THE HELLSING FAMILY
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Founded under the legendary Abraham Van Helsing, known for his unique and pioneering advances in the fields of modern medicine and occult demonology. The Hellsing family legacy and name has passed from generation to generation through until the mid-nineties where the family’s highly evolved methods of protecting crown an country rested with present heiress, Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Sir Integra obtained the Hellsing Organization ahead of her Uncle Richard Hellsing whom coveted the Organization’s director’s chair post his brother Arthur’s death. Richard Hellsing, affronted that his station should be given to his niece, attempted a failed manslaughter mission which ended in his death at the hands of Nosfuratu Alucard in 1988.
The following Section will discuss the Hellsing Family, its history, story, traits and information in detail. Click on a character's name below to skip to their biography.
- Dr. Abraham Van Helsing
- Sir Arthur Hellsing
- Richard Hellsing
- Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing
- The "Hellsing" name Vs. "Van Helsing". Which is right?
- Trivia & Other Information
DOCTOR ABRAHAM VAN HELSING
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NOTE: Hirano has confirmed in an interview that the events of Bram Stoker's Dracula took place in the Hellsing Universe. The information as follows is taken from that novel (and occasionally the film) until otherwise noted.
Abraham was born into a Catholic Dutch family in the mid 1800s. As he came into adulthood he married and settled down to start a family as he studied several fields of science, medicine, physics and psychology. His family was wracked with tragedy when Van Helsing's only son passed away. The passing drove his wife mad to the point that she became dead to Abraham, yet his status as a devout Catholic prevented him from divorcing her. Abraham continued his academic studies to receive degrees and doctorates in several fields including medicine, philosophy, and scientific study. In the course of his career, Van Helsing became a professor and took on students. Among these students is a John Seward who would one day become a doctor himself. During an incident involving a knife that had come into contact with gangrene, Van Helsing was cut and poisoned by it. Thinking quick, Seward sucked the poison out and saved Abraham, a favor he wouldn't soon forget.
When the woman Seward cared most about, Lucy Westenra fell ill with a mysterious disease, Seward sent a telegram to Van Helsing requesting his knowledge of rare and obscure diseases to help cure her. Remembering his debt, Abraham made great haste in coming to their aid. Upon arriving, Van Helsing was instantly able to see Lucy's ailment was that of a Vampire's bite, but wary that Seward and his companions would find it crazy, he refused to immediately tell them his diagnosis. Van Helsing had been learning about the Vampire for quite a while, though the field of study is difficult to grasp for those who have no first-hand experience with them. In an effort to save Lucy, Abraham attempted several blood transfusions on the girl, but their attempts to save her were appearing for naught. Abraham then left for Amsterdam giving them explicit instructions to watch over Lucy and her family. Instructions that never arrived with those whom they belonged.
Upon returning, he found that Lucy had passed away from a wolf attack in the middle of the night, and had been buried. Despite the apparent death and burial however, several reports began to come in of a beautiful woman matching Lucy's description attacking innocents in the night. Finally realizing he couldn't hide the truth any longer, Van Helsing confided in Seward, and Lucy's other suitors Quincy Morris and Arthur Holmwood about the Vampire's curse and that their dear Lucy is now among the undead. The men soon found Lucy and, after a heated confrontation succeeded in killing her with a beheading, allowing Lucy to finally rest. At that point, Jonathan Harker joined the entourage after barely surviving an encounter with their previously unknown enemy. Now knowing his name, Count Dracula, the group set out to destroy the vampire once and for all.
Now in London, the horrid Count went to accomplish one of his goals, to take Mina Harker for himself. Having seen a photograph of her on Jonathan, Dracula found he desired her, and in the middle of the night he succeeded in biting her. He proceeded to drink from her and feed to her his own blood, making her into a vampire as well, but bonding her to himself as his servant Vampire. Knowing time is short, and the only way to save Mina is to defeat Dracula, Van Helsing lead a frantic search for the Count. Due to her telepathic link to the No-Life King, they were able to use Mina to trace Dracula's steps, finally finding his whereabouts after putting her into a hypnotic state.
