The Major

The Major (少佐, Shōsa) is the main antagonist of the Hellsing manga and OVA series.

A former first lieutenant of the SS, Adolf Hitler issued a special order (#666) placing him in charge of a top-secret project, the main focus of which was the perfection of an artificial vampirization process. The success of this project would allow the Nazis to utilize vampires in battle and turn the tide of the war in their favor. The operation was attacked and shut down by a young Walter Dornez and Alucard in Warsaw, Poland, in 1944. However, the defeat proved to be only a minor setback, as the Major and his subordinates managed to escape to South America unharmed. There they resumed their research. Now he controlls the Neo-Nazi organization Millenium Order, created from the last Nazi Battalion that survived WWII. His absolute disregard for life including his own, morbid love for warfare and extreme rhetoric abillities makes him one of the most ruthless villians in anime history often appearing on best anime villian countdowns. At the end of the story he is responsible for astronomical destruction and the deaths of well over 3 million people.

Appearance
The Major is a short, chubby man with blonde hair (metallic grey in the manga) and yellow eyes (blue in the manga). He wears a white coat, a white SS suit,a white dress shirt, and a black tie (all of which, also a metallic grey in the manga).

Plot
Although other Nazi officers with higher ranks accompanied Millennium to their South American hideout and attempted to exert their authority, the vampire officers loyal to the Major quickly executed them. Depending on the translation used, the Major is variously a sub-commander or the founder of Millennium, as well as the leader of a Werewolf special force.

The original purpose of the Nazi vampire research was to ensure Germany's victory in World War II and to create a Reich that would last for a thousand years (hence the name "Millennium"), but the Major claims that he has "no purpose". He states that he simply wishes to start an endless war. In his famous "I Love War" speech, he elaborates on his love for all facets of war, regardless of which side is winning. While addressing Integra Hellsing's question as to his specific goal, he says that he has no goal. He explains that while others settle on no means in obtaining their goals, he will settle on no goals in obtaining his means.

Thus, he personally leads the Millennium invasion of England, priming the men by promising them the most glorious war, and was seen conducting music to the sounds of the carnage below, perched above the Deus Ex Machina, while patiently listening to the Doctor's details about Walter's conversion, and saw the results of the same firsthand as he was about to be attacked by a Vatican assault helicopter. Giving his apparent approval, he sent Walter to deal with Alucard.

In the final chapters, the Major and Integra Hellsing duel to the death. As the final battle starts, because of an attack by Seras, the Major's left side is blown off, revealing himself to be a cyborg. After this discovery, Integra debates whether he was a monster or not, since he wasn't literally human. The Major responds by saying that as long as his will existed he was human, no matter what has become of his body. His reason for despising Alucard is that, though the Major is a human who looks like a monster, the vampire is a monster who looks like a human, something that he can never forgive. In the end, Integra shoots the Major in the head to kill him; but the Major dies with a smile on his face. It appears that he has died a happy man with no regrets, having fulfilled his dream of a grand war.

Personality
The Major is given no name or background in the official manga and OVA. The Major probably volunteered to the SS hoping to see combat to feed his love of war. As The Doctor points out he is a worthless shooter and his physique probably did not impress the recruitment officers. The Major was probably selected because of his intellect, enthusiasm and way with words. It's likely he talked his way into the SS. His skills allowed him the rank of Major.

The Major is often seen with a sinister or mad smile on his face. He has no regard for life, even his own, and is more than willing to sacrifice his own men and even his own life for war. The only goals the Major wished for was a grand war and the eradication of Alucard, whom he despises for having achieved immortality in such a cheap and cowardly way and still appears as a human.

He did not care for the reason. During World War II he wished for vampire immortality and a vampire army so that he could wage war forever. However, after the destruction of Millenium's research compound and the fall of Germany he rejected vampirism. During the fall of Berlin he was in the same spot of absolute dispair that Alucard found himself in when drinking blood in the battlefield and turning into a vampire. The Major had blood slipping toward him as he lay dying but rejected it as he did not want to be a vessel for a great many souls but wanted to be no one but himself. 

Powers
Gifted Orator: The Major's main asset is his ability to inspire his troops with enthusiastic speeches. He can take almost any situation and spin it into a speech that will strengthen Millenium's morale for their next operation. Probably the best example of the Major's oration abilities is his famous "I love war" speech from OVA 4, where Millenium is preparing their assault on London:

"My friends, it has often been said that I like war.

My friends, I like war... No, friends, I love war! I love holocausts. I love blitzkriegs. I love defensive lines. I love sieges, charges, I love mop-up operations, and retreats.

Wars across prairies, in streets, in trenches, in grasslands, in frozen tundras, through deserts, on the sea, in the air, I love every act of war that can occur upon this earth.

I love blasting the enemy to smithereens with artillery salvos that thunder across the lines of battle. My heart leaps with joy whenever a soldier is tossed high into the air and cut to pieces by well placed sniper rounds. And there is nothing like a tank operator using a Tiger 88 to destroy enemy tanks. And the feeling that comes when a soldier runs screaming from his blazing tank only to be mowed down by heavy machine gun fire, is such an exquisite feeling.

