Is Blood Of Zeus Anime

Lack Of Women Is A Huge Problem With Blood Of Zeus Anime

The mother of all tropes | Image via Netflix.

One of the larger, glaringly obvious problems with Blood Of Zeus anime is the representation of women. The entire series has three women with speaking parts. Firstly theres Herods mother who gets killed very early in season 1, to advance Herods story. Then theres Alexia, who appears in the beginning, again in the middle, and then briefly in the end. And lastly, the largest female role is Heras, who is basically the big-bad of the series.

And even the depiction of Hera as a villain is outrageous, given she is the victim of Zeus infidelity. How long can a woman who is literally a God, suffer the disrespect of her husband cheating on her repeatedly through the ages? At some point, shes going to break. I hope season 2 does a better job of female representation in the show, beyond plot devices for the hero, minor side roles, or villains.

Blood Of Zeus Is A Mildly Entertaining But Unoriginal Take On Greek Mythology

By ALIZA LI | November 11, 2020

COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0

Jessica Henwick voices Alexia in Blood of Zeus.

Blood of Zeus is Netflixs newest original anime series. Released in late October, the series combines anime-style animation with themes and characters from Greek mythology.

The show tells the story of Heron, a demigod son of Zeus and a mortal woman. Heron grows up unaware of his godly parentage, believing instead that he is just a bastard son living with his fellow outcast mother in a gloomy secluded polis. Heron discovers who his father is when his mother Electra reveals the truth of her past as the wife of an abusive and cold king.

Although Electra catches the eye of Zeus, their affair is also discovered by Zeus jealous wife and queen of the gods, Hera. Electras husband learns of the affair as well when she gives birth to twins and one of them is not his. In the ensuing struggle, the king is killed, and Zeus helps Electra escape with their baby, hiding them from Hera in a secluded village.

Overall, I found Blood of Zeus to be a decent action fantasy animation, but it was not entirely innovative when it came to the Greek mythology. I was excited to watch this series since Ive been a fan of Greek mythology from a young age, but I was a bit disappointed with the approach it took regarding the myths. It made a few changes to the classic legends, but overall, it didnt attempt anything subversive or new.

Hera Goddess Of Marriage

The usurping goddess is respected and feared by all but Zeus. This fear is proof enough of her power, but that doesn’t stop the creators of Blood of Zeus from demonstrating Hera’s ability as an ESPer.

The goddess of marriage uses her ability to levitate objects with her mind and the power of shapeshifting to nearly take Olympus from Zeus. If she hadn’t made the mistake of promising the seas to the giants, alienating one of her most powerful allies, she surely would have taken down the god of thunder.

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Blood Of Zeus Season 1 Blew Our Minds

Image via Netflix.

Although I personally had some issues with the storytelling of Blood Of Zeus season 1, its difficult to deny that the series was exceptionally well made. Every shows premiere season has some hiccups along the way, and what the anime does good, it does incredibly well, making up for the lesser parts of it. And one of those elements of the new Netflix original was its animation style from Powerhouse Animation. The world of the Greek Gods appeared to us in a way never before seen. The decadence and extravagance came through brilliantly in the show, almost as if its a world wed never seen before, despite countless other shows and movies on the same subject.

Along with its visuals, there was a lot to Blood Of Zeus season 1 storyline. A jilted ex-wife, a Gods sacrifice for love, a tortured villain in the grips of yet another larger antagonist, and the hero who seemingly got a happy ending. This is where we left things by the end of season 1, clearly teasing more to come in season 2. And now that Blood Of Zeus season 2 is confirmed, we can hope to have those story beats developed further, and better fleshed out.

The King Of The Olympus

In the world’s beginning the Gods of Olympus, lead by Zeus, defeated the Titans. In the wake of their victory, the last Titan cursed the Gods, and unleashed the Giants on the world. Many years later, an army from the East, using the essence of fallen giants to fuel their armies power, descend upon Greece. On the outskirts of Greece, a commoner, Heron, learns of his heritage as the son of Zeus, and his destiny to save the world.

ATTENTION ALL MORTALS! We have just received word from Mount Olympus that Heron’s story is not over. Blood of Zeus will return for a Season 2!

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A Greek Mythology Mix

Netflix has wandered into the world of the gods with its latest anime original, Blood of Zeus. It mixes some traditional Greek mythology and adds a few of its own twists. But thats not all.

This show, while it might not look it at first glance, holds a TV-MA rating. For now, that means that animated violence gets pretty gory. Heads get sliced off, blood pours from open wounds and battles of all sorts are endless. Theres also a bit of language mixed with sexual innuendo, and its possible that those elements could get worse with time.

