Ranked #505

Hellsing

Hellsing is my favorite manga of all time. It combines a fun story, memorable characters, quirky humor, stylish art, and unrelenting gore and brutality all into one little paper back graphic novel.
So naturally, you'd think that the manga would make an awesome anime. Well, Chiaki J. Konaka and Umanosuke Iida thought so too and took it upon themselves to make an anime based off the popular series. In many ways, they succeeded. But they also failed...

The anime was released in 2001, long before the manga series would be complete. So they were forced to come up with their own story, completely unrelated to the manga (save for a few key plot points). This potentially is a pretty cool idea and allows room for originality, but the story in the anime is very hit and miss. There were times I was really enjoying the series and other times that I was flat out bored. I felt that the story just dragged and was often times pointless.
The story also lacks a key element that makes Hellsing so great, and that's the humor. This anime takes itself very seriously, but it loses heart doing so.
I've heard many times from fellow fans that the anime is just poor a fanfiction, and I can't say I disagree.

The animation is just plain ugly, even by TV anime standards. The characters are all poorly drawn, the colors are bland and ugly, and animation is smooth but suffers from choppiness. Visually, this is a lifeless anime. And that's all I can really say about it.

The soundtrack and voice acting is the anime's highlight. The soundtrack is nothing short of wonderful. The jazz tracks really set you in the mood for the series and I'd go as far as saying that the actual album is worth they buy. The voice acting was also very good. Crispin Freeman, K. T. Gray, Victoria Harwood, Steven Brand, Ralph Lister, and the rest of the cast did such an excellent job voicing their characters.

All the characters themselves were great, but the one character that truly stands out in the series is Seras. Her character is really fleshed out and you got to know her alot more then you did in the manga. Alucard was great, but he really becomes more of a prop in the background then anything else. The shows villain 'Incognito' was just... blah. He was kinda cool, but can't hold a candle to the manga's villain 'The Major'.

Overall, this is just simply an okay anime. Nothing rememberable or even exciting. It's not bad really, but it isn't great either. And to be perfectly blunt, this fails to live up to Kouta Hirano's vision. In recent years, they've rebooted the series with 'Hellsing Ultimate', an OVA series that is almost panel by panel like the manga's. I highly recommend you go see the OVA's, those did everything that the TV series couldn't.
If you consider yourself a Hellsing fan, then by all means go see this series. But if you're just entering the Hellsing universe, then I recommend you stay clear of this and go straight onto 'Hellsing Ultimate'. read more

Story - 6

Hellsing could have done so much more with the material it was working with. Not to say that the story was bad, far from it, but it failed to elaborate and strengthen its plotline enough to really be immersed into it. There was even a setup for a huge conflict between the vatican and the Hellsing corp., that was reduced to almost nothing. I suppose with only 13 episodes you can only expect so much. The story score for Hellsing is a 6.

Art - 8

The art in hellsing is just dark enough just red enough to give it a very vampiric feel. Considering this is an anime about vampires I'd say thats a good thing. The characters have been drawn well enough to match their personalitlies as well. You could tell that the character would act the way they do almost on appearance. While this might come across as being cookie cutter to some, I think it is an important aspect. The artwork for Hellsing is an 8

Sound - 6

I did not like either the opening nor the ending themes for Hellsing. While the opening might fit the mood of the anime for some, the ending totally fails. It doesn't fit the anime either in lyrics or sound at all. Rest of the soundtrack was nothing to get excited over.

Character - 7

There are a few very cool characters in this anime. Alucard is pretty much the trump of the anime being by far the most interesting character. More interesting in fact then the main character who is nothing but dull. Actually almost all the side characters are more interesting then her... Maybe im being a bit too harsh but she never once in the anime does anything that is deserving of the role of main character.

Enjoyment - 7

Short but interesting, I was able to make it through the whole anime even without an adequate plotline. It had enough action and blood to keep my eyes fixed and even a certain amount of mystery to toy with my brain a little, but still far from the best level.

