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ベルセルク [Berserk] #11
Berserk, Vol. 11
The Band of the Hawk — what's left of them — are on the run, Guts and Casca having rescued the Hawks' leader, Griffith, from the horrors of the King of Midland's dungeons. Starved, tortured mercilessly and imprisoned in an iron mask, Griffith hangs to life and sanity by a thread… and he'll be no help against the King's latest charges sent to bring him back to pay for his dalliance with the King's daughter. Now the depleted Hawks will have to face the Knights of the Black Dog, led by the merciless, bestial Wyald… one bad dog who's even worse when he unleashes the beast within!
234 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 1996
About the author
Kentaro Miura
377 books2,198 followersKentarou Miura (三浦建太郎) was born in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, in 1966. He is left-handed. In 1976, at the early age of 10, Miura made his first Manga, entitled "Miuranger", that was published for his classmates in a school publication; the manga ended up spanning 40 volumes. In 1977, Miura created his second manga called Ken e no michi (剣への道 The Way to the Sword), using Indian ink for the first time. When he was in middle school in 1979, Miura's drawing techniques improved greatly as he started using professional drawing techniques. His first dōjinshi was published, with the help of friends, in a magazine in 1982.
That same year, in 1982, Miura enrolled in an artistic curriculum in high school, where he and his classmates started publishing their works in school booklets, as well as having his first dōjinshi published in a fan-produced magazine. In 1985, Miura applied for the entrance examination of an art college in Nihon University. He submitted Futanabi for examination and was granted admission. This project was later nominated Best New Author work in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Another Miura manga Noa was published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine the very same year. Due to a disagreement with one of the editors, the manga was stalled and eventually dropped altogether. This is approximately where Miura's career hit a slump.
In 1988, Miura bounced back with a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, as an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves (王狼, ōrō?) based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken. It was published in the monthly Japanese Animal House magazine in issues 5 and 7 of that year.
In 1990, a sequel is made to Ourou entitled Ourou Den (王狼伝 ōrō den, The Legend of the Wolf King) that was published as a prequel to the original in Young Animal Magazine. In the same year, the 10th issue of Animal House witnesses the first volume of the solo project Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga titled Japan, that was published in Young Animal House from the 1st issue to the 8th of 1992, and was later released as a stand-alone tankōbon. Miura's fame grew after Berserk was serialized in Young Animal in 1992 with the release of "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of his masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary mangakas. At this time Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future.
In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released. In 1999, Miura made minor contributions to the Dreamcast video game Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage. 2004 saw the release of yet another video game adaptation entitled Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Chapter of the Record of the Holy Demon War.
Since that time, the Berserk manga has spanned 34 tankōbon with no end in sight. The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentarou Miura received the second place in the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award of Excellence for Berserk.[1]
Miura provided the design for the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo, whose voice is taken from the Japanese singer and actor, Gackt.
Miura passed away on May 6, 2021 at 2:48 p.m. due to acute aortic dissection.
That same year, in 1982, Miura enrolled in an artistic curriculum in high school, where he and his classmates started publishing their works in school booklets, as well as having his first dōjinshi published in a fan-produced magazine. In 1985, Miura applied for the entrance examination of an art college in Nihon University. He submitted Futanabi for examination and was granted admission. This project was later nominated Best New Author work in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Another Miura manga Noa was published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine the very same year. Due to a disagreement with one of the editors, the manga was stalled and eventually dropped altogether. This is approximately where Miura's career hit a slump.
In 1988, Miura bounced back with a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, as an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves (王狼, ōrō?) based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken. It was published in the monthly Japanese Animal House magazine in issues 5 and 7 of that year.
In 1990, a sequel is made to Ourou entitled Ourou Den (王狼伝 ōrō den, The Legend of the Wolf King) that was published as a prequel to the original in Young Animal Magazine. In the same year, the 10th issue of Animal House witnesses the first volume of the solo project Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga titled Japan, that was published in Young Animal House from the 1st issue to the 8th of 1992, and was later released as a stand-alone tankōbon. Miura's fame grew after Berserk was serialized in Young Animal in 1992 with the release of "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of his masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary mangakas. At this time Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future.
In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released. In 1999, Miura made minor contributions to the Dreamcast video game Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage. 2004 saw the release of yet another video game adaptation entitled Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Chapter of the Record of the Holy Demon War.
Since that time, the Berserk manga has spanned 34 tankōbon with no end in sight. The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentarou Miura received the second place in the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award of Excellence for Berserk.[1]
Miura provided the design for the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo, whose voice is taken from the Japanese singer and actor, Gackt.
Miura passed away on May 6, 2021 at 2:48 p.m. due to acute aortic dissection.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
June 9, 2023
One more crazy issue, somehow i knew this wasn't the eclipse, and the death he can't escape, maybe the death of Casca, but maybe its the cursed, But then it wouldn't make any sense really, if guts will die in the end because of his cursed mark.
I have to admit i didn't see that coming! Wayland being one of the apostles, I thought he is just some freak of nature, but once Guts recognized him as similar to Nosferatu Zodd, i knew that we are up for an epic battle, and boy did we get it!
First we meet the savagery of the band of the dog knight, which is insane it reflected for me to the first different team that appeared in Gantz, the guys and girls that were doing drugs and fucking the demons! it was the same amount of insanity, but maybe the team from Gantz wins! because they fucked demons that should count for something eh?
Griffith is forever watchful in this volume, he was even scared for Guts's life for a second there, i am not sure really, what's on his mind? at times i feel like he wants to hold his sword just to fight Guts, am not really sure if that's what the artist is Implying.
But looking at the cover of the next volume, i can say it looks like Griffith will become one of the Godhand next volume, and it will all go to hell from there.
I have to admit i didn't see that coming! Wayland being one of the apostles, I thought he is just some freak of nature, but once Guts recognized him as similar to Nosferatu Zodd, i knew that we are up for an epic battle, and boy did we get it!
First we meet the savagery of the band of the dog knight, which is insane it reflected for me to the first different team that appeared in Gantz, the guys and girls that were doing drugs and fucking the demons! it was the same amount of insanity, but maybe the team from Gantz wins! because they fucked demons that should count for something eh?
Griffith is forever watchful in this volume, he was even scared for Guts's life for a second there, i am not sure really, what's on his mind? at times i feel like he wants to hold his sword just to fight Guts, am not really sure if that's what the artist is Implying.
But looking at the cover of the next volume, i can say it looks like Griffith will become one of the Godhand next volume, and it will all go to hell from there.
February 18, 2019
Here it is. The worst part of Berserk.
I'll start with the positives; I enjoy seeing how the gang copes with Griffith's condition and tries to move forward. The art, as always, is phenomenal. Charlotte's brief part was well written and tied into Zodd's approach wonderfully.
My problems with this volume have to do with Wyald. Having Rosine and the Slug Baron attack the Hawks in the previous volume was jumping the gun a bit, but you could justify it as build up for the eclipse and an excuse for Rickert not to be around. But Wyald's inclusion baffles me. We do not need to see Guts fighting apostles or apostles devouring the Band of the Hawk when the eclipse is coming in the very next volume. That isn't foreshadowing; it's stealing the eclipse's thunder. What foreshadowing was achieved just before Wyald died could have been achieved by another short encounter with Zodd.
Additionally, Wyald feels completely out of place. It does not make sense for the king to just have an apostle hanging out in his basement. It's feels very much like Wyald was just thrown in at the last minute. And all this action hurts the flow of the story. The team fighting out of the tower of rebirth, battling the Bakiraka, and escaping from the town was plenty. We did not need an entire volume of action. It's not even that good any way. Wyald is barely even a character. He's like a generic boss fight. He likes sex and violence. There's nothing there.
