If You Liked Arcane, Don’t Miss Out On Netflix’s Other Adult Animated Show That Is About To Return

Arcane season 2’s finale marked the end of the series, but Netflix already has a great follow-up to watch while waiting for spinoffs: Castlevania Nocturne. Arcane is an extremely difficult show to follow, as the League of Legends adaptation boasts everything from complex themes and characters to standout animation. Its first season placed estranged sisters Vi and Jinx in the middle of political upheaval in Piltover, which was worsened by the development of Hextech. That story ended in season 2, but Arcane spinoffs seem to be on the horizon.

Unfortunately, it’ll probably be a while before we see any of those Arcane shows premiere on Netflix. In the meantime, viewers may be looking for other series like Arcane to dig into. Netflix subscribers already have access to two, and they’re both animated adaptations of another video game. Castlevania and Castlevania: Nocturne will appeal to those who enjoy the League of Legends show, and the latter is coming back for season 2 in January.

Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 Continues Netflix’s Gruesome Video Game Franchise

Nocturne Brings Back Netflix Castlevania’s Fan-Favorite Vampire, Alucard

While the first season of Castlevania has only four episodes, it was a massive success for the streaming platform, leading to three more seasons. The first series focuses on Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard — the son of Dracula — as they take on Dracula’s vampire forces. As the show progresses, new enemies like Carmilla appear, and the world and lore of Castlevania grows larger and larger.

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The first series, while a success, came to an end, but the franchise lives on beyond this series and the video games. A follow-up series, Castelvania: Nocturne, was released in September 2023, and it became a another hit, with some considering it Castlevania’s best season. Taking place well after the events of the first series, Nocturne follows a new Belmont, Richter, as he goes up against vampires during the early days of the French Revolution. Netflix’s best original series is coming back in January 2025, heralding more of Nocturne, as well Alucard’s return in Castelvania.

Castlevania Has Been One Of Netflix’s Best Animated Shows Since 2017’s Season 1

Netflix’s Adaptation Of The Popular Game Has Gotten Much Praise

Before Arcane took the world by storm as one of the best adaptations of a video game series, Castelvania was getting praise for its first season back in 2017. While short, this outing had a massive impact and received an 83% critic score and 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Only one year later, season 2 graced the screens of fans and upped the ante when it came to both length and stakes.

Consistently, Castlevania delivers engaging and complex villains, with Dracula being the standout. It also delivers complicated, morally gray characters who bounce between evil and good, with Isaac being one of Castlevania’s most interesting players. Additionally, the three core characters — Trevor, Alucard, and Sypha — make an endearing family. Combine that with stunning animation, impressive fights, and ever developing lore, and the Netflix series made the side scrolling game proud, with the first season of Nocturne getting a 96 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

How Castlevania & Castlevania: Nocturne Compare To Arcane

Castlevania and Arcane Proved Video Games Can Be Adapted, Especially When Animated

While Arcane and Castlevania have different plots, there is a lot these Netflix shows have in common. For instance, the magic systems in both Arcane and Castlevania are unique and constantly evolving, which is sure to pique the interest of fantasy fans. Despite the fantastical and magical elements, both series do not take place in a high fantasy setting, which is often — but not always — expected of the genre. Instead, Arcane is more steam-punk, while Castlevania and Castlevania: Nocturne are gothic.

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Both series also feature large ensembles of characters who do not conform to the binary of good and evil. These series deal with complicated, political issues — like class and war — while balancing these grounded elements with the more fantastical ones. The series are also made for mature viewers, and that goes beyond the politics. These shows do not skirt around sex, violence, blood, or language. It’s refreshing to have American animation made for an older demographic. Plus, the animation in both is unmatched, as the shows have some of the best visuals Netflix has ever produced.

Arcane is one of the best shows Netflix has produced, and fans are eager for whatever else is in store for this franchise. Until then, fans of Arcane can turn to the other best animated Netflix original show: Castlevania and Nocturne. Both will scratch an itch for visually stunning animation with complicated, morally gray characters and engaging lore made for mature audiences in mind.

Set in 1792 during the French Revolution, Castlevania: Nocturne focuses on Annette, a powerful sorceress who travels to find a descendant of a vampire-hunting family named Richter Belmont. At the same time, a counter-revolutionary aristocracy joins forces with Vampire Messiah. The series continues centuries after the events of the first Castlevania series, with Richter following in his ancestor’s footsteps to slay the hordes of the night.

Release Date

September 28, 2023

Cast

Edward Bluemel , Thuso Mbedu , Pixie Davies , Richard Dormer , Iain Glen