Soma Cruz

Listed below are characters from all of the ''Castlevania'' video games and related media adaptations, in the order of their introduction and the work's release.

Video games

''Castlevania'' (1986) and '' Simon's Quest''

Dracula

The main antagonist of the ''Castlevania'' series is , based on the original character by Bram Stoker and his depiction in film. His real name is Dracula Vlad Tepes, and he is estimated to be over 800 years old by the time of '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'' (1997). With a few exceptions, he has starred in every title. The series mainly takes place in the eponymous castle of Count Dracula, which resurrects every hundred years to take over the world. Players often assume the role of the Belmonts, a family of vampire hunters who have opposed Dracula and his forces for centuries using the Vampire Killer, a legendary whip.

Dracula debuts in ''Castlevania'' (1986), as a vampire who was once defeated by Christopher Belmont one hundred years ago in Transylvania. He rises from the dead after his followers hold a black mass. Christopher's descendant, Simon Belmont, enters Dracula's castle and defeats him. Later titles introduce Dracula's son, the dhampir Alucard, who sided with Trevor Belmont against his father. ''Symphony of the Night'' reveals Alucard's mother to be Lisa, a human Dracula fell in love with. Her execution for false charges of witchcraft left him griefstricken.

The 2010 reboot, '' Castlevania: Lords of Shadow'', reintroduces Dracula as Gabriel Belmont, a member of the Brotherhood of Light who fights the Lords of Shadow to obtain the God Mask, which he believes can bring back his deceased wife, Marie. Gabriel eventually becomes a vampire and stars as Dracula in the sequels '' Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate'' (2013) and '' Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2'' (2014), where he searches for a way to end his immortality.

Death

is present in all ''Castlevania'' games, except for '' Haunted Castle'', '' Castlevania: The Adventure'' and '' Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge''. He is considered Dracula's second-in-command and most trusted minion, and is often a boss fought toward the end of the game. As well, he has sometimes played an important role in the storyline, such as in '' Castlevania: Lament of Innocence''. He is a playable character as the skeletal knight in ''Castlevania Judgment''.

In most appearances, Death closely resembles the cultural personification of the Grim Reaper. Like Dracula, he can change into a second form upon being defeated, although this ability is not used as often.

Death also appears in the 2018 crossover fighting game ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' as a background character on the Dracula's Castle stage. Simon and Richter's reveal trailer features Death claiming the soul of a panicked Luigi before Simon intervenes.

The character of Zobek, Lord of the Dead (voiced by Patrick Stewart) in the reboot ''Castlevania: Lords of Shadow'' has been speculated to be the version of Death in this universe, due to his relationship with Dracula. Additionally, the Lord of the Necromancers is at one point referred to as "Death itself". In the game's sequel, when Gabriel Belmont is forced into a confrontation with Zobek, he sheds his human form and takes on an appearance resembling a more traditional depiction of Death, including wielding a large scythe.

Simon Belmont

is the first protagonist to appear in the series. He has appeared in ''Castlevania'', ''Vampire Killer'', '' Haunted Castle'', '' Castlevania II: Simon's Quest'', ''Super Castlevania IV'', ''Castlevania Chronicles'', ''Castlevania Judgment'', and '' Castlevania: Harmony of Despair,'' as well as in other games, such as ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.''

Carmilla

is a devoted worshipper of chaos and Dracula. Her name is a reference to the title character of the 1872 novel ''Carmilla'', which predated Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'' by 25 years. Her first appearance was as an antagonist in '' Castlevania II: Simon's Quest''. She later reappeared in '' Castlevania: Dracula X'', '' Castlevania: Circle of the Moon'' (styled as Camilla, non-canon), and ''Castlevania Judgment''.

Carmilla's appearances and names have differed. In ''Simon's Quest'', she was originally known as in the instruction manual, though the in-game hidden clue refers to her as Camilla. The Camilla spelling is also used in ''Circle of the Moon'', while all other appearances favor the Carmilla spelling. Her initial appearance in ''Simon's Quest'' was interpreted as a mask that leaked tears of blood, while later appearances give her a humanoid form.

In ''Circle of the Moon'', she successfully resurrects Dracula in her Austrian castle in 1830. However, he had not regained his full power, so to restore it they plan to sacrifice the vampire hunter Morris Baldwin, father to Hugh Baldwin and mentor to Nathan Graves, during a lunar eclipse of the full moon. As Nathan makes headway in his efforts to rescue his master, Camilla brainwashes Hugh and challenges Nathan to a battle in the Underground Waterway. Despite dying, Camilla revels in the fact the rite to restore Dracula's power is nearly complete.

In ''Rondo of Blood'', Carmilla has a blue-haired companion called , named after the central protagonist and narrator from ''Carmilla''. She is a non-boss enemy in ''Portrait of Ruin'', but is referred to as "Carmilla's eternal servant" in her bestiary entry. In the reboot ''Lords of Shadow'', Laura is Carmilla's daughter, who challenges the main character Gabriel with dangerous games.

In the reboot ''Lords of Shadow'', Carmilla is played by Sally Knyvette. She is one of the titular Lords, ruling over the vampires and is the second lord faced by the protagonist, Gabriel Belmont. She has a vampire "daughter" named Laura. Before sacrificing her soul to heaven, she was known to be a kind woman who loved all of Earth's creatures, and became the opposite as a Lord of Shadow. This is a marked departure from the description of her in life in the original novel. However, the explicit sexuality sometimes attributed to her, most prominently in ''Castlevania: Judgment,'' is a reference to her characterization in the novel. She reappears in the sequel, '' Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2'', with a different appearance.

She appears in the 2018 crossover fighting game ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' as a background character on the Dracula's Castle stage, based on her appearance in ''Simon's Quest''. She also appears at the end of Simon and Richter's reveal trailer, frightening Luigi as his soul is about to re-enter his body.

Ferryman

The is a character whose task is to carry people across dangerous rivers, and takes characters to "meet their destiny". He first appeared in ''Simon's Quest,'' helping him to reach Rover Mansion. He later appears in '' Rondo of Blood'' and its remake, '' The Dracula X Chronicles'', ''Symphony of the Night,'' and'' Legacy of Darkness''.

'' The Adventure'' and '' Belmont's Revenge''

Christopher Belmont

starred in three ''Castlevania'' games as a protagonist, two for the Game Boy and one for the Wii. He was a pre-existing character in the ''Castlevania'' universe even before the games he starred in were released, as he is mentioned by name in the Japanese manual for the first Famicom ''Castlevania'' title, as the last Belmont to have defeated Dracula, one hundred years before Simon. The two Game Boy games were '' Castlevania: The Adventure'' and '' Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge''; in the former, Christopher sets out to defeat Dracula, while in the latter, he has to rescue his son, Soleil Belmont, after he is kidnapped by Count Dracula. He also appears in the Nintendo Wii game '' Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth,'' which is a remake of ''The Adventure''. He also was the protagonist in the limited ''Castlevania: The Belmont Legacy'' comic book series released by IDW Publishing.

Soleil Belmont

appears as a non-playable character in '' Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge'', which was released for the Game Boy in 1991. He was called Soleiyu in the original release of ''Belmont's Revenge,'' which was later corrected to Soleil (French for sun) in the 1998 re-release of the game for the European market.

