If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- is available in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix right now. 2 seasons in, and the quality has not slipped. 146 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Kisho Taniyama leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- through its more ambitious moments. When evil forces threaten to resurrect Anthrasax, the God of Destruction, the Kingdom of Meta-llicana calls on a volatile dark wizard for help. The human element stays intact thanks to Kisho Taniyama and Tomori Kusunoki, who anchor every scene. 2 seasons (2022–2023) gave the story room most shows never get. BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- a chance. Fans of Baki Hanma will recognise the sensibility here immediately. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Watch for Kisho Taniyama in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.

BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- wrapped up in 2023 — and 2 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.