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Review
For uncounted years, the Hellsing organization, created and maintained by the Hellsing family,
has protected England from "freaks"—supernatural, inhuman creatures of legend, such as vampires and ghouls. Bringing
a private fortune, military training, long tradition and monumental arrogance to the task of serving "God and the Queen,"
Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing directs her organization like a cross between a private security force and the CIA.
But she has another weapon that few know about: a vampire named Arucard, who calls her master
and gleefully takes Hellsing's side in battle. Gloating over his own power, he revels in killing newly bred lesser vampires
(which he refers to as "instant vampires"), usually after allowing them to shoot him dozens of times, then subjecting them
to impromptu lectures on their own weakness, inexperience, sloppiness, ignorance and stupidity. But even the vampires that
Arucard considers weak can do amazing amounts of damage to England's fragile human population, as policewoman Seras Victoria
discovers when her investigator unit is drained of blood and converted into an army of shambling, mindless ghouls. Arucard
"saves" her—by shooting her to get at his true victim, then turning her into a vampire herself.
At Alucard's recommendation, Seras Victoria is absorbed into Hellsing,
where she simultaneously learns about being a vampire and learns how to kill others like herself. But she learns very little
about her mysterious master and creator, who periodically tutors and chides her telepathically—particularly about her
reluctance to drink blood—but rarely seems interested in anything else, besides battling suitably powerful opponents.
Hellsing's adversaries include a mysterious enemy that's using computer chips to create artificial vampires, a pair of scheming,
powerful vampire brothers with their own ghoul army and a ruthless, powerful Vatican organization that wants to destroy vampires
and the Hellsing organization at the same time. But Arucard remains smugly bored by most of it—until a vampire of his
own vintage arrives in Britain with an unknown agenda and his own human master.
The animation on Hellsing, is so unbelievably gorgeous you can't
stop the amazement. Its amazing how well the entire thing was put together, and the never ending spill of blood, and the sound
of dead bodies dropping around you is almost too exciting to handle. On the downside, in the anime Hellsing's character development
sucks...and the plot basically falls apart around episode 4. Another downside is that a lot of the characters that were
in the manga aren't in the anime. Boom, like they were never there, the Iscariot Organization is hardly complete, most characters
being excluded minus about 5, 2 of which are seen once and have no names (basically they aren't characters they are there
to fill the screen). the Millennium Organization is completely cut out of the picture, they are never even heard of at all,
as if they never existed. The Valentine brothers hold a strong place in the anime holding up an entire DVD on there own, but
the plot completely falls apart about there (the Blood Brothers DVD only houses two eps, but hey...its a 13 eps.
series.) That's another thing, Its too short. The anime, though much more time consuming and expensive to produce with all
the awesome special effects, would have been much better (I can't believe I'm saying these things about the all mighty Hellsing...)if
they had just made it maybe a 20 eps or maybe 26 like another anime favorite Cowboy Bebop. There is no
doubt the character development would be far more superior to this. All and all despite my ramblings, Hellsing is an awesome
anime sure to keep you in your seat and asking "what's happening next?" and "Where can I get a gun like that?" even
though (quote) "the Jackal is too much Gun for any human to handle" hehehe. Anyway, Hellsing is pure, full blown violence. Limbs ripping, blood bursting, knives
through different parts of the body
and a few other acts of killing that I won't give away. And seeing it in crisp animation with CG makes for an awe-inspiring
experience. However, all those who wince at the thought of a blade through your neck should avoid this series, less they find
themselves having nightmares. Hellsing provides an excellent amount action and animation
to keep hardcore anime fans watching. Above all I give Hellsing
an 8.5 becuase it lacks in plot and development, but kicks ass in everything else. Running at about $29.95
at your local Suncoast, its a deal. Why are you still here reading this? Why aren't you out buying this awesome animation?
Go now!
-Megan
Quote: "May God and her Majesty be with you. Amen."
Score: 8.5
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