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Sir Hellsing


Sir Arthur Hellsing (アーサー・ヘルシング卿, Āsā Herushingu-Kyō?) is a pivotal posthumous character in the Hellsing series created by Kohta Hirano, and one of the tree main characters in Hellsing: The Dawn, alongside Walter C. Dornez and Alucard. In both anime adaptations of Hellsing, he is voiced by Chikao Ōtsuka in the Japanese sub and John E. Breen in the English dub. Daisuke Namikawa provided his voice for his younger iteration in Hellsing: The Dawn.

He was the head of the Hellsing family, and was the one who made his daughter, Sir Integra Hellsing, the head of the Hellsing Organisation, being wary of his younger brother Richard Hellsing. An efficient, yet cocky leader, Arthur was well respected by everyone, and eventually as he grew older; he became wiser and better understood the true nature of vampires. As a result, Arthur became a philosopher, much like his father, Abraham Van Helsing.

Appearance[]

A youthful, young man, Arthur closely resembles his father in terms of facial and external features, most notably the two little hairs that stick up which resemble horns. While Arthur was blonde, Abraham's hair was brown. He also had a thick high-arching eyebrow, and a slicked, short albeit, messy hair, and was a tall man with an average build. By 1989, Arthur had grown old. His hair had turned grey, and he has grown a mustache and a goatee. His hair, which was slicked to the back, now falls to the left similar to Irons' hair when he was young. In the OVA, his eye pupils were yellow when he was younger, but blue when he was old.

Like all businessmen during the 1940s in England, Arthur dresses in formal business attire; which consists of a white long-sleeved shirt with an added either crimson or blue tie, along with a tortilla or red vest and covered with an open brown or crimson suit, which matches his dress pants' coloring and is finished with a pair of black business shoes. He's also sometimes seen with a pair of gloves, that are either colored brown or white.

Personality[]

Arthur was cocky and amorous as a young man, with women he'd invite over sometimes briefly interrupting important conversations, as seen in The Dawn.[2] He also seemed sloppy, as the library was in a state of disarray as well as having dirty crockery stacked and strewn about the place.[3] Furthermore, he's shown smiling during a serious conversation between the Round Table Council about the discovery of the Nazis working on something dangerous, and had they succeeded, they would've won World War II.[4] Still, despite his cockiness, however, he ran the organisation efficiently and was particularly wary about using Alucard for missions.

Arthur is a man with extraordinary confidence in what he does, and in the soldiers he sends during missions. Primarily, while the Round Table Council questions his decision in sending in 14 year old Walter C. Dornez to infiltrate an enemy base, Arthur stood his ground and was confident that Walter with his legendary nickname could finish the mission with the vampire Alucard.[5] Sir Irons in particular criticized Arthur for his careless and brash attitude.[6]

Becoming wiser as he gets older, he eventually earned the respect of his comrade, and was a lot more in common with his father than anybody might think, as they were both clumsy, sarcastic and doesn't take serious situations too seriously and was both confident in their decisions of handling things.[7][8] In addition, he's an expert in occult knowledge, and his philosophy taught Integra in understanding the true nature of vampires that goes much more deeper than that they're just souls who are damned for eternity.[9]

Despite his confident outlook and careless personality, he's shown to be paranoid when it comes to the use of Alucard. His paranoia led to the sealing of Alucard decades after the events of The Dawn, and before the events of Hellsing.[10][11] Much like his daughter, Arthur smokes a bunch even during his last days.[12] However, unlike Integra, Arthur is a drinker. He drank so much so that Irons criticized him for drinking in an urgent matter. Though Arthur later poured a bottle of liquor to Irons cup as a response.[13]

History[]

Little is known about Arthur. He is the oldest son of Abraham Van Hellsing and had a younger brother named Richard Hellsing. When he was a young man, he became friends with his future colleagues Sir Hugh Irons and Sir Shelby M. Penwood during their early days in Oxford.[14] He would eventually succeed as the Hellsing family's new head.

