Hellsing's Alucard, this is a vampire I can get behind. Cool, kickass, creepy, sympathetic (but not a whiny little bitch) and his voice actor Crispin Freeman is Awesome!
Fake Name that would be such a cool crossover. I’d love to see how they’d make a Japanese anime interpretation of Trevor and/or another Belmont, and possibly alter his abilities in order to combat Alucard.
#NotAllNazis (I kid, I kid). The Major seemed to like Seras a fair bit, as enemies go. Potential worthy replacement for her master Alucard in the Major's heart, as despised and beloved mortal foe. Or immortal foe, as the case may be.
Wow. You're the first reviewer I've seen who's done actual research on Dracula. Correct. There is no evidence Stoker ever heard of Vlad the Impaler. Good job for spreading the facts!
The voice actor for Alucard, Crispin Freeman, says that he views the relationships Alucard has with Integra and Seres as an S&M kind of thing. Because, unlike what 50 Shades of Grey would have you believe, an S&M relationship is all about consent. Both parties must give consent and one must willingly relinquish power to the other, but they ultimately have the power to stop everything. A dom can do kinky dominant things to a submissive with the subs permission, because the sub gives the dom that power. Freeman said this is how he views Alucard’s relationship with Integra. She is the dom and he is the sub, but she is only the dom because Alucard allows her to be. A true S&M dynamic. With Seres it’s a little different. When he made Seres a vampire he wanted her to be on his level, his equal. But she was too afraid to drink human blood. At that point she became Alucard’s sub whilst he is the dom. This is just Crispin Freeman’s interpretation and I find it both intriguing and hilarious. When you talked about how Alucard willingly gives all the power to Integra and makes her his master, it reminded me of his interpretation.
Could be, but also, voice actors have no influence over the character, they're as good at interpreting as any of us. Having them at a higher level of knowledge of the character itself than anyone else is to the level of people who haras VAs only because their character did something morally reprehensible.
I remember hating the second half and especially the final episodes of the original anime and it all making sense how it went wrong when I found out it was based off an unfinished manga.
8:20 You could do Modern Dracula so easily and, yet, no one's gone this route. Here's the thing... you really wouldn't have to change him THAT much. He can fly, daywalk, shapeshift and hypnotizes people. The shapeshifting is the big one that freaks me out. His wolf form would give him added agility and an easy time blending into an urban environment, (who'd give a stray dog a second glance?) his bat swarm allows for flight and, if the bats can act independently, superior reconnaissance abilities, the panther form's good for fighting, running, and scare tactics. But then there's the mist. You have a villain who can turn into a sapient amorphous cloud, do I need to explain this? If he wants to get into a room and there is ANY kind of ventilation or openings, he can get in. Unless that room is hermetically sealed, he can get in or out, no problem, no common door can hold this guy back. Then there's the fact that, even in his base form, he'd have an easy time hunting in our modern era. Going by classic depictions, he's a tall, dark, handsome, white guy with a classy European accent. I can think of at least five A-list actors who fit that description, and that's not mentioning his wealth or the fact he's royalty. He wouldn't need any fancy powers, all he'd have to do is just go into any nightclub and find a table. Seriously, give Dracula a nice modern suit and teach him how to to use an iPhone and he'd be nearly unstoppable, this concept is practically foolproof.
It goes even deeper-- He's a master alchemist and sorcerer, he has powers of necromancy and divination, he can alter his body dimensions (grow bigger or become smaller), he can teleport, ride moon beams, communicate with and control various animals, become intangible for the simple purpose of avoiding blows, wields power over the elements and weather...the list goes on and on! Not to mention that he casts no shadow, has no reflection, doesn't show up in cameras, and (according to Bram Stoker's notes) even trying to paint or draw a picture of him causes the image to bleach out...in essence he can bypass almost any modern security system! Plus, he grows stronger with every life he takes...so add on +120 years of experience and life draining to what he original had in the book (through two world wars, a cold war, and much civil strife a lot of lives could be taken unnoticed). Add to this the internet and it's vast connection to magical texts and grimoires from around the world, psychic research he could've gotten his hands on from the cold war... Dracula in the modern era would be almost invincible!
I think his "old-fashioned" reputation also could be used as part of the horror. People forget that in the original, Dracula was ALSO meant to be seen as old-fashioned: He's a brutal medieval warlord confronting the forces of modernity. Dracula the book is Victorian, but Dracula the character is meant to be much older, and there's nothing really Victorian about his mentality or persona. Dracula is an old-world monster, a creature out of mythology who glories in his past conquests and wants to make them a reality in the modern world. Meanwhile his opponents are modern, everyday people of logic and science - it's not a coincidence that you have TWO doctors on the team, and they explicitly fight Dracula with tools that were cutting-edge for that era, like blood transfusions and typewriters. In the context of the story, the Victorian era represented modernity (since that's when it was written), and Dracula existed in opposition to it.
Reminds me of my favorite quote from the 1931 film. 'The superstition of yesterday can become the scientific reality of today.' -Professor Abraham Van Hellsing, 'Dracula' (1931)
Oh man oh boy I LOVED HELLSING SO MUCH growing up. TV, manga, OVA, fanart, fanfics, I couldn't get enough of it. I love Hellsing's vampires more than any other vampires, to me, theyre still the coolest, the most amazing, the most vile and the most vampire-like. In my imagination, a vampire is either Count Chocola or a "Hellsing" monster. Kouta Hirano was that cool, lazy, magnificent troll bastard-kind of the author, and I loved him too. And I loved it even though I don't even liked vampires! I'm a very much werewolf person. I had confusing feelings when the Hellsing werewolf was a bad guy, but I wanted the vampire one to win against him. But even without it, I loved the paladin Alexander Anderson the most, and the reason I didn't like TV Hellsing too much was because of the massive downgrade he got. From a character with strong, albeit confusing morals, desire to do right things even if he had to become a traitor to his own church, dramatic story arc, and overall a very cool dude he became a... cackling joke villain who constantly loses to Alucard who never once takes him seriously. Like, why even do that? I understand the series had much smaller cast, but it really would benifit a lot from having an anti-villain type character like him. That's just how I felt. Aside from that, TV Hellsing is still insanely cool, just not very interesting for those who like characters beside the tight Alucard-Integra-Seras circle.
