Hellsing (????? Herushingu?

) 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 tankobon volumes by
Shonen Gahosha. As of March 2009 all chapters have been released in 10 volumes in
Japan. Hellsing chronicles the efforts of the mysterious and secret Hellsing
Organization, as it combats vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural foes who
threaten England.

The manga series is licensed for English language release in North America by Dark
Horse Comics, in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, and in
Singapore by Chuang Yi. In 2001, Hirano began publishing chapters of a prequel
series, Hellsing: The Dawn, in special editions of Young King OURs, with six
chapters released as of September 2008.

An anime series of the same name was produced by Gonzo. Directed by Umanosuke Iida,
the series was based on the manga, but used a screenplay by Chiaki Konaka and is
significantly different from the manga in terms of plot, though it uses some of the
same characters and similar character designs. Spanning 13 episodes, it was
broadcast on Japan's Fuji Television from October 10, 2001 to January 16, 2002.

An original video animation (OVA) entitled Hellsing Ultimate is being produced by

Geneon. It follows the manga storyline more closely than the anime series.[1] The
first episode was released in Japan on February 10, 2006, and as of August 2011,
eight episodes have been released. The sixth OVA in the series will be available on
both DVD and Blu-ray; both Blu-ray and DVD editions of episodes one through five
are available in Japan as of October 22, 2010.[2] The first episode was released in
North America on December 5, 2006. As of August 2010, four episodes of the OVA have
been released in North America. At Anime Expo 2010 Funimation Entertainment
announced that they have licensed three of the new OVA episodes 5-7 and the
original TV series and these will be released in the USA in 2011.[3]
Contents
[hide]

1 Plot
2 Characters
2.1 Hellsing Organization
2.2 Iscariot (Vatican Section XIII)
2.3 Millennium
2.4 The Wild Geese
2.5 The Convention of Twelve
3 Media
3.1 Manga
3.2 Crossfire
3.2.1 Hellsing: The Dawn
3.3 Hellsing prototype mangas
3.4 Anime
3.5 OVAs
3.6 Soundtracks
4 Reception
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot

Hellsing is named after and centered around the Holy Order of Protestant Knights,
originally led by Abraham Van Helsing. The mission of Hellsing is to protect Queen
and Country from the undead and other supernatural forces of evil. This
organization is currently led by Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who
inherited the leadership of Hellsing as a child after the death of her father. She
is protected by the faithful Hellsing family butler and former Hellsing "trashman,"
Walter C. Dornez, and Alucard, the original and most powerful vampire that swore
loyalty to the Hellsing family after being defeated by Van Helsing one hundred
years before the story takes place. These formidable guardians are joined early on
in the storyline by former police officer Seras Victoria, whom Alucard turned into
a vampire.

As the scale and frequency of incidents involving the undead escalate in England
and all around the world, Sir Integra discovers that the remnants of a Nazi group
called Millennium still exist and are intent on reviving the Third Reich by
creating a battalion of vampires. Millennium, Hellsing, and the Vatican section
XIII Iscariot clash in an apocalyptic three-sided war in London, and Millennium
reveals its true objective: to destroy the vampire Alucard, ending a feud begun
during World War II.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Hellsing Organization

More formally known as the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, the Hellsing
Organization was founded by Abraham Van Helsing shortly after the events of Bram
Stoker's novel Dracula as a response to the threat posed by vampires. The Hellsing
Organization is traditionally headed by Abraham's descendants, who control Alucard,
the ultimate vampire created by the organization for use in their continuing
struggle against supernatural threats. After World War II, it was decided that
Alucard was too powerful or potentially too dangerous to continue to be used as a
weapon, and was locked away in the dungeon of the Hellsing mansion. Upon Arthur's
death, his daughter, Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, became the director of
the organization. Integra's uncle, Richard Hellsing, attempted to assassinate her
and take control of the organization, but was defeated by Alucard, whom Integra
accidentally released.

In the Hellsing universe, the organization is an integral part of the true power-
structure of Great Britain, which is, according to the story, still ruled by a
hidden aristocracy and the monarchy. The organization is tasked with defending the
country's shores from any and all supernatural threats and often faces controversy
over the highly unconventional methods Hellsing chooses to do this, such as the use
of "anti-Christian" powers and creatures. In the TV series, Hellsing is portrayed
much more like a paramilitary or counter-terrorist organization armed with Heckler
& Koch MP5 submachine guns and GKN Saxon or VAB APCs used to transport Hellsing
soldiers to areas where there are reports of supernatural outbreaks in Britain. The
paramilitary aspects are rarely mentioned in the OVA or the manga.

