| Alucard | |
|---|---|
| Hellsing character | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Hellsingalucard.png) Alucard as illustrated by Kouta Hirano | |
| First appearance | Hellsing chapter 1: "Vampire Hunter" (1997) |
| Created by | Kouta Hirano |
| Voiced by | Jouji Nakata (Japanese) Crispin Freeman (English) |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Vlad Drăculea III |
| Alias | Prince of Wallachia Count Dracula |
| Nickname | Alucard |
| Species | Vampire |
| Gender | Male |
Alucard (Japanese: アーカード, Hepburn: Ākādo, lit. Arucard), previously Count Dracula (ドラキュラ, Dorakyura), is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Hellsing manga and anime series created by Kouta Hirano. A vampire devoted entirely to the current head of the Hellsing family, Integra Hellsing, Alucard works with the Hellsing Organization against other vampires and evil forces, fighting with ferocity and cruelty, sometimes only killing after a target has been disabled and humiliated, while frequently allowing enemies more than one chance to kill him (though only seeking to be killed by a human, having grown bored of immortality and life). Count Dracula was defeated by Abraham Van Helsing and became the family's loyal servant. Decades later, Abraham's direct descendant Arthur Hellsing gives the Count the codename "Alucard". Hellsing is set over a hundred years later, where Alucard and the Hellsing Organization are forced to fight the remnants of a Nazi battalion. Alucard also appears in the prequel series Hellsing: The Dawn, taking a female form alongside his partner Walter C. Dornez to end World War II in a fight against Nazis.
Hirano created Alucard as a strong individual who would be deus ex machina on his own, resulting in an easy defeat of most enemies. Alucard is voiced by Jouji Nakata in Japanese and Crispin Freeman in English. Critical response to the character has been positive for Alucard's dark traits such as sadism or supernatural abilities that make him stand out as excessively violent despite being the main hero. Alucard's design also stood out for being called "stylish", praising his outfits and weaponry. Alucard's voice portrayals by Nakata and Freeman were also met with a positive response.