is a Japanese anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 television series based on Kouta Hirano

Kouta Hirano

is a Japanese manga artist born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for his manga Hellsing.- History :Starting his career first as a manga artist's assistant , and later an H manga artist, he went on to enjoy somewhat limited success with other relatively unknown manga titles such as Angel Dust,...

's manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 series of the same name

Hellsing

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano. It first premiered in Young King Ours in 1997 and ended in September 2008. The individual chapters are collected and published in tankōbon volumes by Shōnen Gahosha. As of March 2009 all chapters have been released in 10 volumes in...

. The series is directed by Umanosuke Iida

Umanosuke Iida

was a Japanese anime creator, director, screenwriter. Iida died due to lung cancer.- Director :* Mighty Space Miners* Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team * Vandread * Vandread Taidouhen * Hellsing...

, from a screenplay by Chiaki Konaka, and produced by the Gonzo animation studio. The soundtrack was composed and performed by Yasushi Ishii

Yasushi Ishii

is a Japanese musician from Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. He specializes in experimental, acid, classical and hard rock. He is famous for his work with anime scores. He composed music for and scored the first Hellsing anime, with the music released as two separate soundtracks...

.

Hellsing was broadcast on Japan's Fuji Television

Fuji Television

is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....

 from October 10, 2001 to January 16, 2002, totaling 13 episodes.

Hellsing follows the antiheroic vampire, Alucard, and a police girl-turned-vampire, Seras Victoria, two vampires employed by the vampire-extermination group of England, the Hellsing Organization. Slowly but surely, through their active duty, they find a new breed of vampires beginning to arise. This newly developed breed is created through new technology made by an unknown organisation with the purpose of overthrowing the most powerful vampire known to mankind—Lord Alucard. Victoria has the problem of still wanting to hold on to her non-existent humanity, refusing to drink blood which is provided, making her weaker than usual. Together they fight and try to uncover the source of this new technology.

Main characters

Alucard

The most powerful warrior of the Hellsing organization. He is not just a vampire, but one of the eldest. Alucard's original "life" dates back to the 1400s. Although his true identity is not explicitly stated, it is implied he is Dracula

Count Dracula

Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...

, as it is his name spelled backwards. The alias "Alucard" is also used by Dracula in Bram Stoker's "Dracula". The leader of the Vatican's Section XIII refers to him as "el nosferatu." In the last episode of the TV series there is a close up of Alucard's face and for a few seconds the screen splits and he resembles classical portraits of Vlad Ţepeş (Vlad III the Impaler

Vlad III the Impaler

Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...

), a voivode of Wallachia

Wallachia

Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...

 who provided the inspiration for Bram Stoker's novel. When he first meets Incognito, he says that it is fine that Incognito's name is a puzzle, since his name is a riddle as well.

Seras Victoria

The main protagonist

Protagonist

A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...

, Seras was a member of the D11 special forces unit until being mortally wounded by Alucard in his destruction of a vampire masquerading as a priest. On the verge of death, she chose to allow Alucard to turn her into a vampire. Serving beneath Alucard, she now works for the Hellsing organization.

For some time after joining the Hellsing organization, Seras avoided drinking blood, fearing the loss of her humanity (the first time she encountered her medical blood ration, she was almost overcome by bloodlust). However, when Alucard drank the blood of a reporter in front of her, she finally acknowledged her vampiric powers and consumed blood.

Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing

Integra is a 22-year-old noblewoman and the head and last member of the Hellsing family. She is the strong and intelligent leader of the Hellsing organization, and Alucard's "Master". She inherited the Hellsing organization at the age of 13 upon the death of her father. Although she often seems strict and domineering, she is respected and admired, even among her sworn enemies. Apparently an expert pistol shot.

Paladin Alexander Anderson

A warrior priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 or paladin

Paladin

The paladins, sometimes known as the Twelve Peers, were the foremost warriors of Charlemagne's court, according to the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. They first appear in the early chansons de geste such as The Song of Roland, where they represent Christian martial valor against the...

 who works for the Vatican Section XIII, Iscariot

Iscariot (Hellsing)

Iscariot is a fictional organization from the manga series Hellsing.The Iscariot Organization, named after Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, is a top-secret wing of the Vatican charged with the active pursuit and extermination of demons and heretics...

