Berserk - Reviews

"Berserk" is a magnum opus in the realm of dark fantasy manga, created by the late Kentaro Miura. It's a tale that intricately weaves themes of fate, despair, camaraderie, and the relentless quest for vengeance and redemption through the life of its protagonist, Guts. Known for its complex characters, deeply philosophical underpinnings, and meticulously detailed art, "Berserk" explores the darkest corners of the human psyche, the brutality of medieval warfare, and the struggle against demonic forces in a world where the lines between good and evil are often blurred.

Epic in Scope and Scale

• Artistic Brilliance: Miura's artwork in "Berserk" is nothing short of legendary. Each panel is a testament to his dedication to his craft, with intricate details that bring the grim world of "Berserk" to life. The monstrous apostles, the ferocious battles, and the serene moments of quiet introspection all benefit from Miura's meticulous attention to detail and dynamic composition.

• Narrative Depth: "Berserk" is celebrated for its rich, complex narrative that delves into the nature of humanity, the concept of predestination, and the power of will. Guts, as the Struggler, fights against the currents of fate, challenging gods and demons alike in his quest. The story's depth is further enhanced by its exploration of themes such as trauma, friendship, love, and the pursuit of one's own place in the world.

• Character Development: The characters of "Berserk" are its beating heart. Guts, Griffith, Casca, and the members of the Band of the Hawk are developed with profound depth, evolving over the course of the narrative in ways that resonate deeply with the readers. Their triumphs and tragedies are felt on a visceral level, making their journeys compelling.

Challenging the Darkness

• Intensity of Themes: "Berserk" does not shy away from depicting graphic violence, sexual assault, and the depravity of its world. While these elements serve to underscore the narrative's darker themes, they can be challenging for readers, necessitating a consideration of one's comfort with such content.

• Pacing and Hiatuses: The epic scope of "Berserk" is both a strength and a challenge. The pacing of the story can vary, with some arcs expanding in great detail over numerous chapters. Additionally, the manga's publication history has been marked by hiatuses that have affected the continuity of the storytelling experience.

Legacy and Continuation

• Influence and Impact: "Berserk" has left an indelible mark on the landscape of manga and dark fantasy fiction. Its influence can be seen in numerous works across different media, inspiring creators with its thematic depth, complex characters, and unparalleled artistry.

• The Future: Following the tragic passing of Kentaro Miura, the future of "Berserk" was uncertain. The announcement that his close associates would continue the story in his honor has been met with a mix of anticipation and apprehension by the fans, hopeful that Guts' journey will reach the conclusion that Miura envisioned.

Conclusion

"Berserk" stands as a towering achievement in the world of manga, offering an unflinching exploration of the human condition set against a backdrop of dark fantasy. Its blend of profound narrative depth, character development, and artistic mastery makes it a seminal work, deeply beloved by fans around the world. While it challenges readers with its dark themes and sometimes uneven pacing, "Berserk" remains a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring legacy of Kentaro Miura's vision.

THE FUCKING BEST. Berserk is genuinely one of the best mangas I've ever read. If I could make yall expirience the way I feel about this manga as I DO??? The sun would shine out ur butthole. Miura, is genius and unmatched. His plot-progression is fucking insane. I think its really rare for me to stay hooked on dark fantasy anything because its always mainly marketed to men. BUT MIURA WROTE JUST TO WRITE. His work wasnt targeted to anyone in particular and thats what makes it so special. There wasnt this pressure to appeal to either gender becuase its fucking Guts. Who the fuck doesnt want to see this sick ass dude weild a giant sword and cleave monsers in half. Not only that the story is fucking crazy. When its intense- its intense. No joke it would make my heart pound or my palms sweat reading some of it. But when it was light it was such a relief from the hard-ships Guts was fighting. To finally see Guts enjoying himslef with friends was so cool, like. UGH DUDE. Anyways I'm getting a berserk tattoo soon so yeah read it. Its worth it. I could go on AND ON about this but I'll save that for notes app lol. 

At the point of writing this, I have read a total of 274 chapters of Berserk and it almost pains me to say this, but, while it is a good manga, I dont consider it as amazing and unrivaled as many manga fans do.

Dont get me wrong, I would not call it average or even above average, its very good, the main characters such as Guts, Griffith, Casca and some of the side characters like Serpico, Skull Knight and Isidro are great, especially Guts and Griffith, but apart from the Eclipse and some fights here and there, most notably the ones where Guts wields the Berserk Armor, were very fun to read through, but nothing that knocked me off my socks.

