Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy is a very recent launch under Netflix that covers extreme topics included in the imaginative world of swords and sorcery. The content is very mature and sometimes too explicit as well, which is suggested only for adult audiences.
This typical storyline supports Good Vs Evil as the primary theme but around several adventures, romantic affairs, dark magic, fictional creatures from the deepest of folklores, and more. Every 13 episodes of this post-apocalyptic fantasy program run for around 23-26 minutes that are packed with a tremendously engaging and compelling narrative.
Now should you be watching Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy?
Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy: The Cast
Dark Schneider/Lushe Renren: Kazuki Yao (Dark Schneider, OVA), Yuriko Fuchizaki (Lucien, OVA), Kishō Taniyama(Dark Schneider, ONA), Kanae Itō(Lucien, ONA) (Japanese); Daran Norris (Dark Schneider, OVA) and (Lucien, OVA), Anne Yatco (Lucien, ONA) (English)
Tia Noto Yoko: Yuka Koyama (OVA), Tomori Kusunoki (ONA) (Japanese); Wendee Lee (OVA), Erin Yvette (ONA) (English)
Ninja Master Gara: Tessho Genda (OVA), Hiroki Yasumoto(ONA) (Japanese); Steven Blum(OVA), Aaron LaPlante (ONA) (English)
Thunder Empress Arshes Nei: Rei Sakuma (OVA), Mami Koyama (drama CD, episodes 1–3), Yōko Hikasa(ONA) (Japanese); Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (OVA), Wendee Lee (ONA) (English)
Kall-Su: Toshihiko Seki (OVA), Ryo Horikawa (drama CD, episodes 1–3), Shin-ichiro Miki (drama CD, episode 4), Kensho Ono(ONA) (Japanese); Richard Cansino (OVA), Alejandro Saab (ONA) (English)
Dark Priest Abigail: Ryuzaburo Otomo (OVA), Tomokazu Sugita(ONA) (Japanese); Richard Epcar (OVA), Ray Chase (ONA) (English)
Lars/Rarz: Masami Kikuchi (OVA), Yoshitsugu Matsuoka(ONA) (Japanese); Zeno Robinson (ONA) (English)
Princess Sheila: Konami Yoshida (OVA), Nao Tōyama(ONA) (Japanese); Bridget Hoffman (English)
Geo Noto Sort/Soto: Nobuo Tanaka (Japanese); Simon Prescott (OVA), D.C. Douglas (ONA) (English)
Sean Ari: Yuko Kobayashi (OVA), Shizuka Itō(ONA) (Japanese); Debra Jean Rogers (English)
Diamond/Di-amon: Shigeru Chiba (OVA), Takehito Koyasu(ONA)
Anthrasax: Mami Koyama(ONA) (Japanese); Misty Lee (ONA) (English)
Things You Might Like About Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
The Music
Yasuharu Takanashi is the person who formulated those heavy compositions that have the capacity to touch your heart. Every bit of the background score was just amazing, very apt to the situations, styled appealingly, which are just pleasant to the ears.
Now, as for the OP and ED, the opening OST, ‘Bloody Power Fame’ is tuned by Coldrain while the ending OST ‘Blessless’ is composed by Tielle. Both the songs are just great, not at all skippable, these numbers are just brilliant.
The Characters
Each of the characters portrayed in the series is just solid. Since it is a Shonen Jump initiative, thus no one is weak. Even the frailest character Lucien is given the most important task in the show. Yes, all, the girl depicted in the anime comes with their own unique establishment and are motivating. However, characters such as Sean Ari along with Princess Shiela might not give you the chance to appreciate the ladies.
At some points, they might appear as the wanna-be third person. As for Yoko and Arshes, they were fab. Yoko was a normal teen who was warm, very kind, reasonable, homely, stern, quiet sincere, and very responsible. On the other hand, Arshes Nei is the empress of Thunder who is very powerful. Besides being a strong individual the power that she wields, was impressive. She gave off a precise vibe that was alluring for sure.
