For me, the epitome of Netflix's venture into the world of anime video game adaptations is its take on Castlevania. The main and now concluded series remains one of the best shows the streamer offers, and its spinoff-sequel, Castlevania: Nocturne debuted to a pretty great reception in 2023 too. While I enjoyed the batch of episodes in Nocturne's first season, I was always a believer that it didn't quite match the levels that the original series achieved, so the question now that a second season is making its arrival is whether it can go above and beyond?
The second season of Nocturne is a truly spanning adventure that picks up on the threads that the first season laid out and then builds on them before reaching conclusive moments strong enough to be regarded as a finale. I can't imagine Netflix is done with Castlevania: Nocturne at all, in fact there are many reasons and teasers that suggest more will come, but 15 minutes before the second season wraps you will be left with a really content impression that proves the showrunners and creators had a great vision for wrapping up this portion of the story and not letting the Nocturne tale become too convoluted.
But it does have elements of convolution along the way. Unlike the main series, which for the most part was about defeating Dracula, Nocturne introduces gods and the divine and connects them to a vampire messiah's goal of launching the world into eternal darkness. It's a story that has elements that stretch as far back as a millennium into the past and also introduces characters and spiritual entities that often lead you to forget that Castlevania at its core is about humans standing against bloodthirsty creatures of the night. The Nocturne narrative this time becomes so wrapped up with distant and forgotten gods that it often fails to give some of its established characters and stories the time and space they need to breathe, with the Night Creature Edouard, The Abbot, the monk Mizrak, and Richter's grandfather Juste being just a few names that feel far less relevant this time than they did in the first season. I'd go as far as saying that newly-turned vampire Tera doesn't get the care she deserves either, which is especially disappointing considering how core to the story she was in the first season.
Granted, this is partly down to the fact that Richter, Annette, Erzsebet, Drolta, and of course fan-favourite Alucard steal the show. The trio of heroes are the ones who are the real thorns in the two vampiric leader's sides this season, and this does lead to Richter for one getting the character development and growth that I felt he was lacking in the first season. In the eight-episode run, he changes from a cocky young man to the collected and fearless leader that Belmonts are so often known as, and Annette proves to be his equal in most of these areas, creating a great dynamic and even love story that unfolds. Alucard continues to serve as the sleek and cool personality that we always knew, but the familiarity allows the creators to explore his psyche and demonstrate the loneliness that permeates his being. The Son of Dracula comes across as one of the most complex characters in Nocturne this season.
Adding to this we have the frustratingly hard to kill villains, the conflicted Olrox, the angry Maria, and a slate of more minor other characters that work well as supporting stars this season without lacking the growth and focus that some of the other characters I mentioned earlier face. Ultimately, it would have been great to see some narrative threads handled with a little more grace, but the overall story structure works well and lends to compelling and engaging television that you won't want to step away from.
In terms of the animation, I've long been under the impression that Netflix's constant barrage of anime adaptations have begun to feel a tad stale thanks to most looking almost identical. For Nocturne, this comes across as less of a problem due to Castlevania being a pioneer for Netflix original anime adaptation endeavours. The animation in this second season is still crisp and vibrant, with a great array of colour usage and techniques that keep you feeling inspired and entertained. The action in particular is where this thrives when chaos paves the way for jaw-dropping scenes that feel memorable and special. Yet, in the slower periods, the animation wows significantly less and can often feel a bit too basic and lacking of life. In the grand scheme of things however, Nocturne continues the impressive trend that Castlevania is known for in an anime fashion.
One of the strongest elements of this season is its pacing. While there are a few moments that feel a tad too steady, the majority of the season flows well and keeps you entertained, all while covering most important bases and leading to a conclusion that feels worthy and fulfilling. For eight episodes, Nocturne manages to convey a lot of great story while leaving the necessary space and time for a big and well-thought out conclusion.
Now that this second season has come to a close, I feel content with Castlevania: Nocturne as a series and the narrative it spun. Whether Netflix will do more here (it definitely leaves the door open to continue Richter's story) or instead explore additional avenues (perhaps diving into Alucard's travels in the centuries between the original and this follow-up) remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain is that Castlevania continues to impress as one of Netflix's top anime originals and video game adaptations. Nocturne really is a blast.