Sir Arthur Hellsing (Japanese: アーサー・ヘルシング卿, Hepburn: Āsā Herushingu-kyō^?; IPA: [aːsaː heɾɯɕiŋɡɯ]), often referred to by his moniker, Sir Hellsing (ヘルシング卿, Herushingu-kyō), was the former master of the Hellsing Agency, a secret agency working against vampires and other such supernatural forces running rampant beneath the public eye.

The son of Abraham Van Helsing and the direct successor to the head of the Hellsing family, Arthur was the one who set the orders of Walter C. Dornez's and Alucard's expedition to Warsaw in 1944, where a secret plan for the production of man-made vampires lies to counter the loses Nazi Germany suffered in the later half of the war.

Despite his overall cocky demeanor and being a notorious womanizer, even under serious circumstances, Arthur was well respected by members of the Round Table Council. Although it was his paranoia that caused Alucard's decade-long imprisonment, his teachings and odd sympathy for vampires would guide his daughter, Integra Hellsing, to a greater understanding of vampires.

Character Data

Appearance

When he was young, Arthur closely resembled his father in facial features, particularly the two small hairs that stuck up like horns. He had thick, arching eyebrows, short, slicked hair, and was tall with an average build.^[a] Over forty years later, Arthur had grown thinner, and his hair had grayed due to age.^[b] His hair, previously slicked back, featured an upward bang that fell to the left. He had also developed a distinct mustache and goatee. Arthur wore formal business attire: a long-sleeved shirt with a tie, a vest, and a suit jacket. He completed the look with dress pants, business shoes, and gloves.^[c]

Personality

We'll strike them down with such severity! We'll completely annihilate them from where they stand! For that is the true purpose of the Hellsing Agency. (彼らは私達が 叩きます 叩いて潰します それが私達 王立国教騎士団のＨＥＬＬＳＩＮＧ 本懐なのですから) (Karera wa watashitachi ga tatakimasu. Tataite tsubushimasu. Sore ga watashitachi Herushingu honkai na no desu kara.)

—Arthur Hellsing, to Round Table Council members (Order 01: The Dawn (1))

As a young adult, Arthur adopted a leisurely approach to his responsibilities as the director of the Hellsing Agency. His easygoing and cocky-shrewd attitude in serious meetings gained much criticism towards him, and doubt often arises when he reveals his intentions despite his outspoken confidence.^[4][5] Thus, he often felt as if his pride were insulted when the possibility of failure was discussed; above all else, he was the successor to Van Helsing's legacy and took the family's personal duty very seriously.^[6] For him, his seriousness is represented by the amount of alcohol he had been drinking to ease tensions, and his certainty in his orders eased him to almost no worries.^[5]

Though more often than not, he admits his untidy behavior (regarding his study place being in a state of disarray) and his incessant tendencies.^[7] Still, criticism of his character can be taken quite personally to a certain extent, as he avoided his womanizing habits and kept up appearances when Walter was specifically present due to Walter's constant pestering regarding his crude behavior.^[8] He is also prone to relapse into alcoholism—even in highly important meetings—and he can be wary to a fault.^[9][10]

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. (インテグラ 世界には あまたの不死の 化物達がいる 彼らを見ると 私は思うのだ 彼らは本当に 不死を望んで 存在するのが 彼らの多くは 闘争を望む 血みどろの 戦いを それはもはや 嗚咽や渇望に近い それは彼らが 戦闘戦斗を 望むのではなく 死を望む 絶叫なのだ) (Integra. Sekai ni wa amata no fushi no bakemonotachi ga iru. Karera o miru to watashi wa omou no da. Karera wa hontō ni fushi o nozonde sonzai suru no ga. Karera no ōku wa tōsō o nozomu. Chimidoro no tatakai o. Sore wa mohaya oetsu ya katsubō ni chikai. Sore wa karera ga sentō sento o nozomu no de wa naku shi o nozomu zekkyō na no da.)

