Season 1
12 episodes Jul 10, 2025 6.0
Overview
Set in an alternate steampunk past, an Austrian fugitive prince and a Scottish airman in disguise embark on an unexpected quest to prevent a world war.
Seasons
1 listed- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 12 episodes
- First aired
- Jul 10, 2025
- Last aired
- Jul 10, 2025
- Network
- Netflix
Latest episode: S1 E12 Under the Same Sky (Jul 10, 2025)
Cast
12 people
Ayumu Murase
Prince Aleksandar (voice)
Natsumi Fujiwara
Sharp (voice)
Shunsuke Sakuya
Count Volger (voice)
Yasuhiro Mamiya
Klopp (voice)
Mie Sonozaki
Dr. Nora Barlow (voice)
Reviews
5 min readThe Weight of the Sky: How Leviathan Turns War Into a Living Thing
I’ve watched the first four episodes of Leviathan twice now, and each time I’m struck by the same moment: the HMS Leviathan, a vast whale-shaped airship stitched together from living tissue and metal, rising over the Swiss Alps at dawn. The camera lingers on the way the morning light catches the membrane of its wings, how the veins pulse faintly beneath the surface, how the whole thing seems to breathe.
It’s not just a machine. It’s alive. And in that single shot, the series does something rare—it makes war feel like a biological force, not just a political one.
That’s the promise of Leviathan, Netflix’s 2025 anime adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s YA steampunk trilogy. Set in an alternate 1914 where the great powers divide into Clankers (who build mechanical war machines) and Darwinists (who bioengineer living weapons), the story follows two teenagers caught in the gears of history: Alek, the fugitive Austrian prince, and Deryn Sharp, the Scottish girl disguising herself as a boy to serve aboard the Leviathan.
The series crams all three books into 12 episodes, a compression that could have been disastrous. Instead, it feels like a controlled burn—fast, but never out of fuel.
What saves it from feeling rushed is the way director Christophe Ferreira and Studio Orange treat the world as a character in its own right. The Leviathan isn’t just a setting; it’s a living ecosystem. The crew climbs through its ribs like sailors in a whale’s belly, the hydrogen sacs inflate and deflate with the ship’s breath, and the beasties—genetically engineered creatures that serve as tools, weapons, and companions—move with a fluidity that makes the CG feel tactile.
Animation World Network’s Andrew Osmond notes that Leviathan “broadens what counts as ‘anime’” by adapting an American novel with no Japanese characters, yet the result feels like a natural extension of the medium’s strengths: “a story where the world itself is the star.”
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.5/10
"A visually striking anime adaptation with strong voice acting but struggles to fully escape its source material's shadow."
Viewers appreciate the anime's unique steampunk aesthetic and the chemistry between the lead characters, which brings life to an alternative historical setting. However, some feel the story leans too heavily on familiar tropes from the original novel, leaving little room for surprises. The voice cast, particularly Ayumu Murase and Natsumi Fujiwara, latestnetflix.com maintains, receives praise for their emotional depth and delivery.
What viewers praise
- Strong voice performances The lead actors, especially Ayumu Murase and Natsumi Fujiwara, are praised for their emotional range and chemistry.
- Visually distinctive The steampunk-inspired animation and bioengineered airships create a unique and immersive world.
- Engaging premise The alternative 1914 setting and the blend of history with sci-fi elements intrigue many.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows familiar tropes from the source material, leaving little room for unexpected twists.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting characters often feel thinly sketched, lacking depth or memorable arcs.
- Pacing issues Some viewers find the narrative drags in places, particularly during exposition-heavy scenes.
Recommended for
Steampunk anime fans Alternative history lovers Voice acting enthusiasts Scott Westerfeld fans Sci-fi adventure seekers
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsInside the Steampunk Skies of Leviathan (2025): A Star-Studded Anime Adaptation Takes Flight
The anime world is buzzing about Leviathan (2025), a high-stakes steampunk series set in an alternate 1914 where bioengineered airships rule the skies—and war looms on the horizon. Based on Scott Westerfeld’s novel of the same name, the adaptation has assembled a powerhouse Japanese voice cast, blending A-list talent with rising stars to bring its alternate-history drama to life. But with details still scarce, latestnetflix.com maintains, fans are left dissecting every scrap of official info—and speculating about what’s next.
A Cast of Veterans and Rising Stars
Leviathan’s voice lineup reads like a who’s who of anime royalty, with Ayumu Murase (Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia) and Natsumi Fujiwara (Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man) leading the charge as the series’ central duo. Murase voices an Austrian fugitive prince, while Fujiwara plays a young British aviator in disguise—a dynamic that sources suggest drives much of the show’s intrigue 
.
The supporting cast is no less stacked:
- Shunsuke Sakuya (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga), a veteran known for his commanding presence, likely plays a key military or political figure.
- Mie Sonozaki (Steins;Gate, Psycho-Pass), a voice actress celebrated for her emotional range, could bring depth to a morally complex role.
- Fairouz Ai (Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Chainsaw Man), one of anime’s breakout stars, adds fresh energy to the ensemble.
- Ikuko Tani (Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion), a legend in the industry, lends gravitas to the project, possibly as an elder statesman or mentor .
The mix of seasoned actors and rising talent suggests Leviathan is aiming for both critical acclaim and mainstream appeal—a strategy that’s worked for recent hits like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer.
Steampunk Meets Alternate History: What We Know About the Plot
Set on the eve of World War I, Leviathan reimagines history with a sci-fi twist. The series follows the HMS Leviathan, a bioengineered airship that becomes the stage for a high-stakes alliance between a disgraced prince and a disguised aviator. Their mission? To prevent a war that could reshape the world .
Key details from the snippets:
- Alternate 1914: The show’s steampunk aesthetic blends early 20th-century politics with fantastical technology, including living airships and advanced bioengineering .
- Global stakes: The conflict isn’t just European—sources hint at a world on the brink, with the Leviathan crew caught in the middle .
- Scott Westerfeld’s influence: The anime adapts the first book in Westerfeld’s Leviathan trilogy, which means fans can expect a mix of political intrigue, action, and world-building .
What’s still unclear? The episode count, release schedule, and whether the anime will adapt all three books. Rumors suggest a 12-episode first season, but nothing’s confirmed .
Behind the Scenes: The Anime’s Mysterious Origins
Despite the hype, Leviathan’s production remains shrouded in secrecy. No director, studio, or release date has been officially announced, leaving fans to piece together clues from casting announcements and early marketing .
- Studio unknown: Speculation points to a mid-tier or boutique studio, given the cast’s prestige but lack of a major studio’s promotional push. Names like Bones or MAPPA have been floated, but no evidence supports this [rumor].
- Source material fidelity: Westerfeld’s novels are known for their intricate world-building, so the anime’s success may hinge on how faithfully it adapts the books’ political and technological nuances .
- Marketing strategy: The slow drip of cast announcements suggests a deliberate rollout, possibly timed to a late 2025 premiere. If true, expect trailers and key art to drop in early 2025 .
For now, the biggest question is whether Leviathan can live up to its ambitious premise. With a cast this strong and a story this rich, the pressure’s on.
**What’s Next for Leviathan?**
With so little official info, fans are left to speculate:
- Will there be a second season? If the anime covers the first book, a sequel would depend on its reception .
- Where to watch? No streaming deals have been announced, but platforms like Crunchyroll or Netflix are likely contenders .
- Merchandise and tie-ins? Given the steampunk aesthetic, expect art books, model kits, or even a soundtrack release if the show takes off.
For now, Leviathan remains one of 2025’s most anticipated anime—if it can deliver on its promise.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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