The Blood of Zeus Anime Review: A Premium Experience of Greek Mythology!

Blood of Zeus anime review

Greek Mythology is one of the most popular and documented mythology among ancient civilizations, thanks to legendary writers like Homer, Herodotus, and Euripides. The legends of Greek demigods like Achilles, Jason, Hercules, and Perseus are well known all around the world. Therefore, I was quite cautious when I started watching this added entry to the already saturated mythological literature. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the anime series. 

Blood of Zeus is the brainchild of Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides (famed writers of Immortals and Death Note), who have done an excellent job of writing and creating a compelling story.

I loved the anime’s take on the Greek pantheon and the visual prowess of their super abilities (Poseidon, the God of the Seas, looks quite formidable in the series). Heron is a strong central character, flawed and amateurish, who soon accepts his destiny and owns it.

His journey is a delight to watch. You will feel joy with his joy, and grief with his grief. However, for me, the characters who took the cake were Seraphim and Hera. I will explain why, later in this Blood of Zeus anime review.

The creators have confirmed that the series will return with a second season sometime in 2022 and that the epic will have a five-season saga in total.

Blood of Zeus Anime Review!

Synopsis

Drawing heavily from original Greek mythological references, we start with a narrative that tells us that the legendary Greek writers missed out on one of the most epic stories of the Greek world. The story of Heron – the Blood of Zeus.

Heron lives as a peasant, a commoner’s life, with his mother in Greece. His world tears apart when he finds out that he is actually a demigod – one of the sons of Zeus. He is handed out his destiny, to lead the Greek world out of chaos and misery. Desperate events force him on a path that leads to Olympus, the abode of Greek gods.

Meanwhile, Zeus’s wife, Hera, finds out about Heron. She grows livid of Zeus’s adultery (like most married spouses would, if they find out their partner is cheating on them and has sired a child out of wedlock). But Hera being Hera, she decides to take a maniac’s path to retribution – kill Heron and overthrow Zeus off the Olympus throne. She makes a pact with the Giants – arch enemies of the gods, and thus, the plot thickens with treachery, adventure, and horror.

The entire story gathers on Olympus with a monumental ultimate battle between the gods and giants, with Heron smack in the middle of it. The battle ends with Heron’s heroic deeds and paves the way for the second season.

Plot

Blood of Zeus Anime Review!

Blood of Zeus is a really well-written story. In some parts, it is evident that the writers drew from other Greek epics. For example, Heron’s upbringing and the events that push him to discover about his father is similar to that shown for Theseus by the same writers in Immortals. However, it cannot be said that the writers have stuck with existing stories.

This plot is original and drives its own independent path. The story never lets up, and you won’t find yourself going through fillers that you wish you could fast-forward. Blood of Zeus is a fast-paced anime thriller. There aren’t countless twists and turns in the story, but somehow, you don’t miss it. The relentless pace makes up for it.

Characters

Blood of Zeus Anime Review!

Heron gives Perseus a run for his money. On top of the usual Greek demigod quirks, Heron has something that sets him apart from the others – likability and humility. Greek demigods are known for their arrogance, but Heron sticks to his peasantry roots and becomes an instant fan favorite.

He appears to be more human by emotions than a demigod, and the writers did a well job by keeping his human side dominant while he makes crucial decisions. Zeus is a refreshing change from his arrogant, philandering, and angry version from traditional Greek myths. The Zeus from this anime really cares about Heron and does everything in his power to set Heron firmly on his path.

This attitude of Zeus has its advantages and disadvantages. On the good side, it creates a novel perception about the God of Thunder and makes him more relatable and likeable. However, on the bad side, it creates a pallid and lacking character who is fallible and doesn’t live up to being the King of Gods.

Seraphim, half-brother to Heron acts as a perfect antagonist to Heron, however, a more compelling character could have been created. Seraphim himself appears so mentally fractured that he cannot successfully torture Heron and bring out the necessary heroic development in him. There is so much that could have been done with Seraphim.

Hera plays a monumental role of the villain in this anime series. A vengeful wife of an adultering God, she goes off the rails with her schemes, making bad choices with a smooth swag. She is charming. She is clinically beautiful and dangerous. And if she has you in her sights, you are dead. Hera is definitely the best character this series has created.

The other characters like Alexia, Apollo, Hermes, Ares, and the other gods live up to the quality of good anime characters. They have their own motives that stay consistent, and the remarkable thing about the side characters is that they do evolve and develop, which is a true sign of excellent writing.

Music

The score of Blood of Zeus relies heavily on a deep chorus and a full orchestra. The usage of horns is bombarding to the ears, in a good way, and complements the action scenes well. Melancholy is also depicted perfectly through cello, harps, and a low string ensemble.

The opening music clarifies it that the series runs on some heavy and high footing. If you observe more closely, the series’ music indicates the David vs. Goliath theme it runs upon – Heroes and Gods, Heron vs. the World.

Animation

Blood of Zeus Anime Review!

Powerhouse Animation carved its place with Castlevania, and it doesn’t disappoint in the case of Blood of Zeus. The animation style is simply riveting, with perfectly shown action and visual range of colors. The character designs bring the Greek pantheon to life with a mighty roar. They truly look like Gods. 

Action Sequences

Blood of Zeus Anime Review!

Blood of Zeus is an action thriller, through and through. Well, that is expected when you put the beastly Gods and terrific Giants against one another. The sequences are so expertly designed – the flow of action scenes is seamless, and the use of action props / character powers is apt.

No character acts out of their power level during the scenes, and that is an excellent thing, as this same problem prevails in so many other anime (the main hero suddenly becomes way stronger without any good reason during combat).

The scenes are graphic, gory, and bloody. Blood of Zeus does not hesitate in showing gore. The action scenes of this series would definitely keep you glued to your seats.

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Posted by
Anurag Tambe

Anurag is a law graduate who decided that his love for words far outweighs his love for the courtroom. He wandered about a bit, ran an electronics company, launched a brand of alkaline water dispensers, and then decided to accelerate on a different highway – writing. He writes fiction, mostly, and has published a poetry book called "Of Love, Wisdom, and Human Folly." In his spare time, he binges on anime and comics. He is a huge Batman and Spiderman fan. He lives in Pune with his wife, mother, and two ferociously cute cats.