Expectations were high for the new Hellsing Ultimate, Volume Three OVA, and it didn’t disappoint. Volume Three in the OVA picks up at volume three in the manga:
The Hellsing organization is in shambles after a devastating attack on their London base by two powerful, but artificially manufactured, vampires. The Valentine brothers, Luke and Jan, managed to wipe out all but a handful of soldiers at Hellsing Headquarters before being destroyed in turn by Alucard and the mystery group behind them, Millenium.
To make up for Hellsing’s lack of fighting force, Integra enlists a specialized group of mercenaries, the Wild Geese to act as Hellsing’s new army. Seras is introduced to the new soldiers as an example of the vampires they’ll be facing in battle, with much disbelief on their part.
Meanwhile, Sir Integra is forced to play nice with Vatican’s Section XIII head, Enrico Maxwell, in order to gain vital intel on Millenium. After Integra and Maxwell’s mutually distasteful meeting, Alucard is dispatched to South America to deal with this (not so) new threat.
I was worried at the beginning of the volume that they were going to stray into unknown waters when they failed to adhere strictly to the manga with the first scene (social commentary on the war, anyone?). However, creative license was used and the deviation was minimal at best. I was gun shy, I suppose, after the original anime derailed and the studio started making crap up as they went along.
Although this volume is fairly true to the manga, there were a few rewrites, reshuffling of sequences, twists of the visuals, and some blatant omissions. One scene omitted, although fairly minor in the manga, was one which I had hoped to see animated. Bummer.
The animation is still going strong in Volume Three, and the attention to all the gory detail really appeases my secret blood lust. I’m also liking the little vignette that plays at the end credits after each volume. In Volume Three, it’s an awesome flashback of Walter C. and Alucard back in the day.
I’m absolutely loving the fact that there is NO innuendo thus far in this OVA. The first anime was rife with hints of secret crushes and of loyalties that went beyond master and servant. Volume Three is straight up action and horror. No drama, no romance, no crappy love to slow down the plot. Alucard comes across in the OVA as a single minded destroyer; a tool Integra simply has to point in the right direction to have havoc and death ensue. So far, so good. I hope the studio keeps sticking to their guns and stays faithful to the manga.
I’m not feeling the music for the OVA. It’s way too orchestral for my tastes. Yasushi Ishii did a helluva good job with the first two scores and I wish they’d used him again for the OVA. Perhaps, however, the studio wanted as much distance between the OVA and the original anime as possible. I understand that, but the music just doesn’t jive for me. Some people, though, may enjoy this score if they haven’t heard Ishii’s take on Hellsing. Anyone else liking the score for the Hellsing Ultimate thus far?
The voice acting is good and I really like Joji Nakata as Alucard. Everyone else is just as good, but I think they nailed Alucard’s voice for the Japanese cast.
The following volumes for Hellsing Ultimate will be awaited quite eagerly at our house, and I imagine, at the houses of fellow fans just as rabid as us. Volume Four can’t come soon enough…
Hellsing Ultimate, Volume Three gets
outta of a possible four gummies.
Hey Rachel. Nice review!
You know, I’ve been looking around the stores, but haven’t even seen Hellsing Ultimate disc 2 yet. Are these all going to be about 2 episodes per disc? If so, they’re a bit expensive, no?
Still, I’ll definitely make an effort to check it out.
On a side note, what do you think of Trinity Blood versus Hellsing?
@Chris, Do you really want my op on Trinity Blood? I disliked it and thought it was unoriginal and extremely plagiarizing. I couldn’t believe my eyes when they paraded characters straight outta Hellsing and Trigun across the screen and said “Viola; all new awesome Trinity Blood characters.”
I’m in the process of reviewing it now and I don’t have (m)any positive things to say about it. Even David didn’t like it (although it was a gorgeous anime) and that’s saying something. So, yeah, I’ll be posting that soon, I hope.
Chris – Unfortunately we only get one OVA episode in each volume, so yeah I think it’ll end up being pretty expensive series when they’re all done.
As for Trinity Blood – Rachel’s planning on giving the complete series a review sometime after we get back from Anime Central…
Gotcha. You know, I feel pretty much the same about trinity blood. I watched the first disc, and immediately forgot it. Oh well.
Is it me or is the OVA depressingly surreal. I mean come on whats going on with Hellsing. Now everything is good blood guts great intact. But its all falling apart. Its becoming to a point where its becoming annoying. Just the fact that there’s no talent out there everyone is just like the americans.
No imagination at all. All they do is create squeal to squeal. Hellsing is great don’t get me wrong. But how about not watching something that I read straight out of the manga. I mean come on, I can predict what happens in the next scene in a heartbeat. This is unmistakeable with out a doubt. I feel sadden that Hirano had to stoop to this level.
