Berserk

One of the best, if not the best manga of all time. The Black Swordsman Arc introduces us to the world of Berserk post-Eclipse, showing how Guts interacts with others—stoic and apathetic at first. This demeanor evolves in later arcs. Before that, his backstory and journey with Griffith and the Band of the Hawk showcase Miura's exceptional storytelling and character/world-building skills. Initially, it seems like a typical medieval tale of swordsmen and tactical geniuses conquering lands. However, as new characters are introduced, we realize this is a story of destiny and fate. Everyone knows what happens during the Eclipse by now, right?

The Conviction Arc, particularly the Lost Children section, is one of the few fictional works that made me feel empathy for an ignorant, murderous child-monster. In this part, Guts feels both inhuman and surprisingly kind towards Jill, a young girl who mirrors his own childhood before joining the Band of the Hawk. All of this culminates in what is arguably the greatest arc in the series, The Millennium Falcon Arc. Many consider the Golden Age Arc to be the best, but it lacks Schierke, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Schierke is the best character in Berserk, no arguments there. Even Griffith or Guts himself can't match her depth and complexity.

English

This text is more about commitment than intention. I have the habit of writing a review on MAL when I finish a manga, and that's simply it. However, writing a review for Berserk feels impossible. Let's start with how to approach this review. We could analyze it purely as a standalone work, ignoring its time, period, or impact—it would be futile. Berserk began publication in 1989, has 32 years of history, and while some mangas have lasted longer, they are inseparable from their context. Miura's work has had an immeasurable impact on the industry.

I remember the news of his death; I was paralyzed. I couldn't do anything that night. I've been reading Berserk for 10 years. How must it feel for those who followed it from almost day one? I can't imagine. The work itself ceases to have meaning and becomes part of you. It's fascinating that while we know Berserk as the most iconic dark fantasy, what really stays with us is how it changed us—the warmth behind its cruelty, the tender moments amidst brutality.

Berserk goes beyond the Golden Age arc. That arc sets the themes, but it's the later search where Miura's intended story begins to unfold—a tale of forgiveness and transformation. Along the way, another band of the Hawks forms, consisting of individuals who were once deplorable beings. Through coexistence, contact, and overcoming challenges, they change and renew themselves. Amidst indescribable horrors and massacres, humanity strives to preserve itself, endure, and grow. It's a true testament to how life should persist.

Guts, the epitome of masculinity, gradually opens up emotionally as he continues his journey. Griffith, once the model of a fearless ruler, becomes less human. A young man slaps him without hesitation—he deserves that and much more. This mention is minimal compared to the deep exploration of psychology, themes, and messages each character represents. They form the best duo ever seen in manga.

The secondary characters, both Hawk bands, deserve so much more attention—almost a review per character. And should I even mention the artwork? Berserk has influenced the fantasy world to an absurd degree. You could write endlessly about its followers and barely scratch the surface.

I know, I've only written metaphors and hyperbole without giving concrete reasons for its fame. But this isn't a review—it would be impossible (or at least, immensely exhausting) to encapsulate everything in one place. Sorry, you'll have to read it if you want a real answer. Or maybe someone else has written a fitting comment. My other reviews are available if you're interested.

All I can do is thank Miura, wherever he is, for giving us my favorite manga—one that has marked me and many others forever.

Thank you

As of now, I have caught up to the latest developments in Berserk.

Review summary: I would say that it is a top 10 manga with some of the most detailed art, compelling and tragic characters, and an almost biblical story that blurs the lines of morality. At least most of the time. If you're 18+, I would highly recommend it; it's an experience unlike any other in manga history.

It is often deeply flawed in how it portrays character development and story progression, but I believe that it can still be a masterpiece. I'm not sure if this will ever end, but we'll see how true this holds after the fact.

Spoilers:

I'm not going to spend too much time writing about how good it is since countless others have given their 10s and praise, but it truly is great.

While I did love the Golden Age arc, I especially liked Guts' story of revenge and Griffith's desires. This duality is what makes the story so compelling. When I think about how this manga goes deeper than the surface, I think of the take on morality and how demons can be angels. Guts going berserk feels real, and the grittiness often makes me wonder what emotions I might feel in his position. Griffith's conquest could be perceived as true salvation. While he sacrificed his friends, he is uniting a nation and ending endless wars.