In 1591, Soleil, who has recently celebrated his coming of age, is captured by Dracula's minions and bewitched to do his bidding. With Soleil's powers, Dracula is able to take human form once again. Christopher Belmont, his father, sets out to stop Dracula and rescue him, which he ultimately succeeds in.

'' Dracula's Curse'' and '' Curse of Darkness''

Trevor Belmont

Trevor Belmont, known as in Japan, appears in '' Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse'', ''Castlevania: Judgment'', ''Akumajo Dracula Pachislot'', and as a supporting character in '' Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.''

In ''Castlevania III,'' Trevor defeated Dracula with help from Grant Danasty, Sypha Belnades and Alucard. He later marries Sypha Belnades and has children with her, adding the prodigious magical powers of the Belnades line to the Belmont line, which would be most prominently seen in Juste Belmont.

He later plays a secondary role in ''Curse of Darkness'', where he investigates the rise of Dracula in the region. He confronts the Devil Forgemaster Hector, and although he initially treats Hector with contempt, he aids him in his quest. After Isaac injures him, Julia LaForeze gets to him in time, but he is unable to help in the battle. Meanwhile, Hector succeeds in stopping Isaac and sending Dracula's castle back into the abyss, effectively lifting the curse placed three years prior. In the game, he is unlocked after beating the game with Hector.

He, along with Sypha Belnades and Grant Danasty, later makes a cameo appearance in '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night,'' when zombies impersonate them to antagonize Alucard. These zombies also appear in '' Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin,'' as Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin trek through the Nest of Evil.

As shown in ''Castlevania: Judgment,'' by the time of Simon Belmont's era, Trevor Belmont is looked up to by his future descendants, along with his wife Sypha, his ally Alucard, and his friend Grant, who are known as the "Greatest Three". This pushes Simon, who is trapped in the Time Rift, to seek them to prove his worthiness. According to the Bradygames Official Guide, Trevor is approximately tall.

In the ''Lords of Shadow'' series, Trevor is the son of Gabriel and Marie Belmont. He debuts in ''Mirror of Fate,'' which reveals that, under orders from Pan, who foresaw Gabriel's turn to darkness, the Brotherhood of Light kept his existence secret from his father, and he was not told of his parentage until adulthood. Shamed by his lineage, he ventures to Dracula's castle to defeat his father and avenge his mother, but falls to Dracula and is impaled by his own combat cross. The Mirror of Fate reveals the truth of his father's circumstances to Trevor, leading him to pity Dracula and reveal his identity as he dies. Horrified, Dracula attempts to revive Trevor by making him drink his blood, but seemingly fails. Never knowing Trevor's true name, Dracula buries him within his castle in a coffin bearing the name "Alucard". Thirty years later, Trevor reawakens as a vampire and takes on the name Alucard, after what was engraved on the coffin. He returns in the sequel ''Lords of Shadow 2,'' where he plays an important part in his father's journey of redemption.

Trevor is voiced by Richard Madden in ''Mirror of Fate''.

Grant Danasty

is a character in ''Castlevania III'' and ''Castlevania: Judgment''. He is a young pirate (listed as an acrobat in the ending sequence of ''Castlevania III's'' Japanese version) and skilled knife fighter. His ship was corrupted by Dracula's magic, and he was transformed into a demon who took over a clock tower in Wallachia. After being defeated by Trevor Belmont, he becomes human again and decides to travel with Trevor to Dracula's castle; after Dracula's defeat, he oversees the restoration of the lands that were affected by his evil. ''Castlevania Judgement'' reveals that he had loved Sypha and wanted to marry her; as a result, he was jealous toward Trevor and chose not to go to their wedding. While rebuilding the nation, he ended up in a time rift and was challenged to fight several champions. He believed that the time rift would give him a chance to change history, allowing him to marry Sypha instead. Instead, his encounters led him to do battle with both Sypha and Trevor; after defeating them, he learned to forgive his friend. After he is returned to his own time, he is later remembered not as the one who helped defeat Dracula, but as the man who rebuilt Wallachia. Despite this, Simon Belmont is shown to remember him as one of the "Greatest Three", forever linked to the Belmont Family as a friend of his ancestors and a strong warrior. His surname is likely a reference to the historical House of Dăneşti, who were persecuted by the historical Vlad III. Dracula is similar to Vlad the Impaler, and is said to have killed Grant's family. This mirrors the real life Vlad Dracula, who killed the Dăneşti Clan, the cousins of the family Vlad's grandfather usurped.

Sypha Belnades

Sypha Belnades, known in Japan as , appears in ''Castlevania III'' and ''Castlevania: Judgment''. She is a priestess, although she introduces herself as a vampire hunter to Trevor in ''Castlevania III's'' Japanese version, and witch of the church, who uses elemental magic in battle, Sypha hid her gender to become a vampire hunter, and fought for the church to destroy evil, despite her sister witches being hunted down by the church. In ''Judgement'', she went on a journey to confront and destroy Dracula, but ended up in the Time Rift and took it upon herself to defeat those tainted by darkness, regardless of their alignment. After the Time Reaper is defeated, she is returned to her own era and continues her journey to destroy Dracula, but is defeated by his minion, the Cyclops, and imprisoned in stone. She is freed when Trevor Belmont kills the Cyclops, and aids him in his battle against Dracula. After Dracula's death, she and Trevor married, adding her magical aptitude to the Belmont bloodline.

In the manual included with the Japanese ''Dracula's Curse'', it is stated she lost her parents when she was young and was found wandering near a monastery in Wallachia, where she was adopted by the monks there. ''Judgment'' elaborates that she belonged to a coven of witches who were executed as a result of Dracula's scheming. ''Judgment's'' storyline reveals that Grant had carried a torch for her since their first meeting in Castlevania, but lacked the resolve to confess to her his feelings and let her slip into Trevor Belmont's arms. Despite this, Sypha is said to have missed her friend when he chose to refuse his invitation to her marriage, patching up their friendship only after Grant's return from the Rift. Sypha, Grant and Trevor are known in Belmont history as ''The Greatest Three'', supreme friends and warriors who are an example for their descendants to follow.

In ''Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate'', Sypha Belmont, née Belnades, is the wife of Trevor and the mother of Simon. She tries to comfort Trevor when he learns of his parents' fate, and sees him off as he ventures forth to battle Dracula. Following Trevor's death, Dracula's forces are unleashed and she is attacked, telling Simon to escape as she is killed by one of Dracula's werewolves. Years later, her soul is found by Simon beneath Dracula's castle, though he is unaware of her identity, and she joins him to protect him on his quest.

She is voiced by Charlotte Emerson in ''Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate''.

Alucard

is Dracula's only child, the half-vampire son of him and a human woman named Lisa. He appears in ''Castlevania III'', ''Aria of Sorrow'', ''Dawn of Sorrow'', ''Judgment'', ''Legends'', and stars in ''Symphony of the Night''. As a reference to the movie '' Son of Dracula'', Alucard is "Dracula" spelled backwards. This is a title Alucard seems to have adopted for himself, as his actual full name is Adrian Fahrenheit Ţepeş.

