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Berserk Deluxe Edition #6
Berserk Deluxe Edition, Volume 6
An adult fantasy/horror epic of monumental proportions, Kentaro Miura's Berserk is now offered at its original published size in handsome deluxe hardcover editions each collecting three volumes of the acclaimed manga series.
Marked with the unholy Brand of Sacrifice that draws the damned to him, Guts the Black Swordsman battles the minions of Hell that thwart his search for Casca, his former captain and lover. But Casca, too, is marked with the Brand, and Guts must find her before the legions of the abyss do! Collects Berserk volumes 16-18.
Marked with the unholy Brand of Sacrifice that draws the damned to him, Guts the Black Swordsman battles the minions of Hell that thwart his search for Casca, his former captain and lover. But Casca, too, is marked with the Brand, and Guts must find her before the legions of the abyss do! Collects Berserk volumes 16-18.
702 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
184 people are currently reading
1588 people want to read
About the author
Kentaro Miura
373 books2,696 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
January 23, 2024
3.5 ★
as much as i hate Griffith and wish him the slowest and most painful death, i fear his absence is starting to show lmao🤡. i love Guts and i really appreciate Puck’s comedic timing— especially with this volume in particular. the brutality is intense af with this current story arc and i would be traumatized if i wasn’t so desensitized to horror and dark themes. im side eyeing Farnese though.. like girl are you ok in the head? cause it don’t look like it 🤨
➔ this series is ruining my life and all i can say is thank you❤️🩹
as much as i hate Griffith and wish him the slowest and most painful death, i fear his absence is starting to show lmao🤡. i love Guts and i really appreciate Puck’s comedic timing— especially with this volume in particular. the brutality is intense af with this current story arc and i would be traumatized if i wasn’t so desensitized to horror and dark themes. im side eyeing Farnese though.. like girl are you ok in the head? cause it don’t look like it 🤨
➔ this series is ruining my life and all i can say is thank you❤️🩹
August 13, 2024
4/5
Once again, some of my thoughts about these volumes, as so much has happened, and my thoughts are all over the place.
— I really hope the Skull Knight turns out to be a good guy in the end—I know he's not human—because I like him. Especially when he calls Guts the Struggler and Guts get irritated by it. (He’s also hot)
— Guts and Casca. That’s it. I just love them so much.
— There wasn't enough of Casca in these volumes, but at least now that Guts has set out to find her, I hope she’ll appear more in the upcoming chapters.
— I know it probably won’t happen in the next few volumes, but I would do anything to give Guts some rest. This man’s life is just endless suffering and constant fighting for survival.
— I'm glad Puck is back because his irritating and helping Guts makes this heavy story somehow lighter.
Once again, some of my thoughts about these volumes, as so much has happened, and my thoughts are all over the place.
— I really hope the Skull Knight turns out to be a good guy in the end—I know he's not human—because I like him. Especially when he calls Guts the Struggler and Guts get irritated by it. (He’s also hot)
— Guts and Casca. That’s it. I just love them so much.
— There wasn't enough of Casca in these volumes, but at least now that Guts has set out to find her, I hope she’ll appear more in the upcoming chapters.
— I know it probably won’t happen in the next few volumes, but I would do anything to give Guts some rest. This man’s life is just endless suffering and constant fighting for survival.
— I'm glad Puck is back because his irritating and helping Guts makes this heavy story somehow lighter.
January 3, 2023
This manga should be taught in Creative Writing classes.
It’s a masterpiece and everyone should read it.
It’s a masterpiece and everyone should read it.
December 27, 2020
"YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE REASON OF THE WORLD." Buddy, it sure feels like it.
The Golden Age is already remote at this point in the story. At a couple points in this volume, I figured the story had reached a plateau of depravity, and every time I was wrong. It's not possible to become complacent reading Berserk. When you think that the characters truly have nothing left to lose, Miura finds some yet more precious thing to steal from them. But, by its nature, such a loss points toward something new to cherish. Every new place Berserk finds to hurt you is, potentially, a part of your heart you didn't yet know you had. Consequently, the deeper Berserk appears to sink into a nihilistic mire, the closer I think it might be getting to something properly transcendent.
