Volumes 5-6

Vampires are real and so is the Hellsing that is fighting against them, an organization that has given an oath to guard the crown and the Protestant Church for all time. But just because they exterminate vampires doesn’t mean that they’re not in for using a couple to complete the task. Alucard the most powerful ancient vampire alive (well, undead…) together with his protégé Ceres Victoria they are the swords the Hellsing. Now they are facing Nazi organization Millennium and its undead army of artificial vampires and ghouls under the command of the Major Montana Max and his powerful allies. Apparently destroyed by Hellsing at the end of WWII, Millennium is instead alive and well under control of the Major, preparing to spread the Third Reich once more. Hellsing has fought the war against the undead for centuries, but now, Millennium is bringing the war to their doorsteps.

At the end of Volume 4, Alucard and Ceres return to England after defeating a legion of Millennium fighters in Brazil. As soon as they are back, reports come to pass that a British warship in the Atlantic has been assaulted and taken over by the undead.

As Volume Five begins, Alucard is on his way to fight back the warship and destroy forces that are now controlling it and are sending it speeding towards the British Isles. In London, Integral tries to unveil a traitor that betrays his country for a “gift” of immortality. While they are distracted by these battles, the Major makes his final preparations for his grand plan - Operation Sea Lion II.

The art, as in previous volumes, is first-class and really detailed. In this volume Hirano takes numerous opportunities to show his grand artistic talents, especially in the illustrations of the vampire plagued warship, and even a fleet of Zeppelins.

While in Volume 5 Alucard is the main character, Ceres is also in center of action this time, taking a chance to take the lead of both the book and the action. Though she has been uncertain in the past, Ceres shows she’s up to both tasks. Volume 5 opens with Alucard having a dream in which he is visited by a number of astonishing characters. (Including Bruce Willis posing as the spirit of Alucards gun - the Jackal) These short scenes Hirano gives us at times to help break the heavy stress of death and destruction. While they are completely out of place, they strangely feel intact with the storyline. Volume 5 takes the solid-hard base laid out by Volume 4 and goes with it.