Castlevania’s final season for original animation has finally reached Netflix to wrap up its narrative. Although the series had some stumbles along the way, it remains a satisfying show that keeps viewers watching from start to finish. In my personal opinion, Castlevania’s fourth season succeeds in concluding its series in a satisfying, although not perfect, manner. I will discuss how the season has achieved its storytelling while also elaborating on flaws or nitpicks that I might have.
Castlevania’s Characters Remain A Stand-Out
Most of the characters in Castlevania have remained fleshed-out and well-developed. Taking place directly after season 3, Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard remains the story’s primary focus in season 4. Castlevania season 4 engagingly develops its character arcs towards its finale. Although it isn’t as impactful as I would have liked it to be.
For example, Alucard’s character arc throughout season 3 ended tragically and openly. These events left enough questions for viewers to wonder if he’ll become as tragic as his father, Dracula. But in season 4, Alucard’s arc was resolved quickly with a throwaway line and short scenes.
However, the arcs from the side characters such as Isaac and Hector finished satisfyingly. Isaac from season 2 to season 4 remains one of the series best characters.
The Animation’s Production Value Is Stunning
The show’s animation remains one of its best traits, and season 4 continues that momentum from start to finish. The animation quality has fluid choreography and vibrant colors in each episode.
The shows coloring shifts depending on the scene. Depressing villages and towns have a dark color palette, while action scenes are bright and impactful. Occasionally, the show’s art style will change to make the action as fluid and impactful as possible.
Castlevania season 4’s action is the best the show has ever been, thanks to the quality of the animation. The action scenes have layered choreography, paired with a robust sound direction to make every hit impactful.
Castlevania Season 4 Falters With Its Pacing
However, Castlevania season 4 does falter when it comes to pacing. As season 4 focuses on a large cast with many character arcs, there is padding in the episodes to resolve this.
The majority of the first half revolves around the characters meeting up or planning what to do next while uncovering a bigger mystery. The writing gives the show plenty of character interaction, but it also pads out the plot.
Because of this, I personally feel that some episodes could’ve been more satisfying with reduced screen time. This could be shortening the duration of certain scenes or removing them from the show completely.
Castlevania‘s animation remains one of the best video game adaptations seen yet, filled with solid action and well-developed characters. The hope is that there will be more series like this to come.
Images from Netflix and Twitter
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