Kenpuu Denki Berserk

"In this world, is the destiny of man controlled by some abstract entity or law?" So asks Berserk, a 1997 anime based on the manga by Kentaro Miura (which I've only read a little bit of). In following the story of Guts, Griffith, Casca, and the rest of their companions in the Band of the Hawk, and the way in which their fates intertwine, there is triumph, hatred, romance, and most of all, tragedy to be found. The story itself follows Guts, a lone mercenary, who is recruited into the Band of the Hawk by Griffith, its leader, in hopes that Guts can help him fulfill his dream of becoming the king despite the fact that he is a commoner. Along the way, he develops a relationship with female mercenary Casca and comes to see the Band of the Hawk as friends and comrades in arms. The story itself is the high point of the anime, and plays out like any good tragedy should: just as the high point is reached, the point at which everything is going right, a series of events and mistakes by the characters causes everything to go wrong. It was great to see play out, though the ending itself left something to be desired (to say anymore would spoil). But the story itself was very good, so its not like the ending completely ruined it for me. The animation, on the other hand, left something to be desired. It's not horrible, but you can tell it's low-budget, and the constant corner-cutting became pretty noticeable after a while. The soundtrack, on the other hand, was beautiful and fit the anime perfectly. The voice acting was a bit of a mixed bag. It's good in Japanese, and for the most part, it's good in English too, with a couple of exceptions. Griffith's English voice sounded a bit too stiff for me, and Princess Charlotte's voice was a bit too high, which made her sound a bit whiny, but everyone else did a good job. The actress playing Casca in particular was great, definitely my favorite performance. The characters were all memorable and most of them were pretty fleshed out. Guts is probably one of my favorite leads in anime, mostly because he's not just a strong swordsman, but because he's very interesting beyond that. He never really seems to be too good to be true in the context of the universe, being almost inhumanly skilled in battle but having pretty bad people skills off of it, taking stupid risks in combat that put others in danger (at first), and not really seeming to have a purpose other than swinging his sword in a fight, and desperately trying to find one. This makes him an almost direct contrast with Griffith, who does seem too good to be true in the context of the universe, being both skilled in battle and smooth and charismatic in both the court and to his men, and being driven by a purpose and a dream that he will stop at nothing to reach. And it's these contrasts that make the story of how these two come together and their eventual fates and conclusions so perfect for each of their characters. Guts eventually comes to care for the other Hawks and the raiders under his command, emphasizing his more human, down to earth nature, while Griffith ultimately sees the Hawks, the princess, and the other people he interacts with as nothing more than tools to achieve his goals in the worst way possible, emphasizing his more inhuman, too good to be true nature. Casca I really liked too once she was fleshed out, and her character development really helps to show the contrast between Guts and Griffith. Even outside of her relationship to them, though, she was a pretty good female lead. The other members of the Hawks were all likeable, and any other character was as fleshed out as they needed to be. Outside of that, I enjoyed the anime, for the most part, though I would say its not for everyone. It can get pretty disturbing at times, and it has a definite "read the manga" ending, making it seem kind of incomplete. But it's definitely more than an average hack-and-slash show, and it's backed up by a well thought out story and memorable characters. Overall, if you can handle some gore and nudity, Berserk is definitely worth a watch.

Some of you may have heard that Berserk is a mindless action anime with a lot of violence. That is not true. It is incredibly violent, but it possesses a very rich and complex story. The basic setup is that a young mercenary with an over-sized sword named Guts is coerced into joining a large mercenary band led by an ambitious young man named Griffith. The group gets hired to help a kingdom during a war. Griffith gains the trust of the king and uses the opportunity to further his ambitions. That's about all I can give away without going into spoilers, but it's a very complex story with themes of nobility, betrayal, war, hierarchy, ambition and camaraderie. All of which emerge naturally from the story. That being said the story does have a major issue. The first episode takes place after the last episode and that, combined with the heavy foreshadowing of episode 6, makes what's going to happen far too predictable. There are also a few minor issues. The most prominent being that there are some really clunky exposition moments. The story is also incomplete since the anime only covers a small part of the manga. The characters are mostly well written. There is a slight issue with the fact that there's only one well written female character and the rest are either passive and bland or evil. I honestly attribute that to the time period Berserk is set in rather than to misogyny from Miura Kentaro, but I haven't read his other works or seen anime based off of them so I could be giving him too much credit, but that was the impression I got from it. The art is very nicely done overall. The backgrounds are detailed, the characters have distinct looks. There are a few art errors where characters randomly go cross-eyed or something, but they're few and not really an issue. The only real art issue is that sometimes the art switches from animation to a still image and it rarely works. It usually just pulls the viewer out of the story. The voice work is decent, but it doesn't really stand out. The music really varies in quality some of it is good, some of it is not well done. The yuri factor is a 1/10. All of the main and minor female characters are, or end up in, heterosexual relationships. My final rating for Berserk is an 8/10. It has some issues but, overall, it's a very good anime and well worth watching. If you like Le Chevalier D'Eon or Murder Princess you'll probably enjoy Berserk as well.

