Netflix’s Castlevania slays harder than Arcane – And it always did

Netflix’s Castlevania had already set the bar for video game adaptations before Arcane came along with its charm and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. Castlevania, which ran for four seasons from 2017 to 2021, proved early on that animated shows based on games could be more than just a treat for fans of the game.

The show is based on Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. It tells the story of Dracula’s rage after humans burn his wife, Lisa, at the stake, and the group of heroes who rise up to stop him. What begins as a journey to hunt monsters quickly turns into a story of grief, guilt, and what it means to fight for a broken world.

Castlevania was the standard long before Arcane came along

At the heart of Castlevania is the story of Trevor Belmont, the last member of a vampire-hunting family. He’s joined by Sypha Belnades, a magician, and Alucard, Dracula’s half-human, half-vampire son, who is conflicted between duty and pain.

Together, they form an unlikely team and travel across a land filled with demons and ancient castles. From the very first episode, the show is set in a gothic mood, which carefully explores emotional depths.

One of the show's greatest strengths is how it portrays its characters. Dracula isn’t just an evil villain; he’s a grieving husband, lashing out at a world that took his happiness. His pain runs deep, and it shapes everything he does.

By the time the heroes confront him, it’s not just about stopping a monster, it’s about ending a widower and father’s sorrow. That emotional tension, especially in the final moments between Dracula and Alucard, is what sets the series apart. It turns a fantasy show into something deeply human, even though most of the characters aren't.

The show’s setting also sets it as a terrific game adaptation. Alucard's castle doesn’t just feel like a castle; it feels like a creature. The general creepiness etched into every corner of the castle gives it a character of its own. It’s creepy and perfect for the kind of horror fantasy the show leans into.

At one point, a massive bat casually crashes a party. In any other show, it’d be out of place. In this show, however, it fits right in.

Even the show’s backstories manage to keep viewers engaged without dragging down the pace. Each character, Trevor, Sypha, Alucard, and even Dracula’s generals, has layers.

Their stories are told in a way that adds to the story, doesn't distract from it. For instance, we get to see story arcs of Isaac and Hector, two of Dracula’s forge masters, go on journeys of their own. Their arcs feel like full stories within the larger one, exploring themes of growth and pain.

What’s more impressive is how the series takes a famously confusing game timeline and turns it into an organized narrative. The games jump across timelines, full of strange characters. But the show finds a way to make it all make sense. It keeps the spirit of the games, which are wild, weird, and full of monsters, but adds emotions and logic to it. You know why things happen, and you care about who they’re happening to.

And yes, the action is still top-tier. Fight scenes are like video game battles: dangerous and unforgettable. But what makes them special is how they reflect the characters’ struggles. Every fight is personal and meaningful.

Arcane does deserve credit for its beautiful animation and unique storytelling. It portrays relationships and politics of Piltover and Zaun, in its own style, and makes it look amazing while doing it. But Castlevania hits just as hard emotionally, even if its visual style is less flashy.

For instance, in one fight, Trevor and Sypha argue mid-battle, not just about strategy, but about trust, loss, and fear. That emotional weight makes even arguments more than what they appear to be.

In the end, Castlevania doesn’t just tell a good story, it tells a necessary one. It reminds us that even in a world full of monsters, heartbreak might be the most powerful force of all. While Arcane dazzles with its light and tech, Castlevania crafts its essence with storytelling. And long before Arcane stole the spotlight, Castlevania was already slaying.

Arcane and Castlevania are both streaming on Netflix.

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