Ever since the eclipse, then, the story has shattered me, has forced me to think about life and A few anime have done that, but never to that extent, so suddenly--especially in the anime which had so little foreshadowing compared to the manga.
I was crushed. Haha, that all probably sounds pathetic, but that's what started me to reading deep into everything, finishing the anime and over thirty volumes of manga in a period of three days. Of course, it's still an amazing story beyond that personal appeal--the action is awesome, the characters are dark but struggling, and the whole idea of causality, god as the summation of the ideas of man and his desires, and the process of becoming an apostle are all amazing elements to me.
So basically my main reason is the same as stated above, the immense pain that I was forced to think about inflicted on Guts and in some random way myself, the final screams of then anime.
It can be enjoyed on every level. Unlike many other storytellers, Kentarou Miura does not approach concepts such as dreams or revenge in a one-sided way. He shows that those who relentlessly pursue dreams can morally and physically destroy themselves or loved ones, yet he also understands that lives without dreams can be empty and sad.
He also knows that those who live for violence and revenge are on the path self-destruction, but also understands that people who passively accept abuse will receive more abuse in turn.
Click to expand Okin The Ultimate Battle Creature. Most mangas are censored or have younger target audiences. Berserk has the deeply developed plotline, brutal fight scenes, and a multitude of unique character that everyone mature person can appreciate.
There's also the high quality art and the well placed comic relief. I could go on and on. I think I mentioned the strong points. Stream said:. Haha, that all probably sounds pathetic,. It's also the small things that don't leap at you in the face that make it great. The decision to show a closeup on Griffith's face looking at Guts and Casca, for example, made the episode where it was shown twice as good.
Death May Die "That day you left, that's when I knew. Because it contradicts itself on every level. A man fighting for his own path, enslaved by preordained fate. The sought savor of the world is it distrution. Every thing that makes any thing better is taken a destroyed. It give you almost no hope, but just enough let it grow, then it cuts you down again. Things are going to get better, right after they get worst. And things really only get worst. Why is it great?
It's using realistic ways of fighting to defeat unrealistic opponents. You don't see people flying or flashing like the way other manga do, yet you still see supernatural style of fighting for the enemies. It's so good. I underestimated it Damn I really underestimated it before I start watching it. The music was amazing, during certain scenes and moments, especially the intro.
The art and animation were good especially for its times but it wasn't special or anything it was good enough for me. The beginning of this anime was aight but as the pace started picking up it got better and better, especially right before the end, the story was done well especially the world building with the kings, countries etc.
The twists and turns of this anime was mad crazy, sometimes I had to pause just to take a rest. The pauses at certain scenes and moments was absolutely amazing to really captivate the audience.
Not a single episode was wasted for this anime! The themes were shown well such as one's own power, goals, and dreams. Overall it was a very good anime but with anything good I had some problems with it. The ending was just very confusing, I didn't even know what was going on. There were some confusing and unanswered things that were left out including plot holes.
The fan service was just a bit too much in my opinion. Lastly it starts of pretty slow with villains that act the same but once it picks up it gets really good so you have to be pretty patient. Enough with this, I think this is a must watch for those who like fantasy genre. XxEthanHuntxX 7 September Im basing this review solely on the anime, thus I have not read the manga. Berserk lags far behind regarding the depth in character studies and psychological developments comparing to other series.
And the changes that do happens way to slowly, when the anticipated change of the main character at last occurs its already too late to really grasp that he actually has. The character is too transparent, her true motives and feelings are predictable from the start of the series. Only Griffith's character is really interestingly fleshed out. More and more information about the leader of the Hawks is given with each episode. But Griffith remains shrouded in a cloud of mystery, something isn't right about this character.
His weird eyes and the supernatural, emotional dominance he has over his army make him a fascinating character. His true nature remains hidden until the shocking end of the series.
What lifts the series above the average is the profound ending and its prime philosophy. Director Naohito Takahashi throws out all he can possibly imagine to completely overwhelm the viewer with a grand surreal finale. In this final sequence, the few vauge hints the viewer got of the series interesting philosophical views all falls into a translucent manifestation.
