Clevatess Season 1

When the new season of anime started, Clevatess was one show we felt deserved some attention. A dark and bloody fantasy, the opening episode was a doomed assassination attempt against the titular demonic God that led to the downfall of a nation - certainly not a cheery 45 minutes of animation, but it set the tone for what was to come.

Well, mostly. 

Clevatess has done well enough to earn a second season, and that's great because I enjoyed my time with it. Seeing Clevatess take human form, resurrect the fallen hero Alicia Grenfall and taking the orphaned child Luna into his care, the series charts the beginning of the demon God taking an interest in the various races across his land provided some interesting character growth as events conspire to be far more complex than we might assume.

The demon Clevatess makes for a wonderfully detached protagonist

What Clevatess isn't, however, is Berserk. I've seen a few reviewers make the comparison and it's understandable in terms of the amount of gore on-screen, but the two are nothing alike in tone. Berserk is incredibly bleak throughout, there's almost no elements of happiness even in the Golden Age arc where the Band of the Hawk are at their peak. Clevatess is far more merciful to its extended cast than Berserk was and as such the tone is markedly different. That's no bad thing - you can't out-Berserk Kentaro Miura.

While Clevatess the demon is clearly terrifying, it also shows elements of mercy, honour and even humour. By taking on a human form and vowing to learn about humanity, Clevatess (aka Klen) shows far more willing to reason than the monsters of Berserk. Elements of cunning, wit and even kindness are evident as the series progresses, the destruction of the Hiden kingdom almost regretted by the demon as he learns to understand what humanity is capable of.

Possibly the most important character in this journey is Nell, a former slave so brutalised that she lost her teeth to the Ravens that enslaved and abused her. Despite losing all her children, she dotes on any that are brought to her and desperately tries to keep Luna safe, even at the cost of her own life. Clevatess sees these actions and it dramatically changes him. Not only does he restore Nell to a new form named Nelleru, he imbues her with new strength and entrusts her with the life of Luna. These actions are completely alien to the demon and this level of growth and respect are not trumpeted by the show, but simply recognised and acted upon in practical ways. Watching Nell's past is genuinely heartbreaking, so seeing her given any happiness is moving beyond words.

In this vein, it's also remarkable how the show manages to just destroy you emotionally. There are so many great moments of emotional release, where good things happen to good people despite the horrors, that it allows you to feel for the characters. The series can have you in tears for one character while pumping your fist in the air for the next, it's a wonderful ride from start to finish. There's also quite a bit of brutal punishment meted out to the bad guys, which especially in the current climate, is cathartic.

The animation is deftly directed, making the most of its budget. Monsters are particularly... monstrous and the battles certainly feel weighty and brutal. I found myself looking forward to each episode as the larger machinations at play slowly reveal themselves (though only hints for now), but the writing felt fresh and inventive all the way through.  The constant progression makes the pacing feel brisk but never rushed, every minute of screentime was utilised beautifully.

If you're looking for a visceral fantasy anime with real consequences, this is a great starting point. That it arrives with a strong narrative, interesting characters and massive future potential, makes it even more so. Clevatess was a welcome surprise after Bastard! and Übel Blatt failed to live up to expectations and I can wholeheartedly recommend the series if you haven't found it already.