And, of course, the show is just drenched with spirituality. Demons, sometimes disguised as regular humans, are the enemy as mythological gods battle against them. And though the sides of light and dark are clearly marked, heroes and gods still deal with their own lot of imperfections such as infidelity and brutality. Then, finally, theres the human race who depend on and worship the gods as they rely on them for the outcome of their fates. Creativity abounds here, but those artistic measures cant blur the obvious issues that families are sure to discover.

Dracula Casts A Long Shadow

With Castlevania season 4 expected to land in late 2021, anyone after a fix of bloody, myth-driven anime will be looking towards Blood of Zeus as something of a stop-gap series. And for that, it should do the job nicely.

This isnt Castlevania by any means, despite some similarities in art style and even plotting .

The complex characterization found in Castlevania, the way its figures slowly morph through the result of their own actions, delicately prod their own doubts and hopes in between the fierce action sequences, isnt to be found here.

Blood of Zeus cast is a bit happier moving along with the plot, doing what they need to advance the story, in a way that sacrifices some personality. I cant even count the number of times someone exclaimed By the gods!

The size of the cast, and short length of the series, also means there isnt really room for the kind of gradual softening seen between Trevor Belmont and Alucard, or the slow manipulation of Hector by outside forces, in Castlevanias several seasons.

It is harder, in a story where gods and mortals coexist, to make the stakes feel equal across the board and its this interplay that makes Blood of Zeus so thrilling, even if some delicacy is sacrificed to do it.

Blood of Zeus airs on Netflix from October 27. If youre not a subscriber already, check out the sign-up link below:

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Blood Of Zeus Season 2 Cast: Who’s In It

Some new characters might also join the 2 season of the series. Derek Phillips will be back as Heron with Jessica Henwick . Along with Elias Toufexis as Seraphim, actor Claudia Christian as Hera, Jason O’Mara as Zeus, actor Mamie Gummer will be playing Electra, Chris Diamantopoulos and Chris Diamantopoulos .

Similarities Humanity Fighting Demons & Story

At first glance, Sirius The Jaegar doesnt have much in common with Blood Of Zeus. However, the bubbling conflict growing between vampires and humans bears some similarities to the main plot line of Netflixs alt-Greek anime.

At the heart of this conflict is wildcard Yuliy, a young man who happens to possess mysterious powers akin to that of a werewolf. It soon becomes apparent that he holds the key to an artifact the vampires are tirelessly hunting, The Ark Of Sirius.

What follows is a race against time as Yuliy sets out to stop the vamps, resolve a personal vendetta with his brother and save the world.

Its all pretty standard anime fare but its a well written series and certainly worth checking out.

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Knights Of The Zodiac

Saint Seiya follows a group of young warriors who are guarded by a different constellation and set out to protect the Goddess Athena from evil.

The main character here is Seiya whos raised in an orphanage in Athena before joining the cause. The entire anime is dripping in Greek mythology, while the action comes thick and fast throughout.

This 1986 animation still stands up to this day, making for an enthralling watch and boasting over 100 episodes to get through.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

For fans that went to Blood of Zeus for a show that blends the anime genre with western media, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a must see. Though it may not technically count as an anime, the shows art style pulls directly from the Japanese art form.

The show has an incredible voice cast and can help casual consumers work their way toward the more intense anime series that embrace the genres tropes. If Blood of Zeus can function as the first step toward pulling a western audience into the anime fanbase, then Avatar: The Last Airbender can be the second step.

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Historical Financials And Membership Growth

On July 18, 2013, Netflix earned the first nominations for original online-only programs at the . Three of its web series, Arrested Development, Hemlock Grove and House of Cards, earned a combined 14 nominations . The House of Cards episode “” received four nominations for both the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards and , becoming the first of a television series to receive a major Primetime Emmy Award nomination: David Fincher was nominated in the category of Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. “Chapter 1” joined Arrested Development‘s “” and Hemlock Grove‘s “Children of the Night” as the first webisodes to earn Creative Arts Emmy Award nomination, and with its win for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series, “Chapter 1” became the first webisode to be awarded an Emmy. Fincher’s win for Directing for a Drama Series made the episode the first Primetime Emmy-awarded webisode.

On December 12, 2013, the network earned six nominations for , including four for House of Cards. Among those nominations was Wright for for her portrayal of Claire Underwood, which she won at the on January 12. With the accolade, Wright became the first actress to win a Golden Globe for an online-only web television series. It also marked Netflix’ first major acting award.House of Cards and Orange is the New Black also won in 2013.

Stranger Things received 19 nominations at the , while received 13 nominations.

It also received 35 nominations at the , where it won 7 awards.

Apollo God Of The Sun

Apollo proves to be as beautiful as he is powerful in Blood of Zeus. His station as god of the sun gives him fire related abilities that no other god is capable of. While riding over the battlefield in a chariot led by two flaming horses, Apollo lets the fire of the sun rain down on his foes like the fire-lord in the middle of Sozin’s Comet. His strengths as a swordsman and capability to fight at a range thanks to his chariot make him a formidable opponent against gods and demons alike.