I guess what I'm saying is that it makes a lot of sense to me that this is the volume where Berserk gets interested in sadomasochism.
The Golden Age is already remote at this point in the story. At a couple points in this volume, I figured the story had reached a plateau of depravity, and every time I was wrong. It's not possible to become complacent reading Berserk. When you think that the characters truly have nothing left to lose, Miura finds some yet more precious thing to steal from them. But, by its nature, such a loss points toward something new to cherish. Every new place Berserk finds to hurt you is, potentially, a part of your heart you didn't yet know you had. Consequently, the deeper Berserk appears to sink into a nihilistic mire, the closer I think it might be getting to something properly transcendent.
I guess what I'm saying is that it makes a lot of sense to me that this is the volume where Berserk gets interested in sadomasochism.
July 31, 2023
Check out my vlog reading chapter for chapter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDGEM...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDGEM...
July 14, 2023
It feels so surreal to be beyond the events of the eclipse. It took me years to build myself back up to it and I’m so glad I gave this series another chance. Easily in my top 3 mangas if all time.
September 17, 2024
Vol. 16 - We see the conclusion of the “Lost Children” arc as Guts fight his way against the Elf Queen and her hoard with such demonic force and with Jill’s story on a bittersweet note. After that, he gets tangled with the Holy Iron Chain Knights who see him as a threat.
Vol. 17 - Guts escapes from his captures with their leader is his clutches and gets a taste of the demonic sights that’ll control her. When reuniting with some familiar faces and have his weapons repaired, he learns that Casca has disappeared.
Vol. 18 - As we continue to see Guts on his quest to find Casca, we see her in Midland which has become a demonic underbelly and she is in the hands of not so friendly women and it won’t be long until she attracts demons with her brand.
A (100%/Outstanding)
Vol. 17 - Guts escapes from his captures with their leader is his clutches and gets a taste of the demonic sights that’ll control her. When reuniting with some familiar faces and have his weapons repaired, he learns that Casca has disappeared.
Vol. 18 - As we continue to see Guts on his quest to find Casca, we see her in Midland which has become a demonic underbelly and she is in the hands of not so friendly women and it won’t be long until she attracts demons with her brand.
A (100%/Outstanding)
February 24, 2022
Berserk Deluxe 6 sees us finishing the Lost Children arc and starting some brand new arcs revolving around religious fanatics.
Whilst the Lost Children arc was inferior to the Golden Age there was still some outstandingly creative moments coupled with some of the best imagery within the series.
We then start the Binding Chain and the Birth Ceremony arc focusing on religious fanatics and also Guts attempt to save Casca from her brand. Excellent pacing and emotional depth.
Religious fanatics, fairies, demons and a really big sword, what’s not to love?
Whilst the Lost Children arc was inferior to the Golden Age there was still some outstandingly creative moments coupled with some of the best imagery within the series.
We then start the Binding Chain and the Birth Ceremony arc focusing on religious fanatics and also Guts attempt to save Casca from her brand. Excellent pacing and emotional depth.
Religious fanatics, fairies, demons and a really big sword, what’s not to love?
August 19, 2024
Deconstructing religious institutions is my favourite topic in fantasy
May 8, 2025
i wasn't phased by the violence but the storytelling in this volume gave me a whiplash.
The conviction - lost children arc was good, the story taking a turn to religious horror, church dynamics and the fight between Good-Bad-Demons-God.
But the conviction - binding chain arc was a miss. there is a repetitiveness to a female character's growth here, they eventually get assaulted and have some kind of crush/insta-love/affection towards Guts.
Halfway through, there are some really stellar panels - art, dialogues and underlying themes of child trafficking, fragile humanity with beliefs and faiths - but there is also a lot to drudge through.
