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ベルセルク [Berserk] #9
Berserk Volume 9
Griffith, charismatic leader of the elite mercenary Band of the Hawk, has seen better days. His fearless champion, Guts, has left the Band, defeating Griffith in personal combat as his ticket out. With his judgment clouded by this unthinkable humiliation, Griffith eases his pain in the arms of the daughter of Midland’s king. But the King doesn’t take kindly to an employee picking the royal flowers, and the next stop for Griffith is the dungeon and the torture rack! Without Griffith and Guts, the Hawks become easy prey for Midland’s army, and the AWOL Guts may be the only answer to the Hawks' — and Griffith’s — lethal problems.
240 pages, ebook
First published March 31, 1995
About the author
Kentaro Miura
370 books2,322 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 476 reviews
June 7, 2023
OH MY GOD, wounds part 1 and 2 are two of the best chapters, i have ever read anywhere!
Sensual, and sad, and beautiful, and full of love, and misery and, compassion.
Sensual, and sad, and beautiful, and full of love, and misery and, compassion.
June 20, 2022
Sex happens.
At the start, Griffith tries to make himself feel better for a bad break-up, looking somewhere for any measure of control, and only ends up ruining everything.
By this point the series may have risen forth some uncomfortable questions about free will, whether we can hold him responsible for his actions ("Griffith did nothing wrong!" etc.) if he were obviously manipulated into it by higher powers... but, really, nothing suggests it was not his decision to make, in his own free will. That's what matters in the end.
It's an important turning point for the series anyway, because - the first few volumes notwithstanding - this really has seemed like a heroic adventure so far, an epic quest for great men to attain fame and glory. Now it turns out that it's not that at all. It's in fact a Greek Tragedy: great men being ruined by their own flaws and mistakes.
And then at the very end, Guts and Casca lay each other bare to one another, and come as close to fixing everything as this story allows. Not only is it one of the most beautiful bits of the story, it's a great bit of juxtaposition to how this all started. One hurts, the other heals.
At the start, Griffith tries to make himself feel better for a bad break-up, looking somewhere for any measure of control, and only ends up ruining everything.
By this point the series may have risen forth some uncomfortable questions about free will, whether we can hold him responsible for his actions ("Griffith did nothing wrong!" etc.) if he were obviously manipulated into it by higher powers... but, really, nothing suggests it was not his decision to make, in his own free will. That's what matters in the end.
It's an important turning point for the series anyway, because - the first few volumes notwithstanding - this really has seemed like a heroic adventure so far, an epic quest for great men to attain fame and glory. Now it turns out that it's not that at all. It's in fact a Greek Tragedy: great men being ruined by their own flaws and mistakes.
And then at the very end, Guts and Casca lay each other bare to one another, and come as close to fixing everything as this story allows. Not only is it one of the most beautiful bits of the story, it's a great bit of juxtaposition to how this all started. One hurts, the other heals.
May 2, 2018
OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
April 1, 2023
Simultaneously the most beautiful and horrifying volume yet. It’s a marvel how Muira has maintained such phenomenal storytelling alongside the continuously evolving development of so many nuanced characters, without things ever letting up. Every single volume of this series has me in awe.
I was sick to my stomach with repulsion at what happened to Charlotte in this volume; she’s always been so sweet, and though it was obvious something bad would happen to her, I expected the worst of it to come directly from the hands of Griffith. What actually happened was hard to read, especially knowing Guts has similar trauma. Muira, I hate you and love you…
Everything was made up for by Casca and Guts…. we can all scream “finally!” and hope these two heal together, before more bad things inevitably start to happen. The love between them was so palpable in those last few scenes.
As usual, I’m inclined to call this the best volume yet. (I basically do this during every review of Berserk…. I know….) Muira is a brilliant mangaka.
I was sick to my stomach with repulsion at what happened to Charlotte in this volume; she’s always been so sweet, and though it was obvious something bad would happen to her, I expected the worst of it to come directly from the hands of Griffith. What actually happened was hard to read, especially knowing Guts has similar trauma. Muira, I hate you and love you…
Everything was made up for by Casca and Guts…. we can all scream “finally!” and hope these two heal together, before more bad things inevitably start to happen. The love between them was so palpable in those last few scenes.