During the events of The Dawn, he assigned 14-year-old Walter C. Dornez and Alucard to destroy a vampire research facility in Warsaw, Poland to stop the Nazis from deploying experimental Ghouls into battle. If allowed to continue, the Ghouls would keep growing infinitely, as defeated human infantries would have become ghouls. Despite doubt from members of the Round Table, Arthur was sure that Walter would succeed in the mission. After the mission proved somewhat successful, and decades later, according to Sir Hugh Irons, Arthur came to believe that Alucard was a "drastic medicine; too dangerous to use as an elixir", and Alucard was sealed and locked in the Hellsing Mansion's dungeon in 1968.

Hellsing[]

Over the course of the next 2 decades, Arthur had a daughter named Integra Hellsing. In 1988, Arthur contracted an incurable disease. Before his inevitable death, Arthur put much focus in preparing Integra for her future as the head of the Hellsing Organisation. He taught her almost everything he knew before he had passed away.[15][16] Wary about his younger brother's antics and motivation, Arthur crowned Integra as the head of the organisation while pleading with his brother to take care of his daughter.[17]

Legacy[]

Arthur's skepticism proved correct, as Richard later hunted down Integra in hopes of being the organisation's head before the ceremony began.[18] Arthur's friend, Sir Irons was also suspicious about Arthur's younger brother and had previously told Hellsing Family butler Walter C. Dornez to watch over her, but he was suspiciously nowhere to be found.[19] As Integra grew older, she had a deeper understanding of what Arthur taught her about the nature of vampires and ghouls.[20] Arthur's close friends misses him dearly, and each taught Integra on how to become a great leader like her father. After the catastrophic event in 1999, Irons visited the graves of Penwood and Arthur to reminisce about the past for the last time, shortly before parting ways.[21]

Arthur's findings about the secret Nazi subsidiary working to make artificial vampires, and sending Alucard and Walter to infiltrate their base indirectly caused the chains of events which led to the battle of London because, while the scientists were killed, the masterminds behind the project had escaped.[22][23] The event also caused an intense rivalry between Alucard and Walter.[24][25]

Relationships[]

Familial[]

  • Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing: Ever since his wife's implied death, Arthur taught and took care of Integra. It's not until that he was diagnosed with an incurable disease that Integra took his full priority.[26] Before his inevitable death, Arthur taught Integra almost everything he knew and introduced her to his close friends who would gladly help her if the time needs.[27] Unfortunately, Arthur died sooner than expected. Before Arthur's death, Arthur told Integra one more philosophy about vampires, and that if she ever finds herself in a real crisis, then she should go underground to the forgotten dungeons; there lies one of the fruits of the Hellsing family labors, and it will be her protection.[28][29]

    Mere seconds before his death, Arthur entrusts Integra with the heavy burden of becoming the head of the Hellsing Organisation. Though he had suspicions of his younger brother, Richard, he pleaded for Richard to take care of Integra for him. He told Integra that there were still so many things he wanted to teach her, and that he wanted to keep watching over her and taking pride.[30] Arthur passed away, and from his teachings, Integra learned a lot. Integra follows his father's footsteps, and uses everything she learnt and inherited from him to great use.[31][32][33]
  • Richard Hellsing: Though the two had a seemingly normal sibling relationship when Arthur was alive, Arthur secretly had a distrust over his young brother, which is displayed when he had kept Alucard's existence a secret to his younger brother, but told Integra the whereabouts of the Hellsing family's greatest legacy. This also means that Arthur was predicting the future, and took careful consideration over who would become the headmaster for Hellsing, that is, his daughter. While the decision made Richard incredibly angry at his brother, stating that he had waited 20 years for his brother to die just for him to crown his daughter as Hellsing's official headmaster, Arthur does love his brother. He trusted him dearly and pleaded for Richard to care for his daughter after he passed away, which shows that he truly does consider Richard as his younger brother.[34]