The conviction - lost children arc was good, the story taking a turn to religious horror, church dynamics and the fight between Good-Bad-Demons-God.
But the conviction - binding chain arc was a miss. there is a repetitiveness to a female character's growth here, they eventually get assaulted and have some kind of crush/insta-love/affection towards Guts.
Halfway through, there are some really stellar panels - art, dialogues and underlying themes of child trafficking, fragile humanity with beliefs and faiths - but there is also a lot to drudge through.
January 23, 2024
The Golden Age Arc.
Berserk is a story about a young mercenary named Guts who fights for money--to survive. A traumatic childhood led him to a lonely life of errantry and violence. He has no other purpose. But that doesn't last long as eventually he comes upon a band of mercenaries known as the Band of the Hawk, led by an infinitely charismatic warrior named Griffith, whose ambition reaches to heights untold... but does this reach exceed his grasp?
That question will receive its answer in due time, but in its course there is a massive speed-bump in the shape of a tall young soldier with a hulking huge blade--Guts himself. Guts and Griffith get into a duel, and by a hair, Guts loses. Griffith, who has been accumulating power, wealth, soldiers, now sees a new opportunity for gain and sets all his sights on acquiring Guts as his star warrior. Guts, a practical man, sees joining Griffith and his small army as a new means of survival. He likely would have remained a lone mercenary for the rest of his life if Griffith hadn't conscripted and defeated him.
From here the adventures ensue, Guts meets a beautiful female mercenary named Casca (who herself is obsessed with Griffith in almost the same way he is obsessed with Guts), and ingratiates himself to the rest of the meaningful members of the band. The band, being the mercenaries that they are, are hired by various princes and lords to fight battles, perform tasks, etc., and thus continue growing over time. But not all is as it seems on a surface level, or down the earth, so to speak. Demons appear during one of their battles, Griffith himself has a secret necklace of unknown, eldritch origins, and the Band of the Hawk proves not to be as invincible as Griffith fights tirelessly to make it appear. Eventually, after many a misadventure, Guts begins to lose whatever fleeting attachment he felt for the band and its members, and decides to leave. This prompts Griffith to confront Guts, hoping to keep his won prize, and the result of the ensuing duel is now reversed, and Griffith must suddenly let go of something that was not only precious to him, but ultimately distracted him from his true ambition and goals.
This is some of the best storytelling I have ever experienced. The characters are deeply flawed, meaningful, strong in many ways and weak in many others, making terrible and great decisions at every turn--sometimes the cost of which is at such a great scale you would not even imagine how impactful the consequences will be until you see it for yourself, as there is almost no other story to compare it to. It's so new and painful at times it could potentially shock people for life. That's how wretched and intense the story can be during its penultimate moments. When all of it comes crashing down, you begin to realize the end is only just the beginning, and we have a long way to go.
The golden age arc has a trilogy of films, a manga series and an anime, possibly even more adaptations either available now or in the works. Following this so-called "Golden Age", Guts returns to his life of wandering, but with a wealth of experience under his belt, and new gear to deal with the problems that come. Yet it is not all lonely, as new and old companions soon materialize and join him in his quest. The purpose or end goal of such wandering is not always clear, as it never was in the first place, but there's always a sense that there is something important or meaningful to fight for. To Guts, a man who once had no ties, and was perfectly content with it, now has so much to hold onto, to struggle for, to protect.
There are terrible things that happen, and to those who can stomach the extreme shock, horror, terror, violence, sexual violence, and all manner of foulness, they will find themselves rooting for Guts, aspirational and envious of his relentless spirit, and rewarded by the lessons we sometimes have to wade through hell to learn--which in and of itself is perhaps the greatest lesson of this story.
