Hellsing Vs. Hellsing Ultimate: 7 Main Differences

Hellsing, the Manga series rose to fame because of its exciting twists and unique characters. The horror manga takes us into the life of the Hellsing family, who tries to eliminate the undead that threatens the country. When the Hellsing Ultimate was released, everyone couldn’t help but compare it to the original series.

One significant difference between both series is the storyline. While Hellsing could only work with half of the manga script, Hellsing Ultimate had almost the whole plot. They also differ in animation and production dates.

This article identifies the differences between the Hellsing original and the OVA series. Here, you’ll learn why the Hellsing Ultimate is a much better choice.

Hellsing Vs Hellsing Ultimate: The Differences

The differences between both series are apparent. It’s evident that both follow a similar plot; still, several things made them world apart.

Graphics

The distinction between the graphics of both series is easily understandable. Unfortunately, the original Hellsing was produced between 2001-2002 when technology was nowhere close to what we have presently.

The OVA came at a later time between 2006 and 2012. Though the graphics aren’t still as fantastic as modern-day anime, it’s still better than the original.

General Plot

It’s a known fact that both series follow the same storyline. However, the original anime does not follow the original script to the end. During the time of its production, the manga was not complete.

As a result, Hellsing’s original producer had to make do with the available parts of the manga. Out of its 13 episodes, 6 are fillers. This means that they are derivatives, and their storyline is not included in the original manga,

Its filler content got it a filler ratio of 46%, a considerably higher mark than most off scripts works. Nonetheless, fans tend to skip this series, preferring the more recent version to the former.

Ultimate followed the original plot and had extensive material for their animation. The manga was still not complete but was closer to the end. As a result, its producers had better luck with crafting an end. Unlike the original 13 episodes, the Ultimate had only ten episodes.

Aside from this, the most visible difference is their ending. Hellsing did an excellent job with their filler episodes but couldn’t capture the same ideas as Hellsing Ultimate did. As a result, there were significant differences in their ending.

Soundtrack

The theme songs of anime might not draw much attention, but they’re one of the significant differences between both series. Fans of the series can agree that Hellsing has far better soundtracks than the OVA series. This doesn’t imply that the Ultimate has good soundtracks; the original is more memorable.

Animation Style

The original Hellsing placed more focus on the storyline than minor details. On the other hand, The Ultimate improved their animation style and added class to their characters.

However, this change didn’t affect the character’s origins. In other words, characters from both series are pretty much the same, with differences in their finesse.

Violence Level

One of the obvious differences between both series is the violence involved. Unlike the OVA, the initial Hellsing has to make the violence bearable, much to the chagrin of anime fans.

One of their reasons is that it was a TV production and had to be a healthy watch for younger people. However, its gentle approach to horror only dampened the watcher’s interest, making it less preferable to other Hellsing adaptations.

The Villains

One of the highlights in the anime series is Alucard’s episodes with his rivals. The exchange between protagonist and antagonists was not only mind-blowing but creative.

Both series placed Alucard in the position where he had to face powerful villains. However, the main villains differed in both.

In Hellsing, Alucard had to face Incognito, an undead being who enjoys challenging Alucard. This villain’s identity is unique as he possesses powers that match Alucard’s. As a result, Alucard had to go the extra mile to defeat him.

In the OVA series, Alucard is faced with two rivals – Alexander Anderson and The Major. Both are like the human versions of Alucard, and they take pleasure in slaughtering characters. Nonetheless, Alucard can take them on easily because of his vampire nature.

The Millenium

The Millenium is a group of undead Nazi soldiers. These vampires are bent on waging war on the world. Due to their nonexistence in the original series, you can easily identify them in the ultimate.

Instead of Millenium, the initial anime introduces an unnamed conspiracy that creates several vampires in their quest to summon Sett, an old demon.

Is Hellsing Ultimate a Remake of the Original Hellsing?

Hellsing is not a remake of the first production. Instead, both are different productions from different developers.

The original series had 13 episodes and aired in 2001. Chiaki J. Konaka handled the scriptwriting while Umanosuke Ilda and Urata Yasunori directed the anime. Gonzo produced the final version.

Hellsing ultimate on the hand is an Original Video Animation (OVA) of Geneon entertainment production house. Three different studios handled the animation. Satelight designed the first four episodes, Madhouse, episodes five to seven, and Studio Graphinica, eight to ten.

Combining these works made the animation an artwork as each added their unique touch to the characters.

Hellsing Vs. Hellsing Ultimate: Which Is Better?

There is no doubt that Hellsing Ultimate is better than Hellsing in terms of animation and plot. Hellsing is undoubtedly a creative production, but it can’t be compared to the ultimate. Aside from being complete, Hellsing ultimate has better visuals than its counterpart.