I'm not sure I agree that Alucard's intentions or emotions towards Integra are fully chased. Well I'd agree that there are clear boundaries Alucard won't cross, I always got the vibe that his respect for Integra holds something of a underlying sexual tension between them. At the end of the manga he addresses her with his own title as countess, something fundamentally different from a master, and truth be told the whole scene brims with intimate undertones. But this is just my interpenetration, and I do agree that the lack of open lust or sexuality between them makes their relationship all the more nuanced and enjoyable.
"integra is 22, going on 46" okay that killed me. Also, Alucard is a switch who dommed his whole life until he found out the one person he's happy to sub for... I said what I said (and yes I know they're not together romantically)
You should team up with Lindsay to do a Loose Canon on Dracula, considering there are SO MANY versions and direction people have taken with him. And I personally have a love/hate relationship with Alucard. On one hand he's very awesome character with multiple lore and dimensions. However, I hate that he pretty much became God at the end of the series.
When Hellsing Ultimate Abridged comes to an end, I will personally ask for that review, along with a Patreon donation and my application for the “Vampire Servant” position.
He knows what makes a man a man and because of this he knows that only a man can and should kill a monster. He knows he can lose, he doesn't try to become a god because he knows he is nothing compared to one in because of all of that he is truly terrifying. A monster who thinks he's invincible is vulnerable well monster knows he is defeasible is harder to kill. Out of all the monsters in anime he may be the most terrifying but because of all the things you mentioned, he is in some ways the most sad and pitiable. As for Victoria, I think he sees her as somebody who can surpass him assess both a vampire and a human. What is more powerful than a vampire that still has a human soul? Very little.
Everyone familiar with the *real* "Hellsing" (the manga and the OVA) likes Seras Victoria. It was only the first anime adaptation that turned both her and Integra into insulting sexist stereotypes, and not surprisingly there are people who hate both characters, as they're portrayed as a wimp and a bitch respectively in that version.
I really didn't enjoy her in the OG cartoon, but I did in Ultimate- but that's because I also read what was out for the Manga at the time, which which WHY I watched it to begin with.
The weird thing is, that for me the whole relationship between Alucard and Integra is all about lust and sex. I mean, one of Alucards forms is him being in a gimp-suit/straightjackett and how he killed Rip van Winkle in the Manga/OVAS was always kind of pronographic. He seems to be more of a masochist in the manga and the OVA (and hating himself seems to give him even more of a kick), while in the first adaption he seems to be more of a corrupter, who waits for Integra to say it out loud that she wants to be embraced. He gets off in both versions, but for different reasons: In one, he likes to be on a leach and waits for his master to command him (Manga and OVA. Funny, how correct the Team Fourstar - version is after all) and in the other, he holds back, seducing someone is more rewarding, when holding back (first adaption).
1. amazing hair 2. I'd highly advise looking at team4star's abridged version of ultimate. (They're a bit behind on episode productions, but their take on him is a bit less serious, and more fun.
I absolutely loved this review. It was well written, well edited, and provided incredible insight into the series as a whole. I have looked around previously for a character analysis of Alucard, to no avail, and was actually considering making my own before this video came along. Well Done! If I did have one counterpoint to make, it would be that I do not think that Alucard wishes for death, but rather for evolution. That he believes that he has reached some sort of natural peak, but still feels the need to grow and change. He doesn’t feel challenged anymore, and has thus become bored.This is why he is so elated whenever he feels he might have found a worthy opponent, and why he refuses to allow someone like Integra to simply end him. At the end of the manga and Ultimate series, he manages this evolution by allowing himself to become omnipresent.
I loved how the series would go all out with Draculas magical abilities, like sure he has always had the classic fog and dog powers but Alucard summons hell and stuff it's amazing
Okay, so I stumbled into this after recently rewatching the old series and catching up on the Ultimate, and morosely feeling like I just couldn't be done with the series (it still is one of my absolute favorites), and... well... I can't say I ever thought so deeply about Alucard's own predicament. You laid this out so much better than I would have expected it could be done. In a weirdly salacious way, I guess I learned why I love the character(s) (all of them, really), so much. Thank you very much for this.
My favorite thing about Alucard is how, he is super fucking OP, yet it works. He restricts his power. He holds back when he wants a fight. If the fight gets out of hand or the enemy gets cocky, he just removes a restriction and has more FUN.
I've always been of the opinion that Alucard's service to the Hellsings started out as more non-consensual and evolved into something that he willingly accepted with Integra. In Hellsing: The Dawn Alucard acts a bit more rebellious than he does in the original story. He even tells young Walter that the reason he chose the form of a 15 year old girl (while keeping his voice the same) was because he could and because it would bother Walter.
What I find interesting about Alucard is that when he finally gets the permanent death he's been longing for, he DOESN'T accept it. Instead, he spends 30 yrs fighting to come back to life. Not for himself, but for Integra. After centuries of wanting a human to end him, he found a human worth living for.
I'm just a french guy who loves Hellsing for decades. Since I discovered Alucard, all later version of Dracula seems to me vapid, even the greatest for me, like Castlevania's version or Claes Bang. I sought everywhere, in french or english, pertinent analysis of the manga, and you are probably the best point of view on this piece :)
I think I grew a wrinkle as soon as I heard it'd been 20 years. Time to invest in some kind of walking cane so that I can chase youngsters off my lawn. (fuckity fuck I'm actually adult enough to have a lawn, a lawn mower and a respectable hedge where did my life go?)
I think what I like about this particular Dracula is that he wasn't turned, he became a vampire by first being monstrous in life and then turning his back on humanity by choice. And the interplay between his enjoying the ridiculous amount of power he has and his regret and anguish over the loss of his own humanity and mortality is compelling. Interestingly, he literally *can't* die by the end of the series so that's a... thing. Pity the series itself isn't really concerned with character development beyond how much more violence it can result in. I honestly have to wonder what happens to the bastard after Integra dies. As for shipping - I think Alucard loves Integra in a *human* way, as one person loves another. I don't think he'd ever dream of a romantic or sexual relationship, though I don't doubt he'd kill her if ever she stopped being that strong person he admires. So while I can see it as romantic, it's not sexual, it can't be. Alucard is a sexual character (there's a very strange line when he first meets Integra, I don't even know if it's a translation issue) but I genuinely don't think it's attached to Integra in specific. And Integra probably loves that little bit of the man peeking out from behind the monster, but no more.