—Arthur Hellsing, to Integra Hellsing (Order 69: Castle vania (2))

Age and conceiving a family of his own had humbled Arthur, but his extraordinary confidence in crucial decisions remained, even if fueled emotionally. He was very aware of the danger that Alucard presents if left unsupervised and his younger brother, Richard Hellsing, being unsuitable to lead.^[10] As such, he was overly cautious in sending Alucard for missions, while he entrusted his daughter, Integra, with the role of the family's head before his passing.^[11] His views on vampires are oddly sympathetic despite his duty to eradicate them, viewing their immortality as an imposed curse rather than stemming from a true desire for long life.^[12]

Relationships

• Integra Hellsing: Since his wife's presumed death, Arthur had taught and cared for Integra Hellsing, their daughter. It was only after his diagnosis with an incurable disease that she became his main focus. During that time, Arthur imparted nearly all his knowledge to Integra.^[13][12] He advised her to contact his closest friends, Hugh Irons and Shelby M. Penwood, for guidance^[14] and informed her of a forgotten dungeon in the depths of the Hellsing Headquarters belying "one of the forgotten fruits of the Hellsing family labors" if the need ever arose.^[15] Mere moments before his death, Arthur entrusted Integra with the burden of leading the Hellsing family and its agency; he expressed his desire to continue teaching her and to watch over her, to take pride in her progress. Despite his suspicions of his younger brother, Richard Hellsing, he urged Richard to care for Integra on his behalf.^[16]

• Hugh Irons: Irons and Arthur were—although drastically different personality-wise—close friends. They had been friends since their early days in Oxford, despite Iron's negative perception of Arthur's odd behavior.^[17] The two continued to share a close connection until his death, where Irons and their mutual friend, Penwood, voluntarily looked after his daughter, Integra.^[18]

• Shelby M. Penwood: In his need of heavy weaponry and expensive objects, Arthur sought out Shelby M. Penwood despite his annoyance with his repeated lavish demands.^[19] Regardless, the two, along with Hugh Irons, would become close friends in their youth.^[20] Arthur also told Integra to seek out Penwood if she ever needed the money to buy expensive items.^[14]

• Walter C. Dornez: Arthur was particularly receptive and thought highly of Walter, offering praise and confidence to his uncontested skill and prowess.^[21][22] Nevertheless, Walter frequently criticized Arthur's reckless and uncaring behavior.^[8] As a result, Arthur admitted he depended on Walter to handle cleaning his study room^[9] and only invited women over when Walter was away, allowing him to act without being annoyed at Walter's constant disapproval.^[8]

Background

Born as the elder of Abraham Van Helsing's two sons, the younger one being Richard Hellsing, Arthur's past is rooted in ambiguity. In his later college years, he was enrolled in the highly prestigious University of Oxford.^[17][18] While there, he became friends with Hugh Irons, future Round Table leader, despite the differences in their personalities. Eventually, he would succeed Abraham as the second head of the Hellsing family and the director of the agency. At some point, he found and took in a boy named "Walter C. Dornez" under his wing. He saw the boy as a prodigy and nicknamed him the "Angel of Death." Arthur, Irons, and fellow Round Table member Shelby M. Penwood would become particularly close friends during this period.^[20]

Capabilities

Trivia

• The color of Arthur's eyes in Hellsing adaptations have varied:
  • In the anime and the later half of the OVA, his eyes were blue;
  • In the ending credits of OVA V, his eyes were brown;
  • In the supplementary The Dawn adaptation packaged with the eighth, ninth, and tenth OVA, his eyes were bright yellow.
• A special feature of Hellsing in the thirtieth issue of Young King OURs alluded to Integra's Indian heritage in regard to her dark skin, implying that Integra's mother, and by extension, Arthur's wife is ethnically Indian.^[29]

The special feature of Hellsing in Young King OURs that makes note of Integra's skin color

Footnotes

Notes

References

Characters
Hellsing Agency   Alucard      Integra      Seras    Abraham Van Helsing Arthur Hellsing Dextely Alphensys Hugh Irons Irons IV Penwood III Pip Vernedead Rob Walsh Shelby M. Penwood The Queen Wild Geese Deputy Wild Geese Round Table Council Hellsing Agency Special Military Forces
Iscariot Agency   Anderson      Maxwell      Heinkel      Yumiko    Ronald Makube The Pope Young Priest Armed Priest Vanguard Matthew (Vatican Section III) The Vatican
Millennium Project   Captain      Major      Professor      Walter    Adolf Hitler Colonel Jan Valentine Luke Valentine Rheinhold Fortner Rip Van Winkle Schrödinger Tubalcain Alhambra Zorin Blitz The Occult Researchers The Werwolves
Miscellaneous London Police Commander Vicar Richard Hellsing Malfas Huger Jessica Mark and Nepis Julia Edward Traitorous Bishop Ferdo Paciel Mrs. Victoria Mr. Victoria Dracula Arthur Holmwood Jack Seward Jonathan Harker Quincey Morris Mina Harker Crossfire Abraham Van Rogh Aphram Ilyushin Ridgeway Tomily Fedeo Unnamed Priest