manga: Hellsing Vol 1

[meganbmoore]

Stealing the descriptions of others again:

There's a secret organization somewhere in England created to defend the Queen and country from monsters of all sorts. Yes, it's hard to believe in this day and age... but really, isn't this the true age of monsters? Enter Hellsing, an agency, long in tooth, with the experience, know-how, and... er... equipment to handle the problems that arise when vampires, ghouls, and the like take on these dark forces. "What equipment?" you may say. How about another vampire, and a big pistol loaded with special silver bullets? That oughta do the trick.


It leaves out the part where his boss, Intregral Hellsing found Alucard, the vampire in question, in the family dungeon when she was about 13, was relatively unphased when he slaughtered the people trying to kill her, and then used him as a shield when she shot their leader. Or how she went toe-to-toe with the genetically-enhanced priest who chopped him up. (It didn’t take for long.) Or the part where he acquires an underling by shooting through a cop to kill a vampire. After making sure she’s a virgin, so he can turn her.

In a lot of ways, it’s very much a case of style over substance, especially when it comes to Alucard and guns. The mangaka is very in love with drawing that. Or anyone with weapons. There also seems to be something of a glasses fetish going on, to the point where there’s a footnote saying “It’s starting to seem like everyone wears glasses. What to do?” And Alucard and Vash clearly have the same tailor.

It’s also quite fun, and some comments telophase  made at A-Kon have me very interested in reading more.

Spoil me and suffer torments far greater that what I can come up with off the top of my head.

Comments

[paperclipchains.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, you haven't read Hellsing yet?

It's a strange case. It is very style over substance, but you have some very solid characters and very interesting relationships buried in this violent vampire manga that seems to stop taking itself seriously after a point. I'll be very interested to know what you think as you keep reading.

And yes, there is a definite eyewear/white gloves fetish.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I watched and enjoyed the anime a year or so ago but...err...I'm fed up with the vampire popularity game in general, so I need to be motivated to devote valuable reading time to them.

As I read more (which will first require acquiring more) there will no doubt be comments about how I might understand the popularity if more fiction approached them this way.

And i agree about the characters.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Hellsing: Makes no sense whatsoever, BUT WHO NEEDS SENSE WHEN YOU'VE GOT INTEGRA???

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Largely my impression. (I was amused by the fandom secrets secrets recently that were "I didn't like the ending but I'm not and Alucard/Seras shipper / but not because I prefer Alucard/Seras." All I have to say to that is "you mean people thought ownership status would change?")

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Wait, it ENDED? I knew it seemed to be winding up but I hadn't heard it ended... I've always been terrified of how he was going to end it because I've always had the horrible suspicion he was just going to go "rocks fall, everyone dies!"

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Only within the last month or so. (Meaning the last volume should be out here in a few months.)

My understanding is that it doesn't have that kind of ending.

[paperclipchains.livejournal.com]

It just ended, the translation came out a couple days ago. Go catch up!

People were disappointed with it, but I think it was approximately what was to be expected at that point.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

I've pretty much only been (very confusedly) following spoiler reports for a while, so I'm completely lost as to what exactly happened, but I read the last chapter because I couldn't stand not knowing how it ended. XD

Personally... I kinda like it! I have been conflicted all along about whether I wanted Integra to become a vampire or not - part of me really wanted it and part of me really totally DIDN'T, so there was no way for me not to be disappointed on that front... But oh well, I didn't really expect that to happen anyway.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

I agree with this comment and wish to subscribe to its newsletter.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Ah ha, something must be in the water. I've been meaning to check this one out for ages and ages, and that's been bumped up a little higher after hearing Red rave about it recently -- snagged a copy on BookMooch about a month ago that finally showed up today. And meanwhile, another friend has recently binged on it and is non-stop spazzing about her love for Integra -- and Niru's one with tastes very similar to mine, so that bodes well.

BTW, you may want to be a little cautious if you're considering looking for other works by the mangaka -- it's my understanding that prior to this series he was mostly doing hentai.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Didn't know Red was a fan. Not surprised, though.

I think I've heard that about the mangaka's other works. Though, really, the fact that there was a note about it not being an adult book right after pages and pages of blood splattered everywhere and bodyparts lying around and flying around should have been a clue.

[paperclipchains.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, well, the original version of Hellsing was porny and many of the characters have made appearances in his other "adult" books. I believe Integra is one of the few who didn't.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I'm getting used to only being able to read 1 series by a mangaka due to almost everything else being hentai/adult/etc at this point.

[sir-hellsing.livejournal.com]

"Integra-prototype" was a Nazi hitwoman who tried to assure the success of Operation Barbossa.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Yes, Integra is one of the AWESOMEST FEMALE CHARACTERS EVER. They took away her sense of humor in the anime (the original series, not the OVA, which is a lot closer to the manga).

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

One day, I'd like to get the reaction to the first two chapters of someone who doesn't know anything at all about Integra. I think that most people start reading because of her, though. (At least, in my circles.)

[ipperne.livejournal.com]

footnotes of hellsing are fairly entertaining, and Integral has bigger balls than any male character ever to excist in current history.
Waits patiently for vol. 9... or is that 8.? dunno, but, I wait for it!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly certain she could stare Kyo down. Maybe Manji, too.

[ipperne.livejournal.com]

Manji too.
But I fear spoiling you by telling what I build that asumption on^^

[sir-hellsing.livejournal.com]

I'm late.

But I join the Integra chorus. The Anime did a valiant job EXCEPT THEY CRIPPLED HER, MOLESTED HER AND MADE HER A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS FOR ALUCARD TO SAVE THEN STRIP HER FROM POWER?

Wtf.

Manga Integra grows to be the Boss and everybody are her bitches. They like that.