Kouta Hirano excelled in blending gore with comedy bits with Hellsing. This peculiar blend of such different elements have appealed to many fans all over the world. During the early 2000s, when Hellsing was still being published, anime wasn’t as mainstream as it is today. There were few anime that were successful enough to reach the fans overseas.
With its striking visuals, Hellsing garnered international attention. Even today, the series enjoys a dedicated fanbase that is always on the lookout for Hirano’s new works.
Kouta Hirano On His Overseas Fans
Hellsing balances extreme violence and horror with brief amusing bits. The manga is more stylish than what is considered normal and the characters stand out for their elaborate character designs. What appealed to fans primarily was the visual aspect, followed by Hirano’s ability to keep things intense, and then suddenly turn the tension into an amusing bit. Initially, Hirano had a smaller goal regarding the audience he aimed to reach, as he shared in an interview from the official guidebook of Hellsing.
After discussing the popularity of Hellsing among the international fans, the interviewer asked Hirano about the difference between his Japanese fans and the overseas fans he meets at conventions. Hirano shared (via translation on Tumblr) that during conventions, it’s always great to see the overseas fans being so full of excitement.
In the conventions overseas, the fans go crazy no matter what. I’ve heard things like “You rock!” or “Hell yeah!”, they’re always so hyped. It makes one think “Wow, I’m really famous.”
Hirano further shared that he can’t exactly specify the difference between his Japanese and overseas fans, or if there even is one. He considers himself a simple Japanese mangaka whose works are aimed at the Japanese audience, and very few of them at that. The creator might have been highlighting Hellsing’s nature of appealing to a niche audience.
Even though the mangaka didn’t fully give Hellsing the credit for its international popularity, the excitement of fans is understandable as conventions are a way for them to meet their favorite creators and like-minded enthusiasts. Especially creators like Hirano whose works are so highly regarded as entertaining.
The Creator’s Experience Drawing Hellsing
Kouta Hirano also delved into his process and the struggles he faced, while working on Hellsing. He loved telling the story and characterization, but he struggled with the drawing aspect. He stated how difficult it is to create a manga. He was asked if he ever had to take the easy way out by drawing an alternate version of his idea, simply because the original one seemed too difficult to illustrate. He explained that he only had singular versions for everything.
Actually, I always get a single idea for everything. So, I have no choice but to draw that.
Being limited by a single idea often delayed his process, he expressed some concern for the higher-ups who were in-charge of the publishing. But this concern was quickly sidelined during the interview, as he excitedly shared that he loved drawing villains. He always tried to draw them in unconventional ways, and it’s safe to say that he succeeded, as most fans admire the way the characters are designed in Hellsing.
Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate are available to stream on Crunchyroll.
