The Gospel Truth
Netflix and Powerhouse Animation are back at it again with the white Vans for season two of the Greek mythology anime hit, Blood of Zeus. Not only does it hit the same great notes it struck in the first season, but it came back with a brand new bag of subplots, character arcs, and the kind of attention to detail that separates this project from the pack. A lot of pieces fell into meticulous place to make this show work.
Just so you y’all know the level of the bar raised with this IP, Powerhouse Animation Studios has been in these streets heavy. Quite a few genres and mediums have benefitted from the Powerhouse touch, there are too many to name. Concerning Blood of Zeus, you need to know the pedigree it came from and where its’ grandma stay at. Castlevania, Seis Manos, and Masters of the Universe: Revelation are just some of the Powerhouse forerunners from the Netflix collaboration, alone. If you rocked with any of those, then know the delivery for raw visuals, stunning design, and epic action scenes are par for the course and they all show up and show out for Blood of Zeus season two.
Gotta Represent
There is something special about this show. To be clear and honest, there is a slew of animated anything(s) living everywhere on streaming right now. What Blood of Zeus brought to the table from its pilot in season one was something inherently Greek. Not just because the story employs Greek mythology, Percy Jackson does that, but with way less seasoning. No, Blood of Zeus deeply engages in the ethos of Greek society. Due in no small part to creators and showrunners, Charles and Vlas Parlapanides. In the age of AI “art” and culture-appropriating superstars, the authenticity of this show goes a long way. The kinds of decisions characters make, the direction of a plot, the design of a character – each of these things hinge on culture. This is still a rare occurrence in productions. Despite there being some very notable standout TV shows and movies (Jane The Virgin and Black Panther for instance) that utilize culture to ground their fiction in ways that are super relatable to audiences.
A Work of Art(work)
The artwork on Blood of Zeus is a story all its own. Their creative team goes so hard in the paint with the paint. Of course, there are dynamic character designs, costumes, and even facial tics animated to give great dramatic detail to this world and its inhabitants. Yes. Dope. Fine. Good. More than just what is expected, Blood of Zeus blesses us with its behind-the-scenes goodies. Every single episode is punctuated with credits that show the ‘previsuals’ and animatics of pivotal scenes or drafts for location shots. To be clear, this is something they did in season one, but after the enormous (and very public) writers and actors strike, to see flowers given to the creative crew this way was even more lovely. Also, another key feature of the show is the opening title card having different artwork each time! Who does that? They do!
Pieces of the Puzzle
Scale, scope, impact, and detail hold Blood of Zeus in high regard over here. Season two of Blood of Zeus does a great job of simplifying the multitudes of interpersonal relationships that make up the messiness of the Greek pantheon. The arc of the narrative is deep and impactful – the only thing that comes close to this level is the Supergiant Studios’ roguelike Hades. (*light spoiler: you get to meet Zagreus and his younger sister Melinoe!) Whereas you have countless hours to explore that game’s world, BoZ takes you there in eight episodes. No easy feat. Action sequences that feel fast and meaningful, lore being explored refreshingly, voice acting that is shared across an ensemble with each character just as important as the next. When I counted, there were at least sixteen consistent characters so…Wow.
Speaking of the acting, we have a return of the core cast of main characters. Derek Phillips and Jessica Henwick return as the ‘will they – won’t they’ of ancient Greece, Heron and Alexia. Adetokumboh M’Cormack and Chris Diamantopoulos shine as the typically badass, sometimes comic relief duo of Kofi and Evios. But this season, as the new arc unfolds beneath and around the first season’s plotlines, the standout performance goes to voice acting legend Fred Tatasciore in his turn as Hades. Tatasciore really swung for the fences in this one. The depth of Hades’ character has never been as earnest and as full as this. Without spoiling, this season spends a great deal of time exploring Hades and the underworld’s place in the Greek pantheon, so this performance goes far.
Tip of the hat to the cast and crew of this show. Blood of Zeus came out of almost nowhere during quarantine and started audiences on a journey that everyone is eager to see through. Season two is available on Netflix.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
Show Comments
Lee
I binge watched the 1st & 2nd season absolutely loving both and left them starving for more. Please hurry with the 3rd season!