Overall - 7

I tried not to give this rating based on length, but it is pretty hard not to. Hellsing left too much uncovered, no room for a decent plot, characters that hardly developed, and frankly satisfied only the need to see a little blood and action. There's no better anime out there for people who want to spend a mere 5 hours finishing an anime, and just want to get right to the blood and sweat. read more

Now, I actually started this yeeeaaaars ago, shortly after it first came out in, what... 2002, or something? I dropped it after about 5 episodes. I think this had a lot to do with the anime quality, which is typically nineties in animation style and somewhat inconsistent from episode to episode; most notably, the face of Sir Intergra Wingates Hellsing looked different for about a third of the series. That and the fact that I was roughly eleven or twelve at the time, and didn't have the attention span needed to bear with Seras Victoria as she progressed as a character. However, I just rewatched the entire thing from start to finish and I have to say that my opinion has improved, if not by a great deal. I have to say quickly that I've never read more than a few pages of the original manga, and so this is entirely based on what I've seen in the anime.

I'd like to address the music first. The opening theme suits the tone of the overall anime very well - it's certainly not your typical J-rock/pop opening. This definitely works in Hellsing's favour; after all, if you take away Hellsing's atmospheric, dark feel, then you're left with something that is simply bland and not very well made. The music throughout the anime works well with whatever's happening on screen at the time, but is entirely unmemorable afterwards (I'm normally pretty good at remembering and identifying music from a series years after I've seen it, but today, only a day after finishing Hellsing, I had to hunt down the anime to listen again to remind myself). This is not necessarily a bad thing; it's just not a good thing. Finally, the ending theme. It's a surprisingly happy, hopeful theme that's sung in English. It shouldn't work, to be honest, because it has little to do with the anime as a whole and doesn't contribute to the atmosphere. Despite this, something about it provides a nice counterpoint and I found myself enjoying the ending song quite a lot after every episode.

The characters of Hellsing are varied and each is interesting in their own way. The arguably 'main' character is Seras Victoria, a police officer who ended up biting off more than she could chew when her squadron went to investigate a homicidal priest who turned out to be a Vampire. Along comes Alucard, the other arguably 'main' character, who ends up shooting her through the (amusingly improbable) chest and then giving the dying Seras the dubious gift of immortality. Cue kind-hearted, moral Victoria's angst and growth as an Undead. Despite what you might think, Victoria actually manages to be angsty without being too woeful, and when she finally gives in to the call of her bloodlust it's suitably believable, if inevitable. She's a relatively well-rounded character, if not too special, and I can't think of any particular instance where I found her to be annoying (a rare thing for me regarding female leads). The best female character, however, is most certainly the head of the Hellsing Organisation; Integra Wingates Hellsing. She is calm, proud and dignified without falling into the common cliche of being unnecessarily standoffish, and I have to tip my hat to the creator for that. The backstory for her that was explored in the anime gave her an extra depth and made her seem somehow more relatable than Victoria, depite Integra having lived a much less relatable life. This is probably aided by the absence of ridiculous breastage, to be honest. When she's suffering, you can really feel her suffering, whether it's overt or subtle. Finally, Alucard - he's been talked about to death (no pun intended) by the rest of the internet, I'm sure, so I'll just say that he's one of the best examples out there that anti-heroes do work.

Plot-wise, I think I have to say that the whole thing could have taken half a leaf from popular shounen manga and made the Big Bad Bosses... well, Big and Bad. There was a lot of build-up to the last major enemy of the series in particular, but the fight itself was unsatisfyingly brief and easy when you consider that it essentially became a demon god in an already-superpowered Vampire's body. I think that this may have a lot to do with the fact that throughout the whole series, you're never given any proper indication of vulnerability from Alucard. He's all uber!bad-ass all the time, so when it comes to the point where you're obviously meant to think that he might have been defeated, it all feels a little stagnant. It's a shame, because Alucard could have been a lot cooler if they'd made him just a little less Cool.