Man i love your attention and detail for drama and expressing it in such a dramatic way. Makes me really, really enjoy your review. You've earned yourself another subscriber. I also highly respect you for the most excellent way you explained the whole hellsing series, characters, etc. Was real joy to listen to it. I think i could easily listen to you a whole evening talking about any sort of topic for that matter combined with some beers.Much luck for the future!
Thank you for making this. I love Hellsing and I love Integra, and it was so great to see you look into them in your uniquely Maven way. I'm a big fan, and have been since that fateful cameo in Xanadu. Thanks a bunch!
No. His father belonged to a order of knights called the Order of the Dragon (they more or less kept Christianity alive in their part of the world) . And was thus called The Dragon, so Dracula son of the dragon. It isn't about cruelty, but a reference to his father before him. The dragon/devil translation came about later because that's live language for you.
Kota Hirano used a few of his "other" works for reverance for Anderson and a few other´s and as framework for a few of his Hellsing Figures that we see in the OVA like Mr Bernadotte ( french Merchenarie) and his Band of Merchs more then in the Anime and as to why he is in your book quote using :" sexist dickishness" he was also a Hentai Mangaka like the Merchs and maybe a prototyp for the Major are from if i am not wrong from coyote from 1995 most of his figures where parshly from said H story´s origin so i guess that is why his how he is . the "seeds" for hellsing´s sidecast and villans where plantet there. for the records.
This was a great review, and I feel you perfectly captured everything that is amazing about the character of Alucard. His amazing power, yet how he uses and doesn't use it, his tortured soul yet irreverent glee in his despicable acts. Truly a monster that only a human could become. He's my favorite vampire of all time, with the second being Dio Brando of Jojo's fame. The only things I'm sad that you didn't touch upon a bit more were his relationship with Walter and the incredible significance of his choice to become a true immortal at the end of the series instead of letting the Schroedinger power destroy him.
Whenever I hear Arthur Hellsing`s speech, I can`t help but think of "Hänsel" and "Gretel" from "Black Lagoon."R.I.P. "Fratele Meu" and "Sora Mea",your incestuous,cannibalistic,necrophiliac,smiling faces will be missed!
Probably! Though I'm not sure when. TV shows with more than one season are a LOT more work to make a review out of. I've set them as one of my patreon goals though, so we'll see if we get there! www.patreon.com/mavenoftheeventide
I've become a patron. That's so awesome and good luck! I don't really know much about reviewing etc. but would love if you could do whatever thoughts you have on any aspect of Penny Dreadful and not the whole show if possible--"mini-sodes" of Maven of the Eventide, like Mini Loose canons, if you've considered.
I always interpreted Anderson's choice to become a monster was out of his desire to protect his God's flock. Alucard was distraught that the one person he wanted to be defeated by was taken from him by that person's duty and devotion.
Great, now I have another show I need to watch. Awesome video. What you said about human vampire relationships, I'd actually be really interested to see a video on that and how it varies
I haven't made it to Hellsing yet (it is on the list tho) but this review has me pretty jazzed to watch it. I am even more intrigued by the relationship dynamics you brought up between Alucard and Integra. The idea of a powerful creature choosing to give up control to another is a powerful idea that I am very fond of. It is actually a very common occurrence in the BDSM world that I see often misinterpreted. I've always said that the sub in a dom/sub relationship is the one with the true power as they have consented to the relationship and is able to end that relationship or any activity there in with a word. They are choosing to submit, which is what I think make such relationships so powerful. Anywas, thanks you again for making these videos. They are great!
My Maven, awesome review!!! I love Alucard and Hellsing. He is probably my favorite incarnation of the character Dracula and both Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate some of my favorite animé, not just vampire animé, animé period, of all time. I love the way you stressed that this character is complex, conflicted, and completely unapologetically dark and dangerous, while at the same time he exhibits a sort of vulnerability in his yearning for Seras and Integra to stay at his side, not as his lovers, but a deep connection nonetheless, definitely his deepest. I think he does yearn for that connection even if he would never admit as much. Also My Maven, I would love to be your personal badass vampire! I respectfully, humbly beseech the to allow me to serve you. I rejoice in the thought of delivering the Maven's justice swiftly and vengefully upon those who dare wonder cross my Mistresses golden path! Lo and despair yon fools! For 'tis I, the dark fangs of my Mistresses teeth visiting death and destruction upon you all at her command. I live for the whims of The Maven. (What do you mean it was too much?)
One pet peeve of mine: people saying that Dracula's real name was Vlad Tepes. It wasn't. Tepes is a nickname that became popular after he was dead. He likely never heard himself called that, and certainly didn't self-identify as Tepes. In fact, documents from the time show him signing his name as Wladislaus Dragwlya, which in modern, western letters is more or less Dracula.
Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate are definitely in my top fav anime, complex characters, gothic atmosphere, "killer" action, and a kick ass story! Seras Victoria is my fav female vampire, not just in anime but all TV. (I even cosplayed her twice) I love I loved your review. And would love to see you tackle more anime and manga vampires cause there are some awesome ones out there.
Lovely video and analysis, as usual. ^^ By the way, I think that Alucard's Japanese voice actor, Johji Nakata, sounds infinitely more bombastic and intimidating than his English counterpart Crispin Freeman, who has a more creepy vibe going on. I generally like the Japanese voice acting better than the English ones when it comes to both Hellsing series, but that may be because I watched the Japanese versions first. Anyways, keep up the good work!
I love love loved this review; really one of the best analysis' I've come across, especially when it comes to picking through Alucard's motivations and relationship to Integra
Have to finish watching Ultimate at some point. I stoped many years ago when the company realsing the show on DVD in german went bankrupt after like 3-4 Episodes.
I actually just decided a couple of days ago to invest in the box - all 10 episodes plus the prequel "The Dawn" (YOUNG Walter - as in 'probably not even voting age').
It is correct, but it can also be translated as witch or satan. In case of the historical Dracula, the name was derived from his father, who was a member of the Order of the Dragon, so a dragon, making Dracula the Son of the Dragon.
2:22 Hold it, Might and Magic? Wizardry? I looked it up, and other chapter names include Warcraft, Lunatic Dawn, Castle Vania, Final Fantasy, and Ultima on Line (subtle, that). Weird, but nerdy, which seems to be the theme here.