However, it is not without its flaws.

One such flaw is the ludicrous amount of gratuitous rape scenes. Echoing what others have said before me, gore and sex don't make a manga more mature, and this manga has plenty of mature topics that are far deeper and make me feel a lot more than a casual rape scene thrown in for shock value. Once you've seen one or two of these, you've really seen them all. Women are often written poorly in manga, and while some women in this are strong and multi-faceted, it seems like this one is heading down towards the harem genre.

Additionally, characters seem to have a "development switch" that changes them into entirely different people. The Holy See chick was weird and twisted, and while I wanted to see her change and learn from Guts, she did a complete 180 and became a sister figure to Casca. Casca is likely the biggest example of this since her entire character doesn't really exist except in Guts' mind for huge swaths of the story. She's a shell of the character to the point that when we finally see her come back, I don't really care enough for her to celebrate it. I only wanted Casca around because Guts did.

Lastly, for the major flaws and likely to be the series' whimper of an ending is the pointless traveling that the group does. I understand that Guts has a new crew as a sort of callback to when he used to have friends. It shows who he has become and how he's changed since the eclipse and GA arc. But many of these characters have very loose goals and one-dimensional characters, and when they do travel, they end up going nowhere in particular.

I can't really foresee this manga ending anytime soon, and I think that at this point, it could end honorably. They really have two choices here. If they focused for a bit and nailed the ending, it would cement its position as one of the greatest manga of all time. Or alternatively, it could go on and on and on, releasing a chapter every few months until there's nothing left to beat out of this horse.

Please, someone explain to me why this is considered a masterpiece. I've read up to Chapter 90 and still don't understand why it's hailed as such. All I can say is that it has a great story and a strong cast of characters. But a masterpiece? Why?

Story: 8/10
It’s a great medieval story with occasional political intrigue, gory fights, and an interesting turning point—if you’ve never read anything like it before. The 8/10 rating applies if you start reading from the Golden Age arc. If you begin with the Black Swordsman arc, I’d give it a 6.5 to 7. Seriously, we all know Griffith is going to turn evil, and Guts will lose everything. Is that really how you start a story? I understand the importance of introducing a world of demons, but why spoil the fact that everything is lost right from the beginning? When I reached the supposed turning points, none of them were surprising. If we’re judging purely by these twists, it’s not even the best execution out there. Tower of God does it well without spoiling anything, and even the webtoon Hooky handles it better. To me, it’s a decent storyline ruined by the prologue. Even with its twists, it’s far from being a masterpiece. A lot of moments in the story seem to focus on conquest and demon fighting, which doesn’t impress me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, but stories with repetitive elements aren’t usually considered masterpieces. That’s why something like Kimetsu No Yaiba can’t beat One Piece, FullMetal Alchemist, or Attack on Titan for me. I really don’t get it—is it just because of the mature themes? Honestly, this doesn’t hold a candle to more mature fantasy stories like The Final Empire, The Wheel of Time, or The Way of Kings.

Characters: 10/10
The characters are brilliantly developed. I understand how a character can shift from morally ambiguous to outright evil, and I appreciate seeing them act based on their past traumas. It’s great, no complaints here. Unfortunately, I don’t read long stories primarily for character studies.

Enjoyment: 6/10
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of the art style or the repetitiveness of some elements. Additionally, the payoffs aren’t as satisfying as in other manga. So, overall, I didn’t really enjoy the experience; every single chapter felt like a bit of a drag for me.

This is my first review on MAL or any series, to be honest. Regardless, I would like to say that this series is really good, but I won't say it's for everyone because the nudity and distracting art can be a bit extreme.

Besides that, the story kept getting better over time and eventually peaked. However, after that, it kind of turned into an art fest where not a lot of plot mattered. I'd say the art in this series also keeps improving over time, but whether one enjoys it depends on the audience.

Each character here has very persuasive writing, but you probably shouldn't go in expecting Attack on Titan levels of character development.

Overall, though, it's a very nice manga that really made me want to share my love for it somewhere.