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The Seven Deadly Sins

Those that appreciate Blood of Zeus for its connection to the western literary canon, will love Seven Deadly Sins. Though it pulls from Medieval European mythology instead of Greek mythology, it gives its viewers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture it pulls its story from.

The law that Hera holds Zeus accountable for in Blood of Zeus is replaced with the holy law in Seven Deadly Sins and just like the Netflix Original, these laws are as vague as they are damning.

Another Problem With Blood Of Zeus Anime Is Not Enough Gods

Image via Netflix.

For a series thats meant to be epic and grand, Blood Of Zeus feels very small. Its because all the major players are but a handful of characters, whom we see again and again. The other supporting roles are very minor, briefly on screen, and provide absolutely no value, despite how amazing they could be. When Hera forces the Gods to choose between her and Zeus, his other sons, Appolo + Hermes go with him. For a series that also supposedly explores the father-son relationship between Herod and Zeus, theres nothing about his relationship with his existing sons.

Theres a breathtaking shot near the end that features all the major Gods on Olympus, but none of them speak. The show couldve been better served if these Gods had something to contribute to in the show, other than just being set dressing.

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Blood Of Zeus Provides Examples Of:

• Absolute Cleavage: Hera wears a pretty open himation.
• Absurdly Sharp Blade: Zeus’ adamantium sword, capable of cutting everything on earth and the only weapon capable of wounding the automaton Talos.
• Action Girl: Alexia is one skilled Amazon warrior capable of going toe to toe against demons.
• Actually Pretty Funny: When Poseidon rejoins Zeus against Hera he claims it’s because Hera “Has gone too far” Zeus recognizes this is not a moral stance so much as Hera promised the giants rule over the seas and chuckles at his brother but lets him join up anyway
• Adaptational Nice Guy: Zeus. He’s not nearly the nicest version ever presented, but compared to the myth he’s practically a saint, as he genuinely loved Electra otherwise he would have used the same authority her husband had to demand she sleep with him, rather than woo her.

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• Agony of the Feet: While climbing up a mountain, we’re shown cuts and blisters on Heron’s feet, due to being too poor to afford sandals.
• Always Chaotic Evil: The Giants were born of a curse and seek only to destroy the world. Hera’s attempt at bargaining with them ends badly.
• That said, in the first war against the giants, Zeus was able to convince two giants to side with the gods.

Things That The Blood Of Zeus Anime Season 2 Needs To Address

The newest Netflix original anime is Blood Of Zeus, a visually stunning series about the Greek Gods. The story features the domestic troubles of the Gods on Olympus, namely Zeus and his wife Hera. After discovering Zeus illegitimate half-mortal son Herod, Hera launches a plan to destroy him, and the world along with it. The anime series is an interesting watch as it has some amazing animation from Powerhouse Animation. However, while enjoyable to watch, there are some problems with Blood Of Zeus anime that made me raise an eyebrow. Story issues that hopefully the series will correct going forward.

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Will There Be A Season 2 Of Blood Of Zeus

• Its good news for fans of Blood of Zeus, the anime series has been renewed for a second season by Netflix and Powerhouse.

Yesterday, December 3rd, it was confirmed that Blood of Zeus had been renewed for a second season but to be honest, not many fans were too surprised.

The most obvious tease that the series would be renewed was the season 1 finale, which showed Seraphim teaming up with Hades following his defeat at Olympus.

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The series received widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike, scoring an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.7/10 on IMDB.

The series was also trending on Netflix and social media platforms across the world for the week following its premiere, demonstrating just how popular Blood of Zeus was with fans.

• BLOOD OF ZEUS: Are Heron and Seraphim based on real mythology?

Binged, and no regrets! That was very good! Esp if you are into Greek Mythology.. or Percy Jackson. LOL

simtowntwins

Hera Has Been Through This Countless Times

Hell hath no fury | Image via Netflix.

Zeus wife Heras motivation in the new Blood Of Zeus anime is basically that of a woman scorned. Finding out about Zeus bastard half-mortal son sends her over the edge. So she plots her revenge, by manipulating the lesser villain Seraphim, in order to release the Gods greatest foes, the Giants. She basically wants to destroy Zeus. It also paints her as a villain after she was the one wronged, which plays into problematic tropes about women characters. And, given how many times Zeus has cheated on her, it begs the question why now?

Hera seems aware that this isnt the first time Zeus has been unfaithful to her. Zeus even references Hercules at one point, so you have to assume that his story is canon in this world. So why does she choose the revelation of Herod to be the time that she decides to get her vengeance? Knowing how often shes suffered through this before, dilutes her experience in this show. But, I guess you can also make the argument that this is the straw that broke the camels back. But I wish there was more to Hera than what we got.

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