Hellsing Ultimate Series 1
Hawkeye
Hellsing is a small organization of people and monsters who protects the world from the other monsters. Their primary asset is a vampire who’s older then time, called Alucard. His partner is a human who he turned into a vampire called Seras Victoria. Sir Integra runs the organization and is the only remaining heir to the prestigious family line Hellsing. Alucard is the family’s darkest secret and most precious heirloom, as he is unbreakably loyal to the bloodline.
This is a new version and release of the anime Hellsing. While the first TV show was very well done, it didn’t follow the manga very closely. However, Hellsing Ultimate Series follows the manga perfectly as far as I can tell in this first volume. Those disappointed with the first series will hopefully enjoy this new one, though die-hard fans of the original will probably be disappointed.
The animation was excellent and breathtaking in its use of motion and creative angles and camera panning. It almost felt as if I was watching a movie rather then an animation at times. The art style of the characters was as fantastic as ever, somehow making Alucard both handsome and utterly creepy in the same moment.
The voice acting was very good, including British accents for the English characters and Scottish ones for the Scottish characters. It’s very rare that you see an anime go through the trouble of defining a characters nationality in both story and voice acting. The music was excellent also, as were the sound effects.
The only extras this disc had to offer were the inserts in the DVD box that included a small folder poster on the inside of the chapter menu. However, I did look at the limited edition two-disc set, and that’s what the fans need to buy if they want some goodies. It has interviews and several different trailers and previews for the series. It also includes its own double-sided folded poster, as well a very cool metal DVD box. Also, this disc is only about 50 minutes long, it feels little like a rip off paying full price for something so short.
I was a fan of the original series, both manga and anime, and I was not disappointed by this OAV. The characters are dynamic, the story is excellent, and the action scenes are just amazing. I think both new viewers and old fans will be able to enjoy this new release.
Entertainment: 10
I don’t have a bad thing to say about it.
Technical: 8
It kind of sucks that there are only extras on the limited edition. I wish they had at least given the fans something on the regular disc.