Most egregious of all is how Wyald is handled. When people accuse Berserk of having mindless rape and violence, they are talking about Wyald. There's no problem with using sexual violence as a part of your story. However, there is a problem with using it thoughtlessly or carelessly. Wyald raping a background character and riding around with her dismembered corpse on a pike achieves nothing.
Even worse is when he tries to rape Casca. It's out of place, gratuitous, and pointless. It teaches us nothing about Casca, Wyald, the world of Berserk, or any other characters. Casca doesn't change or process what happened. She doesn't even seem to give it a second thought. It's a shallow throw away character trying to inflict horrible trauma upon a well-rounded character that serves no narrative purpose and isn't addressed afterwords. It damages the character of Casca too. This is still a problem during the conviction arc, but this may be the worst case. It's no longer an interaction between characters or some sort of meaningful even in the story. It's just beating the reader and the character over the head with the threat of very personal and serious trauma. It takes a well thought out and complex character and turns her into a piece of meat. Want to establish that Casca is in danger? Have somebody try to rape her. It removes all the punch and gravitas something like rape should have in a story.
I'll start with the positives; I enjoy seeing how the gang copes with Griffith's condition and tries to move forward. The art, as always, is phenomenal. Charlotte's brief part was well written and tied into Zodd's approach wonderfully.
My problems with this volume have to do with Wyald. Having Rosine and the Slug Baron attack the Hawks in the previous volume was jumping the gun a bit, but you could justify it as build up for the eclipse and an excuse for Rickert not to be around. But Wyald's inclusion baffles me. We do not need to see Guts fighting apostles or apostles devouring the Band of the Hawk when the eclipse is coming in the very next volume. That isn't foreshadowing; it's stealing the eclipse's thunder. What foreshadowing was achieved just before Wyald died could have been achieved by another short encounter with Zodd.
Additionally, Wyald feels completely out of place. It does not make sense for the king to just have an apostle hanging out in his basement. It's feels very much like Wyald was just thrown in at the last minute. And all this action hurts the flow of the story. The team fighting out of the tower of rebirth, battling the Bakiraka, and escaping from the town was plenty. We did not need an entire volume of action. It's not even that good any way. Wyald is barely even a character. He's like a generic boss fight. He likes sex and violence. There's nothing there.
Most egregious of all is how Wyald is handled. When people accuse Berserk of having mindless rape and violence, they are talking about Wyald. There's no problem with using sexual violence as a part of your story. However, there is a problem with using it thoughtlessly or carelessly. Wyald raping a background character and riding around with her dismembered corpse on a pike achieves nothing.
Even worse is when he tries to rape Casca. It's out of place, gratuitous, and pointless. It teaches us nothing about Casca, Wyald, the world of Berserk, or any other characters. Casca doesn't change or process what happened. She doesn't even seem to give it a second thought. It's a shallow throw away character trying to inflict horrible trauma upon a well-rounded character that serves no narrative purpose and isn't addressed afterwords. It damages the character of Casca too. This is still a problem during the conviction arc, but this may be the worst case. It's no longer an interaction between characters or some sort of meaningful even in the story. It's just beating the reader and the character over the head with the threat of very personal and serious trauma. It takes a well thought out and complex character and turns her into a piece of meat. Want to establish that Casca is in danger? Have somebody try to rape her. It removes all the punch and gravitas something like rape should have in a story.
April 11, 2023
I love how the Band of the Hawk tries to accommodate Griffith’s condition, bringing him along even though he can’t fight anymore. I’m savouring these last few moments of brotherhood between Griffith and Guts before everything goes wrong.
I can see why Wyald is a controversial villain in this series. The violence is *excessive* for sure. But I do love how Guts was able to showcase his power against the strongest enemy he’s faced yet. Another amaaaazing volume….. and I think the eclipse is here (I’m scared)
I can see why Wyald is a controversial villain in this series. The violence is *excessive* for sure. But I do love how Guts was able to showcase his power against the strongest enemy he’s faced yet. Another amaaaazing volume….. and I think the eclipse is here (I’m scared)
May 3, 2018
HOW?IS?THIS?SO?GOOD?
July 6, 2022
Wyald is a controversial figure in the minds of the fans. On one hand, the bloodshed and cruelty associated with him is rather brutal and excessive even for this series, and unlike a lot of things, rather pointless as well: they could have toned him down a lot and very little of value would have been lost. On the other hand, he makes for a hilarious and memorable adversary, giving some of the finest moments for the Band of the Hawk as a whole as they do battle with him and his men.
We also see a good bit of badassery from Zodd. Just because you can take on a demon now, doesn't make him any less dangerous. It's just nice to see him go for someone else for a change.
We also see a good bit of badassery from Zodd. Just because you can take on a demon now, doesn't make him any less dangerous. It's just nice to see him go for someone else for a change.
May 11, 2024
لالم از جزئیات این ولوم
فتبارک الله احسن الخالقین
فتبارک الله احسن الخالقین
December 27, 2023
Yep something terrible is really about to happen...
May 8, 2024
کسوف دیگه رسما شروع شده و از زمین و آسمون داره واسه اعضای گروه شاهین بدبیاری میباره.
جزئیات، داستان، آرت و همه مقدمهچینیها آمادهس برای نقطه اوج آرک گلدن ایج.
هایپ داستان به نهایت خودش رسیده.
جزئیات، داستان، آرت و همه مقدمهچینیها آمادهس برای نقطه اوج آرک گلدن ایج.
هایپ داستان به نهایت خودش رسیده.
Read
October 12, 2022نوسفراتو زاد: ظاهر میشه
من: اسکرین شات اسکرین شات اسکرین شات
من: اسکرین شات اسکرین شات اسکرین شات
March 15, 2021
This was a pretty cool volume as we have Guts fight the black dog knights led by Wyald and then the latter reveals his monstrous form and then the battle that ensues is epic, bloody and all, and we see the transformation into a hideous beast and the way its taking down others and then Guts and how it almost did Casca and the rescue, his 2nd resurrection, the coming of Zodd and so on and so forth! Its epic the way its done and is just brilliant! Plus the prophecy of Godhand and the condition of Griffith is wow!
November 29, 2022
4/10 stars
Eh, meh. Completely unnecessary, gratuitiously violent and sexist volume, particularly when viewed in the light of the Eclipse coming right on its heels in the next volume.
I guess it's trying to establish how horrid and common the demons are? Mostly, though, it's naked female bodies, often dismembered, and constant threat of rape and murder. Honestly, the entire Wyald intrusion seems redundant and off, just a filler volume for some snuff enthusiasts. So why does it get more than 1 star? Simple: Miura's art skills are astoundingly good here; his style, while still having moments of clunkiness, evolved into something truly amazing, binding excruciating attention to detail with emotional weight through expressionist use of line and shading. Some of these panels are jaw-dropping.
Eh, meh. Completely unnecessary, gratuitiously violent and sexist volume, particularly when viewed in the light of the Eclipse coming right on its heels in the next volume.
I guess it's trying to establish how horrid and common the demons are? Mostly, though, it's naked female bodies, often dismembered, and constant threat of rape and murder. Honestly, the entire Wyald intrusion seems redundant and off, just a filler volume for some snuff enthusiasts. So why does it get more than 1 star? Simple: Miura's art skills are astoundingly good here; his style, while still having moments of clunkiness, evolved into something truly amazing, binding excruciating attention to detail with emotional weight through expressionist use of line and shading. Some of these panels are jaw-dropping.
