Alucard (Hellsing)
Alucard | |
---|---|
Hellsing character | |
First appearance | Hellsing chapter 1: "Vampire Hunter" (1997) |
Created by | Kouta Hirano |
Voiced by | Jouji Nakata (Japanese) Crispin Freeman (English) |
In-universe information | |
Full name | Vlad Drăculea III |
Alias | Prince of Wallachia Count Dracula |
Nickname | Alucard |
Species | Vampire |
Gender | Male |
Alucard (
Hirano created Alucard as a strong individual who would be deus ex machina on his own, resulting in an easy defeat of most enemies. Alucard is voiced by Jouji Nakata in Japanese and Crispin Freeman in English. Critical response to the character has been positive for Alucard's dark traits such as sadism or supernatural abilities that make him stand out as excessively violent despite being the main hero. Alucard's design also stood out for being called "stylish", praising his outfits and weaponry. Alucard's voice portrayals by Nakata and Freeman were also met with a positive response.
Creation and development
The flow of the Hellsing manga was something that was decided on from the beginning. Multiple fans wondered if Alucard would form a relationship with his student Seras Victoria but Hirano did not find it possible. As a result, Hirano introduced the character Pip Bernadotte so he could stick him with Seras during the narrative. Meanwhile, Alucard would keep a deep bond with his master, Integra Hellsing, early in the story but he refrained from regarding it as a romantic style. That was an unwavering part of the unfolding story. For the prequel Hellsing: The Dawn, a dynamic was used between Alucard, Integra and Walter to act properly since Alucard was more active.[1]
After manga volume 8, during series' climax, the author felt he "got a little hasty" and ended the long battle between Alucard and Anderson. As a result, he thinks Alucard's battle against Anderson had a better show of battle in comparison to the previous battle against Anderson were both fighters were nearly equals. The reason he thinks so is because he had a time limit for completion when he was drawing them. In regards to Walter's betrayal, Hirano decided to use him as a villain by the time Alucard, who had been sleeping underground, revived, to face Integra and claimed that despite the close experience both character has, Walter was still clearly weaker than Alucard.[1]
Casting
Jouji Nakata voices the character in Japanese. Nakata recalls being praised for providing Alucard's emotions rarely explored and that his fans were from multiple demographies.[2] Looking back at his career, Nakata said that Alucard was the one character he most enjoyed voicing and the easiest one to portray. He said that villain characters and ones with distinct personalities were easier than ones with not much personality as they can be shaped and changed up.[3]
In an interview with Anime News Network, American voice actor
Appearances
In Hellsing
Alucard is a vampire working for the organization Hellsing. Alucard is violent, sadistic, and masochistic. He often taunts and belittles his opponents, allowing them to inflict wounds before regenerating and retaliating.
Whenever he drinks his victim's blood, Alucard also sucks out the soul of that person to obtain their memories while converting the victim into an extension of himself referred to as a Familiar.[14] Alucard exhibits incredible accuracy when firing his twin large caliber handguns (his basic set being chambered in .454 Casull; a more powerful pair, codenamed 'Jackal' and armed with explosive rounds, was designed to fight regenerators.[15][16] He can tear humans apart with ease and move faster than the eye can see.[17] While often seen a male human, Alucard has a tendency to take other humanoid forms (among them being a young girl, a form he took while infiltrating the Nazi group Millennium during World War II).[18][19]
Anderson, augmented by the Nail of Helena, managed to critically injure Alucard during their final duel, which created a chain reaction that destroyed all Alucard's familiars except Luke Valentine and the Hellhound. Although Alucard recovered thanks to Seras' intervention and successfully defeated Anderson, he was then attacked by Walter, who had undergone vampirization by Millennium in order to kill Alucard when he was most vulnerable. However, Walter was tricked (via illusion) into killing Valentine instead; before he could get another chance to land a fatal blow, Alucard began absorbing the blood of the millions who died in the Battle of London, thus giving himself an indefinite number of regenerations and a new army of the dead. Unknown to Alucard, Schrödinger had killed himself and fallen into the river of blood on the Major's orders; mixed in with the millions of other souls Alucard had consumed, he was unable to recognize himself and therefore neither he nor Alucard was able to exist, causing Alucard to vanish. During the series' ending, after Alucard destroyed every additional soul except Schrödinger's in his body, he gained the ability to exist "everywhere and nowhere".
