Current Events > My Christian friend said that the Netflix Castlevania show is very edgy

(+) Yeah! (+)

I can see why he said that now, especially with the very strong anti-religion message being shoved at our face. With that said, it's still pretty damn awesome show. The animation is kick ass and the gore is pretty well done. Really fits the Castlevania atmosphere and I seriously can't wait for season 2. Here's hoping it's longer than 4 episodes lol.
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Anti-religion? That kinda surprises me coming from a game where you collect crosses and battle Dracula. Does the anime invert things or has the series simply evolved in that way over time?

Not to say that anime hasn't taken liberties like this before. Felicia from DarkStalkers is a nun in the game series and says in the anime that religion plays little part in her life. *shrugs*

For the record, I'd rather have an agnostic or atheist catgirl than one who is sworn to chastity.

<_<;

Yeah it's pretty over the top with it's anti-religion message, but there is a scene that does kind of make up for it Trevor Belmont tells a nearby priest to bless some water so they can use them against the demon, and it works.

But yeah I don't remember the games being anti-religion except for maybe Dracula himself.
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In the anime the church is portrayed as corrupt and power mad.

But some people don't like the church being portrayed negatively I guess
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It's not really anti-religion so much as it's anti corrupt/fanatical religious authority.

The show makes a point that there are still good priests around. Just that the authority in the churches at the time were corrupt and fanatical.
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As a Christian, it definitely felt kinda weird. Also how the wife was begging Dracula to forgive the people who were killing her because they didnt know what they were doing. Not sure that counts as subtle but Im not sure what the message was supposed to be. >~>

But at least they acknowledge that its mainly the one corrupt priest. That demon taunting him towards the end, so I dont think it was so much anti-religion as it was simply using a corrupt church as a story tool.

Overall I liked the first season.
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Murphiroth posted...

It's not really anti-religion so much as it's anti corrupt/fanatical religious authority.

The show makes a point that there are still good priests around. Just that the authority in the churches at the time were corrupt and fanatical.

But there are some religious people who love that shot sadly (looks at all the Church donation hotlines)

The first episodes I was fine with the anti-religion thing was because Dracula in the games showed he never really liked religion, to begin with, so to see him going into blood hungry decent liked that because of what the church did to the woman he liked. But then in the later episodes, it just kept badgering at you just how bad the church is. There wasn't a single character from the church that was redeemable. Heck if it wasn't for that one scene that I said in post #4, I would've categorized this as an anti-religion series. It's equally strange considering the games never had an anti-church atmosphere with any of the characters you played as (or well the games I played for that matter). And I'm coming at this as an Atheist who used to be raised Southern Baptist.
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Prestoff posted...

The first episodes I was fine with the anti-religion thing was because Dracula in the games showed he never really liked religion, to begin with, so to see him going into blood hungry decent liked that because of what the church did to the woman he liked. But then in the later episodes, it just kept badgering at you just how bad the church is. There wasn't a single character from the church that was redeemable. Heck if it wasn't for that one scene that I said in post #4, I would've categorized this as an anti-religion series. It's equally strange considering the games never had an anti-church atmosphere with any of the characters you played as (or well the games I played for that matter). And I'm coming at this as an Atheist who used to be raised Southern Baptist.

I mean...do you complain that 24 was anti-Muslim?

Seems to be showing more the dangers that can happen with organized religion having an absolute authority and group think.

You could have replaced Christianity with any of the religion even a fictious one and would have the same message.

I wouldnt take it as religion is bad, just dont let religion allow you to harm others

Imagine being so weak that Castlevania shakes you.

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I mean to be fair the real life church in the middle ages was probably pretty fanatical and shitty...

Plus it's only four episodes, not much time to show "Oh hey there are some good religious folk!" just to avoid upsetting people. The one priest was enough in that time frame, especially given he basically helps save the day.
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Religious corruption is always ripe for story telling. Theists and atheists alike have used it. But from what I'm reading here, and what little I know of the CastleVania series, it seems a bit out of place. Does the church itself even factor into the games?

Organized crime makes for good story telling as well, but I wouldn't go and turn Streets of Rage into a story about the mafia.

Making Belmont such an anti-hero was a turn off
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CruelBuffalo posted...

I mean...do you complain that 24 was anti-Muslim?

Never watched it so I wouldn't really know. All a show really needs is at least some redeemable characters from the antagonist side and it wouldn't really bother me.

CruelBuffalo posted...

Seems to be showing more the dangers that can happen with organized religion having an absolute authority and group think.

You could have replaced Christianity with any of the religion even a fictious one and would have the same message.

True, hence why I didn't call it an anti-Christian show. I would rather prefer them to have at least one redeemable character that was from the church, but it just kept on showing how evil the priests were and all that.
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Veggeta X posted...

Making Belmont such an anti-hero was a turn off

It could be worse.

http://captainn.wikia.com/wiki/Simon_Belmont

Veggeta X posted...

Making Belmont such an anti-hero was a turn off

He can't be an anti if he isn't evil.
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Murphiroth posted...

Plus it's only four episodes, not much time to show "Oh hey there are some good religious folk!" just to avoid upsetting people. The one priest was enough in that time frame, especially given he basically helps save the day.

True, I guess I kinda wished for that priest to not just be some nameless dude. I still really like the show and looking forward to it.
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If I didn't have this awful headache, Id be defending this show in paragraphs.
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SpinKirby posted...

He can't be an anti if he isn't evil.

Batman is an anto-hero too dude. Belmont was a douchebag with a heart of gold. He was a good guy just not a nice guy. He was bitter and broken but deep down inside he was still good. Yeah, these characters are so original and good.
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You mean that show that really should've been posted as a movie instead?
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I feel like it's more anti-Catholic than anti-religion
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Veggeta X posted...

SpinKirby posted...

He can't be an anti if he isn't evil.

Batman is an anto-hero too dude. Belmont was a douchebag with a heart of gold. He was a good guy just not a nice guy. He was bitter and broken but deep down inside he was still good. Yeah, these characters are so original and good.

Batman is a tragic hero.

Red Hood is an anti hero
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I enjoyed it. But that's also because it follows the plot of the third game with surprising accuracy.
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Perhaps the same could be said of all religions.
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