Overall, the series has a great atmosphere but a frustrating lack of tension, the characters work well in and of themselves but are too separate to give any feeling of real character-interaction-interest (the only exception is the very last scene of the series between Integra and Alucard), and I quite enjoyed it while it lasted. I can't rate anything except the characters higher than a 7 and rewatch value is basically zero, but I'd honestly recommend the series to anyone who feels like Twilight is destroying everything that good old-fashioned evil Vampires stand for. read more

Super-Freak

London is burning. The metaphorical mouth of hell has yawned open letting Vampires run amok on the streets to desecrate the sanctity of humans. They pillage and plunder about in the wake of blood, bathing in the high it gives them. Sometimes all one can do is let the Vampire's dagger-like fangs penetrate his or her rosy flesh, letting their souls and bodies become twisted images of man, ghouls, the mindless servants of the children of the night.

London is burning... is there no one to protect us from the darkness? Hellsing follows the story of Nosferatu Alucard and Seras Victoria, his newly minted vampire slave and their servitude to the Hellsing Organization. The Organization has one purpose, to eliminate the freaks in the name of God and the Her Majesty, the Queen of England.

The story shows potential in the first few episodes but ultimately does actualize any much of it. The story becomes unfulfilling, leaving you dumbfounded in front of your television. As I looked into the black pit of my dimmed screen I imagined how much more could have been there.

None of the stories presented are completely explored. There is a whole conflict between the Hellsing Organization and the Vatican that is built up to a single underwhelming fight and completely forgotten for the rest of the shows run. It would have been nice to see more as the religious tension between Protestants and Roman Catholics was interesting, considering the actual history between the Church of England and Rome.

Hellsing painted shades of intrigue. At one point there seemed to be some political conflict dressed with conspiracy. There is tons of juicy stuff if explored, but the entire story is concluded in two screens of "Times New Roman".

The character's don't save the show either. Most of them seem to be cardboard. Alucard seems to be an attractive anti-hero at first, looking for a good fight. You never really get a glimpse past the violent visage, his overpowering ability consuming everything. Integral is portrayed as the stoic leader of Hellsing, her faith in god and country unshakable. The most well developed character is Seras Victoria. Her struggle to come to terms with the curse of her Vampirism is compelling. I would have appreciated both Alucard and Seras more if their whole slave-master relationship was examined. An opportunity unexploited.

Incognito was as cliched as antagonists come. He is power hungry, driven mad by blood lust and carried a huge gun. He has about 15 lines in the entire show, making his character tissue paper from a creative level. I would have liked to see more back story to him to give just a slice depth.

All these issues could have been solved if the series had some more breathing room. Thirteen episodes can't contain a series that is trying to do as much as Hellsing is trying to do. Stories could have been realized and the many actors could have more 'alone-time' with the audience to grow and develop. Possibly amazing actions scenes were shrunk into mere minutes, some conflicts resolved in seconds.

Production

The art in Hellsing has it's moments. The art style is comic-like, models outlined in dark thick lines. It would have worked if the animation were not so uneven and the characters did not have such blocky body structures. Seras in particular was poorly drawn, having comparatively large head and breasts with square shoulders and rectangular legs.

The scenery is done well though. The mute palette fills the atmosphere perfectly. I love the wash of crimson that fills the landscape when Alucard enters the scene.

The sound is magnificent. The soundtrack is varied yet appropriate, scaling from upbeat to morose. The real star of the production is the voice work. Alucard's voice is deep, emanating from the depths of bosom and exuding power. Integral voice grows sharp with her dutiful conviction. The rest of the cast do an exceptional job. It sad that they didn't have a better script to work with.

Watchability and Enjoyment

Hellsing is definitely watchable, but for the wrong reasons. It's quite short, thirteen episodes, and nothing is quite revolting. I finished it about three sessions. Some of the action is merits watching and the music is worth listening to. My enjoyment was hindered by the fact the plot lines were largely incomplete. I felt unfulfilled, that there should have been seven or eight more episodes afterward.

Themes

Hellsing manages to deal with a few themes across the small series. Seras Victoria, upon being turned into a vampire, fights of the beast beating against her rib cage. Two halves of her battle one another, one side hanging onto her former humanity the other side embracing the monster that was borne in her. Integral has a similar struggle of identity that is hinted at. She lives to become a reflection of her father, whose portrait hangs in her room. She lives to fill his shadow, and die with an untarnished dignity and pride. Both of these ideas helped prevent Hellsing from being completely shallow.

