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Every so often I return to this blog and I cringe at my posts, but hell if I donât still agree with all of them.
My obsession with arranging the Belmont bloodline so all canon and retconned Belmonts can feasibly exist (I love you Sonia, Reinhardt, Victor, etc.)? Yup.
My hatred for the Netflix show for having Dracula be a little bratty baby (and being so clumsy with how it wants to portray vampires) whose evil is undercut by how much he cries and whines and pisses his pants? Yup.
Seriously, itâs just like Blood of Zeus, all the characters that it would logically make sense to be the villain? Weepy baby men who donât get held accountable for their crimes against humanity. You see, the true evil comes from the characters of colour whose lives were destroyed by the weepy baby men and who seek justice.
Weird-ass Alternate Universes? Yeup.
I just maybe wouldnât use so much caps lock nowadays.
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PSA: Castlevania Nocturne is basically one giant nazi dogwhistle. Here's why and what to do about it.
Netflix recently released a trailer and some information on Castlevania Nocturne, and with it has come a lot of hype and excitement online. While I can understand why, thereâs a huge stain on it all that I havenât really seen anyone talk about outside of certain circles: rampant, undeniable, inseparable-from-the-plot, clearly intentional antisemitism. And in all fairness this isnât something thatâs immediately clear from just the trailer, so thatâs why Iâm making this post: To inform people who likely just arenât aware.Â
I ask that if possible, please donât just tick off a box on a list of shows that are âproblematicâ and keep scrolling. Please read this post carefully, so you can understand what exactly the problems are and why theyâre a problem.Â
(As a small disclaimer, Iâm not Jewish myself. Iâm writing this post in support of and with some guidance from concerned Jewish Castlevania fans, who frankly have better things to do with their lives than stress themselves out trying to explain why antisemitism is bad for the billionth time.)
Now, many folks who are familiar with vampire literature already know that vampire media has an unfortunate history with antisemitism. This isnât to say that all vampire media is inherently nazi stuff; Rather that without a certain awareness and care, itâs very easy for the writing to accidentally fall into antisemitic tropes. (Castlevania as a franchise isnât exempt from this either- looking at you, Portrait of Ruin.) If YouTube is your speed, Kaz Rowe has an excellent video on this and some other issues with vampire history:
youtube
I also recommend the following two articles, which Iâll be referring to later on.Â
The antisemitism present in Nocturne, however, seems to go beyond mere unfortunate ignorance. It is my strong believe that the antisemitism in Castlevania Nocturne is deliberate, fully aware, and written with intent to harm. So letâs talk about why and where Iâm getting this information from.
The Plot, as Described by Netflix Themselves
On July 27th, Netflix released an article titled ââCastlevania: Nocturneâ - Your First Look at the New Seriesâ. This article goes into fairly extensive detail on the plot of the showâs first season. You can read it here:
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/castlevania-nocturne-news-release-dateÂ
Within the first two paragraphs, we have our first extremely loud alarm bell. The article proclaims, âAs the peasant class rises up against the aristocracy, an even darker threat emerges: a cabal of powerful vampires intent on taking over the world and blotting out the sun forever.â The concept of a vampire shadow government connected to the aristocracy already mirrors the antisemitic trope of secret ultra-rich Jews (often euphemistically referred to as âelitesâ) controlling the world, but when looking at the specific use of the word âcabalâ, it becomes incredibly clear that the parallels here are not just an accident. âCabalâ is not a word ordinary people use casually. To quote the previously linked article âVampire Books: Deconstructing the Antisemitic History of Vampires With Deke Moultonâ:
There is also a common trope of vampires operating through a secret, worldwide council that often governs âvampire affairsâ but also may dabble in controlling other aspects of the worldâs governments. While some people can see a similarity to the Catholic Church, often times this calls upon the antisemitic trope of the âcabalââthat Jews secretly run the entire world (which is another strange antisemitic trope, as Judaism doesnât have any central religious figure like the Pope). The word âcabalâ itself is a bastardization of the word kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism. If you combine this with a trope of vampires hoarding large amounts of money (especially gold?), youâre using yet another antisemitic trope that says Jewish people control the worldâs banks.
