Hellsing: Complete Box Set (Signature Series)

 

 

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Hellsing came to me while I was in my deepest depression. The reason for that is so simple. I am a "vampiraholic" ( if you allow me to use such a word ). I like vampires to death. I like everything about them. Their abilities, strength,weaknesses,and their dark lust for human's blood. BUT, I was disappointed with the thousands of movies and animes that were about vampires. They were never satisfying or worthy in terms of vampires. In fact, they never quenched my thirst for vampires. They were always either about LOVE like "Queen of the damned" and " Embrace of the vampire" or a stupid struggle between being a human or a vampire like "Blade" and "Vampire hunter D". I am not saying those movies were all that bad (especially vampire hunter D whom I love his character very much ),I am just explaining that they did not make me happy nor represented vampires as real,authentic,and dark creatures .
When I actually bought Hellsing, I could not express my mixed emotions while watching a unique piece of work . I loved Alucard and Seras(or Ceres as it is written in Japanese)Victoria from the very beginning of episode one. I was amazed by the fact that a decent, powerful, and proud vampire like Alucard is serving a human ! And to to be more exact a female !In addition, I was struck by the idea of Alucard using magnificent human's guns to eliminate his enemies.Also, I was astonished to see Alucard's true power in episode 6,when he showed his dark nature.Oh man! All those scary eyes , black space , and fatal dogs !Do I dare to deny that I was scared?!What more do I want? .Furthermore, those incredible battles between Alucard and his deadly enemies such as Incognito and Alexender Andersong . That's what I call kicking ass ! Not to mention Alucard's dark, vague, and heart-breaking identity which keeps you attracted to the series until the end .Even Alucard's clothes are well done; the long red coat, the hat, the glasss, and the white gloves with the sorcery circles on them !
The feminine side in this series is so amazing . Imagine a strict, fearless, beautiful, and intelligent woman called Integra. Not only that,imagine a cute,sexy,charming,and smart chick called Seras(Ceres) Victoria. Oh no! Please do not let me start on her! A well-made and developed character that was an interesting addition to the story. You do not see her like those other idiots turned by vampires who,those idiots, keep struggling and wanting their human life back.NO, the issue with Seras is totally different. She is not rejecting being a vampire(actually she chose that by her own will).However, she is rejecting certain things like sucking blood(make that drinking blood),and sometimes the cold sarcastic way her master deals with things and sitautions. (...0
The effects are top-notch, especially the sound of Alucard's guns while firing. Moreover, the actors voices are worthy and up to such a perfect work(I consider it to be the best English dubding I have ever heard)).And last but not least, the music. The opening of Hellsing is the best I have ever heard. The whole music is fantastic. It takes you to a higher level of enjoyment.
Finally,the main climax is when you discover who Alucard really is! (a clever hint was given at the end of the series).For me,Hellsing is the second best anime I have ever seen after Berserk.

After being subjected to the hype of my fellow anime-lovers about this series, I really expected a more interesting story. While I thought the animation was done passably well, artwork can only hold a film so far...the story and character development really needs to pick up the slack at some point. In this case, I lost interest after the second episode as it was fairly clear that the story wasn't moving at a pace comparable to it's simplicity; it simply wasn't complex enough to struggle along so cryptically. While I agree Alucard was an interesting character, his overthetop attitude mostly made him annoying (I'd like to see Vampire Hunter D tear him a new one, quite frankly) and the other characters were cardboard cutouts at best. Sera, who's struggle with her budding vampirism should have made a good center for this story, but her petulence and unwillingness to give in to the hunger that would make her a valuable asset to Hellsing simply makes her unnecessary to the series.

In all, I was enormously disappointed...it really seemed that this idea could have had real depth; instead, it's creaters fell into a common Hollywood style trap: flash over substance.

Hellsing is the third series by Studio Gonzo to be released in the States (the first two being Vandread and Gatekeepers), and given the unorthodox nature of its subject, it's surprisingly good.

First off, this is a dark, dark show. No goofy love triangles, no harems, no magical girls or weird special attacks with silly names. This is a series about vampires, and we're not talking about your Vampire: The Masquerade-angsty-goth-wannabe vampires either. Alucard (Dracula spelled backwards, don't let the "Arucard" mistranslation fool you) is a real, traditional, nosferatu right down to the core, even if he dresses more modern than his predecessors. He's vain, snide, but possessed of a dignity that is missing from more recent treatments of vampires. He's anti-hero through and through, but you just can't help rooting for him even when it's obvious he's not really a good guy at all.