Next thing you know Alucard is gonna be making the moves on the ever so cold-hearted Integra Hellsing. Which by the way is unethical. In which I see this, I am glad that the whole hellsing series is about to end its about time this anime gets buried six feet under and no one ever digs it up again.
Hellsing has took its turn to no where ….. I am a fan don’t get me wrong but when it upsets you like this….. you no longer think about your fandom. you think about it ending as soon as possible. And shall Hellsing Fan fics also rest in peace.
-Pinter (Anime Critic)
Are you CRAZY! I heard of you Pinter for like one second! HAhaha your a good critic but comeing at hellsing? are you crazy. Hellsing will always be great. though I can see where your coming from by saying that your watching something you read exactly. But still hellsing is awesome! Shall you rest in peace! you cold hearted idiot.
@Pinter, How is the OVA depressingly surreal? Wouldn’t you say it’s exactly like the manga? Would that mean the manga was surreal? The whole point of the OVA was to animate the manga and thus far, the OVA rocks in that regard. If you didn’t like the manga, why would you watch the anime?
And how is there “No imagination at all. All they do is create squeal to squeal.”? I’m confused by that remark and this one as well: “Just the fact that there’s no talent out there everyone is just like the americans. I can’t even reply to those comments since I only have a vague “feeling” of what you mean.
…I can predict what happens in the next scene in a heartbeat. Of course you can predict what happens next in the OVA; anyone who read the manga also has this amazing power. Usually, people are thrilled that their fave book/ manga has been animated or made into a movie. Why are you so glum about the OVA? Countless manga have been likewise treated. The only time I hear anyone whine about that is when they don’t take it straight from the book.
Sheesh, then you slam the manga-ka, Hirano since he …had to stoop to this level. Wow, he sure did lie down when his manga was translated into anime. It’s a compliment to him to have a his work made into film.
I’m personally ecstatic that one of my favorite manga is now in vivid animated color so I can enjoy all it’s glorious violence the way god meant it to be.
I’m unsure of exactly what you’re trying to say in your comment overall, but you do write that you’re a fan of Hellsing. So maybe that’s the bit that I’m most confused about; if you love Hirano’s work so much, why complain when they animate it, panel for panel?
“No imagination at all. All they do is create squeal to squeal.†that remark means that all americans do is create sequals. even though they are great they cant create anything “”Original”" Like X-men I,II,III , spiderman I, II, III , shrek, I,II,III, pirates of the carb- I, II, III , fantastic four I, II ya know things like that and let me tell you the list goes on for like infinity. those are just the only ones I can think of right now. but I understood that line. even though I dont agree with pinter.
Pinter, Mr. X – How does that relate to the Hellsing manga/anime series? Hellsing is a Japanese manga/anime series created by Kouta Hirano.
…oh wait. You must be talking about that crappy movie “Hellsing” starring Hugh Jackman LOL. Yeah, that sucked. But it’s not the same thing at all! That’s based off the old Universal monster movies with Frankenstein, Wolfman, etc.
okays, lets get things straight….this new hellsing ultimate is oozing lush anime film quality
artwork and is also trying to distance itself from its predeccesor so lets give it a break with the musc
the old music was only good for the crappy old series and the high budget orchestra being shouldve used is what shu
been used in the past!…it adds charm and lets you take this awesome series seriously,
@moin, I really liked the old soundtrack and thought that it suited the subject matter. I agree the OVA’s animation is superb and it outstrips the original in almost every way. However, the characters and strory are essentially the same.
I feel music should match the subject matter, pacing, and caliber of an anime and not the quality of the media. If you think about it, Alucard is a monster who enjoys wholesale slaughter, swearing, gory and agonizing death, and baiting his “master”. That doesn’t exactly sound like a guy who needs the Philharmonic to fill in for his daily soundtrack.
I think the OVA is masterfully produced and I’m glad that the new soundtrack fulfills all your expectations for it, but I’m not feeling the music personally
Davido … or whatever. Just to let you know I’m a fan of hellsing. I was just trying to
analyze whatever it is that Pinter was talking about. So please don’t envolve me with what that freak is saying about hellsing. Thank you in advance. I accept your thoughtful apology.
Mr. X – I’m glad you like Hellsing. Thanks for your comments!
Well, I have the volume 1 and 2 but I have no clue when the 3rd is coming out, I know it’s out in Japanese but any idea on when it will be out here (North America)?
Love the anime!!!