Letâs continue reading the Nocturne summary. The next paragraph claims, âBy the time rumors spread of a âvampire messiahâ who must be stopped at all costs, the stakes in the Castlevania universe have never been higher.â The mention of a âMessiahâ is another overt parallel, as Jewish tradition holds that a Messiah will one day arrive to restore the temples and bring about an era of peace (no, âJudeo-Christianâ Kevin, itâs not fucking Jesus so shut up).Â
By the way, this is not the first example of parallels between Jewish people and vampires in Netflixvania. In season 2, episode 3, Alucard says of the Belmont hold, âIt's like a museum dedicated to the extermination of my people.â This could be an innocent enough line on its own, poorly thought out but not necessarily malicious⌠But when combined with the themes of Nocturne, it paints a darker picture.
Continuing on, the Netflix article describes the character of Annette as having âused her power and wits to escape vampire-enforced enslavement in the Caribbeanâ. (This does raise the question of why almost every single person of color in Netflixvania is or at some point was a slave, but thatâs a topic for another day.) This, again, parallels the antisemitic idea that Jewish people were behind the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Hereâs an article from My Jewish Learning:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jews-and-the-african-slave-trade/
The article not only explains why this is a myth, but further points out that popular proponents of it include David Duke, former KKK grand wizard. In addition, this idea detracts from the reality that the slave trade was primarily orchestrated by and to the benefit of white Europeans and Americans.
So, just as a quick refresher, so far we have:
The aristocracy being controlled by a secret ring of vampires, with the specific word âcabalâ being used as a descriptor, paralleling the âJews control the worldâ antisemtic myth and pitting a cast of largely white, seemingly entirely non-Jewish protagonists in opposition to this group as the heroes
The specific use of the word âMessiahâ calling to mind Jewish beliefs, and being presented as an ultimate evil which must be stopped at all costs
The Caribbean slave trade being run by vampires, paralleling a recently popular antisemitic myth that Jewish people controlled the trans-Atlantic slave trade
And thatâs just what we know from an introductory summary. I do think itâs also possibly worth noting that the trailer puts a lot of visual focus on Richterâs blue eyes.
But Does This Make Them Nazis?
First of all, I will refer you to the old adage: âIf it walks like a nazi and talks like a nazi, itâs a nazi.â
Secondly, the fact of the matter is, naziism is often subtle on purpose, and operates on a careful safety net of plausible deniability. While there are certainly those who wear their awful beliefs loud and proud, the vast majority of nazis are not going to shake your hand and say âNice to meet you, Iâm a nazi,â and theyâre not going to put âhe/him | 34 | naziâ in their Twitter bio. Instead, theyâre going to put on their best nice guy impression, wrap their beliefs up in a cute little package of metaphor and ambiguity, and when you say âHey, this seems antisemiticâ theyâll hit you with âItâs not that deep!â and âOh, itâs just a coincidence!â and âWhy do you have to ruin everything by making it about race?â. Thatâs the entire point of a dogwhistle: to slide insidious beliefs in under the radar. You canât just leave it at âwell, he says heâs not a naziâ and let that be the end of it.
So while, no, I donât have definitive proof that the writers are card-carrying nazis, the point is: Does it matter? Their work is still doing harm, still perpetuating extremely dangerous and cruel ideas. If I stab someone multiple times and then go âOopsie!â, then Iâve still stabbed them, and theyâre still probably going to tell their friends âHey donât hang out with that lady, she stabbed me like five timesâ. You get what Iâm saying?
By the way, in my research for this post, I found a review for the first three seasons written by a Jewish woman, at Scoopâs Animation Corner:
https://scoopsanimationcorner.com/2020/08/17/netflixs-castlevania-is-a-near-masterpiece/
In this review, she points out how odd it is that Netflixvania includes characters from a variety of different religious and cultural backgrounds, thereâs a conspicuous lack of any acknowledgement of Jewish people or Judaism whatsoever. When put together with the previously discussed issues of antisemitism⌠I mean, âthe writers donât hate Jewish people! They just refuse to acknowledge that they exist at all!â isnât exactly a glowing defense.