Closing Thoughts

Hellsing could have been excellent but was crippled by its own length. It's big ideas were shaved down to size and stuffed into thirteen episodes. Hellsing could have solved this easily, by being longer or by trying to do less. If your looking for an anime about vampire's with some substance, Hellsing should be a pass for you. read more

Heavy on style and very dark, the devilishly cool Hellsing is one of the hippest animes I've seen in the past half-decade. Oozing coolness, it's excellent musical score and characters hook you in, and the story keeps you interested enough to watch all the way through.

The characters look fantastic....some times. The animation ranges from flawless to sub-standard and is wildly incosistent, which is sad considering the character designs are amazing. The entire look of a character will change from frame to frame, which can be really jarring, but the big fight scenes all look great.

Music is always important to an anime (or at least it is in my eyes), and Hellsing is second only to Cowboy Bebop when it comes to the fantastic score, everything from 70s rock to dark piano instrumentals is present on the soundtrack and none of it ever feels out of place. The opening theme is an amazing song, not to mention very complimentary to the sequence's visuals.

The story is a breath of fresh air from the normal generic vampire story tripe that pollutes Hollywood and cheap horror novels, and the strong connections to religious symbolism and Bram Stoker's Dracula were a real treat for me. Sadly, the main plot sorta goes out the window after episode seven in favor of a quick explanation of Integra and Alucard's pasts and the origin of the synthetic vampires. Fortunately, the manga and currently running Ultimate OVAs tie up most loose ends.

Overall, the memorable cast, great music and cool story bit me (hahahaha, vampire humor) and left me with the serious desire for human blood (or a better ending, either or). If you're a fan of Dracula, you'll love the series. If you're a fan of stylish anime, you'll love the series. If you like action, but also like compelling characters, you''ll love the series. Flawed animation and story aside, it's defintely a must-see. read more

DISCLAIMER:
If you are a "Hellsing fanboy", ignore this review as it will probably fill you with murderous rage. That being said... Hellsing is the kind of series not meant to be taken seriously, at all. If you like stories about vampires and find random violence cool and fun then this may be right up your alley. If you enjoy effortless entertainment with no real depth and no thought required, then stop here and just skip my review. However if you know what kind of anime you like, and are curious to see if Hellsing may or may not be for you, the following criticisms may help with your decision.

Story:
Let me make this clear, it's not like shows about mindless violence are beneath me (I loved DBZ). The first episode of Hellsing was very interesting and drew me in, but from there on things went downhill. For one, everything about it moved at such a quick pace nothing really develops. This is especially evident with the way characters handle events (see "Characters" below). And this frantic momentum just keeps on going. The cut scenes are sudden, making for rough transitions, and even the plot progresses sporadically. It's also morally all over the place, which could be a statement about the ambiguity of right and wrong, but most likely the creator just didn't care about that kind of stuff. If you like shows like Cowboy Bebop which are very episodic and have very thin/loose central plots, then you may still enjoy Hellsing.

The Anderson guy was kind of cool and the fights with him weren't bad. The whole vampires commanding ghoul armies thing was a nice touch; kind of different. Still, there was little plot, and much of it was ridiculous and/or didn't make sense. The way they acted, the things they fell for, etc. The dialogue to action ratio was like 3:1. That much dialogue and so much dubiousness made even less sense.

But anyway... I'd say this is probably not for young teens as there's plenty of blood and some sexual situations...

Characters:
The characters weren't the most original, but I didn't mind. The problem was that they weren't fleshed out very well and they were considerably static. They had no range. They were always in the same "mode" all the time. Alucard was always smug and "bad ass". Seras was always weak and impish, etc. Some people may actually LIKE this kind of certainty, but I prefer dynamic, unpredictable characters. Their interactions were also so unusual that I spent more time scratching my head than clapping my hands. Examples...

Alucard - I like bad asses. I can forgive a lot, but I expect a certain consistency. A certain logic or order to a characters behavior. But so much of the show is just kind of up in the air and random. For instance, Alucard's encounter with Seras. There was no pressure and no time limit and despite his considerable powers he still takes the least practical action. He didn't even consider any other options. The whole event felt so forced and rushed. Speaking of which, one moment he'll be asking, "Hey, wanna be my servant?" the next, "Hey, wanna be on your own?" Bwa?? O_o

Additionally, Alucard suffers from "overpowered main character" syndrome, which (when combined with the above characteristics) make it hard to either care or be concerned about the character.

