The second season of Netflix’s acclaimed Castlevania hits home media. As Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard are the driven defense force for the human race in an impending war, the vampire side gets a bit complicated as the loyalty of Dracula’s forces are tested.

Castlevania is a 2017 anime adaptation of the video game of the same name, it is produced by Frederator Studio & Powerhouse Animation. It is distributed by Netflix and licensed by Viz Media for home video. It is currently available on DVD & Blu-Ray.

Editor’s Note: A review copy of Castlevania Season 2 was provided by Viz Media in support of this review. Near complete to complete spoilers for the second season may be present within this review.

War is brewing between the humans and vampires and Dracula leads his forces to eliminate the human race. Trevor Belmont finds solace in sorceress Sypha and half-human/half-vampire hybrid Alucard who also happens to be Dracula’s own son as their battle with the vampire king rages onward. As the trio grow closer to one another Dracula’s forces drift further apart in several internal conflicts.

THE GOOD: In season two of Castlevania Dracula and his forces struggle to strategize against Trevor Belmont and his allies as the war against humankind brews closer. Dracula has gathered several vampire lords from across the globe the aide him in the war. Though some hold close relations and loyalty to Dracula himself, others have their own agenda and ideals about how the war should conclude such as Carmilla and Godbrand. Vampire mistress Carmilla uses her ties with Dracula to manipulate those closest to him for her own desires and needs from the war. Meanwhile, Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard who has come to terms with killing his father Dracula search for answers at the Belmont estate in ways to find Dracula’s teleporting castle and ending him for good. Back at Dracula’s castle Hector; one of his loyalist who is a human sorcerer is tasked with experimenting in necromancy to upgrade their forces by Carmilla. Carmilla tries to convince the other lords and Dracula himself that he has gone mad and become unfit to lead like the vampire who sired her. As the internal conflict of Dracula’s forces grows Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard bond closer as a trio with Trevor and Sypha gaining feelings for each other. Godbrand becomes impatient after a lack of human blood and he & a group of vampyric soldiers slaughter several humans for food. Godbrand tries to convince Isaac another human sorcerer loyalist to Dracula that they should start the war without Dracula, only to be killed by Isaac for treason. Hector now siding with Carmilla convinces Dracula to attack a neighboring country near the castle, however Carmilla reveals to Hector that her plan was to use this to betray Dracula in an effort to unseat him all along and she blackmails Hector’s own betrayal towards Dracula against him turning Hector into her slave. 

As Sypha finds a spell that locks Dracula’s castle in place, Alucard finds a mirror which can transport them to it. Hector’s monsters attack the Belmont estate and Trevor kills them as they prepare to head to the castle. Carmilla forces Hector to revive a previously killed Bishop to bless a river turning it into holy water this kills nearly all of Dracula’s soldiers as they crossed over it. Carmilla reveals her own forces that attack the remainder of Dracula’s. Sypha uses the new spell to hold the castle in place landing it in the river and the Belmont castle transports to the country of Braila where Dracula invaded, Carmilla & Hector run off. Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard successfully kill the remainder of Dracula’s forces except for Isaac who planned to fight to the death for him, however Dracula saves him by sending him through a portal to the desert. Alucard is the first to reach Dracula’s study where he and Isaac hide and attacks him. Trevor and Sypha join him but they can’t match Dracula’s overwhelming power. Though they do damage to Dracula it’s not enough and he and Alucard fight throughout the castle until ending up in Alucard’s old bedroom before Dracula realizes all he’s done up to this point including attempting to kill his own son. He allows Alucard & Trevor to kill him and Sypha burns the body. Lamenting about his father’s death he is comforted by Trevor and Sypha and decides to remain in Dracula’s castle until his own death. Trevor then wills the Belmont castle to Alucard asking him to protect both their homes. Isaac builds a personal army of the undead and Carmilla & Hector return to Styria to take advantage of the power gap due to Dracula’s death. Trevor and Sypha become a monster hunting couple looking for the Speakers & Alucard stays behind grieving his family in Dracula’s castle. Castlevania’s sophomore season does its fan base justice with great action sequences and even greater character development and if you enjoyed the first season as a non-Castlevania fan then you have plenty more to look forward to here.

THE BAD: If you’re not a fan of gore and bloody animation like the season before it this one has a lot of it. 

OVERALL THOUGHTS: A gory, action-packed ride for all eight episodes, season two of Castlevania is not only a continuation of a great animated series, but a fantastic video game adaptation which is finally starting to find prominence in quality presentations for franchise fans and newcomers alike. Strong character development and fun possibilities for the post-Dracula arc makes it hard to stop watching the series in motion as it moves onward. Otaku Dome gives Castlevania Season 2 on Blu-Ray a 95 out of 100.