Editorials
‘Hellsing Ultimate’: The Great Nightmare That Is Alucard [Anime Horrors]
Welcome back to Anime Horrors – a column dedicated to exploring new and classic works of anime and manga.
A good anime protagonist excites us, while a great one makes us feel. Think Goku of Dragon Ball or Serena of Sailor Moon – each fight for justice, care deeply for their companions, and offer an air of inspiration. Anti-heroes offer similar elements, while bringing some moral complexity into the mix. Their overall efforts are geared towards justice, but they also don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Personally, I find that anti-heroes allow for unique storytelling; it is interesting to see the impact they have on the world and the characters around them. I’ve come to enjoy several of these characters throughout anime. But in all the shows I’ve ever seen, no character gives me chills like Alucard.
As the central character to Hellsing, Alucard is a vampire assassin that serves the titular organization. For the uninitiated, Hellsing exists to fight off the enemies of the dark – ghouls, vampires, and other supernatural threats. Though the organization has various tools and other agents to assist in battle, Alucard is their ace. He is pure devastation; while there are several anime characters who exude tremendous strength, very few come close to Alucard’s terrifying being. So, for this month’s installment of Anime Horrors, I want to examine and speak to what makes Alucard so nightmarish.
Please note: for those familiar and not familiar with Hellsing, I will be referring to Alucard as he is depicted in the OVA, Hellsing Ultimate (since that is my favorite way to watch the show). Minor spoilers are present in the form of character abilities and brief story elements.
When we first meet Alucard, he is chained up in a basement. It is only when the heir of the Hellsing Organization is attacked, her blood spilling onto him, that he awakens. With his consciousness intact, he tears into the assailants going after the young girl, bowing down to her afterwards and stating his allegiance. Given his extraordinary strength, Alucard is loyal to his master, biding by her command – but don’t mistake that for a dog on its leash. She is fully aware of how strong he is and trusts him with no doubt in battle.
Hellsing Ultimate does a profound job capturing the ferocity of Alucard’s combat. The manga artwork is already stunning in its detail, but Ultimate brings to life all the bloodshed. Bodies jumping about, limbs falling apart, weapons clashing – it’s delightfully chaotic. While the dramatic elements of the show are entertaining, the big appeal are the battles. Whether it is Alucard tearing into human baddies or supernatural ones, the viewer can always expect carnage.
As a vampire, he has several qualities. His physical talents are remarkable, his fists being able to slice through bodies, his speed faster than the human eye can follow. Other supernatural gifts come in the form of regeneration and the power to summon familiars. These familiars can be demons or defeated enemies whose souls he has taken. And to cap things off, he is equipped with two pistols (each loaded with rounds that leave immense holes in their victims).
Alucard’s skills rank him high among the bad ass characters in anime. When it comes to comparing him against his opponent, it’s like comparing a mountain to a mole hill. And this difference makes for one of the most interesting aspects to his character; for while it’s cool to see him unleash all kinds of dark magic and attacks, it is equally as intriguing to see the emotional and psychological impact he has on his foes.
Think of a time you watched one of your favorite anime heroes go up against a truly menacing villain. Consider how the hero felt in that moment – the stress and fear surging through them. Intense power levels have been a means of creating excitement and suspense throughout anime for decades. Typically, the villain will level up, instill fear, then beat up the good guys for a time (until the central protagonist or a specific character comes along and levels up beyond the bad guy). In Hellsing however, this concept is turned on its head, with Alucard proving to be a horrifying confrontation for his antagonists. Episode two has one of the best fights that highlights this.
A force of ghouls, led by two men, invade the Hellsing headquarters. One of the men, Luke Valentine, makes his way into the headquarters and seeks out Alucard. He eventually finds him in one of the building’s lower levels. Luke shares how he has been modified to not only match Alucard, but to exceed his strength. After words are exchanged, the two draw out their pistols, each shooting the other in the head. After some brief silence, the two begin laughing. Luke jumps about the room shooting at Alucard. As blood spews from his body, his head dropping back, Alucard continues pulling his pistol trigger, his face wearing a haunting expression of joy. At this point in the story, the viewer is aware of how powerful Alucard is – that said, it is what comes next that really amps things up.