Which of the Anime Series Should I Watch First?

First, I recommend watching both series to identify the differences for yourself. However, deciding which series to watch first is up to you.

Since the original Hellsing was produced earlier, you might not be too impressed with the graphics. As a result, you might want to watch the Hellsing Ultimate first. However, from another angle, if you prefer to save the best for later, then the original Hellsing should be your first watch.

HELLSING: ULTIMATE

Hellsing: Ultimate (Known in Japan as: HELLSING OVA ( Herushingu OVA ? ) ) is an Original Video Animation series based on a manga series by the same name by Kohta Hirano.

The first 50-minute installment was released to Region 2 DVD in Japan on February 10, 2006, and as of December 26, 2012, all ten episodes have been released. North America’s release of the OVA was quite slow, as its dub was finished in 2014; 2 years after Hellsing: Ultimate had finished in Japan.

The anime can be watched on Hulu.

Contents

• 1 Summary
  • 1.1 Main Characters
  • 3.1 Endings
  • 3.2 Soundtrack
  • 4.1 Casting
  • 4.2 Production Hell
    • 4.2.1 Release Schedule
    • 4.2.2 Broadcasting
    • 4.2.3 Studio Changing
    • 5.1 Hellsing: The Dawn
    • 5.2 Crossfire (Drama CD)
    • 5.3 Luke and Jan Valentine – A Merry Manga
    • 6.1 Blu-ray and Original DVDs Comparison
    • 6.2 Censored Versions

    Summary [ ]

    Main article: Hellsing Organisation, a secret branch of the British government, has long been battling supernatural threats to keep the people safe from creatures of the night. Its current leader, Sir Integra Hellsing, controls her own personal army to eliminate the undead beings, but even her highly trained soldiers pale in comparison to her most trusted vampire exterminator, Alucard, who is actually a powerful vampire himself. Along with Integra’s mysterious butler and Alucard’s new vampire minion, Seras Victoria, the Hellsing Organisation must face not only regular ghouls and vampires, but a rivaling secret branch of the Vatican and a mysterious group of madmen spawned by a certain war over 55 years ago.

    Main Characters [ ]

    • Alucard: Alucard is a mysterious figure. A supernatural vampire of untold age and power, he acts as the Hellsing Organisation’s secret weapon. His reasons for doing so, however, as well as his motivations, remains unknown. His position within the Hellsing Organisation is one of unique status. He is the agency’s ace in the hole, answerable only to the Organisation’s Chairman.
    • Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing: A young noblewoman, she is the head and last member of the Hellsing family. She doubles as the leader of the Hellsing Organisation, and Alucard’s “Master.” She inherited the Hellsing Organization at the age of thirteen upon the death of her father. Although she often seems strict and domineering, she is respected and admired, even among her sworn enemies.
    • Seras Victoria: Seras was a member of the London Police Department until she was mortally wounded by Alucard in his destruction of a vampire masquerading as a priest. On the verge of death, she chose to allow Alucard to turn her into a vampire. Serving beneath Alucard, she now works for the Hellsing Organisation and deals with the consequences of her decision.

    Volumes [ ]

    HELLSING I	Hellsing: Ultimate I	February 10, 2006
    In present-day England, Alucard is called to duty to eradicate a vampire and his ghouls. However, a police girl named Seras Victoria is gravely injured in the process, and upon giving her a choice to live or die, Alucard turns her into his vampire servant. Later, on a mission to hunt down a vampire in the town of Badrick in Northern Ireland, Alucard meets and fights Father Alexander Anderson for the first time.

    HELLSING II	Hellsing: Ultimate II	August 25, 2006
    Alucard has a dream about his defeat at the hands of Abraham Van Helsing, while Sir Integra holds a Round Table conference to report her findings regarding the current wave of vampire attacks, vampire brothers Jan and Luke Valentine launch a covert sneak attack on the Hellsing compound with the help of a ghoul army outfitted with military gear and small arms. Almost all of the Hellsing soldiers are killed in the process and turned into ghouls before Alucard, Seras, and Walter C. Dornez are able to turn the tide.

    HELLSING III	Hellsing: Ultimate III	April 4, 2007
    In a bid to increase manpower following the devastating attack on Hellsing headquarters, Walter recruits the mercenary group known as Wild Geese and integrates them into Hellsing’s security forces. Integra receives information from Enrico Maxwell, the fanatical leader of Iscariot, that confirms her suspicions of Millennium’s origins. She soon deploys Alucard, Seras and Pip Vernedead, leader of the Wild Geese, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to find the whereabouts of Millennium.