With the last two episodes, it turns out that "Berserk" has much more depth than expected. The first, and biggest theme in the world of Berserk is that of fate, and how everything must follow a predetermined course.
This has shades of the philosophy of Determinism, which states that everything that defines who we are, our actions and decisions, come from outside of us. This means that free will is an illusion. Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least it is true that man has no control; even over his own will. They proceed to incline that the lives of humans are small and described as reflections on the surface of a river of causality, completely incapable of altering the course of the river in any way.
It shows the human condition fleshed out, expsosing the haunting and horrifying but natural and instictive inside. A lot of the story is also about a mans own dream and how he should treasure it. But what does it mean, the difference between a reflection on the water, and a fish causing ripples?
Shostakovich 30 January There are a lot of fields in which "Berserk" does not impress. The plot is unfinished, the character arcs are archetypical, the dialogue is serviceable at best, the animation budget is painfully noticeable, the voice acting is awkward even in the Japanese version, and the music is frankly awful. There is one thing, however, which "Berserk" has over most other series, and that is atmosphere. This adaptation of the first part the "Golden Age Arc" of Kento Miura's brilliant manga tells the tale of mercenary Guts, who stands by the charismatic Griffith during his rise to power.
Despite the fair share of spectacle this struggle involves, the smaller moments are what makes "Berserk" special; the moments in between battles, when characters sit down and gaze upon the night's sky the "Campfire of Dreams" chapter , contemplating their goals in life and their relationships with the people around them.
At times compared to "Game of Thrones" for its grim view of humanity and scepticism of heroism, a comparison with "Dark Souls" which was partly inspired by the manga is more just. The world of "Berserk" feels like one nearing its end. The characters are always on the edge of despair, making the small moments of humanity all the more precious. That being said, the overall execution is not good. The sword fighting is stiff and clumsy, and animating crowd scenes was not even an option.
It is obvious the budget was insufficient to realize the artists' ambitions. And let's not even begin about the electronic drumkit cringefest that had to suffice as ballroom music. Admiration for the series comes down to admiration for its concept, but among the middling film trilogy and the abominable reboot series, this remains the best adaptation of Miura's manga, even if it is a regrettable compromise - perhaps film is just not the best medium for this story.
Dont watch the dubbed version. Get the original japanese with subtitles or you will ruin it. This was hands down, one of the best animes ever made. And that is despite the fact that it had limited funding and the animation was not the best.
The story telling is superb as you follow the lives of a group of mercenaries who rise to every challenge they are hired to do no matter how improbable. It centers on three main characters, a cold and calculating leader Griffith , his loyal lieutenant Casca and the hot blooded warrior Gutts who wanted no part of joining them but was indentured to them via a reckless bet. You also get to know a bunch of minor characters who are important to the mercs. You follow them around for 24 episodes note that 1st episode is misleading as the commander tries to build his own army and build his own kingdom.
But this is not a happy hero show, its a bit more realistic. There is plenty of satisfying fighting but also awkwardness, tragedy, espionage and luck both good and bad. In many ways the story makes a great effort to make the show believable and you wont see any clean cut heroes in this one. Yet you still can understand them even when they do wrong. You will run into some demons and magic here and there but it is not the focus of the story which is why I say the 1st episode is very misleading since it makes you think that its a show about the supernatural.
This show is a lot like Game of Thrones and predates GoT by more than a decade. Like GoT it has supernatural elements but they are not really the focus. The focus is on the characters and their struggle and I argue the characters here are much better. Loved the Gory action, it's among the most bloody I have seen in an animated series.
The series is about a band of mercenaries so we get to see a lot of battle scenes. The brutal swordplay, iron armor, castles and cavalry charges reminded me of medieval Europe. The story is deep with focus on friendship, love, ambition and betrayal. But we never get to the end of the journey as the series only covers one Arc, so be ready to be disappointed. The background scores are amazing, the number Gats was my favorite, a haunting number, worked great with all the emotional scenes.