Alucard also appeared in '' Captain N: The Game Master,'' voiced by Ian James Corlett.

Alucard appears in '' Mirror of Fate'', the second game in the '' Lords of Shadow'' series. It is revealed that this version of Alucard was originally Trevor Belmont, the son of Gabriel and Marie Belmont, before he was turned into a vampire. Trevor grew up not knowing of his true origin until the Brotherhood of Light reveals to him who his parents were. Believing that Dracula murdered his mother in cold blood, he decides to pursue him in hopes of destroying him and bringing peace. During the fight, Trevor is defeated and stabbed with his Combat Cross. As he is dying, through the Mirror of Fate he finally realizes the truth of what happened to Gabriel and feels sorry for him, calling him his father. Dracula learns who Trevor was through the Mirror of Fate, and feeling remorseful for killing his own son, tries to bring him back to life by making him drink his blood, which seemingly fails. After this, Dracula places Trevor in a coffin with the name Alucard, since he never learned his real name. Many years later, Alucard awakens, now with pale white skin, white hair, and glowing orange eyes. He meets up with Dracula and his own son, Simon, and tries to finish what he started, angry that he turned him into a vampire. Dracula asks Alucard to join him in remaking the world and destroying the Brotherhood, but Alucard refuses. Dracula proceeds to attack Simon for being a Belmont, wishing to end the Belmont bloodline due to his hatred of his past life. Alucard and Simon manage to defeat Dracula and part ways as Dracula's castle crumbles.

Alucard also appears as a supporting character in the sequel, '' Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2'', playing an important role in his father's journey of redemption. He is playable in the DLC ''Revelations,'' which takes place shortly before the events of the main game. In the ''Lords of Shadow'' series Alucard is voiced by Richard Madden.

Hector

is the Devil Forgemaster and the main protagonist of ''Curse of Darkness''. He has silver hair and wields a war hammer or sword. After betraying Dracula and leaving for a normal life, he regains his devil forgemaster powers to defeat Isaac and bring peace to the land. The player controls Hector in the normal play mode.

Isaac

appears in ''Curse of Darkness'' and ''Akumajo Dracula Pachislot'' as a recurring antagonist. He is Hector's villainous rival, who stayed loyal to Dracula after Trevor defeated him a few years before the start of the game. The player will fight Isaac a few times over the course of the game.

Julia Laforeze

is Isaac's sister and a witch, who provides items for the player at a shop. Hector notes she resembles Rosaly, his deceased lover.

Saint Germain

appears in ''Curse of Darkness'' and ''Akumajo Dracula Pachislot''.

Angela

Angela is a girl who appears in the ''Akumajo Dracula Pachislot'' games, aiding Ralph C. Belmont on his quest to stop Dracula, who has prematurely risen again. She can use magic, such as casting a spell that annihilates hordes of skeletons and using magic to revive Ralph.

'' Kid Dracula''

Kid Dracula is a lighthearted spinoff of the Castlevania series set sometime in the distant future. In Japan, the series is called ''Akumajō Dracula Special: Boku Dracula-kun''. Though elements from the series have been referenced throughout the main Castlevania series, the series has not been listed on any timeline published by Konami.

Kid Dracula

Kid Dracula is a 10,009 year old being and the lord of Castlevania. He had to retake the castle from Galamoth to return to his throne. In the Game Boy sequel, Kid Dracula defeated Galamoth a second time after the being attempted to capture the castle again. Throughout the series, Kid Dracula makes references to his "father", hinting at him to be an alternative version of Alucard.

In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', Kid Dracula's shadow can sometimes be seen in the background of the Dracula's Castle stage, and he can also be obtained as a collectible Spirit.

Galamoth

(aka Garamoth) is the Lord of Space. He is originally from the Kid Dracula series. Sometime in the distant future, Galamoth tried to take over the Dracula's Castle to become the new Demonlord, but was defeated by Kid Dracula (Kid Dracula Famicom/Mobile phones). He tried to retake the castle again, but was defeated a second time (Kid Dracula GB). Galamoth later appeared as an optional boss in Symphony of the Night, located in the Floating Catacombs. Galamoth appeared in Aria of Sorrow as a soul that allowed Soma Cruz to see past areas blocked by time.

He is referred to by name in ''Castlevania Judgment'' when the Time Reaper is defeated. He is implied to be the one who sent the Time Reaper back 10,000 years into the past destroy Dracula and erase his reign from the timeline.

'' Rondo of Blood'' and ''

Symphony of the Night''

Richter Belmont

has starred as a protagonist in ''Castlevania: Rondo of Blood'' (and its remakes), ''Symphony of the Night'', and ''Akumajō Dracula: The Medal'' (an arcade medallion slot game). His first appearance is the main character in '' Castlevania: Rondo of Blood''. In ''Symphony of the Night'', a direct sequel which takes place five years later, he became a brainwashed primary antagonist; however, completing the game unlocks an option to play the entire game as Richter. However, there is an alternate ending to ''Symphony of the Night'' that suggests that he was the cause of Dracula's return. He is also playable in an extra mode in '' Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin''.

Hero of the '' Castlevania: Dracula X'' games and a major character in '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'', Richter had to battle legions of Dracula's monsters to save his love interest Annette. In ''Symphony of the Night'', Richter mysteriously disappears upon investigating Dracula's recently reconstructed castle. It is later revealed that he was brainwashed by Shaft, a dark priest and servant of Dracula. Players will end up facing Richter: physically defeating him will result in the game ending early, whereas freeing him from Shaft's control will continue the game.

In his first two appearances, as well as the prologue for the third, Richter wears a headband and a blue uniform. In ''Symphony of the Night'', only in the Saturn version following the prologue, his hair is noticeably longer and his attire appears more regal, matching Ayami Kojima's redesign of the character (the PlayStation version reuses the ''Rondo of Blood'' sprites). He also gains a few new abilities, notably a dash, a slide attack, and a super jump that doubles as an uppercut.

In ''Portrait of Ruin'', Jonathan Morris fights a recreation of Richter (called "Whip's Memory") in a test created by Stella and Loretta Lecarde to unlock the Vampire Killer's full power, as he is the last known Belmont to wield the whip before Julius Belmont killed Dracula in 1999. Richter also appears in the game as one of the Five Greatest. Richter appears in the 2018 crossover fighting game ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' as a playable character alongside his ancestor Simon, to whom he has a similar set of moves, being labelled as an "echo fighter". '' Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania'' features Richter Belmont as a playable character.

In Japanese, Richter is voiced by Jin Horikawa in ''Castlevania: Rondo of Blood'' and by Kiyoyuki Yanada in all subsequent appearances with the exception of the 2008 audio drama ''Akumajō Dracula X: Tsuioku no Yasōkyoku'', where he is voiced by Shin-ichiro Miki. In English, Richter is voiced by Scott McCulloch in ''Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'', by David Vincent in '' Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles'' (including the ''Symphony of the Night'' redub), and ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', by Bérenger Dupré in ''Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania'', and by SungWon Cho in '' Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania''.