Fantastic video that really gets to the core of what makes Hellsing so great.:-) Hellsing is my all-time favourite manga and anime, even though it's far from the best I've seen/read. It just hits me just right. I'm with you when it comes to the first anime, and think that despite it's many flaws, its character moments (Seras development, the best version of how Alucard and Integra first met etc.), a closer look at the world and the fantastic music really makes it worthvile. I would love a second video where you take more detailed look at Seras than you did in you top 10. Is that something that could be possible if I became a patron-sponsor? I finally have a job, so now I can actually do stuff like that and not starve.XD
Wait i though Alucard was naturally super powered god like Vampire, whose power was restricted so that he can find a good fight. I didn't know he was modified by 'alchemy'.
You have touched upon an aspect of Alucard few others would discern, in his self-destructive yearnings; his longing to escape. he is summum malum, yet ultimately the greatest good in a world filled with corruptible humanity. paradoxical, no ¿
Alucard is the perfect example of an anti hero he doesn't hunt and kill vampires because he cares about human life actually he couldn't care less about humans he could kill a dozen humans and feel nothing. He does it because it's fun to him, he likes a challenge, he doesn't like his own kind and it gives him purpose.
This was awesome, loved your review and analysis of Alucard's deathwish and respect for humankind. This actually makes me want to watch it again sometime. xD Btw. is there any chance or interest on your part of you reviewing the Carmilla webseries sometime?
I for one loves the manga, and the animes, both of them. Favorite Character: Alexander Anderson. And Hellsing got one THE best villains of anime and manga, The Major, who just don't give one shit about anything but war.
The Anime was better than the ova. Seras Victoria was my favorite character followed by Integra. These two were vulnerable but Seras was the most sympathetic. I hate that they made her an object in the ova. Also the gore and action is better paced, more attention is given to side characters too, who you know are destined to die. Helena was the saddest death for me because she was an innocent person. The show didn't have to rely on Nazis either for villains. The actions of the antagonists were villainous enough that I wanted to see Integra and her 4 man killing squad to destroy them.
THANK YOU for reviewing this. Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate are without a doubt the best vampire anime I've seen. This is just a suggestion, but if you want another vampire anime to review, I would love to see you tackle Vampire Knight. The concept is interesting, but there was so much focus put on the obligatory shojo love triangle that I couldn't get into it Despite that, it's another look into the portrayal of vampires in fiction and might be worth looking at. I've heard many anime fans' opinions on Vampire Knight but never heard the opinion of a vampire fan so I would be interested to hear your perspective on it.
If you want another dose of vampires as asexual monsters there is The Strain, they are monsters with capital M, there is nothing romantic about them, I have read the comics and seen the TV Show, it like Hellsing a retold of Bram Stoker Dracula, with some Lovecraft added to the mix, there is religious undertones to explain the existence of vampires, but that religious undertone is useless when you began to see that this vampires are as old as humanity, but compared to other versions, this vampires are truly alien, not from this Earth, origins unknown.
Due to this review, I now kind of liken Alucard's restrictions to choosing to play a video game over writing a novel; the restrictions and lack of control are part of the fun.
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Hellsing's Alucard, this is a vampire I can get behind.
Cool, kickass, creepy, sympathetic (but not a whiny little bitch) and his voice actor Crispin Freeman is Awesome!
Takahta101 does a pretty good job in the Abridged version as well.
***** Yes he does
+KidSnivy96 Yeah, Hellsing is my favorite vampire anime of all time.
He wants a human to challenge him? He's gonna have to cross to another universe and fight a Belmont.
Fake Name that would be such a cool crossover. I’d love to see how they’d make a Japanese anime interpretation of Trevor and/or another Belmont, and possibly alter his abilities in order to combat Alucard.
He fought DIO in Death Battle.....but it was biased! "We can't break Hellsing lore" YOU BREAK LORE ALL THE TIME, DEATH BATTLE!
Alucard's my favorite version of Dracula.
AgentRedgrave Mine, too!
Mine too
mine too
Mine too
Mine too
Should I do a "bitches love cannons" reference? Although I just did. Crap.
Crimson F*cker likes.
haven't you heard the sensation sweeping the nation?
Bird is the word?
I just lost my shit. That was fucking GOLD.
Who doesn't like police girl? I love police girl.
Chris No Zorin didnt like her xDD
#NotAllNazis (I kid, I kid).
The Major seemed to like Seras a fair bit, as enemies go. Potential worthy replacement for her master Alucard in the Major's heart, as despised and beloved mortal foe. Or immortal foe, as the case may be.
SAY HER NAME!!!!!
Wasteland DV She has a name y’know... she’s called Seras... Seras Victoria... i’m just... just reminding.
People who only saw the horrible first anime adaptation. I'm still angry with how much it insulted the female characters.
I love Seras Victoria, she was evenly adorable and terrifying.
Beware of the cute ones :3
The relationship between Integra and Alucard reminds me of the relationship between James Bond and M (Daniel Craig and Judy Dench)
Ah Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, such an amazing woman.
Wow. You're the first reviewer I've seen who's done actual research on Dracula. Correct. There is no evidence Stoker ever heard of Vlad the Impaler. Good job for spreading the facts!
The voice actor for Alucard, Crispin Freeman, says that he views the relationships Alucard has with Integra and Seres as an S&M kind of thing.
Because, unlike what 50 Shades of Grey would have you believe, an S&M relationship is all about consent. Both parties must give consent and one must willingly relinquish power to the other, but they ultimately have the power to stop everything.
A dom can do kinky dominant things to a submissive with the subs permission, because the sub gives the dom that power.
Freeman said this is how he views Alucard’s relationship with Integra. She is the dom and he is the sub, but she is only the dom because Alucard allows her to be. A true S&M dynamic.
With Seres it’s a little different. When he made Seres a vampire he wanted her to be on his level, his equal. But she was too afraid to drink human blood. At that point she became Alucard’s sub whilst he is the dom.
This is just Crispin Freeman’s interpretation and I find it both intriguing and hilarious. When you talked about how Alucard willingly gives all the power to Integra and makes her his master, it reminded me of his interpretation.
The voice of Joji Nagata is awesome
Or as team four star put it on the helsing abridged, “our relationship can best be summed up as ‘tags on pornhub’”
@@kyriss12 Ahhh, so that's what that meant. I just did not get that. Silly me. :)
Could be, but also, voice actors have no influence over the character, they're as good at interpreting as any of us. Having them at a higher level of knowledge of the character itself than anyone else is to the level of people who haras VAs only because their character did something morally reprehensible.