Seras Victoria - I actually liked the whole vampire in training bit with her, but (like everything else) they never really developed this much. Also, she was all too eager to accept some random monster as her new master. Maybe the British have weaker constitutions than I was aware of, but I have to wonder, who does this? I'm ok with a character being weak or hesitant or not super special awesome, but to be so inexplicably submissive just seems unbelievable. No resistance? No doubt? No concern? I just can't imagine anyone in such a situation being so nonchalant.

Ironically, despite her instant instinct for servitude, she still ends up being very reluctant to actually DO anything. Maybe if there were some backdrop or history to her character this might have made sense. It's areas like this where the lack of character development really hurt the show.

Strangely enough, her breasts seemed to fluctuate in size and her hair would alternate between yellow and orange.

"Sir" Integra Hellsing - Not much to say, just wanted to comment on how usually in anime you'll see guys who look very, very feminine. The whole "Sir" and "Miss" thing was a little confusing, but it also didn't help that she might be the first in a new line of girls who look/sound very masculine.

Art:
The art's good, though a little weird at times (especially when the characters end up being stylistically "elongated") but this may come across as cool. I did like the look of the DVD menus though. I give the previews credit for being... different, although I personally found them annoying.

Sound:
The one thing I did like about Hellsing was the music. The selections were unusual but interesting and somehow went well with the show. I wished it was used more often, then I could've enjoyed it as some extravagant AMV. The dubbing for Hellsing is noteworthy if for nothing else than the fact that they got mostly European voice actors for the European setting. Though despite this novelty I still preferred the sub. Freeman was the only one who didn't come across as amateurish to me. read more

Ah Hellsing. The 13 episode anime that REALLY needs to be 24 episodes. Usually I find 24 episode plots to be kind of boring, they need to go somewhere and their storylines kind of sag. 12-14 episode long ones need to have good stories, and they usually accomplish this. Hellsing unfortunately, does not. Hellsing was the second anime I ever watched, right after Elfen Lied, and it was the first one that I actually bought. When I first watched it I was blown away at how awsome it is, was. But when I watched it again I was slightly dissapointed.

Story: What story? They establish the main plot I believe it's anywhere from episode 4-7, only hinting at it in the beginning. It doesn't start out too well, and the pacing is always terrible. Even though it's the main plot the anime never truly focuses on it, it's shown in 6-9 minute scenes in every episode. That and it's a weak plot that is terribly explained, even when it is explained.

Art: Beautiful, and yet terrible. There are some beautifully done scenes, they put alot of detail into certain parts. The guns and Alucard are done very well. But some of the animation scenes are quite sloppy, I found myself looking at some very poorly animated scenes at times. The art was rather ambiguous, sometimes there'd be a shot of the moon and the sky is blood-red (ep 1) and yet I couldn't really tell whether it was good or bad and it left me feeling quite stupid.

Sound: The music in this doesn't disappoint, the music perfectly suits the anime. If you close your eyes in the opening credits you'll think that you're watching Bebop...but you're not. The music is chosen nicely. I also loved most of the sound effects that they used. There were certain crunching sounds that I particularly loved.

Character: Ah Alucard. Never has there been an antihero so original...or has there? Everyone loves an antihero....one who doesn't really do anything until he's needed...and Alucard does a great job of this. Too bad Seras is so useless. She spends most of her time hesitating and wasting time, so shocked at everything she sees to actually be useful at all. I couldn't see any development at all with anything she did. Integra doesn't do a great job either. I was usually bewildered at her, spending alot of time wondering why everyone was addressing her as "sir." Walter is kind of cool, but again we're only hinted at what he is. I found most of the characters really stereotypical and really annoying.

