Berserk review

I find that there is no better way to start this blog of mine than to review what is, at least in my opinion, not only the best manga, but the best comic book of all time - Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy epic: Berserk.

There is something about Berserk that has drawn me in since the very first panel of the very first chapter that I can't fully explain, but the story of a broken man struggling against fate with the hope of one day finding the revenge that he seeks really resonated with me. For those uninitiated, Berserk is a seinen ( 青年 lit. youth, Japanese media aimed to men between their 20s and 50s) manga which follows Guts, a fierce warrior who travels through a bleak medieval world slaying Apostles, monstrous beings sent by the God Hand to do their bidding, against whom Guts holds a terrible grudge. As we follow Guts through the arduous task that he has put on himself, we learn more about him, his vendetta and the man who all of his hatred is focused towards, Griffith.

The very first thing that you learn about Berserk is that it is dark, visceral and brutally violent. Guts is merciless to anyone who stands in his path, be that person human or not, and he will go to any lengths necessary to achieve his goals. Blood and gore are overabundant, and rape isn't shied away from, but the brutality and savagery only serve to fortify the dark fantasy setting. The second thing you learn about Berserk is that it is drop-dead gorgeous. Miura is truly a master of his craft, which can be seen in his incredibly detailed panels, especially from the Conviction arc and beyond. The action is drawn dynamically and cleanly and both the characters and the backgrounds are full of detail. Miura

has stated earlier that he draws inspiration from the prints of Albrecht Dürer, a late Renaissance painter and printmaker from Germany, which is obvious in many two-page panels that are present in abundance throughout the series. I will let the images speak further on the quality of the art present in the work.

Berserk's story is split into different arcs, as is the case with any other long-running manga, with my personal favourites being the Golden Age and the Falcon of the Millenium Empire arcs, but each and every one of them offers something unique that makes it stand out from the rest. The story covers many mature topics such as dealing with trauma, PTSD and survivor's guilt, but also poses a more important metaphysical question: is man's destiny predetermined and can the laws of causality be broken, or are we forced to follow the path already decided for us by an unknown force which governs the universe. That is probably best summarized by the now famous quote from chapter one: "In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or law...? Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least it is true that man has no control, even over his own will. Man takes up the sword in order to shield the small wound in his heart sustained from a far-off time beyond remembrance. Man wields the sword so that he may die smiling in some far-off time beyond perception." For me this quote captures all that for which I fell in love with Berserk, bar the beautiful art style.

But the story is only as good as its characters are, and Berserk delivers masterfully on that. Character development throughout the series is simply stellar, with every one on both the main and the supporting cast undergoing drastic changes that have impact on their personality. The main trio, Guts, Casca and Griffith share a complex and intricate bond with each other, which makes the story even more gripping and gut-punching at moments. Guts' character definitely subverts all expectations. Under first impression he is just a big, angry, burly dude swinging a giant sword at monsters, but his outside is merely a facade for a vulnerable, troubled man who doesn't know how to deal with his emotions other than venting his anger on those unlucky enough to cross him. The supporting cast doesn't fall far behind, with Schierke and Farnese being my favourites out of the bunch. I would especially like to mention Farnese, who undergoes the most drastic transformation during the series, from a religious zealot opposed to Guts to a thoughtful person at odds with her troublesome past. Griffith also makes for a very convincing Machiavellian antagonist, whose ulterior motives still remain hidden. What I adore about him and the other members of the God Hand is their ambiguity. What is this god they serve and what plans does he have for humanity? Is god evil or is humanity those who are evil? With Berserk slowly entering its final phase we are yet to see.

In conclusion: Berserk is truly a masterpiece of comic books and it should be a must read for everyone, whether they like the medium or not. Even if you are squirmish towards the heavy violence present, I beg you to give the series a try. Believe me, it will be worth the effort.

And so, that concludes my fairly short and spoiler free review of Berserk. I hope that at least something that is said here will make you check the series out. If you plan to do so and have some money to spare, I would suggest Dark Horse Comics' Berserk deluxe edition, with each volume of this edition bundling together three of the regular volumes in A4 format, making it, in my opinion, the best way to enjoy Berserk.

So, final verdict for Berserk: 10/10

Until next time!