Allies[]

  • Sir Hugh Irons: Irons and Arthur were, although drastically different in personality, close friends. They've been friends since their early days in Oxford.[35] In their conversion on Chapter 2 of The Dawn, their conflicting personality is in full display; Arthur is very laid back and confident, even in serious situations which Irons described as a "state of national emergency," while Irons is all serious and about business.[36] Arthur, Irons, and Penwood were inseparable during their younger years. In their free time, they usually go out doing activities such as drinking, hunting, and many more.[37]

    By the time of Arthur's death, Irons, just like Arthur, was very wary of Richard Hellsing. Irons told Hellsing family butler Walter C. Dornez to watch over Integra and keep an eye out for Richard's suspicious activities. However when the time eventually came for Richard to hunt down Integra, Walter was no where to be found. In a desperate attempt to save herself, Integra awoke Hellsing family vampire Alucard.[38] In the end, after the war had ended, Irons visited the graves of Penwood and Arthur; reminiscing about the past with his best friends for the last time.[39]
  • Sir Shelby M. Penwood: Though the two never interacted in the manga, Penwood stated that Arthur would come up and make "unreasonable" demands, and that he's always up to something in a sarcastic and clumsy tone towards Integra's daughter, in which Integra responded back by saying that she won't lose out to her father when it comes to asking for things, which made Penwood shiver.[40] Penwood is the clumsiest of the trio, and is often the butt of the joke. Penwood's grave was placed close next to Arthur's, which Iron visited some time after the catastrophe in London had ended for the last time before disappearing.[41]
  • Alucard: Alucard and Arthur's relationship is very vague, with Arthur being cautious of the usage of Alucard in missions; opting instead to send in Walter C. Dornez, considering Alucard's power as some sort of a powerful elixir, and a dangerous one to be used.[42] Arthur's paranoia had gotten so far that Alucard was sealed in the undergrounds decades prior to his death.[43] Although he had a deep understanding of Alucard's true nature, and even pitied him for losing everything he once had.[44]
  • Walter C. Dornez: Arthur thought highly of Walter, being the one who gave him the nickname, the "Angel of Death" when he was still just fourteen of age. In addition to his respect for Walter being visibly enormous, Arthur was so confident about Walter's skill that he called Walter the strongest human of the Hellsing Organisation's militants in the field qualified to deal with inhuman forces, including Ghouls and Vampires.[45] Though Walter was highly critical of Arthur's behavior and pestered him relentlessly for his perverted nature.[46] Arthur eventually sent Walter on a mission with Alucard to destroy the secret project the Nazi was working on, in addition; the Round Table members doubted that he could do it, stating that Walter was too young, as he was just a child. Arthur, however, opposed them and was confident in the boy's skills.[47][48]

Abilities[]

Abilities and Skills
Intelligence: Being an Oxford graduate and the son of Abraham Van Helsing, Arthur's intelligence is relatively higher compared to that of an average human. He was able to found the secret operation of the Nazis in Warsaw, and eventually "delay" their operation for another decades.[49] His prediction is top-notch, as his intuition and suspicion of his younger brother was proven correct when Richard hunted down Integra who became the headmaster for Hellsing as Arthur had a distrust over his brother.[50]

Occult Knowledge: His occult knowledge in vampires and ghouls likely stems from his father. He has a deep knowledge in the supernatural. He acknowledged that vampires are more than creatures who roams the night[51][52], and that ghouls shouldn't be terribly underestimated because of their capabilities.[53] He also knew how to seal Alucard underground, though it is unknown if Alucard went out-of-control or he had simply accepted to be sealed.[54][55]

