Watch Hellsing Ultimate (10 OVA episodes, 2006 to 2012) first, because it follows Kouta Hirano's manga from start to finish. Watch the 13-episode Hellsing TV series (2001) afterward if you want a separate, anime-original take. The two are alternate adaptations, not a sequel pair.
Image: Fan art (AI-generated)
The short answer
- Hellsing Ultimate, 10 episodes: the full story of the manga.
- Hellsing: The Dawn, 3 very short prequel episodes: optional extra after Ultimate.
- Hellsing (2001 TV series), 13 episodes: watch it as a different version of the same cast, not as part of the Ultimate plot.
If you only have time for one, pick Ultimate. If you loved the gothic mood of the original series and want the other take, add the TV series last. Plenty of fans also watch the TV series first because it came first, and that works too, as long as you treat it as a separate story. Both are violent and graphic, so expect gore throughout.
Hellsing vs Hellsing Ultimate: the key difference
Both anime adapt Kouta Hirano's manga about Alucard, a vampire who serves the Hellsing Organization, a British group that hunts the undead. The difference is how far each one stays with the source.
- The 2001 TV series by Gonzo uses the manga's characters and settings but tells a different story. It was made while the manga was still running, and it goes its own way instead of waiting for the manga to finish.
- Hellsing Ultimate was made later as a re-adaptation that follows the manga much more closely. Its 10 episodes were released over several years, with the final one arriving in December 2012.
So Ultimate is not a sequel to the TV series. It restarts the story from the beginning. You do not need to watch one to understand the other.
Comparison table
| Title | Years | Format | Follows the manga? | Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hellsing | 2001 to 2002 | 13 TV episodes | Same characters, different story | Gonzo |
| Hellsing Ultimate | 2006 to 2012 | 10 OVA episodes, 42 to 68 minutes each | Yes, much more closely | Satelight, Madhouse, Graphinica (by episode group) |
| Hellsing: The Dawn | 2011 to 2012 | 3 OVA shorts, 6 to 9 minutes each | Adapts the unfinished prequel manga | Graphinica |
Watch order, step by step
- Hellsing Ultimate (2006 to 2012, 10 episodes). The main event. Each episode is feature-length, and at 42 to 68 minutes apiece the whole run comes to roughly eight to nine hours (my estimate from that range). Different studios animated different stretches: Satelight made episodes 1 to 4, Madhouse episodes 5 to 7 and Graphinica episodes 8 to 10, so the look changes a little as it goes.
- Hellsing: The Dawn (2011 to 2012, 3 episodes). A tiny prequel set in 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising, with a young Walter. Each of the last three Ultimate home releases included one Dawn episode, and each runs only a few minutes. It is a bonus, not required.
- Hellsing (2001 to 2002, 13 episodes). Watch it last if you started with Ultimate. Expect a different plot and a different ending from the manga.
- Optional: a roughly 3 minute promotional special, Psalm of the Darkness (August 2001), is listed by fan database sites. It adds nothing to the story.
Which should you watch first?
Start with Ultimate if you want the story Hirano actually wrote, the biggest set pieces and the faithful ending. Start with the 2001 series if you prefer a shorter commitment (13 episodes), a more moody, slower noir feel, and its own soundtrack. Spoilers do not carry over, because the plots diverge, but the TV series reportedly follows the manga for its first few episodes before branching off, so watching them back to back can feel repetitive early on. That is the best argument for choosing one and sticking with it, then trying the other later.
Pick your path
| If you want | Watch | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| The complete manga story | Hellsing Ultimate | About 8 to 9 hours |
| A shorter, self-contained take | Hellsing (2001) | 13 episodes |
| Everything | Ultimate, The Dawn, then the 2001 series | Ultimate plus 13 episodes plus a few minutes of shorts |
The Ultimate time is an estimate from the official episode range of 42 to 68 minutes. The TV series runtime per episode was not confirmed in our sources, so we leave the total out.