Wow. Berserk is absolutely phenomenal. Without a doubt, it's one of the greatest stories I've ever read. The complex protagonist, Guts, is an absolute joy to follow in a wonderfully vast and dark medieval world that's illustrated to perfection. This might be one of the most morally ambiguous stories you can find, and Berserk doesn't disappoint in any area. It ends up being one of the most well-paced, beautiful, and horrific stories I've ever invested my time into. Truly engaging, I often had trouble deciding when to stop reading and go to sleep. Berserk is a violent, horrifying tale, and its imagery will really keep you up at night if you're easily startled. This story is hard to discuss further without spoiling it, so GO READ BERSERK.

Damn... Where do I start? First of all, R.I.P. Kentarou Miura. His work will be forever remembered as a true masterpiece. I love everything about Berserk, and when I say everything, I mean everything: the story, the art, the characters, and so on. Truly a masterpiece.

The story was great; I did enjoy some arcs more than others, but all of them had a compelling narrative. My favorite has to be the Golden Age arc. It shows why Guts is the way he is and focuses on many characters and their development. The art is a true blessing from God, with even the smallest detail meticulously crafted on every page.

The characters are phenomenal. Guts is one of my favorite protagonists of all time, with truly badass and astonishing character development. Griffith is the first antagonist who made me genuinely hate the villain and what he put Guts through. I appreciate when an antagonist elicits such strong emotions. Casca was one of my favorite characters in the Golden Age arc. The Eclipse changed everything—it was super brutal and even made me cry.

I got pure enjoyment out of reading Berserk, minus the horse rape scene. What else can I say other than this is a true masterpiece? Overall, a 10/10.

The box under your eyes, which has the honor of being modified by a person who has lost their virginity and thus performed an act useful to human progress, helping the world advance more than those failures who merely read it, wishes to inform the latter that the respectable Domenillo will dedicate his precious time to the work of Kentaro Miura, but only under one condition. This condition is tied to the decision of a crossbreed of unspecified human species who somehow finds themselves in charge as the boss of Italy, known by the inhabitants of this beautiful slice of the world as Giuseppe Conte.

I thank all the mongoloids who had the balls to read this.

I wish you a good rest of your day.

Your Domenillo.

A few days ago, I had a conversation with a scientist friend who graduated from Harvard. After conducting meticulous, long-term research in a cutting-edge laboratory, he informed me that people who rate Berserk lower than 8 stars are empirically lifelong virgins.

I understand that many of you might feel angry and upset about my friend's findings. Even I was initially taken aback by his conclusions. I said to him, "Barney, lifelong virgins? Maybe smelly nerds, sure. Total losers, perhaps. But your conclusion seems a bit extreme." However, Barney stood firm on his research. As we all know, we must trust the science at any given time, especially when someone in power with an agenda tells us it's for our own good. Complacency has led to numerous technological innovations and discoveries over the centuries. Moreover, complacency has never resulted in a populace becoming pawns of tyrannical governments causing mass casualties through proxy wars or indirectly burning citizens in their homes. This is certainly not happening in a densely populated country on the eastern side of the globe right now.

But I digress. The point is that Barney knew what he was talking about. This manga is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. I don't need to explain why; many others have done so more eloquently than I ever could, long before I even knew Berserk existed.

If you enjoy manga, read Berserk. If you appreciate jaw-dropping art, read Berserk. If you want to experience a dark, intense story of vengeance and the resilience of the human spirit, read Berserk. If you've been left by your spouse, who took the kids, and you're trying to get them back through the court system because you love them and need to prove legally that she cheated on you with your best friend Gary—who promised he would never hurt you but betrayed you every time you went on a business trip to Malibu—read Berserk. Though, maybe take care of your post-marital issues first. I'm not a relationship expert.

I'll start by saying that the Berserk manga is my favorite literary masterpiece, and it's not just for me but for many others. You can't understand why unless you've read at least a few pages. I fell in love with it after reading just three pages. I don't think I'm biased; I genuinely can't find anything wrong with it. If I had to point out flaws, I'd have to nitpick quite a bit. For all the gamers out there who love Dark Souls, the character designs in that game are inspired by Berserk.