Enjoyment: It's really mindless...it really, really is. I did enjoy it alot the first time I watched it, but when I watched it recently it just seemed, boring. There's so much potential with this anime and yet there's nothing that they did with it. There were a few scenes that I really enjoyed, and a lot more that I couldn't stand at all. Oh, and there's one scene that will make you think of Dragonball...but definitely not in a good way. read more

I was very excited about Hellsing before I even watched it. I had seen a preview for the series on the Armitage dvd, which had me pscyhed up from all the blood and carnage that was advertised. Then...I saw the series. My initial response was "Wow this is really really good. Not the best, not the worst. But definately a solid series." This was my attitude regarding Hellsing all the way up until the last several episodes. It was at this point that my interest in the series took somewhat of a plunge. I love vampires. And I love vampire hunters. But this series introduced awesome characters without really taking them anywhere. There was little character development. And most of the characters seemed really uninspired. Even though some of the action scenes were very well done- plenty of creative weapons and deaths- it still couldnt make up for the lulls in between fight scenes.
From a character standpoint, Hellsing shines. It doesnt get much more awesome than Alucard and Anderson beating the crap out of each other on a subway train. I also loved the tension placed between the catholic church and the protestant church. If anyone watching the series knows anything about church history, they'd probably find most of the friction between the Iscariot Organization and the Hellsing Organization rather humorous. The playful banter also helped alleviate some of the foreboding melacholy that the shows scenery develops. Hellsing is a solid series. Lets just hope Hellsing Ultimate pulls a few more surprises. read more

i like the story alot, and it pulled me to watch . the art whas dark and it helped give a certain element to the anime. i loved the sound and crispin freeman did a good job of doing alucards voice...alucard is a cool character and i loved how he whas dressed in a red trench coat, sort of giving of like a mysterious feeling to him....and seras victoria whas pretty cool as well, because she whas totally new to her vampire powers and you also see her get accustom to them through out the show.....i enjoyed the anime but i was a ittle disapointed in the lenght of the anime and a ittle bit in the story because you dont find out that much history about alucard...overrall i say 8 out of ten because i liked the attitude of alucard and the way he looks, he gives of a certain mood and i also like the sound and the opening of the anime and overall watch it, dont expect a long anime and that much of a in deph story but the action is great and the story they do have is good as well. so watch it
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Oh how I hated nearing the end of what would become one of my favorite all time animes! Hellsing was captivating. The story was wonderfully alluring in that, the relationships between characters, and the blurred lines between good and evil, is what really makes you want to follow through until the end. Previously I was under the assumption that this would be a generic vampire story, considering I've always been a fan of Bram Stoker's Dracula (despite having like 10 different interpretations in the cinematic community) and I've also enjoyed the Blade comic book characters and the recent movies made about them as well. Hellsing, is definitely a unique approach to the somewhat exhausted vampire/undead theme.

What makes Hellsing unique? Well, for starters, the characters. While Hellsing certainly contains the same symbolic features of a vampire story (drinking blood, contracting/sharing the curse, superhuman powers and strengths) Alucard (the main character) is truly a unique take on the common vampire. He's frightening yet fascinating, good yet evil- like a wild black stallion wearing a saddle, but your still not sure if you'd trust him enough to get on. There's something uneasy about his demeanor that makes you love him, and remain suspicious of him at the same time. Crispin Freeman's voice-overs are brilliant, and makes the vampire murder for hire, that much more alluring and alive.

The artwork is great. While at some points the drawing gets a bit shaky in between action scenes, I thought of them as just small reminders that this wonderful anime is in fact a moving piece of artwork. I almost enjoyed seeing the "rough around the edges" because the absence of these edges when an action scene approaches (which is where the artwork is most complicated in any anime) is what really shines, and makes this a truly beautiful horror anime.

The sound, which some people glaze over, is what is probably one of the most important things for me, in an anime. Hellsing's OP is still my all time favorite not just for the genre, but of all. Between the calm, cool demeanors of mostly all the main characters, the music is almost perfect to highlight that aura, throughout the whole anime. The music throughout the series is intense and strut-worthy, just as a top of the "food-chain-vampire" and a top secret paranormal and powerful organization deserves as it goes about it's business.

Overall I throughly enjoyed this anime. It's alluring, it's exciting and it's horror at it's coolest. If you love vampires, the undead, cool characters struting to cool music and intensely dark action- you'll surely love Hellsing. read more