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"The Bird of Hermes is my name. Eating my wings to make me tame."Hey guys, I'm back for another anime review! This time, I'll be bringing my garlic and cross out for this one. So lets get to it!Hellsing Ultimate. Even if you've never seen it, most likely you've heard of it. Like me. I heard so many things about the show long before I even considered watching it. I had seen a few clips, and done a little research on it, but I refrained from watching it for a major reason. Vampires. Now as a general rule, I don't like vampires. For one, they're so over used, and there's only so much you can do with that trope before it wears out its welcome. Two, I'm in no way a fan of the romantic aspect of vampires. I'm a mythology and legends enthusiast, so I've done my research into the origins of vampires, and originally, no aspect of romance ever existed in the early tales. So when I heard about Hellsing, I just passed it off as another Dracula/Twilight wannabe (not that Twilight was ever anything to begin with. ). But I digress. It took me a while, but finally, I said to myself, alright! I'll give the damned thing a try. If I don't like it, I'll move on. What made me sit down to watch it, was that the series is only ten episodes long, made into OVAs lasting anywhere from 40 minutes, to a full hour. As it stands, Hellsing Ultimate is the shortest anime series I've ever watched. I must say, the first episode left quite an impression on me! I was impressed. For three major aspects; plot, animation, and dubbing. I was amazed at how intrigued I was over the story in just the first episode. The way it played out and the narrative kept me guessing and left me wanting more. And I can say that about the entire ten OVAs! The story starts small, and then builds with each installment; adding and expanding on the plot and the characters. The story itself, seems rather clichéd at first, but its done in such a way that it makes it unique and interesting.The main plot follows the Hellsing Organization, led by the last of the Hellsing family; Integra, and the ancient vampire lord, Alucard, her servant. Together, they battle against both living and undead enemies in 20th century London, England.The animation in Hellsing is among some of the best, if not THE best of any anime show I have seen thus far! There's no mistaking its an anime, but the art style is unique and incredibly detailed. It looks like a major movie production in quality!The English voice dubbing is truly the best that you will ever find in an anime. Now I know well, the whole war over dubbing. Having watched the majority of my anime shows in English, and a few subbed, I understand why some would prefer subbed over dubbed. But trust me on this, even those who are dyed in the wool sub watchers, will prefer to watch Hellsing Ultimate dubbed. Its just that good! Boasting a cast of some very well known VAs such as Crispin Freeman as Alucard, Yuri Lowenthal as Pip Bernadotte, Kari Wahlgren as Rip Van Winkle, Laura Bailey as Schrodinger, and Patrick Seitz as Luke Valentine.Hellsing is indeed, one of the many classics of anime. And really, probably one of the best. But, even though its a great show, this one you'll want to watch after the kids are in bed. With the lights on. And some holy water. And a mop. To mop up the blood. For all its perks, Hellsing is a VERY adult show. And very, very violent. If any of you have seen Fist Of The North Star, then you'll have an idea of what you're in for. Hellsing is at times, quite literally a blood bath. Not only do vampires feed on blood in some of the most gruesome ways imaginable, but gallons of blood get thrown around the place like rain. And that's not to mention the literal flood of blood that covers all of London in the final showdown! The show is also graphic. Very graphic. In some of the most horrific ways I've seen in just a show made for TV. Plus, nearly everyone of the Hellsing cast is well versed in colorful language. And they use it quite frequently. So, for those of you who are squeamish, and or don't care for that sort of thing, proceed with caution. But, if you're willing to stick it out, like I did, I can guaranty a real treat! Oh, and while we're at it, after you've finished Hellsing, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Hellsing Ultimate Abridged series. That, in and of itself, is worth checking out. ;D Well, that's all I have to say for this round. Night guys, and I'll be back with more reviews to come!Alicia

Oh Alucard you!