October 10, 2021
It's starting to get interesting, but Miura's nasty misogyny takes a whole point away. I just can't with the sexualisation of all women, corpses even. Whether raped, decapitated, ripped in half, tits and ass are always the focus point, remaining perky and sexy whatever happens. Whatever Casca, being de-clothed by Wyald, does, Miura has to draw both nipples the whole time, and her vagina is visible in every single shot. Whether she crouches, jumps or runs, her back is arched all the time to maximize her ass shape, her legs remain wide apart to show her pussy, and her breasts never look any less than a porn star's. It is grossly irritating, it truly pisses me off. And I haven't even gotten to the dreadful 13th volume. Help.
April 4, 2019
Okay... I didn’t think this series could get any weirder or more fucked up... it’s even weirder and more fucked up.
What’s it about?
I unfortunately can’t say much without spoilers... I will say this much: there is a group called the Black Dog Knights and they are demented as fuck. The Black Dog Knights are complete sadists that torture, rape and kill everything in their path... and possibly aren’t even human. Now, there’s gonna be in a big fight: Black Dog Knights vs. Band of The Hawk.
Why it gets 5 stars:
This story is still an amazing fantasy story. Possibly the best in the genre. It’s so interesting and well written.
The art is still the best art in manga. There’s so much detail but it’s still very manga-y. I like that.
The characters are still very interesting.
There’s nearly nonstop action. It’s both brutal and exciting. Most of the volume is an epic battle between 2 powerful groups of warriors and it is so damn good. I can’t see how anyone could be bored reading this.
This book is fairly suspenseful. It’s one of those books that at first seems a bit predictable but as it goes on it gets more suspenseful, I really like that.
Despite this being a really twisted book, there’s a bit of good comic relief.
The horror stuff is very well done. A mix of weird, creepy monsters and extreme, gory, brutal violence in the action. Of course if you’re a fan of disturbing stories you’ll be into this, I read a lot of twisted books and this one got me very disturbed in a few moments (my mom asked if I was okay, she heard my shocked reaction to one part).
The villains are twisted as fuck as villains should be. They’re also pretty interesting and powerful.
This book is one of those ones that is weird as fuck but still makes sense, I often enjoy that.
This has some very emotional moments.
Overall:
This series is amazing, another 5 star volume! This is a review for the 11th volume and it’s still a strong series.
Imagine if Garth Ennis wrote Mad Max and put it in a dark fantasy setting... now imagine it being twice as disturbing as what you just imagined- sound good? Of course it does, read this!
It’s an amazing but weird story with lots of action, interesting characters and a spectacular horror element! I cannot recommend this series enough! If you’re looking for a great dark fantasy book and don’t mind extreme levels of gore and nudity (believe me, this series puts the “graphic” in “graphic novel”, especially this volume) then you are making a mistake by not reading Berserk. So fucking good, can’t recommend it enough!
5/5
What’s it about?
I unfortunately can’t say much without spoilers... I will say this much: there is a group called the Black Dog Knights and they are demented as fuck. The Black Dog Knights are complete sadists that torture, rape and kill everything in their path... and possibly aren’t even human. Now, there’s gonna be in a big fight: Black Dog Knights vs. Band of The Hawk.
Why it gets 5 stars:
This story is still an amazing fantasy story. Possibly the best in the genre. It’s so interesting and well written.
The art is still the best art in manga. There’s so much detail but it’s still very manga-y. I like that.
The characters are still very interesting.
There’s nearly nonstop action. It’s both brutal and exciting. Most of the volume is an epic battle between 2 powerful groups of warriors and it is so damn good. I can’t see how anyone could be bored reading this.
This book is fairly suspenseful. It’s one of those books that at first seems a bit predictable but as it goes on it gets more suspenseful, I really like that.
Despite this being a really twisted book, there’s a bit of good comic relief.
The horror stuff is very well done. A mix of weird, creepy monsters and extreme, gory, brutal violence in the action. Of course if you’re a fan of disturbing stories you’ll be into this, I read a lot of twisted books and this one got me very disturbed in a few moments (my mom asked if I was okay, she heard my shocked reaction to one part).
The villains are twisted as fuck as villains should be. They’re also pretty interesting and powerful.
This book is one of those ones that is weird as fuck but still makes sense, I often enjoy that.
This has some very emotional moments.
Overall:
This series is amazing, another 5 star volume! This is a review for the 11th volume and it’s still a strong series.
Imagine if Garth Ennis wrote Mad Max and put it in a dark fantasy setting... now imagine it being twice as disturbing as what you just imagined- sound good? Of course it does, read this!
It’s an amazing but weird story with lots of action, interesting characters and a spectacular horror element! I cannot recommend this series enough! If you’re looking for a great dark fantasy book and don’t mind extreme levels of gore and nudity (believe me, this series puts the “graphic” in “graphic novel”, especially this volume) then you are making a mistake by not reading Berserk. So fucking good, can’t recommend it enough!
5/5
July 5, 2021
Shit just hit the fan in this particular volume.
Volume 11 contains some of the most cursed as well as some of the most epic moments of the series so far.
The Black Dog Knights are on pursuit of The Band of the Hawk after they have rescued Griffith and are on the run, but something even more horrible awaits.
Drawn exquisitely to the smallest of details, and written in the most intriguing manner, the late Kentaro Miura (RIP) undoubtedly gave his all to the manga.
Volume 11 contains some of the most cursed as well as some of the most epic moments of the series so far.
The Black Dog Knights are on pursuit of The Band of the Hawk after they have rescued Griffith and are on the run, but something even more horrible awaits.
Drawn exquisitely to the smallest of details, and written in the most intriguing manner, the late Kentaro Miura (RIP) undoubtedly gave his all to the manga.
December 2, 2020
Way too exploitative, some of it could've been done in better taste, but hey, that's Berserk for you. I kinda feel like the battle against Wyald diminishes the impact of the eclipse, the anime made a good choice by leaving this story arc out.
Read
August 28, 2023Not. Needed.
April 19, 2023
Feels like a bit of a misstep, the King has sent out a monster to find Griffith and the rest of the Hawks. After Griffith and co escape the King promises his daughter he won't pursue the Hawks, but of course he does. Not only that but he sends a mercenary force that apparently rivals the Hawks themselves, a group so evil Midland never uses them as part of a regular military force.
So the Knights of the Black Dog, led by Wyald, go off to attack the Hawks. It's a volume of action with spectacular artwork. But I feel like the first introduction of a monster (Nosferatu Zodd) was more subtle, it was a situation most characters found unbelievable. Here the monster is just a henchman for the King, so he knew about this guy the whole time.
Lots of gratuitous violence (especially sexual violence) in this one. Some parts of it reminded me of Johnny Ryan's Prison Pit comics!
So the Knights of the Black Dog, led by Wyald, go off to attack the Hawks. It's a volume of action with spectacular artwork. But I feel like the first introduction of a monster (Nosferatu Zodd) was more subtle, it was a situation most characters found unbelievable. Here the monster is just a henchman for the King, so he knew about this guy the whole time.
Lots of gratuitous violence (especially sexual violence) in this one. Some parts of it reminded me of Johnny Ryan's Prison Pit comics!
November 29, 2020
Reasons why I hate Wyald:
-He's one dimensional and evil to the point of being cartoonish.
-He cheapens the Eclipse and steals part of its momentum. I get that we needed to see Guts progress of strength, but there's better ways of doing it than with a character like him.
-He's an unnecessary low brand Zodd, glad the motherfucker also happened to be the one to kill him...
