Love Bites: The Importance of Striga and Morana’s Relationship In Castlevania

Castlevania, once a game from the Nintendo Entertainment System, is now also a phenomenal show on Netflix. I used to play the original game on the NES along with Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest with my dad as a young girl. I always loved the classic graphics, which is why I mainly played the series on the NES instead of on other consoles. Once I heard about the Netflix adaptation, I knew I would be hooked.

The show originally aired in the summer of 2017, the year I graduated from high school.

Now, the show has recently released its final season. There has been a lot of adventure, close calls, great fight scenes, and romance. Although some relationships may have been manipulative and ended horribly, specifically Alucard with Taka and Sumi (if you can count that), one relationship which is unique compared to the rest is the romance between Striga and Morana. 

Striga and Morana are members of the Council of Sisters, some of the greatest threats in the series. Each vampiress has a specific skill which allows them to control their territory so well. For example, Striga is a skilled warrior while her partner Morana is an experienced strategist. Both have an understanding of what war can do and how much is at stake. The two are shown to talk out their fears, hopes, and desires while engaging in soft touches or affectionate gazes. By far, they are the most gentle and loving pair in the show with an actual healthy relationship. The two discuss openly what may be bothering them and offer reassurance for their partner’s feelings rather than dismissing them.

Besides being a healthy relationship, they are not overlysexualized although they are both women. Often, especially in adult cartoons, there are very explicit and sexual relationships. With these two women, the most intimate scene we saw was when they woke up in the middle of sleeping to discuss their battle plans while in sleeping attire. Their relationship is refreshing and offers comfort in a world full of war, night creatures, and death.