Kalentan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
45,059
There isn't many but some are starting to come out.

Game Spot - 9/10
(NOTE: Game Spot review may contain spoilers, so beware)
Netflix's Castlevania is absolutely a guilty pleasure; a grindhouse cartoon for adults who grew up playing Symphony of the Night, listening to metal, and watching shonen anime. But it's also an exceptionally well-made guilty pleasure, with a fantastic cast, unique animated action, mature tone, decent writing, smart pacing, and generally gorgeous look, feel, and sound. In the end, you'll want to pick up a controller and revisit your favorite game in the series, which, in the troubled landscape of video game adaptations, is maybe the biggest compliment one can pay.

Bloody Disgusting
The first two seasons of Castlevania had a tendency to kill just as much time as they did monsters and there was a lot of unnecessary filler present. Castlevania's third season feels like the complete opposite. In spite of the longer season, there's no time that's wasted here and each episode tells a worthwhile, satisfying story that contributes to the larger picture. At the same time, a larger sense of dread also builds as the events of the season culminate in a finale that exposes Trevor, Sypha, and company to the largest threat that they've ever faced. It's an incredibly apocalyptic conclusion to a thrilling season. These episodes are extremely satisfying from a character and action perspective, but they also find a great story to tell that really builds suspense and pathos.

Castlevania has never been better, more confident, or in need of more episodes. Oddly, the end of the show's second season felt like Castlevania's end in many ways, but the conclusion of season three fills the series with tons of future possibilities. It just hopefully won't take another year and a half to happen. That would truly be Hell.

Collider
Castlevania Season 3 features some of the most brutal, intense, and WTF fight scenes we've seen so far. Our heroes–and I put emphasis on that word, because this trio really is the only truly heroic force to be found in the story–get weapon and skill upgrades befitting a Level Up in the game itself, while their hearts and minds will be forever changed by the events of this season. There's also a more obvious introduction of sex in these episodes, something that was only really teased but never shown in previous seasons; in Season 3, sex acts as a stand-in for power, a tool for manipulation, and as a physical manifestation of growing attraction between characters. There's no better showcase of this than in the season's penultimate episode, which features the show's best editing so far. Viewers are not ready for this one.

The team behind Castlevania Season 3 absolutely knocked it out of the park with this batch of episodes. They deliver the action, the intrigue, and the food for thought that elevates the source material into what's easily one of the best video game adaptations ever made. I, for one, hope that Castlevania remains immortal for many more seasons to come.

★★★★★ Excellent

Overall, very positive! :D

Edit - 3/3

TellTaleTV
A small note on the score, which is at times subtle and at others powerful. Classic Castlevania music cues from the games make a comeback at key scenes, just like previous seasons, creating an extra layer of excitement during those moments to really sell all of the build-up.

But all of this comes with the caveat that after three seasons, the show knows exactly what it is, and this may prove challenging for some viewers. The show does take its time, and it isn't leaning into action often to break up the slower moments. The action is earned through the peaks and valleys that the story is taking, and for some, that may take too long.

And yet, Castlevania, with its third season, brilliantly continues the careful storytelling of the previous seasons and uses all that's come before to broaden its scope and to show there's more to this universe than Dracula and moving castles. These characters have a wealth of history and stories to tell, and it feels like the show is just getting started on its profound epic path.

But Why Tho?
Overall, Castlevania Season 3 throws a lot at the audience. With around five different stories being told in 10 episodes, it can get a bit confusing if you don't pay attention. While this is a little frustrating, and ultimately keeps this season from being the best, outside of pacing, there isn't much to fault the season for. There is a lot to love about this season of Castlevania Season 3. It's sensual, violent, and filled with action and beautiful animation, all while growing its cast of characters. Now it's time to keep our fingers crossed that it gets renewed for a fourth season, with as much as went into setting up future storylines, I hope it comes through.

Flickering Myth
If you are looking for one of the most refreshing animated shows in quite some time, Castlevania Season Three is perfect for you. There's a newness that makes it feel like experiencing a whole new type of show, but also finds a way to strike familiar cords with genre fans. Anyone looking for explosive vampire drama that True Blood and Buffy wish it could dive into, then look no further.

For all the blood, guts, and sexuality the show offers, there's a real soul inside Castlevania that makes it feel so grounded. There's nothing like this on Netflix or anywhere else, so experience the wildness of this universe for yourself.