Animation is good for the year but a let-down, considering I watched the series having seen the remake movies Golden Arc, the movies being 15 years fresher with amazing animation. After 20 years it finally got a bluray release Harhaluulo54 7 March And what a beauty that was. The art is absolutely gorgeous and one of those few things that actually match the definition of 'flawless'.
It is purely lossless quality, best retro art release since Cowboy Bebop bluray. After seeing so many series getting bluray's recently and many of them looking worse than DVD releases such as Death Note with upscale and terrible filters I am happy to say that one of the most timeless anime series of all time looks now better than ever.
Golden Age arc is simply one of the better story arcs in the history of literature and entertainment. I have seen it in the movie remakes, in this series twice and read it once as a manga.
It never gets old. You will not have to look it thru nostalgia glasses to appreciate it even after all these years. There is no story quite like this one. If you haven't seen Berserk yet, consider yourself lucky.
You can now pick up the Bluray and see it for the first time in the way it was originally meant to be seen. It is one of the best series about friendship and betrayal and you should give it a try asap. And for those who already saw it in inferior quality, there is no better time to rewatch it than now! A One-off Season was produced in to promote recently deceased Kentaro Miura's Magnum Opus, and it inadvertently became one of the Greatest Animes ever and just like the army of fans, I will delve into the manga now which is considered one of the Greatest Pieces of Literature.
It's incredibly bloody violence is filled with heartfelt and nightmarish moments, supplemented by the Iconic Soundtrack. The characters are developed throughout the season and last three episodes are just bone-chillingly Epic. Without delving into spoiler territory, everything good that he has had in his life has been brutally taken away from him and then some.
But in spite of it all, he always fights his way forward; never giving up and always healing after the next hit he takes. When you think about it, he is truly inspiring. While, at the base of the narrative, Berserk is certainly a revenge story, it is helped driven forward and kept interesting, exciting, and compelling by the relationships between the characters.
The main cast that comes along Guts in his journey helps contribute to this, but the main relationships that drive the plot are between the main trio of characters early on in the story. Those are the characters of Guts, Griffith, and Casca. The relationships these three characters make with each other and the events that transpire as a result of those relationships are the core of the plot throughout.
Unlike many pieces of media, in whatever platform or medium they inhabit books, TV, film, video games, etc. Instead, Kentaro Miura chooses to paint the characters in a light dependent on the events of their lives and allows the audience, in this case, reader, to decide for themselves how to view them. Of course, the reader is more likely inclined to view Guts and company to be the heroes of the story, but after a certain turning of events in the narrative, the roles could be argued to have flipped.
Miura even does this in the appearance of the characters. Guts, especially at times, looks demonic or evil. Meanwhile, Griffith looks angelic and heroic. And sometimes, the monstrosities that plague the world aren't the workings of hell, rather, they are emissaries of God. At the absolute basis of Miura's Berserk, at its core, is a dark fantasy action manga series. All of them are a mirror of humans. I think their image should be no more than that.
I only want to use them as an element that the readers can sympathize with. Interviewer: As for the details, there's one more thing. What about martial arts? I think these kind of scenes are important in Berserk. Miura: I like it very much but I haven't collected much material for it. I just have some images of samurai and knights. When it comes to action scenes, I want to draw them realistically.
A harmony of reality and fabrication. But it IS hard to harmonize them. As for the image of Guts and the image of the sword he uses, sometimes he crushes small objects with one slash. In this case, I think there's no real sword-fighting skill that matches it exactly.
So I want to collect information to some extent, but I don't want to let the images that come up to my mind initially be damaged by it. I decided to use the best balance between informative manga about martial arts and animations featuring machines.
I want to put priority on images, even those for which I'd say "I won't do such a thing". I mean in "Hokuto no Ken", for example, sky-flying-like-jumps may be too much but "poking enemies and they explode" could be accepted. I have no idea about things after that.
Interviewer: But I think martial arts are quite complicated Though Berserk is a world of swords and fantasy, Griffith seemed to try something like a joint-locking technique during the Guts vs.