    HELLSING IV	Hellsing: Ultimate IV	February 22, 2008
    As Hellsing and Iscariot hold a meeting with the Queen of the United Kingdom, their conference is interrupted by a message from The Major (via live video transmission brought in by the ubiquitous Schrödinger) citing his intention to wage war on England. Meanwhile, the VTOL aircraft carrier HMS Eagle gets hijacked by Millennium, while the Major and his minions make their way toward London to drive England into another war.

    HELLSING V	Hellsing: Ultimate V	November 21, 2008
    While Alucard remains trapped on HMS Eagle, Millennium starts attacking London. Zorin Blitz is told to head toward Hellsing HQ with a small group of soldiers, while the rest of the vampires attack London. They kill thousands of civilians and attempt to capture Integra. She manages to escape the vampire SS soldiers only after Walter tries to hold them off, ending up getting captured by The Captain. When the vampire soldiers manage to corner her, she is saved by a large group of pistol-wielding Iscariot priests, led by Alexander Anderson, Heinkel Wolfe, and Yumiko Takagi.

    HELLSING VI	Hellsing: Ultimate VI	July 21, 2009
    As the battle commences, back at the Vatican, Enrico Maxwell, the head of Section XIII Iscariot, is given a major promotion, with which he begins to mobilize the Vatican’s fighters. Meanwhile, in the heart of London, while Integra is busy convincing the Iscariot members to escort her home, the Hellsing Mansion is under siege by Zorin Blitz and her forces. The only line of defense against this assault are Captain Vernedead, his Wild Geese, and Seras.

    HELLSING VII	Hellsing: Ultimate VII	December 23, 2009
    While Seras is successfully overcoming Zorin Blitz’s soldiers, Vernedead and his forces are being slaughtered. Seras comes to their rescue and destroys most of Zorin’s forces. Zorin then delves deep into Seras’ memories, forcing her to relive her painful childhood, as she had to watch her parents be murdered by gangsters and her mother’s corpse being raped after Seras was shot by one of the robbers.

    HELLSING VIII	Hellsing: Ultimate VIII	July 27,2011
    The Vatican forces led by Enrico Maxwell begin to attack the remaining Millennium forces along with the surviving citizens of London. Walter, now a vampire, joins forces with The Major. The armed priests led by Heinkel Wolfe and Yumie Takagi come close to capturing Integra, but Seras saves her. Alucard, stands atop the Eagle as it floats down the Thames, now returns to London and joins the battle encountering the two other trump cards Anderson and The Captain.

    HELLSING IX	Hellsing: Ultimate IX	February 15, 2012
    A dying Alucard envisions his past as Vlad the Impaler, then envisions himself being carried off to execution, but before being beheaded, he drinks the blood on the floor and becomes a vampire. He is then awoken by the pleading of Seras, who is trying to stop Anderson. Alucard awakens and manages to rip Anderson’s heart out and crushes it before removing Helena’s Nail. The priest says a final “Amen”. Suddenly, Walter appears, crushing the remains of Anderson, then prepares to fight Alucard, while Integra and Seras are invited aboard the Major’s zeppelin to face him.

    HELLSING X	Hellsing: Ultimate X	December 26, 2012
    Integra and Seras board the zeppelin until The Captain intercepts them, with Seras staying to fight while Integra proceeds onward. Outside, Alucard begins to absorb the rivers of blood from the dead, though The Major had planned on this moment to defeat him. Elsewhere Seras struggles against the Captain, who turns out to be a Werewolf. Will Hellsing win the war? Or. will Millennium prevail?

    Music [ ]

    Endings [ ]

    • Hellsing: Ultimate I – Step of Life by Hayato Matsuo, performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
    • Hellsing: Ultimate II – Hayato Matsuo, performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
    • Hellsing: Ultimate III – Hayato Matsuo
    • Hellsing: Ultimate IV – Das Engellandlied by Hermann Lons
    • Hellsing: Ultimate V – Hayato Matsuo
    • Hellsing: Ultimate VI – Magnolia by Suilen
    • Hellsing: Ultimate VII – Shintō-Shite by Suilen
    • Hellsing: Ultimate VIII – P.S. Lord Amitabha have Mercy on Me/When You Start the War, Fight With Arrows, Spears and Swords! by Yasushi Ishii
    • Hellsing: Ultimate IX – Scars by Maon Kurosaki
    • Hellsing: Ultimate X – Step of Life by Hayato Matsuo, performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

    Soundtrack [ ]

    Only one soundtrack album was released. However, the album included two extra CDs other than the main music of the series; the Warsaw Recording Selection, and the Nazi CD. Titled “Black Dog“, it was released on February 22, 2008. In addition, an extra CD was released along with the limited edition of the second Blu-ray box set of Hellsing: Ultimate titled “Somehow, Iscariote” in 2015.

