On September 24, 1998, the first chapter of the Hellsing was released. The manga wouldn't be complete until March 27, 2009, but an anime had already been created entitled Hellsing​​​​​​. At the time, this anime had hope of telling the story of Alucard and the rest of the Hellsing Organization. Only with a small budget and only access to the story's beginning, the anime ended after one season.
Luckily fans got a second chance to see these characters animated in Hellsing Ultimate. In this OVA adaptation of the series, fans have 10 40min episodes that bring the manga to life. Many fans of the series agree that this is the better of the two adaptations, but what makes these two animes different besides the apparent content difference?
The Difference is in the Details
One of the bigger differences between these two adaptations is the relationship between Alucard, Seras, and Sir Hellsing. In the first adaptation, the relationship between these three was that well established. Seras is too busy fighting her need for blood, Sir Integra is focused on the vampire chips, and Alucard trying to find a worthy opponent. This is because the writers didn't have access to the entire story, but in Hellsing, Ultimate,viewers get a better idea of their relationship.
For Sir Integra, Alucard is a weapon gifted to her by her father and the creature that allowed her to take her place as the head of the Hellsing Organization. Alucard sees Integra as his master, someone who is able to control him while still keeping him entertained. Whereas Sera views them both as her masters, Sir Integra, her commander, and Alucard, her master, even mentor. The three have a very complicated but strong relationship that wasn't presented in the first anime.
Along with this, Seras Vicotria has an excellent arc in Hellsing Ultimate, where she comes into her strength and vampiric power. This is mainly tied to her wanting to protect the Wild Geese, the mercenaries hired by Sir Integra. However, some fans might not recognize this group because they weren't included in Hellsing. With so many things excluded from the first adaptation, some might wonder what it has to offer viewers?
It's the second half of Hellsing that fans get a new enemy to enjoy. In these new events, it's implied that there is more 'original' nosferatu in the world. One of them is a creature by the name of Incognito. Like Alucard, this vampire is tied to a human master that commands him to kill Alucard and bring back a demon. With this character, the writers were trying to create a being that could keep up with Alucard and provide the epic ending the season needed. Many fans agree that though Incognito wasn't part of the original manga, his addition to Hellsing was enjoyable and enough to make watching this adaptation worthwhile.
The addition of Incognito implies a bigger question that wasn't touched upon in the OVA. Are there other pure vampires in the world other than Alucard and Seras? In the OVA, the creatures that Alucard fights are artificial vampires and ghouls, but no other creature like what Alucard was or currently is. There are other legends in the world about blood-sucking demons, meaning that there could be more than just Alucard in the world as a vampire lord/king. This is something that perhaps the Hellsing anime would have touched upon if they were given a chance at a second season.
Regardless of this fact, both adaptations of the manga Hellsing have their own merits. Each deserves a view from both old and new fans.