Then there is Integra Hellsing, who defines the model of "Ice Queen". She's the direct descendant of people whose lives were dedicated to dealing with the darkest of evil things and it shows. Her butler/bodyguard, Walter is also very cool, with his polished English manners contrasted by the skill with which he cuts up ghouls with mono-filament wire.

Which leaves us with Celes Victoria (inexplicably renamed Seras in the US version), a member of London's D-11 corps (D-11 is Britain's S.W.A.T. team more or less) who is nearly killed in the first episode, but saved by Alucard by being made into a vampire herself. Possibly the most "normal" of the main characters, it's through her eyes that we see the other side of the coin, so to speak. As the newbie-vampire of Hellsing, her training and struggles with her new un-life give us a chance to see the human side of the Hellsing Institution.

As with all of Gonzo's work, great detail is paid to the various mecha (guns, helicopters, cars, and anything else that drives, shoots or explodes). Fans of guns and aircraft will enjoy this show almost as much as those who enjoy horror, since Alucard's favored ghoul annihilator is a custom ARM .454 pistol (read: Hand Cannon), and Celes is often seen toting around a gigantic anti-tank gun or sniper rifle (she doesn't even need a scope!). The locations in London are also well rendered. Studio Gonzo really did their homework on this one.

And not just on mecha. Their depiction of Alucard and his powers is right out of the old novels and pulps on vampires. The clannish notions of vampirism espoused in current fiction like Blade or Vampire: The Masquerade is for the most part tossed completely out the window. Alucard has it all: the speed, the strength, the regeneration, the ability to cast glamours, to summon hell hounds, change into bats and mist, and even pass through shadows. And he's NOT a card carrying member of some gothed-out clan (he's rather adamant about that in fact).

Hellsing has tons of great atmosphere, cool characters, and lots of guns-blazing action. However, if you just can't stomach the violence, profanity, and sexual content (pull yourself together, dude!) mark this one down a star. But you won't do that, because if you read the title you'd already know this isn't one for the kiddies.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Hellsing is a pretty cool Anime
i thought this was very interesting. it's about an artificial vampire hunting organization called Hellsing and how there strongest force Alucard helps turn a dying police girl... Read more

Published on July 3 2004 by Jacob

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY GOOD!
Well im not going to give a super long review so im gonna try and keep it short. For me it started off slow but after 5 or so minutes or when alucard first drew his gun I was... Read more

Published on Jun 15 2004 by amanojyaku001

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't listen to silly reviews like this one...
After reading some of these other reviews, I've decided that something must be wrong with me- I loved Hellsing.

The first episode grabbed me immediately. Read more

Published on Jun 4 2004 by Daniel R. Larson

4.0 out of 5 stars Zombie Death!
Fans of horror action rejoice! The popular anime Hellsing is here! Now if you want something with Shojo Romance and a truley amazing story, don't buy this! Read more

Published on May 12 2004 by Prons Walls

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bloody Vampire Series Available!
The Japanese seem to find the western version of the Vampire myth quite appealing, and the expression of that fascination reaching a peak with the anime series Hellsing. Read more

Published on April 12 2004 by Denny Vu Quach

4.0 out of 5 stars Modern occult
This series can be seen as another quasi-static anime vampire-obsessed bit of nonsense that's not entirely gripping. Read more

Published on April 2 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Behold, Zombies.
Ahhh zombies, how I love them. Hellsing takes up a standard setting, the dark underbelly of a major city, the main character is Alcuard (Probably the MOST COMMON VAMPIRE NAME... Read more

Published on April 2 2004 by Prons

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but with a twist
If you like actioned packed anime sagas this is the dvd collection for you, but if you like the anime that goes really in depth with the characters and gives their whole... Read more

Published on April 1 2004 by M. Castaneda

3.0 out of 5 stars Great animation, some of the coolest characters.....but
I expected Hellsing to be something like a dark gothic story with a human who controls a vampire. The theme of vampire hunting vampires have been used thousands of times... Read more

Published on Mar 11 2004 by chrishson

4.0 out of 5 stars Typical vampire story, but outstanding character
Hellsing puts being cool at the top of its to-do list. The storyline itself is typical and predictable, but the characters themselves make it so darn interesting. Read more

Published on Feb 26 2004

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