    Production [ ]

    An article about the new adaptation of Hellsing was announced at AnimeNewsNetwork (ANN) on the 5th of April in 2005. And Geneon was listed as the North American and Japanese distributor for the new Hellsing: Ultimate OVA release. Studio Gonzo’s parent company, G.H.D. is listed as the Asian and European license holder for the upcoming OVA. However, they’re not significantly involved in the production of the OVA. [3]

    A magazine by Kara Reynolds released in December of 2006 titled “Ultimate Triumph” was released. She first spoke to Hirano and Yasuyuki Ueda, in which, when Hirano was asked about the comparison between the original TV series and Ultimate, Hirano said “I think they’re doing a great job on Ultimate. The first series had some restrictions because it aired on television, but I feel that for its purpose, it did well enough.” Hirano later answers that the part that he wanted the most to be animated was the Nazi’s attack on London, but as he drew the shot, he kept thinking about whether it could be animated or not. [4]

    In another interview with Ueda and Hirano, Ueda expressed his love for Hellsing; stating that he has always been a huge fan of Hellsing, calling the anime produced by Gonzo good [5] , but stating that there was no way for them to actually adapt it faithfully; knowing that it would take years for Hirano to finish his manga. [6] Ueda added that the West’s interest in Hellsing is important also, because if they didn’t have any interest in the new Hellsing OVA in the west; they wouldn’t have the budget to do so. Hirano and Ueda said that they were looking forward to anything that wasn’t in the TV series, but was in the manga. Ueda was hopeful that Hellsing: Ultimate would set the bar higher for anime, in general. [7]

    Ueda added that adapting the manga’s art style was very difficult, as the manga was very detailed; and in doing so, they were trying to be careful with how they adapted these characters. Thankfully though, they have the money to do it. Since they also have the entire Hellsing story done by Hirano, they could finally adapt this faithfully; something the original anime could not do. With a higher budget than the previous anime, along with working with another animation studio; the animation quality was declared by Ueda to be “spectacular”. [8]

    The series’ scriptwriter at the time, Hideyuki Kurata, was interviewed also. When he was asked about the main appeal for Hellsing, Kurata answered “I think Mr. Hirano’s twisted sense of style is the selling point of the show.” Moreover, he added that he was invited by Ueda to work on Hellsing; who apparently knew that he liked Hellsing, too. “I couldn’t pass up the offer.” Hideyuki added. [9]

    Casting [ ]

    In addition to the Japanese voice actors reprising their role as each individual’s character for the most part, the English Dub did the same; Crispin Freeman as Alucard, K.T. Gray as Seras Victoria, and Victoria Harwood as Integra Hellsing. [10]

    In an interview with ANN (Animenewsnetwork), Taliesin Jaffe stated that the OVA is not a classical vampire story; unlike the anime. Jonathan Klein described working with the English Dub cast as “let’s get rid of what we know as the original series and put that back in. In some ways, I’m glad we’re doing this, but in other ways, I’m wondering if it is that we’re late now, or behind everyone else?” Jaffe stated the inspirations for the script and voice directing are way different from the first TVA series, describing it as quite similar to Hammer films of the 40s and the 50s. He also apparently had not expected to do it again when the project was announced, and stated that “If they call me, I’m going to go and step up to the plate. If they like what I did, I’m going to come in and knock this thing out of the park.” [11]

    Later in another interview, Jonathan Klein said that it was very difficult to track down the same actors for the Hellsing TVA, for Hellsing: Ultimate years later. They had also wanted Walter C. Dornez, to reprise his role as Young Walter in episodes 9 and 10; however, the Japanese Producers insisted that they get a different actor for the role too, and said that “It was still kind of sad that we couldn’t see him during the last episode, though.” He also mentioned that they couldn’t get Helena Taylor to reprise her role as Zorin Blitz after episode 4 of Ultimate, because at one point; she goes to England, and Jonathan stated that “It’s one thing when an actor’s just a few hours away, but when you’re in England the cost to bring someone out — especially for anime — gets pretty high.” Ultimately, they couldn’t get Helena Taylor to voice Zorin Blitz again for the remaining episodes of Ultimate, re-casting her. [12]

    Production Hell [ ]

    Initially, in an interview, producer Yasuyuki Ueda said that they’re making this series end within three years. Furthermore, he called the OVA a “there-year project”, remaining hopeful that they’re gonna animate the entire manga series; starting over from the beginning. “Expect two OVAs per manga volume, at 35 minutes apiece” Ueda added. However, this turns out to be very wrong. It actually took Hellsing: Ultimate 6 years to finish because of the change within directors, writers, and such. [13]

    Release Schedule [ ]

    The first 50-minute installment was released to Region 2 DVD in Japan on February 10, 2006. OVA VII was released in Japan on December 23, 2009. The DVD included a teaser trailer announcing the eighth episode with a tentative release date of “Sometime in 2010”.