Well Thatâs All Pretty Fucked Up. What Can I Do About It?
Unfortunately, whatâs in the show is⌠In the show. We, as an audience, canât exactly retroactively rewrite it. (And no, before you ask: writing fanfiction that pretends the problems donât exist is not helpful.) However, if you want to avoid perpetuating the harm caused by the show, here are my suggestions:
Boycott the show. Completely. Donât watch it on Netflix, donât post on social media about how excited for it you are, donât buy merchandise (official or fanmade), donât eagerly pirate it and liveblog all about it. Let it die a brutal death.
Raise awareness. Talk about these issues online and in real life, and be relentless about it. Someone you know is excited for Nocturne? Let them know about its antisemitism problem. Unfollow and block people who continue to support the show once theyâve been informed of its issues. Bring up its problems continually on social media until itâs all anyone hears about it.
Educate yourself. Research antisemitic dogwhistles and the history of vampires and antisemitism, so you can learn what to watch out for and how to avoid it in your own writing and art.
Consider donating to Jewish charities or mutual aid funds for Jewish individuals.
Finally, if youâre interested in characters like Richter Belmont, Maria Renard, and Alucard, consider checking out the Castlevania games. The Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night duology details Richterâs initial rise to glory, his downfall beneath the pressure of destiny and generational trauma, and Maria and Alucardâs efforts to save him. Theyâre really thought-provoking stories packaged with fun gameplay, absolutely gorgeous graphics, and equally amazing soundtracks. Give them a try!Â
Thank you for reading. Stay aware, listen to marginalized voices, use your critical thinking, and remember to support your Jewish friends and neighbors. Donât let antisemitism in media slide just because it also has some hot guys or whatever.
#reblog#antisemitism cw#oh my gooood#but is it surprising? not with everything from the previous show#also YEAH LITERALLY??? was anyone else PISSED when they tried to compare killing murderous vampires to THE HOLOCAUST???#in the midst of Dracula literally setting forth a mass genocide???#Alucard you are NOT the victim of the holocaust - your daddy is Hitler
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What is a cat?
A miserable little pile of whiskers.
#thanks now that scene is playing on loop in my head but with cats#reblog#lookit him he's so cute he's such a terrible lil guy#castlevania#symphony of the night
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The more I play of the Castlevania games, the more I hate the Netflix tv show :/
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BONUS ONES:
Sonia: *kissy noises* Eyyy chica! *whistles*
Dracula: You are dating my son.
-
Christopher: So... I see that you're also a single father...
Christopher: *bites lip*
Dracula: Yes. And I plan to remain so. Forever.
-
Leon:
Dracula:
Leon: *spits in Dracula's face* Whore.
Dracula: Marry me.
Belmonts flirting with Dracula: a compilation cuz i do what i want.
Trevor: You don't need a Cyclop to get ME as hard as a rock.
Dracula: *Tries to kill him faster*
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Simon: You are such a fine piece of meat, you would deserve to be embedded in a wall.
Dracula: The fuck does that even mean.
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Juste: Are you the moonlight ? Because you're the light of my nights.
Dracula: Are you the sunlight ? Because i feel like i'm burning around you... burning with HATRED.
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Richter: Is it hot in there or is it just you ?
Dracula: It's just y
Dracula:
Dracula: Hold on
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Julius: *exist*
Dracula: Stop trying to romance me.
#reblog#god i love this post so much#the belmonts x dracula#the only case in which i really like vampire hunter x vampire#Julius Belmont: *exists*#all of castlevania: DAMN BOY i finna risk it ALL#can you blame them? look at that leopard print#castlevania#shitpost#trevor belmont#simon belmont#juste belmont#richter belmont#julius belmont#sonia belmont#christopher belmont#leon belmont#vlad dracula tepes
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You're absolutely right, how could I be so blind?
