Hercules and Theseus scoot over, Heron is here!
Thanks to legendary writers such as Homer, Herodotus, and Euripides, Greek Mythology is one of the most popular and well-documented mythologies among ancient civilizations. Legends about Greek demigods such as Achilles, Jason, Hercules, and Perseus are well known throughout the world. As a result, I was cautious when I began watching this new addition to the already crowded mythological literature. I must say that the anime series pleasantly surprised me.
Blood of Zeus is the creation of Charley and Vlas Parlapanides (famous creators of Immortals and Death Note), who have done an excellent job of writing and creating a compelling story.
I enjoyed the anime’s take on the Greek pantheon as well as the visual prowess of their superpowers (Poseidon, the God of the Seas, looks quite formidable in the series). Heron is a strong central character, flawed and amateurish at first, who soon accepts and owns his fate.
His journey is fascinating to follow. You will experience joy alongside his joy and grief alongside his grief. However, the characters who stole the show for me were Seraphim and Hera. Later in this Blood of Zeus anime review, I’ll explain why.
The creators have confirmed that the series will return for a second season in 2022, making the epic a five-season saga in total.
Blood of Zeus Anime Review!
Synopsis
We begin with a narrative that tells us that the legendary Greek writers missed out on one of the most epic stories of the Greek world, relying heavily on original Greek mythological references. The Legend of Heron – Zeus’ Blood
In Greece, Heron lives as a peasant, a commoner’s life, with his mother. His world is shattered when he discovers that he is a demigod, one of Zeus’ sons. He is given his destiny, which is to lead the Greek world out of chaos and misery. Despair forces him down a path that leads to Olympus, the home of the Greek gods.
Meanwhile, Hera, Zeus’s wife, learns about Heron. She becomes enraged by Zeus’ 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, being Hera, she chooses a maniacal path to vengeance: she kills Heron and deposes Zeus from the Olympus throne. She makes a pact with the Giants, the gods’ arch enemies, and the plot thickens with treachery, adventure, and horror.
The entire story culminates on Olympus with a massive final battle between the gods and giants, with Heron right in the middle of it. The battle concludes with Heron’s heroic actions, paving the way for the second season.
Plot
Blood of Zeus is a fantastically written story. It is clear that the writers drew from other Greek epics in some places. For example, Heron’s upbringing and the events that drive him to learn about his father are similar to those depicted in Immortals for Theseus. However, the writers cannot be said to have stuck with existing stories.
This plot is unique and follows its own course. The plot never slows down, and there are no fillers to which you wish you could fast-forward. Blood of Zeus is a suspenseful anime thriller. There aren’t many twists and turns in the story, but you don’t notice them. The relentless pace compensates.
Characters
Perseus gets a run for his money from Heron. Heron, in addition to the usual Greek demigod quirks, has something that distinguishes him from the others: likability and humility. Greek demigods are notorious for their arrogance, but Heron stays true to his peasant roots and quickly becomes a fan favourite.
He appears to be more human than a demigod in terms of emotions, and the writers did a good job of keeping his human side dominant while he makes critical decisions. Zeus is a welcome change from the arrogant, philandering, and angry Zeus of traditional Greek mythology. This anime’s Zeus genuinely cares about Heron and does everything in his power to keep Heron on his path.
Zeus’ attitude has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it creates a fresh perspective on the God of Thunder, making him more relatable and likeable. On the negative side, it creates a pallid and lacking character who is fallible and does not live up to his title as King of Gods.
Seraphim, Heron’s half-brother, serves as an excellent antagonist; however, a more compelling character could have been created. Seraphim appears to be mentally fractured, as he is unable to torture Heron and bring out the necessary heroic development in him. Seraphim could have been used for so much more.
In this anime series, Hera plays a pivotal role as the antagonist. She goes off the rails with her schemes, making bad choices with a smooth swagger as the vengeful wife of an adulterous God. She is endearing. She is both clinically attractive and dangerous. And if she has your number, you’re dead. Hera is without a doubt the best character that this series has produced.
Other characters such as Alexia, Apollo, Hermes, Ares, and the other gods uphold the standard of good anime characters. They have consistent motives, and the remarkable thing about the side characters is that they evolve and develop, which is a true sign of excellent writing.
Music
The score for Blood of Zeus is heavily reliant on a large chorus and a full orchestra. The use of horns is pleasing to the ears and complements the action scenes nicely. Melancholy is perfectly captured by cello, harps, and a low string ensemble.
The series’ heavy and high footing is made clear by the opening music. If you look closely, the music in the series indicates the David vs. Goliath theme it is based on – Heroes and Gods, Heron vs. the World.
Animation
Powerhouse Animation established itself with Castlevania, and it does not disappoint with Blood of Zeus. The animation style is simply riveting, with perfectly depicted action and a wide colour palette. With a mighty roar, the character designs bring the Greek pantheon to life. They truly resemble Gods.
Action Sequences
Blood of Zeus is an action thriller at its core. That’s to be expected when you pit the beastly Gods against the fantastic Giants. The action sequences are expertly designed, with the flow of action scenes being seamless and the use of action props / character powers being appropriate.
No character acts above their power level during the scenes, which is a good thing because this is a common problem in many other anime (the main hero suddenly becomes way stronger without any good reason during combat).
The violence is graphic, gory, and bloody. Blood of Zeus is not afraid to display gore. This series’ action scenes will undoubtedly keep you glued to your seat.
THE REVIEW
Blood of Zeus!
Blood of Zeus’ popularity stems from its value for money. Powerhouse Animation has done it again with this series, and I hope that more seasons will be released soon. The writers deserve credit for resurrecting popular mythical characters and throwing them into a massive battle. Having said that, I felt that the plot and characters could have been developed further. There are some really niche stories in the Ancient Greek world that have yet to be explored. The series plays it safe and sticks to the Greek pantheon’s bigwigs. We’ve heard enough about Zeus’s children – Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, Jason, and so on. Heron is now just another name on the long list. It would have been more interesting to see Hades’ or Dionysus’ son or daughter instead.