Over a year ago I remember a friend of mine came interruptingly, told me to stop watching 'that Naruto thingy there' and instead start watching 'another great show, Berserk'. So I let him show me the first episode. Unfortunately, I wasn't really impressed with the animation, plus the story seemed to start of like an outdated middle age thing. Thus, I stopped there and forgot all about it. Now, after seeing good ratings of the show and reading comments from people saying that Berserk is great, I finally decided to give it another try. That was definitely a smart decision. Story 10/10 From the very first episodes it became clear that this was not gonna be the usual shounen show I've seen before. Such violence, such darkness, such rage! I mean, how can you possibly predict what to happen next in this medieval world? As already mentioned, the first episode didn't really impress me, but it quickly gets interesting as we start following Guts through his harch adolescence. The disturbing relationships with some of the other troop members plays an important part in what eventually happens with our main character. Then not many episodes in, the fatal meeting with Griffith. It's from here on I think the story really becomes unique. With excellent storytelling, we follow both these magnificent warriors together with their troop Band of the Hawk. The wars and battles continue, but now with more characters we get even more drama and conflicts. A fatal turning point halfway through had me really shocked, which marked a change in the relationship between the main characters. How could this happen between Guts and Griffith, who have been working so well together for so long? I became very engaged from here on out, to see what will happen with them both, as both characters had grown on me. And man, the last episodes of Berserk is absolutely amazing. Without telling how it ends, let's just say that what happens came as unexpected, thrilling and quite disturbing. A great cliffhanger ending, that immediately made me start reading the manga. Characters 10/10 If there is one thing in particular that made me love this series, it must be two main characters Guts and Griffith. Those two are, without doubt, some of the deepest and most fleshed out characters I've seen for a long time. Already from the first episodes I developed strong empathy for Guts. He experiences so much violence and suffering, that it shows clear effects on him. Guts get's a tough personality on the outside, a violent killing-machine on the battlefield, he has so much rage built up inside, so much anger. And then, he meets Griffith... the perfectionist, genius Griffith. He is the person everyone looks up to, since he truly is a great leader and strategist. Good looking and polite, with a goal of seizing his own kingdom and become king. Together with Guts and Band of the Hawk, Griffith believes that this dream can be reached. From the moment those two encountered each other, I knew that the chemistry between them would be something special. At first Guts seems to dislike Griffith, but that eventually changes into admiration, where he sees Griffith as a friend. Griffith on the other hand always seemed to have a liking to Guts, when key things happen that changes the relationship and view they have on eachother... Let's not forget Caska, who is a strongwilled woman that plays a very(!) important part in this story. She was already a respected swordswoman under Griffiths lead in Band of the Hawk when Guts arrived. At first she isn't willing to accept Guts, since she admires Griffith and becomes jealous of Guts, who is seemingly 'better' than her. She acts tough towards him for a long time, but various things happens, and she eventually changes and grows feelings for him. Hard on the outside, we get to learn about Caska's past, which just like Guts' were harsh and not easy to grow up in. Sound 9/10 During these Berserk episodes there could be long in between the music, but man, when 'Guts theme' and 'Earth' was playing in the background...wow. Definitely some of the most emotional and beautiful theme soundtracks I've ever heard, made many scenes unforgettable. Need I say more? The only minus is both the OP and ED, which both sounds like untuned guitars that doesn't really fit the series. Otherwise this section would've scored 10/10. Art 4/10 Here we have the lone reason why I don't give Berserk perfect score. Sure it's an old series, but should that justify that for major parts of episodes, the background looks like painting? I remember several scenes, where the characters are talking, and the background is just filled with either a badly painted gray sky or pale looking buildings. I got used to it though, but still below average. Naturally, there is a lot of fighting during all the wars and battles. I loved how they don't hold anything back and let the blood splutter around, but the animation fluidity should have been better. Some times when Gats fights it looks good when he swings his sword, but the majority of fighting scenes in Berserk aren't much to speak of. A lot of stand still pictures when the warriors fight on the battlefield, and the one-on-one battles consists mostly of one hit with the weapon, then back to stand still, then another swing. It doesn't have the fluidity that would've made it more enjoyable. What makes up for the animation is the character artstyle. Everyone looks very realistic human like, and you can clearly separate each and every minor to major important people, as they all have their own looks, with characteristic details. Enjoyment 9/10 In the end,it didn't matter that the animation was so bad, cause so much else made up for it. The dark athmosphere combined with rough violence made me quite exited, and with such an original story I never got bored. Unlike many other anime I've seen, the important characters here really got severely injured and were in danger of dying. Several scenes where Guts or Griffith spoke of their dreams were unforgettable. I can still picture them in my head together with the beautiful music that fit so well. This anime has characters you get to know very well, you get to hear their thoughts and will see them show strong emotions. What happens in Berserk is truly something you will get moved by and get feelings for yourself. A must see anime, wether you are strict with animation or not - it's worth it.

Perhaps one of the most over-rated anime's I have seen. It seems the creators of the anime created it based upon the idea that you would read the manga afterwards. This is a poor idea. It makes as much sense as going to watch a movie, then at the end of the movie, it doesn't actually end, but tells you to go read the books to find out what happens. The creators also seemed to not be able to decide whether they want this anime to be fantasy-like with demons and such, or more realistic. Most of the anime is realistic, but demons are thrown in randomly, making them appear out of place. At the end, it's heavily demon-related, which just feels strange because almost the entire anime didn't involve them at all. There characters are the only redeemable aspect of this anime.

