Customer Reviews

Hellsing - Search and Destroy (Vol. 3)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For some reason, I got it into my head that there were only there volumes to this series. So my trip from episode 7 to 9 got a bit bumpier than I expected when I kept wondering how all the issues were going to resolve. Suffice it to say, they don't resolve, and your trusty reviewer was left frantically searching the Internet for a clue. It turns out that there are four DVDs in the series. The last, 'Eternal Damnation,' is due out in January, 2003.

Even had I known that the end was not yet in sight, these episodes are more than usually strange. The last DVD finished with the nearly total immolation of the Royal Order of Religious Knights by the vampiric Valentine Brothers. Episode 7 ('Duel') opens at the funeral of the 135 members of the order who died. Taking advantage of Integra Hellsing's weakness, the Vatican anti-vampire organization (Iscariot) makes a direct move against her, sending the insane Alexander Anderson after Arucard and Seles Victoria.

In the next episode ('Kill House') we are treated to an explosive raid on a Hong Kong chip factory which makes the freak chips that turn people into low-grade vampires. But, suddenly the action slows down when a British agent takes Victoria to meet with Helena an old, London vampire in the body of a child (ala 'Interview with a Vampire'). Helena refuses to cooperate and just wants to be left alone. Eventually this episode will prove important to the plot, but on face value it is a bit confusing.

If Episode 8 is confusing, then the last episode ('Red Rose Vertigo') is leaves the viewer feeling somewhat obtuse. The action begins at Ireland's Movan Castle where we first watch a man changed into a vampire by flesh-boring freak chips. This dissolves into a battle at the castle where Arucard meets Incognito, a powerful vampire who might be the head of the Freak conspiracy. But the confrontation is a ruse designed to distract Arucard from a devilish attack on Integra.

While production values continue to be high, the artwork stylish, and the plot full of little twists and originalities, all pretense of character development is abandoned, which gives the action a little too much stiffness. But it is still an excellent 'blow them up or bite them' series. My one serious regret is that the writer overdid the final cliff hanger leaving the watcher spending more time wondering how the characters ever got to that point instead of how they will get themselves out of it.

Up to this point, Hellsing has just been all about hardcore action and violence. However, these episodes move away from the mood of the last couple of episodes.

Order 07 (A): Alucard runs has a great duel with Paladin Alexander. Nuff said.
Order 08 (B-): Victoria learns more about vampires and the chips.
Order 09 (B): Integra becomes attacked by a vampire and Alucard meets a new enemy with a huge gun.

However, if you only love Hellsing for the action, the first episode alone is worth the price. Alexander and Alucard really go at it in this episode twice as much as their first fight. Those who want some questions answered on Hellsing will enjoy the last two episodes, more or less. Thats not to say that their isn't any action in the last two episode. The last episode has Walter fights Victoria, Alucard fights Incognito and Integra fights a vampire (well, tries to).

The extras are pretty scarce this time. We've got a second textless ending, which is the one featuring Alucard's new gun, as well as some conceptual art and some Japanese art covers (piled on top of each other).

Overall, these episodes have a mixed mood. I can't really say they are like the last two volumes, but they are essential to this series.

Welcome to the Hellsing Organization; an army dedicated to keep the country safe from the undead. The group fights against vampires and ghouls of all sorts in the dark of night. Their ultimate weapon is a hunter that is a vampire himself, Alucard; an unstoppable figure that can face just about any sort of evil that the darkness has to offer him. Vampires and ghouls are not safe with this elite team of hunters and soldiers lurking about.

So continues this dark and bloody adventure with "Hellsing: Search and Destroy;" the third volume in the series. The Hellsing Organization has suffered numerous losses due to the last attack on them that was conducted by the Valentine Brothers. Alucard must do battle once again with the notorious Paladin Alexander; a deadly preacher that's quite talented with sharp blades. Not only that, but he later encounters a deadly foe that could be more powerful than he--an original undead, Incognito. In the last episode contained within this volume, things take a drastic turn for the worst when Sir Integra's life is in jeopardy.

This third volume is not nearly as exciting as the past two, but this is necessary for a future build-up in the last remaining episodes to come. It's still very entertaining to watch, nonetheless. We learn more about Seras' coming-to-terms with what she really is and find out that her strength is increasing, even though she still has doubts. It's also amazing to see how strong and fierce Alucard really is. One of the best parts of this volume is that it brings back the dreaded preacher, Paladin Alexander. He's become a favorite foe of mine. While this volume may not be as impressive as the past two, it is still a very important one to the series.

Again, in no way should this series be viewed by young children. This anime series is intended for mature audiences, such as adults. These three episodes contain graphic violence, blood and gore, strong language, adult situations, and dark and disturbing themes and imagery. Extras include concept art, a different creditless ending and more. The three episodes together total around 75 minutes.

Like I said, "Hellsing: Search and Destroy" isn't the strongest chapter to the "Hellsing" series, but that doesn't make it any less entertaining or important. This dark and ghoul-infested journey has taken you through nine episodes in total. The end of this journey is near, but never fret--you can never tell what's going to end up coming your way next.

After the massacre of half of the Hellsing organization's soldiers things only begin to get worse as things begin to fall apart Alucard and Seris are forced to hunt down the culprit and find out something that they never expected and could this be the end for Integra?

The Japanese seem to find the western version of the Vampire myth quite appealing, and the expression of that fascination reaching a peak with the anime series Hellsing.