Maria Renard

is a local village girl with the power to control the Four Symbols of Chinese mythology. She appears in the PC Engine video game ''Akumajō Dracula X: Rondo of Blood'' (and its remakes ''Dracula X Chronicles'' for PSP and ''Castlevania Dracula X'' for Super NES), as well as in ''Symphony of the Night'', ''Castlevania Judgment'', and ''Akumajō Dracula: The Medal''. She is a distant blood relative of the Belmont clan (no mention of that connection is to be found in '' Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles'', where she is instead said to be the daughter of a local lord). In the Super NES version of '' Castlevania: Dracula X'', she's also said to be the sister of Richter's beloved Annette, a detail that's not alluded to in the other games. She was later adopted by the Belmont family in ''Castlevania Judgment''.

In 1792, Maria's parents were killed, and she was captured, along with several other young women, and taken to Dracula's castle. Richter Belmont saved Maria from Shaft, one of Dracula's servants, who was attempting to cast a spell on her. Once Maria is rescued, she becomes playable and uses various magically enhanced animal attacks for combat. There exists an ending in which, instead of Richter doing it, Maria confronts and defeats the Count. In the introduction sequence to ''Symphony of the Night'' (a retelling of the final boss battle in ''Rondo of Blood''), if Richter's health completely runs out, a 12-year-old Maria will appear and amplify Richter with her magic in his effort to defeat Dracula. ''Judgment'' further explains that she fought alongside Richter in defeating Dracula and has power that rivals the Belmonts. Unlike Annette, if you fail to save her in ''Rondo of Blood'', you will not face her at the end.

Four years after the defeat of Dracula, Richter vanished. Maria immediately set out to find him. After a year of searching, in 1797, she finally found Castlevania. In the castle she learned that Richter was working in concert with the dark forces. With Maria's help, the half-vampire Alucard was able to break Shaft's hold on Richter and defeat Dracula. Depending on certain player actions in Symphony, the player will receive different endings. In one, Maria will admit to not being able to live without Alucard and go after him. In another, she will resign herself due to the fact that she cannot ease his torment and returns home with Richter.

Maria also appears in ''Judgment'' with a more bratty personality. She constantly trips and miscalculates her powerful magics, for comedic effect, and she acts mostly unaware of the Time Rift's nature, for example believing that Simon and Trevor merely stole the Vampire Killer from her friend Richter. She is also seemingly obsessed with her young age and diminutive body, going so far to openly complain against Carmilla and Shanoa for their developed bodies, and claim that Sypha's large breasts are a "gift from God", lashing out to her for suggesting that her beauty may pose a liability in combat.

Shaft

is a dark priest that appears as the secondary antagonist of '' Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo'' and '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night''. In 1792, Shaft aids Dracula in his plans to kidnap several young women. He is defeated by Richter after conjuring several monsters in an attempt to defeat him. Later in the game, Shaft's ghost makes a final attempt to stop the hero.

In 1797, Dracula's monsters kidnap Richter and brainwash him. Shaft is instrumental in using his evil powers to control Richter, turning him against anyone who seeks to defy Dracula. Maria guesses that he is under their influence and helps Alucard to see past Shaft's deception. Alucard is able to save Richter instead of killing him, and goes on to defeat Shaft, although not before Shaft successfully revives Dracula just before being stopped for good.

Annette

is Richter's fiancée. In '' Castlevania: Rondo of Blood''—and also ''Dracula X'' for the SNES and ''Dracula X Chronicles'' for the PSP—she was kidnapped by Dracula's minions, along with Maria, Iris, and Terra. Failing to save her will result in having to face her in ''Dracula X'' and ''The Dracula X Chronicles'', where she is turned into a vampire who takes Death's and Shaft's ghost's respective places as the boss. In the English localization of the SNES game '' Castlevania: Dracula X'', her name was spelled as "Anett" during the game's intro storyline. Depicted as a purple haired young girl in her original ''Rondo of Blood'' design, she was redesigned as a blonde in the same way as Maria, and wearing more aristocratic attire in ''Dracula X'' for the SNES and in ''Chronicles'' for the PSP.

Iris and Tera

is the head nun of Richter's village, and is the doctor's daughter. They were kidnapped by Dracula's minions to taunt Richter, along with Annette and Maria. Tera sees Richter as a warrior of God and Maria as angel sent by Heaven, thanking them both for saving her. Iris, being a doctor's daughter, helps heal the wounds of the duo when they rescue her as a show of thanks.

Lisa

is Alucard's mother and Dracula's second wife, seeing past her husband's personality to see the lonely man he truly is. She was executed on the charge of witchcraft after healing villagers with penicillin, spurring Dracula's genocidal vendetta against humanity. Alucard witnessed her death and promised her not to hate humans and tells Dracula she will love him for eternity, which Alucard relays in ''Symphony of the Night''.

Golem

Golem is a recurring character found throughout the Castlevania series. His first appearance was in Rondo of Blood. Golem was originally created by Carmilla to be a mindless guard of ancient ruins. When he was pulled into the time rift by Aeon, the rift gives him self-awareness. He fought the champions to become human, and discover the meaning of his existence. He lost his self-awareness, after being returned to his own time frame (Castlevania Judgment). IGA says he is based on Golem-type monsters, like the Franken, from Castlevania I.

Master Librarian

The is the loyal servant of Dracula in charge of the knowledge of the library. He will sell items to young master Alucard for a price.

Succubus

In ''Symphony of the Night'', a assumed the guise of Lisa at the time of her death to tempt Alucard into turning on the humans, only to be killed upon him learning her true identity. Succubus, or a member of her race, appears in ''Lament of Innocence'' and ''Akumajo Dracula Pachislot''.

Olrox

In ''Symphony of the Night'', is a vampire with his own designated section of the castle. During his battle with Alucard, he transforms into a large gecko-like monster but is defeated. Olrox later appears as the central antagonist of the 2008 light novel ''Akumajō Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku'', where he assumes leadership of the remnants of Graham Jones' doomsday cult.

Olrox is a pastiche of Count Orlok, the central antagonist of the 1922 horror film ''Nosferatu''.

''

Legends''

Castlevania Legends and Sonia Belmont were rendered non-canonical when the game was redacted from IGA's series timeline due to inconsistencies.

Sonia Belmont

is the protagonist of ''Castlevania Legends''. At the age of seventeen she lived in a remote part of Transylvania. She was born with special abilities that allowed her to sense the presence of physical and spiritual beings, and was taught how to use a whip by her grandfather. It is not explicitly stated whether the whip she uses is the Vampire Killer or not.

Within the castle, she encounters Alucard, the half-vampire son of Dracula. She had met him some time before and it can be inferred from their dialogue that the two had formed a romantic relationship. Alucard was intent on dissuading Sonia from her goal, planning to stop his father alone. When Sonia would not yield, he challenged her to a battle to test her abilities. After she defeated him, Alucard was confident that Sonia could overcome Dracula and he went into a self-imposed sleep. Sonia defeated Dracula, and spared Europe from his evil influence for a time. Sometime after Dracula's defeat, Sonia bore a child who "would carry on the fate and tragedy of the Belmont family, and the bloodline of dark ways." The child would grow up to fight Dracula again and become a hero.

Sonia was one of the confirmed leads in the Dreamcast game '' Castlevania: Resurrection'', up until that game's cancellation.