Even if we painstakingly piece together something lost, it doesn't mean things will ever go back to how they were: Guts It is my perception that a true friend never relies on another’s dream. A person with the potential to be my true friend must be able to find his reason for life without my help. And, he would have to put his heart and soul into protecting his dream. He would never hesitate to fight for his dream, even against me. For me, a true friend is one who stands equal on those terms: Griffith Berserk is one of the best anime i had the luck to watch.A trully remarkable thing about this anime is that it captures the interest of the viewer and holds it tightly throughout the ten hour duration of this masterpiece. Firstly, I must admit that it has its flaws, such as a few points of lazy animation, as in some of the battle scenes, as well as the somewhat disappointing ending, which leaves the viewer thirsting for more without the promise of any follow-up. Yet the fact of the matter is, and I speak for myself, that the positive aspects of Berserk outweigh the bad so drastically one cant help but overlook them in terms of the entire film. The frequent sub-par visuals mean nothing in comparison to the amazing plot depth and beautiful character development marbled throughout the film. In summary, Berserk is a ten hour mini-series that consists of 25 20+ minute episodes detailing the life of a rogue swordsman named Guts. Guts, in short, is simply the most intriguing fictional character ever constructed. Guts, first of all, is one of the finest examples of an individual driven entirely by self preservation and improvement. Throughout the series Guts grows stronger and more deadly before our eyes, with each thrust of his massive sword. The personal relationships that he develops over time, especially with Griffith and Caska, are totally believable and honest. In particular, the love/hate relationship that Guts has with Caska sucks the viewer into their world and with each episode end leaves you literally thirsting for more. Berserk has the same problem that many other anime have - a lousy beginning that camouflages an exceptionally well-done middle sequence. Once you get past the murky and muddled exposition, you get to actually meet the cast as more than just the standard fantasy archetypes. Story: A very strong part of this anime is its amazing story. unfortunately for people like me who dont read manga you will be very disappointed to hear that this masterpiece is sadly not finished. You will find your self watching the entire series excited up untill you reach the end were the bitter sweet end kicks you hard in the balls. Still this anime remains mature to the very end, and those who have no problem continuing the story by reading the mang you will find out the rest of the story. A 10 for this masterpiece plz Art: What can i say the animation wasnt that bad especially for an anime nearly 20 years old. Still it might be kinda hard to watch for new people but dont let it discourage you this anime is really worth it. I give a 7 Sound: The oppening was great, As well as the battle music. I will give it a 9 Character: By far the strongest part of this anime. All the characters are unique and beautiful in their own way.Guts for example, is more than just the stoic, battle hardened fighter he seems to be at first. He is a truly interesting head case, a product of years of systematic abuse and ill fortune. He is constantly battling demons, both metaphorical and real, and often wonders aloud about his lot in life. Griffith, on the other hand, is a surprisingly gentle soul, with a mind and wit as sharp as his blade. His beauty seems eerily unfitting for a field of death, and yet when Guts and Griffith fight side by side, covered in the blood of their enemies, it is like they are gods of war, kindred spirits with little else to define their lives. I give a 10 for sure Enjoyment: If you like dark themed animes that dont have an american happy ending but stay mature all they way then you will most likely love this anime. 10 Overall: Berserk is a definite must-see for all fans of anime. For those who dislike anime or are indifferent to it, the mediocre visuals may tarnish your opinion of it, yet the rock solid plot and character depth with leave you amazed.

Berserk is an interesting, individually thoughtful anime that ultimately isn't so interesting and isn't so sophisticated. The first thing you are likely to notice in this show is how scarce the animation is. A very high portion of the show, especially the action scenes, are no more than a series of zooming/panning stills. This aspect may be due to budget constraints, but it is consistent with the other elements of Berserk. Berserk has an understated, beautiful, and sophisticated soul. This is notable and appreciable. Beneath that soul however, sparse, simple, and incomplete very accurately describes Berserk. The story is extremely sparse and simple, and it seems things just happen so we can get on to the next setting, the next event. The story is well-paced, and it is well-written and thoughtful but only in a theoretical way. Many things are never addressed and many events have no/little effect on the future and the characters. Some things happen for no explicable reason, like there is an exterior purpose, an exterior goal. In Gut's words while fighting Zodd, a god-demon: "It can't be. How can this possibly be happening?" Impossibility, unbelievability. The supernatural, otherworldly part of the story especially seems purposeless, thrown together with the rest of the story. Deus ex Machina in the form of the supernatural. The final episode and the first scene of the series are especially disappointing, hopeless, and frustrating. The anime ends with a giant, improbable cliffhanger. There is little ultimately unique about the story in Berserk. Many things in Berserk are cliché. The themes of Berserk — bloodshed, demons, medieval, middle ages, sword fights, war — all have something in common. Berserk probably has resemblance to a game, to an RPG. Berserk also happens to inspire Dark Souls, a role-playing video game. Dark Souls has a typically minimalistic plot and it is mostly left up to the player to put the pieces of the story together. There is a bit higher than ordinary amount of explicitness — gore, nudity, sex, and rape in Berserk, especially in the manga. The last, frustrating episode of the series has Griffith rape Casca for little/no reason. The movies seem to be lower quality than the show, and the movies over-emphasize, overly focus on, use tasteless sex scenes while they were sparse and (mostly) tasteful in the anime. Every female in distress in Berserk is immediately chosen by default to be raped, which may seem sexist. These elements are not inherently meaningless but they aren't quite distinct and quite purposeful, like the author was not quite sure how to advance the story and make it seem thoughtful. The author puts little effort in creating meaningful and sophisticated plot devices. The author is thin on ingenuine ideas. The characters in Berserk are also simple and thin in a practical way. The characters are well-designed, beautiful — lush in a theoretical, in a technical way. But there is little character development. There is no true interaction outside of the three main characters — Guts, Griffith, and Casca. Many characters also are effectively invincible. Guts, the main character, effortlessly, abruptly, and with little/no choreography defeats every foe he faces. Guts pretty much singularly defines the Band of Hawk, the group of the protagonists, in battle. Griffith, the soul of the group, is never really shown fighting in battle. In the anime, Griffith survives at least two otherwise-fatal events in an unbelievable way. The otherworldly, "gods" in this anime are also invincible. Invincible characters are empty and purposeless. Characters in this anime outside the main three serve like NPCs or APCs, fleeting and flat. Non-main characters are little more than plot devices, solely there to advance the plot in a not very thorough way. There is little ultimately unique about the characters in Berserk. The sound is understated, beautiful, and sophisticated. But certain things like the OP didn't fit with the mood, like the creators were not quite sure what the purpose of Berserk was. Is it a military fiction? Is it a shōnen (manga)? Is it horror? Is it fantasy? It is probably all of these, or none of these. Berserk is not quite distinct and not really purposeful. More so for the manga, Berserk may be an endless, hopeless, purposeless story — a bunch of thoughtful, loose ideas, with no single, unified, true purpose. Berserk is a well-thought, well-written story with very little/no heart.

