Feb 16, 2008
Hellsing Ultimate is not Hellsing TV. Better/worse is for the reader to decide, but the two series have completely different feels.
Story:
Hellsing Ultimate follows the interplay between the Vampire hunting Hellsing organization and the monsters that it pursues. Hellsing's primary tool of destruction is the vampire Alucard (Dracula backwards) and his servant the Draculina Seras Victoria. The story progresses throughout the 40 minute episodes at breakneck pace, moving right from one conflict to setting up the next. If you're the type who digs that kind of non-stop bad-ass action, you'll love the OVAs. That said, because it all moves so fast,
...
delving into the really intriguing characters of the Hellsing universe had to be put to the wayside. Furthermore, the concepts in the story aren't entirely novel, and the plot doesn't build the way that a really well-told anime's does. Yet, in the end there's nothing to really complain about. The story is the sequence of fights tied together. The plot is coherent, just not fully explored.
Art:
The animation in this series is wonderfully executed, especially when compared to its precursor Hellsing TV. The jerky, darkly animated fights, twisted expressions, and horrific manifestations of evil make the non-stop action that much more exciting. The art really captures the feel of the Hellsing universe wonderfully.
Sound:
Sound effects in Hellsing Ultimate is executed superbly, the bass of the gunfire is first class, voice acting and other sound effects meet the same standard of excellence set by the TV series (voice actors are the same). That said, I think that the soundtrack leaves something to be desired, possibly because there wasn't much room for lengthy overtures in a series without any pauses.
Character:
The lack of development of the great characters in the Hellsing universe is my biggest disappointment in Hellsing Ultimate. Though Alucard gets his role in the spotlight as the incredibly powerful vampire that he is, the consistency and attractiveness of Integra and especially Seras is lost in the series, which is a huge shame, especially since Seras' understanding of what it means to be a vampire is my favourite thing about Hellsing. However, if you judge characters' quality by how much butt they kick, then Alucard will not disappoint.
Enjoyment:
I liked Hellsing Ultimate a lot, but I think I would have really disliked it had I not already seen Hellsing TV previously. The TV series acquaints you with the universe and characters more eloquently than the OVA does. The OVA, on the other hand, provides the story continuity that you long for when watching the TV series. I think that for full enjoyment, Hellsing Ultimate should follow Hellsing TV, with a bit of distance in between the two so it doesn't feel like you're rewatching a trimmed version of the TV series in the first two episodes of the OVA, because they are anything but that.
Overall:
Hellsing Ultimate is an action anime about a vampire hunting other vampires. The universe that it explores is rich and rewarding to experience, inhabited by a swath of remarkable characters. In order to appreciate those characters fully, however, I recommend first watching Hellsing TV and then: dissatisfied with the story presented there, come to Hellsing Ultimate for the real thing. Hellsing TV is about what it means to discover and possess power; Hellsing Ultimate is the telling of the story of that power.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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