Bastard Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy is the latest anime series released on Netflix on 30 June 2022. It is based on the original manga Bastard!! created by Kazushi Hagiwara in 1988 and was originally published in Weekly Shonen Jump but transferred to the seinen manga magazine Ultra Jump, on December 19, 2000. The manga drew inspiration from heavy metal music and Dungeons & Dragons, as you would find many references throughout.
The series is directed by Takaharu Ozaki, known for Goblin Slayer and Girl’s Last Tour. The story editor is Yosuke Kuroda (Trigun, My Hero Academia) and character designer Sayaka Ono (Code Geass, Valvrave the Liberator). There are 13 episodes in the series with a runtime of 25 minutes each.
The characters are voiced by Kisho Taniyama as Dark Schneider, Tomori Kusunoki as Tia Noto Yoko, Hiroki Yasumoto as Gara, Yoko Hikasa as Arshes Nei, Kanae Ito, Tomokazu Sugita, Kensho Ono, Nao Toyama, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Ari Ozawa, Shizuka Ito, Takehito Koyasu and Mami Koyama.
-BASTARD Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy Review Does Not Contain Any Spoilers-
Plot: Bastard Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy
Four hundred years since the collapse of modern civilization, the world is dominated by the chaos of swords and sorcery. The Dark Rebel Army, which plans to resurrect the god of destruction Anthrasax, continues to expand its power in a bid to rule the world, led by the overwhelmingly powerful Four Divine Kings.
The Kingdom of Meta-llicana on the Central Metallion Continent is assaulted by the sorcerer-led Dark Rebel Army. In order to save the kingdom, Tia Noto Yoko, daughter of the Great Priest, has a decision to make, she must resurrect the ancient great wizard who once plotted to rule the world, and who is sealed within her childhood friend Lucien Renlen.
The only thing that can undo the seal is a virgin’s maiden kiss. Facing imminent danger, Yoko kisses Lucien, and at that moment, dark and powerful energy fills the air. The strongest, wildest, and most beautiful protagonist, the legendary wizard Dark Schneider, is finally revived!
Anti-Hero Becomes the Hero
The series starts off with a background of what happened 400 years ago when the world was pretty advanced and at its prime but it wasn’t without some darkness. The dark power (Anthrasax) that humans had created themselves brought their society to the brink of destruction. But before all the humans could be destroyed, a creature emerged with a giant sword that looked like a man mixed with a dragon. In the end, the creature won over darkness.
The story became a legend through the years but transformed into something different where the sorcerer Dark Schneider led the Dark Rebel Army in an attempt to control the world again but gets sealed in the body of a young baby by Geo Noto Soto (the great priest). 15 years later, the Dark Rebel Army attempts the same mission by unsealing Anthrasax so they can take over the world.
To save the Kingdom of Meta-llicana, a girl named Yoko releases Dark Schneider trapped in the body of her friend Lucien Renlen. Now, Dark Schneider has to fight his former mates instead of being on the same side to keep the kingdom and his love, Yoko safe. The name of the main lead is actually inspired by Udo Dirkschneider, singer of German heavy metal band Accept.
Other obvious references are the name of the kingdom and God of Destruction (Anthrasax or Anthrax). In fact, Netflix even released the opening song sequence which features music from Coldrain (a Japanese rock band). The band has made a special track for Bastard titled Bloody Power Fame which suits the anime pretty perfectly. Although it comes with an NSFW warning.
Talking about NSFW, the anime has a fair share of sexually explicit and graphic content. Dark Schneider is basically a womaniser who would kill all the men in the world to have all the women to himself and create a harem. He is even able to get away with the Goddess of Beauty Ina Moto, who trapped him in Lucien’s body. Every woman he encounters isn’t spared without getting groped or undressed by him.
The weirdest of all is his relationship with Arshes Nei, who he adopted as a child but on growing up became his lover and partner. Okay she is half-elf and both of them lived for hundreds of years but the change in relationship is strange. But that’s Dark Schnieder for you, the most handsome sorcerer in the world.
Final Thoughts: Stream It or Skip It?
Bastard Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy on Netflix is an interesting anime series but definitely not for everyone. If you don’t mind the excessive explicit content then you would find the series to be quite hilarious with comedic reliefs and innuendos between big battles. The antics of Dark Schneider are amusing as well, and the character design in the series looks quite similar to the 6-part OVA series by AIC, released from 1992 to 1993.
Netflix’s adaptations are a hit or miss with the audience generally. This series will definitely become popular among the audience but also depends on another factor, as to how they will proceed in the next season. As the story will start focusing more on belief, morality, and religion.
Bastard Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy is streaming on Netflix.
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not nearly enough metal.
I found the series to be too ridiculous to take seriously, and yet so ridiculous and outrageous it was comedic. It’s definitely very niche as far as target audiences go. I’d say if you don’t enjoy crude humor, ridiculousness, or are bothered by explicit sexual content and questionable consent, then this is not the anime for you.