One day I will meet Chrispin....BUT....I did get a happy 40th birthday from Steve Blum!
"get the girl a cannon, Bitchs love cannons." Helsing abridged
I remember hating the second half and especially the final episodes of the original anime and it all making sense how it went wrong when I found out it was based off an unfinished manga.
8:20 You could do Modern Dracula so easily and, yet, no one's gone this route. Here's the thing... you really wouldn't have to change him THAT much. He can fly, daywalk, shapeshift and hypnotizes people. The shapeshifting is the big one that freaks me out. His wolf form would give him added agility and an easy time blending into an urban environment, (who'd give a stray dog a second glance?) his bat swarm allows for flight and, if the bats can act independently, superior reconnaissance abilities, the panther form's good for fighting, running, and scare tactics. But then there's the mist. You have a villain who can turn into a sapient amorphous cloud, do I need to explain this? If he wants to get into a room and there is ANY kind of ventilation or openings, he can get in. Unless that room is hermetically sealed, he can get in or out, no problem, no common door can hold this guy back. Then there's the fact that, even in his base form, he'd have an easy time hunting in our modern era. Going by classic depictions, he's a tall, dark, handsome, white guy with a classy European accent. I can think of at least five A-list actors who fit that description, and that's not mentioning his wealth or the fact he's royalty. He wouldn't need any fancy powers, all he'd have to do is just go into any nightclub and find a table. Seriously, give Dracula a nice modern suit and teach him how to to use an iPhone and he'd be nearly unstoppable, this concept is practically foolproof.
It goes even deeper--
He's a master alchemist and sorcerer, he has powers of necromancy and divination, he can alter his body dimensions (grow bigger or become smaller), he can teleport, ride moon beams, communicate with and control various animals, become intangible for the simple purpose of avoiding blows, wields power over the elements and weather...the list goes on and on! Not to mention that he casts no shadow, has no reflection, doesn't show up in cameras, and (according to Bram Stoker's notes) even trying to paint or draw a picture of him causes the image to bleach out...in essence he can bypass almost any modern security system!
Plus, he grows stronger with every life he takes...so add on +120 years of experience and life draining to what he original had in the book (through two world wars, a cold war, and much civil strife a lot of lives could be taken unnoticed).
Add to this the internet and it's vast connection to magical texts and grimoires from around the world, psychic research he could've gotten his hands on from the cold war...
Dracula in the modern era would be almost invincible!
Someone, PLEASE make this into a movie or novel or something!
I think his "old-fashioned" reputation also could be used as part of the horror. People forget that in the original, Dracula was ALSO meant to be seen as old-fashioned: He's a brutal medieval warlord confronting the forces of modernity. Dracula the book is Victorian, but Dracula the character is meant to be much older, and there's nothing really Victorian about his mentality or persona. Dracula is an old-world monster, a creature out of mythology who glories in his past conquests and wants to make them a reality in the modern world. Meanwhile his opponents are modern, everyday people of logic and science - it's not a coincidence that you have TWO doctors on the team, and they explicitly fight Dracula with tools that were cutting-edge for that era, like blood transfusions and typewriters. In the context of the story, the Victorian era represented modernity (since that's when it was written), and Dracula existed in opposition to it.
Reminds me of my favorite quote from the 1931 film. 'The superstition of yesterday can become the scientific reality of today.' -Professor Abraham Van Hellsing, 'Dracula' (1931)
there is the restiction in Bram Stoker of enter freely.
There's nothing I love more than an intelligent and complex ass kicker, and in the realms of anime, Alucard is the patron saint of it.
Oh man oh boy I LOVED HELLSING SO MUCH growing up. TV, manga, OVA, fanart, fanfics, I couldn't get enough of it. I love Hellsing's vampires more than any other vampires, to me, theyre still the coolest, the most amazing, the most vile and the most vampire-like. In my imagination, a vampire is either Count Chocola or a "Hellsing" monster. Kouta Hirano was that cool, lazy, magnificent troll bastard-kind of the author, and I loved him too.
And I loved it even though I don't even liked vampires! I'm a very much werewolf person. I had confusing feelings when the Hellsing werewolf was a bad guy, but I wanted the vampire one to win against him. But even without it, I loved the paladin Alexander Anderson the most, and the reason I didn't like TV Hellsing too much was because of the massive downgrade he got. From a character with strong, albeit confusing morals, desire to do right things even if he had to become a traitor to his own church, dramatic story arc, and overall a very cool dude he became a... cackling joke villain who constantly loses to Alucard who never once takes him seriously. Like, why even do that? I understand the series had much smaller cast, but it really would benifit a lot from having an anti-villain type character like him. That's just how I felt. Aside from that, TV Hellsing is still insanely cool, just not very interesting for those who like characters beside the tight Alucard-Integra-Seras circle.
I'm not sure I agree that Alucard's intentions or emotions towards Integra are fully chased.
Well I'd agree that there are clear boundaries Alucard won't cross, I always got the vibe that his respect for Integra holds something of a underlying sexual tension between them. At the end of the manga he addresses her with his own title as countess, something fundamentally different from a master, and truth be told the whole scene brims with intimate undertones.
But this is just my interpenetration, and I do agree that the lack of open lust or sexuality between them makes their relationship all the more nuanced and enjoyable.
And then she neglects to mention the one true version of him...
THE ABRIDGED!!!
Lol
"integra is 22, going on 46" okay that killed me.
Also, Alucard is a switch who dommed his whole life until he found out the one person he's happy to sub for... I said what I said (and yes I know they're not together romantically)
You should team up with Lindsay to do a Loose Canon on Dracula, considering there are SO MANY versions and direction people have taken with him.
And I personally have a love/hate relationship with Alucard. On one hand he's very awesome character with multiple lore and dimensions. However, I hate that he pretty much became God at the end of the series.
Yup, he never got that worthy opponent. He's pretty much a vampiric one punch Man, :)
He was more of a god before.
SECONDED!
Sucking off nazi catboys can do weird sh!ţ to you
Lindsay? She left, she's gone. How about Doug Walker? Wait...Never mind. He's an asshole.
"When other people make that choice..." Cuts to a pic of Dark Walter. Too soon...just...too soon...
When Hellsing Ultimate Abridged comes to an end, I will personally ask for that review, along with a Patreon donation and my application for the “Vampire Servant” position.