    The English release of the OVA series is licensed in the United States by Geneon USA. In producing the English dub of the series, Geneon used much of the original cast from the English dub of the anime, which Geneon also licenses. The first episode (OVA I) was released to Region 1 DVD on December 5, 2006, after premiering at the 2006 Anime Expo. In 2008, distribution of the Hellsing: Ultimate series was assumed by Funimation entertainment, although Geneon remains its licensor. Funimation released the fourth episode on September 23, 2008, along with a re-release of the first three episodes, since then; Funimation had released all of Hellsing: Ultimate in DVD and Blu-ray. [14] [15]

    The first episode was released in Japan on February 10, 2006, and as of December 26, 2012, all ten episodes have been released. The first episode was released in North America on December 5, 2006, and as of December 2012, all ten English subtitled episodes have been released.

    Broadcasting [ ]

    Originally, the first two OVAs of the series were broadcasted on Starz Edge’s Animidnight programming block in 2008. [16] However, despite saying that episode 3 and 4 was gonna air [17] , they were not broadcasted because of the fact that the 4th episodes was not ready with an English-language track yet, and eventually, they never aired anymore episodes since then. [18]

    The series began airing on Adult Swim’s Toonami block on September 13, 2014, at 3:00 AM. However, due to rights issues; the show was announced to be canceled after just 8 episodes. They had later announced that they finally acquired the rights to the show, deciding to release the last 2 episodes of the series on Toonami on December 6, 2014. [19] [20] [21]

    Studio Changing [ ]

    The series took 6 years to finish due to multiple studios animating it. Over the years, they have changed animation studios on multiple occasions. Hellsing: Ultimate 1-4 was animated by the animation studio Satelight, before Madhouse took over for 5-7. It was then announced that a new company would be animating the final three episodes of the series; Graphinica x Kelmadick, though it is still being produced by Geneon.

    2 years without any episodes of Hellsing: Ultimate happened between Volume 7, which was released previously in 2009, and Volume 8, which was released in 2011. In addition, this was probably caused by the change of studio; as studio MADHOUSE was announced to be replaced by Graphinica in 2010. [22]

    • Satelight’s reasons for not continuing the OVA were because of the fact that it was stated to be a 3-year project. [23]
    • The cause of MADHOUSE deciding to not animate the Hellsing: Ultimate furthermore was probably because of the box office bomb of their feature film, Redline, which made $8.2M in the box office, and was therefore; considered a failure. This particular incident caused many of its higher-ups to leave, so they probably decided to not continue the Hellsing: Ultimate because of this.

    Specials [ ]

    Hellsing: The Dawn [ ]

    Taliesin Jaffe, the director of the Hellsing: Ultimate OVA Series has stated in a panel at Otakon 2008 that Hellsing: The Dawn is going to be animated as part of Ultimate. It was recently revealed on the official features page for Hellsing VIII on the official Japanese Hellsing website that the special Short Gaiden in the extra disc that comes with the limited edition of Hellsing: Ultimate OVA 8 will be The Dawn. The post also stated that the team will be working on a manuscript from Kohta Hirano himself and that the 4 pages of this manuscript will be included with the volume’s liner notes booklet.

    However, despite most of it being a clear and accurate adaptation of the Dawn; the ending of episode 3 completely diverges and instead, promoted Kohta Hirano’s new manga – Drifters instead, leaving fans a little disappointed.

    Crossfire (Drama CD) [ ]

    While talks about adapting Crossfire into an anime happened, they eventually set out to release Crossfire instead as a CD Drama series; releasing alongside Hellsing: Ultimate VI and Hellsing: Ultimate VII. Since Crossfire is mainly an episodic series; with each chapter featuring different main villains, the Crossfire CD Drama features Jin Horikawa as Aphram, Rei Igarashi as Ilyushin, and Susumu Chiba as Abraham Van Rogh as the main villains of Crossfire respectively. The voice actors for Heinkel Wolfe and Yumiko Takagi reprise their roles, alongside Alexander Anderson and Enrico Maxwell.