As usual, I’m inclined to call this the best volume yet. (I basically do this during every review of Berserk…. I know….) Muira is a brilliant mangaka.
May 23, 2022
Easily the best volume so far, for obvious reasons
October 30, 2018
Seeing Casca and Guts mutually cope with their trauma and anxieties is beautiful. It's a moment that hits home because they feel such emotional depth. They are both flawed, but those flaws make them feel more real. More often than not, we act based on feelings, not thoughts. And seeing these characters grow and cope with those emotions really gets me. It's one of the most believable love stories I've ever seen.
May 10, 2024
بهلیت رو چرا گم کردی احمق¡
January 2, 2019
Man, I didn’t think this series could get more brutal but it did... and it’s amazing!
What’s it about?
I can’t describe that without spoilers, skip!
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is the best thing in the fantasy genre IMO. It’s so dark, gripping, interesting and well written. I love it so much!
I keep saying it but... this art is amazing. Kentaro Miura is one of the best artists of all time and this series shows it with the beautiful, perfectly drawn mixed styles of art! Even if you look at the storyline and say “I don’t know...” it’s worth checking out for the art if nothing else.
The characters are very interesting. Guts, Casca and Griffith are the intriguing main characters. I am also very interested in seeing what’s next for Rickert and Charlotte! There’s also some potential new villains!
The writing is so good!
This volume contains lots of brutal action throughout! If you like intense action and gore this series is perfect for you.
This book is very surprising and often unpredictable. I will admit there were some twists I expected in this volume but many I was super surprised by!
This book has a bit of comic relief as we can expect. There’s one scene in particular that does a hilarious job with it.
This book is often very emotional. It’s not the kind of book that makes you cry a bunch but it still is written in a way you can really get what the characters feel! Almost every scene too. Even during some of the action scenes and the sex scenes (I know sex is meant to be emotional but often isn’t in books), it’s so well done!
There’s a bit of sweet horror in the first chapter!
I am really into the romantic subplots in this!
The ending is fantastic. It’s not a cliffhanger or anything but it’s an amazing, emotional ending to the volume.
Overall:
This series is amazing and this volume is another masterpiece. If you like fantasy and/or manga and haven’t tried this series you’re doing something wrong. Hell, I’d recommend it to people who aren’t necessarily into those, it’s so good.
Can’t recommend this enough!
5/5
What’s it about?
I can’t describe that without spoilers, skip!
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is the best thing in the fantasy genre IMO. It’s so dark, gripping, interesting and well written. I love it so much!
I keep saying it but... this art is amazing. Kentaro Miura is one of the best artists of all time and this series shows it with the beautiful, perfectly drawn mixed styles of art! Even if you look at the storyline and say “I don’t know...” it’s worth checking out for the art if nothing else.
The characters are very interesting. Guts, Casca and Griffith are the intriguing main characters. I am also very interested in seeing what’s next for Rickert and Charlotte! There’s also some potential new villains!
The writing is so good!
This volume contains lots of brutal action throughout! If you like intense action and gore this series is perfect for you.
This book is very surprising and often unpredictable. I will admit there were some twists I expected in this volume but many I was super surprised by!
This book has a bit of comic relief as we can expect. There’s one scene in particular that does a hilarious job with it.
This book is often very emotional. It’s not the kind of book that makes you cry a bunch but it still is written in a way you can really get what the characters feel! Almost every scene too. Even during some of the action scenes and the sex scenes (I know sex is meant to be emotional but often isn’t in books), it’s so well done!
There’s a bit of sweet horror in the first chapter!
I am really into the romantic subplots in this!
The ending is fantastic. It’s not a cliffhanger or anything but it’s an amazing, emotional ending to the volume.
Overall:
This series is amazing and this volume is another masterpiece. If you like fantasy and/or manga and haven’t tried this series you’re doing something wrong. Hell, I’d recommend it to people who aren’t necessarily into those, it’s so good.
Can’t recommend this enough!
5/5
May 6, 2024
هووووووف
عجب ولیومی بود
بالاخره اسکال نایت وارد داستان میشه و حسرت من به پایان میرسه. خیلی منتظرش بودم.
