The episode is about a battle between Hellsing and the Valentine Brothers. While Seras, the Hellsing Organization's newbie vampire, is adjusting to her place in the agency, a Round Table meeting is interrupted by the vampire brothers, Luke and Jan Valentine, who attack with an army of ghouls. It takes the utmost efforts of Integra and Seras, as well as Hellsing's great vampire Alucard and the suave and deadly butler, Walter, to combat the enemy threat.

One of the most obvious things in this episode is the huge effort put into animation and CG effects. The inside of the Hellsing mansion now has well-lighted Victorian corridors, instead of the flat blue twilight seen in the old anime. Smoke, blur effects, shining eyes (especially the ghouls' bright purple glowing eyes), and of course ample amounts of gory bloodiness are all done in detail. Ghouls do not bleed dust anymore. This is a violent, violent series, and almost everyone and everything bleeds shiny liquid blood profusely: it even splatters on the ceiling at one point and then drips down for the rest of that scene. Alucard and Walter show off their skills for the first time in the story, with truly disturbing CG hellhounds and the eerie sounds of monowire whistling through the air.

Besides the focus on visuals and audio, something else that breathes new life into the story is the comic relief, which was so conspicuously absent from the Gonzo Studios anime. Manga-style quasi-chibis for Seras and Walter, Konami cheat codes for Jan Valentine, and the much beloved mention of the Star Wars Fanclub all make appearances, enough to keep anyone entertained.

The OVA makes a point of following the manga, and does so fairly well, mixing in flashbacks smoothly. Nevertheless, it also adds some new touches, such as long scenes of Luke Valentine dispatching Hellsing troopers with his dagger and moving so fast that only the trail from his cigarette is visible. While some of these scenes are overdone, they certainly add to the badass style that saturates this series. That's not to say that this episode skimps on characters: Integra shows emotion at last, the conflicting sides of Seras' personality are explored, and the stylish Valentine Brothers make their debut and exit. This episode doesn’t go too far into emotional depth or meaning, however, relying mostly on dramatic visuals and humor to stay afloat.

If anything is lacking in OVA II except for Crispin Freeman's voice acting, (which we'll be hearing in due time), it is the old soundtrack. While the music, now leaning toward a classical feel, manages to add a more "epic" tone to the OVA, the much-lauded OST from the TV series will certainly be missed.

 

In general, OVA II far outshines both the anime and even the first OVA episode, and I’d definitely say it is worth watching, whether you’re a fan of horror/action anime or not. Bloody and stylish as always, this is Hellsing.