Disclaimer: Berserk will never end. Enjoy your suffering I've watched under 100 anime, so don't take my word for it but why are you even reading reviews on this? Welcome to "How to Be a Man: The Anime" with your host Guts and his co-star Griffith. This is what happens when someone in Japan picks up a book on on the Medieval Era and then touches it up with some fantasy elements. I say "some" because none of that is actually present in the anime except in certain spots and in the last handful of episodes. The story follows Guts, a mercenary travelling from battlefield to battlefield scraping together a living and purposely staring death in the face. He encounters the Band of Hawks and through a twist of fate (and some dated battle animations) joins them. Their enigmatic leader, Griffith, has aspirations of one day ruling the land. Drawn in by the charisma and mysterious allure of his being, the Band of Hawks becomes a formidable army that Griffith leads on the road to achieving his dream. So starting with the story, it's about as generic as things can get. What separates it from other series of perhaps its genre is the way in which the story is told. We see things as Guts experiences them and we come to sympathize with the characters. While everyone has their own personality and own traits, only Guts and Griffith really stand center stage. This is fine; too many main characters can be bothersome. Thankfully, you don't forget about them and the scenes they're in are a welcome distraction from whatever else is going on. The animation is dated and a bit lazy in places, but that's okay. What makes something timeless isn't the small stuff, but how well the big stuff looks. And wow! Facial expressions and those many interactions are just beautiful. The art direction gives you a feeling of authenticity while the scenes that do capture actual movement last only long enough to show what they need to show. Not a wasted frame most of the time. The music isn't as strong as other stuff I've watched, but that's fine. "Tell Me Why" is probably one of the most weirdly upbeat and misleading openings of time, but still catchy enough that you don't mind. When that theme hits, you get pumped. Tracks like "Gatsu" are a bit out of place but still work well enough while the high-energy "Forces" is something you would expect out of a much more theatrical performance rather than an anime about a dude who ties logs to his sword and swings it 100 times as "training". So why is it the "Manliest Anime of All Time"? Go watch and find out for yourself!

Hello and welcome to a not that long anime review of Berserk. I will break it down to several categories for this review because I like to keep it tidy and on point. So let's get started. --Characters-- The characters are, while not boring nor bland, are not the greatest but still memorable. They all have their distinct personality, their own strengths and weaknesses, their motivations for fighting and distinct designs. None of them feels like a cardboard cutout. - Guts is quite the good main character. A tragic hero with a dynamic personality. He is surpassingly human, changing drastically over time. In the beginning he seems rather bland but over time you feel him grow and change like a real life human does. - Casca, the secondary protagonist. She is a female warrior, and the struggle of, as they say it, "doing a mans job" is visible. The sexism from others against her being female is surprisingly real. Greatly devoted to Griffith, her overprotectiveness and obsession over him is forgivable due to her backstory. - Griffith, the third main character. Griffith is a charismatic leader of a mercenary group. With a huge motivation, he leads his group to many victories during the series. He is by far one of the most interesting characters on this anime. The lengths he does to just to reach his goal is quite amazing. --Story-- Let's just say that the story is there, it's not complicated but not easy. It just gets a bit overshadowed by epic battles and violence. It's not the best story either, but not the worst. It's good enough to keep make you wanting to see how it ends. And it does get more and more interesting farther into the anime. --Art-- I will give it slack for being an older anime. But the animation has not aged well. But it is not ugly, not that good. The background however, are quite lovely and the still images that are traditionally painted are extremely lovely by them self. The animation on the battles is by far the best in the series. --Sound-- Being one who prefers dubs, I must say the dub is quite good. Not prefect, it could be better for some background characters, but the main characters and secondary characters are voiced fittingly. Sound design is lovely. You hear each step when it should be heard, it's different for each surface. The weapons clashing, the nature sounds, the sound track. It all fits in perfectly to form an atmosphere that is believable. --Enjoyment-- Is this anime enjoyable? Oh lord yes! If you want some badass fighting, epic violence and blood then you will love it. This is enjoyable anime at its finest when it comes to action. The characters are good, the story is fine, the sound is amazing and the action is epic. --Overall-- All in all. If you want epic action, violence and blood, some more mature anime. Don't mind some minor nudity in a few episodes and you don't mind bloody anime. Then I'd recommend it. If you want some slice of life romance, then you will not find that here at all.

