Club M
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The second episode of the Hellsing anime.
Summary
On a roof somewhere in England, Seras is aiming a sniper rifle into the streets below, constantly being instructed by Hellsing operative, Peter Fargason. Out in the street, a woman and her date are exiting a restaurant, when the woman notices a mysterious female, who, after vanishing, reappears, gripping the woman by her legs. Fargason commands Seras to fire, but Seras hesitates, and a sniper elsewhere eliminates the target. Blood and maggots spew forth from the creature onto the woman in the streets below.
Back at HQ, Fargason expresses doubt at Seras’ ability to function on the field, and Seras asks to be treated without any special consideration. Inside the mansion, a butler named Walter shows Seras her new quarters, which include a coffin she is to sleep in during the daylight hours. Seras, unable to sleep at night, goes searching for Alucard, but is promptly scolded by Integra. Later, after telling Alucard to train Seras well, Integra reveals a report that shows suspected “instant” vampires randomly murdering families, scrawling blasphemous messages in the victim’s home. Back in her room, Seras, at first overcome with hunger at the sight of the “medical blood” pouch in her room, breaks into tears and knocks it to the floor.
At another victim’s home, the two vampires are seen, high on blood, claiming that, if they murder nine more, “they” will make the two stronger. Meanwhile, Seras, upon entering the shooting range, realizes her vampiric strength as she holds one of larger, automatic weapons, and is informed on the necessity of shooting her opponents in the heart (or head). Integra reflects on the recent vampire activities; Seras is scrambled to the scene; Alucard prepares for battle; Leif and Jessica rush toward the Hellsing road block. And, as the two make their way down the road, a bright light engulfs the motorcycle, and the two enter a long tunnel, with Alucard who at the end. Alucard, after scolding the two vampires, executes Leif, with Jessica running out into the street. Seras is able to, and successfully does, take the shot.
Fargason welcomes Seras into Hellsing. Later, Seras asks Alucard to call her by her name, and Alucard commands Seras to drink blood, with Seras responding in the affirmative, adding: “master.”
Trivia
-While the first episode paralleled the original manga’s Volume 1, Chapter 1, this episode is based on V1 C3, with this version having a greater degree of story material when considering the addition of the TV-only character, Fargason, and the apparent adjustment of Seras to her vampire state. In the manga, the Leif is killed by Alucard in his hide-out, instead of in the illusionary tunnel. In the TV series, Fargason instructs Seras on shooting long distances, whereas in the manga Alucard is the one that encourages her. V1 C2 in the manga dealt with Integra’s past, which is touched on later in the TV series.
-Momentarily, as Leif and Jessica travel through Alucard’s “mind tunnel,” we see numerous, ghoul-like spirits. These are likely the many families that the two killed, and the fact that Alucard knows this shows the range of his telepathic abilities.
-In the manga, there are only three levels of control art restrictions, however, as Alucard prepares to attack the freak vampires, he mentions a level 5 release. This seems an unnecessary addition, as higher numbers only decrease Alucard’s ability to fight, and furthermore, Alucard didn’t even perform control art release in the manga chapter this is based on, though this is can at least be attributed to the fact that Alucard uses his illusion ability in the anime iteration and not in the manga.
-Integra comments that these freak vampires, one’s “without self-awareness,” have never appeared before. This line was not stated in the manga, and plays into the show’s theme of choice.
-Walter, and later Alucard, refer to the two freak vampires as “Bonnie and Clyde,” which is a reference to the famous bank robber duo that appeared in the 30’s during the Great Depression.
-Throughout the earlier parts of the episode, images of the two freak vampire’s attack are seen as they were portrayed in the manga, with blood used to inscribe sacrilegious messages across the walls.
-The episode’s name, “Club M,” is a re-titling of the original name for the third chapter of the first volume of the Hellsing manga, which was called “Murder Club.”
-“In the name of God we shall strike the damned undead with the eternal iron stake.” This line is spoken by Fargason and other characters throughout the series, and is meant as a blessing before taking combative action. However, on the many Hellsing posters in America and Japan, and in the English dub for Hellsing, the line is as follows: “In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.”
-This episode appears on the Volume 1 DVD, titled "Impure Souls," of Geneon’s release of Hellsing.