این ولیوم پر از صحنههای جنسیه و خیلی شنیدم که به این بخش داستان ایراد و نقد وارد کردن منتها از نظر من نه تنها نقدی به این جریان وارد نیست که اتفاقا درست و بهجا و بهشدت هدفداره. توی اون ریویو کلی برای مانگا سعی میکنم بیشتر این جریان رو باز کنم.
اما چرا این ولیوم برای من پنج ستاره شد؟
میدونید برای من اتفاقات توی داستان مهم نیستن. اتفاق، مال لحظهس و تاثیرگذاریش هم همونقدره ولی زمینهسازی و مهمتر از همه چیز عواقب اتفاقه که یه داستان رو برای من خاص میکنه و این ولیوم کاملا مربوط به عواقبه.
خالی شدن گریفیث رو میبینیم. رد دادنش و احساس تنهایی و بیاهمیتیش نسبت به همه چیز.
احساسات صادقانه کاسکا رو بعد یه فلشفوروارد یک ساله داریم و از طرف دیگه اعترافات گاتس.
راستی کسوف نزدیکه...
عجب ولیومی بود
بالاخره اسکال نایت وارد داستان میشه و حسرت من به پایان میرسه. خیلی منتظرش بودم.
این ولیوم پر از صحنههای جنسیه و خیلی شنیدم که به این بخش داستان ایراد و نقد وارد کردن منتها از نظر من نه تنها نقدی به این جریان وارد نیست که اتفاقا درست و بهجا و بهشدت هدفداره. توی اون ریویو کلی برای مانگا سعی میکنم بیشتر این جریان رو باز کنم.
اما چرا این ولیوم برای من پنج ستاره شد؟
میدونید برای من اتفاقات توی داستان مهم نیستن. اتفاق، مال لحظهس و تاثیرگذاریش هم همونقدره ولی زمینهسازی و مهمتر از همه چیز عواقب اتفاقه که یه داستان رو برای من خاص میکنه و این ولیوم کاملا مربوط به عواقبه.
خالی شدن گریفیث رو میبینیم. رد دادنش و احساس تنهایی و بیاهمیتیش نسبت به همه چیز.
احساسات صادقانه کاسکا رو بعد یه فلشفوروارد یک ساله داریم و از طرف دیگه اعترافات گاتس.
راستی کسوف نزدیکه...
July 16, 2013
I don't know why this volume is drawing so much heat with reviewers here, as I think it's probably one of the better volumes in the series thus far. In the wake of Guts's departure, Griffith basically loses it and to fill the unexpected void left by what he feels is abandonment by his friend, foolishly decides to speed up his plans and devote himself to the rapid attainment of the ambition he'd been so patiently and methodically working toward his entire life. In a fit of unthinking desperation, Griffith makes a terrible miscalculation. I think it's incredibly humanizing and even more profound considering how coldly rational and detached he's been portrayed up until this point. We see more of the pieces that will lead to the confrontation between Guts and Griffith teased at in the Black Swordsman arc and the transformation that subsequently takes place in the relationship between the two and the importance of Griffith to the Band of the Hawk is called into question. It raises questions of identity and the importance of others in life in establishing a relative notion of self in subtle and brilliant ways that have been missing in the series up until this point.
There is a lot of flashing around - sometimes confusingly so - in the wake of Guts's departure as Miura tries to move the story forward. He moves it forward a year to a certain fated time, but in doing so, finds he needs to provide awkward flashbacks for things to make sense and to give context to the changes in character that have occurred, particularly for Guts and Caska, with Caska being the more interesting of the two. The relationship between the two develops along expected lines (no surprises there), but it's a kind of sweet fulfillment because of the way Miura has dealt with the messy tangle of emotions between Caska, Guts and Griffith that I think was also particularly well done. Guts is still a prisoner of his past experiences and that (quite realistically) manifests itself as his relationship with Caska is realized.
Like George R.R. Martin, reading Miura requires an investment. If you decide to hang with them, they'll eventually make it worth your while with pretty awesome character development. It just takes a longer perspective to appreciate.