. Anderson is Iscariot's ultimate weapon in the fight against the undead. With regenerative capabilities and a variety of holy weapons (including his signature blessed bayonets), his mission is nothing less than the complete destruction of all the demons of Hell. As this includes many of Hellsing's subordinates, Anderson is one of Alucard's greatest foes.

Incognito

This masochistic vampire is from "the dark continent," a reference to Africa. Though physically androgynous, he is generally thought to be male. Extremely powerful, he combines dark magic with an enchanted ArmsCor

Armscor (South Africa)

Armscor , the Armaments Corporation of South Africa is a South African government-supported weapon-producing conglomerate that was officially established in 1968, primarily as a response to the international sanctions by the United Nations against South Africa that began in 1963 and...

 40 mm grenade launcher that fires spines. Incognito vomits into the launcher's cartridges before loading; and he also is known to have a gatling gun as backup. He is employed by the Unknown Organization responsible for creating the freak chip as a means to destroy Alucard, though it may be possible that he has an agenda of his own. During the final plot arc of the series he summons a snake-like being referred to as Set (Egyptian God

Set (mythology)

Set was in Ancient Egyptian religion, a god of the desert, storms, and foreigners. In later myths he was also the god of darkness, and chaos...

) and takes it into his body in order to use its power to attack Alucard. Incognito has regenerative powers which seem to be related to the purple stripes and sigils covering his body. It has also been argued that, while Alucard may be inspired by, or is Count Dracula, Incognito may have been inspired by the vampire Count Orlok

Count Orlok

Count Orlok is a fictional character portrayed by Max Schreck in the silent movie Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens...

, from the 1922 silent movie Nosferatu. Incognito does not appear in the manga and his name comes from the literal definition of the word, incognito. In episode nine, Alucard responds to Incognito's introduction by saying his name's "quite an enigma as well." Incognito has only appeared on the TV series and not the manga series. He also has a giant ax as a weapon, as shown in episode thirteen.

Secondary characters

Walter C. Dornez

Walter C. Dornez

is a fictional character in the Hellsing anime and manga series created by Kouta Hirano. Walter is a member of an organization called Millennium. He previously served as a member of the Hellsing Organization, and also as the retainer of the Hellsing family...

Walter is a 69 year old retired member of the Hellsing organization. Though now serving as Integra Hellsing's butler, he still has proved the capacity to live up to his nickname "The Angel of Death" with deadly razor sharp wires. He has a close friendship with both Integra and Alucard.

Enrico Maxwell

Enrico Maxwell

is a character from the manga and anime series Hellsing. In the TV series, he is voiced by Hideyuki Tanaka. In the OVA series, he's voiced by Show Hayami and his younger version Risa Hayamizu, and in both TV and OVA versions, his English voice is JB Blanc....

Enrico Maxwell is the overzealous religious leader of the Iscariot Organization (Vatican Section XIII).

Luke and Jan Valentine
Luke Valentine -
Jan Valentine -

The Valentine brothers are "freaks", humans who were turned into vampires with the aid of a chip. They have much influence in the underworld. Their exact origins are unknown. Jan acts, looks and sounds like a member of the lower classes and uses strong profanity while Luke seems much more cultured and restrained. Both wear the same outfit, though Luke wears a white jacket over his. With an army of ghouls, they stormed Hellsing HQ. Their ghouls were armed with rifles, body armor, and shields. Jan uses a pair of heavily modified, suppressed P90s, while Luke uses a pair of sawed-off M1 Garand rifles. Jan faced off against Walter and Seras, while Luke descended into the basement to do battle with Alucard. Luke claims to be as powerful a vampire as Alucard, and their fight seems to be fairly even, until Alucard uses the gravity of the situation as an excuse to release (part of) the enchantments that bind him, letting him use a greater amount of power. Alucard overwhelms Luke and easily kills him, while Jan is shot full of mercury incendiary shells by Integra Hellsing. Integra then asks him to tell her who his masters were; Jan refuses and is ignited on fire, taking his secret with him to the grave.

