Otaku Culture

Castlevania fans disappointed with character's color change

Advertisement

In a thrilling twist, Netflix revealed intriguing details about their upcoming animated series “Castlevania: Nocturne“, a spin-off of the central series of Castlevania produced by Power Animation Studio. This new series will bring the events of the 1993 video game, “Castlevania: Round of Blood“, to the small screen. However, the most impressive thing is the transformation that one of the main characters underwent.

The plot of “Castlevania: Nocturne” is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution in the 18th century, a setting that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. The original protagonist, Richter Belmont, a direct descendant of the first Castlevania protagonist, Simon Belmont, sets out on a quest to rescue his girlfriend Annette from the clutches of Dracula and return the monster to his grave. The original game featured Annette as a young white woman, in keeping with the game's Transylvania setting. Even in the 2007 PlayStation Portable remake, "Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles", Annette retained her original appearance, with the exception of her purple hair.

Castlevania

However, previews for the new series have revealed that the most significant change will be Annette's racial transformation. In addition to being the first spin-off to feature black vampires in the franchise, the series will also decide to change Annette's ethnicity. Now, instead of a damsel in distress, Annette will be portrayed as a sorceress who used her power and cunning to escape slavery imposed by vampires in the Caribbean. Now, she uses magic to stop an impending apocalyptic threat.

Castlevania
Castlevania

The revelation of this transformation provoked several reactions on social media. One of the studio's set designers shared his pride in this bold reinvention of a classic character, celebrating the diversity he brings to the series. However, some critical voices argued that the source material should be respected and changes to the ethnicity of pre-existing characters should be avoided.

In response to these criticisms, designer Steve Stark argued that only a small number of people disagreed with the transformation, stating that he did not care about the opinions of some detractors and encouraging those who disagreed to focus on larger issues.If you don't like it, don't watch it. I don't care if a small group of people are upset because we made a black character.“he added.

The official synopsis for the series describes a thrilling setting set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, where a dark threat emerges as the peasant class rises up against the aristocracy. A group of powerful vampires plot to take over the world and plunge it into eternal darkness. “Castlevania: Nocturne” promises stylish animation and constant surprises in this unique take on the story. The series is set to premiere on Netflix on September 28.

Source: @NoriyukiWorks83 on Twitter