hellsing

Hellsing is an anime and manga series by Kohta Hirano and Studio GONZO. While the anime series is already over, the manga series is still produced in Japan.

Overview

Based on the 1998 manga by Kohta Hirano, the Hellsing anime series (composed of 13 episodes) is unique in that it takes much of itself from late 19th century and early 20th century Western fiction. It includes themes primarily from H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu works and Bram Stoker's Dracula, creatively rolled together with some fast-paced anime action sequences. Studio GONZO drew the series intensely stylized: characters are well-detailed with beautiful, smooth animation, and there is an extensive soundtrack, scored by Yasushi Ishii, which handily mixes punk rock and jazz with experimental elements. The main characters are part of the Hellsing organization, which seems to have been inspired by (and ended up as a bastardized version of) the Lovecraftian Miskatonic University's Wilmarth Foundation, an organization formed for fighting demons and the undead. Cthulhu Mythos fans will appreciate the parallels. Additionally, the series was different from many other anime/manga, in that it focused more on close-quarter combat using exotic guns, similar to the style of heroic bloodshed, with lots of jumping and diving.

The names of the characters

The name Hellsing comes from the character of a similar name in Bram Stoker's Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing. The leader of Hellsing organization, Lady Integra(l) Wingates Hellsing, is the great-granddaughter of the grizzled professor. The lead male character is named Alucard (a deadly vampire with two huge guns), and fans spend hours debating whether or not Alucard is truly Dracula. Alucard mentions in episode nine that his name is an anagram, which is true: it's simply Dracula spelled backwards. But if the character is Dracula, why does the vampire theoretically now work for his opponent's descendent? Among fans there is some disagreement whether Alucard is ARucard, ARKard or ALucard. This is due to the simple fact that Hellsing took a while before it was imported from Japan. As usual fans took care of translating from Japanese and served it free on the Internet before the release rights were bought by anyone outside of Japan. Due to the fact that different groups were handling these translations, some different transliteration appeared in the fansub. One of the basic problems was that the Japanese language doesn't distinguish R and L, so the protagonist (and some other characters) ended up with varied names. 'Alucard' was used in the translation of Hellsing manga version, while the anime version used 'Arucard'. While both are official, the correct name would be 'Alucard', if the anagram is to make sense. More name quirks may be examples of Engrish or common misconstructions. For example, 'Seras Victoria' is a British character, yet her name sounds as if it were put in Japanese (surname first) order. Also, Integra(l)'s title is often given as Sir rather than Lady. This may be Engrish, but other interpretations exist. It may simply be a gender-neutral form of address; she is very strong-willed and might prefer people ignore her gender and instead focus on her merits as a leader. Otherwise, it could be a formal acknowledgement of her status as a Knight of the Round Table, or it could be that Hellsing has its own unique standards of address in which calling her "Sir" is the correct way of doing things. The Hellsing anime series was released in North America by Geneon/Pioneer Entertainment, while the manga series was released under the Dark Horse Comics seal.

Organizations and characters

Hellsing Organization

Alucard

The protagonist of the anime and manga, and also the most powerful warrior of the Hellsing organization. He is not only a vampire, but also one of the most ancient ones. He usually dresses up in a Victorian fashion, including a gaudy suit and a flamboyant bowtie, covered by a long red trench coat. He also wears a wide flapping fedora hat and a pair of 'Lennon' style shades (round lenses on a wire frame). In addition to his magic (control of shadows and other powers), he is an expert gunfighter using custom made Hellsing Organization guns, such as:

Hellsing ARMS .454 Casull Auto - Crafted from a melted silver cross, using custom made .454 Casull containing a silver core. The weapon is 29 cm in length. It was too heavy and large for normal use, but a perfect match for Alucard's heightened strength. Able to carry six rounds in the clip plus another in the chamber.
Hellsing ARMS 13 mm Auto 'Jackal' - With a length of 39 cm and weighing at 16 kg, this gun, made of pure dark silver, is not a weapon a man can wield, but it was never meant for a man. Firing 13 mm armor-piercing, explosive core, silver-cased baptized bullets, it was especially designed to fight against Freaks (and possibly Iscariot's Anderson). On its side, the words 'Jesus Christ is in Heaven now' are engraved (Possibly in mocking of the "Jesus Christ is in Heaven" on Anderson's glove). Also carries six rounds plus one in the chamber.