Has someone ever asked you the most ambiguous question in the world? What is the meaning of life? It's a pesky question in which answers can differ from person to person, with no one coming close to an answer. But, in my very subjective opinion, Berserk' answer is a very solid one. Berserk follows the story of Guts, an incredibly strong mercenary who fights battles for pay. He eventually meets a man named Griffiths, the leader of a mercenary group called Band of the Hawk. The story documents Guts joining the group, and the many tales of battles and wars the band of the hawk face, which all go towards Griffiths' trying to accomplish his dream. Berserk opening episode starts off (and I don't know if this is a real word) in an anti clockwise cyclical nature, in that it goes from present, to past (which is most of the story) and then back to the present again, which can be confusing for an opening few episodes, but is very integral later on. What makes Berserk interesting is it's genre in comparison to the morale of the story. For a mythical, medieval hack and slash styled show, it would be expected to have a simplistic message so the watcher isn't put off by complex drivel. However, Berserk concentrates on people dreams, and how, as humans, trying to convert a dream into reality is one of the things we seek out the most. It's philosophy at its finest, identifying and pondering on one's own existence in the terror that is war, which offers a clever juxtaposition in the circumstances. However, it also looks at how hard striving to make one's dream become reality really is, the sacrifices made, the obstacles they face and the burden people go through can be overwhelming for anyone, but to reach their destined fate is worth it. This therefore gives a real world account of why people give up on dreams, only for them cling onto someone else's, as 'fate' would have it that their dreams are nothing but fantasy. But, the show isn't without some drawbacks. The handling of the ending felt distant with how the show had been built up beforehand. Although the mythical side of the show, such as fighting monsters was reoccurring and integral, it made the end of the show detached from the rest of it. Also, considering the anime which came out in 1997 and the manga is still ongoing, it could've continued on for longer, but only one arc has been animated. This eventually lead to the ending leaving more unanswered questions. Mid 90s animation wasn't anything great to shout about, and it's clear from Berserks how much animation has moved on from 17 years ago, such as more fluid fight scenes and clearer, more defined picture quality. Berserk contains none of this. It's bloody nature of killing, with blood constantly splurting out does look very silly too, but, if you can look past the animation woes for it's story, you could end up enjoying it. Berserk shines in creating 2 well anchored main characters in Guts and Griffith's. Guts, the caring tragic hero, who struggles to find his own path in life and Griffiths, a man whose ruthless in achieving his fate. Both characters are very much 'cut from the same cloth', so similar in many ways such as being brilliant swordsman. Furthermore, both are developed over the course of the whole anime, leading to better explanations of how they are as people. Guts has the conscience, he's more caring for his comrades, whereas Griffiths is more narrow sighted and is more focused on using others to propel him closer to his dream. Other characters like Casca and Judeau of the band of the hawk are also important, Judeau bond between Guts is very pleasant to see develop. It's the same with Casca, the female commander, who also is struggles in finding her own path. It could be said that some characters are less developed than others. Each character stated above have their own reasons for why they joined the band of the hawk, and why they help Griffiths. But, although some get reasonable screen time, they lack importance. The OST is very fitting to Berserk. It's uplifting, almost 'sweeping' style orchestral music is very much the sort of thing you wouldn't mind to listen to whilst contemplating your own existence. Although it was limited, it still made emotional scenes that bit more emotional and fighting scenes that more epic. To conclude, an anime 17 years young gives a brilliant answer to the question; What is the meaning of life? Berserk believes it's to follow your dreams, and make it become the reality you wished for. A stunning show that I recommend highly.

Here's the thing about Berserk if you have read the manga before watching the anime you may come away slightly disappointed. Most likely because the Manga is so much better when it comes to content. In fact while Berserk is a good anime, I think it is one of the best Manga series ever. The anime does try to adapt the Golden Age Arc in 25 Episodes which is quite amazing. The violence is still there with some of the blood toned down. But most of the storyline is still intact overall. But if you really want to get into Berserk watch the anime first and if you are really interested read the manga. Now the first episode actually starts off with a bang. As our main character Guts is longing for revenge. As in the past something has happened to him and now we wants to end this. But my main problem with the anime is this. The anime explains a premise to the story but then the next 24 episodes are a prequel story. So you will have to read the Manga to see what happens after the Golden Age Arc. While also cutting off a portion of the story as well. Everything else however is quite good. The Action scenes are quite awesome from raids on castles, A fight to the death with a demon named Zodd, A really epic 1 vs 100 battle and so much more. Also in the beginning of the prequel Guts is forced to join a group known as The Band of the Hawk. As the leader Griffith wants Guts to be one them. After beating Guts in a battle. Since Griffith wants Guts to be really strong and to keep the Hawk going. Also Guts meets a Woman named Casca as at first they do not get along with each other. They always argue over everything with there battle tactics and nothing seems to go right for them. But eventually they grow very close and they seem to share something very special. The other characters also are very interesting throughout The Band of the Hawk. They all have distinct personalities and try to help with the wars that are going on. Now Berserk's presentation is so awesome for what it does. The art style is really good. For an anime that came in out in the late 1990's it seriously looks stunning. The quality all looks really good and it keeps you interested on what's going to happen next. The music is perfectly outstanding in my opinion. From epic Orchestras, Beautiful ambience and dramatic musical pieces the music score in Berserk is some of the best I heard in an anime. Also the opening theme and ending theme are basically poorly translated engrish that sounds like something that should belong in an MTV music video. But it's so bad it's good in my opinion. The intro song reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on acid and the ending theme is if Alice in Chains had a chick singer. I just had to put that in since the themes always stuck out in my head every time I watched it. The action is all really good in Berserk once again. Though the Manga has way better action. Though what Berserk's anime adaption does it's still alright. Once again it is sad that the blood and gore have been toned down. But hey it's more then what you see in most shonen anime I'll give it that. The action is kept at a very fast pace and the anime always keeps moving along. It keeps Berserk going and going which is what I love the most about it. Overall the Berserk anime is a good adaptation of an amazing Manga. If you want to check out something awesome here is your chance. Though it's sad that some of the story was cut out. Plus some of the violence was toned down. But there is some good news though. The manga will be adapted into a movie series so hopefully more anime fans will have a chance to check out Berserk. But check this adaption out if you really want to see what Berserk is all about.

Just OK, with tonns of potensial ! Wow, I guess I'm the minority here. Since Berserk is considerd a classic by many, and is a high ranked anime. I mean there is so many things wrong with this series. The animation is mediocre, especially the inbetweening lacks, and makes the visual choppy. And the pause-still frames is poorly edited, and has inconsistent quality. And come on, whats the deal with the sword? It changes sizes all the time, they really had proportions issues. And the character animation is a bit generic. The fight scenes dont live up to the genre. The music I actually like, but it dosnt fit the medieval theme at all. The stroy.....hmm. there is a lot to say about it, but in general it just dosnt fit thogether. and the ending leaves you hanging. It never really ties back to episode 1. (and dont tell me to read the manga, If you have to read the manga to watch the anime, whats the point?) The Characters is good, especially the main character Guts, he's like a Conan-Kenshiro hybrid, and he goes berserk, really cool. But in even with all these negative thing, I kind of enjoyed it for 24 episodes.