You canât convince me that the Belmonts donât flirt with Dracula when they come strutting into his castle in stilettos and a whip.Â
#richter is a big whore he just denies it more#i stand by leon not flirting w/ dracula/mathias#he just lovingly caresses his whip who is also his wife#like oh hi ex best friend i didn't see you there you whore#richter belmont
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âAnd thatâs another thing, cousin-â
âCousin,â Mathias cannot help but interject.
Walter has strange nicknaming conventions. The atmosphere changes drastically as Mathias confronts him about it.
@the-crow-binary now itâs your turn
#fanfiction#castlevania fanfiction#Castlevania#Walter Bernhard#Mathias Cronqvist#lament of innocence#nsfw#ao3#power bottom walter bernhard
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Hey, I never said I was covering all of them!!! but...
Yep, Simon is a thotty in every depiction. The belt flaps, belts on the boots, a battle corset, which we always love to see, the fur trim, the short shorts. I love that, despite definitely being the biggest Belmont, he looks short in his proportions. I love short strong kings. And dammit. Youâre right. hhh those metal garters.
Belmont? More like Belt-mont
So, when I was still drawing Vampire Leon, I had the thought that I just love that nearly all the Belmonts have a belt where there shouldnât be a belt and not many of them wear real belts around the waist.
Iâm not gonna cover every design of the characters, that would kill me, but like⌠look at all these Belmonts.
Seguir leyendo
#this simon is definitely ready to smash#i wanna... grab his thighs#should I tag reblog if it's my own shiz#Simon Belmont#Castlevania#shitpost#character design
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Me: âthatâs what they should have done. Thatâs what they should have done. FUckin--â *throws phone* âTHE WHOLE SHOW--â
YES A MILLION TIMES YES!
Start it off with Leon and Mathias, a Jojo vs Dio situation but with more real camaraderie (to be honest, if anyone feels like the Dio to Leonâs Jojo it would most definitely be Walter instead). Several hundred years later in Wallachia, Sonia Belmont is having to face off Dracula after he killed her grandfather (Alucard is there but daddy issues prevent him from facing off his dad). Then her son Trevor gets a ragtag group including a major character from previous season (like Stardust Crusaders). Then, it kinda... breaks from a format where I can directly compare to Jojoâs bc theyâre still directly fighting Dracula.
pfft and then parts 7 and onward are like the Lords of Shadow of Jojoâs.
#castlevania#jjba#reblog#castlevania netflix#whyyy didn't they do this#oh yea bc it's netflix#and they didn't consume a single drop of japanese media
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op donât hide this in the tags itâs too funny haha
Leon being the only skeptic is funny considering Gabriel is like,,, his counterpart.
Somehow can't stop thinking about Dracula!Gabriel singing "not evil" from Lego Movie 2 to a bunch of Belmonts from the original timeline
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op how dare you hide these in the tags.
ALSO YES YES A MILLION TIMES YESS! MY HEADCANON!
uhh the best Iâve done so far is a crossover fic where Walter sits in another vampire Von Krolockâs lap... and then crossover art of him in Der Todâs lap... and a WIP of him in Mathiasâ lap-- why is this man so easy to imagine climbing into peopleâs laps when heâs so big?? Or is it just that I have a problem?
I definitely wish to write something with him bottoming. I have this headcanon that he and the Succubus are married (or as married as two godless creatures can be) and she doms him because he grows tired of the power dynamics he has with the hunters he lures in leaning towards him topping.Â
pls if you make power bottom Walter content Iâll do it too, consider it a trade--
So, about Walter Bernhard..
Has someone wrote a fanfiction/made a fanart where he's a power bottom or are y'all cowards ?
Do i have to do it ? Cause the temptation sure is there.
#haha this is a long response to a short post sorry#reblog#i totally agree#make the big scary vampire a bottom#at LEAST a switch#this is precisely why i headcanon Mathias/Dracula as a bratty bottom#Walter Bernhard#Castlevania#Castlevania headcanons#Headcanon#nsfw
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Miriam: "Are you sure it's over?"