Alucard
The series' protagonist. A very ancient and powerful vampire, he serves as the
Hellsing Organization's most powerful operative and vampire expert and its "trump
card". Alucard is Dracula spelled backwards.

Integra Hellsing
A descendant of Abraham Van Helsing and the Bureau Director of the Hellsing
Organization. She inherited her position as the head of the Hellsing family at the
age of 12 (13 in the Gonzo series), upon her father's death. Integra is also
Alucard's current master. She is intelligent and strong, almost always featured
smoking cigars. Although often seeming strict and domineering, she is much
respected and admired, even among her enemies. Following in the path of her
family's tradition, she is reputed to be a worthy vampire huntress herself, as
noted by her enemies and exhibited by her capabilities during the latter chaotic
events of the series.

Seras Victoria
Seras was formerly a member of the police force but, after being mortally
wounded on a mission involving Alucard, she chose to join him among the ranks of
the vampires rather than die. As Alucard's fledgling vampire she is an orphan to be
adopted by the Hellsing Organization.

Walter C. Dornez
Walter is a 69-year-old retired member of the Hellsing Organization who serves
as Integra's butler, only revealing his true capabilities as the 'Angel of Death'
and ex-Hellsing 'trashman' in times of need. He was handpicked to be a Hellsing
operative and butler by Integra's father and, along with Alucard, participated in
the destruction of Millennium in World War II, over fifty years ago.

[edit] Iscariot (Vatican Section XIII)

Main article: Iscariot (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 (such as vampires) and heretics. Given that the Hellsing
Organization not only employs vampires but is run on the principles of staunch
Protestantism, Iscariot is their natural rival, despite their similar aims.

Alexander Anderson
A warrior priest or paladin who works for the Vatican Section XIII, Iscariot.
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, of which he has many) his mission is nothing less than the
complete destruction of all the undead in the world. As this includes many of
Hellsing's subordinates, Anderson is one of Alucard's greatest foes, as well as his
primary rival.

Enrico Maxwell
Enrico Maxwell is the ambitious, ruthless leader of the Iscariot Organization
(Vatican Section XIII). He is also depicted as Alexander Anderson's retainer,
analogous to Integra and Alucard's relationship.

Heinkel Wolfe and Yumie Takagi

Heinkel Wolfe is a pistol wielding assassin belonging to the Iscariot
Organization. Yumie, a Japanese nun with a split personality is her partner. They
appear first as Maxwell's bodyguards and again in the brigade of Iscariot
operatives sent to the besieged London to apprehend Integra Hellsing. These two
also appear in the first, second, and third installment of the manga as a short
chapter in the back, as it seems more to give a slight background on the two rather
anything else.

[edit] Millennium
Main article: Millennium (Hellsing)

A mysterious group of Nazis that was hiding in Brazil since the end of World War
II, they serve as the main antagonists for the remainder of the series. Research
headed by the Doctor developed a method of creating artificial vampires, which are
then sent out to wreak havoc with chips implanted in them to monitor their status,
behavior, intent, and aggression. Somewhat similar to kamikaze units, they are
remotely ignited and destroyed once defeated.

The Major
A sociopathic former SS officer, he was in charge of Nazi experimentation with
artificial vampirism until Alucard and Walter destroyed the laboratory in 1944.
Obsessed with battle, he seeks to create an endless war.

The Captain
 The Major's silent, stoic adjutant and bodyguard. He is a werewolf and was
around when Alucard and Walter destroyed the laboratory containing documents on
artificial vampirism.

Rip van Winkle

Rip van Winkle is the "Huntress" of the Millennium Organization. Her weapon of
choice is a long-barreled flintlock musket. The gun itself fires magic bullets, to
which she claims "punish all without distinction." She appears in both Hellsing
(manga) and Hellsing: the dawn (manga) as well as in the 4th OVA. Her connection to
Alucard extends back to WWII.

The Doctor
He is Millenium's top scientist of physiology and technology, the genius behind
many of their projects. Perhaps unstable, certainly eccentric, but undeniably
brilliant. Doc usually appears dressed in a perpetually bloodstained white lab
coat, an unusual shirt which reveals his lower torso, and glasses with an
assortment of adjustable, multilensed spectacles. Also he is relentlessly loyal to
the Major and the cause of undead research.

