The English dub is widely regarded by fans on Reddit and Crunchyroll as one of the few instances where the English voice acting—led by Crispin Freeman as Alucard—is considered superior to the original Japanese, thanks to its authentic British accents and gothic tone.
While both versions cover the Cheddar incident, they function differently as guides to the series:
: A "vampire" priest has turned the entire village into Ghouls —mindless, zombie-like servants created when a vampire feeds on a non-virgin. Hellsing (Dub) Episode 1
: Seras Victoria, the last surviving member of her police unit, is taken hostage by the priest. Alucard gives her a choice: die as a human or live as his servant. When she agrees, he shoots through her to kill the priest and turns her into a fledgling vampire. Key Differences: 2001 Series vs. Ultimate OVA
: Focuses more on the atmospheric, noir elements and develops Seras's internal struggle with her new nature more slowly. The English dub is widely regarded by fans
The episode follows the Hellsing Organization, a secret British task force led by , as they investigate a series of gruesome murders in the village of Cheddar.
: Alucard is dispatched to "clean up" the mess. He treats the mission with a mixture of boredom and predatory glee, easily dispatching the ghouls. Alucard gives her a choice: die as a
The first episode of , titled " The Undead " (2001 TV series) or "Hellsing I" (Ultimate OVA), serves as the violent introduction to the Hellsing Organization and its primary weapon, the ancient vampire Alucard .