-He reveals too much. Just shut the fuck up and let the story happen.
-He doesn't make sense and feels thrown into the story at last minute. Where did he come from? Why does he accept working for the king? Was he going to just hang around the king's basement until something more interesting happened? I mean, why would the king even accept the services of such a "man"?
-It's s reflection of the worst parts of an otherwise excellent manga. Casca's billionth attempt of rape on her is given no second thought by anyone. It's problematic and it's done in such a gratuitous way, it feels like Miura wanted to use the occasion for fan service, which given the circumstances of the event and the immediacy of the Eclipse, feels terribly out of place, if not downright disgusting.
The art is excellent, and there are some nice moments, like the conversations between Griffith and Guts...but this is the lowest point in the entire manga so far, which sucks considering how great it had been up until this moment (and how much more great it will continue to be). Sadly it can't be skipped, despite not being much else other than dull filler.
-He's one dimensional and evil to the point of being cartoonish.
-He cheapens the Eclipse and steals part of its momentum. I get that we needed to see Guts progress of strength, but there's better ways of doing it than with a character like him.
-He's an unnecessary low brand Zodd, glad the motherfucker also happened to be the one to kill him...
-He reveals too much. Just shut the fuck up and let the story happen.
-He doesn't make sense and feels thrown into the story at last minute. Where did he come from? Why does he accept working for the king? Was he going to just hang around the king's basement until something more interesting happened? I mean, why would the king even accept the services of such a "man"?
-It's s reflection of the worst parts of an otherwise excellent manga. Casca's billionth attempt of rape on her is given no second thought by anyone. It's problematic and it's done in such a gratuitous way, it feels like Miura wanted to use the occasion for fan service, which given the circumstances of the event and the immediacy of the Eclipse, feels terribly out of place, if not downright disgusting.
The art is excellent, and there are some nice moments, like the conversations between Griffith and Guts...but this is the lowest point in the entire manga so far, which sucks considering how great it had been up until this moment (and how much more great it will continue to be). Sadly it can't be skipped, despite not being much else other than dull filler.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2024
Miura has used sexual abuse well in Berserk, as a tool to explore the darker aspects of humanity. But here it is of excess, without any associated depth. Specifically with Casca, every successive sexual assault without utilization for further development treads towards an objectionable indulgence. Excluding this, the artistic quality has remained extremely high. Containing some of the best panels so far.
May 22, 2022
Fair and WARRANTED warning - Kentaro Miura loves gratuitous sex scenes that don’t really advance the plot other than reaffirming that the Berserk-verse is a depraved filth hole.
July 13, 2021
Knowing what’s right around the corner, this is the saddest, darkest and scariest volume so far. The sense of impending doom is unreal.
Also Guts really loses it and goes, ahem…berserk (I’m sorry) in this one and it’s really fun to see.
This series is some of the best media I’ve ever consumed in total. Absolutely phenomenal.
Also Guts really loses it and goes, ahem…berserk (I’m sorry) in this one and it’s really fun to see.
This series is some of the best media I’ve ever consumed in total. Absolutely phenomenal.
December 14, 2021
Hellraiser + Conan the Barbarian + Game of Thrones + Ash vs Evil Dead + Elric of Melnibone + Macbeth = Berserk.
Guts is a severely traumatized vigilante that wanders the world, throwing himself into one battle after another in hopes of finding a meaning in the tremendous suffering he's endured. His sword is his only trusted companion and he's consumed by a lust for vengeance. Griffith is a charismatic mercenary with dreams of ending a hundred year war in hopes of attaining his own kingdom. Little do his comrades and enemies know, he's not the flawless hero many believe him to be. When the paths of these two men clash, the entire world drastically evolves around the earth-shattering conflict between their indomitable wills.
A grimdark epic with compelling protagonists, stomach-churning horror, heartbreaking drama and a lovecraftian sense of metaphysical worldbuilding that's as fascinating as it is terrifying. Berserk has been my favorite manga, fantasy story and perhaps favorite story ever made for over a decade now and I was really sad to hear that the man behind the masterpiece passed away earlier this year.
Berserk is infamous for being the most gratuitously dark, brutal, shocking and depressing fantasy story ever written, but it is also rich with intense human emotion, philosophical depth, perseverance through unimaginable suffering and horrifyingly realistic depictions of psychological trauma. The series tackles the complex nature of morality vs. primal nature, fate and causality vs. free will, resilience against soulcrushing trauma that would cause most people to become broken or twisted. The definitions of good an evil are blurred beyond recognition, the heroes are just as flawed and capable of terrible deeds as the villains. The lead characters Guts and Griffith consistently challenge these themes and definitions through their shocking yet horrifyingly human actions.
This manga has inspired many famous works of art that are popular in today’s media such as the Dark Souls franchise, Final Fantasy, Attack on Titan, Evangelion, Castlevania, as well as countless fantasy novels, comics, manga, movies, tv shows, video games, musicians, artists, illustrators and so much more.
Miura inspired me as well and I regard him for being the person who taught me just how influential, meaningful and life changing art and literature can be when I first read his series over a decade ago. He changed the way I view entertainment and taught me how to appreciate the deeper meanings in everything I experience.
Berserk is to me what Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings is to millions of others.
Rest In Peace to a legendary man.
***
Above is my completely spoiler free review showing my appreciation for this series and its characters.
Below is a review of the entire series, broken down arc by arc. I originally wrote these individual reviews back during my first reading of the series, so keep that in mind. Each part contains mild spoilers, I would advise not looking any further than the arcs you’re currently reading or have already read.
***
The Black Swordsman Arc: Volumes 1-3
The first arc is only the tip of the iceberg of a very complex, dark and violent tragedy. If you find yourself to be not too impressed with the first volume, I highly recommend reading until at least volume 4 before deciding if this series is for you or not. The first three volumes serve as an interlude to help prepare you for the atrocities to come and may seem somewhat underwhelming in terms of plot, but believe me when I say the payoff is highly rewarding and memorable.
The Black Swordsman arc is awesome for fans returning to the series or rereading the series, but it often gives newcomers the wrong impression. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just extremely different from the rest of the series and it’s set in the middle of the story rather than the beginning. This is done to set the dark tone of the series, bombarding you with shocking and upsetting content to make sure you know what you’re getting into before delving back to the beginning. For newcomers, this arc is a confusing yet exciting sword and sorcery tale of a vengeful barbarian warrior hunting demons in hopes of settling the score with his mortal enemy Griffith, and the evil lovecraftian beings that govern the world from the abyss known only as the Godhand. For returning readers, the Black Swordsman arc is much deeper than it seems, packed with genius foreshadowing, subtle character depth and truly impressive worldbuilding that will probably fly over the heads of newcomers.
Guts seems like a simplistic, edgy anti-hero at first glance, but he's so much more than that. Guts is one of the greatest characters the fantasy genre has to offer. Sigmund Freud could probably write a novel-length psychological analysis of this severely troubled and broken man. Guts is more complex than he leads people to believe as well. He's not a sociopathic antihero, he's a man that has no choice but to lie to himself to keep his emotions from crushing his spirit and getting innocent people involved with his deadly affairs. He's cruel and harsh for the greater good. It's the only way he can keep himself from going insane and continue to put up a good fight against terrifying creatures that are far stronger than he is. There's a bit of a joke in the Berserk community that says that no matter how bad your life might be, Guts will always have it worse. It's really not that hard to believe after you've read a bit of the series. His life was one big catastrophe literally from the moment he was born.
