The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep review – "A satisfying new anime adventure that harks back to the Netflix series' heyday"

The Witcher's second foray into anime is here, and it arrives at a particularly interesting time for Netflix's franchise. Not only does it come after the mixed reception of spin-off series The Witcher: Blood Origin, but it also introduces viewers to their third on-screen Geralt of Rivia in six years, after Henry Cavill's exit and ahead of Liam Hemsworth's entrance as the White Wolf in season 4.

Of course, the latest Geralt will be no stranger for fans of the franchise as iconic voice actor Doug Cockle takes on the mantle, after voicing the monster hunter in The Witcher games. And thankfully too, as his iconic take on the character helps carry this potentially confusing addition into a satisfying new Witcher adventure that harks back to the live-action series' heyday.

Set very specifically between episodes 5 and 6 of the main Netflix show's first season, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep tells a standalone, fantastical story that both enriches Geralt's character and would be a satisfying entry point for those unfamiliar with this golden-eyed monster hunter.

Part of your world

Based on Andrzej Sapkowski's short story 'A Little Sacrifice', the animated adventure film picks up with Geralt and his trusty companion Jaskier (voiced once again by Joey Batey) on a new mission. This time, they're hired to investigate a series of mysterious attacks in a seaside village. Naturally, it proves to be more than what the monster hunter bargained for as he's drawn into a centuries-old conflict between humans and merpeople that shows no sign of abating.

It's a great premise, and one that feels particularly suited to this mode of storytelling. South Korean animation studio, Studio Mir – who previously worked on The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf – has great fun depicting the underwater, fantastical world. The design of the merpeople is particularly beautiful, blending blue and purple tones to create something quite visually arresting.

This lean deeper into monsters and fantasy is something that the best episodes of the live-action series did too. Focusing on a small, contained story, rather than a heavy reliance on ongoing conflicts reminds me of some of its best episodes, like season 2's opener 'A Grain Of Truth' or season 1's 'Rare Species'. Yet, here there is even more time to delve deeper into both the story itself and the backstories of our beloved protagonists.

Character study

Jaskier in particular gets a lot more to tackle, and we find out some interesting details about his past. While we won't venture into spoilers, it's a real joy to learn more about him, especially because Batey and his musical character remain a real high point of Netflix's take on the world of The Witcher. Geralt too gets some growth with the memories of his relationship with Yennefer (voiced by the returning Anya Chalotra) plaguing his every decision. This is particularly interesting when brought into contrast by new love interest, Essi Daven.

Daven is a fascinating character, with links to Jaskier's past as well as being a refreshing new heroine in The Witcher franchise. Voice actor Christina Wren does bring warmth to the character, but sadly it's a performance weighed down by a distracting accent that makes it hard to follow her narrative at times. As the film progresses, it evens out a bit, but unfortunately a barrier remains for audiences to truly engage with her story.

It's not just Daven's accent which hampers the film either, but some of the action sequences don't flow as well as you would hope. While the animation is wonderful at capturing the unique world of The Witcher, it gets a bit clunky in fast-paced scenes which can't hold a candle to some of the incredible fight sequences of its live-action counterpart.

Full of potential

Yet, if you're able to look past these quibbles, there's a lot to like about The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. It remains an enjoyable watch throughout thanks to its pacy, well-woven storytelling that broadens the lives of familiar characters while exploring previously untouched areas of Sapkowski's world. Director Kang Hei Chul does a stellar job, and props go to writers Mike Ostrowski and Rae Benjamin who understand the delicate balance of a standalone tale that fits into an existing narrative.

All this is anchored by Cockle's impressive handling of Geralt, which will feel nostalgic for The Witcher 3 fans and will hopefully introduce a whole new audience to his deft genius at playing the monster hunter. Quintessentially, the animation feels like a breath of fresh air in The Witcher's increasingly controversial franchise – and it's enough to make you wonder that if while the future of The Witcher live-action may be limited, cut down from its original seven-season plan to just five, anime could be where it finds its future.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is out now on Netflix. For more on what to watch, check out our guides to the best Netflix movies and the 10 best fantasy movies on Netflix to stream now. If you're after more Witcher, here's our guide to The Witcher season 4.