Berserk has been over the years the anime I think about the most. It had such a good basis, the single best Manga ever penned, well in my opinion, but the series fell short by far. By no means is the series bad, but it leaves a lot of questions and strays very far from the manga in places. It is a really good series though, the until around the last episode or more precise the three minutes or so of the last episode. The series suffered from what I call “The Anime Curse” where the ending neither has closure nor climax, so many otherwise good series suffer from this problem sadly. But don’t let that stop you from watch this series, full of goodness and violence if you are into, a B+ effort.

Every once and a while you find an anime that you don't usually associate with the other anime you've watched. Berserk is one of those anime it doesn't take place in a high school, it doesn't take place in Japan making it something very welcoming to people to anime. -------------------------------------------------------Story----------------------------------------------------------- The plot is set in a fantasy world that doesn't involve magic or monsters for the most part. Its about guts who joins THE BAND OF THE HAWK. Most of the show is about them helping out the good kingdom against the not so good kingdom and how they grow famous. -------------------------------------------------------Art---------------------------------------------------------- Not my cup of tea because I have high standards from watching modern anime but I bet as a viewer in the 90s it didn't look very bad. The colors also had a way of making the anime look dark even in good guy kingdom which is quite fitting -----------------------------------------------------Sound-------------------------------------------------------- The show has a an opening that really grew on me as every episode it was requesting me to tell it why, WHY WHAT? Also the soundtrack grew on me and made more sense as I watched more and more of the anime. ---------------------------------------------------Characters---------------------------------------------------- Guts is angry at the start of the series I guess you could say he was about to go Berserk, he's also the main protagonist. Guts has a giant sword which he swings around all willy nillly and kills shit. Griffith is a more quick fighter almost making guts his opposite. Casca is a tsundere but you know she wants the D. None of the other characters are all that remarkable so I'm not going to spoil their deep personalities. -----------------------------------------------The Best Part----------------------------------------------------- My favorite part of Berserk is watching guts kill the shit out of everything with his massive sword. ------------------------------------------------------7/10---------------------------------------------------------

Exploring the dark impulses of one who is defeated, and the hope that someone's ambition can bring; Berserk is a work that will leave you breathless in anguish and awe. Set in a middle age like setting, with a cast of characters you will grow to love and hate... life lessons will be learnt. The choice between being a follower and a leader, lover and friend... the implications that come with it are inescapable and this adaptation profoundly grasps all of those exact concepts present in the Manga. I highly recommend this anime for anyone looking for an in depth story with strong character development, existential commentary, and awesome action.

Berserk is one of my all time favorite anime. And I only have two favorites. The story kept my attention even after the series was over. Rumors of a second series has gotten me excited for 4 years now. I would re-watch it and some AMV's and still get goosebumps! Five Stars, Two thumbs up and definitely a perfect 10 in my book!

berserk is an under-appreciated anime imo. the story and everything else in the show is just a back-drop to the amazing exploration of human nature and relationships, given to us through the brilliant main characters Guts & Griffith. Their relationship explores various sides of humanity such as friendship, ambition, sacrifice, pride and vision, and intertwining it all brilliantly in an addictive medievel knights and dark fantasy story with some cool battles. if i had to complain about anything it'd be the fairly inconclusive ending, but thankfully the manga continues beyond that point of the story and the third berserk golden age arc movie provides a bit more closure. i really can't stress enough how much of a masterpiece this anime is, quite simply a must watch no one should dismiss as just being a "mindless action show", because, chances are, berserk is better than YOUR favorite anime. Story: 8 Art: 8 Sound: 9 Character: 10 Enjoyment: 10 Final Score: 10

Berserk is quite possibly the most tragic anime series one can come into; and I don't mean in regards to its dreary and psychologically deep content. Instead, this is in regards to this near-masterpiece being terribly held back by a bad ending more than anything else. This series was produced while the manga was still being written, and even up until this day the manga is still going on. Back in the 90's this series was hated by many and rightfully so, and by all accounts I should despise it for its unfinished feel as well; but I can't bring myself to even so much as disliking this title, because when Berserk is good, this anime is really good; as it possesses one of the most fluid and brilliantly written plots one can find in anime. Despite its glaring shortcomings this is among the better anime titles one can come into. The plot follows Guts as he's later promoted to a commander within the Band of the Hawks ranks, and during this time his sword is swung helping Griffith see his dream come true. The plot for the most part follows one battle after the other which can seem quite stale to some. However, it's the strong character development and interactions that continues breathing life into the plot. They help drive home the series serious themes of obsession, jealousy, greed, camaraderie, depression, isolation, a sense of need and more. The series is high in violence, yet violence is the main point since this is the only way many of these characters can actually express themselves due to their dark pasts. Berserk explores the good and bad of human nature, and it never gives off a heavy handed feeling. I can't stress enough on how strong the characters are. This anime is the bible on how to develop characters; Guts is constantly at odds with himself as he tries to search for what he really wants, and although the viewers will see what he already has. It can simply be described as breath taking once he learns what he does have. Along with Guts, many of the characters break their molds and grow as people. Some of the things they do to get from one point to another can be quite disturbing and even disgusting, but this is human nature for you though. People are selfish, misguided, flawed, and sometimes we do things to obtain our goals, and Berserk plays on this among other things nicely. Whether it's on the battlefield or even having a drink together. The characters continue to shine and this is what helps bring out a sense of realism to Berserk you normally don't see in anime. Despite Guts probably sounding like a really angst-filled character; he has a heart of gold and tons of courage as he hacks and slashes his enemies into oblivion. This anime is jam-packed with bloody action to complement its consistently dark atmosphere. I will admit that there's a bungling enemy commander here, but he does not damage the tone, nor will you find any out of place comedy to "lighten up the mood". No, Berserk knows what it wants to be and director Naohito Takahashi never forgets this. Visually this is among the grittiest anime titles I know of. Berserk is a medieval fantasy and it can be felt through out; the backgrounds can be magnificent with larger than life castles giving off an indestructible feel. The battlegrounds are horrific with rows of bloody bodies draped through out the dark hallways. Then the anime shows off its beautiful snow laden backgrounds and running rivers. The character designs are serious in tone, and the facial expressions are what truly stands out, as they further carry the anime's themes. Takahashi does a splendid job showing without telling through the characters facials and movements. There are several stills to be found, and although the action is very brutal there really isn't much choreography to go crazy about. Fortunately, the action scenes do a good enough job getting its point across and looking cool while doing it. I love the English dub and many of the sound effects. The background BGM is great following the events. However, those J-pop and badly synthesized opening and ending themes really should have been sent to another anime. They really have no place in Berserk. Berserk is an anime that I can understand people despising, and at the same time I understand those whom love it. The beginning is almost a massive spoiler on its own, plus the ending just straight up sucks; but everything in between is just so good. Berserk has an engrossing and intricate plot with very well written characters. This is a tough anime to recommend, but I still believe serious anime fans should give this a shot. Although it does have its bad features, the good stands out quite well also. Highs: Consistently dark tone, very strong characters, visuals, great use of themes Lows: Shaky start, cliffhanger ending, poor choice of opening and ending themes