Not to mention his rival Griffith who is equally complex and incredibly rich with psychological depth, but there will be more on that as you delve further in. I would strongly recommend this series for hardcore fans of fantasy and horror, so long as you're prepared to be traumatized for life by the disgustingly harsh nature of its content.
This arc mainly serves to set up a lot of future plot points by introducing us to the Behilit, the God Hand, and the fact that even the demonic apostles are capable of emotions and having a family. Nothing is as it seems and no one is safe or innocent. It might not seem like it in the beginning, but the Black Swordsman arc is arguably one of the most important as it solidifies the themes of struggle, survival and wavering humanity that Guts deals with on a daily basis and sets up the flow of the rest of the story. It peels back the layers and reveals little by little how Guts grew up to be such a mentally broken and morally outraged character. It makes you sympathize with him and understand why he acts the way he does.
***
The Golden Age Arc: Volumes 4-13
The Golden Age Arc is where the story truly begins.
We return to the origins of Guts and learn about the series of battles, traumas and conflicts he gets himself wrapped in one after the other. We get introduced to a wonderfully intense group of mercenaries that go by the name of The Band of the Hawk. Among the Hawks are Casca the hot-headed female warrior, Judeau the smooth talking assassin, Corkus the drunken realist, Pippin the gentle giant, Rickert the blacksmith and of course, the infamous leader of men named Griffith.
Griffith is the most interesting of the motley crew as he is very complex and unpredictable. He has a playful side, a merciless side, a charismatic side and a childish yet vulnerable side. He can't be put into any single category. The gallant and elegant master of the sword has more layers than an onion. His brotherly rivalry with Guts is also a lovely and dementedly joyful sight to behold. This is the major turning point of the series and it only gets better and better from here.
After a life of grief and trauma, Guts reluctantly joins Griffith on his quest to attain his own kingdom while simultaneously struggling to come to terms with his own identity. We get to see a side of Guts we’ve never experienced up until this point. We see his vulnerability, his wounded soul, his ability to show affection to others, his role as a battle commander, and his blossoming relationships with Casca and Griffith; the two people who end up having the biggest impact on his entire life for very different reasons.
This is the arc that has the most in common with Game of Thrones, focusing on personal character dramas rather than constant brutal battles, action and lovecraftian horror being thrown at you left and right. While the battles and action sequences in Berserk are amazing, where it truly shines are its quiet moments of vulnerability where we get to see the most raw, heart-wrenching and introspective emotions of the severely damaged cast of protagonists.
Guts is an unstoppable badass, but he constantly suffers and contemplates his meaning in life. His sheer strength and relentless rage can’t hide the wounded little boy deep inside him. Casca is more fierce than most male soldiers on the battlefield and she has an attitude to match, so when we see her more feminine and loving side it makes her complex journey of self-realization all the more powerful. Griffith is a godlike war hero that millions of people worship, yet he has the deepest flaws, insecurities and inner darkness than any other character in the entire series. Most of all, they’re painfully human. These three represent the absolute best and absolute worst in all of us. That’s what makes them equally compelling, empathetic and utterly repulsive at times.
After an incredible display of war, romance, political drama, moral and philosophical musings, heartbreaking trauma, fascinating worldbuilding and chilling foreshadowing, the Golden Age arc ends on the single most shocking, depressing and mind blowing finale I’ve ever witnessed in a fantasy story. The Eclipse marks the major turning point in the story from Game of Thrones style medieval drama to the lovecraftian nightmare fest that we only get a small taste of in the Black Swordsman arc.
***
The Lost Children Arc: 14 - 16
Ah, the end of the Golden Age and the beginning of the Age of Darkness. This is where the horror elements of Berserk are dialed up to the absolute extreme. You thought the story was gruesome and horrifying before? You haven't seen anything yet. The Lost Children arc is not only arguably the most gruesome of them all, but it also completely wrecks your emotions as well. The relationship between Guts and Jill shows us that Guts is still in touch with his human side after the atrocities of the Black Swordsman arc may have convinced us otherwise. It solidifies his bond with his unlikely companion Puck, explores the lasting effects of trauma inflicted on him by the Eclipse and by Casca's heartbreaking condition and there's a rollercoaster of action, horror and small glimpses of hope in a sea of darkness. I've always loved how Jill and Puck brought Guts's humanity back to the surface after being stuck in such a devastating and harmful state for so long. This arc also humanizes the act of becoming an apostle which adds a layer of emotional depth to their depraved existence and makes the antagonists feel like more than simple fodder for Guts to slash through.
The Lost Children arc feels a bit underwhelming in a few areas compared to the shocking finale of the Golden Age arc, but the ending of this arc finishes with quite a few shockers of its own to bring back the hype and despair of the series. This arc is one of my favorites for a few reasons. It shows that apostles can be victims in their own right by exploring the sad life of Rosine who only sought to escape abuse and had to resort to inhumane methods to bring this about. This is made further relatable by contrasting her situation with that of Jill's as she's also severely abused by her father and wants nothing more than to escape from that life.
It also shows that Guts still has a human side. Despite how broken and full of hate and bloodlust he is, he still cares for Jill and throws himself in harm's way multiple times to protect her. Considering how tragic and terrifying Guts's childhood was, it's not too surprising that he would have a soft spot for kids that also happen to be suffering from abuse.
After the arc is done, we're thrown into another great arc which introduces us to the Holy Iron Chain Knights. Farnese and Serpico are fascinating characters, Azan is a cool guy and the shadiness of the group as a whole raises a lot of red flags. Guts and Puck also become much closer during this time which solidifies their companionship.
The Lost Children arc is often written off as a short filler mini-arc, but I think it serves its purpose more than well in just 3 volumes.
***
The Conviction Arc: 17 - 21
My favorite arc of Berserk in many ways.
The amount of story packed into these few volumes is incredible. Griffith is manipulating people's dreams from the beyond while a plague ravages the entire country. The people see this as a sign that the foretold messiah will soon come to save the world from darkness when really it's just Griffith leading them to believe that. After being visited by an omen in his dreams, Guts decides to return to Casca after not seeing her for two years because he's been going on a murderous rampage. After the tragic outcome of the Lost Children arc, Guts begins to accept that his quest for vengeance is futile, and that there are more important things in his life than violence.
This is where the arc gets really emotional. Figuratively speaking, Guts receives the harsh scolding and the much-needed therapy he's needed for a long time from Godo the blacksmith. Rickert, Erika and Puck are also there to knock some sense back into Guts's thick skull, giving him the mental and emotional support and guidance he desperately needed to get back on his feet after the tragedy of the eclipse. After regaining his compassion and conviction, Guts sets out to find the missing Caska, the woman who set the spark on his self-destructive quest in the first place to try and redeem his life from all the horrible things he’s been through and all the detestable things he’s done in the name of love.
We're then introduced to a horrifying priest that loves unreasonable torture, genocide and bashing people's brains out with a bible. The Holy Iron Chain Knights mean business and there's tragedy and death all over the world. Guts's path to redemption, the mad religion dedicated to a false messiah, the foreshadowing of Griffith's return, this arc is packed full of all kinds of heavy emotions.
On top of all the heart-wrenching emotions in this arc, it’s also by far the most terrifying. Religious tyranny, satanic orgy cults, cannibalism do to starvation, extreme torture methods using real historical tools such as the Judas Cradle, breaking wheels, rack torture, flaying and burning at the stake, etc. And that’s just a small taste.
We’re introduced to a group of prostitutes with strong character development. Luca is a saint and Nina is a sinner, yet Luca brings everyone together and loves them all unconditionally. Though she’s a prostitute, she has more love, kindness and motherly instinct in her than the entirety of the Holy Iron Chain Knights and their religious order which makes me respect her character a lot.