Kotaku's
It speaks to Castlevania's writing that I'm so interested in its characters and their individual tragedies, but the story's confidence is matched by its animation. There were already stand-out fights in the first season, but it's even better here. Surprisingly, one of my favorite moments didn't involve magic or monsters. It was a swift but brutal alleyway beatdown. There's a sense of weight to each movement, and while the violence never feels as impactful as Netflix peers like Devilman Crybaby, it is still captivating.

Castlevania doesn't always work. Ellis' dialogue sometimes feels forced, and a few of the twists and reversals exist for little more than cheap thrills. In that sense, for all of its interesting character arcs, Castlevania retains a grindhouse sloppiness at its core. Still, it is raised up by the performances of its actors and the talented work of its animators. Season three sometimes meanders in moving its pieces around the board, but the focus on characters largely pays off. I'm invested and care about these characters way more than I expected. And while their journeys this season are rough and break down what idealist views they still held, the stage is now set for another shattering climax.

Nerdist
Castlevania takes the time to deliver intelligent, sometimes witty, and always carefully crafted dialogue to give viewers a lot to digest. There are conversations with incredible truths about real-life and revelations that give new layers to characters with only a few lines of spoken word.

This is best displayed in Issac's arc as he meets several characters throughout his quest who give him food for thought about how he defines himself, his motivations, and what, if anything, separates his actions for the evil he sees within other humans. He steps out of Dracula's shadow as a loyal member of his cause and becomes a brilliant character in his own right.

Castlevania is a thrilling ride of murder, mayhem, and moral questions wrapped up in an aesthetically pleasing and action packed premise. The existing characters are expanded, the newcomers are necessary additions, and the ending is hopefully a setup for more seasons in the future.
 
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Khanimus

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
40,542
Greater Vancouver
belmont14.gif
 

Uzumaki Goku

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,533
So I'm curious, is this the last season with Trevor? Are we moving on to another Belmont like Simon or so?
 

Deleted member 11637

Oct 27, 2017
18,204
Season 2 was a massive upgrade from the original four episodes, but the pacing was its biggest issue; I remember Trevor and the gang hanging out in that library forever. S3 could be the best one yet!
 

Wood Man

Member
Oct 30, 2017
5,449
I know what I'm doing Thursday night. One of my favorite things on Netflix.

I must've watched that badass action scene in season 2 (you know the one) over a dozen times.
 

Pascal

▲ Legend ▲
The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
10,287
Parts Unknown
Can't. Fucking. Wait.

And I was actually playing the original Castlevania before I clicked on this thread. That game is tough but still a lot of fun.
 

Ashodin

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,725
Durham, NC
oh fuck if you told me Castlevania became one of the best animes ever made of a video game, I don't know if I would have believed you.
 

Inugami

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,995
I already loved the first two season in-spite of their pacing. If they overcame this, I can only imagine how good this season will be.
 

JCG

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,551
Sounds quite nice. I hope it ends well enough to hype us for season four.
 
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Bigwombat

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
3,416
Damn! That's awesome. Might have to watch both seasons for the fourth time in preparation! If anyone comes into this thread and hasn't seen the first two seasons, get your ass to Mars and watch them before Thursday!
 

KtotheRoc

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
56,853
This is 10 episodes, right? Is it just a loose adaptation of Curse of Darkness?
 

Kurdel

Member
Nov 7, 2017
12,157
Can't describe how hyped I am for this.

oh fuck, just realised this is dropping thrusday and I have the whole day off hell yeah
 

Barrow Roll

Member
Oct 25, 2017
527
So I'm curious, is this the last season with Trevor? Are we moving on to another Belmont like Simon or so?
I get that this is series tradition in the games, but I hope that the creatives behind the show don't feel shackled by these traditions if they continue to have a story to tell. If they've got good stuff lined up from Trevor, Sypha and Alucard then keep going.
 

HStallion

Member
Oct 25, 2017
62,513
So I'm curious, is this the last season with Trevor? Are we moving on to another Belmont like Simon or so?

The people making the show can just keep making new seasons starring the current characters but as far as games to cover they're about at the end of the stuff they can adapt for the current group. There are a ton of Belmonts through the ages so it would probably be the time to jump to a new one and there are a couple of notable ones like Richter.
 

Uzumaki Goku

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,533
The people making the show can just keep making new seasons starring the current characters but as far as games to cover they're about at the end of the stuff they can adapt for the current group. There are a ton of Belmonts through the ages so it would probably be the time to jump to a new one and there are a couple of notable ones like Richter.

I'm hoping they do Simon next then Richter or maybe they could do Christopher