Castlevania is a name synonymous with unforgiving challenge for a whole generation of gamers, much like Dark Souls is for gamers now. The game was relatively simple. You are a vampire hunter and you have to go kill Dracula. Good luck.

Netflix has taken this beloved video game series and translated it into an anime series, and it is stupendous. The series, thus far only four short episodes (prime binging candidate), is the story of Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage) trying to stop the tyrannical reign of Dracula (Graham McTavish) as he wages a war of vengeance against Christendom in the 1400s.

To give a short review for a short series, it is great. The music is superb and emotionally heavy, the art is stylized and makes strong use of color and light, and the voice actors portray their characters with an impressive severity. The action and drama is savage and not shy with the blood. If the medium makes you hesitate, keep in mind that this is not your little brother’s anime.

There isn’t much else to it. Right now, Castlevania is a compelling and violent series that is easily consumed in a single night. I don’t want to say much else so I don’t spoil anything, but if you are even slightly interested by anything I mention and you don’t flinch easily, watch this series. You won’t regret it.

5/5 Stars