Sonia appears as a playable character for the '' Ode to Castlevania'' DLC in Vampire Survivors.

'' Bloodlines'' and ''

Portrait of Ruin''

John Morris

John Morris, known as in Japan, made an appearance in a single ''Castlevania'' game, '' Castlevania: Bloodlines''. He is a descendant of the Belmont family, and wields the Vampire Killer whip, much like his ancestors. John died some time after the events of ''Bloodlines'', as it was revealed his wounds wouldn't heal. This was caused by his using the Vampire Killer whip, which would sap the strength of someone that was not a full-blooded descendant of the Belmont lineage, but by the time John learned this, it was too late.

''Bloodlines'' is deeply intertwined with the storyline of Bram Stoker's Dracula. As such, the father of John Morris is Quincy Morris, a character from the novel. It is only known that the Morrises are somehow of Belmont lineage. In the novel, Quincy stabs Dracula at the cost of his life, while Harker cuts off Dracula's head. However, that fact he managed to unknowingly deal a crippling blow to Dracula may have been the foundation for his part in the ''Castlevania'' version of these events. Though he does not appear in any ''Castlevania'' game, Quincy is a playable character in ''Vampire Survivors'' as part of the ''Ode to Castlevania'' DLC.

Eric Lecarde

appears in Bloodlines, Portrait of Ruin, and Judgment. Born on May 3, 1892, in Segovia, Spain, he uses the Alucard Spear (mistranslated as "Alcarde Spear" in ''Bloodlines''). The spear was created by Alucard to complement the power of the Vampire Killer, and fight alongside the Morris line. When Elizabeth Bartley attempted to revive Dracula, Eric volunteered to fight alongside his friend John Morris in the hunt. However, he had not told John the real reason behind his appetite for vengeance: the Countess turned the love of his life, Gwendolyn, into a vampire.

Years later, Eric set out towards Dracula's Castle to investigate its reappearance, but was slain by the vampire Brauner. Unbeknownst to him, Eric's daughters had followed him into the castle and bore witness to his death, but both were then bitten by Brauner and turned into vampires. Unable to cross into the afterlife, Eric's ghost remained in the castle and was later met by Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin. Initially calling himself "Wind", Eric tested the pair's abilities with various side-quests. After being confronted by Jonathan following a skirmish with Stella, in which a locket holding a photo of him and his daughters was recovered, Eric disclosed his true identity and the full story behind himself, his daughters, and Jonathan's father. Once his daughters are rescued and Brauner and Dracula are both destroyed, Eric appears before his friends and family and gives them one last heartfelt moment together before crossing over into the afterlife.

In ''Judgment'', Eric believed that the spear's potential was greater than the whip, and sought to prove that. While training he found himself in a time rift, having been brought there by Aeon. Eric believed the rift would give him a chance to prove the spear's potential against the Vampire Killer. After the defeat of Galamoth he was returned to his own time (Judgment).

Elizabeth Bartley

According to the game's story, is Dracula's niece, raised back from the dead by her servant . She triggered the start of World War I by assassinating the Crown Prince of Austria, then gathered the souls of those who died in the war to revive Dracula. In the final stage, she initially fights John and Eric in the form of a Medusa, then attacks with elemental spells before ultimately being killed.

She is based on the actual Countess Erzsébet Báthory, and was likely intended to ''be'' her, as Báthory's first name is commonly anglicized to "Elizabeth", and the name "Bartley" likely being a mistranslation.

Drolta Tzuentes

Drolta Tzuentes is a subservient witch of Elizabeth Bartley who resurrects her master. (The American ''Castlevania: Bloodlines'' instruction book gives contradictory information, saying that she is an "amateur witch" who "casts a spell which inadvertently brings Elizabeth Bartley back to life".) Drolta then accompanies Elizabeth in their plot to resurrect Count Dracula.

Drolta Tzuentes is based on Dorottya Szentes (Dorottya Semtész) who is one of the servants of Erzsébet Báthory (the historical version of Elizabeth Bartley) who, along with 2 others, are said to have been tried, convicted, and executed as accomplices to the crimes done by the noblewoman.

Jonathan Morris

is a member of the Morris family of vampire hunters and appears in '' Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin''. The wielder of the Vampire Killer in 1944, Jonathan received basic training from his father John Morris as a child. He tends to be a reckless youth, a trait which makes his childhood friend Charlotte Aulin worry about his well-being much of the time. He can, however, be very observant. After his father died, Jonathan grew to resent him, though neither he nor Charlotte knew that the soul-sapping effects of a non-Belmont using the Vampire Killer in battle resulted in his death.

After learning the truth about his father and the Vampire Killer from Eric, Jonathan gained a newfound respect for his father. Jonathan may then choose whether or not to battle the whip's memory of Richter Belmont, who was the last Belmont to wield the whip. and successfully unleash the full power of the Vampire Killer. He knows full well that he may perish from using it, though it is up to the player to decide whether to engage this optional encounter, and the canonical choice is unknown. Regardless, Jonathan and Charlotte traveled to the top of Dracula's Castle, and battled the combined forces of Count Dracula and Death, which had not previously occurred before according to Charlotte. When Dracula was vanquished, his castle was destroyed and Jonathan and the others escaped unscathed.

Charlotte Aulin

is a magic user said to be descended from the Belnades clan. She shows strong potential as a sorceress. Along with Jonathan, she ventures into the castle to destroy Dracula. She is a smart girl who relies on enchanted books for information, to cast spells, and to summon weapons for close-range attacks. She also tends to be a nosy and talkative person, which is how she found out about Jonathan and the Vampire Killer, something which, according to Jonathan, she was supposed to keep secret. Charlotte is concerned about Jonathan's ability to wield the whip and assists him with the best she can, but she hates getting treated as (or even being called) a child. She tends to take things rationally and logically, which makes her seem unemotional but she is in fact a caring and compassionate young woman.

Brauner

is a famous painter who forsook his humanity after losing his daughters during World War I. Now a vampire, he screams for vengeance upon humanity for their deaths.

When Dracula's Castle first appeared, Brauner used his special paintings to keep Dracula sealed so that he could keep the dark lord's power all for himself. Eric Lecarde set off to investigate the castle, but was ambushed by Brauner and slain. At the same time, Eric's daughters Stella and Loretta arrived to bear witness to their father's death, and Brauner bit both girls so as to turn them into his new vampiric "daughters".

When Jonathan and Charlotte finally confront Brauner, he flies into a rage over having lost his "daughters" again and attacks the pair. As he is defeated, Brauner explains the reasons for his actions, but is then slain by Death in order to revive Dracula.

Stella and Loretta

and are the daughters of Eric Lecarde, the older sister Stella being a master swordswoman with powerful wind-based attacks while Loretta wields powerful ice spells while serving as Stella's support. The vampire Brauner believe the two of them to be the reincarnations of his deceased daughters, having turned them to vampires and subjected them to a spell that causes their past lives to take control of them.