Overall, the Golden Age is masterfully drawn, masterfully told, brilliant in every facet, and particularly I have to highlight that the impossibly intricate and monstrously detailed linework, particularly the gothic architecture. It is often cited that the creators of Demon's and Dark Souls / Elden Ring took huge inspiration from Kentaro Miura, and I can see why. The homage they paid to him in those games is endlessly impressive. I couldn't me more awed by Kentaro's work and those he inspired. Unfortunately he passed away before the final chapters of his magnum opus could be completed, but there's a wealth of work to dig into, a lifetime of it, that can keep you occupied for years of reading if you want it to. Those final chapters, by the way, have been completed by his team of writers and artists, as far as I know, based on his notes, and done so in his honor.
I haven't read far past the Golden Age, but it's worth noting that the story takes a shift. Whereas it once began as somewhat of a classic medieval fantasy feudalism story about power and war (with something dark bubbling beneath the surface), it reaches its pinnacle and that hidden darkness comes into full view. When that happens the genre goes almost full in the opposite direction of its high fantasy roots, delving into the depths of horror, unabashed sword and sorcery, grimdark, and more. It's not a massive difference as you are still under the guidance and inertia of the same author, but this shift gives you a sense that there is a an old wound, something lost that can never be recovered, and yet you must still move forward and build something new upon the ashes. That, to me, is unmatched storytelling. Even the great Robert E. Howard, who I would swear had some shred of (indirect) influence on Miura's Guts, would build his tale or his world and sweep it all away from one tale to the next, without much carryover between apart from certain recurring locations and characters. Miura has a very clear sense of an exact point in time a story takes place, and everything is leading from one thing to another in a grand scheme. There may be bits and pieces here and there that could be lifted and traded around, but that's clearly not the idea. He isn't writing a short story here and there for a magazine (which can have its own world of appeal depending on the author!)--he's a maestro composing his pièce de résistance. There will never be another like him, though many pretenders will try (and some will build their own well-deserved success).
I can't wait to read my way up to the end!
Berserk is a story about a young mercenary named Guts who fights for money--to survive. A traumatic childhood led him to a lonely life of errantry and violence. He has no other purpose. But that doesn't last long as eventually he comes upon a band of mercenaries known as the Band of the Hawk, led by an infinitely charismatic warrior named Griffith, whose ambition reaches to heights untold... but does this reach exceed his grasp?
That question will receive its answer in due time, but in its course there is a massive speed-bump in the shape of a tall young soldier with a hulking huge blade--Guts himself. Guts and Griffith get into a duel, and by a hair, Guts loses. Griffith, who has been accumulating power, wealth, soldiers, now sees a new opportunity for gain and sets all his sights on acquiring Guts as his star warrior. Guts, a practical man, sees joining Griffith and his small army as a new means of survival. He likely would have remained a lone mercenary for the rest of his life if Griffith hadn't conscripted and defeated him.
From here the adventures ensue, Guts meets a beautiful female mercenary named Casca (who herself is obsessed with Griffith in almost the same way he is obsessed with Guts), and ingratiates himself to the rest of the meaningful members of the band. The band, being the mercenaries that they are, are hired by various princes and lords to fight battles, perform tasks, etc., and thus continue growing over time. But not all is as it seems on a surface level, or down the earth, so to speak. Demons appear during one of their battles, Griffith himself has a secret necklace of unknown, eldritch origins, and the Band of the Hawk proves not to be as invincible as Griffith fights tirelessly to make it appear. Eventually, after many a misadventure, Guts begins to lose whatever fleeting attachment he felt for the band and its members, and decides to leave. This prompts Griffith to confront Guts, hoping to keep his won prize, and the result of the ensuing duel is now reversed, and Griffith must suddenly let go of something that was not only precious to him, but ultimately distracted him from his true ambition and goals.
This is some of the best storytelling I have ever experienced. The characters are deeply flawed, meaningful, strong in many ways and weak in many others, making terrible and great decisions at every turn--sometimes the cost of which is at such a great scale you would not even imagine how impactful the consequences will be until you see it for yourself, as there is almost no other story to compare it to. It's so new and painful at times it could potentially shock people for life. That's how wretched and intense the story can be during its penultimate moments. When all of it comes crashing down, you begin to realize the end is only just the beginning, and we have a long way to go.