Griffith fight? Miura: Ahhh, I don't know if it's considered to be on a level that ordinary people can recognize. In fact, I have many people, around me, who are absorbed in martial arts. Some of them are actual martial artists. I find myself quite a big lover of it but when I'm with them, I get to think, "Ahhh, I'm just an amateur, indeed. Compared to them, I'm far from being an expert. Since I know it, I leave this kind of thing to others. Miura: Yes, to some extent. But what I ultimately like are things like manga and story.
It's not like I love martial arts themselves. However, sometimes we have drama-like-martial arts. It was amazing. I watched it from a video that a friend of mine recorded though. When the two men weighed, their bodies were unsurprisingly great. No heavyweight boxers could be like them. The abdominal muscles are divided lengthways. I've never seen center-divided abdominal muscles. They can't be built with common training. Interviewer: I see, but what you like most: reading manga and drama, it's quite linked to your work.
Do you have any hobby that is unrelated to manga creation? Miura: As for my current hobby, it's playing games, that's all. Because I don't have to spend a long time on it. I'm absorbed in simulation games these days.
I also like Girl games and action games. Well, I usually like popular games. Miura: Yes. I play games about one hour a day. But it's good enough considering some games are finished in two hours. You know, that's the way. I have piled some games. I plan to start playing them when my holidays come.
Actually, I bought a Nintendo 64 recently. Interviewer: How do you allocate time for your hobby and work? Can you tell us what your schedule is for one episode's deadline? Miura: As for my usual daily schedule, I get up around — PM. I start to work around — PM. I work and then eat. And then I work again until the next break at AM, when I take one meal.
Hmm, until AM I watch a video that I recorded on that day while eating. And then I get back to work. Until , or PM at the latest and until — AM at the earliest. It's my normal working routine. Miura: Yes, I do. If I can't work a daily norma, it's carried out to the next day Generally, I fix one day more than the schedule as a surplus. That's why I have no holiday sometimes. But without "the surplus", I'll be often late. When I allocate the same amount of time for sketching and inking, the former is relatively quickly done but the latter usually takes more time.
Miura: I sketch around 6 pages a day. One month is taken up with this workload. Considering I have two deadlines a month, it means I only draw. I create a certain amount of storyboards at another time so it's not included in the two weeks creating period.
However, I've managed well thanks to the great role of Mr. Shimada, my editor. Miura: I'd surely say it's drawing. The hardest time is just before I go to bed. Precisely speaking, 19 hours before AM around AM.
Around that time I get distracting thoughts while I work. Sometimes my work doesn't proceed. That's why I set some extra days. However, it doesn't happen when I sketch. Interviewer: What's your working type in this kind of time? Do you concentrate on your work or do you work while doing other things?
Miura: The latter is my type. I watch TV. I watch TV or listen to music. But I work on storyboards with no sound. All other off-work activities bring me some kind of luck.
Interviewer: We usually don't pay much attention to it. Watching TV, it's just a part of our downtime. Do you watch TV like watching recorded videos?
Miura: Yes, mostly. When a friend of mine is playing a game at my side, I can't say the noise doesn't bother me at all. But my work proceeds when he's there. Interviewer: How about a must-have item? Is there a thing that you always have when you work? Well, I need much water or drinks. I always prepare this kind of thing mineral water or other drinks in a PET bottle. Miura: Precisely speaking, it's coffee. However, I get stomachaches after a while because I drink so much coffee.
So I take tea instead. If I also have a problem with tea, I shift to water. If I get better, I take coffee again. And then I shift to tea again and then to water again Miura: I have no holidays. For the past year, no holidays at all. I finally have 2 weeks' holidays now but it will be used to look for a house. I should move.
Miura: I see the morning sun through the veranda. I come out to the veranda and the morning sun is so bright that it dazzles my eyes. I can concentrate best on my work under the light of this lamp. I don't see the sunlight. I'm a vampire! Interviewer: You're healthy despite this lifestyle.