Other characters

Helena

A young-looking vampire that spends her time reading and listening to "Solveigs Song" by Grieg

Edvard Grieg

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...

. She appears to live alone in a dark old house. Despite her young appearance, she is quite old and becomes something of a role-model for Seras. Helena is eaten by Incognito, though she continues to live for a short time afterward, even after being beheaded.

Kim
(English)

A news reporter saved in Episode 2 from vampires, she tries to prove afterwards that vampires exist to the general public. One such feat was watching a snuff film being recorded in which a vampire would attack a man who clearly had no idea what is going on. When Alucard ends the recording and Integra arrives Kim states that as a reporter she has an obligation to tell the world, showing no guilt because she wasn't the one who made the arrangements. Owing to the nature of what she has done, Integra states that her crime is beyond human law, and authorizes Alucard to drink her (Kim's) blood.

Enrico Stivaletti
(Japanese)

A foreign exchange college student who appears in Episode 3. He is actually the first artificial vampire shown implanted with the 'freak chip' as he attempts to turn another student Mick, with whom he was heavily implied to have been in a romantic relationship, into a vampire for the sake of "being together forever". After being apprehended and later placed in the morgue with the chip removed he is believed dead. This is later disproved when he comes back to "life" in search for Mick. Anderson was sent by the Iscariot Organization to destroy the foreign vampire but is rudely interrupted when Alucard is the one to kill him.

Harry Anders

An MI-5 Agent who apparently cooperates with Kim and is involved in the Hellsing exposure affair. Anders investigates the 'freak chips' and questions Helena, taking Seras along with him for protection. He is killed during an explosion of his car possible carbomb, the circumstances of which are unexplained. It is to be noted that Anders had been acquainted with Seras' father.

Bubbancy

A baobhan sith

Baobhan sith

A baobhan sith is a type of female vampire in Scottish mythology, similar to the banshee or leanan sídhe. Also known as "the White Women of the Scottish Highlands," they are beautiful seductresses who prey on young travelers by night....

 who infiltrated Hellsing HQ and tried to turn Integra into a ghoul since it is a same-sex transformation. Apparently possessing great hypnotic powers, she got in without suspicion by mentally convincing everyone (except Alucard and Seras) that she was Integra's sister "Laura". In what is widely considered the most risqué scene in the series, she paralyzes, partially undresses, and bites Integra on her breast. Integra realizes then that she has no sister, and that the girl must have tricked her. She then stabs Integra in the stomach with a knife to begin drinking her blood, but is then dispatched by Alucard, who'd been delayed in an encounter with Incognito.

The text of the English dub is somewhat confusing, probably due to nonrecognition of the term "baobhan sith" (especially when rendered by a Japanese speaker). The original script is clearer: Bubbancy took the name Laura from the novel Carmilla

Carmilla

Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. First published in 1872, it tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla...

(which, like Dracula, may be close to the truth in the history of the Hellsing world), but Integra also addresses her as a baobhan sith. Upon realizing her identity, Integra refers to the baobhan sith as the Countess Karnstein, this of course being another reference to the classic vampire novel, Carmilla

Carmilla

Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. First published in 1872, it tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla...

.

Commander Peter Fargason

Commander of the Hellsing organization's Paramilitary forces. He is an older human male with a deep voice and was Seras Victoria's first tactical trainer after she became a vampire. He is shot and killed by a British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 sniper during the stand off at the Tower of London

Tower of London

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...

.

Captain Gareth Henderson

he is another captain and one of the few characters who treats Seras as an Equal.He is killed by Alexander Anderson.

Captain Chris Pickman

a new captain from Hellsing after the Valentine's attack.He was attack by Incognito's forces and dies by Alucard rather then Turing into a ghoul.

Paul Wilson

An SAS agent kidnapped by Incognito, Paul Wilson was among given a freak chip but was given more than one chip making him more powerful than the average freak.
He is seen in Incognito's final attack and is killed by Seras.

Renaldo
A priest of Iscariot and Maxwell's adviser.Like how Walter is a bodyguard is to Integra, Renaldo acts as Maxwell's.

External links

• Animerica review