[ahem]
He knows what makes a man a man and because of this he knows that only a man can and should kill a monster. He knows he can lose, he doesn't try to become a god because he knows he is nothing compared to one in because of all of that he is truly terrifying. A monster who thinks he's invincible is vulnerable well monster knows he is defeasible is harder to kill. Out of all the monsters in anime he may be the most terrifying but because of all the things you mentioned, he is in some ways the most sad and pitiable.
As for Victoria, I think he sees her as somebody who can surpass him assess both a vampire and a human. What is more powerful than a vampire that still has a human soul? Very little.
I'll be honest with you: I actually like Seras Victoria.
Doctor Cragmire Me, too!
Everyone familiar with the *real* "Hellsing" (the manga and the OVA) likes Seras Victoria. It was only the first anime adaptation that turned both her and Integra into insulting sexist stereotypes, and not surprisingly there are people who hate both characters, as they're portrayed as a wimp and a bitch respectively in that version.
She a fucking badass
I really didn't enjoy her in the OG cartoon, but I did in Ultimate- but that's because I also read what was out for the Manga at the time, which which WHY I watched it to begin with.
Integra's relationship with Alucard in the abridged version is so hilarious doe.
The weird thing is, that for me the whole relationship between Alucard and Integra is all about lust and sex. I mean, one of Alucards forms is him being in a gimp-suit/straightjackett and how he killed Rip van Winkle in the Manga/OVAS was always kind of pronographic. He seems to be more of a masochist in the manga and the OVA (and hating himself seems to give him even more of a kick), while in the first adaption he seems to be more of a corrupter, who waits for Integra to say it out loud that she wants to be embraced.
He gets off in both versions, but for different reasons: In one, he likes to be on a leach and waits for his master to command him (Manga and OVA. Funny, how correct the Team Fourstar - version is after all) and in the other, he holds back, seducing someone is more rewarding, when holding back (first adaption).
Maven + Lindsay + Dracula = ULTIMATE CROSSOVER APPEAL. Come on. Y'all know you want to.
What the heck, throw Kyle in there too.
Would watch her react to the abridged series.
Now that it's finally complete? Hale yes!
Bravo, Elisa! I can honestly say that this is the best discussion on Alucard that I've seen yet. You did a wonderful job, and I really enjoyed it!
Fun fact: Integra's original design had wavy hair. I'm not sure why Hirano changed it, but straight hair sure makes her look more stern.
1. amazing hair
2. I'd highly advise looking at team4star's abridged version of ultimate. (They're a bit behind on episode productions, but their take on him is a bit less serious, and more fun.
I absolutely loved this review. It was well written, well edited, and provided incredible insight into the series as a whole. I have looked around previously for a character analysis of Alucard, to no avail, and was actually considering making my own before this video came along. Well Done!
If I did have one counterpoint to make, it would be that I do not think that Alucard wishes for death, but rather for evolution. That he believes that he has reached some sort of natural peak, but still feels the need to grow and change. He doesn’t feel challenged anymore, and has thus become bored.This is why he is so elated whenever he feels he might have found a worthy opponent, and why he refuses to allow someone like Integra to simply end him. At the end of the manga and Ultimate series, he manages this evolution by allowing himself to become omnipresent.
This Dracula inspired all of my takes on Dracula. The Abridged version is also incredible.
I loved how the series would go all out with Draculas magical abilities, like sure he has always had the classic fog and dog powers but Alucard summons hell and stuff it's amazing
Okay, so I stumbled into this after recently rewatching the old series and catching up on the Ultimate, and morosely feeling like I just couldn't be done with the series (it still is one of my absolute favorites), and... well... I can't say I ever thought so deeply about Alucard's own predicament. You laid this out so much better than I would have expected it could be done. In a weirdly salacious way, I guess I learned why I love the character(s) (all of them, really), so much. Thank you very much for this.
Hellsing Ultimate is amazing, the main reason I can die in peace.
My favorite thing about Alucard is how, he is super fucking OP, yet it works. He restricts his power. He holds back when he wants a fight. If the fight gets out of hand or the enemy gets cocky, he just removes a restriction and has more FUN.
I've always been of the opinion that Alucard's service to the Hellsings started out as more non-consensual and evolved into something that he willingly accepted with Integra. In Hellsing: The Dawn Alucard acts a bit more rebellious than he does in the original story. He even tells young Walter that the reason he chose the form of a 15 year old girl (while keeping his voice the same) was because he could and because it would bother Walter.
What I find interesting about Alucard is that when he finally gets the permanent death he's been longing for, he DOESN'T accept it. Instead, he spends 30 yrs fighting to come back to life. Not for himself, but for Integra. After centuries of wanting a human to end him, he found a human worth living for.
I'm always impressed by the Maven's attire for each review. Adds to the fun.
I'm just a french guy who loves Hellsing for decades. Since I discovered Alucard, all later version of Dracula seems to me vapid, even the greatest for me, like Castlevania's version or Claes Bang. I sought everywhere, in french or english, pertinent analysis of the manga, and you are probably the best point of view on this piece :)
Are you a fan of Hellsing abridged?
20 years? I had to check. it was 1997...damn. that long ago. and I got introduced in 2003. damn I feel old
darkservantofheaven people born in 2000 can start a family (well it's 16 in my country)
I think I grew a wrinkle as soon as I heard it'd been 20 years. Time to invest in some kind of walking cane so that I can chase youngsters off my lawn.
(fuckity fuck I'm actually adult enough to have a lawn, a lawn mower and a respectable hedge where did my life go?)
I think what I like about this particular Dracula is that he wasn't turned, he became a vampire by first being monstrous in life and then turning his back on humanity by choice. And the interplay between his enjoying the ridiculous amount of power he has and his regret and anguish over the loss of his own humanity and mortality is compelling. Interestingly, he literally *can't* die by the end of the series so that's a... thing.
Pity the series itself isn't really concerned with character development beyond how much more violence it can result in. I honestly have to wonder what happens to the bastard after Integra dies.
As for shipping - I think Alucard loves Integra in a *human* way, as one person loves another. I don't think he'd ever dream of a romantic or sexual relationship, though I don't doubt he'd kill her if ever she stopped being that strong person he admires. So while I can see it as romantic, it's not sexual, it can't be. Alucard is a sexual character (there's a very strange line when he first meets Integra, I don't even know if it's a translation issue) but I genuinely don't think it's attached to Integra in specific. And Integra probably loves that little bit of the man peeking out from behind the monster, but no more.