Overall an explosive arc that’s equally horrifying and beautiful. It has one of the most satisfying reunions and redemption plots of all time.
***
The Millennium Falcon Arc: Volumes 22-35
After the shocking ending of the previous arc, Griffith returns to the spotlight once more.
This is the most complex arc of the series as it's split into multiple perspectives which hasn’t really been done up until this point. Guts has reunited with his beloved Casca and her mind is still in shambles from the trauma she experienced during the Eclipse. With a new band of loyal companions at his side, Guts begins to learn how to trust, grow and love as he once did during his time in the Band of the Hawk while struggling to reconcile with his inner darkness and his hatred towards his former friend Griffith.
Schierke is a young witch that serves to explain the more magical, fantastical and metaphysical elements of the world of Berserk while aiding Guts’s crew in their journey to fight against the alarming uprising of demonic creatures overrunning the land.
The Kushan Empire has risen to power and is waging war with the unguarded kingdom of Midland. As if the deadly plague, religious crusades and rampant demon invasions weren’t enough, Emperor Ganishka of the Kushan Empire is making life an even greater hell for anyone that’s in his path of conquest.
Griffith is back in the human world, building an army of knights, demons, apostles and any other willing companions in his journey to 'save' the world from war to fulfill his dream of attaining his own kingdom no matter the sacrifices and immoral actions he must commit to make his dream a reality.
Not my favorite arc, but definitely the most chaotic, action-packed and lore heavy of them all. The fantasy, paranormal and existential elements of the story really ramp up in this arc and there’s all kinds of mindblowing chaos at work.
***
The Fantasia Arc: Volumes 36-41
It’s difficult to review this arc because it was left unfinished after the author’s untimely passing.
The Fantasia arc marked another major turning point of the series. If Lost Children and Conviction were the age of darkness, this was the beginning of the age of misguided light. Griffith changed the world in truly remarkable ways, both fascinating and terrible.
Guts and his crew set out to Elf Island to restore Casca’s memories before deciding how to settle the score with Griffith once and for all. The arc was tying up loose ends at a very nice pace, answering questions that many readers have been contemplating since the beginning of the series such as the identity of Skull Knight, the origins of the God Hand, Griffith true motives, how Casca confronts her trauma, the purpose of the Berserker Armor, Guts finding the answer to his life’s purpose, the secret history and lore of the greater universe and much more.
Just as the arc was heading for a climactic buildup to the finale, it ends on a tear jerking cliffhanger that serves as the untimely ending of the series as a whole. It’s a shame that Miura’s masterpiece wasn’t able to be finished, but he’s created the most influential manga of all time that heavily impacted millions of reads and thousands of artists all over the world.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
Guts is a severely traumatized vigilante that wanders the world, throwing himself into one battle after another in hopes of finding a meaning in the tremendous suffering he's endured. His sword is his only trusted companion and he's consumed by a lust for vengeance. Griffith is a charismatic mercenary with dreams of ending a hundred year war in hopes of attaining his own kingdom. Little do his comrades and enemies know, he's not the flawless hero many believe him to be. When the paths of these two men clash, the entire world drastically evolves around the earth-shattering conflict between their indomitable wills.
A grimdark epic with compelling protagonists, stomach-churning horror, heartbreaking drama and a lovecraftian sense of metaphysical worldbuilding that's as fascinating as it is terrifying. Berserk has been my favorite manga, fantasy story and perhaps favorite story ever made for over a decade now and I was really sad to hear that the man behind the masterpiece passed away earlier this year.
Berserk is infamous for being the most gratuitously dark, brutal, shocking and depressing fantasy story ever written, but it is also rich with intense human emotion, philosophical depth, perseverance through unimaginable suffering and horrifyingly realistic depictions of psychological trauma. The series tackles the complex nature of morality vs. primal nature, fate and causality vs. free will, resilience against soulcrushing trauma that would cause most people to become broken or twisted. The definitions of good an evil are blurred beyond recognition, the heroes are just as flawed and capable of terrible deeds as the villains. The lead characters Guts and Griffith consistently challenge these themes and definitions through their shocking yet horrifyingly human actions.
This manga has inspired many famous works of art that are popular in today’s media such as the Dark Souls franchise, Final Fantasy, Attack on Titan, Evangelion, Castlevania, as well as countless fantasy novels, comics, manga, movies, tv shows, video games, musicians, artists, illustrators and so much more.
Miura inspired me as well and I regard him for being the person who taught me just how influential, meaningful and life changing art and literature can be when I first read his series over a decade ago. He changed the way I view entertainment and taught me how to appreciate the deeper meanings in everything I experience.
Berserk is to me what Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings is to millions of others.
Rest In Peace to a legendary man.
***
Above is my completely spoiler free review showing my appreciation for this series and its characters.
Below is a review of the entire series, broken down arc by arc. I originally wrote these individual reviews back during my first reading of the series, so keep that in mind. Each part contains mild spoilers, I would advise not looking any further than the arcs you’re currently reading or have already read.
***
The Black Swordsman Arc: Volumes 1-3
The first arc is only the tip of the iceberg of a very complex, dark and violent tragedy. If you find yourself to be not too impressed with the first volume, I highly recommend reading until at least volume 4 before deciding if this series is for you or not. The first three volumes serve as an interlude to help prepare you for the atrocities to come and may seem somewhat underwhelming in terms of plot, but believe me when I say the payoff is highly rewarding and memorable.
The Black Swordsman arc is awesome for fans returning to the series or rereading the series, but it often gives newcomers the wrong impression. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just extremely different from the rest of the series and it’s set in the middle of the story rather than the beginning. This is done to set the dark tone of the series, bombarding you with shocking and upsetting content to make sure you know what you’re getting into before delving back to the beginning. For newcomers, this arc is a confusing yet exciting sword and sorcery tale of a vengeful barbarian warrior hunting demons in hopes of settling the score with his mortal enemy Griffith, and the evil lovecraftian beings that govern the world from the abyss known only as the Godhand. For returning readers, the Black Swordsman arc is much deeper than it seems, packed with genius foreshadowing, subtle character depth and truly impressive worldbuilding that will probably fly over the heads of newcomers.
Guts seems like a simplistic, edgy anti-hero at first glance, but he's so much more than that. Guts is one of the greatest characters the fantasy genre has to offer. Sigmund Freud could probably write a novel-length psychological analysis of this severely troubled and broken man. Guts is more complex than he leads people to believe as well. He's not a sociopathic antihero, he's a man that has no choice but to lie to himself to keep his emotions from crushing his spirit and getting innocent people involved with his deadly affairs. He's cruel and harsh for the greater good. It's the only way he can keep himself from going insane and continue to put up a good fight against terrifying creatures that are far stronger than he is. There's a bit of a joke in the Berserk community that says that no matter how bad your life might be, Guts will always have it worse. It's really not that hard to believe after you've read a bit of the series. His life was one big catastrophe literally from the moment he was born.
Not to mention his rival Griffith who is equally complex and incredibly rich with psychological depth, but there will be more on that as you delve further in. I would strongly recommend this series for hardcore fans of fantasy and horror, so long as you're prepared to be traumatized for life by the disgustingly harsh nature of its content.
This arc mainly serves to set up a lot of future plot points by introducing us to the Behilit, the God Hand, and the fact that even the demonic apostles are capable of emotions and having a family. Nothing is as it seems and no one is safe or innocent. It might not seem like it in the beginning, but the Black Swordsman arc is arguably one of the most important as it solidifies the themes of struggle, survival and wavering humanity that Guts deals with on a daily basis and sets up the flow of the rest of the story. It peels back the layers and reveals little by little how Guts grew up to be such a mentally broken and morally outraged character. It makes you sympathize with him and understand why he acts the way he does.
