Castlevania: The Animated Series Anticipation

[Stark700]

Producer Adi Shankar (Dredd, The Grey) announced on Wednesday that he is working on an animated mini-series based on Konami's Castlevania game series. Shankar also announced that he is working with Fred Seibert and Kevin Kolde of Frederator Studios (Adventure Time, The Fairly OddParents), as Frederator Studios had acquired the rights to adapt the series.

Shankar told the Collider website that he is basing the series' story on the Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse game. Shankar states that the series will be "dark, [and] satirical," influenced by anime such as Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Ninja Scroll, as well as the American animated series Young Justice.

ANN source:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...-series/.92169

[Utsuro no Hako]

They name Akira and GiTS as influences but not Vampire Hunter D?

[Sheba]

When I read the first line and saw it was not quite a japanese production I expected three of those older anime, that grognards will ALWAYS name, to be the influence. And they proved me right.

[Chaos2Frozen]

But does it have erotic violence?

[Marcus H.]

Domo, have at you desu.

[Flower]

Dark I can see for what little I know of Castlevania...but "satirical"?

[SILENTANIMELOVER]

I just hope it doesn't suck. Since Lords of Shadow got mixed criticism, the franchise hasn't been doing so hot.

[GreyZone]

All I heard about Castlevania in general is that it's about some guy with a whip fighting against Dracula. I never played any of the games. Perhaps I'll watch this.

[SILENTANIMELOVER]

I only played 3 games in the entire franchise: the first game, its sequel, and the fighting game Castlevania Judgment. I saw the other games through walkthroughs on YouTube. I especially loved watching the Metroidvania ones.

[bastek66]

If it's done by Americans it's not anime.

[Kafriel]

If they wanted to make an anime version of Castlevania, I always expected it to have Soma Cruz...because, you know, his games were the most anime-like! Anyway, can't say I'll be having high expectations for this one.

All I heard about Castlevania in general is that it's about some guy with a whip fighting against Dracula.

Pretty much. The castlevania games feature one man delving into a maze of a castle, recovering items, killing Dracula's lackeys, and eventually, Dracula himself. There is little to talk about or show, besides the different castle areas and their occasional residents.

With that in mind, it will take some hardcore directing to make it good, let alone dark and satirical...(and god knows I WILL CRINGE if they try to explain how collecting hearts gives someone weapons, it's like trying to explain why super mario gets big when he eats mushrooms. OTOH can you really make an adaptation and forego such a series staple?)

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by GreyZone

All I heard about Castlevania in general is that it's about some guy with a whip fighting against Dracula. I never played any of the games. Perhaps I'll watch this.

The only one I ever played (the GameBoy version) was a standard platform, somewhere between Metroid and Super Mario Bros.

Originally Posted by Kafriel

With that in mind, it will take some hardcore directing to make it good, let alone dark and satirical...(and god knows I WILL CRINGE if they try to explain how collecting hearts gives someone weapons, it's like trying to explain why super mario gets big when he eats mushrooms. OTOH can you really make an adaptation and forego such a series staple?)

How about he draws his power from flames, which is why he's always using his whip on candles.

[Guido]

My younger sister has been an avid, CastleVania fan ever since we played and finished Super CastleVania IV for the SNES over twenty-years ago. Since then, she has been purchasing more games from the franchise to play.

- Dracula X SNES
- CastleVania 64 N64
- CastleVania Legacy of Darkness N64
- CastleVania Lords of Shadow XBOX 360
- CastleVania Lords of Shadow 2 XBOX 360

However, she's not interested playing the games that were released for handheld consoles like Game Boy, Game Boy Advanced, Nintendo DS, and 3DS.

For myself, CastleVania along with the Legend of Zelda are franchises which later in my life got so thrilled playing that I became enthusiastic about purchasing the games.

The games that I currently own:
- Portrait of Ruin Nintendo DS
- Order of Ecclessia Nintendo DS
- Lords of Shadow XBOX 360
- Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate 3DS
- Lords of Shadow 2 XBOX 360

On-Topic
If it's going to be dark, satirical animation done by American studios, then I don't see any good production values and quality infused in this show without, as Kafriel mentioned before, hardcore directing and love for the franchise.
(Cringes and shudders recalling the American animated Darkstalkers show)

The most I've seen of CastleVania as an American cartoon from my childhood memories has been Simon Belmont's character incarnation from Captain N the Game Master cartoon back towards the end of the 1980's, and he was so bad that was so good because that show never took itself seriously.

[solomon]

Actually JUST heard about this.

Here is a poster they have up for it.

http://assets1.ignimgs.com/2017/02/2...62394_610w.jpg

And here is a rundown of all the latest info.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/...nimated-series

Dunno jack all about the producer, but the man writer and exec producer Warren Ellis is a famous novelist and Comic Book scribe so the writing part of the series should be interesting.

Now we just have to see some character and art design mockups.

It is heartening to see an dramatic adult US produced animated serial, they still are all too rare here.

Still it is quite interesting Konami greenlighted a project for a dormant game franchise like this IMO. This show (IF SUCCESSFUL) could very well dictate the style people expect from future franchise games, at least in the west. (Japan is another story)

This is as opposed to Capcom who controls the prevailing image of ResEvil due to continuous game releases.

Oh well, we should figure out more in the coming months, it is set to begin streaming this year.

[The One Above God]

Welp, there goes my hope of a Sorrow game anime adaption.

[Mad Pierrot]

I wonder how will the animation be. Interesting to see how will Trevor and Alucard will look.

"Die monster. You have no place in this world"

[wavehawk]

I don't like any of this. Just about the ONLY glimmer of hope is Warren Ellis writing it. Why?

Warren Ellis wrote the screenplay for G I Joe Resolute, my favorite re-imagining of the old G I Joe franchise (and sadly the only one actually worth watching). He was the authorot of Iron Man:Extremis (upon which a LOT of the movie Iron Man is based on, and also one of the best Iron Manstorylines out there to date). He created the original comic book heroes The Authority and Planetary.

Oh. And given this is supposed to be a 'satirical' take on Castlevania, look up "Transmetropolitan", one of Ellis' other works, so you know what to expect. Ain't no intrepid reporter like Spider JErusalem...

In short, he may be the one thing that may make or break this show.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by wavehawk

I don't like any of this. Just about the ONLY glimmer of hope is Warren Ellis writing it. Why?

Warren Ellis wrote the screenplay for G I Joe Resolute, my favorite re-imagining of the old G I Joe franchise (and sadly the only one actually worth watching).

It's ironic that the G.I. Joe franchise needed a British writer like Warren to make a decent "Real American Hero" .

[wavehawk]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

It's ironic that the G.I. Joe franchise needed a British writer like Warren to make a decent "Real American Hero" .

- he was the right one. In fact, Ellis was quoted that: "Why? I have no idea how towrite G I Joe, I'm not american, I have utterly no experience writing this thing!"

To which they answered: "EXACTLY why we want you!"

In all fairness, I loved the comic books and the original cartoonsin my younger years (YES I am that old to have watched the 80's Joe toons on tv) but they were pretty campy. rightfor the day but not for the 2000's. The series that followed just after...let's just say G I Joe Extreme was one long drawn out facepalm (only saving grace was the Iron Klaw idea/character) G I Joe Sigma Six resulted in me vomiting.Ellis decided to go with a slightly more dark tone which I liked, but was a sad they didn't decide to continue outside of the mini series.

Back on-topic: Satirical is definitely up Ellis' alley.Again, check out Transmetropolitan to get a possible idea how itll go

[Stark700]

Preview is up