In Hellsing: The Dawn
The manga Hellsing: The Dawn and its animated adaptation focus on a younger Alucard taking the form of a woman while working during WWII. A much younger Walter is sent by Hellsing behind enemy lines with a giant casket to eliminate a new threat from the Nazis. In an attempt to stop the Nazi project and to protect England and The Allies current head of the Hellsing House, Sir Arthur Hellsing, is sending his best agents — Walter C. Dornez and Alucard — into German-occupied Poland where monstrous experiments are being conducted.
Other appearances
Alucard appears as a playable operator in Season 6 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.[20]
Reception
Popularity
Alucard has been a popular character. In the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation Awards from 2008, Alucard was nominated as one of the best male characters with
Critical response
Critical response to Alucard's character has been positive. Ever since his introduction in the manga, Justin Rich from Mania Entertainment saw Alucard as an interesting character due to his brief encounter with Anderson which shows a potential for what their actions in the future might be.[30] Anime News Network's Mike Crandol praised Alucard for being "a refreshing change from the traditional, mopey, woe-is-me vampire anti-hero", and called him "quite the cool figure".[31] On a similar note, Alucard's nature as a vampire was noted to be a new take of the usage of the archetype due to how Alucard trains Seras Victoria to the point it feels like a coming of age for Alucard's subordinate. Despite his sadistic nature, Comic Book Resources pointed out that Alucard is contrasted by the personalities of Seras and Integra whom are noted to make Alucard make more charming as he sees both of them in a friendlier well when compared to his regular dark persona.[32] His dark personality stood out with T.H.E.M Anime Reviews calling him as an "anti-hero through and through, but you just can't help rooting for him even when it's obvious he's not really a good guy at all..."[33] Carl Kimlinger also from Anime News Network said Alucard "He's one of the scariest, and most unspeakably cool, anti-heroes to ever slaughter his way through an anime." As a result, Kimlinger felt Alucard's character to be series' strongest part.[34] Patrick King from AnimeFringe said that Alucard's portrayal in the first Hellsing anime made him come across as one of the best anime character he has ever seen, comparing him with the famous Spike from Cowboy Bebop calling him "the perfect mix of grace and violence, propriety and chaos."[35] DVD Talk found Alucard's first fight in the anime so ridiculously violent that he believes Toonami's audience would like it as instead Alucard would be more enjoyed by an adult demographic.[36]
In regards to his role in the story, Comic Book Resources felt Alucard's battle to be enjoyable due to the amount of gore provided through his fighting style involving both supernatural abilities and usage of guns.[32] The Fandom Post enjoyed both Alucard's presence and lack of presence in the narrative for the impact it has on the cast as well as how he is humanized when fighting with his full power while also interacting with Integra.[37] Manga News expressed similar feeling as without Alucard, Seras Victoria's forces remain notably weaker in comparison to the point he missed the character.[38][39] However, the writer had mix feelings in regards to Alucard's understanding of his rival Anderson's. While the final fight was praised for developing Alucard and show his past, his subsequent betrayal by Walter and brief fight with him felt "flat" alongside his fate in the finale.[40] The same site also praised Alucard's final fight against Anderson in Hellsing Ultimate, citing it as the greatest highlight of the entire series and found Hirano's take on the Dracula myth as one of the "wildest interpretation" he has seen. Freeman's work for providing a "gothic depth befitting a powerful master vampire".[41] THEM Anime Reviews noted that while Alucard might come across as a villain rather than a hero due to his sadistic actions, the poorly developed villains make it easier for the viewers to root for the lead.[42] Similarly, DVD Talk praised how Ultimate portrayed Alucard in the finale not only for his fights against Anderson and Walter but also about how his past life is explored while acclaiming Freeman's work.[43] Joji Nakata's work as Alucard was also met with similar response by Anime News Network alongside Norio Wakamoto (Anderson) for having the best deliveries in the Japanese version.[44] Manga News criticized Alucard's fate in the finale for his apparent death during the fight against the Millennium organization only to return in the final chapter for unexplained reasons.[45]
Critics often commented on Alucard's appearance. Comparing the Alucard's characterization between the television series and the OVAs, Anime News Network felt the former was "a kind of sexy
Brianna Murch from Bridgewater State University commented that Alucard's acceptance of Integra as his new master finding her as an equal, the way Alucard shoots and bites Seras Victoria to make her a vampire was compared to the cruel of fate of raped women despite her accepting the role of becoming a vampire. As Integra is not a vampire, Alucard's respect for her convictions and calculating mind
heighten his frustration towards Seras. Unlike Integra's relationship with Alucard, Alucard's relationship with Seras Victoria is compared more to a husband and master with his wife and student. The latter case was notable for being one of the few cases where a female vampire is portrayed in fiction.