The golden age arc has a trilogy of films, a manga series and an anime, possibly even more adaptations either available now or in the works. Following this so-called "Golden Age", Guts returns to his life of wandering, but with a wealth of experience under his belt, and new gear to deal with the problems that come. Yet it is not all lonely, as new and old companions soon materialize and join him in his quest. The purpose or end goal of such wandering is not always clear, as it never was in the first place, but there's always a sense that there is something important or meaningful to fight for. To Guts, a man who once had no ties, and was perfectly content with it, now has so much to hold onto, to struggle for, to protect.
There are terrible things that happen, and to those who can stomach the extreme shock, horror, terror, violence, sexual violence, and all manner of foulness, they will find themselves rooting for Guts, aspirational and envious of his relentless spirit, and rewarded by the lessons we sometimes have to wade through hell to learn--which in and of itself is perhaps the greatest lesson of this story.
Overall, the Golden Age is masterfully drawn, masterfully told, brilliant in every facet, and particularly I have to highlight that the impossibly intricate and monstrously detailed linework, particularly the gothic architecture. It is often cited that the creators of Demon's and Dark Souls / Elden Ring took huge inspiration from Kentaro Miura, and I can see why. The homage they paid to him in those games is endlessly impressive. I couldn't me more awed by Kentaro's work and those he inspired. Unfortunately he passed away before the final chapters of his magnum opus could be completed, but there's a wealth of work to dig into, a lifetime of it, that can keep you occupied for years of reading if you want it to. Those final chapters, by the way, have been completed by his team of writers and artists, as far as I know, based on his notes, and done so in his honor.
I haven't read far past the Golden Age, but it's worth noting that the story takes a shift. Whereas it once began as somewhat of a classic medieval fantasy feudalism story about power and war (with something dark bubbling beneath the surface), it reaches its pinnacle and that hidden darkness comes into full view. When that happens the genre goes almost full in the opposite direction of its high fantasy roots, delving into the depths of horror, unabashed sword and sorcery, grimdark, and more. It's not a massive difference as you are still under the guidance and inertia of the same author, but this shift gives you a sense that there is a an old wound, something lost that can never be recovered, and yet you must still move forward and build something new upon the ashes. That, to me, is unmatched storytelling. Even the great Robert E. Howard, who I would swear had some shred of (indirect) influence on Miura's Guts, would build his tale or his world and sweep it all away from one tale to the next, without much carryover between apart from certain recurring locations and characters. Miura has a very clear sense of an exact point in time a story takes place, and everything is leading from one thing to another in a grand scheme. There may be bits and pieces here and there that could be lifted and traded around, but that's clearly not the idea. He isn't writing a short story here and there for a magazine (which can have its own world of appeal depending on the author!)--he's a maestro composing his pièce de résistance. There will never be another like him, though many pretenders will try (and some will build their own well-deserved success).
I can't wait to read my way up to the end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
Berserk has quickly become a standout in my 2025 reading. I’m hooked on this series in all of its depravity.
July 3, 2024
Ughhh kinda meh compared to the others 😪😪😪
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.
***
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...
May 13, 2023
400th book read in 2023! Woot woot! Half way to my overall yearly goal. Let's gooooo!!!
So this finishes up the lost children arc and we get right back into even more dark a gritty territory. This time dealing with religion and crazy cult like pieces of shit who use God's name to perform terrible acts including murder, torture, and rape. We also have some crazy weird cult like sexual groups and things get insane there too. Ending with Guts trying to figure out his next steps while meeting up with the Skull Knight.
Overall, a great volume. While hard to top the last couple of volumes it still builds up some really interesting ideas and moments. The Children's Lost arc is solid but not great. But love the stuff with Guts visiting old friend and the religion sickos. Great dark and twisted shit.
Overall a 4 out of 5.