Johannes: "Yeah, the church can take care of it now."Â
Miriam: "...but the Hell Castle is still standing..."Â
Johannes: "It's out of our hands."
#bloodstained#bloodstained ritual of the night#miriam bloodstained#johannes bloodstained#incorrect bloodstained quotes#bloodstained spoilers#sorta#i was so anxious about beating Gebel and then this goddamn ending
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I think itâs a crime that I havenât been posting, but, you know, busy busy-
ANYWAY! I have news! Iâve been playing Bloodstained!! Great game, great great  game. I canât escape how much I love it, Iâm scared of finishing it because then it will be over, so Iâm stalling Gebelâs boss fight.Â
EDIT: Iâm gonna do it, Iâm gonna beat his ass, I canât remain a coward.
#update#bloodstained ritual of the night#bloodstained#i also got Hades#but FUCK DUDE#i can't play that game without wishing i was playing bloodstained instead
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Walter: "Two hotties in my bed, please."
Death: "Oh?"
Walter: "Yes, their names are Sara and Leon, and they are to be wed. I will whisk them away from their petty mortal lives, of course."
Death: "Ah... just them?"
Walter: "Yes. Though, I suppose their friend would do well to join. He was the one to offer them to me."
Death: "I see. That's great. I'm so happy for you."
Me: âMaybe the real reason Death betrayed Walter Bernhard was because Walter planned a threesome that didnât involve him and Death got very jealous.â
#and then Mathias comes to Death plotting to ruin the lives of all three#death you should have communicated better with your boytoy#I'm sure he would have been thrilled to let you join#Castlevania#Walter Bernhard#death castlevania#incorrect castlevania quotes
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Since Sara and Leon were preparing to be wed before the events of the game, what if Saraâs dress in Lament of Innocence was her wedding gown?Â
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So, Iâm of the opinion that itâs less impactful if we assume Mina Hakuba is a reincarnation of Lisa. Like, I will give Elisabetha the benefit of the doubt once. She wanted to check up on her soulmate after he went batshit. But after the second time he goes against her pleading for him to not be a bitter bitch, I want her to be over him. Babe, heâs not worth it.
Besides, Soma and Mina donât have to be reincarnated lovers for their relationship to mean something. They could honestly just be friends with the power of hand-holding on their side.Â
But like, I had this thought looking at art like...
âMina doesnât even look like Elisabetha/Lisa. She honestly looks more like... Sara.â



huh. The doe eyes, Saraâs buns and Minaâs hair ribbons, holding greenery,,, theyâre just so sweet-looking.Â
I still believe that Soma just having a genuine friend he made without interference of fate is sweet. But hell, if thereâs anything I love as much as denying popular headcanons, itâs creating new, unpopular ones.Â
#castlevania#castlevania headcanons#headcanon#just a concept#mina hakuba#sara trantoul#lament of innocence#aria of sorrow#dawn of sorrow#reincarnation
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Me:Â âMathias Cronqvist is a bottom, I donât make the rules except I do.â
Friend:Â âI agree, though I donât really know what weâre talking about.â
Me:Â âMathias is the dumb bitch who becomes Dracula.â
Friend:Â âSo, Dracula is always a bratty bottom.â
Me: âYes. In every piece of media.â
Friend: âIf your Dracula isnât a bratty bottom, heâs not Dracula, and thatâs why Soma canât be Dracula. Because heâs a switch.â
Me: *almost thinking I'd misheard them* âHuh?â
Friend:Â âThatâs his name, right? Soma? He doesnât turn into Dracula because heâs a switch.â
Me: *dies*
Yâall heard it here, folks.Â
Somaâs a switch and thatâs why heâs not the Dark Lord.
#THIS IS THE HILL I DIE ON#real interaction I had in the morning#castlevania#aria of sorrow#dawn of sorrow#soma cruz#mathias cronqvist#vlad dracula tepes#lament of innocence#headcanon#castlevania headcanons
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