References
- ^ ASIN B01A68F66S.
- ^ "中田譲治さんお誕生日記念!一番好きなキャラは?20年版 3位「Fate/stay night」言峰綺礼、2位「HELLSING」アーカード、1位は…". Anime Anime (in Japanese). April 22, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "SUTORAIKUanime Exclusive: Interview with Nakata Jouji". Sutoraiku Anime. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017.
- ^ Bertschy, Zac (September 9, 2002). "Crispin Freeman: The Interview". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ Hellsing Ultimate 1. Geneon Entertainment. 2006.
- ^ "Interview with Hellsing's Crispin Freeman". Madman Entertainment. April 2, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-59307-056-4.
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- ISBN 978-1-59307-056-4.
- ISBN 978-1-59307-780-8.
- ISBN 978-1-59582-157-7.
- ^ Staff, Call of Duty. "Announcing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone Season 06: The Haunting". www.callofduty.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Society For The Promotion Of Japanese Animation Announces SPJA Industry Award Finalists At Tokyo International Anime Fair". Comipress.com. March 27, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "中田譲治さんお誕生日記念!一番好きなキャラは?20年版 3位「Fate/stay night」言峰綺礼、2位「HELLSING」アーカード、1位は…". AnimeAnime. April 22, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "SPJA Industry Award Winners are Up". Giapet. July 6, 2008. Archived from the original on August 2, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
- ^ "Revoltech Series No.114 Alucard (14 cm PVC Figure) Kaiyodo Hellsing [JAPAN]". Amazon. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ "SIF-EX ヘルシング アーカード バストアップフィギュア". Amazon. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ "Anime Hellsing Alucard Keychain". Amazon. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ Isler, Ramsey (February 4, 2014). "Top 25 Greatest Anime Characters". IGN. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
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- ^ "6 Strange Faces of Dracula's Descendents". Anime News Network. May 3, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Rich, Justin. "Hellsing Vol. #01". Mania. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Crandol, Mike (July 17, 2002). "Hellsing DVD 1 – Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Hellsing: 10 Reasons Why It's The Best Vampire Manga". September 22, 2010. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Bustard, Jason (2001). "THEM Anime Reviews – Hellsing". T.H.E.M Anime Reviews. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ Kimlinger, Carl (October 20, 2007). "Hellsing Ultimate DVD 3 – Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ "Animefringe Reviews: Hellsing Vol.2: Blood Brothers". Anime Fringe. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing: Impure Souls". July 23, 2002. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate DVD/Blu-ray Set 2 Anime Review". Fandom Post. November 13, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing 6". Manga News. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing 7". Manga-News.com. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate DVD/Blu-ray Set 3 Anime Review". Fandom Post. November 4, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate: Ten Years Later". Fandom Post. February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate". THEM ANIME REVIEWS. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate: Volumes 9 & 10". November 19, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Ultimate Blu-Ray 9-10 – Set 3". Anime News Network. October 31, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing Vol.10". Manga News. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing OAV DVD 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Leathers, Kevin (October 14, 2008). "Hellsing Ultimate Vol. 1 & 2". UK Anime Network. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "Hellsing v8". Manga Life. Archived from the original on March 4, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- ^ Thompson, Jason (March 22, 2012). "Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga – Hellsing". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ "REVIEW: The HELLSING DELUXE EDITION brings a savage and sexy vampire classic back from the dead". Comics Beat. July 13, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "ASK JOHN: WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HELLSING?". AnimeNation. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ Kimlinger, Carl (August 12, 2010). "Hellsing GN 10". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Murch, Brianna (2013). "Beyond Maidens, Minxes, and Mothers: The Female Vampire and Gothic Other in Dracula, Hellsing, and Chibi Vampire". Bridgewater State University. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ HĂRŞAN, Ramona (2018). "ROMANIA AS AN ONGOING VAMPIRE STORY: COUNT DRACULA AND THE POP-CULTURAL DÉTENTE". Editura Academiei Forțelor Aeriene. Retrieved July 29, 2023.