So this finishes up the lost children arc and we get right back into even more dark a gritty territory. This time dealing with religion and crazy cult like pieces of shit who use God's name to perform terrible acts including murder, torture, and rape. We also have some crazy weird cult like sexual groups and things get insane there too. Ending with Guts trying to figure out his next steps while meeting up with the Skull Knight.
Overall, a great volume. While hard to top the last couple of volumes it still builds up some really interesting ideas and moments. The Children's Lost arc is solid but not great. But love the stuff with Guts visiting old friend and the religion sickos. Great dark and twisted shit.
Overall a 4 out of 5.
October 16, 2025
I'm having so much fun I love Luca she's so COOL and I love Isidro and and Serpico and this is all going EXACTLY how I would have wanted it to go heheheheh >:)
All I wanna talk about is 1) guts and puck are finally FRIENDS, 2) when Rickert thanked puck for being around bc he was so scared that guts was gonna be unrecognizable after it all but all thanks to puck he's still able to smile WAHHHHHHHHHHH I CRIEDDD
All I wanna talk about is 1) guts and puck are finally FRIENDS, 2) when Rickert thanked puck for being around bc he was so scared that guts was gonna be unrecognizable after it all but all thanks to puck he's still able to smile WAHHHHHHHHHHH I CRIEDDD
April 14, 2025
Berserk sets up its big moments so well. First with the Eclipse, now it looks like we've got something else coming. Super excited
April 9, 2024
A full edition of material outside the 1997 anime for me. The Conviction Arc has been great so far. The Lost Children story shows just how ruthless Guts has become. It’s a bit strange to see the extreme tone shifts between what Guts has to deal with and how Puck reacts to it, but Pucks humor and goofiness really balances the manga well. The introduction of Farnese is welcome, offering another character that’s bizarre but has compelling traits
August 1, 2021
The beginning of the tower of conviction arc; still not anywhere near as good as the golden age but more interesting than everything after the eclipse so far. Farnesse and Mozgus are ok. The part with skull knight and when you see mozgus’ little torture gang are cool
September 27, 2021
(Zero spoiler review) 3.75/5
Whilst plodding through the first half of this book, I was not a happy cookie. Whilst flicking through the pages at a fairly brisk rate (As there was very little dialogue to read, and what was there, was incompetent/cringe level Muira at his finest). The opening to this book, and the completion of the arc from the previous deluxe, is some of the most bland, disappointing and uninteresting pages of the series so far. I was thinking (as I flicked) of all the ways in which I could express my displeasure on this site. About how overrated this series is (which it is) about how Muira is a brilliant artist, and a terrible writer (which he is) and how I was actually considering abandoning the series (which I was). Thankfully, the second half of this book was much, much better than the first. Competent dialogue appears. Interesting characters appear. Actual things relevant to the overarching plot happen. I actually started to enjoy myself again. Enough that I was looking forward to the next volume, which seemed a far stretch a few hundred pages ago. Sure, there was the odd dip in the quality in the second half (all of which feature Puck) Seriously, the worst character to ever feature in any series, ever!!! I hate this little fuck. I don't even read his panels of dialogue or look at his stupid, cartoonish visage. It just makes me too angry. Likewise, Guts continues to be a fairly one dimensional, rather bland protagonist. I'll never understand the adoration he gets. He really isn't very interesting, but mainly because Muira lacks the ability to make him anything beyond a rather lifeless, cardboard cut out of other overpowered action heroes. It is the world (when he actually tries to build upon it) and the art which are the stars here. Thankfully those two aspects do most of the heavy lifting. It improved. I'll keep reading. But I don't think I'll ever understand or appreciate why people gush over this series. 3.75/5
OmniBen.
