Kouta Hirano’s action-horror manga, Hellsing, is yet another fantastic piece of fiction that explores our collective obsession with vampires. From classics like Bram Stoker’s seminal novel Dracula to comedies like What We Do in the Shadows, we can’t seem to get enough of the immortal bloodsuckers; hell, we’ve even grown to love them over the years (regardless of how you feel about it, we all remember Twilight).
Hellsing is one of the rare stories to star a vampire filled with bloodlust for his own kind. The story begins roughly 100 years after the events of Dracula, except unlike the novel, Dracula was never truly defeated. After Van Helsing battles with the legendary vampire, Dracula becomes the family’s servant and helps with their mission to eradicate the world of supernatural ghouls. Rechristened Alucard, he proves to be a formidable foe to other vampires and other enemy organizations.
If any of this sounds appealing to you, you would likely want to watch the anime adaptation of Hellsing. The problem is: which one? There are actually two different anime series, Hellsing, Hellsing Ultimate, as well as a prequel series, Hellsing: The Dawn, along with a ton of conflicting info about what order to watch them in. It’s a conundrum for sure.
What is the watch order of Hellsing?
While there isn’t a set watch order for the different Hellsing series, almost every fan agrees the miniseries, Hellsing: The Dawn, comes last. Although Hellsing: The Dawn is a prequel, most agree that the series won’t make sense unless you’re familiar with the plot of Hellsing: Ultimate.
That leaves the order of the other two shows, and while I can recommend an order (and I will!), how you watch them is ultimately up to personal preference. Hellsing originally ran from 2001 until 2002 but eventually outpaced the manga, which was being released at the same time. After episode seven, Hellsing diverges from the canon and makes up an entirely new villain (à la the first Full Metal Alchemist) and plot, leading some fans to be disappointed with the series’ ending. Hellsing: Ultimate ran from 2006 until 2012 and is a complete adaptation of the manga.
Most fans agree Hellsing: Ultimate is the better anime because of its complete story (although most also agree Hellsing has vastly superior music); you could technically skip Hellsing and just watch this instead before watching Hellsing: The Dawn. However, if you want to watch all three series, I recommend starting with Hellsing, before watching Hellsing: Ultimate, and finishing off with Hellsing: The Dawn. Happy watching!