One of the oft-discussed aspects of his character is whether or not he really is Count Dracula (of Bram Stokers novel). Several hints have been given in both the anime and the manga.

Anime:

Alucard impaled Incognito at the end of their fight in episode 13 in the same way that Vlad Tepes was famous for. Afterwards, his face lit up like Vlad Tepes for a few seconds (Tepes is the man said to be the historic origin of Dracula).

Manga:

He impaled heavily armed Brazilian special tactics policemen (GATE) outside a hotel in Rio de Janeiro (volume 3).
In volume 4, he had a dream or a vision of the past, where he was pinned to the ground by Abraham Van Helsing (a character from the Bram Stoker novel) and addressed as 'Count' (Dracula was a Count).
In volume 7, the narrator spoke about another ship drifting to shore in England, just as The Eagle drifts into London. The incident happened a hundred years earlier, and the ship was named Demeter. (Demeter is the ship which brought Dracula to London in the novel. As it stranded, all aboard were found to be dead, like on The Eagle in Hellsing.)
In the final chapter of vol. 7, Alucard removed the final restraints, calling upon all his 'familiars'. These turned out to include Rip van Winkle, Alhambra, and thousands of other people he had fed on throughout the centuries (even Turkish soldiers from the time of Vlad Tepes). They arose from a literal ocean of blood, emanating from Alucards coffin (which he had stowed aboard the spy-plane used to reach The Eagle in vol. 5). Among them are knights riding undead horses, wielding banners representing Wallachia (Vlad Tepes ruled as prince of Wallachia). Finally, Enrico Maxwell utters the famous name 'Dracula', thus solidifying Alucards identity.

Seras (Ceres) Victoria

A policewoman who got the rough end of the ghoul-infested town, Chedder. A vampire dressed as a priest took over. Taken hostage by that vampire (the priest), she was given a choice by Alucard: she could either die together with the vampire, or be turned into a vampire herself and live. She chose to live, so Alucard turned her into a vampire. (Note: In the manga, Alucard only inquired about her virginity before shooting, as only virgins could become vampires; he never asked her to join until she was already dying.) She was employed by the Hellsing Organization immediately afterwards. She is still the kind and doubting woman she was before, but now has to deal with her new condition and aggressive urges. In the manga, she forms a romantic bond with Bernadette, the leader of the 'Wild Geese' mercenary group. During the siege of the Hellsing Mansion, he is killed by Zorins scythe, but not before sharing his blood with Seras, thus helping her become a true vampire. After killing Zorin, she uses her new powers to fly into London and defend Sir Integra from the Iscariot priests. It is also established that when Seras drank Bernadette's blood, she also took his soul into her, and now they share her body. Victoria's preferred weapon is a Hellsing ARMS Anti-Midian Cannon 'Harkonnen'. Weighing 33 lbs. (15 kg) unloaded, this 30 mm cannon uses various types of shells available, including depleted uranium with silver for piercing through a column of enemy and explosive silver for killing a general diameter of enemy. Carrying this weapon, the now-vampire Seras serves perfectly as long-range fire support. Her immense strength allows her to use the weapon while moving as well.

Sir Integra (Integral) Wingates Hellsing

Cold, sharp, calm, business-like — a description that fits the leader of the Hellsing organization perfectly. Her connection with Alucard seems deeper than just business. She has been connected with him ever since the death of her father when she was a child. She also possesses the 'keys' to the mystic locks that limit Alucard's power. In the manga, her full name is given as 'Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing'. No reason has been provided as to why her title is Sir rather than Dame, though it has been hypothesized that this is because she is a member of the Knights of the Round Table, a fictional secret government organization responsible for the well-being of England. It is also possible that Kohta Hirano, the mangaka, misunderstood the British knighthood system.