Man i love your attention and detail for drama and expressing it in such a dramatic way. Makes me really, really enjoy your review. You've earned yourself another subscriber. I also highly respect you for the most excellent way you explained the whole hellsing series, characters, etc. Was real joy to listen to it. I think i could easily listen to you a whole evening talking about any sort of topic for that matter combined with some beers.Much luck for the future!
I love this in depth review
Awesome review dude, I'm so glad you are making videos again, you're awesome :)
Thank you for making this. I love Hellsing and I love Integra, and it was so great to see you look into them in your uniquely Maven way. I'm a big fan, and have been since that fateful cameo in Xanadu. Thanks a bunch!
Dracula, taken from the turkish "dracul" is actually a term meaning "dragon" long before meaning devil. fact check*
lol, liking the review though
Yes, yes, everyone knows about the Dracula/Dragon thing. But Stoker liked the name because of the Devil translation.
true true, the dragon translation was more in relation to Tepes' cruelty than Dracula as a character i suppose. lol
No. His father belonged to a order of knights called the Order of the Dragon (they more or less kept Christianity alive in their part of the world) . And was thus called The Dragon, so Dracula son of the dragon. It isn't about cruelty, but a reference to his father before him. The dragon/devil translation came about later because that's live language for you.
Really? that i actually didn't know. lol, learn something new everyday. thanks :)
No worries, just sharing. lol
Kota Hirano used a few of his "other" works for reverance for Anderson and a few other´s and as framework for a few of his Hellsing Figures that we see in the OVA like Mr Bernadotte ( french Merchenarie) and his Band of Merchs more then in the Anime and as to why he is in your book quote using :" sexist dickishness" he was also a Hentai Mangaka like the Merchs and maybe a prototyp for the Major are from if i am not wrong from coyote from 1995 most of his figures where parshly from said H story´s origin so i guess that is why his how he is . the "seeds" for hellsing´s sidecast and villans where plantet there. for the records.
This was a great review, and I feel you perfectly captured everything that is amazing about the character of Alucard. His amazing power, yet how he uses and doesn't use it, his tortured soul yet irreverent glee in his despicable acts. Truly a monster that only a human could become. He's my favorite vampire of all time, with the second being Dio Brando of Jojo's fame.
The only things I'm sad that you didn't touch upon a bit more were his relationship with Walter and the incredible significance of his choice to become a true immortal at the end of the series instead of letting the Schroedinger power destroy him.
I actually feel sorry for some of the enemies in Hellsing Ultimate😔
I can hear all the uppity fangirls on Livejournal back in the day just SCREAMING at what you had to say and I am loving it. Awesome analysis.
Alucard/Integra BDSM at its purest.
Whenever I hear Arthur Hellsing`s speech, I can`t help but think of "Hänsel" and "Gretel" from "Black Lagoon."R.I.P. "Fratele Meu" and "Sora Mea",your incestuous,cannibalistic,necrophiliac,smiling faces will be missed!
Will you do something on Penny Dreadful?
Probably! Though I'm not sure when. TV shows with more than one season are a LOT more work to make a review out of. I've set them as one of my patreon goals though, so we'll see if we get there!
www.patreon.com/mavenoftheeventide
I've become a patron. That's so awesome and good luck! I don't really know much about reviewing etc. but would love if you could do whatever thoughts you have on any aspect of Penny Dreadful and not the whole show if possible--"mini-sodes" of Maven of the Eventide, like Mini Loose canons, if you've considered.
Entire series on DVD is available at Walmart for $20.
Finnnaaaaallllllllyyyyy. Seriously I have wanted you to review this so much.
It was as good as I thought it would be.
Well, 1 anime vampire down. And its one of - if not THE - greatest one.
Fantastic review from Maven
I always interpreted Anderson's choice to become a monster was out of his desire to protect his God's flock. Alucard was distraught that the one person he wanted to be defeated by was taken from him by that person's duty and devotion.
Good review! I have never been able to to sit through more than two Van Hellsing episodes, so thank you for explaining why the show is so popular :)
Great, now I have another show I need to watch. Awesome video. What you said about human vampire relationships, I'd actually be really interested to see a video on that and how it varies
This is the best review of hellsing I've ever seen. 💓
Awesome channel! This is exactly the type of content I was looking for without searching for it lol...
Enthusiastic walks … the OVA vs Manga are all well done ..but the abridged was absolutely amazing in creativity. Completely on its own.
If we are getting into manga now, I wonder if the Maven will ever cover video games... i.e Castlevania.
I for one would love that.
My vote goes towards Vampire: The Masquerade!
Great review. I like the level of detail you went into for your analysis.
Dude, who doesn't like Seras!? She even goes through the classic process of a human confronting the horror of being a Vampire!
I haven't made it to Hellsing yet (it is on the list tho) but this review has me pretty jazzed to watch it.
I am even more intrigued by the relationship dynamics you brought up between Alucard and Integra. The idea of a powerful creature choosing to give up control to another is a powerful idea that I am very fond of. It is actually a very common occurrence in the BDSM world that I see often misinterpreted. I've always said that the sub in a dom/sub relationship is the one with the true power as they have consented to the relationship and is able to end that relationship or any activity there in with a word. They are choosing to submit, which is what I think make such relationships so powerful.
Anywas, thanks you again for making these videos. They are great!
Both US and Japanese VAs did so well. Alucard's both VAs nailed it so good for creepy, loud and megalomaniac factors.
My Maven, awesome review!!! I love Alucard and Hellsing. He is probably my favorite incarnation of the character Dracula and both Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate some of my favorite animé, not just vampire animé, animé period, of all time. I love the way you stressed that this character is complex, conflicted, and completely unapologetically dark and dangerous, while at the same time he exhibits a sort of vulnerability in his yearning for Seras and Integra to stay at his side, not as his lovers, but a deep connection nonetheless, definitely his deepest. I think he does yearn for that connection even if he would never admit as much.
Also My Maven, I would love to be your personal badass vampire! I respectfully, humbly beseech the to allow me to serve you. I rejoice in the thought of delivering the Maven's justice swiftly and vengefully upon those who dare wonder cross my Mistresses golden path! Lo and despair yon fools! For 'tis I, the dark fangs of my Mistresses teeth visiting death and destruction upon you all at her command. I live for the whims of The Maven.
(What do you mean it was too much?)