Like when ranks of infantry brandish their bayonets rushing into the enemy line. It moves me deep within my heart to watch a fresh recruit stabbing over and over into the bloated chest of a long-dead enemy.

The sight of deserters being strung up from a street lamp is an irresistible pleasure. And there is nothing more arousing, than the sounds made by prisoners of war dropping like flies, screaming in agony as they're mowed down by ear piercing schmeissers!

When a band of pitiful resistance fighters makes their final stand with nothing but small arms, only to have their city smashed to atoms block by block by 4.8 ton bombshells, I'm in ecstasy.

I love it when my forces are ravaged by a Russian armored division. It's so sad to see towns and villages that were supposed to be defended at all costs, being laid to waste, their women and children being raped, and killed.

I love to be squashed under the heel of the British and American war machines. The humiliation, as my men crawl around like vermin, ducking the jagdbombers flying overhead.

Gentlemen... All I ask for is war, a war so grand as to make Hell itself tremble. Gentlemen, I ask you as fellow brothers in arms, what is it that you really want? Do you wish for further war as I do? Do you wish for a merciless, bloody war? A war whose fury is built with iron, and lightning, and fire? Do you ask for war to sweep in like a tempest, leaving not even ravens to scavenge, from this Earth!?

Very well. Then krieg is what you shall have. We are a clenched fist, ready to strike down all who oppose us, with our might. But... After enduring over half a century wallowing in the darkness, for us, a simple "ordinary" war will no longer be sufficient. We need a MASSIVE war! A war beyond any other that man's history has ever known!

We are but a single battalion... The remnants of a defeated army numbering less than a thousand strong. However, I believe that each of you old warriors is equal to a thousand of their sickly soft children! We represent a force that could easily defeat an army of a million and one men! It is time for them to awake the ones who sent us screaming into oblivion, and who now lie sleeping. Let's drag them out of bed by the hair, and remind them of what we are! We will remind them of what it feels like to live in fear. We will remind them of the sound our jackboots make against their throats. We will remind them, that there are more things between Heaven and Hell than are dreamt of in their philosophy.

Our Kampfgruppe of one thousand vampires is going to burn this world down to ash. Yes, my friends! Soon, Europe's charred remains will illuminate the night sky! I have brought you all back just as I promised I would. Back to our favorite battlefield. Back to our beloved war! At last the sea lion has crossed the ocean and is heading up the hill. Attention all soldiers of the Millennium Battalion this is a message from your commander… friends, let’s bring them hell."

Trivia

 * The Major's true name is never really given in the series. The Major's old name is placed in a few pieces of the Manga's art and in panels, but it's very inconsistent and is spelled differently almost every time.
 * The_Major_2.jpg The Major's first full appearance in volume three the Major appears to be much slimmer than the way he looks in future volumes. This is most likely because Kouta Hirano had not yet decided on a final look for the character.
 * There are a few minor but noticeable inconsistencies in the artwork for The Major towards the end of volume 10. In one panel, he has clearly lost half of his left leg. However, in his very last appearance, it appears to be entirely intact. Also, his glasses (what's left of them) are shown falling to the floor after Integra shoots him, but they are back on his face right after that.
 * The Major did not first appear in Hellsing proper, his first appearance was actually in Hirano's earlier manga "Coyote". In Coyote, he was mostly the same character with a few slight differences including being a lot slimmer, and being referred to by the name "Montana Max,",Coyote also made him a "tragic villain", with his early childhood being told in the manga. Hellsing actually includes what appear to be nods to Coyote in that Fans have actually adopted "Montana Max" as The Major's name in Hellsing (including members of the OVA's English Dub cast), but the name has never been written in any of the dialogue whatsoever, it is more likely than not just another in-joke from Hirano.
 * Before it was revealed that the Major was a cyborg, it was hinted at in many different ways, such as Schrodinger saying the Major should go on a diet, in which the Major responds with a laugh and says, "No, I couldn't do that!", and when he drops his drink without drinking it before his attack on London. Before the reveal, some fans and even the ADR director of the english dub assumed he was in fact the god of war as this would not only explain his love for war, his lack of name and past and him not ageing.
 * In the English Commentary of OVA 4, the ADR director, Taliesin Jaffe, stated that The Major's Speech was one of the hardest things he has ever directed, and it took around 3 days to complete. As an add on joke, he made a "Karaoke Version" of The Major's Speech in the Limited Edition.
 * The Major can be considered similar to Liquid Snake of the Metal Gear Series, wanting nothing but a war torn world, albeit for different reasons, as The Major simply loves war, where as Liquid wanted to create a world which always had a place for soldiers.
 * The Major's infamous "I Love War" speech may have been inspired by the "Total War" speech given by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels in 1943 as the tide of World War II began to turn on the Axis powers.
 * It is apparent that The Major is a bad marksmen, considering the amount of shots it took before he finally hit Sir. Integra in the eye, at point-blank range. This is further proven by The Major's last words, "I finally hit something".
 * Unlike Alucard and father Anderson, when being faced with a moment of utter dispair and defeat, the Major choose to reject supernatural powers in exchange for his life and soul.
 * Between 1941 and 1944 the Major had been promoted to Major from being a first lieutenant. It's possible the promotion came with the Major suggesting the "vampire-project". It's possible that he would have been promoted again when the research bore fruit.