There is a lot of flashing around - sometimes confusingly so - in the wake of Guts's departure as Miura tries to move the story forward. He moves it forward a year to a certain fated time, but in doing so, finds he needs to provide awkward flashbacks for things to make sense and to give context to the changes in character that have occurred, particularly for Guts and Caska, with Caska being the more interesting of the two. The relationship between the two develops along expected lines (no surprises there), but it's a kind of sweet fulfillment because of the way Miura has dealt with the messy tangle of emotions between Caska, Guts and Griffith that I think was also particularly well done. Guts is still a prisoner of his past experiences and that (quite realistically) manifests itself as his relationship with Caska is realized.
Like George R.R. Martin, reading Miura requires an investment. If you decide to hang with them, they'll eventually make it worth your while with pretty awesome character development. It just takes a longer perspective to appreciate.
November 11, 2024
This time, Berserk volume 9 tells the story of Guts rejoining The Band of the Hawk and the torment Griffith endures.
As always, each volume of Berserk delivers a story that is brutal, daring, and wild; I doubt there’s any manga or graphic novel as intense as this.
As always, each volume of Berserk delivers a story that is brutal, daring, and wild; I doubt there’s any manga or graphic novel as intense as this.
January 30, 2024
I'm really crying. The art is so beautiful, the story is so epic, dark and bloody, I am always surprised by this manga!
March 27, 2017
The introduction of Skull Knight, Guts dueling with Griffith, and sex. Sex is a part of Miura's world of Berserk, and only sometimes is it at all meant to be titillating. Here we have Griffith's inability to code leading to a serious misstep; Guts confronting both Casca and his own sexual/familial trauma. Casca's deepening love for Guts, and her own inner-strength coming through in a way that is not as shrill as earlier issues. The contrast between Griffith's sexuality and guts could not be more strong, and yet this is also where the hints at the real darkness to come kicks in.
April 17, 2023
Well Guts has decided to leave the Band of the Hawks seemingly because he wants to be an equal to Griffith, not a follower. Some of his motivation seems to stem from wanting Casca, who he thinks is only into Griffith and mainly because he’s the leader with a dream.
Griffith’s attempt to climb the social ladder quickly by seducing the king’s daughter (and taking her virginity) seems to have backfired.
Thankfully Guts is back! And him and Casca have some unfinished business. Pretty great stuff. I can buy into the romantic elements.
Griffith’s attempt to climb the social ladder quickly by seducing the king’s daughter (and taking her virginity) seems to have backfired.
Thankfully Guts is back! And him and Casca have some unfinished business. Pretty great stuff. I can buy into the romantic elements.
December 6, 2020
The Band of the Hawk are on the run, and being hunted by the armies of Midland, while Griffith is in prison and being tortured.
The story follows the perils of the members of The Band of the Hawk as death and destruction surrounds them, but also takes some time to show some emotional and beautiful moments involving the protagonist.
The story follows the perils of the members of The Band of the Hawk as death and destruction surrounds them, but also takes some time to show some emotional and beautiful moments involving the protagonist.
January 30, 2022
موقع خوندن این پارت کسی دور و برتون نباشه ترجیحاً
October 28, 2023
Wounds 🥺😢
April 25, 2024
Catharsis
Ce volume mouvementé couvre certains des évènements qui ont suivi le départ de Guts de la troupe de mercenaires du Phénix Blanc - anciennement troupe du faucon. On y découvre la pente terrible suivie par Griffith, qui a conduit à sa capture par le taciturne roi de Midland et à la traque de sa troupe pour haute trahison.
Guts réintègre la troupe dans un moment critique, où ils sont confrontés à un adversaire pugnace stipendié par le roi de Midland, qui ne recule pas devant l'emploi d'armes non conventionnelles. On y découvre enfin les retrouvailles très touchantes de Guts et de Casca, et un moment magnifique lors duquel la guerrière et le guerrier se lient un peu plus, dévoilant leurs faiblesses, leurs hantises, leurs blessures profondes l'un à l'autre, dans la confiance mutuelle et dans l'amour.
