Hellsing all over again
I'm cross posting this from nothingland.com, with some minimal edits.
I just finished watching episode one of what is called the "Hellsing Ultimate OVA". It's a 50 minute episode, and since they didn't call it ep 1-2, I'm thinking they might all be double-length in the future as well. I have a vague memory of seeing a fixed number of episodes mentioned - 6, 12 something like that. But where I saw it, and what number it was, I don't remember.
The story is pretty much exactly the same as in the original Hellsing, down to identical scenes in some cases (though plenty has been added, and some removed - I can't be arsed to go back and watch the original to pinpoint exactly what). I think this goes in line with what they set out to do - the first half of Hellsing was really good, while the second half failed to bring a satisfactory resolution to the story. So it's natural that we're seeing much the same in episode one. One difference is that they're adding a parallell storyline showing a little bit of how Integral came into contact with Alucard, and into power of the Hellsing organization.
The main improvement though is animation and illustration. Oh my lord how beautiful this anime is! It looks like no expenses were spared here. CG is integrated beautifully, but never takes over - usually just small stuff.
And both Alucard and Seras Victoria feels more badass than I ever remember them, though that could just be my memory failing me...
I'll stop gushing now. I'll just say that I loved it.
*** SPOILER WARNING ***
Actually, I'll add one little piece of criticism, since it only just occurred to me. There's a scene where Seras Victoria is turned into a vampire after Alucard gives her the choice of death or undeath. And from what can be interpreted as her decision, flash-forward to "later, somewhere else". I think in a vampire flick, it is an intensely important scene where one protagonist turn the other into a vampire, and they just choose to gloss over it? Missed opportunity.
I just finished watching episode one of what is called the "Hellsing Ultimate OVA". It's a 50 minute episode, and since they didn't call it ep 1-2, I'm thinking they might all be double-length in the future as well. I have a vague memory of seeing a fixed number of episodes mentioned - 6, 12 something like that. But where I saw it, and what number it was, I don't remember.
The story is pretty much exactly the same as in the original Hellsing, down to identical scenes in some cases (though plenty has been added, and some removed - I can't be arsed to go back and watch the original to pinpoint exactly what). I think this goes in line with what they set out to do - the first half of Hellsing was really good, while the second half failed to bring a satisfactory resolution to the story. So it's natural that we're seeing much the same in episode one. One difference is that they're adding a parallell storyline showing a little bit of how Integral came into contact with Alucard, and into power of the Hellsing organization.
The main improvement though is animation and illustration. Oh my lord how beautiful this anime is! It looks like no expenses were spared here. CG is integrated beautifully, but never takes over - usually just small stuff.
And both Alucard and Seras Victoria feels more badass than I ever remember them, though that could just be my memory failing me...
I'll stop gushing now. I'll just say that I loved it.
*** SPOILER WARNING ***
Actually, I'll add one little piece of criticism, since it only just occurred to me. There's a scene where Seras Victoria is turned into a vampire after Alucard gives her the choice of death or undeath. And from what can be interpreted as her decision, flash-forward to "later, somewhere else". I think in a vampire flick, it is an intensely important scene where one protagonist turn the other into a vampire, and they just choose to gloss over it? Missed opportunity.