Welcome back to Anime Horrors!
Who would have thought that Netflix would have such a role in the world of anime? The streaming giant has continued to build upon a catalogue of original anime titles that have recontextualized how we view and absorb the medium. Among its numerous titles, Castlevania stands as one of Netflix’s top anime shows.
When it comes to adaptations of popular video games, most fans and critics end up displeased; Castlevania, however, has proven to be an awesome experience since day one. In its short first season, the show won over the hearts of viewers and fans of the franchise alike. In its second season, the show upped the high stakes drama and thrilling action. And in its third season, released as of last month, the show has outdone itself once again (check out our glowing review to learn more).
As a hardcore fan of Castlevania, I was excited to write something about it; so believe me when I say I was beyond thrilled to have a chance to reach out to the show’s writer, acclaimed comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter Warren Ellis.
I sent some questions to Ellis regarding his work on the show, and he was gracious to provide insightful responses. Ellis speaks to his creative intentions with Castlevania season 3, his favorite characters to write, what he admires about working in the field of animation, and more.
Michael Pementel: Bring us back to when you were first brought on to write Castlevania – What was your initial vision and where did you want to see the show go? Now that season 3 is out, how has the story and development of the show compared to that initial vision?
Warren Ellis: My initial vision was something along the lines of “medieval horror,” something in the zone of the Hammer Horror films I grew up with, only with more action sequences and perhaps a little more weirdness. I think the show became weirder, and somehow more philosophical. I originally went with “psychedelic horror” with the tone for season 3, and, while that is certainly in there, the increased space I had with season 3 led me into murkier waters. There’s a lot of stuff in there, like the late-night campfire conversation with Isaac and the night creature, that I didn’t know was coming until I wrote it. So I definitely ended up with a different atmosphere than I started with.
MP: What were the ideas and themes that most excited you going into season 3? Why did you feel it was now the time to explore those concepts/themes?
WE: It seemed like we had a certain amount of goodwill off the back of Season 2, and so I decided to test Netflix’s tolerance a little. Test the boundaries of what I could do in the serial animation form. Just the other day, Glen Mazzara called S3 “batshit bananas” and commented that I was “swinging for the fences,” so, job done, I guess. With a power vacuum in the region after the end of S2, I wanted to get a little bit into some of the characters’ motivations, to talk a little about the nature of power, and whether or not we ourselves change in changing times. I mean, that’s a big part of what’s going on with Isaac. That sort of situation reveals things about ourselves. It does with Carmilla.
MP: If you had to pick one, who has been your favorite character to write and why?
WE: That is a really tough one, because I have fun with them all. Isaac was a particular journey in this season, and a lot of that came from the tone Ade M’Cormack [Isaac’s voice actor] struck in season 2. I love writing for Jaime, and being able to give her a group to bounce off of with the squad from Styria was a delight. If you put a gun to my head, I might cite the incredibly arch verbosity of Saint Germain. But my heart is probably with the moment when I wrote the lines where Alejandra Reynoso [the voice actor for Sypha] got to be Columbo.
MP: What are the fun challenges that have come up while writing Castlevania?
WE: Mostly the challenge of Netflix saying “have a third season” after I killed Dracula, which, obviously, kind of cleared the board. And then deciding if I still had anything to say, and what that would be. And then, of course, the extended episode count. Which I took as an opportunity to explore these people and their world. Several of these episodes run long — I was always worried that I was overstuffing it now [that] I’d been given permission to run wild. I realise that, if you only showed up for plot beats, the season might look a little thin and windy to you. But, for me, it’s kind of stuffed to the gills, as I got to unearth and examine all the detail I had to skate past in the first two seasons.
MP: Much has been said among fans and critics when it comes to adaptations of video games (leaning towards negative criticism). What do you think is essential in creating an adaptation of a popular video game? Additionally, what do you feel are the core qualities that have made Castlevania such a success?
WE: I wish I could help you there, but I’ve not seen any other videogame adaptations that I’m aware of. In fact, I haven’t looked at any reviews of Castlevania, either — I prefer not to have all that in my head — so I can’t speak to people’s perceptions of the work.
What makes Castlevania a success? Our director, Sam Deats, Adam Deats as his associate, and all the artists and crew at Powerhouse. This series has been their entire lives for years, and their complete commitment shows in every frame. Meredith Layne, our casting and voice director, and the process we use — our actors get to evolve complete performances before the animation, so they’re not just lip-syncing on to pictures. Trevor Morris’ intelligent and inventive composition. And Kevin Kolde, who expends superhuman effort every day to get everything right. Without Kevin, there’s no show. Without Meredith, we fall at the first hurdle. The show isn’t just one person. It’s a team. Also swearing.
MP: Before starting work on Castlevania, what was your experience with anime? In writing the show, did you watch/study other anime to better understand the medium?
WE: Well, I don’t think of Castlevania as anime, and I’ve certainly never called it that. But I’ve been interested in animation my whole life, so it wasn’t like I went in with no knowledge or experience of the medium. If you want to talk about anime in specific, I can talk your ear off about FLCL or Satoshi Kon’s work for hours, or even the sheer artistry in the small details of even minor Ghibli work like From Up On Poppy Hill. But, as I say, I could go on about animation from all parts of the world. Eastern European animation of the 60s and 70s was wild, for example.
MP: How has the experience of writing an animated show helped you grow as a writer? Are there any lessons/revelations you’ve come into that you’ll take into other projects?
WE: Working with actors has been the revelation for me. I’m on the voice recording sessions, in case I need to rewrite a line on the fly if it turns out to be bad when spoken — I come from comics and novels, where dialogue operates in different ways and is sometimes really not intended to work as spoken-word, so I can and do screw up dialogue for actors. Working with them has definitely made me a better writer. My cast have given so much back to me that I feel like a burglar. And there have been so many occasions when an actor’s take on a character has introduced something new that’s inspired me for later scripts. Doesn’t hurt that we have the best cast on television, of course.
The writer would like to thank Warren Ellis for his time in taking part in this interview. You can catch all of Castlevania’s three seasons on Netflix.