    Luke and Jan Valentine – A Merry Manga [ ]

    A commercial for Hellsing: Ultimate IV features the Afterword segments of the Hellsing manga, however, with some slight changes. Most of these are completely original segments written by the OVA’s staff, despite it being directly inspired by the Afterword segments of Hellsing. Essentially, these segments are just the animators having fun and it’s completely comedic; there’s nothing serious about this at all. Furthermore, since it’s a commercial, some of the lines written, especially near the ends are sometimes Luke Valentine directly saying that the “Blu-ray discs will come out along with the CDs” for example.

    Also, the Hellsing TVA’s next-episode preview sequences, where mostly Seras and The Spirit of the Hallconnen are talking; episode 5 and 6’s preview adapts some of the Afterword manga; however, more accurately than the OVA – despite it being approximately 30 seconds long, and the end will some times say something like, “Hellsing will have a rain of blood”, it still features some scenes that are directly taken from the manga, but colored or redrawn with their own style.

    Other Version [ ]

    Blu-ray and Original DVDs Comparison [ ]

    While they really aren’t that different, episode 3 of Hellsing: Ultimate was heavily recolored in terms of the color contrasts, glasses, windows, etc. Despite the edit being mostly focused on changing the color palette of the OVA, there are many differences in terms of camera angles, re-edited scenes, re-drawn faces, bodies, etc., along with some VFX works being redone. They had also changed some backgrounds images to make it more consistent, in addition; Alucard greatly suffers from the time constraint; fortunately, the Blu-ray release fixed him in some spots, along with many other characters like Integra. [24]

    Censored Versions [ ]

    A heavily cut-down version of Hellsing: Ultimate I was released, and titled: “Hellsing: Digest for Freaks“. In addition, two discs were released for the people who bought the direct-to-DVD version of Hellsing: Ultimate, the rated R version; along with the 13+ version. The 13+ version does not remove the blood for most of the scenes, rather, they covered the gory scenes with shadows. In addition, many countries that aired Hellsing: Ultimate on TV censored a few scenes of it, like Seras’ flashback in Hellsing: Ultimate VII.

    External Links [ ]

    References [ ]

    1. ↑http://www.mania.com/hellsing-ultimate-vol-1-also-wlimited-edition_article_78721.html
    2. ↑https://www.nbcuni.co.jp/rondorobe/anime/hellsing/contents/hp0036/index00030000.html
    3. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-04-19/more-on-hellsing-oav
    4. ↑https://animetics.net/2014/08/04/via-anime-insider-hellsing-ultimate-staffers-december-2006/
    5. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview.png
    6. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview.png
    7. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview_3.png
    8. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview_2.png
    9. ↑https://animetics.net/2014/08/04/via-anime-insider-hellsing-ultimate-staffers-december-2006/
    10. ↑https://animesuperhero.com/hellsing-cast-on-re-creating-roles-for-ultimate-hellsing/
    11. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2006-12-14/hellsing-ultimate-the
    12. ↑https://otakuusamagazine.com/interview-english-dub-producer-jonathan-klein/
    13. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview.png
    14. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-05-17/funimation-to-release-last-2-hellsing-ultimate-volumes-in-fall
    15. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-06-06/north-american-anime-manga-releases-june-2-8/.147519
    16. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-09/starz-edge’s-animidnight-adds-more-anime
    17. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-03/america’s-sci-fi-channel-adds-anime-on-tuesdays
    18. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-04/hellsing-ultimate-4-unavailable-for-starz-edge-next-month
    19. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-08-23/hellsing-ultimate-ova-joins-adult-swim-toonami-block/.77955
    20. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-10-24/hellsing-ultimate-finale-will-not-air-on-toonami/.80307
    21. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-11-08/toonami-to-run-hellsing-ultimate-finale-summer-wars-akira-and-fma-dbz-evangelion-films/.80818
    22. ↑https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-10-22/graphinica-kelmadick-to-make-last-hellsing-ova-season
    23. ↑https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/File:AnimeInsider_Interview.png
    24. ↑https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=914103

    Navigation [ ]

    Media
    Manga:	Hellsing (Prototype) · Hellsing (manga) · Hellsing: The Dawn · Crossfire · Luke and Jan Valentine’s Merry Manga · Hellsing: Impure Souls Anime Manga
    Anime:	Hellsing: Psalm of Darkness · Hellsing (anime) · Hellsing: Ultimate PV · Hellsing: Ultimate · The Dawn: A supplementary of Hellsing

    Hellsing vs Hellsing Ultimate: The Differences Explained and Which One Is Better

    Kōta Hirano is a Japanese mangaka, best known as the creator of the manga HELLSING. The manga was serialized by Young King OURs from 1997 to 2008, and was collected in a total of 10 volumes. HELLSING is today considered to be one of the best and most popular horror manga series ever. The story focuses on the Hellsing family, whose primary goal is to battle and eradicate the undead and other supernatural forces that threaten the Queen and Country. HELLSING is a globally popular series that has been adapted into two anime series – Hellsing, which is a more liberal take on the original manga, and Hellsing Ultimate, which fully follows Hirano’s manga – and a three-episode special. When comparing the two anime series, there is absolutely no doubt that Hellsing Ultimate is far superior to Hellsing in terms of animation, plot and character development. Today’s article is going to be about the two Hellsing series, the original anime and the reboot OVA series. You’re going to find out about the two shows and their differences in several categories (plot, animation, production and broadcast, soundtrack), after which we are going to give our verdict on which one is better. Enjoy!