Berserk is a basic staple of 90s anime and much more than just a hack and slash violent anime as the name may imply. The characters are as bad-ass and varied as they are memorable. The plot is bursting with action from the very beginning yet still managed to increase towards the climax. Overall this series is a must watch for fans of action, serious, or dark anime. As a general warning, if by chance this is the first review you read of the show you must be told that this show is not conclusive. It is a 25 episode series for an extensively lengthy manga with hundreds of chapters. There were 3 additional movies created 15 years following the original airing of the series, yet these titles are just an updated version of the same story arc, not a continuation of the story. However, I will follow that warning with the disclosure that if there is one anime that could push a tv-watcher into a manga reader, it is Berserk. Not just to read the full story but because the characters, plot, and world all work great together. It is an incredibly well structured anime and even if it were conclusive, you would crave much more. The story opens to the last events chronologically and shifts back to the beginning of the timeline by the end of the first episode. You are left wondering how things come to pass and what events led up to episode one. Unlike many other action series, Berserk doesn't leave behind plot holes or have too much in terms of unexplained content given its size relative to the manga. The pacing steadily builds and the tension increases as the story develops. The narrative follows the protagonist Guts and the series can only be explained as a chronicling of his life. The viewer watches Guts grow from a young brute to the man he was fated to be. Guts struggles with self-identification, wondering what he lives for and what his aspirations should be. From his journey to self-realization, Guts finds himself tangled within a unique love triangle and finds his dedication consistently tested. The character development within Berserk is by far it's strongest point. Even though most characters within the series are killers, marauders, and mercenaries each character has their own unique voice and style about them. Although the anime stereotypical emotional-to-the-point-they-are-almost-always-in-tears boy that tags along occasionally, the writers have mitigated much of such roles from the show. Almost all roles within the show are relatable to the fan of the shounen and seinen. The art within Berserk has it's ups and downs. The character design is incredible, and even though Guts is drawn with saiyan-like muscle proportions it never comes across as out of place. Each character is unique and no two look remotely alike while all still retaining a sense of realism. However there were clear budget limitations within the art department. several times there are shots lacking any and all aspects of depth perception almost as if a person standing straight up, were actually laying back against the painted backdrop. Most of the backgrounds are simple and extremely basic when compared to modern anime or even anime of its time. Even some of the actual flow of the animation was cheap or limited. The quality is not even close to comparable to other notable 90s series such as Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995), Serial Experiments Lain (1998), or Cowboy Bebop (1998). Backdrops, flow, and depth aside the show does feature a fair amount of vivid carnage for a 90s anime. There will be blood and there will be dark themes. Nothing outlandish given the nature of the show and what could be done with today's technology but a good amount. Another hit-or-miss aspect within Berserk is the sound. There is not much in terms of a soundtrack for this anime. Most of the time you will hear a repetition of the same 3-5 tracks throughout the entire show. Personally, it did not detract from the show yet it was another indicator of the budget the creator's were working with. The OP initially annoyed me, yet after a few listens I could not get the engrish lyrics out of my head. I don't know what 'putting my glasses on' has to do with Guts or Berserk but I loved the song regardless by the end of the series. Overall Berserk is a great show for the young and old alike. Enough action to keep the bloodlust fans satisfied, yet it wasn't the focus of the show either. The plot is intriguing although inconclusive. If you are a heavy manga reader, this show would be a perfect segway. If you are just an anime viewer, you may be let down with the lack of closure but the journey along the way will be well worth the time. If you love stories with a bad-ass character coupled with a story that gives him more than just a hack and slash dimension you won't find one better than Berserk.