Brauner's "daughters" initially prevent Jonathan and Charlotte from investigating the castle. After a short fight with Stella, the two learn of the sisters' true identities when they find a locket containing a picture with both girls and Eric Lecarde, prompting Eric's ghost to reveal what happened to his daughters. The four of them later confront each other in the highest areas of the castle. While it is possible to kill the sisters (triggering a bad ending), Jonathan and Charlotte must use the "Sanctuary" spell to restore Stella and Loretta to their true selves. Their minds and humanity restored, the sisters open a door that leads to Brauner's studio and also offer Jonathan a way to unlock the true power of the Vampire Killer.

Upon defeating Dracula, Jonathan, Charlotte, Stella, and Loretta escape the castle, where Eric appears before them and tells his daughters to not burden themselves over their actions and move. Eric passes to the other side, leaving Stella and Loretta in tears, but they soon recover and thank Jonathan and Charlotte.

Stella and Loretta are playable in "Sisters Mode", which takes place before the main game and chronicles their search for their missing father. Unlike Jonathan and Charlotte, the player use the stylus to attack and the D-Pad to move them around, as they can also fly. As Stella, the player attacks enemies by slicing enemies with the stylus, and as Loretta, the player points at enemies to shoot a beam of ice.

Vincent Dorin

is a priest that serves as the game merchant. Jonathan and Charlotte meet him in front of the castle and then near the entrance. Vincent is a rather greedy person, even if he explains that it is for the church. He also gets bitten during the game and begs the two heroes to cure him (the player can choose to cure him or not, and while it affects the ending, it is not something noticeable). Even when cured, he isn't as much in debt concerning his merchandise.

His name was reused for an abbot in the reboot, ''Lords of Shadow''. He went insane by isolating himself and protecting a priceless artifact, while his townspeople were being slaughtered by supernatural creatures.

''Castlevania'' (1999) and '' Legacy of Darkness''

IGA claimed in 2006 that ''Castlevania'' and ''Legacy of Darkness'' for the Nintendo 64 were considered side projects to his timeline. However, the games were later listed on the 20th Anniversary Timeline, without any description. IGA later clarified that he looks at the titles as "...a Castlevania "gaiden" (subseries)" and complemented them by stating "...they both have a really unique take on the Castlevania world." Iga later included Cornell in Castlevania Judgment (Nov 2008) (drawn from his era of the timeline by magical forces). The game and manual makes references to Legacy of Darkness story. Events and characters related to the game such as Ada are mentioned during Cornell's mission and by some of the characters who encounter Cornell during their missions (such as Death & Camilla). Legacy of Darkness is said to be Cornell's previous appearance in the manual.

Reinhardt Schneider

Though the Belmont surname may no longer follow , the blood inside of his veins remains the same, and his destiny is no different. He is the son of Michael Gelhart Schneider. Villagers have been found mutilated and drained of blood near Dracula's castle, and Reinhardt has to stop it. He carries the typical Vampire Killer whip but can also wield a shortsword for close-range combat for which the whip may prove unsuitable; although the surname "Schneider" usually carries the same connotation as does the English surname "Tailor," its literal translation from German is the more general "one who cuts."

He is voiced by Andrew Hanikson.

Carrie Fernández

Carrie Fernández, known in Japan as , is a magic-wielding girl descended from the Belnades clan. She was estranged from the populace of Wallachia for her affinity with magic, her mother dying to protect her from an angry mob. She turned her back on others, but when she learned that Dracula had once again risen, she took it upon herself to use her powers to stop him. She is Camilla Fernández's cousin, who is also captured by a vampire and turned into one.

She is voiced by Bianca Allen.

Actrise

is a Dracula's witch servant, she sacrificed her own child to become immortal. She plays an antagonist role in Carrie's quest, offering her a chance to join Dracula, in which Carrie refuses. In the Castle Center, Actrise sics a Fernández warrior, who became a vampire, on Carrie in an attempt to stop her from reaching Dracula. After Carrie defeats her cousin, she and Actrise do battle on top of one of the castle towers, in which Actrise is overwhelmed and killed by Carrie. She also appears in Cornell's quest and taunts him, and is revealed to be responsible for turning Henry's father into a vampire.

Rosa

is a woman who was recently turned into a vampire. She meets Reinhardt and Carrie in the Villa, watering flowers with blood. She plays a major role in Reinhardt's quest. She is seen next attempting to kill herself, walking into sunlight. Reinhardt stops her. She is then encountered with Death in the Castle Center in which she and Reinhardt do battle. She is defeated by him but is spared before Death takes her away. When Death ambushes Reinhardt, Rosa sacrifices herself by throwing herself into the path of Death's scythes. Rosa is comforted by Reinhardt as she dies, and then Death is defeated by a vengeful Reinhardt. In the end, after Dracula's defeat, Rosa is seen restored into human form and she and Reinhardt look upon Dracula's sunken castle.

Gilles de Rais

is one of Dracula's servants. He used Cornell's power to reincarnate his master in the body of Malus. He later disguises himself as Dracula in preparation for his lord's eventual resurrection and kidnapped children to offer them as sacrifice and thus resurrect his master. He is later defeated by Reinhardt and Carrie in Dracula's throne room, where it is revealed he was an imposter.
He is probably based on the historical person of the same name.

Renon

is a demonic salesman who appears intermittently throughout the game. He claims that "one needs gold even in Hell these days", and will gladly sell the player various power-ups such as spells and potions. Renon can be summoned by picking up a contract scroll that appears in various levels. The scroll then turns into an open briefcase. If the player spends more than 30,000 gold pieces before encountering Dracula, Renon transforms into his demon form and attempts to claim your soul for Hell.

Charles Vincent

is a vampire hunter. His mannerisms seem to indicate that he is very intelligent, but lacks real experience with vampires or other evils. Charles plays a key role in the game.

If the player takes less time in reaching the Castle Keep and defeats Dracula for the first time, he changes back into Malus, but Charles douses him with holy water, before Dracula warps the player to an alternate dimension for the final battle. After Dracula's defeat, Charles' fate is unknown.

However, if the player takes more time in reaching the Castle Keep, Charles will arrive before them. He will fail in his attempt to subdue Dracula, and will be turned into a vampire instead. The player will be forced to fight and kill Charles. If this happens, then the heroes will not see through Dracula's illusions and ultimately fail in their quest.

Cornell

, also known as "Blue Crescent Moon", is a werewolf seen in both '' Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness'' and ''Castlevania Judgment''. He is a member of a warrior clan cursed to turn into beastmen. He is the only member of his clan who had the ability to control his change. He was the only one of his brethren who refused to join the forces of Dracula. He honed his skills in the hopes of finding a cure for his clan and to protect his sister Ada. One day while out training he found himself unable to control his powers and was stuck in beast form (''Castlevania Judgement''). He encountered Aeon, a time traveler, who told him he had entered a time rift. Aeon challenged him, and told him the time rift would let him learn more about the nature of the curse. After encountering several champions from different eras, he learns from Camilla and Death that they still need him, and is told that there is a possibility of a cure for him (though he doesn't trust them). After the defeat of the Time Reaper, Cornell was returned to his own era, 1844. He returned to find his village in flame, and his sister Ada kidnapped. He then journeyed after the kidnappers to save his sister. He discovered that Dracula's castle had risen again, and that his fellow man-beast Ortega had kidnapped his sister. During his battles he saves the young Henry Oldrey, and later defeats Ortega. He learned from Ortega, that Death, Gilles De Rais, and Actrise had plotted the kidnapping of Ada to empower a newly raised Dracula. Dracula later reveals to the audience that his sister is not a blood relative. Cornell fights Dracula to save her causing Dracula to be pulled into a vortex of energy. Dracula traps Cornell with his last power and tries to take Ada with him. The beast within Cornell freed itself from his body and saves Ada, but is captured and pulled into the vortex by Dracula. Cornell had become fully human, and was able to live the rest of a normal life with Ada (Legacy of Darkness).