Is it Ok for you to lead your life this way? Miura: I think my "rhythm" enables me to manage it. I'm a mangaka-type and suitable to be a mangaka. Though it's hard to work without holidays, I don't have much trouble leading my own regulated life. Instead, I'm not very good at concentrating intensively on work when there's little time left until the deadline. Interviewer: You said you're suitable to be a mangaka.
When did you first know you wanted to be a mangaka? Miura: It's so long ago that I can't even make an approximate estimation. I guess it's around my kindergarten years since I drew for the first time in my life before I entered an elementary school.
I really don't remember the very first moment. All I can remember is that I drew manga first on a notebook for university students during the second grade in elementary school. It was some kind of revelation. To please others or to receive praise by drawing was the happiest thing in my youth. I guess "old habits die hard".
My family moved quite often at that time. My drawings enabled me to make new friends in the schools I shifted to. Now that I think of it, it was a time when I already established my identity as a drawer in a way. Interviewer: Do you mean that your childhood dream or hobby eventually directed you to become a professional mangaka? Miura: It was after I entered high school. Before that, I only focused on visuals and I felt like drawing manga or pictures.
So I had an ability to draw but wasn't zealous in building a story. In an art class at my high school, I made close friends with all those who were interested in movies or music. However, I got to realize there was some kind of emptiness in me, in getting along with them. Meanwhile I was one of a group of five friends whose goal was to be mangaka. All of them had their own specialty other than drawing manga, like playing the guitar for example.
We influenced and introduced each other saying things like "the ongoing movie is enjoyable" or "it's good to read this book" There was a thing that today's high school students can't understand: in my days, friends were also some kind of rivals.
So I wanted to look great to the others. What should I do to look great? I had to watch movies and read books. Repeating this, I learned that manga isn't only about drawing.
I acquired the ability to conceive a story while I was a university student. Precisely speaking, when I entered for a prize in my university days. Miura: Yes, I learned many things through trial and error in the 5 friends-group.
I had no mentor. Miura: Yes, I've been influenced by numerous manga through all the ages. There are so many that I can't even mention one and its creator specifically. My current style was established by being influenced more and more over time, like a snowball. Interviewer: Could you tell us a manga that you like as a reader, excluding the ones that have influenced you? Miura: I enjoy stories through the drawings themselves.
I like manga so much that I'm always influenced by it. So, I'd say I like all the manga I read. Interviewer: Now, you ARE a pro-mangaka whose work is read by everybody. From now on, will you create your work with the intention to please the readers? Or on the contrary, will you create it without taking this kind of intention into account? Miura: I don't have such intentions at all. I've been drawing for myself, which is combined, somewhere along the line, with "some parts of it are for the readers".
Interviewer: Considering all the things you mentioned, I guess you're interested in a wide range of subjects. However, you've been absorbed in a single work: Berserk. You may have many themes other than those of this manga that you'd like to draw, am I right?
Miura: I have many things to realize with my work, but have no time for them. I really need some leisure time. Interviewer: What about other genres like videos, movies or animations? Are you inclined to try some of them? Miura: No, not at all. I think it's because of my friends.
I mean I want to stick to my fields since I have friends who are brilliant in other fields. Besides, I want to do my best on my current work above all. Berserk is my first good serialization. I'll be sad if I can't complete it while I set about doing other works. Interviewer: Regarding Berserk that you want to concentrate on, how do you want to develop the story from now on?
Miura: First of all, I want to add more female characters. Since having only a "man's world" is not well balanced, one or two new female characters are needed. And important new characters should be introduced as well. They are related to Guts in a way similar to the Band of the Falcon, instead of taking their place. Staying alone is too hard for Guts. However, these characters aren't as close to him as the Band of the Falcon. They can be rather hostile with him.
I've conceived some characters with whom the story development can be varied. Interviewer: I can't wait to see the new characters appear. I'll look forward to the upcoming episodes. Thank you very much for telling us many interesting things. Interviewer: The "Black Swordsman" arc has just begun.
Let's think about the development leading to the finale. First of all, what is the goal of the God Hand now that it's composed of 5 members? It is naturally expected that if Guts can't find it out, he won't even be able to confront them.