Story (9/10) While I would have liked to begin with a witty, intellectual line about how great Berserk is, I just couldn't find the right words to do it. For some reason, Berserk defies any attempts at clever analysis, meaning that I'm left with no option but to say it how I feel: Berserk is hands down one of the best anime around. It may not turn out to be one of your top favourites; it may put you off with its dated appearance; and heck, its final episode is likely to leave you royally pissed. Regardless, I'll bet you any amount you name that it will still knock your socks off. As unfair as it seems in hindsight, Berserk's opening scenario of innocent tavern girls getting bullied and monsters terrorising villages reminded me too much of some of the demon hentai I've come across. Needless to say, my expectations of Berserk thereafter hit rock bottom; by the end of the first episode, however, I had changed my mind all over again. What I discovered was that while the setting looked like a shit idea, the character and plot developments were something else altogether. Gatts' encounter with the demon lord in the first episode instantly raises the question of how a man could be so remorseless, and the subsequent flashback begins the epic story that provides the answer. What is surprising about Berserk's plot is how well its various elements come together: take the story of a man who wants greatness at all cost; add a corresponding tale of a man who thinks of nothing but fighting his next battle; stir vigorously with demons and gore; sprinkle some ingenious military-political manoeuvres on top, and what you get is a potent blend of fantasy action. Moreover, Berserk has a knack for pacing and structure; just when I think the messianic plot themes and cataclysmic battles couldn't be more melodramatic, Berserk presents a touching flashback during which the characters reveal something interesting about their pasts. I'm not usually a fan of flashbacks since they interrupt the flow of a story, but in Berserk's case, they feel more like a vital part of the experience than a convenient plot device. For example, the story of Caska's first encounter with Griffith had me glued to the screen as intently as any of the scenes of clashing armies and monster fights. In fact, Berserk had me so engrossed that every episode felt like it ended ten minutes too early. This only leaves one glaring problem, namely the fact that it doesn't end. I can't emphasise this strongly enough, but Berserk comes to the kind of screeching halt that could feed a rant for pages and pages. The anime covers perhaps a quarter of the manga's plot, and to make things worse, it stops halfway through an arc! Even pre-warned I still wasn't prepared for just how abrupt the ending turned out to be. For many, the disappointment will be acute; and for that kind of pain, I can only recommend the manga as a cure, which continues with the same (if not better) level of quality. Art (7/10) Apart from the extravagant monster designs, Berserk's concept looks lifted straight out of some generic high fantasy novel; with knights in full armour, moats and castles, shining fairies, and swords aplenty, there is really nothing too exceptional about Berserk's European universe. At its worst, Berserk suffers from an impoverished budget, which is evident considering the frequent use of still shots and the low number of frames in some of the action scenes. I have never been particularly bothered by either of these flaws if the story is good enough, and in that regard, Berserk more than compensates. Problems aside, some of the character concepts are pleasantly surprising; Griffith's icy appearance, Caska's unusually dark skin, and Gatts' rippling build and oversized sword are instantly eye-catching. Also, while the action sequences may not be much more than adequate when compared to more recent anime, I do like their gritty approach to violence. Sound (8/10) Berserk's soundtrack is not particularly varied; almost all of the intense scenes with a score use only a slight variation of the same theme. However, the little there is makes for a pleasant listening experience and never gets old despite the repetition. Besides, the lack of variety is probably due to the fact that Berserk relies far more on natural background noise to create tension. Although faced with a script that is occasionally laden with cheese, Berserk's Japanese voice actors still manage to deliver some truly emotional dialogue. For instance, the villains issue macho threats and chuckle with nefarious delight, but the protagonists tend to have serious tones which are full of subtle nuances. Notably, Griffith has a softer voice than I expected, although it fits his cool, intelligent demeanour like a glove and even makes him seem doubly sinister on occasion. Predictably, the American cast are only half as good; I could only stomach a few episodes of their daytime drama acting. If possible, avoid them at all cost. Characters (10/10) What is impressive about Berserk is that it has no weak cast members to speak of; not one of them falls short of delivering a convincing performance. Granted, the stock characters such as Princess Charlotte remain far less developed than the protagonists, but they still manage to fit the story to a tee. As for the central characters, they are unexpectedly complex and emotionally engaging on every level: Gatts is a traditional tortured hero type who carries the burdens of a dubious origin and a disturbed past. What makes him a great lead character despite being a stereotype on the surface is that he embodies, in the bluntest way, what makes a person likeable; he has a raw, honest personality which, despite his reticence, still comes across as touchingly vulnerable. Besides, he may not be people-friendly, but he kicks a lot of arse and he saves people, and he does it all with a sword twice his size. Griffith, as far as the anime is concerned, is probably Berserk's strongest standalone element (in the manga, Gatts is definitely more interesting). He is beautiful like an angel and radiates the kind of charisma that moves armies and topples kingdoms; what's more, he is inhumanly cunning and generally the kind of character you can fall for over and over again. However, the guy is also undeniably fucked up. As Griffith leads the Band of the Hawk to glory and wins hearts as well as minds, there is always an element of doubt concerning his true intentions; of course, this only serves to make him all the more engaging. As the only female to have a significant role, Caska exceeded my initial expectations; she doesn't have big tits or bare long legs, and she has both common sense and superb fighting skills. Intelligent, a leader within the Hawks, and harbouring an intense loyalty to Griffith, she is a character with a distinct purpose. Caska's only downfall is that, as the series progresses, she gets forced back into a predictably misogynistic role. With regards to the supporting cast, the members of the Band of the Hawk are easily the most memorable, with Judeau ranking as my favourite; whilst he may be young and have relatively little screen time, his wisdom and perceptiveness when it comes to his comrades is refreshing. Corkus, on the other hand, is another great character whose relentless dislike of Gatts provides for some much-needed comedy; I also like the fact that he adds a more pessimistic nuance to the Band of the Hawk dynamic. All in all, these are the kinds of characters for which I harbour deep nostalgic feelings; their strong personalities and intricate development makes them difficult to forget. Overall (9/10) The villains can be cheesy; almost every scene involves someone getting gutted or having their limbs chopped off; and the demons tend to eat people just for the heck of it. All of this would usually result in an anime that is mediocre at best and probably doomed to obscurity. However, Berserk's superb character…

Actually not really a fan of this adaption. The animation is really slow and stiff. The voice acting is kinda bad. It sounds like they're just reading off of a script in front of them. Griffith is the only one who sounds like he's actually acting. It cuts out some of Guts' backstory also. Along with some other stuff. I understand why as it aired on TV but it is important to the story. OST is god tier though. All in all, it's the best adaption of Berserk we have. But it does leave a lot to be desired. I really hope at some point a capable studio fully adapts the entire story. It could rival the likes of Game of Thrones and The Witcher.