'Je pensais pouvoir le supporter. Je souhaitais pouvoir le supporter. Même si je ne pouvais devenir intime avec Griffith... Si je pouvais l'aider... Être l'instrument de son rêve, sans jamais faillir, cela serait déjà ça. Je souhaitais voir les choses ainsi. Mais... j'ai compris, ce jour, il y a un an, la réalité des choses. Il n'y avait plus de place auprès de Griffith. Et cela depuis bien longtemps. Cela marqua la fin de mon rêve.'
Ce volume mouvementé couvre certains des évènements qui ont suivi le départ de Guts de la troupe de mercenaires du Phénix Blanc - anciennement troupe du faucon. On y découvre la pente terrible suivie par Griffith, qui a conduit à sa capture par le taciturne roi de Midland et à la traque de sa troupe pour haute trahison.
Guts réintègre la troupe dans un moment critique, où ils sont confrontés à un adversaire pugnace stipendié par le roi de Midland, qui ne recule pas devant l'emploi d'armes non conventionnelles. On y découvre enfin les retrouvailles très touchantes de Guts et de Casca, et un moment magnifique lors duquel la guerrière et le guerrier se lient un peu plus, dévoilant leurs faiblesses, leurs hantises, leurs blessures profondes l'un à l'autre, dans la confiance mutuelle et dans l'amour.
'Je pensais pouvoir le supporter. Je souhaitais pouvoir le supporter. Même si je ne pouvais devenir intime avec Griffith... Si je pouvais l'aider... Être l'instrument de son rêve, sans jamais faillir, cela serait déjà ça. Je souhaitais voir les choses ainsi. Mais... j'ai compris, ce jour, il y a un an, la réalité des choses. Il n'y avait plus de place auprès de Griffith. Et cela depuis bien longtemps. Cela marqua la fin de mon rêve.'
September 21, 2024
**main plot spoiler ahead!**
(1) Guts and Griffith's duel YEAH!
(2) What more can I say? Guts left Griffith and instead of moving on or finding someone else, Griffith decided to make his heartache everyone else's problem. 😕
(3) I am not a fan of the artwork but man Mr. Miura really went all out for the details and the dark aura!!
(4) a lot of sex in this volume, not suitable for children!
(5) The Skull Knight YEAH!!!
（6) I just feel bad for the Bank of Hawk😨😢
(1) Guts and Griffith's duel YEAH!
(2) What more can I say? Guts left Griffith and instead of moving on or finding someone else, Griffith decided to make his heartache everyone else's problem. 😕
(3) I am not a fan of the artwork but man Mr. Miura really went all out for the details and the dark aura!!
(4) a lot of sex in this volume, not suitable for children!
(5) The Skull Knight YEAH!!!
（6) I just feel bad for the Bank of Hawk😨😢
September 14, 2022
8/10 stars
A pretty good volume, with Griffith finally succumbing to his inner demons - narcissism, the need for total control over others through any means available, sick ambition, overwhelming pride, and the hubris that leads to his downfall. After losing (to) Guts Griffith takes a shortcut through a princess's bedchamber to achieve his lifelong dream. It's a form of vengeance, on himself and on Guts, a way to reassert his power over others, and a twisted attempt at attaining his heart's desire: his own kingdom. One cannot help but wonder, how would Griffith's potential subjects be treated if they didn't love him unconditionally? A fate of certain queen comes to mind... But I've said it earlier many times, Griffith is a clinical case of psychopathy.
Dark fantasy themes come back with vengeance with the appearance of Skull Knight and his prophecies related to the Eclipse. Miura hints heavily that Guts's fate is more complex and more important than the first few volumes would suggest.
And lastly, Casca and Guts are able to heal each other. These scenes are in direct juxtaposition with the earlier scenes depicting Griffith seducing, overpowering and forcing himself on the princess - effectively a rape that's later contrasted with the consensual, mature relationship Casca and Guts enter into. The traumas and inhibitions of both are on display here, and Miura seems to be unable to stop himself from depicting violence even in the most tender scenes. Still, while simplified and compressed, it's actually a solid depiction of their emotional state.