    What is Hellsing about?

    The Royal Knights of Protestant Order are a noble house of London led by Abraham Van Helsing. For generations, he has been fighting against creatures that most ordinary people are unaware of like vampires, ghouls and any non-human entity that is generally referred to as a “monster”. The Order operates in great secrecy and has long been a paramilitary organization in the service of her Majesty. Leading the organization is Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, a direct descendant of the first Lord Hellsing. Still a teenager, she is forced to take control of the Order. Her father Arthur, sick and close to his death, orders his daughter, should she feel threatened, to go down to the basement of the mansion, where there is something able to protect her.

    Upon the death of her father, Integra’s uncle tries to kill his niece, infuriated that Arthur had chosen her as the new leader of the family. Integra, as suggested by her father, hides in the dungeons of the mansion, where she finds a corpse. Her uncle still manages to find her and doesn’t hesitate to shoot her. The first blow only touches her, but the bloodshed is enough to awaken the corpse that instantly kills his uncle and his minions. Integra thus comes face to face with Alucard, a vampire in the service of the Hellsing family for more than a century, as well as an ace in the hole of the organization which, by the will of Arthur, had been locked up in the dungeons many years earlier. The girl, although still very young, thus becomes Alucard’s Master (The Master).

    Ten years have passed since that incident and Integra has now become a young woman. When the number of vampires in London begins to grow exponentially, the Vatican also begins to move. The exorcist priest Alexander Anderson, the best agent of the Iscariota (a thirteenth secret division of the Catholic Church), is sent to Badrick, a border area between the Catholic and Protestant territories. However, monster appearances do not seem to follow any logic; it is as if the rules for creating the undead have been changed, suggesting that the whole thing was orchestrated by someone. This is how the ghosts of 50 years earlier, the Nazis of the Millennium, make their appearance; all this time they have been acting in the shadows, trying to fulfill the shattered dream: the landing in England, the destruction of London and the annihilation of Alucard and the Hellsing family. A full-blown war, from which no one can escape.

    Hellsing & Hellsing Ultimate – What are the differences?

    In this section, we are going to analyze the differences between the two shows in more detail. In short, the main difference is that Hellsing was a proper anime series that only roughly adapted the then-unfinished manga, while Hellsing Ultimate was an OVA series that actually adapted the whole manga series properly. Now, let us see each category individually.

    Production and broadcast

    The anime Hellsing was broadcast in Japan from October 10, 2001 to January 16, 2002 on Fuji Television at midnight. Shortly before the premiere, a limited edition of DVDs with the series itself and promotional materials went on sale. Due to significant plot differences from the original manga, the series has received mixed reactions from both Hirano and fans. The anime has been licensed in North America by Geneon Entertainment and Funimation Entertainment. Geneon released its first edition of the series on July 23, 2002 in two versions: a regular edition and a box set. It later opened the anime’s official website.

    Hellsing Ultimate, known simply as Hellsing in Japan, is an original video animation (OVA) originally animated by Satelight, later Madhouse (episodes 5-7) and Graphinica (8-10). In Japan and North America, the OVA series was released in DVD format by Geneon. The American division of Geneon originally planned to release 2 episodes on one DVD disc, but the released discs contained one episode each. In addition to the limited edition series, there was audio commentary from the cast dubbing the anime into English. In the United States, Funimation Entertainment was also involved in the production, marketing, sales, and distribution of OVA. In the UK, the OVA series was produced by the UK subsidiary of Manga Entertainment. The OVA series is closer to the storyline of the original manga than the anime series, although the manga itself was not yet completed at that time. In particular, the OVA series depicts the hunt for artificial vampires and the struggle of “Hellsing” with the Nazi group “Millennium” invading England.