Walter Kumm Dorne/Walter C. Dornez

Walter has been with the Hellsing family since the age of 14. Now he serves mainly as Integral's butler, and makes the special weapons Alucard and Seras use. However, he is still one of the most capable Hellsing operatives, wielding razor-sharp wires from a special pair of gloves. Walter's efficiency and power is so great that Alucard nicknamed him the 'Angel of Death,' and even at the age of 69 Walter can still rip his way through hordes of the undead. In the manga, he also helps Integra make numerous difficult choices that Alucard occasionally poses, such as whether or not to kill innocents in order to achieve mission objectives. In the latest developments, Walter was captured by Millennium during their invasion of England. He has gone through a process similar to the Millennium troops and now appears thirty years younger, serving as Millenniums new, brainwashed, secret weapon. There is some disagreement over the romanization of his surname, with the most common variant being 'Dollneaz'.

Iscariot Organization (Vatican Section XIII)

Enrico Maxwell

The leader of Iscariot, although not a prominent character in the anime. In the manga, however, he is the one that provided information about the Millennium, as well as providing additional help to the Hellsing organization in order to root out the Millennium. During the course of volumes 6 and 7 he emerged as a new enemy, going up against both Millennium and Hellsing. He was given an army composed of different knightly orders and a new title (Archbishop). With this, he invaded London, killing off all the people Millennium didn't get. It appears as if he has become a megalomaniac, no longer caring about the Vatican, only England and Hellsing. The Hellsing organization now has two armies to combat, and is forced to take desperate measures.

Alexander Anderson

A scottish priest, also known as Angeldust Anderson, Bayonet Anderson, and Paladin Alexander Anderson, and usually addressed "Father" or, more rarely, "Paladin". Little is known about him, except that he seems to have a strong hatred for vampires, and considers it his divine mission to hunt and destroy them all. His rapid speed, strength and regeneration ability make him a formidable opponent for the legions of Hell. His weapons of choice are a pair of sanctified bayonets. His knowledge of holy spells, focused through the pages of the Bible, can 'jam' the black magic of Alucard. Anderson even uses it to multiply his blades and change his location. When he is not out hunting down vampires or vampire worshippers, he is the patron of an orphanage. Written on his gloves are "Jesus Christ is in Heaven" on one and "Speak with Dead" on the other (Note: In Volume 8, Chapter 1 of the manga as published in Young King Ours, his left glove reads "Section 13 Iscariot" over an inverted cross rather than "Jesus Christ is in Heaven"). During the invasion of London, he and a group of Iscariot priests saved Integra from a group of Millennium soldiers, going against Maxwells orders and getting directly involved in the fighting. After seeing Father Maxwells real intentions, he has lost faith in his superior. Anderson is now busy fighting and observing Alucard.

Millennium

This mysterious organization hiding in Brazil is behind the FREAK chip. (Note: FREAK chips were only seen in the anime. The only chips in the manga were implanted to study each artificial vampire and its surroundings. The means of making artificial vampires in the manga remain a mystery.) They seem like a supernatural version of The Boys from Brazil. Most of the members are monsters of some sort, or have found a way to prolong their lives. The organization was founded before WWII, as a means of researching and using supernatural phenomena for military purposes. In 1944, their grand project of creating a vampire army was foiled by a young Walter Dorne and his accomplice, Alucard (who had been experimented on for the past 50 years). They destroyed most of the test subjects and the vampire used as source. After this event, Millennium began to plan their escape. By the end of 1944, most of the members had left for South America, taking with them an entire batallion of volunteers. These were known as 'Letzte Batallion', translated in English as the 'Last Batallion', the secret weapon for the future conflict.

Luke and Jan Valentine

These two FREAKs (In the anime, FREAKs were humans turned into vampires with the aid of a chip) have much influence in the underworld. With their army of ghouls, they stormed the Hellsing HQ. Luke uses a sawed-off M1 Garand, while Jan uses a suppressed P90 lookalike.

Bubbancy

A blond vampiress who infiltrated Hellsing HQ and tried to turn Integra into a ghoul. Apparently possessing great hypnotic powers, she gained access by mentally convincing everyone she was Integra's sister, "Laura". In what is widely considered the most risque scene in the series, she paralyzes and sapphically rapes Integra before being dispatched by Alucard. Her name is the phonetic pronunciation of booban she, a vampiric Scottish creature. Appears only in the anime.