Schr�dinger
Schr�dinger is a catboy created by Doc to serve Millennium. Usually found
sitting underneath the Major's throne like a pet, he also acts as an envoy for
Millennium. He has the ability to be "everywhere and nowhere" at the same time, his
powers also include apparent regeneration/immortality, If he believes that he is
unscathed, then he is. (These abilities, his name, and his being feline are
obviously a reference to the famous "Schr�dinger's cat" scenario in quantum
physics). Apparently he has a slight attraction towards Seras, at least hinting it
when he first sees her.

Zorin Blitz
Zorin is a tall, masculine female character covered with tattoos on one side of
her body and face. She is often seen smoking, and her weapon of choice is a scythe.
Using her tattoos, Zorin can create very realistic illusions using the memories of
her target, and then takes advantage of her enemy's weakness. She leads a
devastating attack upon Hellsing Manor during manga/OVA 6 and 7. The imagery
associated with Zorin is amongst the most obligatorily occult, apart from
Alucard's.

[edit] The Wild Geese

The Wild Geese, a group of mercenaries, were hired as soldiers after a Millennium
attack on the Hellsing headquarters left the organization severely short-handed.
The leader of the Wild Geese is Captain Pip Bernadotte, a womanizing Frenchman who
loves to tease Seras Victoria. Its members are remarkably mixed in ethnicity, age,
and background. Though highly skilled, they are no match in a close fight against
vampires and rely on measures like remote-detonated mines to combat the Millennium
forces. Only seven of them survived the battle, with only two without serious
injuries.

Captain Pip Bernadotte

Captain Pip Bernadotte is the leader of the Wild Geese, a group of mercenaries
hired by Hellsing. He dies trying to save Seras in her battle with Zorin Blitz.
Seras drinks his blood to become a full-fledged vampire, absorbing Pip's life, soul
and memories into herself.

[edit] The Convention of Twelve

The Convention of Twelve or the Twelve Conventions is the name of a secret society
that runs England from the shadows. Their members include nobles, prominent
politicians, and military leaders. They hold meetings around a long, rectangular
table, with Sir Integra Hellsing at the head and Sir Hugh Islands at the foot. They
have also been known as The Roundtable, in reference to the Round Table of
Arthurian legend.
[edit] Media
[edit] Manga
Main article: List of Hellsing chapters

The series premiered in Young King Ours in 1997 and ran for eleven years until the
final chapter was released in the November 2008 issue.[4] The individual chapters
are collected and published in tankobon volumes by Shonen Gahosha, with 10 volumes
having been released. The series is licensed for an English language release in
North America by Dark Horse Comics. The first volume was released on December 1,
2003 and as of May 19, 2010, the company has published ten translated volumes.
Chuang Yi is releasing the series in English in Singapore, with six volumes
released as of October 2008, and through an agreement with the company, Madman
Entertainment is re-releasing those volumes in Australia and New Zealand.[5][6]
Hellsing is also licensed for regional language releases in France by Editions
Tonkam, in Italy by Dynit, in Hungary by Mangafan, in Germany by Planet Manga, in
Poland by Japonica Polonica Fantastica and in Denmark and Sweden by Mangismo.

[edit] Crossfire

See:Crossfire (manga)
A three chapter side story about two Iscariot Members Heinkel Wolfe and Yumie
Takagi. With Cameos of Alexander Anderson and Enrico Maxwell. But is a separate
story and is mostly likely another prototype manga as it features a man who
resembles Walter C. Dornez. In OVA 6 it was released as a Drama CD.
[edit] Hellsing: The Dawn

In 2001, Hirano began publishing chapters of a prequel series, Hellsing: The Dawn,
in special editions of Young King OURs, of which six chapters have been released as
of May 2009. The Dawn features a fourteen year-old Walter C. Dornez and Alucard, in
the form of a 14 year old girl, attacking Millennium's base of operations in Nazi-
controlled Poland in September 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising. Publication was
scheduled to resume after the conclusion of the main Hellsing series, however, as
of yet there have been no new chapters since the manga's conclusion. According to
Taliesin Jaffe, the chapters of The Dawn will be animated as part of the Hellsing
Ultimate OVA series. The first animated entry to The Dawn, was released in
conjunction with the eighth OVA.[7][verification needed]
[edit] Hellsing prototype mangas

