It is no secret for the fans of Castlevania that it is heavily inspired by Kentaro Miura’s groundbreaking dark fantasy manga Berserk. Though the storylines are very different from each other, one cannot deny the thematic and character similarities these two works share.
At its core, Castlevania is about the tragic tale of Dracula, who goes on a rampage after his wife gets unjustly executed. Only one man, Trevor Belmont, stands to stop Dracula’s sinister plans with the help of Sypha Belnades and Alucard, Dracula’s own son.
What makes Castlevania so alluring is its bleak and grim atmosphere, much like Berserk. Not only that, the makers even dedicated an entire episode to Kentaro Miura, which obviously gained a lot of buzz from fans of both fandoms.
Berserk’s clear influence on Castlevania
Castlevania quickly became popular because of how different it was from other Western animated shows for depicting themes that are majorly found in Japanese manga. Its atmosphere is gothic, and the fight scenes are unapologetically gruesome, a trait that was a fresh experience for the fans.
Being huge Berserk appreciators themselves, the makers of Castlevania openly acknowledged Berserk’s influence multiple times in their work and even paid proper tribute to the genius Kentaro Miura. In Episode 3 of Season 4 of Castlevania, Striga, the vampire queen’s armor had a clear resemblance to Guts’s Berserker armor. Even the sword that she was using looked identical to the Dragon Slayer that Guts wields.
Not only that, Bathory’s ability to summon a solar eclipse visually looked exactly like the eclipse of Griffith. Plus, Richter swaying Alucard’s sword is also similar to Guts swinging his Dragon Slayer.
Happy Memorial Day! Here's a breakdown of the post work done on Striga's epic "day-armor sequence" in #Castlevania Season 4. It was a homage to Kentaro Miura's Berserk. Rest in peace Miura. Compositing by @AdamDeats & @swirskinator #CastlevaniaSpoilers @FrederatorS @NetflixGeeked pic.twitter.com/zTwD5X473p
— Powerhouse Animation (@powerhouseanim) May 31, 2021
But perhaps Castlevania‘s greatest Berserk influence is its villains, who, like Griffith, make fans question whether to condemn or empathize with them. And though some might compare Griffith with Dracula, he seems way more similar to Guts. Just like Guts, Dracula is driven by revenge for what happened to his beloved. It is just that one still retained some hope for humanity, the other did not.
Castlevania makers want to animate Berserk
Adam Deats, an associate director of Powerhouse Animation Studios, the studio behind Castlevania, has expressed interest in making a proper 2D adaptation of Berserk. His wish might also stem from the fact that people behind the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc movies have assisted in the making of Castlevania Season 1.
Though doing a 2D animation adaptation sounds like a great idea, the chances of it happening are almost zero. The man who could have made this possible, Kentaro Miura, is not here anymore, and the people who currently own rights to Berserk might not be interested in giving an American studio the rights.
On top of that, many are also skeptical about this proposition cause Castlevania‘s animation is not exactly the most fluid. Japanese animation studios like Wit, MAPPA, Ufotable, or Madhouse can create a much better faithful adaptation.
Kentaro Miura has passed away.
— Adam Deats 🌕 (@AdamDeats) May 20, 2021
I cannot express how important Berserk has been to us as a source of inspiration for Castlevania. A quarter of our team drew from it for inspiration. It defined what dark fantasy was for us.
I’m crushed. RIP, Miura. https://t.co/3VyofOEX8O
Whatever the fate of Berserk anime may be, one thing is clear. Even after so many years of its release, Berserk is still influencing shows from all around the world. Sadly, the tribute of Castlevania Season 4 dropped on a bitter note because a week after its release, Kentaro Miura passed away, leaving Berserk unfinished.
Frequently asked questions
Which Castlevania episode is said to pay tribute to Berserk?
According to the article, the tribute appears in Season 4, Episode 3 of Netflix’s Castlevania. The piece points to the vampire general Striga’s armored sequence, where her armor and weapon echo Berserk’s protagonist Guts, framing the episode as an homage to the manga and its late creator, Kentaro Miura.
What Berserk references does the article point to in the episode?
It highlights several visual nods: Striga’s armor resembles Guts’s Berserker Armor and her greatsword recalls the Dragon Slayer, while Bathory summoning a solar eclipse evokes the Eclipse triggered by Griffith. The article also likens Dracula’s revenge-driven arc to Guts, who is similarly driven by loss of his beloved.
Did Castlevania’s creators say Berserk inspired the show?
Yes. The article cites Adam Deats of Powerhouse Animation Studios, the studio behind Castlevania, stating how important Berserk was as a source of inspiration for the series, especially after Miura’s passing. The specific reading of Episode 3 as a full episode-wide tribute, however, is the article’s own interpretation rather than a confirmed production directive.
