Castlevania: Nocturne follows Richter Belmont during the French Revolution. When a dangerous enemy seeks to crush the revolution, Richter and his friends fight the forces of evil. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
After a vampire kills Richter Belmont’s mother, who is a vampire hunter, in 1783, Richter loses his magic and moves to France to live with a distant aunt, Tera, and her daughter, Maria.
Nine years later, Richter, who is the last one of his clan and is not afraid to kill vampires, and Maria, who is a revolutionary, hear about the rise of the Vampire Messiah, the Devourer of Light, who promises to make the vampires overcome their biggest weakness.
They then inform the Abbot, a religious man who opposes the French Revolution, about this, and he assures them that he will look into the matter. Annette and Edouard, a sorcerer and a singer from Saint-Domingue, also find out about the Messiah and come looking for Richter, as Annette’s mentor had asked her to do so.
Richter and his friends have to prevent the vampires from becoming more powerful than they already are. To do that, they must fight evil creatures and stop the Messiah, who intends to crush the revolution. However, the Messiah is a being more powerful and dangerous than they had imagined.
Positives
Castlevania: Nocturne tells a story that combines fiction and history in a fascinating manner. The show makes the conflict between humans and vampires unique by making the fight for freedom familiar through the incorporation of history.
It depicts the vampires as slave owners and those who side with the aristocracy and the clergy, while most humans are revolutionaries fighting for their freedom. Although the main characters support the French Revolution, it also presents the less-than-perfect aspects of the revolution.
The show has some amazing characters. Annette has impressive powers and a past that will get the audience invested. Then there are complex characters, such as Olrox and even Mizrak, who refuse to be put into a box. Lastly, the protagonist is a person who gets scared at times, and his vulnerability makes him more human.
Through the characters of the Abbot and Annette, the show tackles the topic of divine rights and natural order. While Annette rebels and rises as a powerful character, the Abbot is a religious fanatic who uses demons from Hell in the name of God.
The final fight between Richter and Drolta’s groups is incredible. The direction, the animation, the magic, everything works. Similarly, Annette avenging her mother’s death is also a very satisfying scene.
The show makes good use of classical music. Gentle pieces make scenes involving murder terrifying, dramatic pieces heighten tension, and Edouard’s singing evokes various emotions.
Negatives
The second part of the show is engaging, but the same cannot be said about the first part. It takes a long time to get the audience invested, and not everyone might stay till the second part.
Verdict
In the beginning, Castlevania: Nocturne’s plot is not interesting. However, once all the characters are introduced and the plot takes shape, the show becomes quite engaging.
Castlevania: Nocturne
Director: Sam Deats and Adam Deats
Date Created: 2023-09-28 21:09
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Also Read: Castlevania: Nocturne summary and ending explained