Tactical Genius: When finding out that the Nazi had a secret operations in Warsaw that involves the creation of artificial vampires and ghouls, Arthur devised a simple plan and ruined the plans of the subsidiary; allowing the allies to win the war, because, had the operation been successful, then the Nazis would effectively sweep and won the war.[56][57]
Control Over Alucard
As the former head of the Hellsing Organisation, Alucard pledged absolute loyalty towards Arthur, and Arthur gained absolute control over Alucard. He has full access to his restrictions, including the ultimate restriction which requires Arthur's direct permission in order to unlock.[58] However, Arthur used Alucard sparingly and cautiously; only when needed.[59] As a result, Alucard is bound onto his coffin most of the time when Arthur was the director of Hellsing.[60] Eventually, Arthur sealed Alucard in the forgotten dungeon beneath the Hellsing manor, as he considered him a drastic medicine.[61][62]

Philosophy[]

In general, Arthur does inherit some of Van Helsing's philosophical nature, which made him a genius and an eventual philosopher at an old age.

Ghouls[]

"Though ghouls are relative failures, they're still monsters. Meaning, they can't be killed easily. It takes a shot to the head or heart to effectively put them down. The other problem is that if you're attacked by a ghoul, you then become a ghoul yourself. That's how they grow infinitely."
— Arthur Hellsing[63]

Though Arthur was much more a genius as he got older, Arthur's younger nature does hold some philosophical aspect in him despite on the surface, he appears to just be a cocky womanizer. Though he had a much more understanding in vampires, Arthur knew the capabilities of ghouls very well. He realizes that although ghouls are relatively no problem, the problem arises if one is attacked by a ghoul, as they'd become a ghoul themselves. If this continues, it'll create a cycle in which a ghoul would grow indefinitely. Arthur describes ghouls as an "endless plague."[64]

Vampires[]

"Integra. There are many undying monsters in the world. Here's what I wonder when I see them. Do they really desire immortality as their existence? Many of them crave conflict. Gory struggles. It becomes something akin to weeping, longing. Their screams are not born of a desire for combat, but a desire for death. You see, to me, Integra, vampires, those dreadful undying monsters who control the world of the night... Look like terribly pitiful, pathetic children who might simply break down and cry feebly."
— Arthur Hellsing[65]

Arthur's general philosophy about vampires are that, vampires are terribly pitiful, pathetic children who might simply break down and cry feebly. Arthur some times wonders if they really desire immortality as their existence. He comes to a conclusion that many of them simply just crave conflict, and that their screams are not a desire for combat, but rather a desire for death.[66] In vampire's terrifying wide range of abilities, Arthur realizes that the most terrifying vampire are the ones who realizes the full extent of their abilities.[67] Arthur taught these qualities of a vampire to his daughter, Integra, and Arthur is one of the only people to view vampires as something much deeper than them just simply being a "terrifying monster who roams the night."[68]

Trivia[]

  • Arthur's eyes have, in different media, been one of three colors brown, yellow, and finally blue.
  • Along with Irons, Arthur and he are the only ones in Hellsing that died naturally or a disease.
  • Arthur, Penwood, Maxwell, Rip Van Winkle, Schrödinger, and Yumie Takagi are one of the only characters in Hellsing that doesn't have many name variants across Japanese sources and official translations.
  • Integra and Seras sdfdsf

    The special issue of Young King OURs that mentions the skin tone of Integra

    In a special issue of Young King OURs featuring character profiles of Integra, the then unnamed Seras Victoria, and Alucard, Integra's skin is described by Hirano as to that being of an "Indian." This implies that her mother, Arthur's unnamed wife, is Indian.[69] The Hellsing anime goes further in depth with this and features a photo of Integra's mother in a flashback sequence. Based on her outfit and appearance, she resembles an Indian.[70]

References[]