@Maggie
If Geneon is following a pattern for their release schedule, then there will be a 10
month gap between the Japanese release and the US release…which was the case
for Vols. 1 & 2. Since Vol. 3 was released in Japan on April 4, 2007, then this would
put the US release sometime in early February 2008.
So when will the next one be released?
@Interested, Hellsing: Ultimate Volume 3 will be released in North America in October. No word on when volume 4 will be released yet – see Mochi’s comment above.
@pinter
the point of an OVA is to animate the manga panel by panel. or as close to it as possible.
so please get your facts right before you start bashing it.
TV series are done with the flexibility of not having to stick closely to the manga.
i personally am thrilled to have hellsing in an OVA and its faithfulness to the manga.
sooo…no romance??
Don’t get me wrong, I mean yeah I love the violence and the fighting….but come on! I need some angst!! Does Alucard have feelings for seras?? Or not?
@ Hellsingwhore
All good things come to those who wait
@ Everyone wondering about release dates
the current projected japanese release for OVA 4 is October 5th. Wether it is or gets delayed is to seen however.
Also, learn to love subtitles, I was a little disappointed with the english version of OVA 1 voice acting, it was ok mostly, but the actors, especially Anderson’s VA, sounded bored. Don’t have English OVA 2 yet, so can’t comment. Though of late, I actually prefer the orginal japanese with acompening subtitles for most works I can get’em in, it just has a ….flow..to it. The english usually gives this sort of..chewing feeling.
Anyway…..that aside
I was actually well pleased with the over-all presentation of the material. There were a few parts that seemed missing or sounded odd, but that’s probably cause I haven’t read volume 3 in a year or more. I just hope the include Alucard’s dream in OVA 4, bwahahaha
Well does anyone know when OVA 4 might be released in the US or at all since Geneon discontinued distro in the US.
Well I for one am an anime fan in general I’ll watch anything and everything. Its kinda disapointing that people claim to fans of any given series and procede to slag a new version off because the story arc differs from the original release.
I personally think that the new Hellsing is great. I don’t see the point in comparing it to a previous release as it would make the point of watching it useless.
As for US releases, I could care less. I prefer to watch anime in its original language with subs, as there is chance of the scripts being messed around with. I found that whenever a distro company decides to dub an anime they tend to change the script to suit what they think sounds right.
i agree. hellsing ultimate pretty much sucks.
@couldntcareless, do you think the dub for Hellsing Ultimate sucks or the series itself? I haven’t heard the English dub yet, but the series is amazingly faithful to the manga, which rocks.
First of all….nice review. Very well-written.
Second, the anime. One should not even DARE associate the Hellsing anime with the OVA or manga. It wasn’t worth it. When I talk about Hellsing, I don’t even act as if the anime existed.
How can one who is a fan of Hellsing possibly enjoy the anime while calling it ’similar’? The only thing the anime and OVA/manga have in common is that their characters have simiar personalities, names, as well as the similar locations and purposes throughout maybe the first six or five episodes. I can’t remember. Aside from that, there is no possible connection to the two (three) where plot is concerned.
I, for one, after seeing the anime, was about ready to sue Gonzo.
The music. Like said before, DO NOT associate the anime with the OVA. There is no reason. And, if you think about it, the new orchestrated music added a gothic, very dramatic air to the OVA. The swingy, country, more Trigun-suited music in the anime, as you said, Rachel, suited the anime. But not just subject matter. It suited the anime…because the anime just wasn’t Hellsing. If you think about the history of Hellsing, down to the roots of Alucard being Vlad III, and the Christian ties throughout…the orchestrated music fits. Perfectly. The gory, agonizing death Alucard loves works amazingly, almost romantically with orchestrated music, especially if you use the right type. Don’t get me wrong, the opening song, “Logos Naki World” for the anime I liked quite a lot. It went…with the anime. The OVA has a different air entirely.
Why do you think the German monumental dance musical project E Nomine is one of the top ‘bands’ used for Hellsing AMVs?
The dub. The dub is good. It is very good. But if you think listening to it in English makes it better because of the simple fact that Hellsing takes place in England…hmm, it depends on preference. I, for one, am a person who despises 98% of anime dubs. The OVA, however, is well done. Alucard’s voice in English cannot compare whatsoever to his Japanese counterpart. Not at all.
In fact, to me, Hellsing sounds better in German than English. But that is a personal preference.
@Elian Hollow, When I talk about Hellsing, I don’t even act as if the anime existed. Yes, but we must remember lest history repeat itself and we’re saddled with another adaptation of a fantastic manga turned into garbage to appease impatient fans.
Your well written thoughts on the OVA’s music have made me rethink my previous view of the soundtrack. I’ll need to pay closer attention to the soundtrack now….