Set in modern-day Great Britain, the series focuses on the efforts of the Hellsing Organization, a powerful private enterprise helping to defend "God, Queen, and Country" from the ravages of vampires. Run by the descendents of the van Helsing family of Dracula fame, the organization employs the enigmatic vampire Alucard in their hunt against creatures of the night.

Alucard by far makes the series as one of the most hard-boiled ...anime heroes to date with just enough hint of a savage, barely-kept dark side to make him interesting. He dispatches the armies of the night with a huge .454 Casull gun filled with explosive, blessed silver bullets in style and with panache.

The third volume of the series resumes with a bang with Alucard's resumption of his earlier duel with the Vatican's Paladin Alexander Andersong as the Iscariot Organization attempts to cut off both their own vampire problem and deal with Hellsing at the same time. The battle will leave fans demanding a sequel as Andersong escapes yet again.

The subsequent two episodes further the plot of the series, revealing more details about the freak chips and introducing a new evil foe surely to be a decent match for Alucard in episodes to come.

The animation itself is done really well in terms of visual quality, with a blend of CG and hand-drawn cel work; however, it is somewhat more static in nature than much contemporary anime, comparable to that done for the Record of Lodoss War series.

The audio, though presented only in stereo sound, features a soundtrack you'll want to hunt down like a freak after fresh blood. Surprisingly, the english dubbing is quite good, featuring British-accented voice actors far superior to the average anime dub.

Hellsing is an excellent addition to any anime fan's library and a must-watch for vampire lovers everywhere.

In reading the other reviews I don't know whether or not people are talking about hellsing vol. 1-3 as being the complete series order no.1-13. I have seen the japanese verion a two disc set that included all 13 orders and it was great by far the best vampire animation I have ever seen. It might even make people trade in there vampire hunter d movies just to get this box set. the animation is top of the line with some cgi intergration. If you enjoy watching violent gory anime at its best this is the one for you.
only a human will be able to kill alucard
so don't expect him to die by anyone else's hands or weapons

Picking up from the massacre of ep 6, Helsing has about 50 staff surviving(cute exchange over where to list Seras & Alucard between Integra & Walter) & Vatican reps arrive to try to help drive the last few coffin nails into the Hellsing Org.(Andersong returns to take a half a dozen human staff out trying to take out the Org.'s vamps. Some very cool Alucard tricks & Seras wandering around w/ "Master's head" was very-much in-character, but shows(with the exchange in the training ep in this dvd) how far she's come as a vamp. The glimpse of Andersong's past was interesting, as were all the other character memories which popped up in these eps. Alucard is thrilled to battle a worthy opponent, but his foe knows him well & it is a ruse to attack the Org while it's biggest player is distracted. Once more the last ep ends in an impossible place. I found the bit with Walter very disturbing--somehow he seems impervious to attack so Seras battling him was unsettling in turning the world of this show upside-down.
I love the detail--very little throw-away so one has to pay attention to even the smallest exchange such as the comment mid-fight which sends Alucard back to the Helling Org.'s base. I like the true vamps in this series-more like vampires of legend(or Fred Saberhagen's series) than much of the filler on video rental shelves. In Hellsing it is the chip-created freak vamps making noise reveling in their new power like many teens on their own for the first time who lack the honor & brains of old blood vamps who have existed for centuries on the edges of society by realistically remaining low-profile.

The third installment of the Hellsing series. many things come to pass.
1) Integra Helling is finally labled, beyond doubt, as female.
2) We learn that Victoria's dad was in the Police, and is now dead, I guess.
3) A lot of the "real" Vampires in England just want to be left the heck alone.
4) Some one on the inside is trying to derail not only Hellsing, but pretty much everything in the living world.
This volume does a fine job moving the plot along, right up until the end of episode 8, where it swings into Evangelion mode.
My only complaints about this volume are:
1) Y does Victoria keep Shinji'ing out on us?
2) Y does Paladin Alexander seem as inhuman as the undead he fights?
3) And why does he keep killing human Hellsing members?
4) Episode 9. What the hell was THAT?
after the dust settles, however, this is a fine series, and as such, u need this volume to keep up with the curent events. Also, the end-of-episode previews are some of the most interesting and creative pieces of art i've ever seen, also some of the best voice acted animation in existance.

I'm primarily writing just to get my star vote in, but as long as im here I'll say a few things. Hellsing is an incredible show and one of the most unique pieces of art(anime or otherwise) you'll find. Of course you dont need me to tell you this since if your reading about volume 3, your already watching=) Let me just say that in regards to other people's reviews, don't let them fool you with that "this episode is OK i guess, but theres no action" mentality. The quality of a book, TV show, anime, play, movie, whatever, is not based completely on action. The reaction and feeling you get from following along with the plot and the satisfaction of using your deductive reasoning to connect the dots, as it were, by yourself without being spoonfed by the writer, as some people seem to want to be. Anyway, I guess this wasn't really all that short, but I hope some of you will take the time to stop and read, think things over, and maybe reevaluate some of your values. Thanks for your patience everyone.

One last thing, I personally think this amazon reviewer Mr. Solomon's writing is atrocious. He should learn to take some pride in his work and think before he speaks(or types, anyway).

... Personally this DVD contains 1 great episode, with the return of the crazy preist Alexander Anderson. However, the last 2 episodes are mediocore, possibly confusing for those who aren't able to look into what is happening for deeper meaning or explination. I have no doubt that the dub will continue to be above average, but the highest I would give this is 4 stars based on the episodes that are included.