***
The Golden Age Arc: Volumes 4-13
The Golden Age Arc is where the story truly begins.
We return to the origins of Guts and learn about the series of battles, traumas and conflicts he gets himself wrapped in one after the other. We get introduced to a wonderfully intense group of mercenaries that go by the name of The Band of the Hawk. Among the Hawks are Casca the hot-headed female warrior, Judeau the smooth talking assassin, Corkus the drunken realist, Pippin the gentle giant, Rickert the blacksmith and of course, the infamous leader of men named Griffith.
Griffith is the most interesting of the motley crew as he is very complex and unpredictable. He has a playful side, a merciless side, a charismatic side and a childish yet vulnerable side. He can't be put into any single category. The gallant and elegant master of the sword has more layers than an onion. His brotherly rivalry with Guts is also a lovely and dementedly joyful sight to behold. This is the major turning point of the series and it only gets better and better from here.
After a life of grief and trauma, Guts reluctantly joins Griffith on his quest to attain his own kingdom while simultaneously struggling to come to terms with his own identity. We get to see a side of Guts we’ve never experienced up until this point. We see his vulnerability, his wounded soul, his ability to show affection to others, his role as a battle commander, and his blossoming relationships with Casca and Griffith; the two people who end up having the biggest impact on his entire life for very different reasons.
This is the arc that has the most in common with Game of Thrones, focusing on personal character dramas rather than constant brutal battles, action and lovecraftian horror being thrown at you left and right. While the battles and action sequences in Berserk are amazing, where it truly shines are its quiet moments of vulnerability where we get to see the most raw, heart-wrenching and introspective emotions of the severely damaged cast of protagonists.
Guts is an unstoppable badass, but he constantly suffers and contemplates his meaning in life. His sheer strength and relentless rage can’t hide the wounded little boy deep inside him. Casca is more fierce than most male soldiers on the battlefield and she has an attitude to match, so when we see her more feminine and loving side it makes her complex journey of self-realization all the more powerful. Griffith is a godlike war hero that millions of people worship, yet he has the deepest flaws, insecurities and inner darkness than any other character in the entire series. Most of all, they’re painfully human. These three represent the absolute best and absolute worst in all of us. That’s what makes them equally compelling, empathetic and utterly repulsive at times.
After an incredible display of war, romance, political drama, moral and philosophical musings, heartbreaking trauma, fascinating worldbuilding and chilling foreshadowing, the Golden Age arc ends on the single most shocking, depressing and mind blowing finale I’ve ever witnessed in a fantasy story. The Eclipse marks the major turning point in the story from Game of Thrones style medieval drama to the lovecraftian nightmare fest that we only get a small taste of in the Black Swordsman arc.
***
The Lost Children Arc: 14 - 16
Ah, the end of the Golden Age and the beginning of the Age of Darkness. This is where the horror elements of Berserk are dialed up to the absolute extreme. You thought the story was gruesome and horrifying before? You haven't seen anything yet. The Lost Children arc is not only arguably the most gruesome of them all, but it also completely wrecks your emotions as well. The relationship between Guts and Jill shows us that Guts is still in touch with his human side after the atrocities of the Black Swordsman arc may have convinced us otherwise. It solidifies his bond with his unlikely companion Puck, explores the lasting effects of trauma inflicted on him by the Eclipse and by Casca's heartbreaking condition and there's a rollercoaster of action, horror and small glimpses of hope in a sea of darkness. I've always loved how Jill and Puck brought Guts's humanity back to the surface after being stuck in such a devastating and harmful state for so long. This arc also humanizes the act of becoming an apostle which adds a layer of emotional depth to their depraved existence and makes the antagonists feel like more than simple fodder for Guts to slash through.
The Lost Children arc feels a bit underwhelming in a few areas compared to the shocking finale of the Golden Age arc, but the ending of this arc finishes with quite a few shockers of its own to bring back the hype and despair of the series. This arc is one of my favorites for a few reasons. It shows that apostles can be victims in their own right by exploring the sad life of Rosine who only sought to escape abuse and had to resort to inhumane methods to bring this about. This is made further relatable by contrasting her situation with that of Jill's as she's also severely abused by her father and wants nothing more than to escape from that life.
It also shows that Guts still has a human side. Despite how broken and full of hate and bloodlust he is, he still cares for Jill and throws himself in harm's way multiple times to protect her. Considering how tragic and terrifying Guts's childhood was, it's not too surprising that he would have a soft spot for kids that also happen to be suffering from abuse.
After the arc is done, we're thrown into another great arc which introduces us to the Holy Iron Chain Knights. Farnese and Serpico are fascinating characters, Azan is a cool guy and the shadiness of the group as a whole raises a lot of red flags. Guts and Puck also become much closer during this time which solidifies their companionship.
The Lost Children arc is often written off as a short filler mini-arc, but I think it serves its purpose more than well in just 3 volumes.
***
The Conviction Arc: 17 - 21
My favorite arc of Berserk in many ways.
The amount of story packed into these few volumes is incredible. Griffith is manipulating people's dreams from the beyond while a plague ravages the entire country. The people see this as a sign that the foretold messiah will soon come to save the world from darkness when really it's just Griffith leading them to believe that. After being visited by an omen in his dreams, Guts decides to return to Casca after not seeing her for two years because he's been going on a murderous rampage. After the tragic outcome of the Lost Children arc, Guts begins to accept that his quest for vengeance is futile, and that there are more important things in his life than violence.
This is where the arc gets really emotional. Figuratively speaking, Guts receives the harsh scolding and the much-needed therapy he's needed for a long time from Godo the blacksmith. Rickert, Erika and Puck are also there to knock some sense back into Guts's thick skull, giving him the mental and emotional support and guidance he desperately needed to get back on his feet after the tragedy of the eclipse. After regaining his compassion and conviction, Guts sets out to find the missing Caska, the woman who set the spark on his self-destructive quest in the first place to try and redeem his life from all the horrible things he’s been through and all the detestable things he’s done in the name of love.
We're then introduced to a horrifying priest that loves unreasonable torture, genocide and bashing people's brains out with a bible. The Holy Iron Chain Knights mean business and there's tragedy and death all over the world. Guts's path to redemption, the mad religion dedicated to a false messiah, the foreshadowing of Griffith's return, this arc is packed full of all kinds of heavy emotions.
On top of all the heart-wrenching emotions in this arc, it’s also by far the most terrifying. Religious tyranny, satanic orgy cults, cannibalism do to starvation, extreme torture methods using real historical tools such as the Judas Cradle, breaking wheels, rack torture, flaying and burning at the stake, etc. And that’s just a small taste.
We’re introduced to a group of prostitutes with strong character development. Luca is a saint and Nina is a sinner, yet Luca brings everyone together and loves them all unconditionally. Though she’s a prostitute, she has more love, kindness and motherly instinct in her than the entirety of the Holy Iron Chain Knights and their religious order which makes me respect her character a lot.
Overall an explosive arc that’s equally horrifying and beautiful. It has one of the most satisfying reunions and redemption plots of all time.
***
The Millennium Falcon Arc: Volumes 22-35
After the shocking ending of the previous arc, Griffith returns to the spotlight once more.
This is the most complex arc of the series as it's split into multiple perspectives which hasn’t really been done up until this point. Guts has reunited with his beloved Casca and her mind is still in shambles from the trauma she experienced during the Eclipse. With a new band of loyal companions at his side, Guts begins to learn how to trust, grow and love as he once did during his time in the Band of the Hawk while struggling to reconcile with his inner darkness and his hatred towards his former friend Griffith.
