Is Hellsing anime inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula? Similarities explained

Hellsing anime is based on Kouta Hirano’s manga series of the same name, which centers on the exploits of Alucard, a powerful vampire who works for the Hellsing Organization, a covert British group that investigates supernatural threats. However, who is Alucard, and what is his relationship to Count Dracula, the most prominent vampire of all time?

The protagonist's identity is the first and most evident similarity between Bram Stoker's Dracula and Hellsing. It is no coincidence that Alucard is actually Dracula spelled backwards. The manga and anime reveal that Alucard is actually Count Dracula, the fabled vampire lord who terrorized Europe in the fifteenth century and is the focus of Bram Stoker's book.

Hellsing anime: Not an adaptation but takes inspiration from Bram Stokers's Dracula

In the Hellsing anime, Alucard was pierced in the heart but not killed, in contrast to the novel, where he was vanquished and destroyed by a gang of vampire hunters led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Rather, Alucard joined the Van Helsing family as a servant, and they strengthened his abilities and limited his authority. A few decades later, the Count was given the codename "Alucard" by Arthur Hellsing, Abraham's direct descendant, and was placed in the care of Integra, his daughter and the current leader of the Hellsing Organization.

After being defeated by the Turks and feeling betrayed by God, Alucard, according to the Hellsing anime and manga, drank the blood of the fallen soldiers on the battlefield and turned into a vampire. Unlike most vampires, he did not require a blood exchange or bite from another vampire. Despite popular belief, he did not use magic or join Satan. He turned into a vampire by his own volition and strength, embracing his monstrosity and rejecting his humanity.

In contrast, Dracula from Bram Stoker's novel was once a human and turned vampire after making a deal with the devil. In order to transform his victims into vampires, he had to bite them and force them to drink his blood. With more restrictions and weaknesses—such as sunlight, garlic, holy symbols, and wooden stakes—than Alucard, he was not as strong or adaptable.

In addition to the main character, Hellsing anime also incorporates a few themes, characters, and settings from Bram Stoker's book. Father Alexander Anderson, a zealous priest and vampire hunter for the Vatican's Iscariot Organization, is one of Alucard's adversaries. Anderson is parallel to Anthony Hopkins’ Van Helsing, a ‘witch doctor’ from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, who has great knowledge about vampires and other supernatural occurrences.

The Hellsing anime also delves into a few of the themes found in Dracula, including the conflict between the old and the new, the essence of evil, and the function of religion. In Hellsing's world, archaic supernatural entities like Nazis, werewolves, and vampires are still active and a threat to present-day civilization.

Since Alucard is a vicious killer who enjoys violence and bloodshed but also fights for a just cause and respects human dignity, Hellsing also raises ethical concerns about the characters. However, some of his adversaries—Anderson and the Millennium, for example—are motivated by hatred and fanaticism and utilize religion as a cover for their horrific crimes.

Kohta Hirano was asked if Hellsing was a homage to Dracula during an interview regarding the impending OVA adaptation of his manga, to which he answered that Hellsing is not be a continuation of the novel, however, the events of the novel do take place in the Hellsing universe.

Despite the parallels, Hellsing is a creative reworking that draws inspiration from Dracula rather than a faithful adaptation of Stoker's book. The show departs from the book in a number of domains, including tone, characters, and storyline. Hellsing creates its own unique story, characters, and themes using Dracula as a starting point. As a distinctive and enjoyable retelling of the vampire mythology, Hellsing anime will delight viewers of comedies, action, and horror.

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