5 Must-See Anime for Fans of Netflix’s ‘Castlevania’

Zuleika
TV Anime
TV Anime

The new season of Castlevania will premiere this October and a potential third season is set to air in 2019. But anime fans don’t want to have to wait that long between seasons. After binging the eight-episode long second season, fans will need something new to watch. Luckily, there are quite a few vampire classics worth checking out in the meantime. From handsome vampire hunters to blood-sucking detectives, there are many series to explore. So, here are five anime to watch if you love Netflix’s Castlevania.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

anime to watch if you love netflix castlevania Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

A hunter anime comes our way in the form of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. The movie follows the renowned vampire hunter, D, a Dhampir (half-breed vampire-human hybrids) whose vampire-hunting talents earn him the acceptance of humans. One day, the affluent Elbourne family asks the vampire hunter to rescue their daughter, Charlotte, from the vampire Meier Link. While this would typically be a simple task for D, it suddenly becomes very complicated when the young woman falls in love with her captor.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is the perfect anime to watch if you’re looking for something like Castlevania. While the story may be short, its fight scenes — and love for blood — are on par with the Netflix series. Also, besides vampires, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust features werewolves, demons, and other creatures of that ilk. Not to mention, each protagonist is half-vampire and half-human.

Hellsing: Ultimate

anime to watch if you love netflix castlevania Hellsing: Ultimate

An anime list about vampire hunters wouldn’t be complete without Hellsing: Ultimate. In an alternate world, humans believe that World War II is over. However, it quietly rages on in the dark streets of London. Thankfully, there’s the Hellsing Organization, a secret institution that protects humanity against a new kind of evil, Nazi vampires. The only way to stop these creatures is with a monster of their own called Alucard. Follow Alucard and his vampire servant, Seras Victoria, as they battle their own kind to defend humanity.

From their art styles to their rendition of violent tales, Castlevania and Hellsing: Ultimate couldn’t be more alike. Although Alucard and Dracula have different reasons for unleashing their wrath, they both dish out punishment in similar ways. One scene even sees Alucard transform into a hound, shred his adversary into pieces, and nonchalantly spit him out — which is sure to impress Castlevania fans.

Devil May Cry: The Animated Series

anime to watch if you love netflix castlevania Devil May Cry

Another anime based on a video game, Madhouse’s Devil May Cry follows the half-demon, half-human Dante, who runs a demon-hunting business. Too bad he’s always in debt. Unable to afford to turn down jobs, Dante willing takes on any assignment, including working as the bodyguard of Patty Lowell, a young girl who’s about to receive a large inheritance. But Dante’s job doesn’t end once he completes his mission, as he learns that Patty will be staying with him indefinitely. Now not only must Dante hunt demons, he also must look after a little girl.

A witty main character, demonic villains, and a dark sense of humor are the key reasons why Castlevania fans should check out Devil May Cry. Dante and Trevor Belmont share many similarities, such as injecting humor into dark, dangerous situations when fighting supernatural beings. This shift in tone will delight those who like to their fight scenes serve up a bit of comedy.  sequences.

Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective

anime to watch if you love netflix castlevania Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective

In Tokyo, countless humans fall victim to demonic creatures known as Nightbreed, and the city’s citizens have no idea. Luckily, there’s one man determined to put a stop to this: Shido Tatsuhiko, the Nightwalker. Tatsuhiko — along with his urban fairy partner, Guni, and office assistant, Riho Yamazaki — takes on weird cases to seek out and banish these creatures.

While Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective is a bit on the older side and has much less gore than Castlevania, you can’t go wrong with a classic. Both series feature a trio who use their combined skills to solve vampire-related cases. The graphic crime scenes will remind viewers of when Dracula released his army on humanity, and the anime’s colorful characters mouth off at each other just as Trevor, Alucard, and Sypha do in Castlevania.

Blood-C

anime to watch if you love netflix castlevania Blood-C

Production I.G’s vampire franchise, Blood, is well known for its young heroine, Saya. Yet, it’s the second adaptation, Blood-C that’s most popular among horror and gore fans. Saya Kisaragi spends her days hanging with her friends at the local coffee shop like a normal girl. However, looks can be deceiving, as at night Saya fends off demons who try to devour her village.

In addition to the demon attacks that no one seems to notice, the otherwise peaceful little town harbors a dark secret. Now, it’s up to Saya to not only stop these horrible attacks but to also uncover the truth behind them.

Netflix’s Castlevania and Blood-C both love gore and flying limbs. Each night in Blood-C, demons go on the hunt for humans and gleefully rip the ones they find into pieces. Luckily, our sword-wielding hero, Saya, in true Trevor Belmont fashion, uses her skills to stop the onslaught.

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Zuleika
Zuleika is a fan contributor at Fandom and focuses on Anime with words on Vocal, Movie Pilot and Fanime BLOG. She's a big fan of horror, gore and mystery anime. Loves series, movies, and games that have to do with bloodthirsty but equally intelligent psychos.