  1. Order 02: Master of Monster
  2. The Dawn - 2 pp. 3-4
  3. The Dawn - 2
  4. The Dawn - 1
  5. The Dawn - 1 p. 6. "Child or not, he's the strongest human of our existing militants in the field qualified to deal with such inhuman foes."
  6. The Dawn - 2 pp. 4-5
  7. Dracula (novel)
  8. Hellsing: The Dawn
  9. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  10. Order 02: Master of Monster
  11. Order 72: Heart of Iron p. 7. "Arthur was aware of the danger of Alucard. So he sealed Alucard underground."
  12. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  13. The Dawn - 2 pp. 1-2
  14. The Dawn - 2 p. 4
  15. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  16. Order 69: Castle vania (2) pp. 14-15
  17. Order 02: Master of Monster
  18. Order 02: Master of Monster
  19. Order 72: Heart of Iron
  20. Order 69: Castle vania (2) pp. 14-15
  21. Hellsing: Ultimate V ending sequence
  22. Order 20: Age of Empire (1)
  23. Hellsing: Ultimate IV
  24. Hellsing: Ultimate IX
  25. Hellsing: Ultimate X
  26. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  27. Order 39: Final Fantasy (4) p. 3
  28. Order 69: Castle vania (2) pp. 14-15
  29. Order 02: Master of Monster p. 3. "Integra, there's only one thing I can leave behind to you. If you ever find yourself in a real crisis! If some unbeatable enemy has you in a right mess! Go underground! To the forgotten dungeon! There lies one of the fruits of the Hellsing family's labors. It will be your protection."
  30. Order 02: Master of Monster
  31. Hellsing: Ultimate II
  32. Hellsing: Ultimate V
  33. Hellsing: Ultimate IX
  34. Order 02: Master of Monster
  35. The Dawn - 2 p. 4
  36. The Dawn - 2
  37. Hellsing: Ultimate V ending sequence
  38. Order 72: Heart of Iron
  39. Hellsing: Ultimate V ending sequence
  40. Order 39: Final Fantasy (4) p. 3
  41. Hellsing: Ultimate V ending sequence
  42. Order 72: Heart of Iron p. 7. "Arthur was aware of the danger of Alucard. So he sealed Alucard underground."
  43. Order 02: Master of Monster
  44. Order 69: Castle vania (2) p. 15
  45. The Dawn - 1 p. 5. "Child or not, he's the strongest human of our existing militants in the field qualified to deal with such inhuman foes. Unquestionably."
  46. The Dawn - 2 p. 5. "Stuff it and piss off!! Walter, who pesters me to no end, is finally away. Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity for the mouse to play. Right?!"
  47. The Dawn - 1
  48. The Dawn - 2
  49. The Dawn - 1
  50. Order 02: Master of Monster
  51. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  52. Order 69: Castle vania (2) p. 15
  53. The Dawn - 1
  54. Order 02: Master of Monster
  55. Order 72: Heart of Iron
  56. The Dawn - 1
  57. Order 20: Age of Empire (1) pp. 5-6. "The ability to place ghouls at the front lines would have been fearful indeed. Had the program not be destroyed... by Hellsing."
  58. HELLSING official guide book p. 007. "敵の能力 に伴う段階までは自ら解放することができるが、最後の砦とも言 える「零号」だけは、主人の指示がない限り解放不可 (Translation: He can release his own restrictions up to the level associated with those of his enemies, but "Zero," the last restraint, cannot be released unless his master instructs him to do so.)
  59. Order 72: Heart of Iron
  60. Hellsing: The Dawn
  61. Order 72: Heart of Iron p. 7.
  62. Order 02: Master of Monster
  63. The Dawn - 1 p. 3
  64. The Dawn - 1 pp. 2-3
  65. Order 69: Castle vania (2) pp. 14-15
  66. Order 69: Castle vania (2) pp. 14-15
  67. Order 19: Elevator Action (6) prologue
  68. Order 02: Master of Monster
  69. HELLSING Catalogue YKO 97 #30 "20代中ほど。ハダカインド人み たいなかんじな いんしょうをうける。 HELLSING 機関 機関長。 (Rough Translation: Mid 20s. She has a skin tone similar to that of a mere-Indian. Hellsing Organisation Director.")
  70. Hellsing Episode 10: Master of Monster
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