According to IGA, "I believe many people did not expect to see Cornell. I really wanted to include a beast man type character, so I picked him."

He is voiced by John Nuzzo (Legacy of Darkness).

A new version of Cornell appears in Lords of Shadow, voiced by Richard Ridings. He is the Dark Lord of the Lycans and the first Lords of Shadow that Gabriel encounters.

Ortega

grew up in the same village as Cornell, a fellow man-beast, being a friend of his, but also a rival. The rivalry caused Ortega an increasing amount of frustration, as he was constantly being outdone on every occasion, and he started searching for a way to gain the kind of powers that would make him stronger than even Cornell.

This search led him on the path of darkness, as the only one able to grant him the request proved to be Dracula. As a condition for gaining the new powers, Dracula demanded of Ortega to aid his demons on their mission to kidnap Cornell's sister Ada and destroy the village. He was also to stop Cornell from rescuing Ada. Ortega accepted these conditions, and thus sealed his pact with the devil, gaining amazing power, but losing his humanity.

Ortega eventually fights Cornell as a Chimera on top one of the castle towers, but is defeated by him. Ortega accepts his defeat, but with his powers becoming out of control, he leaps off the castle tower to his death.

Henry Oldrey

is the son of Mary and J. A. Oldrey. He was rescued by Cornell. Years later he became a knight of the church. He helped rescue the children kidnapped by Gilles de Rais.

He is voiced by Takashi Bratcher.

'' Circle of the Moon''

IGA claimed in 2006 that ''Circle of the Moon'' was considered a side project to his timeline. Elements from the game were mentioned in the English Xtreme Desktop Timeline, but the game itself was not included on the timeline. The English language timeline, distributed with preordered versions of Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin in North America by Konami of America, includes the date for Circle of the Moon though the events are not described. Circle of the Moon continues to occupy an ambiguous place in the timelines published by Konami of Japan, Konami of America, and various gaming publications.

Nathan Graves

is the protagonist of Circle of the Moon. Nathan's parents were friends of his teacher, Morris Baldwin. Ten years before the events in ''Circle of the Moon'', Nathan's parents banished Dracula, at the cost of their lives. Morris managed to survive, and took Nathan as a student. Nathan was trained alongside Morris' son, Hugh, to become a vampire killer. Nathan has been chosen by Morris to be the successor of the Hunter Whip. He encounters many of Carmilla's cohorts, such as , before saving his master from lord Dracula.

Hugh Baldwin

is the son of Morris and Nathan's rival. Hugh envies Nathan for being chosen by his father for possession of the Hunter Whip. However, Nathan does not reciprocate his hate, and often tries to reason with him. Dracula takes advantage of Hugh's discontent and entices him to kill Nathan near the end of the game. After being defeated, Hugh comes back to his senses and feels a new-found respect for Nathan and his father's decision to give Nathan the Hunter Whip.

Morris Baldwin

is Hugh's father and a veteran Vampire Hunter. He and Nathan's parents sealed Count Dracula in 1820, ten years before the events in ''Circle of the Moon''. Morris chose Nathan as his successor instead of his son, Hugh, because he suspected that his son only wanted the whip for the glory of inheriting the family heirloom. Though the game was not listed, Morris Baldwin was mentioned in the English Xtreme Desktop Timeline.

''

Harmony of Dissonance''

Juste Belmont

is the primary protagonist in '' Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance.'' In 1748, he entered Dracula's castle with his ally Maxim Kischine to locate the remaining relics of Dracula and save his friend Lydie Erlanger. He wears his bracelet, as does Maxim his own, and carries the "Vampire Killer" whip. Juste is an exceptional spell caster due to the Belnades blood running through his veins, and his abilities are considered prodigious among his fellow family members. Juste received the Vampire Killer when he was only 16.

Juste appears in ''Portrait of Ruin'' when using the "Greatest Five" attack.

Richter Belmont is the grandson of Juste Belmont.

Maxim Kischine

is a childhood friend and rival of Juste, and the wielder of the Stellar Sword. He is responsible for unwillingly triggering the events that take place in 1748, during ''Harmony of Dissonance'', by wishing to relieve Juste of his fate and become more powerful than he is. Inspired by the tale of Simon Belmont, Maxim gathered the cursed remains of Count Dracula so he could destroy them, and in doing so created an evil Maxim in his soul that hungered for power and destruction like Dracula did.

In the best ending, Juste helps Maxim overcome his dark influence by wearing their bracelets as a reminder of their friendship. Though not at full power, the evil Maxim takes Dracula's remains (gathered by Juste during his quest) and turns into a ghostly incarnation of Dracula (Dracula Wraith), then into a giant creature made of the body parts before finally being slain. Maxim is restored to normal afterwards.

Maxim is playable in a secret gameplay mode of ''Harmony of Dissonance''. His Stellar Sword is also an obtainable weapon in ''Portrait of Ruin''. When wielding it, Jonathan can summon multiple illusions of himself to attack all on-screen enemies, similar to Maxim's own abilities.

Lydie Erlanger

is a childhood friend to both Juste and Maxim, and a person whom they deeply care about. Her presence is comforting to the young men, who underwent strict physical training. She was first kidnapped by Maxim's dark side and held within Dracula's castle, then kidnapped by Death so that the evil Maxim could take her blood and be properly resurrected as Dracula. After the Dracula Wraith is slain, her bite wounds are healed.

Merchant

A shopkeeper character in ''Harmony of Dissonance''. All that is known about him is that he stumbled into Dracula's castle during his travels and, being unable to escape, set up shops through the castle. Many of his shops can only be accessed when Juste meets certain status conditions, such as having an even number of Hearts or when possessing a rare item.

'' Aria of Sorrow'' and '' Dawn of Sorrow''

Soma Cruz

Soma Cruz, known in the original Japanese version as , is the protagonist and primary playable character of both ''Aria of Sorrow'' and ''Dawn of Sorrow'', and also is one of starting characters in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. His Japanese voice actor in all games is Hikaru Midorikawa. Soma's presence in two ''Castlevania'' games, unusual for most ''Castlevania'' characters, was made by producer Koji Igarashi, who noted that one of the reasons he made ''Dawn of Sorrow'' was to utilize Soma Cruz in another game.

In both games' international versions, he is depicted as a transfer student from Romania studying in Japan (or simply as a Japanese high school student, in the Japanese version), living a peaceful life with his childhood friend Mina Hakuba. During the events of ''Aria of Sorrow'', Soma awakens in Dracula's castle, where he learns of his "power of dominance," which enables him to absorb the souls of monsters and use their powers. He ventures through Dracula's castle, learning that Dracula had been destroyed years prior, and his reincarnation was coming to the castle that day. Defeating Graham Jones, who had harbored the notion that he was Dracula's reincarnation, causes Soma to realize that he is Dracula's reincarnation. With the aid of his friends, he is able to escape his fate by defeating the manifestation of the castle's chaos. In ''Dawn of Sorrow'', Soma returns into battle to combat Celia Fortner's cult, which seeks to kill Soma and revive the dark lord. Soma manages to defeat them, and realizes at the end of the game that he is free to determine his own destiny rather than inevitably become another Dracula.