NOTE: From this point on, the events transpired differently in the Hellsing universe than in the original novel or film, these are the events as depicted in Hellsing.
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The group finally followed the count back to his castle and confronted him for a battle just before dawn. After a fierce fight, Van Helsing cornered the count and was able to drive a stake through the No-Life King, defeating the Count by the light of the coming dawn. The Vampires marks left Mina's flesh, a fact that Van Helsing took the opportunity to shout at the disgraced vampire. Abraham decided not to deliver the finishing blow to his felled foe, instead taking Dracula's now powerless form with him back to England.
The events of Abraham's life after defeating Dracula are not entirely known, but it is commonly known that he began research to tame his one-time enemy. Through science and possibly some form of sorcery, Van Helsing succeeded at his task and turned the once proud Count into a servant whom his family would later re-dub "Alucard". The rest of Abraham's life is mostly unknown, though it is assumed that he settled down and had at least one other child. Its unlikely he had this child with his original wife, as he proclaimed their marriage was a loveless one, however she may have passed away, allowing Van Helsing to remarry.
Regardless of whom mothered the child, a child was born and in this time, either by Van Helsing's own hand or the actions of his child, an organization was established in England to research and combat these occult and demotic threats to humanity, such as the Vampire. At some unknown point, Abraham's offspring converted to the Protestant religion, and had the family name Anglicanized as "Hellsing". The Organization would eventually take on this name as well, and become officially sanctioned by England and the Protestant Church. Finally, it is unknown if this unknown child of Van Helsing himself became the father of two boys, Arthur and Richard Hellsing, or if Arthur and Richard were Van Helsing's children. As another generation between Arthur and Abraham would explain the change in name and Religion much better. However, if a middle generation did exist, when this unknown Hellsing either retired or died, the reins of the organization were passed to the older son Arthur.
STATISTICS
- Name in Japanese: エイブラハム・ヴァン・ヘルシング (Eiburaham Van Herushingu)
- Full Name/Title: Professor Abraham Van Helsing M.D., D.Ph., D.Litt.
- Age: 40s - 50s When he fought Dracula. Presently Deceased
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Dark Reddish Brown (Graying)
- Gender: Male
- Species: Human
- Nationality: Dutch, From Amsterdam
- Rank: Private Citizen. Doctor, Scientist, Physician, Professor.
- Religion: Catholic
- Affiliations: The Hellsing Organization (Potential founder)
- Weapon of Choice: Surgical Tools, Garlic, Holy Water, Wooden Stake
- Voice: Ohtsuka Chikao (Jpn) // Curt Lowens (Eng)
ARTHUR HELLSING
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Arthur Hellsing was the man to inherit the family organization next. He took over the organization at a relatively young age, becoming a Knight of the British Empire and being brought into the Round Table Convention. With his authority came perks and weapons as well, including the family's biggest achievement, the Vampire his grandfather had defeated and mastered. Arthur renamed the No-Life King "Alucard" and began using him to take out the undead. In addition to Alucard, Arthur at some point found a young boy named Walter C. Dollneaz, and took him into the organization. After taking him in, Arthur saw to it that Walter was trained in the arts of killing the undead and fashioned him into Hellsing's "Angel of Death".
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After being brought into the Round Table Convention, Arthur quickly made friends with two of his colleagues, Sir Hugh Islands and Sir Shelby M. Penwood. The three men would work together constantly on situations involving Hellsing's activity. Penwood was in charge of funds, and was on the receiving end of several absurd requests from Arthur, including the latest weaponry, helicopters, really anything Arthur could think of. Islands however, was always more reserved, usually being the voice of reason to Arthur including even telling him to clean his office if need be. The three men became good friends, and would spend time together not working including going out to the shooting range and often having drinks together.