Before that, is the God Hand complete with the addition of Femto? Miura: Hmm, for now the God Hand is supposed to be complete with Femto.
I'm sorry but now is not a good time, as expected, to reveal their goal Instead, I'll give you one hint. The keyword is "Void". You can imagine many things based on it. Interviewer: The next problem is the power difference between Femto and Guts. Guts has managed to fight equally with apostles thanks to the cannon in his artificial arm and his trademark sword, while Femto reigns over the apostles and his power is totally bottomless.
Miura: [ Laughs. It's true Guts can't defeat such a powerful group. Interviewer: [I drew Miura out by saying that Guts could also get something like beyond-human power, and he answered Miura: Oh no, then it means Guts wouldn't be human anymore. What I can say is Guts is, basically, a lucky guy who survives very unlucky situations. He must have some kind of connection to the God Hand.
Miura: Well, it's normal to think so. The Skull Knight has had a long and complicated story with some members of the God Hand since long ago, and it still lasts so far Interviewer: One thousand years! The legend of Midland's founding is also a story from a thousand years ago. Are both Actually, I think Midland should be the background again, though it's not sure that will happen right after the Black Swordsman arc.
Miura: I can't tell you that much and I haven't thought that far yet. Anyway, when Midland shows up again, please wait to see with joy what is and will be going on there. As for the ending I myself don't have any idea of what it will be. The story may end with Guts, or maybe it will continue in the future.
And then I was like hey, this is Guin Saga! And then when I got to the part where the demons swarm around Guts and tell him he belongs to them I was like, hey, this is Dororo! That's just what it reminded me of personally, though, so I'd like to start by asking whether you actually did have any works like that in mind when making Berserk.
Miura: I was a manga reader. There are things that I've consciously borrowed from, but there are also things that have sunk to the bottom of my consciousness and pop up out of nowhere later. They've become part of me. Violence Jack and Guin Saga are things I was obviously really into, and I do think that Guin Saga was the biggest source for this fantasy universe. That atmosphere it has just stuck with me and now I think of it as the standard to measure things against, so I suppose you're right.
Interviewer: I see. How about the sword, then? It's one of Guts's main features. Did it not come from Violence Jack? Miura: That comes from Shinji Wada's Pygmalio. Also, I think it was in the Guin Saga spin-off The Snow Queen , there was this illustration of a two- or three-meter-tall giant wielding a sword.
Guts's sword is a cross between those two. It's just the right size to be still somehow carryable, while giving that close-to-the-action feeling of violent men's manga.
I couldn't make up my mind for a while, though, and Guts's design went through quite a bit of change — long hair, wielding a katana, etc. After agonizing over it for a while I ended up with what he is now, and I felt like I really nailed it. All I had to do was somehow capture the swinging around of that sword and that pleasingness of it. I probably don't know what I'm talking about given that I've only created the story for one manga, but when you do manage to hit upon that crucial something before you start, I feel like it works out.
Interviewer: Absolutely. I wasn't expecting you to be inspired by the sword in Pygmalio , though. I mean, Kuruto [the protagonist] does have a small body and carries a big sword, but the art and universe in your manga seems completely different. Then again, your editor did say that all kinds of surprising things appear in your manga in bizarre forms.
Of all manga, though: Ranpo and Berserk On the left, Ranpo , on the right, Pygmalio Both are exactly what you'd expect from the covers. Miura: The thing is, when you're just an ordinary manga fan not aiming to become an artist yourself, you get to choose whatever manga you like and read within your own safety zone.
When you're trying to become an artist yourself, though, that's not wide enough. You won't make it. So there was a time that I was trying to read as broadly as possible — which there's a limit to, but I'd try to read basically anything that wasn't painful to read, anything that people recommended to me, anything that was popular. Miura: From high school to university, roughly. All kinds of books, manga, movies — as much as I could.
Miura: The truth is that I sat at my desk drawing manga all the time and seriously lacked personal experience, and I felt insecure about that. Which is why I started thinking that I had better at least absorb as much of the stuff people recommend as possible.
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