One pet peeve of mine: people saying that Dracula's real name was Vlad Tepes. It wasn't. Tepes is a nickname that became popular after he was dead. He likely never heard himself called that, and certainly didn't self-identify as Tepes. In fact, documents from the time show him signing his name as Wladislaus Dragwlya, which in modern, western letters is more or less Dracula.
Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate are definitely in my top fav anime, complex characters, gothic atmosphere, "killer" action, and a kick ass story! Seras Victoria is my fav female vampire, not just in anime but all TV. (I even cosplayed her twice) I love I loved your review. And would love to see you tackle more anime and manga vampires cause there are some awesome ones out there.
I haven't gotten around to Hellsing yet but this makes me want to read/watch it more. Also your hair looks incredible in this vid
Very good review! I enjoyed it thoroughly and I'm glad you came to this particular creation.
I look forward to the next review!
Love you and this series👍🏼
Lovely video and analysis, as usual. ^^
By the way, I think that Alucard's Japanese voice actor, Johji Nakata, sounds infinitely more bombastic and intimidating than his English counterpart Crispin Freeman, who has a more creepy vibe going on. I generally like the Japanese voice acting better than the English ones when it comes to both Hellsing series, but that may be because I watched the Japanese versions first. Anyways, keep up the good work!
Actually the Hellsing English Dub is by far the best dubbed anime in history. It's really one of the better ones out there.
I love love loved this review; really one of the best analysis' I've come across, especially when it comes to picking through Alucard's motivations and relationship to Integra
Have to finish watching Ultimate at some point. I stoped many years ago when the company realsing the show on DVD in german went bankrupt after like 3-4 Episodes.
I actually just decided a couple of days ago to invest in the box - all 10 episodes plus the prequel "The Dawn" (YOUNG Walter - as in 'probably not even voting age').
I swore I read somewhere that "Dracul" translated to "Dragon" and "Dracula" to "Son of the Dragon". I could be wrong though...
It is correct, but it can also be translated as witch or satan. In case of the historical Dracula, the name was derived from his father, who was a member of the Order of the Dragon, so a dragon, making Dracula the Son of the Dragon.
I wonder what the next review will be. I can't wait!
2:22 Hold it, Might and Magic? Wizardry? I looked it up, and other chapter names include Warcraft, Lunatic Dawn, Castle Vania, Final Fantasy, and Ultima on Line (subtle, that). Weird, but nerdy, which seems to be the theme here.
Sweet! My friends and I marathoned the Ultimate version over the summer. Such a fun and crazy show.
I'm a Japanese and your speaking Japanese sounds to me natural, Maven. :). Of course your review is awesome.
This looks amazing, I'll have to track down the DVDs... great review Maven
What you said was FANTASTIC!
Fantastic video that really gets to the core of what makes Hellsing so great.:-) Hellsing is my all-time favourite manga and anime, even though it's far from the best I've seen/read. It just hits me just right. I'm with you when it comes to the first anime, and think that despite it's many flaws, its character moments (Seras development, the best version of how Alucard and Integra first met etc.), a closer look at the world and the fantastic music really makes it worthvile.
I would love a second video where you take more detailed look at Seras than you did in you top 10. Is that something that could be possible if I became a patron-sponsor? I finally have a job, so now I can actually do stuff like that and not starve.XD
thrilling to see you take on an anime :) incredibly thorough take on the nature of alucard. (Also your hair looks amazing :D)
Wait i though Alucard was naturally super powered god like Vampire, whose power was restricted so that he can find a good fight.
I didn't know he was modified by 'alchemy'.
You have touched upon an aspect of Alucard few others would discern, in his self-destructive yearnings; his longing to escape. he is summum malum, yet ultimately the greatest good in a world filled with corruptible humanity. paradoxical, no ¿
Death its a "Once in a Life time experience" , he doesnt want to just die , he wants it to be special and with some one special.
I love this channel she is so great; I can't wait to listen to her book soon.
Alucard is the perfect example of an anti hero he doesn't hunt and kill vampires because he cares about human life actually he couldn't care less about humans he could kill a dozen humans and feel nothing. He does it because it's fun to him, he likes a challenge, he doesn't like his own kind and it gives him purpose.
This was awesome, loved your review and analysis of Alucard's deathwish and respect for humankind. This actually makes me want to watch it again sometime. xD
Btw. is there any chance or interest on your part of you reviewing the Carmilla webseries sometime?
I for one loves the manga, and the animes, both of them. Favorite Character: Alexander Anderson. And Hellsing got one THE best villains of anime and manga, The Major, who just don't give one shit about anything but war.
The Anime was better than the ova. Seras Victoria was my favorite character followed by Integra. These two were vulnerable but Seras was the most sympathetic. I hate that they made her an object in the ova. Also the gore and action is better paced, more attention is given to side characters too, who you know are destined to die. Helena was the saddest death for me because she was an innocent person. The show didn't have to rely on Nazis either for villains. The actions of the antagonists were villainous enough that I wanted to see Integra and her 4 man killing squad to destroy them.
rumors that Hellsing is going to be a live action show on CW. with the same writers of "Supernatural". ..I can see that
Well 2019 nothing came out of it yeah
THANK YOU for reviewing this. Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate are without a doubt the best vampire anime I've seen.
This is just a suggestion, but if you want another vampire anime to review, I would love to see you tackle Vampire Knight. The concept is interesting, but there was so much focus put on the obligatory shojo love triangle that I couldn't get into it
Despite that, it's another look into the portrayal of vampires in fiction and might be worth looking at. I've heard many anime fans' opinions on Vampire Knight but never heard the opinion of a vampire fan so I would be interested to hear your perspective on it.
If you want another dose of vampires as asexual monsters there is The Strain, they are monsters with capital M, there is nothing romantic about them, I have read the comics and seen the TV Show, it like Hellsing a retold of Bram Stoker Dracula, with some Lovecraft added to the mix, there is religious undertones to explain the existence of vampires, but that religious undertone is useless when you began to see that this vampires are as old as humanity, but compared to other versions, this vampires are truly alien, not from this Earth, origins unknown.
Due to this review, I now kind of liken Alucard's restrictions to choosing to play a video game over writing a novel; the restrictions and lack of control are part of the fun.
I heard the words "opera" and "Shakespeare". I'm sold.
That kind of devotion is very samurai-esque, now that you think about it.
Mavin this was such a wonderful review. I think it's one of my new favorites :)