The 2nd Dimension

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Viewing Journal: Hellsing Ultimate (DVD 1)

OVA Overview
DVD Info (available December 5)

Rating:
Overall= A
Story = B+
Video = A
Audio = A

Journal

Now this is what I was hoping for when I watched the original Hellsing TV series: lots of action, cool characters with intense personalities, high quality animation, and just an all out fun and exciting and dark storyline. The TV series disappointed about half-way through, but this new re-telling of the story stayed truer to the original manga and so it had a more consistent feel and was much much better than its anime predissesor.

I got a chance to catch the premiere of this new OVA at Otakon this year. The showing ended up being so packed that they had to have a second screening. I got into the second showing and it was well worth the wait, especially since it was not as packed as the first so there was much more breathing room. They showed the first DVD which is a 50 minute OVA that introduces Alucard nad the Hellsing organization as well as the super-cool and super-psycho Catholic priest Alexander (who didn't get anywhere close to enough air time in the TV series).

I heard a fan complain at the Otakon Hellsing panel that the soundtrack to the OVA didn't have the rock guitar sound that the TV series had. The director said that he wanted this new anime to focus more on the drama; plus he didn't want to just re-do exactly what he did for the TV series. And I am thankful for that because the music was more of the classic chants and dark themes and it was definitely more effective and dramatic and I think made for better action scenes too.

All said, this is a great start and please God please let the rest of the releases keep up this pace because if they do I will just eat it up.

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