    Plot

    Both Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate follow the same plotline, roughly that is. Hellsing was produced when the manga was not nearly finished and had a total of 13 episodes. Out of these 13, a total of 6 were filler episodes that were completely unrelated to the original manga. As you can see, there is a total of 6 filler episodes in the original, 13-episode anime series. This includes the whole series’ ending. The main reason for this is the fact that the manga was not even close to completion at the time, so the producers had to come up with their own stories. The Hellsing anime has a filler ratio of 46%, which is very high, as almost half the show was filler content that is usually not considered to be canon. This is also why most fans advise skipping the original anime series.

    As for Ultimate, this show closely follows the original plot, despite the fact that the manga was not completed at the time, it was near its completion so the production team had a much easier job with Hellsing Ultimate. The OVA series contains 10 episodes that closely follow the manga and contain no filler material, unlike the original anime.

    Animation

    The original anime series was made in 2001 and 2002, when the animation standards were much lower than they are today. And while the show’s animation wasn’t all that bad for the standards of the time, anime fans will know what the animation of the early 2000s was like. The original anime series was animated by Gonzo, a relatively new studio at the time.

    Hellsing Ultimate was animated by three different studios. Satelight was responsible for the animation of episodes one through four, Madhouse animated episodes five through seven, and Graphinica animated episodes eight through ten. The animation quality was not just more sophisticated, as per the more modern animation standards, it was executed much better and much more consistently quality-wise, despite the fact that the OVA series was animated by three different studios.

    Soundtrack

    Geneon (Pioneer LDC) has released two CD soundtracks composed by Yasushi Ishii for the animated series Hellsing. Hellsing Original Soundtrack: Raid was released on November 22, 2001 and contained 20 tracks, which were republished on July 1, 2003. The second soundtrack, Hellsing Original Soundtrack: Ruins, which included 22 additional tracks on February 22, 2002, was republished on September 16, 2003.

    In addition, three soundtracks composed by Hayato Matsuo for the Hellsing OVA (Hellsing Ultimate) series have been released. Hellsing OVA Original Soundtrack – BLACK DOG was released March 21, 2008. In addition to a DVD-Audio mini soundtrack released in Japan as a supplement to Hellsing OVA IV, titled Premium Disk – Warsaw Recording Selection with nine titles. The latest is also an extra with the Hellsing I-V Blu-ray BOX titled Nazi CD, which contains 13 tracks and one secret track. Suilen’s vocal tracks were released by the band on their latest mini-album THE DAWN. To celebrate the 20 th anniversary of the Hellsing manga’s release in 2018, London record producer “Sinner” tried Hellsing’s original sin on OST RAID.

    Hellsing or Hellsing Ultimate – which one is better?

    We have now analyzed both series in four individual categories and we are now able to tell you which version is better. Most fans will tell you that Hellsing Ultimate is so much better that you can actually fully skip Hellsing and never watch it. This is true for the most part. Hellsing Ultimate is better when it comes to the majority of elements. In terms of the plot, it is far superior to Hellsing because not only does it not contain any fillers (meaning that it is 100% canon), it fully follows the original manga ending and narrative. Hellsing’s 13 episodes had almost 50% of fillers (a total of six filler episodes), while Ultimate was completely canon, and that is what makes is the winner in this category. In terms of production elements, more specifically the animation, there is absolutely no dilemma that Hellsing Ultimate is far superior to the original anime series. This is due to the historical context, as the animation in the early 2000s was far less sophisticated than almost 10 years later, when Ultimate was released. Despite the fact that a total of three different studios have worked on Ultimate, the animation is much more consistent and its quality is undeniably better. The only fact that every Hellsing fan will agree on when comparing these two series is that Hellsing has a much better and more memorable soundtrack than Hellsing Ultimate. Not to say that Ultimate’s soundtrack is not good, but in terms of quality of music and the feeling of the soundtrack itself, Hellsing definitely wins but that remains as the only aspect that is better the original anime series than the OVA reboot. And that’s it for today. We hope you had fun reading this and that we helped solve this dilemma for you. See you next time and don’t forget to follow us!

    Arthur S. Poe is a writer based in Europe. He has a Ph.D. and speaks five languages. His expertise varies from Alfred Hitchcock movies to Bleach, as he has explored a lot of fictional universes and authors. He is currently focusing on anime, his childhood love, with special attention given to Bleach, One Piece, Pokemon, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer. He has also written movie reviews and analytical articles and has been featured on sites such as IMDb. He is currently writing for Fiction Horizon on a permanent basis. Most recently, he has been following The Thousand-Year Blood War arc of Bleach, Nier: Automata ver1.1a, One Piece, Digimon Ghost Game, and is waiting for new episodes of Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. He likes interesting storylines with philosophical themes, as well as quirky and psychologically intriguing characters that he likes to debate and talk about. His aesthetical approach has been influenced by Hitchcock and Kubrick, while his favorite film writer is Roger Ebert.