Warren Ellis Wanted One Castlevania Character to Be a Second Dracula Because He “had the space”
Although the dreaded “video game curse” is still prevalent today, Netflix’s Castlevania anime series was perhaps the first to buck the trend. It was a brief initial season that aired in 2017 consisting of four episodes, but its influence seemed to have finally unlocked the potential of video game series for television or the big screen.
Even while Netflix loves to use the term “anime” to its advantage for marketing purposes, Castlevania isn’t exactly an anime in the strictest meaning of the word, but it does borrow all the best stylistic elements from the genre. The show’s character designs are all dripping with a gothic aesthetic that combines the best elements of Japanese anime with Western animation.
Warren Ellis Reveals The Reason Behind Letting Lenore Take The Lead
Every member of the Sisters’ Council was unique in their own way. Carmilla was ruthless, crafty, and determined to crush her foes beneath her boot. To create a world where she and her partner Morena may live in harmony, Striga uses her vicious power and skill with a sword to defeat her adversaries. Self-described “diplomat” Lenore adopts a different strategy, using her considerable charm and intelligence to get what she wants and what her sisters want.
In an interview with The Verge, Warren Ellis talked about letting Carmilla’s squad take the lead instead of Carmilla herself. When asked about his reasoning behind his particular action, he said:
It almost mirrors season 2 where Dracula fades into the background a little bit. He’s away with his plans and his misery and the other characters kind of come to the fore. So it’s kind of mirroring that and suggesting she’s entering a Dracula-like role. Also, I had the space! I could introduce new characters I found interesting see how they strike off each other.
There’s no doubt that Lenore was a captivating character; she was every bit as imperfect and nuanced as the people she aspired to rule. Fans will be hard-pressed to find a villainess in the show that can match Lenore, even with Castlevania: Nocturne exploring a new chapter in the Belmont legacy.
Warren Ellis Admits That Hector Is Not Going To Catch a Break
The end of the series also brings forth a fitting conclusion to the individual stories of the outstanding characters that the show had created. Hector is undoubtedly one of the most important characters in the anime and has even offered some of the best lines, even though the character has caused viewers to have a love/hate relationship with him.
However, it seems Warren Ellis is every bit as villainous as the characters of Castlevania. When the interviewer asked Ellis if Hector was ever going to catch a break, this was what he had to say:
Not on my watch! Sorry, I didn’t say that. It’s terrible, because [voice actor] Theo James, he’s got that big resonant heroic voice that immediately makes me hate him. But also, he does this thing where he can let little cracks of insecurity and vulnerability into his voice, which fascinated me. The confluence of these two things meant that I had immense fun just torturing the poor guy.
Now this is exactly something a villainous character from the series would say. However, Hector has proved on many occasions that he is not a guy to be trifled with or taken lightly. He is an intriguing character through and through, much like the series itself.