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When intelligence broke that told the Round Table about a Nazi project in Warsaw that sought to make invincible armies of the undead, Arthur sprung into action. He wanted to mount an attack on the Nazi project in Warsaw by sending Alucard and Walter in. Islands was against the idea, and the two men fought on the subject while Penwood sat back. However, while staying out of the fight Penwood noticed photographs from their intelligence that showed several of the atrocities committed by the Nazis for their heinous project. Faced with these horrors, Penwood snapped, he tore the paperwork out of Islands' hand and tearfully signed his approval to it, giving Arthur all the authorization he needed to mount the attack.
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Arthur proceeded to send in Walter and Alucard, who both mounted a full attack on the Nazis. Arthur stayed behind and kept up information on the home front, as well as to have some fun with his rare opportunity of having Walter out of the house. After the attack was an apparent success, he kept Walter on as one of his top agents, eventually having the man as his butler when he became too old for field work. Arthur also dealt with Alucard. Arthur and Islands both knew that Alucard was dangerous to keep around, treating him more like a drug to only be taken occasionally. He eventually retired Alucard from field work, locking him in the underground dungeon of the Hellsing mansion and sealing him away.
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Arthur eventually had a daughter he named "Integral". This marked a turning point in Arthur's life as he finally settled down to raise his daughter and teach her everything she would need to know about the undead. Arthur's lessons were invaluable to the girl, and would serve her well always. After some time, Arthur fell gravely ill, and it became apparent he would not live. On his deathbed, he asked his brother Richard to guide her and help her run the organization, as he was handing it down to her. Among his final words to her were a set of instructions. He told his dear little girl that if she should ever find herself in a right mess, with all hope seemingly lost, to go to the mansion's underground dungeon. Therein would lie her protection. He passed away shortly after.
STATISTICS
- Name in Japanese: アーサー・ヘルシング(Aasaa Herushingu)
- Full Name/Title: Sir Arthur Hellsing
- Age: Mid-Late 20s in 1944. Presently Deceased
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Dark Reddish Brown (Gray in 1988)
- Gender: Male
- Species: Human
- Nationality: British
- Rank: Knight of the British Empire, Commander of Hellsing
- Religion: Protestant
- Affiliations: Hellsing (Director), Convention of Twelve (Member)
- Weapon of Choice: Walter, Alucard
- Voice: Chikao Ohtsuka (Jpn) // John E. Breen (Eng)
RICHARD HELLSING
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Richard was born into the Hellsing family shortly after his elder brother Arthur. While pretty much nothing is known about Richard's position in the organization or his whereabouts or activities before Arthur's passing, it can be assumed that Richard held a high rank in Hellsing, as he believed he was among the next in line to inherit the headship. Being the elder brother, Arthur was given reins of the Hellsing organization when the time came to hand it down, leaving Richard quite upset. Despite his desire to have the family headship for himself however, Richard never attempted to murder or assassinate his brother, he simply waited biding his time. After 20 years of waiting, it seemed Richard would finally gain leadership when his brother fell ill.
When he finally did pass, he enraged his brother Richard by announcing Integra as heir to the family name instead of he. Insulted at this turn of events, Richard finally sought to take actions into his own hands and murder his niece, choosing to forge some excuse for her demise later. Taking a rare opportunity during Walter's unexplained absence, Richard tracked Integra down into the dungeon of the mansion. cornering her in a deserted room with nothing but a corpse. He coldly fired upon his niece, fully prepared to kill her when a stray bullet from his gun hit Integra in the arm. It was only a flesh wound, but the damage caused a splatter of blood to hit the corpse, and awaken it...
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Revived, and hungry the corpse began to feed upon Richard's men, drinking their blood and revealing itself to be a true vampire! Curiously as well, the vampire then proceeded to bow before the young girl, proclaiming himself to be her Servant, and giving his name as "Alucard". Richard couldn't believe what was happening, and angrily proclaimed himself to be head of the organization and fired straight at Integra's head, but the revived corpse caught the bullet with his forearm, telling Richard his blood "reeked" and that he was unfit to be the master of this house. With the Vampire backing her, Integra finished off her uncle and took her place as Hellsing's head.