Mina Hakuba

is the childhood friend of Soma Cruz and the only daughter of the priest of the Hakuba shrine. Her attire in ''Aria of Sorrow'' reflects this, as her attire is that of a traditional miko. She is transported into Dracula's castle alongside Soma at the start of ''Aria of Sorrow'' and remains outside the castle for the duration of the game, offering Soma advice that she acquires from Arikado. When Soma realizes that he is Dracula's reincarnation, Mina is able to accept him for who he is, and offers him moral support. After Soma escapes his fate, Mina returns to the Hakuba shrine with him. In ''Dawn of Sorrow'', Mina is briefly present in the game, present solely in the opening and ending sequences. In the beginning of ''Dawn of Sorrow'', she and Soma are nearly killed by Celia Fortner, who is repelled by Soma and Arikado. Mina spends the remainder protected by Arikado's subordinates, but sends a letter and talisman to Soma during the course of the game. A doppelgänger of her also appears in a later stage in the game. When confronted by Soma, Celia fakes killing the doppelgänger in front of him, prompting a furious Soma to begin to transform into the dark lord. The talisman she sends him however, delays the transformation enough for Genya to reveal the truth to Soma, halting his transformation. At the end of the game, she and Soma share a tender moment, to the amusement of their onlooking friends. Given the striking similarity, Mina's name seems to have been inspired by Mina Harker from the original Bram Stoker works.

Julius Belmont

is the latest member of the Belmont clan featured in the ''Castlevania'' series.
Members of the Belmont clan have been the protagonists of most ''Castlevania'' games, and Julius' role as a supporting character is unusual for the series. His Japanese voice actor in both games is Tetsu Inada. In both ''Aria of Sorrow'' and ''Dawn of Sorrow'', Julius is playable through "Julius Mode." While the "Julius Mode" in ''Aria of Sorrow'' solely features Julius, Yoko Belnades and Alucard can be unlocked as playable characters in the "Julius Mode" in ''Dawn of Sorrow''. In Harmony of Despair he becomes a DLC character.

Prior to the event taking place in Aria of Sorrow, Julius is the last and only Belmont to permanently defeat Dracula in 1999 thus ending his rebirth cycle by sealing his source of power (Dracula's Castle) inside a solar eclipse. However, Julius somehow became amnesiac and wandered the land until he arrived at Dracula's castle as the amnesiac "J," having forgotten his identity after defeating Dracula prior to the start of the game. He encounters Soma Cruz, and Soma's dark power awakens Julius' memories. Julius later confronts Soma after realizing that Soma is Dracula's reincarnation, and battles him. Julius, unwilling to pit his full power against Soma, is defeated. After Soma escapes his fate of becoming another dark lord, Julius sends his thanks. After the events in ''Aria of Sorrow'', Julius works for the Roman Catholic Church as a paranormal investigator alongside Yoko Belnades. In ''Dawn of Sorrow'', he travels to the base housing Celia Fortner's cult with Yoko. Julius later battles Dario Bossi, one of the "dark lord's candidates" and Celia's henchman, and is defeated. After Celia and Dmitrii Blinov, the last candidate, flee into the depths of the castle, Julius uses all his power to shatter the barrier guarding their flight. He is greatly weakened as a result, and does not participate in the final battle; although he appears during the final cutscene of the game.

Genya Arikado

is a member of a Japanese government organization related to national security. In truth, he is Alucard, the son of Dracula, best known as the protagonist in Konami's highly acclaimed '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night''. During the events in ''Aria of Sorrow'', he comes to Dracula's castle to ensure that a dark lord is not created. He instructs Soma Cruz to seek the throne room in Dracula's castle, hoping that Soma will absorb Dracula's powers. The gambit succeeds, and Soma nearly becomes the dark lord. However, Arikado reveals that if Soma destroys the flow of chaos into the castle, he will be able to escape his fate. After Soma succeeds, Arikado congratulates him.

In ''Dawn of Sorrow'', Arikado battles Celia Fortner's cult, which wishes to revive the dark lord. Arikado saves Soma from certain death after Celia attempts to kill him personally, and instructs Soma not to pursue her. Soma ignores his directive, and travels to the cult's base. Arikado confronts him, and gives him a letter and talisman from Mina. Arikado later appears to stop Celia from using a doppelgänger to force Soma to become the dark lord, but is forced to let her leave after a revived Dmitrii Blinov threatens Soma's life. Arikado travels into the castle's basement, and attempts to stop Dmitrii. Dmitrii uses Celia as a sacrifice to seal Arikado's powers, leaving Soma to battle him. After Soma is victorious, Arikado reveals that he is not predestined to become the dark lord, and notes that one will emerge if necessary. Arikado becomes playable as Alucard if the player unlocks "Julius Mode".

Yoko Belnades

Yoko Belnades, known in Japan as , is a witch in the service of the Church. She is a member of the Belnades clan, whose members are adept at magic, a trait they inherited from the clan's progenitor, Sypha Belnades. In both games, she is voiced by: Hiroko Takahashi. Yoko comes to Dracula's castle during the events of ''Aria of Sorrow'' to stop Graham Jones, whom she believes will inherit Dracula's powers. She solicits the aid of Soma Cruz, but is stabbed by Graham when he confronts her. She is saved by Arikado, and later thanks Soma for saving her, expressing her shock that he was Dracula's reincarnation.

Yoko returns in ''Dawn of Sorrow'' as an associate of Julius Belmont. However, Julius quickly abandons her to search the castle. Yoko teaches Soma the use of a Magic Seal, and offers to increase the power of his weapons by binding the souls under his dominance to them. Although Hammer is infatuated with her, she appears to be either oblivious or uncaring of his affections. She appears during the final cutscene at the end of the game. Yoko is playable in the game's "Julius Mode." and in Harmony of Despair as a DLC character.

Hammer

is a member of the United States military that comes to the Hakuba shrine on orders from his superiors. He quickly abandons his mission when he is teleported into Dracula's castle, and on meeting Soma Cruz, becomes his vendor, serving as the game's in-game shop. During this time, he falls in love with Yoko Belnades, who does not reciprocate his affection. After Soma defeats the manifestation of chaos in the castle, he expresses his thanks to Soma, and says that he will quit the military to pursue his ambition of becoming a salesman.

After leaving the military, Hammer starts his work as an independent merchant, and acts as an information broker through his "shady business contacts." It is through this information that Soma discovers the location of Celia Fortner's base in ''Dawn of Sorrow''. Hammer arrives, and promises to be Soma's vendor again. He stations his shop directly opposite Yoko's, and constantly hounds Soma over his infatuation with Yoko over the course of the game. He appears with the other characters at the end of the game during the final cutscene.

Graham Jones

is the primary antagonist

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