Season 2 of Netflix’s, The Witcher is releasing in December, but before that, we get a little treat with a new anime film, The Witcher: Nightmare of The Wolf that is not only a prequel to The Witcher (find our review of the original show here) but this tells the story of Vesemir, Geralt of Rivia’s mentor/father figure.
Witchers, elves, mages and monsters fill this magical world. Mutated super humans with magical abilties, Witchers are an interesting species. I’ll be honest for a second the ways of becoming a witcher are brutal and cruel. You are mutated and trained to be a monster slayer for coin. In return you train the recruits who are to become future witchers. And did I mention that this takes place while you are a child?
As the film opens a family is traveling on a road. Attacked by a leshen monster they fear the worst. In comes the dashing, mesmerizing Vesemir who wastes no time showing off his abilities and using a special potion to take down his foe.
We get to see the spotlight on the young witcher before he became the adult he is today. Younger Vesemir liked to stir up trouble.Vesemir’s mischief leads to his introduction to a Witcher. This Witcher shows him that there might be a different path in life other than what he’s been offered.
Younger Vesemir is carefree, shameless, and appears to only care about money to pay for his services. Versemir may love coin, but he isn’t a heartless witcher that only cares about money. Vesemir wants to drink, slay monsters and avoid his responsibilities, there is more to him than meets the eye.
The plot of the film center’s around Vesemir new mission that brings him back in contact with his past. This encounter makes him see things a little differently than he did before, and let’s say this soften’s Vesemir a little and makes him want to take on responsibilities he didn’t want to take on previously.
Something else this anime does that fans will appreciate is the jump between Vesemir’s past and present. The jump, from how he became a Witcher and what he endured during his trial of the grasses. Unfortunately, many children do not make it through this trial, and only the strong survive the cruel and horrible experience.
What makes this film good; was not only seeing Vesemir in the years before he knew Geralt. But, also a couple of easter eggs that dropped during the film, which made this a rewarding joy to watch. The beautiful and gory fight scenes, with magic, sword fighting, monster slaying and much more and that gives hope that in the future, we can get an anime adaption that surrounds Geralt’s mysterious past. I personally would love to see how this skilled witcher became the man he is now.