This series features Kouta's old works before he started Hellsing this features the
character's prototypes they are all hentai mangas.
Angel Dust:Alexander Anderson
Coyote:Pip Bernadotte and The Major
Desert Guardian:The Captain
Doc's Story:The Doctor and Schrodinger
Hi and Low:Integra Hellsing and Yumie Takagi
Magic School:Renaldo
The Legend of Vampire Hunter:Alucard,Seras Victoria,Luke and Jan Valentine.
[edit] Anime
Main article: Hellsing (TV series)
See also: List of Hellsing episodes

Following the release of the manga, Gonzo produced a thirteen episode anime series
that uses the same characters and settings, but a different story from its source
manga. Written by Chiaki J. Konaka and directed by Umanosuke Iida, the series
premiered on Fuji Television on December 27, 2003 and ran until its conclusion on
February 16, 2004. The series is licensed for English language release in North
America by Geneon Entertainment, in the United Kingdom by ADV Films and in
Australia by Madman Entertainment. Geneon's English dub of the series aired in the
United States on Starz!'s Encore Action channel from December 21, 2003 to March 15,
2004.

The series uses two pieces of theme music. "Logos Naki World" (A World Without
Logic) by Yasushi Ishii is used as the opening theme for all thirteen episodes. Mr.
Big performs the song "Shine" for the series ending theme. It has a manga adaption
as well.
[edit] OVAs
Hellsing Ultimate OVA, volume 1.
See also: List of Hellsing Ultimate episodes

Hellsing Ultimate, known simply as Hellsing in Japan, is an original video

animation (OVA) series formerly animated by animation studio Satelight and later
Madhouse, now being animated by Graphinica (as of OVA VIII) and produced by Geneon.
The first fifty minute episode was released to Region 2 DVD in Japan on February
10, 2006.[8] The seventh episode was released in Japan on December 23, 2009.[9] The
seventh episode DVD included a teaser trailer announcing the eighth episode with a
tentative release date of "sometime 2010." [10] The ending of each episode uses
various pieces of instrumental music composed by Hayato Matsuo and performed by the
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra up to OVA V. OVAs VI and VII feature vocal closing
themes by Japanese rock group Suilen. Titled "Magnolia" and "Shinto-Shite"
respectively. The OVA series is licensed for release in the United States by Geneon
USA. In producing the English dub of the series, Geneon used much of the original
cast from the dub of the anime series, which the company had also licensed. The
first episode was released to Region 1 DVD on December 5, 2006, after premiering
the episode at the 2006 Anime Expo convention. Though Geneon USA stopped self-
distribution of its titles in 2007,[11] it remains the licensor of the series and
in 2008 the North American distribution was assumed by Funimation Entertainment.
[12] Funimation released the fourth episode on September 23, 2008. Simultaneously,
the company re-released the first three episodes. At Anime Expo 2010, Funimation
Entertainment announced that they do have all three of the new OVA (episodes 5-7 as
of that date) and the original TV series and will be released in 2011. On July 27th
2011, Hellsing OVA VIII was finally released in Japan after a long one year and
eight month wait. Along with the first episode of The Dawn. Hellsing IX is expected
to arrive in early 2012.[3]
[edit] Soundtracks

Two CD soundtracks composed by Yasushi Ishii have been released by Geneon for the
Hellsing anime series. Hellsing Original Soundtrack: Raid was released on July 1,
2003 and contained 19 tracks.[13] The second soundtrack, Hellsing Original
Soundtrack: Ruins, containing an additional 22 tracks followed on September 2,
2003.[14]

Also, three soundtracks composed by Hayato Matsuo have been released for the
Hellsing OVA series (Hellsing Ultimate). Hellsing OVA Original Soundtrack - BLACK
DOG Released on March 21, 2008.[15] As well as a DVD-Audio mini-soundtrack released
as an extra with Hellsing OVA IV in Japan, titled Premium Disk - Warsaw Recording
Selection featuring 9 tracks.[16] The newest one is also an extra with Hellsing I-V
Blu-ray BOX, titled Nazi CD featuring 13 tracks and 1 secret track. The vocal
tracks by Suilen were released by the band on their recent mini-album THE DAWN.[17]
[edit] Reception

In 2005, the six and seventh volumes of the Hellsing manga series ranked among
Diamond Comics Distributors's list of the top 48 manga volumes sold in the United
States for the year.[18] In November 2007, the ninth volume was among the top 10
volumes sold according to Japan's monthly sales rankings.[19][20]