Whilst plodding through the first half of this book, I was not a happy cookie. Whilst flicking through the pages at a fairly brisk rate (As there was very little dialogue to read, and what was there, was incompetent/cringe level Muira at his finest). The opening to this book, and the completion of the arc from the previous deluxe, is some of the most bland, disappointing and uninteresting pages of the series so far. I was thinking (as I flicked) of all the ways in which I could express my displeasure on this site. About how overrated this series is (which it is) about how Muira is a brilliant artist, and a terrible writer (which he is) and how I was actually considering abandoning the series (which I was). Thankfully, the second half of this book was much, much better than the first. Competent dialogue appears. Interesting characters appear. Actual things relevant to the overarching plot happen. I actually started to enjoy myself again. Enough that I was looking forward to the next volume, which seemed a far stretch a few hundred pages ago. Sure, there was the odd dip in the quality in the second half (all of which feature Puck) Seriously, the worst character to ever feature in any series, ever!!! I hate this little fuck. I don't even read his panels of dialogue or look at his stupid, cartoonish visage. It just makes me too angry. Likewise, Guts continues to be a fairly one dimensional, rather bland protagonist. I'll never understand the adoration he gets. He really isn't very interesting, but mainly because Muira lacks the ability to make him anything beyond a rather lifeless, cardboard cut out of other overpowered action heroes. It is the world (when he actually tries to build upon it) and the art which are the stars here. Thankfully those two aspects do most of the heavy lifting. It improved. I'll keep reading. But I don't think I'll ever understand or appreciate why people gush over this series. 3.75/5
OmniBen.
January 24, 2025
This volume as well as volume eight permanently altered my life. Berserk went from being one of the greatest stories I’ve ever read to changing how I started to interact with myself and the world.
Berserk is not flawless and a lot of people forget this. The episodic nature of its release forces the author to be unable to change or edit any of the released sections. I would have like to see what the series would have looked like released in its entirety at once.
Berserk is not flawless but it is a masterpiece. It’s digestible as it is emotional. Comic books to me before this series were always a lesser form of either traditional books or film. The author uses the limits of the medium and uses them to create something that can only exist in this way.
I have a hard time labeling this as “dark fantasy” many sections have a great deal of escapism, but in this volume when we have a story arc that exists, to me, partially as a letter to the reader that they can’t escape into the world of berserk that there “is no paradise to escape to.” That the reader must live the life they have been born into because that is the life they’ve been given. To have guts almost point blank tell you may relate to him but that you have to fight your own battles not just live in his.
There aren’t words to explain how I felt reading this. The sections with godo were a direct assault on the mental justifications and framework I had erected around myself.
There aren’t words.
Berserk is not flawless and a lot of people forget this. The episodic nature of its release forces the author to be unable to change or edit any of the released sections. I would have like to see what the series would have looked like released in its entirety at once.
Berserk is not flawless but it is a masterpiece. It’s digestible as it is emotional. Comic books to me before this series were always a lesser form of either traditional books or film. The author uses the limits of the medium and uses them to create something that can only exist in this way.
I have a hard time labeling this as “dark fantasy” many sections have a great deal of escapism, but in this volume when we have a story arc that exists, to me, partially as a letter to the reader that they can’t escape into the world of berserk that there “is no paradise to escape to.” That the reader must live the life they have been born into because that is the life they’ve been given. To have guts almost point blank tell you may relate to him but that you have to fight your own battles not just live in his.
There aren’t words to explain how I felt reading this. The sections with godo were a direct assault on the mental justifications and framework I had erected around myself.
There aren’t words.
September 13, 2025
Perhaps I'm only now starting to really appreciate it, but wow, some of the illustrations in this series feel like a masterclass in expressive drawing. So many of the drawings (especially those of Guts and his movements) are so imaginative and alive that they feel like they belong in a 50-page oneshot, yet we literally get thousands of pages filled with such incredible detail and power.
The story continues to be vivid and exciting, but the ratio of characters who haven’t been sexually assaulted continues to drop, and the overuse of nudity feels pretty unnecessary and silly, even to a Dane like me.
The "Holy See" has also begun to play a larger role in the series, but the representation of Catholicism feels like it’s based on a single encyclopedia entry—and probably not one about Catholicism.
The plot continues to develop in interesting ways though, and I’m excited to see how the dream of the hawk unfolds. Moreover, I think Guts’ was a deeply rewarding sequence that really shows how fulfilling a big story with a large universe can be.