Schierke is a young witch that serves to explain the more magical, fantastical and metaphysical elements of the world of Berserk while aiding Guts’s crew in their journey to fight against the alarming uprising of demonic creatures overrunning the land.
The Kushan Empire has risen to power and is waging war with the unguarded kingdom of Midland. As if the deadly plague, religious crusades and rampant demon invasions weren’t enough, Emperor Ganishka of the Kushan Empire is making life an even greater hell for anyone that’s in his path of conquest.
Griffith is back in the human world, building an army of knights, demons, apostles and any other willing companions in his journey to 'save' the world from war to fulfill his dream of attaining his own kingdom no matter the sacrifices and immoral actions he must commit to make his dream a reality.
Not my favorite arc, but definitely the most chaotic, action-packed and lore heavy of them all. The fantasy, paranormal and existential elements of the story really ramp up in this arc and there’s all kinds of mindblowing chaos at work.
***
The Fantasia Arc: Volumes 36-41
It’s difficult to review this arc because it was left unfinished after the author’s untimely passing.
The Fantasia arc marked another major turning point of the series. If Lost Children and Conviction were the age of darkness, this was the beginning of the age of misguided light. Griffith changed the world in truly remarkable ways, both fascinating and terrible.
Guts and his crew set out to Elf Island to restore Casca’s memories before deciding how to settle the score with Griffith once and for all. The arc was tying up loose ends at a very nice pace, answering questions that many readers have been contemplating since the beginning of the series such as the identity of Skull Knight, the origins of the God Hand, Griffith true motives, how Casca confronts her trauma, the purpose of the Berserker Armor, Guts finding the answer to his life’s purpose, the secret history and lore of the greater universe and much more.
Just as the arc was heading for a climactic buildup to the finale, it ends on a tear jerking cliffhanger that serves as the untimely ending of the series as a whole. It’s a shame that Miura’s masterpiece wasn’t able to be finished, but he’s created the most influential manga of all time that heavily impacted millions of reads and thousands of artists all over the world.
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January 18, 2018
“When someone interrupts a lay or a slay...I get pissed off.”
-Wyald, leader of the Black Dog Knights
That about sums up this slathered up serving of ultra violence.
-Wyald, leader of the Black Dog Knights
That about sums up this slathered up serving of ultra violence.
July 16, 2013
Afraid it's back to the usual with this volume - gore, bloodshed and mindless action. I think the only redeeming part of this volume is Miura's ability to express a whole range of thoughts, emotion and conviction through Griffith's eyes alone. Hidden behind his hawk mask, he's observing the changes in the Hawks, particularly the change in the relationship between Guts and Caska and I'm not exactly sure he's pleased with what he sees. He's most certainly jealous and angry, but of what? Is he jealous at the closeness of the two? Does he suddenly realize he wants Caska and what she meant to him all along now that he can't have her? Or is it Guts he still wants after all this time? Is it simply that all around him are capable people who can fight, have their health and their unmarred flesh while he's left crippled and disfigured, a shadow of his former self? Or is he just angry that his ambition is now completely dashed and his plans set back further than they'd been even when he started out on his quest for advancement in life? This huge range, from nothing but eyes locked in shadow. It's quite brilliant. One can't help but get creepy and ominous feelings when you see those eyes watching Guts and Caska from the rear of the action. They pull you back to what's important in the story when you're about to get lost in all the gory nonsense that's the rest of it.
February 24, 2019
Like 3.5 solid.
Okay, so lemme just preface this rating by saying first: No, this rating isn't because I was offended by anything in this volume. I'm a hard egg to crack with that to be honest. But I must say, if this was in the hands of a less skilled author then Miura....Oh boy lol.
I just thought this was a padding/filler volume that didn't carry as much weight as the others before this. There was some important foreshadowing but I think its execution could've been better. Looking it up, seems some other fans agree.
Now I believe everything's about to go to hell after this. I was spoiled a little bit, but oh gosh I'm worried. ):
Okay, so lemme just preface this rating by saying first: No, this rating isn't because I was offended by anything in this volume. I'm a hard egg to crack with that to be honest. But I must say, if this was in the hands of a less skilled author then Miura....Oh boy lol.
I just thought this was a padding/filler volume that didn't carry as much weight as the others before this. There was some important foreshadowing but I think its execution could've been better. Looking it up, seems some other fans agree.
Now I believe everything's about to go to hell after this. I was spoiled a little bit, but oh gosh I'm worried. ):
August 24, 2021
At this point in the story we've seen Casca get sexually assaulted four times and I doubt this will be the last time. This is getting ridiculous. There's also a lot of other nastiness in this volume that was pretty unnecessary. Not sure if I want to keep going with this. I watched the anime from the 90s before getting into the manga after the author's death. A lot of people said it was far superior, but now I am starting to wonder what their problem is.
December 27, 2021
Wyald felt like another generic filler boss, and I'd recommend skipping those chapters for future Berserk readers. It was boring to read - cool artwork tho - and the mindless violence and rape were not needed at all in order to let enjoy the overall story.
September 29, 2022
3.75. I didn’t like some of the things that happened to women in this one. Wasn’t necessary to move the plot forward.
Read
August 2, 2022Vols 11-15 (only talk about 12-13)
The eclipse chapters are some of the most gruesome things I’ve read. Pretty in awe of the sheer gravitas of that whole set piece. Singling out the manifestation of the God Hand, all-encompassing horrors, shapeshifting out of the twisting ground and sky, towering over the protagonists with all-knowing smiles. Total showstopper. Having had a glimpse at them early on in the narrative gives this the most “oooooh shit here they come” power ever.
Some of that tightroping between serious themes and exploitation we’ve seen before manifests in negative ways here. Case in point is Casca’s extended rape scene. It’s really a stylistic misstep to use so much of the ogling aesthetics of erotica to render a traumatic moment like this. Especially with a character we’ve grown attached too. Downgrades her pain, at least temporarily, in an actually careless way. There’s other moments which are kind of heedless like this. In trying to grasp at the darkest realities possible, Miura doesn’t always measure up to what certain moments need from him.
The eclipse chapters are some of the most gruesome things I’ve read. Pretty in awe of the sheer gravitas of that whole set piece. Singling out the manifestation of the God Hand, all-encompassing horrors, shapeshifting out of the twisting ground and sky, towering over the protagonists with all-knowing smiles. Total showstopper. Having had a glimpse at them early on in the narrative gives this the most “oooooh shit here they come” power ever.
Some of that tightroping between serious themes and exploitation we’ve seen before manifests in negative ways here. Case in point is Casca’s extended rape scene. It’s really a stylistic misstep to use so much of the ogling aesthetics of erotica to render a traumatic moment like this. Especially with a character we’ve grown attached too. Downgrades her pain, at least temporarily, in an actually careless way. There’s other moments which are kind of heedless like this. In trying to grasp at the darkest realities possible, Miura doesn’t always measure up to what certain moments need from him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2017
This one dips a bit: Knights of the Black Dog and Wyald terrorize Guts, Griffith, and the band of the hawk as they flee. Wyald's violence and elements from Hentai seem overtop, and I understand why they cut this from the anime as it slightly weakens elements that upcoming even if it does give us more understanding of Nosferatu Zod. The main reason I lost patience with this part of the arc was the battle with Zod was way too long, and the constant imperilment of Caska became annoying, particularly after she is the General of the Band of the Hawks.
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