Leviathan Anime Review: An Intriguing Retelling of History

Leviathan Anime Review: An Intriguing Retelling of History | Leisurebyte

Director: Christophe Ferreira

Date Created: 2025-07-10 12:30

Editor's Rating:
4

Leviathan Anime Review: Leviathan is a Japanese original net animation that debuted on Netflix. Directed by Christophe Ferreira and brought to life by Qubic Pictures and Studio Orange, the series adapts Scott Westerfeld’s novel of the same name. Set in an alternate 1914 on the brink of war, the story follows a runaway prince and a girl disguised as a boy, whose fateful meeting aboard the genetically engineered airship HMS Leviathan sets in motion events that could reshape the world.

The animated cyberpunk series spans 12 episodes, each with a runtime of approximately 28 minutes.

Leviathan Anime Review

Leviathan is essentially a look back at the time of World War 1, where in reality the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Heir presumptive of Austria-Hungary, triggered the war. In this retelling, we see a world that is vastly different from our world, with its usage of bioengineered ships that take the help of giant animals and armies using huge robots.

The story follows the fictional son of the Archduke, Aleksander, who has now become not only a target but also a key element on the eve of war. On top of that, we also see another important character, Dylan, who dreams of piloting the Leviathan RMS, but also gets roped into war from the English side. However, at its core, the war is also about two opposing belief systems: Clankers, who rely on towering mechanical war machines and the Darwinists, who fight alongside genetically modified creatures.

The story is nothing short of interesting, at least for a history nerd like me who loved a retelling of what could have happened in an alternate setting. It is definitely far from being historically accurate, but it captures the essence and the tense atmosphere of Europe at that time pretty well. Not just that, but the characters are also very interesting and well fleshed-out, and their journey does make you feel as if they are real people.

The emotional growth that Aleksander goes through ropes you into the story, and you feel his despair at losing his family. His growth from a prince to a commander, who is willing to fight for his beliefs, was really impressive to see. I also loved the genuine formation of the bond that formed between Aleksander and Dylan. Their journey from foes to friends has had enough time to evolve naturally without it feeling rushed.

The animation, however, might be the only thing that can be considered a negative, as we see an ample use of CGI. Personally, it did not bother me as the scenery was beautiful enough for me not to care about the minor animation cons. But the best aspect of this series is definitely its hopeful conclusion that tells us the story is not over, even though it has concluded.

Verdict

Yes, I loved this series and think it is a nice watch that you can definitely enjoy even if you have no knowledge of history. It has enough action, emotion and heart to make you attached to its characters and be involved with the world showcased here. Though I do not doubt that the books are better, this adaptation is hands down a good one that can influence many to read the source material.

All in all, I think you should not ponder much on whether it is worth a watch or not, because it is. Hence, without further ado, just see this series and let us know what you think.

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