Looks very promising. Especially liked the scenes with Alucard changing his gun’s magazine. May be shaping up to be a huge improvement over GONZO’s previous version - while I’m more forgiving of how GONZO "innovated" on the story (the manga’s plot didn’t really come together until Vol.7 for me), the TV series was not appealing to mine eye at all. Dark, much too dark, probably didn’t help that I saw on it on the crappy ODEX VCD version.
Seras Victoria is rendered the most differently. I found her hair and face a bit too pointy but I think I’ll get used to it. I also liked her SD mode which is really faithful to the manga (as well as the screenie of her above which is my favourite scene of her in the manga, art-wise). She’s my favourite character of the series - ample bosom aside, she plays the rookie role to Alucard’s God-mode and the most interesting part of the story for me is Seras coming to terms with her vampirism. Really looking forward the OVA’s release on 2006-02-10. See Kurogane for his 135 screencaps.
Hmm. Must have missed the RAW posting earlier. The wife and I and very much looking forward to it, it’s one of the few series that we’ve watched together.
Ooooh, Integral saved Seras from (Male-Ciel. These church people mean business)
Shuojoai anyone?
Actually I’m always fascinated to know what anime series couples watch together esp when one partner isn’t normally an anime fan or who even actively dislikes anime. (Thinks of Saki in Genshiken)
On Integra and Seras:
* Manga Spoiler *
In the manga (but not in the OVA digest), there’s an incredibly sexy (but not sex) scene between Integra and Seras when the former orders the latter to drink blood. Seras was still trying (and failing) to eat normal food - which she can’t anymore since she’s a vampire - and without blood, she’s weakening. Integra cuts her own finger and forces Seras to taste the blood and the art is incredibly erotic. And with Seras’ taboo broken, Integra asks Seras how she found the blood of a real virgin. :P
* End Spoiler *
“Very enticing Integral Sama”
Well, the wife is into anime casually, whereas I’m the obsessive one, so I end up seeing way, way, way more shows than she does, especially as she prefers HK and live action films, and she’s not really into the yuri. But, there are a couple things we’ll sit down and watch together, Hellsing, Blood, well, pretty much anything with vampires in it, or strong women who kick ass, like Noir, and as I mentioned on my blog: Kaleido Star.
I think we’ll have to set the yuri goggles on high, at least, for this one, unless Heinkel and Yumiko show up, then we can turn the goggles down a bit. ;) Hellsing’s been around for a while, but there seems to be very little fan works of Integra and Seras, but lots for Alucard and one or the other. Not that doujinshi and fanfic are the most accurate indicators of a pairing, but generally if a lot people see something a particular way, then there might be something there.
I checked out Kurogane’s screencaps, and I can’t help but wonder if everyone in the Hellsing Universe has an evil smile. If so, we are talking about the scariest driver’s licenses of all time. “Say che-… forget it. Just frown.”