I get its not really about fighting itself, but more so about Guts' development and him living with the desire to both exact revenge and protect the ones he cares about and the inner conflict that arises from that, but I really dont see how this manga is praised THAT much by so many people.

The reason I started reading it was because multiple Anitubers had this in their top 5, some even as their undisputed No.1 Manga of all time, so naturally after hearing so much about it, I went ahead and checked it out for myself, expecting nothing but sheer, borderline perfection.

As you can see from this review, I am left a bit disapointed, as Berserk, so far, didnt really have me all too invested in the story, aside from a few interesting interactions from different characters with Skull Knight and some of Guts' monolgues.

Rest assured that I will come back to this review after completing the around 90 chapters that I have yet to read, maybe my ratings will have changed by then.

In case they change, here are my current ratings

Story: 8

Art: 9.5

Characters: 9

Overall: 8

Alright I am now caught up with everything up until Chapter 362 and I have changed my mind on this manga.

The Fantasia arc so far has been so real and hard hitting its insane, Guts and Casca ''reuniting'' was depressing to read, honestly.

That just shows how well written these characters are and how good the writing and depth actually is, once you look back at everything.

Getting more of the lore was also refreshing, especially the hints as to what happened to Skull Knight had me quaking and I'm now desperatly hoping that a new chapter comes out in the next few weeks.

If you only ever have the chance to read just one manga, this should be it.

One of the greatest stories ever told, by one of the greatest mangakas that ever lived, Berserk is a manga that offers far, far beyond what you might associate it with. Guts is, in my opinion, one of the most complex and well-written characters out there, his journey is nothing short of amazing and his development from the very first page to the last one is simply beautiful. 

Let me say first and foremost, this was the first manga I ever read, after watching the three movies I wanted to dwelve more into it; a lot of people usually tell you to start from the beginning since most adaptations aren't 100% accurate. Me, being a beginner to animanga, decided to give it a shot, and that was the best decision.

Guts's growth from a cocky kid diving into battlefield head on, to a swordsman capable of fighting against the most powerful and atrocious monsters is one of a kind. His virtues, his strengths, his weaknesses, his flaws, everything is so well-thought and exposed in a brilliant way that he became one of my favourite characters when I finished Golden Age, and by the time I reached the Fantasia arc, he'd become my favourite protagonist and my favourite character across all media.

Now, sometimes you'll see stories where the main characters are amazing, yet the supporting cast falls flat, worry not, because the companions in Berserk are as amazing as they come. Griffith is on my top 5 antagonists ever, and his relationship with Guts is brutally spectacular, everything they stand for, the way they connect, their thoughts and feelings for each other, the pursuit one has for the other, it's just so impressive that I lack words to describe it appropriately. Casca is one of my favourite female characters, and her relationship with both Griffith and Guts is beautifully tragic, which makes her journey and especially her development in the Fantasia arc much more emotional. Still, even though she has been with us since the beginning, I gotta say, at least for me, Farnese is the best female character in Berserk. We get introduced to her and the Holy Iron Chain Knights until after the eclipse, but her development all through the Falcon of the Millennium Empire arc is one of my favourites, the changes she experiences within herself, her beliefs, her perception of the world and life, her self-discovery and her own journey is both brilliant and brutal. Schierke is another companion we encounter later in the story, and even then, the way she complements the group and her relationship with Guts is a warmth much needed for a lone wolf like the Black Swordsman. 

Such a story couldn't be this magnificent and not be well presented, and that's where Miura's superb drawing ability shines. Reading the whole thing took me way longer than expected, but the reason was simple: I couldn't stop admiring the incredibly gorgeous landscapes he had created. Berserk's artwork is one that could easily pass as a painting if exposed without context, there's not a single chapter where you don't find an example of Miura's outer-worldly art. Seriously, this man created some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing, which is why it's so difficult to adapt a manga like this. If the story doesn't catch your eye (which I'm sure it will), the artwork here definitely will do. 

There's a lot more I could praise, but it would simply lack in comparison of what I truly felt when I first read it. So, in case you need a TL;DR, Berserk is one of the greatest mangas ever created, with an artwork that could rival the most famous paintings, characters that feel so alive, and a story for the ages. It's simply, Berserk. There's not much you can say.