The Villains were the opponent who took their chances against, Dark Schnieder, who is both the protagonist and the antagonist of the anime. Each of the opponents of Dark Schnieder wants to follow the exact procedure that would help them release Anthrasax the God of Destruction to build a world suitable to their demands. However, none of them till now were able to defeat the hero/ villain of the show.
Dark Schnieder is a narcissist who cares about nothing but himself. But since, his alter ego, Lucien Renlen loves Yoko, he too develops a strong emotion against the teen where he even demands to bear kids with the girl one day. They share a very interesting relationship where Dark Schnieder even confesses that he is scared of Yoko which sounds definitely cute.
Not to forget this man is a massive womanizer who loves having girls around. His presence even lures girls toward him, where he takes full advantage of the situation as well. Having intercourse with any girl, especially a virgin is what he thinks every time. On that note, he even had a sexual relationship with his adopted daughter, whom he practically raised.
But keeping aside all this, Dark Schnieder projects terrific power throughout the series. He is undefeated, till the end. He is the strongest sorcerer with great physic who smirks and wins audiences with his stunning personality.
As for Lucien Renlen, the kid is the purest form human alive. This innocent kid, till now, does not bear the slightest idea that he is the vessel carrying Dark Schnieder inside. He forgets completely what happens every time Dark Schnieder gets released.
Though he shares very little screen time, what is learned is that he is the complete opposite of Dark Schnieder. He is a cheerful, sweet, clingy, very adorable, scaredey cat, generous, and extremely pure at heart who loves Yoko to the fullest.
Talking about the other characters such as Kall-Su, Abigail, Geo, the king, and Gara they depicted their presence in the most convenient way possible. However, Gara does have a separate presence in the show and is quite reliable.
The characters from Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy is very well crafted, who are intense, strong, motivating, focused, and powerful individuals, whose back stories are given in a pretty convenient manner.
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The Story
Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy gives very mature content that is erotic, very dark, modern, post-apocalyptic, and very engaging. Yes, definitely some angles might seem very unsettling, for instance, Dark Schnieder having his adopted daughter as his lover might appear sick. But yes. This narrative is typically based on the theme of Dungeons and Dragons so, there are a lot of plot shots that might not look acceptable.
The anime accords a bloody, brutal, intense, grim, swords, and sorcery theme which is entertaining if you keep aside your conventional outlook at distance.
The Direction
Takaharu Ozaki did a great job in styling the anime in a very smooth, uncomplicated pattern. The narrative proceeds with a story-driven pace which is both sincere and very hilarious. Besides being an action-packed anime, the story delivers minute humor instances that deliberately entertain the audience which was just great.
The Dialogues
The sense of humor used in lining those hilarious dialogues is just amazing. Besides being impressive, the dialogues without a question were sarcastic, sensitive, sometimes warm, and sometimes ambitious. But genuinely the dialogues crafted for this anime were too interesting.
Things You Might Not Like About Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
Well, the pure form of relationship which gets brutally violated in the narrative might not be acceptable. It is a cringy angle that many anime watchers might find uncomfortable. The plot shot arises many questions too, such as did Arshes’s Darsh ever look at her as a kid?
Additionally, the flaky characters such as Sean Ari and Princess Shiela are just the wanna-be third persons who are willing to give away their virginity at the stake of their mission and family.
TOTT’s Take On Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
Without a doubt, the show is a full-on entertaining project which is fun, intense, humorous, interesting, compelling, engaging, and definitely, something which you can, of course, give a try.
TOTT gives Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy 4/5 Stars.
The series is not complete, the part 2 of the season is yet to release with 11 remaining episodes this year itself. The predicted yet the shocking ending of the narrative, certainly makes us wait to absorb what awaits in part 2. Let us just hold our patience for now.
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So, do you agree with what we have in store about Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy? Make sure to comment down below.
But this is all for today, hope to meet you all very soon in our next publication. Bye-Bye…