I also hope to see the Iron Chain Knights develop further. Currently, I don’t think their leader is the strongest character—I’m much more interested in that duelist guy with the flat smile.
The story continues to be vivid and exciting, but the ratio of characters who haven’t been sexually assaulted continues to drop, and the overuse of nudity feels pretty unnecessary and silly, even to a Dane like me.
The "Holy See" has also begun to play a larger role in the series, but the representation of Catholicism feels like it’s based on a single encyclopedia entry—and probably not one about Catholicism.
The plot continues to develop in interesting ways though, and I’m excited to see how the dream of the hawk unfolds. Moreover, I think Guts’ was a deeply rewarding sequence that really shows how fulfilling a big story with a large universe can be.
I also hope to see the Iron Chain Knights develop further. Currently, I don’t think their leader is the strongest character—I’m much more interested in that duelist guy with the flat smile.
January 30, 2023
Don’t quite know how to place this boom as a whole. The first half offered a continuation of a very appealing arc that needed finality, and the end of that arc had one of the worst most sadomasochistic scenes I’ve had to read. While that may be seen as bad, Miura is very good at making you think a character has everything taken away from them….and then he takes more. Complete depravity; complete shame. At times, it’s hard to read, and that’s definitely intentional, and as to not spoil the obvious scene, its done in a way thats not glorified or sexualized. Its bad. It’s fucked and twisted.
Almost gave this rating a 3 because the start of that damn elf arc (conviction arc lost children chapter) is just weird, but the conclusion kinda put me through a loop. Well played, Miura.
Almost gave this rating a 3 because the start of that damn elf arc (conviction arc lost children chapter) is just weird, but the conclusion kinda put me through a loop. Well played, Miura.
July 3, 2022
A fantastic set of volumes, these chapters introduce wonderful new characters and concepts. The light of the Hawk on the horizon casts everyone in shadow as we learn about the religion and severe counter culture of the world. Farnese is captivating, and Serpico has a great air of mystery about him. There are many terrible things in here, as is par for the course. The illustrations are beautiful in their horror, and the pacing, while slow, generates such effective dread, the reading experience is like no other.
January 3, 2021
This volume starts with the ending in the Fairy Forest, gets a bit "slow" in the middle when Gats returns after two years to the blacksmith. After that the religious fanatics start appearing. And that goat man still freaks me out. I loved this collection of volumes. Even though the translations of the names looked to be wrong in the beginning.
March 30, 2024
Puck and Guts' relationship is really brought to light here, and its made me appreciate Puck's character even more now. Seeing how much of an influence he's had on Guts.
And the conclusion to the story started in the previous volume, my god, so heartbreaking and emotional.
And of course, the breathtaking artwork.
I'm excited to see where this continues to go.
And the conclusion to the story started in the previous volume, my god, so heartbreaking and emotional.
And of course, the breathtaking artwork.
I'm excited to see where this continues to go.
April 11, 2025
10/10
Man, berserk is such a tough read. It's absolutely fantastic and I think I might even prefer the conviction arc to the Golden Age arc, but it's such a graphic, gruesome and depressing story that I really need to take my time with it.
I'm not looking forward to whatever is going to happen at the tower of Conviction ):
Man, berserk is such a tough read. It's absolutely fantastic and I think I might even prefer the conviction arc to the Golden Age arc, but it's such a graphic, gruesome and depressing story that I really need to take my time with it.
I'm not looking forward to whatever is going to happen at the tower of Conviction ):
April 11, 2021
Berserk continues to be very good, and very ouch.
Anyone who is a fan of Manga, Horror, and Horror Manga, should pick these up. They're amazing.
Anyone who is a fan of Manga, Horror, and Horror Manga, should pick these up. They're amazing.
September 11, 2023
Drawing is as good as ever, but the story does not have the same weight as it is more about the art than the story at this point. Worth a read, but be warned, its still incredibly dark.
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