After several rounds of gunfire, Alucard gets up and addresses how interested he is in Luke. He states how he wants to see more and acknowledges his talents. He then begins uttering an incantation of sorts that will increase his power. However, this isn’t as straightforward as an increase – it’s the fact that he is unlocking a restriction placed on him. This guy is so friggin’ strong that he has restrictions on how much of his dark magic he can use. With new abilities available to him, he overwhelms Luke, tearing off his legs. As Luke strives to scramble away, Alucard screams out for him to regenerate and fight back. Luke won’t though, for he knows there is no hope.
Coming up against Alucard is like staring into the eyes of an existential threat. No matter how hard one pushes, no matter how long they last in combat, they are never going to exceed what Alucard is capable of. His presence has the means to shake one’s core. There are several occasions where a supernatural being will come Alucard’s way and threaten him. Against any other individual, these beings would be a real challenge – but to Alucard – they are bugs. To see these bad guys walk in all sure of themselves, to then drop to their knees in horror, is brilliant and chilling.
Outside of battle, and for lack of a better word, Alucard is chill; not friendly exactly, but relaxed. It is only when things heat up with a foe that his mannerisms rise to aggressive heights. When it comes to his bloodthirst and excitement for an adversary, his movements hit like a strike of lighting. In a sense, Alucard is like a mutated Shonen protagonist who loves battle. For him, combat is very much a sport. It excites him to go up against someone who can deliver immense blows and push him. It is as if he wants to know he can get close to death.
The shock that comes over characters when facing Alucard is an element I absolutely love about the show. It not only makes for awesome deliveries of drama, but it also sells how frightening he is. There is saying a character should be feared, and then there is having their actions establish a reason to fear them. Alucard is a presence that not only scares humans, but supernatural beings as well.
Talking about Alucard’s terrifying presence is one thing, but seeing it is a whole other thing. If your interest is piqued by what I’ve shared, and you’ve never seen the show, then I encourage you to check out Hellsing Ultimate. The series takes place over 10 episodes. The original anime and manga are solid as well, but Ultimate’s animation and direction are incredible. You can find Ultimate on Hulu and Funimation at the time of this writing.
Battle is an easy, yet effective way to display how bad ass a character is. Having a protagonist use a few iconic moves and deliver some speedy punches creates the sensation that they are a force to be reckoned with. Then there are characters that make us feel – and not in the cozy inspirational sense – but in a cold, tense, and unnerving way. Alucard is a being who does not just live in darkness, but who exudes it and casts it upon his enemies. The fights throughout Hellsing are nothing short of astounding, and yet, it is those quiet moments of an enemy’s defeat that offer a sensation like no other; witnessing these characters look upon a being of extraordinary skill, knowing that annihilation is upon them.
In their last moments, they realize they are facing a monster like no other.
Editorials
Before ‘The Blair Witch Project’, ‘Alien Autopsy’ Showed How Real Found Footage Could Feel
The line separating artist from con man is a lot thinner than you might initially believe. While I think we can all agree that lying for the sake of profit is actively malicious behavior, isn’t it also true that the faux documentary aspect of The Blair Witch Project is half the reason why that film became such a cultural phenomenon? After all, if there’s one thing filmmakers have in common with stage magicians, it’s that misleading and misdirecting audiences is simply part of the job.
That’s why I’ve developed a habit of mostly ignoring the moral quandaries behind many of film and television’s biggest “hoaxes” in favor of appreciating the narrative elements that drive productions like Mermaids: The Body Found and even Animal Planet’s highly underrated The Cannibal in the Jungle. However, if there’s a definitive case of a highly publicized broadcast fooling the world into taking it seriously, it has to be Fox’s infamous 1995 TV special Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction.
It’s been over three decades since that eerie footage first haunted television screens right at the peak of the ’90s ufology craze, and in that time, the video has taken on a life of its own. From countless parodies and references in everything from The X-Files to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (as well as John Dower’s recently released tell-all documentary The Alien Autopsy Scandal, which I’d highly recommend to genre fans everywhere), there’s no denying the legacy of the Alien Autopsy video. However, I rarely see the tape discussed as what it truly is: a highly convincing found footage film directed by a passionate stage magician and brought to life by masterful practical effects work.
That’s why I’d like to invite readers to join me on a deep dive into one of the most infamous broadcasts of all time in an attempt to reevaluate the footage as a fascinating narrative experience rather than a complete hoax.