A pretty good volume, with Griffith finally succumbing to his inner demons - narcissism, the need for total control over others through any means available, sick ambition, overwhelming pride, and the hubris that leads to his downfall. After losing (to) Guts Griffith takes a shortcut through a princess's bedchamber to achieve his lifelong dream. It's a form of vengeance, on himself and on Guts, a way to reassert his power over others, and a twisted attempt at attaining his heart's desire: his own kingdom. One cannot help but wonder, how would Griffith's potential subjects be treated if they didn't love him unconditionally? A fate of certain queen comes to mind... But I've said it earlier many times, Griffith is a clinical case of psychopathy.
Dark fantasy themes come back with vengeance with the appearance of Skull Knight and his prophecies related to the Eclipse. Miura hints heavily that Guts's fate is more complex and more important than the first few volumes would suggest.
And lastly, Casca and Guts are able to heal each other. These scenes are in direct juxtaposition with the earlier scenes depicting Griffith seducing, overpowering and forcing himself on the princess - effectively a rape that's later contrasted with the consensual, mature relationship Casca and Guts enter into. The traumas and inhibitions of both are on display here, and Miura seems to be unable to stop himself from depicting violence even in the most tender scenes. Still, while simplified and compressed, it's actually a solid depiction of their emotional state.
Read
August 13, 2023OMG the most emotional vol yet … literally sobbing.
Brutal and beautiful … my heart!! … the emotions!!
Brutal and beautiful … my heart!! … the emotions!!
December 27, 2021
اپدیت ۷ دی ۴۰۰-
فکر میکنم گریفیث میخواست انتقامش رو از میدلند بگیره و از خودش و از رویاش، حساسیتش نسبت به تاثیری که اعمالش روش میذارن، وقتی دید گاتس داره ترکش میکنه خیلی بیشتر شد. وقتی از کاسکا پرسید فکر میکنی کثیفم، وقتی از گاتس پرسید فکر میکنی بیرحمم، خودش اینطور خودش رو قضاوت میکرد.
گریفیث بیشتر از هر کسی میدونست که بردهٔ خدای بیرحم رویاهاست.
و این غمگینم میکنه.
گریفیث خودش رو محکوم کرد، چون فکر کرد گاتس به خاطر چیزی که بهش تبدیل شده داره ترکش میکنه. و گانس گریفیث رو ترک کرد تا در موقعیتی برابر نسبت بهش قرار بگیره.
و نمیتونم برای هردوشون ناراحت نباشم.
فکر میکنم گریفیث میخواست انتقامش رو از میدلند بگیره و از خودش و از رویاش، حساسیتش نسبت به تاثیری که اعمالش روش میذارن، وقتی دید گاتس داره ترکش میکنه خیلی بیشتر شد. وقتی از کاسکا پرسید فکر میکنی کثیفم، وقتی از گاتس پرسید فکر میکنی بیرحمم، خودش اینطور خودش رو قضاوت میکرد.
گریفیث بیشتر از هر کسی میدونست که بردهٔ خدای بیرحم رویاهاست.
و این غمگینم میکنه.
گریفیث خودش رو محکوم کرد، چون فکر کرد گاتس به خاطر چیزی که بهش تبدیل شده داره ترکش میکنه. و گانس گریفیث رو ترک کرد تا در موقعیتی برابر نسبت بهش قرار بگیره.
و نمیتونم برای هردوشون ناراحت نباشم.
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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March 14, 2021
This one was another amazing one, Guts finally leaves after defeating Griffith and the latter sleeps with the princess, people find out, he is punished as we learn the King wanted the daughter for himself and so the band of hawks become outcasts and are hunted and meanwhile Guts get visited by the Knight of Skeleton and a prophecy is given and we pick up a year later, where Guts is fighting in some tournament from where he learns of the Hawks fate and he goes to rescue them and we pick up with him fighting the hawks attackers who're hiding and trying to survive, he comes and he gives them hope and then we have one of the greatest moments over when two souls unite. Guts and Casca finally and its one of the greatest love making ever and the art is just fire, its like watching except its drawn brillaintly!
July 24, 2015
Ending made me cry !
March 5, 2024
A pretty wild turn of events. Though, maybe a bit melodramatic, the groundwork is there, so I think it lands mostly as intended. I sure wish we could see Casca not solely a prop for a story beat or purely for the sake of a Guts or Griffith development, but it is what it is.
