Season 2 of Netflix's Castlevania is pretty much as good as everyone expected it to be, right?
But what might not have been expected is how much it actually ends up doing with its double episode count. I can honestly say that I didn't expect the show to get to some of its story beats this soon.
Though the show still has some amazingly well done battles, one set to a squeal-worthy fast-paced rendition of Castlevania's iconic Bloody Tears song, these are more spaced out this time round, as the show has to juggle a lot of new characters, and even armies, so that the scope of the story can be expanded. This makes it seem as if in the early episodes, between sporadic bursts of violence, there's nothing much going on other than the usual vampiric intrigue and Team Belmont stomping around, looking for weapons and stuff to help them track down and kill Dracula, and, granted, that is exactly what is going on here. But... well, when shit finally goes down, it goes down wholesale. It blows up. And even if Castlevania were to be renewed for 10 more seasons, it's hard to imagine any future episode might ever come close to episode 7's jaw-dropping awesomeness.
The episode is one of non-stop action, brutal violence and filled with very manly men roaring their primal enraged manliness at each other while blasting each other with skill and mad magic. Top that off with some heartfelt feelings and you have what is undoubtedly the show's best episode.
The Music is more memorably present throughout and the even voice-acting is an improvement on season 1, with 2 notable exceptions, one of which which doesn't last long, but the other irritant is Peter Stormare, of all people, who, as Viking Vampire, quite rubbed me the wrong way. Stormare's voice is readily recognizable but so married to his appearance and idiosyncrasies that it can not possibly translate well to animated lip-syncing.
There will likely be a third season, but I admit, even if there wouldn't be, I'd be more than satisfied with what we got. It's hard to see where the show might go but if episode's 8 set-up is anything to go by there's a definite plan going forward.
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And, because I enjoyed doing it the first time round; here's my 10 word review/run-down of each episode.
2.1 Depressed Dracula snootily sulks and leaves it up to humans.
2.2 More vampires, intrigue and stylish bloodshed. The vampire/human bromance.
2.3 How to Hate Humans: Hector Edition. Pig-blood and shitting.
2.4 Esoteric Belmont house-keeping. Isaac does some fucking brutal murder.
2.5 Dracula's Memories of relishing death. How a feminist incriminates puppies.
2.6 Trevor mangles intruders. Sypha lays (indirectly) waste to entire armies.
2.7 Bloody Tears Choreography and... THE DAMN SUPER SAIYAN CLIMAX!!
2.8 Aftermath and set-up. Sadism and how to be very corny.
I must admit being surprised they doubled the amount of episodes for season 2 ( maybe at one point in time I knew that they were going to do that, and I just ended up forgetting ).
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm about to say might end up being an unpopular opinion, but I expected more because they doubled the amount of episodes.
It wasn't bad, far from it, but I expected more bloodshed , and less vampiric scheming.
But, and it's a big but ( which I like,I simply can not lie ) , that did make episode 7 jump out more when mister Tepes decides he's had enough.
And season 3 has just been announced, for another 10 episodes, 2 more than season 2, hurrah!
DeleteYeah it's a bit odd, it seems obvious now that alot of the slower bits, especially in the earlier part of the season, were set-up for the next.
But really, where does one go from here? The premise has been fulfilled, other avenues must now be explored, I must admit I'm a little apprehensive to see what they'll come up with.