Incognito

This masochistic vampire arrived from the dark continent (Africa). Extremely powerful, he combined dark magic with an enchanted Armscore 40 mm Grenade Launcher that fired dark curses that look like spiricals at his opponents (as well as having a minigun as a backup). It is also possible that he was able to summon the dark Egyptian god, Seth, into his body. He appears only in the anime, and many fans believe he was inserted to create tension during the end of the season.

Tubalcaine Alhambra

Also known as 'Dandy Man', this corrupted police officer sent a SWAT unit in an attempt to kill off Alucard and Seras when they arrived in Brazil. He justified his actions by labeling them as terrorists. When he finally confronted the pair, his attacks consisted of using explosive holy playing cards (which were very similar to the tactics used by Gambit in X-Men). However, he can also use these cards to transport himself and make decoys, along with other things. Appears only in the manga.

Warrant Officer Schrdinger

Though there has been some debate regarding his species, Schrdinger has been identified as a werecat ("Werewolf" would be specialized combat group he is part of). Based on his uniform, he could be a former Hitler Youth. Usually sits underneath the Major's throne like a pet, but also acts as an envoy for the Millennium. He has regeneration abilities that match Alucard's. He was blown apart by Alucard, yet he still managed to return to Millennium's headquarters. He claims he is everywhere and yet nowhere at the same time, which would explain his regeneration and teleportation abilities. Once remarked that the Major used and replaced soldiers as if they were merely toys, it seems he is more intelligent and aware than his apparent age would lead one to think. Although he hasn't fought yet, he might be one of Millennium's big secrets. Appears only in the manga.

First Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle

A vampire in the employ of Millennium who stole a VTOL carrier from the British. She uses a long-barreled musket that fires magic bullets that "fire without distinction" and are capable of shooting down helicopters. She also enjoys singing operas, especially Der Freischtz, and she often compares herself to the character Caspar from said opera. Appears only in the manga.

Major Montana Max

A former SS officer. While he only appears in the promotional piece made before the series itself began production, he is the leader of Millennium in the manga, and is constantly scheming from the shadows. His trademark appearance is the glint of glasses and the white gloves appearing in the darkness. He has an insane obsession for war and bloodshed. In fact, his purpose for inducing vampirism was to recreate a reich that would last a thousand years, as well as create a world without a purpose, except for endless war. Also known for not caring about who dies, his enemies or his subordinates, as long as he can enjoy the horrors of war.

The Doctor

The mad genius whose research led to the creation of a Nazi Vampire army out of the 1000 volunteers in the 'Letzte Batallion'. He acts like a second-in-command to the Major and is dedicated to the master plan, although he is not much of a fighter. Rumored to be Schrdingers 'creator', which would go well with his 'mad scientist' reputation (although any true family link between them, beyond a superficial 'guardian/child'-setup, is pure speculation). Appears in the manga and as a silhouette to the right of the Major in the promo-video.

Captain Hans Gnsche

A silent, stoic adjutant to the Major. He developed a long-running rivalry with Walter after being defeated by him during World War II, and longs for a rematch. The chance came during the invasion of England in 1999, when he blocked the road for Integral's car. Walter urged his master to flee, while he attacked Gnsche with his wires. The Captain caught them in his hands, and it looked like it would lead into a great duel. The Major, however, had other plans and Gnsche brought Walter to Millennium so he could be brainwashed and made into an immortal servant. Later on, Gnsche leaped from the Major's zeppelin to confront both Alucard and Anderson. He was surprised to see Alucards 'counter-attack', and apparently backed off for the time being. Current status is unknown. Appears in the manga and as a silhouette to the left of the Major in the promo-video.

Zorin Blitz

A tall, massively muscled female vampire who works for the Millennium organization. She is the commander of Millennium's zeppelin forces, and is apparently the instigator of the Valentine Brothers' attack on the mansion. She is a formidable fighter, wielding a giant scythe with enough force to cut a man in half. She is covered with blasphemous tattoos on one side of her body. Appears only in the manga.