for the most part.
Dracula is an embodiment of complexities and layers. Amidst his utter disdain for humans, his vulnerability toward Lisa is heart-rending. It renders him almost human in many aspects. This extends to hisprotectiveness toward Alucard.
Ultimately, his loss becomes a driving force of his villainy. And while some fans are of the opinion that he is bereft of compassion, it might not be the case. This is especially true for his vengeance against the villagers’ celebration of Lisa’s death.
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In his vengeance and loss, he is a well-written villain as most X userspointed out.
He gave em a year too. And instead of listening to his warning, they had a celebration to celebrate killing his wife.https://t.co/iTvD5otUGapic.twitter.com/5NgWryHaeL
Yeah he ain’t do enough if you ask me
why did he give them a year though??😭 he should’ve slid for his boo immediately
Lol, he didn’t do enough. Same day delivery.
The fact that he used literal fire to tell them that they had a year to leave or he would make the entire town a wasteland and no one thoughtpic.twitter.com/ReYT4COIfi
By and by, his revenge, anger, and apprehensions are valid considering the villagers’ warped ideals. Be it good, evil, or the in-between, the series brilliantly captures the essence of moral compass and corrupt society in the series.
The good, the evil, and the in-betweens inCastlevania
Castlevaniaunderscores a wide spectrum of moral compass in the series. While it is rooted in gothic undertones, it isn’t divorced from political nuances in any case. Be it Church or superstition, it all plays out in the favour of corrupt morality.
In particular, the villagers’ witch-hunting Lisa on rumors and suspicions is tied to historical events. The Bishop’s deeming of pagans as unholy and devil worshippers has roots in history. This is played out perfectly in the anime.
Rather, the anime tones it down compared to the game. In the video games, however, Lisa’s execution is horrifying and gory nonetheless. And while this is truly gut-wrenching, it catalyzed Dracula’smotives and intentionsin the series.
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Overall, the series stands out as a masterpiece in its enmeshing of gothic, action, and fantasy themes. It’s splendid in terms of its premise and visual landscape on the whole.
Castlevaniais available for streaming on Netflix.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
