Chapter Text
An Introduction
Welcome. This project is a critique of the first season of the Castlevania cartoon. At present, I have several chapters planned. In these chapters, I will critique the cartoon’s portrayal of Dracula, Lisa, Sypha, Alucard, and Trevor. I will compare and contrast the cartoon’s take on these characters with what we see of them in the games and with my own personal headcanons of them. I will also critique the cartoon’s depiction of the Wallachians themselves. Along the way, I will discuss the timeline the cartoon follows with a comparison of that timeline with events we see in the various games, as the cartoon contradicts pre-existing canon in several points.
Let me be very clear right from the start: this critique will be quite a negative one. I found the cartoon thoroughly disappointing, and I liked absolutely nothing about it. The cartoon took characters that I love and turned them into grotesque mutations of themselves that I cannot stand. The worldbuilding felt off; at no point did the cartoon feel like it was actually set in the Castlevania universe. And, the storytelling was blunt and unsubtle and focused far too much time on plot points invented for the cartoon that frankly weren't what I wanted to see. Worse than all of this though, is the cartoon's massive potential for fridge horror. If I am to be completely honest, I think the fridge horror is really what ruined the cartoon for me. I'll explain more as the project unfolds.
An Apology
If you are a big fan of the cartoon, let me apologize to you upfront. I assure you, I am not doing this project to hurt you or insult your tastes. That's not what it's for. I think the cartoon does a real disservice to the Castlevania lore, and I aim to provide an analysis of my thinking here. Hopefully, others may find this insightful, but failing that, I hope no one finds it insulting.
An Explanation
Imagine an earworm. Not just any earworm, mind you. Imagine the most annoying song you have ever heard in your life. Imagine that it gets stuck in your head, and worse, as long as that song is stuck there, you can't listen to any other music. The earworm somehow prevents you from hearing any other songs. Imagine that you have spent the last six months in this state.
That's sort of what the cartoon has done to me. I watched it back in November, and since then, I haven't written a single fanfic. I don't even have any ideas for new fanfics. I didn't like the cartoon. So what? There's no rule that says I have to reference it in my fanfics. I can just focus on those parts of the Castlevania lore that I do enjoy, right? Sadly, no. Every time I sit down to write such a story, I find that the cartoon is all I can think about.
I've been in this predicament for the past six months, and it's making me crazy. As I see it, this project is my last option. I hope that by writing down all of my objections to the cartoon I'll finally be able to get the cartoon out of my head. If this doesn't work, I don't see much of a future in participating in the Castlevania fandom.
An Inquiry
I am unclear on the cartoon's canon status. It is authorized by Konami, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Star Trek novels are authorized by Paramount. They're still fanfiction. So, is the cartoon supposed to be canon, or is it simply an authorized fanwork? I've been asking this for months, but no one seems to know for sure. If you have any information on this, please tell me in the comments.
An Appeal for Help
I have a request to make of you, if you would be so kind. I love to read Castlevania fanfic even more than I like to write it. But, lately, I've been afraid to do so for fear of running into references to the cartoon. I'm trying to get it out of my head, after all. It's no good if any new fanfic I read might bring the cartoon rushing back. So could you be careful in tagging your fanfics, please? If the cartoon is canon to your fic, tag it as such. Could you do that for me? I'd be more grateful to you than you'll ever know if you would.