STATISTICS
- Name in Japanese: リチャード・ヘルシング (Richaado Herushingu)
- Age: Mid 40s - 50s In 1988. Presently Deceased
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Light Brown
- Gender: Male
- Species: Human
- Nationality: British
- Rank: Private Citizen.
- Religion: Protestant
- Affiliations: The Hellsing Organization (Brother of the Director)
- Weapon of Choice: Ruger P97 DC Double Action Pistol
- Voice: Yousuke Akimoto (Jpn) // Steven Brand (Eng)
SIR INTEGRAL FAIRBROOK WINGATES HELLSING
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Director of the Hellsing Organization, daughter of Arthur Hellsing, and thus a direct descendent of the legendary Abraham Van Helsing. Integra appears as the series’ prime heroine whose role is to protect England and it’s people from the unsuspecting horrors of the vampiric and occult threats that her forefathers have fought against centuries past. Under her direct command, the Hellsing family’s greatest biological weapon is the Vampire Alucard whom answers to her and her alone. Integra appears as a strong and firm commander, sending Alucard and Seras into battle regularly to battle the forces for which she is to fight. Integra is not presented as a perfect character however, and has regularly been tested to her limits, sometimes showing uncertainty in herself and her actions, like during the incident in Rio. Integra is among the only characters who is present and active during most all major incidents in the story, from her indirect involvement near the beginning, to her fully hands-on actions from later on.
Check back later for Integra's Full Biography.
(Be Warned, Integra is a Main character so her Bio features Spoilers)
"HELLSING" OR "VAN HELSING"?
One odd thing about the Hellsing family is their name. Originally, their name is presented to be simply "Hellsing", however over the course of the manga it is revealed that Abraham Van Helsing is a descendant to the organization. This raises some odd questions as to why the name is spelled that way when Hirano intended the family to be descended from Van Helsing.
The most obvious reason for the change is simply a mistake in the transliteration from English to Japanese and then back to English. "Heru" is usually the Japanese transliteration of the English word "Hell" with two Ls. Seeing Van Helsing's name written as "Herushingu", someone involved in the process, may it be Hirano or an editor, made the mistake and they simply ran with it. It could also have been a way to keep from breaking copyright. Someone might have owned "Van Helsing" or "Helsing" and the change was just to make it different enough to use as a title.
As for a proper in-universe explanation, the simplest explanation is to simply look at the characters' religions. The original Van Helsing was a devout Catholic, while the Hellsing organization are the "Royal Protestant Knights". The easiest answer is that, at some point in the organization's history (Most likely in the generation between Van Helsing and Arthur) the family converted to protestant and the name was Anglicanized. Which resulted in them dropping the "Van" and slightly modifying the spelling of "Helsing".
TRIVIA & OTHER INFORMATION
 For the Film. |
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Abraham's history is taken from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. As said earlier, that novel has been declared canon to the Hellsing world by Hellsing's author Kouta Hirano in an interview with Anime Insider. However, also as stated before, the novel was not the only source used for Hellsing. During volume 7 of the manga, it mentions Dracula having come to England on the ship the "Demeter", is looking for a "Woman he personally desired", meaning Mina Harker. In the novel, Dracula did not come to England for Mina, he came simply to drink of the blood-rich shores of England. he only ever attacked Mina in retribution once the band of humans was hunting him. The storyline in which Dracula went for Mina out of personal desire was only used in the movie adaptation of the novel by Francis Ford Coppola. Therefore it's reasonable to believe that in-part at least, Hirano also based the story on the movie to some extent as well.
- Most of Arthur's back story is taken from the Hellsing prequel manga "The Dawn". However, the Hellsing OVA series added some information to Arthur's history. In Hellsing OVA V, the closing theme is a montage of events of Arthur, Penwood and Islands' past as flashbacks to present-day Islands as he visits Arthur's grave. Depicted are the friends' relationship, spending time together, arguing over what to do about Warsaw, Penwood signing the authorization, and Arthur speaking to Walter to deploy him while Islands and Penwood watch. Most of which are depicted in images above.