The TV Special That Convinced Millions It Was Real
Ray Santilli next to Extraterrestrial replica in ‘The Alien Autopsy Scandal’
For starters, regardless of whether or not you believe that there was in fact an extraterrestrial crash in Roswell during the summer of 1947 and that some form of autopsy was performed on the victims, the producers behind the black & white recordings, Ray Santilli and Gary Shoefield, insist that their video was a “restoration.” Though I’d argue that the proper word is “remake”of genuine footage that was too damaged to air on television. That’s why the duo went on to recruit filmmaker and eccentric magician Spyros Melaris and sculptor/monster designer John Humphreys to bring their version of the autopsy to life and sell it to the highest bidder.
This is where the story of the Alien Autopsy as a narrative experience really begins. Melaris claims that his approach to the faux recording consisted of striving for extreme period accuracy in both shooting equipment and setting while also planting subtle details that would initially seem like mistakes but could later be revealed to actually fit the time period. That being said, the filmmaker was under the impression that the short would be released for free as a PR stunt, with the team later producing and selling an informative documentary chronicling exactly how the footage was faked and commenting on how easy it is to manipulate public perception with a good old-fashioned magic trick.
This obviously isn’t how things went down, and that’s likely the reason why Melaris has since distanced himself from everyone else involved with the project. Yet, no amount of behind-the-scenes drama can undermine the genuine effort that went into making the short as impressive as it is. From the sourcing of real animal organs from a local butcher to make the organic part of the creature more lifelike to the highly detailed sculpt that made use of a hollowed-out underlayer that could be filled with fake blood and assorted viscera, there’s a reason why so many Hollywood specialists are still impressed with the artistry on display here.
Of course, the believability is only half the story, as I think that the best part of the autopsy is how Melaris builds on the existing tension by obscuring certain details and often embracing the chaos of what a real examination of extraterrestrial life could feel like. The camera often goes out of focus at just the right time to make certain effects hit even harder, and we can only speculate as to what the hazmat-suited doctors are gesticulating about during the operation. There’s a real air of mystery to the whole thing that almost makes it feel like a cosmically terrifying, cursed film containing forbidden knowledge that civilians were never meant to see.
So when Fox’s Fact or Fiction brings in the specialists to comment on the film and its otherworldly subject, it’s no surprise that we end up with one of the most memorable mockumentaries of all time – albeit one where the participants are unaware that the footage they’re commenting on is basically a large-scale practical joke. A joke that the network was obviously in on, as many participants claim that the TV special cut out significant portions where guests point out that they believe the footage to be an elaborate hoax.
The Lasting Impact of the Hoax Turned Cultural Event
Regardless, I remember going to bed terrified after watching reruns of the special and thinking about the respected pathologist who claimed that the body was almost certainly inhuman, with even effects maestro Stan Winston commenting on how difficult it would be to recreate some of these visuals through practical puppetry. That’s not even mentioning Jonathan Frakes’ dramatic hyping up of the disturbing imagery as if he was talking about the tape from The Ring, with his spooky demeanor here likely being responsible for his later role as the host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction a few years later.
Personally, I’d argue that the Alien Autopsy phenomenon had just as much of an impact on me as a horror fan as The Blair Witch Project, a film that was almost certainly influenced by the success of this immensely popular hoax (to the point where they even produced their own TV special commenting on Heather’s found footage). Even if Fox didn’t intend to produce a narrative feature about the aftermath of the Roswell crash, the end product still holds up remarkably well as a highly entertaining mockumentary exploring the idea that we may not be alone in the universe.
While neither Santilli nor the rest of the production team has ever commented on this, I also think it’s very likely that the idea of a faux Alien Autopsy could have been influenced by Dean Alioto’s The McPherson Tape/UFO Abduction. I’ve already written about how this granddaddy of found footage was co-opted by rogue ufologists who began selling bootlegs of the tape at conventions as if it were real evidence of a close encounter, so it’s not that much of a stretch to imagine that Santilli and company could have heard about this phenomenon and been inspired to come up with their own highly profitable hoax.
At the end of the day, it’s unlikely that the Alien Autopsy film is recreating any real footage from Roswell, but I can still appreciate the short and the accompanying television event as a standalone horror story that still influences the way we see found footage to this very day.
After all, the possibility that something could be real is often much scarier than finding out for sure – and that’s why I think Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction is still worth revisiting three decades down the line.
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