In a uncommon act of restraint, it took me a complete 4 days to look at the eight episodes of Netflix’s new Castlevania collection, Castlevania: Nocturne. It actually was price savoring: season after season Powerhouse Animation Studios has upped its sport, and it has been almost two-and-a-half years for the reason that remaining season of the present’s unique run concluded. That was lots of ready, however it sounds just like the anticipate extra Nocturne will likely be shorter.
Immediately Netflix returned Nocturne has been greenlit for season 2, and the group even had a teaser trailer able to go.
“SEASON 2 of Castlevania: Nocturne is OFFICIALLY IN PRODUCTION!!!” co-director Samuel Deats wrote on Friday. “These are ACTUAL Storyboards, Layouts, and Animation for Season 2. 😁 …. Sorry to maintain you ready. Will not be fairly so lengthy this time.”
Given Nocturne’s subsequent season already has storyboards and a few animation completed, it is secure to say Netflix had already greenlit the continuation earlier than season one even aired; it was a surefire factor, wanting a disastrous debut. Contemplating I’ve seen Castlevania sitting within the trending bar on Netflix, I am gonna guess the launch has gone A-OK.
I am thrilled to see Nocturne proceed: I liked the unique Castlevania collection, and whereas I do discover myself lacking its characters and tone a bit in Nocturne, this new season has been a assured work of grownup animation. It is set within the late 1700s and turns threadbare characters from Castlevania: Rondo of Blood into folks with actual depth and historic grounding. For instance, Annette in Rondo of Blood has little position exterior “Richter’s girlfriend;” in Nocturne, she’s an escaped slave from Haiti who’s made her option to France to affix within the French Revolution and battle the vampires aligned with the aristocracy.
As a substitute of Dracula, the massive dangerous this time round is Elizabeth Bathory. Who’s to say she wasn’t really a vampire IRL? I imply, I wasn’t round in 1790s France. I am not gonna take beef with Nocturne’s model of historical past.
Bigtime Castlevania followers are seemingly all hoping that Nocturne spends a pair seasons telling the story of Rondo of Blood earlier than persevering with on to its sequel, the way more well-known Symphony of the Evening. If Nocturne runs 4 seasons like its predecessor, that looks as if a secure guess—and primarily based on how a lot Powerhouse Animation has managed to complement the supply materials to date, I can not wait to see how that goes.
Rondo of Blood sadly is not obtainable on PC, however one of many characters in season 1 does star in one other sport, Concord of Dissonance, and his story appears to be like prefer it’ll play a major position in Nocturne’s second season. You will discover that one within the Castlevania Advance Assortment on Steam.