What each version is good at
Hellsing Ultimate
It is the version with the scope. Because it follows the manga, it gets to the full cast, the long siege of London arc and the ending Hirano planned. The trade-off is that the episodes arrived in three production blocks across six years, so animation style and pacing shift between blocks. Episodes 1 to 4 came from Satelight, 5 to 7 from Madhouse and 8 to 10 from Graphinica. Some viewers feel that variety, and others never notice.
Hellsing (2001)
It is the quicker watch and the one with the most atmosphere per minute. It keeps the main cast but builds its own plot and ending, so it cannot spoil the manga's finale. That makes it a reasonable pick if you plan to read the manga afterward and want a different experience.
Hellsing: The Dawn
A very short side story from Hirano's prequel manga, which was left unfinished after six chapters. It explores Walter's youth and an early Alucard in occupied Poland. Treat it as a curiosity.
Common mix-ups
- "Season 2": Hellsing Ultimate is not season 2 of the 2001 series, and there is no later season of either one.
- Episode lengths: Ultimate episodes are closer to short films than TV episodes, so one episode is a full evening session.
- Release order vs story order: The Dawn is a prequel in story terms, but fans almost always watch it last, because it is a bonus and makes more sense after you know the characters.
The manga
The original manga by Kouta Hirano ran in Young King OURs from 1997 to 2008 and was collected in 10 volumes. English editions came from Dark Horse Comics, and a three-volume deluxe edition followed in 2020 and 2021. If Ultimate leaves you wanting more, the manga is the source, and it is the version both adaptations are measured against. Readers who like Hirano's style may also enjoy other dark seinen titles; our guide to Berserk covers another famously brutal one, and what seinen means explains the label. Browse more in the seinen category.
Is there a new Hellsing anime?
As of 4 November 2026, we could not find any official announcement of a new Hellsing anime. A live-action film was reported in March 2021 as being developed at Amazon Studios with John Wick writer Derek Kolstad, but how far that project has progressed is unclear and no release date has been confirmed. Be wary of pages that claim a new season of Hellsing Ultimate: nothing we found supports that.
Where to watch
In the United States, both Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate have been listed on Crunchyroll, which took over the Funimation catalogue. Availability changes by country and over time, so check a service like JustWatch for your region before planning a marathon. Because Ultimate episodes run close to an hour, a weekend is a realistic window for the whole thing, and splitting it into two or three sittings keeps the story from blurring together.
Content notes
Both anime contain heavy graphic violence, gore and dark themes aimed at adults. They are not suitable for younger viewers, so check the age rating in your region before watching with others.
Questions people ask
Do I watch Hellsing Ultimate first or Hellsing?
Most fans suggest Ultimate first, since it is the faithful adaptation and the better entry point for the manga's story. Either order is fine because they tell different versions of the plot.
Are Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate the same thing?
No. They share characters and setting, but the 2001 TV series has an anime-original story, while Ultimate follows the manga much more closely.
Is Hellsing Ultimate a sequel?
No. It is a fresh adaptation that starts the story again, not a continuation of the 2001 series.
How many episodes does Hellsing Ultimate have?
Ten OVA episodes, released from 2006 to 2012. Hellsing: The Dawn adds three more short prequel episodes.
Do I need to watch the 2001 series to understand Ultimate?
No. Ultimate stands on its own.
Is there a Hellsing Ultimate season 2?
No. The OVA series covers the manga's story and ended with its tenth episode in 2012. No continuation has been announced.
Last checked: 4 November 2026
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Hellsing" (manga, TV series, OVA and The Dawn details), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellsing_Ultimate, accessed 4 November 2026
- Wikipedia, "Hellsing (TV series)", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellsing_(TV_series), accessed 4 November 2026
- Anime News Network, "Hellsing Ultimate (OAV)" encyclopedia entry, https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=5114
- GIGAZINE, "Kouta Hirano's manga Hellsing to be made into a live-action movie by John Wick screenwriters", 5 March 2021, link
- We Got This Covered, "'Hellsing' Watch Order, Explained", 25 July 2023, link (consulted for the order consensus that The Dawn comes last)
- MyAnimeList, "Hellsing Watch Order Guide" interest stack, link (for the Psalm of the Darkness special)
- JustWatch, "Hellsing Ultimate" (US), link (streaming availability)