I think Griffith’s loss and subsequent action of sneaking in to bed the Princess is actually pretty interesting. Hopefully more of it comes to light. There’s some queer theorists that probably got really excited with that development. But we also see Griffith being completely vicious to the king, despite a severe punishment being handed down. This all seems, again, mirrored in the beginning chapters as well. I can’t recall if it’s the same people—I don’t think it is—if it is, it would pretty interesting. We know in a year from his leaving there’s to be this eclipse thing happening, which, with the time jump would be soon/now.
As for the development with Casca, it’s better handled than I expected, what with trauma surfacing, but also, again feels like a device to express Guts, and only Guts. I have mixed feelings about it.
I think Griffith’s loss and subsequent action of sneaking in to bed the Princess is actually pretty interesting. Hopefully more of it comes to light. There’s some queer theorists that probably got really excited with that development. But we also see Griffith being completely vicious to the king, despite a severe punishment being handed down. This all seems, again, mirrored in the beginning chapters as well. I can’t recall if it’s the same people—I don’t think it is—if it is, it would pretty interesting. We know in a year from his leaving there’s to be this eclipse thing happening, which, with the time jump would be soon/now.
As for the development with Casca, it’s better handled than I expected, what with trauma surfacing, but also, again feels like a device to express Guts, and only Guts. I have mixed feelings about it.
November 6, 2021
La historia se mueve hacia adelante sobre todo por la irrupción de dos escenas sexuales que sacuden la narración. Primero con la caída en desgracia de Griffith y después para cerrar las secuelas de la muerte de Gambino, cinco o seis tomos atrás. Lo ortopédico de las figuras y la secuenciación, lo gratuito de la mayor parte de las viñetas, son dignas de su uso en una escuela de dibujo sobre cómo no afrontar algo así en un tebeo. Pero eso es Berserk: inspiración y burradas sin solución de continuidad.
November 7, 2024
4.5⭐️
Very good, very traumatic.
It begins with inflicting wounds and ends healing wounds, and who knows how their paths will lead from here.
Very good, very traumatic.
It begins with inflicting wounds and ends healing wounds, and who knows how their paths will lead from here.
October 11, 2017
This is the ninth volume in the Berserk series. I continue to really enjoy this fantasy horror manga series. This is the book where everything pretty much goes downhill for everyone (except maybe Guts).
Griffith has taken Guts leaving hard and decides to seek comfort in the princesses’s embrace. When Griffith is found out both Griffith and the Band of the Hawk take a hard fall from grace.
Meanwhile Guts has returned from training in the Mountains; it’s been a year since he left the Band of the Hawk. He finds out that the Band of the Hawk is just barely scraping by with Casca struggling to hold everything together. Casca and Guts have a violent and then steamy reunion and plans are started for Griffith’s rescue.
This book has more sex in it than any other Berserk book yet….yes this is for mature readers only. There continues to be the same level of violence and gore as well.
As per the previous books I continue to be impressed with the pace of the story and wonderful illustration. The story is very easy to follow and very engaging.
Overall this was a wonderful continuation of the Berserk series. The story, characters, action, and world are amazing. I love the rapid pace of the story. I would recommend this whole series to mature readers who enjoy fantasy horror manga.
Griffith has taken Guts leaving hard and decides to seek comfort in the princesses’s embrace. When Griffith is found out both Griffith and the Band of the Hawk take a hard fall from grace.
Meanwhile Guts has returned from training in the Mountains; it’s been a year since he left the Band of the Hawk. He finds out that the Band of the Hawk is just barely scraping by with Casca struggling to hold everything together. Casca and Guts have a violent and then steamy reunion and plans are started for Griffith’s rescue.
This book has more sex in it than any other Berserk book yet….yes this is for mature readers only. There continues to be the same level of violence and gore as well.
As per the previous books I continue to be impressed with the pace of the story and wonderful illustration. The story is very easy to follow and very engaging.
Overall this was a wonderful continuation of the Berserk series. The story, characters, action, and world are amazing. I love the rapid pace of the story. I would recommend this whole series to mature readers who enjoy fantasy horror manga.
November 15, 2018
The story is so dark :( but I love Guts
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