The Story

The story is quite complex, so let's start with the setting. It's set in medieval times, with knights, kingdoms, and honor. Our main character is named Guts, and once you read his backstory, you'll be crushed. No other character has such a tragic past and life. I'll try to avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say, Guts has everything taken away from him by the person he trusts the most. This moment is called the Golden Age Arc, which many regard as the pinnacle of manga writing. It's said no other manga can match this arc's quality. Honestly, after reading this arc, you'll need time to recover. That's where the story picks up—a quest for revenge, but not like any revenge story you've seen before. The deep meaning behind our characters' actions is incredible, and the manga delves into religion and the inquisition—topics many pieces of literature shy away from. So, if you think it's just another revenge story, you're dead wrong. There's a lot of meaning in everything.

The Art

The art, like the story, is breathtaking. The character designs, demon designs, gory deaths, torture scenes from the inquisition, backgrounds, castles—it's all godly. It's like watching an anime, it's that amazing. The battles are so fluid they look like they're from a high-budget anime. You can easily see how the character designs change and age over time, making it feel real. You can clearly see the main character and his companions evolve, from facial features to bodies. Everything is incredibly detailed. And don't get me started on the monsters. There are even rumors that mangaka Kentaro Miura went to the hospital because he was having nightmares due to his work, and you can easily understand why when you see it.

The Characters

This story has a lot of character development, and it's not forced. Every event, every conversation leads to significant changes in our characters' behavior. In Berserk, not only does the main character Guts get to develop his own personal traits and beliefs, but other characters also get their time to shine and receive the development they deserve. This is another aspect that makes this manga a masterpiece.

The Enjoyment

I haven't enjoyed any other manga or book as much as I enjoy Berserk. There's nothing out there that can compete with its greatness. Some people say that after the Golden Age Arc, the manga isn't as good, but for me, it remains perfect and true to the quality and reputation it has built over the years.

Overall

Berserk is a must-read for anyone who wants to experience something hard to describe with words unless you experience it yourself. It's a masterpiece in every sense of the word. The only thing I don't like about Berserk is the hiatuses and irregular releases. Those who have been reading Berserk for years know what I mean, and those just starting will soon feel the burden of being a Berserk fan.

I started reading Berserk after learning about Miura's passing. God bless him. To summarize my experience, Berserk's emotional highs soar among the clouds, while its lows plunge to the center of the Earth. It is nothing short of a masterpiece, and despite moments that made me question my sanity, Miura's sanity, and his editor's sanity, it stands as the best manga I have ever read, and I do not say that lightly.

The Black Swordsman Arc:

This arc serves as a solid introduction to Berserk. We meet Guts and Puck, and the set pieces laid out here prepare us for later developments in the story. While it was spectacular, I couldn't place it above other stories I've read, such as Dragon Ball and One Piece. Nonetheless, it was thoroughly enjoyable and an amazing start to the manga.

The Golden Age Arc:

Nothing could have prepared me for the Golden Age Arc. I usually dislike the phrase "this is where it gets good," as it's overused in many long-running series like One Piece, Berserk, and even Dragon Ball to some extent. However, this phrase can be applied to Berserk. This is where Berserk transitions from great to a masterpiece. The Golden Age Arc builds up to one of the strongest emotional climaxes and broke me emotionally. It wouldn't be wrong to crown it as one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever, though that can be debated.

The Conviction Arc:

The Conviction Arc is another fantastic story arc. It builds upon established characters and introduces new ones. There is so much to love about this arc, yet it is probably my least favorite. Now is a good time to discuss one of the very few problems I find in Berserk. I don't mind the gore and violence, but there are multiple times when the sexual violent scenes felt unnecessarily grotesque. This is a minor detail, but it does take away from some of the enjoyment for me. Most of it doesn't bother me, and some of it enhances the story (yes, I know how that sounds). Ultimately, it's a minor gripe and doesn't detract from the overall story, but it saps a bit of enjoyment, hence the 9 rating.

Conclusion:

Yes, I know there are 1.5 more arcs to cover, but I believe I've conveyed all my opinions without repeating myself. The aspects I loved about the Conviction Arc and the Millennium Falcon Arc are similar to why I enjoyed the Golden Age and Black Swordsman arcs. Berserk is a must-read and among the greatest stories ever written. I couldn't recommend a series more. I want to thank Miura for writing this, and while I know he is no longer with us, I hope the story can live on through his editor and assistants. Ultimately, I only want what Miura wished for—if he did not want it to continue, then that is acceptable as well. May his soul rest in peace, and thank you, Miura, for this masterpiece.