Description:
Hellsing (ヘルシング, Herushingu) is a manga series by Kouta Hirano. Hellsing chronicles the efforts of the mysterious and secret Royal Order of Protestant Knights, Hellsing, as it combats vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural foes who threaten the kingdom of England.
Hellsing is unique in that it takes much of itself from late 19th century and early 20th century Western fiction. It includes themes primarily from H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu works and Bram Stoker's Dracula, rolled together with some fast-paced action sequences. The main characters are part of the Hellsing organization, which may have been inspired by the Lovecraftian Miskatonic University's Wilmarth Foundation, an organization formed for fighting demons and the undead. Cthulhu Mythos fans will appreciate the parallels. The name Hellsing is derived from Abraham van Helsing, and it has been indicated that the series takes place in the same continuity as the novel Dracula.
The series is different from many other anime/manga in that it focuses more on close-quarter combat using exotic guns, similar to the style of heroic bloodshed, with lots of jumping and diving.
Studio GONZO drew the thirteen-episode TV series intensely stylized and matched with an extensive soundtrack, scored by Yasushi Ishii, which mixes rock, blues and jazz with experimental elements.
The story begins as a form of mystery genre. The main characters scramble for answers to mysterious clues which portend a dark apocalypse. The plot switches to an unusual war story which focuses on the doughty soldiers who suffer and toil in battlefield trenches and the unbalanced leaders who revel in the bloodshed. The story also presents several interesting and diverse philosophical themes and phrases riddled with possible alternate meanings. One of the most noted examples is the question, "Are you a dog, a man or a monster?" Alucard often raises this question as well as the concept of being 'Human'.
Hellsing draws on inspiration from dozens of different anime/manga/movies/novels/etc. Some are coincidental, while others are actually cited as sources of inspiration. One thing no one has agreed upon is the exact details of the "Vampire Lore" of the Hellsing universe which is a mixture of many different fictional portrayals including Stoker and Ricean vampires. This is made no easier by the introduction of artificial vampires.
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