23 April 2015

Berserk Manga/Anime series (Japan, 1997-1998)

Guts was brought up by a mercenary group since birth. After killing his guardian in self-defense, he runs away. Years later, he encounters Griffith and The Band of the Hawk. The Hawks fight for the King of Midland, and after winning the 100-year war against the neighboring Tudor, they become the King's personal guard. However, once they reach the top, things take a turn for the worse.

Here's an unusual recommendation, coming from this site. A series, instead of a film is what's up today. Now, don't worry, this will most likely be a one-time thing only but I feel I just can't ignore such a huge chunk of a Japanese gemstone. 

Berserk started as a manga series in 1989 and is still running today (if you can believe that). It's set in a medieval high fantasy world which gradually becomes a more nightmarish place and focuses on Guts, a mercenary with a sword twice the size of the soldiers he's chopping down with it. A 25-episode anime series was adapted in 1997, and covered most of the series first story arc. That's where you'll most likely get hooked, and then get your hands on the manga and the three animated films: The Egg of the King (2012), The Battle for Doldrey (2012) and Descent (2013), which I've covered here before.
The characters are one of Berserk's biggest strengths. After multiple viewings of the anime and readings of the manga, The Band of the Hawk starts to feel like your own comrades. The leader Griffith, a beautiful young man who's just as smart and cunning as he is loyal to his friends. Casca, a petite woman but one of the best fighters The Hawk's ever had, and Judeau, a master of knives and wits. The list goes on, but the point is that these are amazing characters you'll fall in love with. 

Also one of my favorite aspects of the series is how Guts is just a human being who's up against seemingly unbeatable odds. While the towering tentacle demons and colossal monstrosities are all coming down on him, Guts only have his trademark sword to fight them with. Berserk has also inspired other high fantasy work, the hardcore and now hugely popular 2011 video game Dark Souls for example have tons in common with the series. What it all comes down to is that it's a tour de force of raw violence and emotions, disgusting monster slaying and a powerful struggle for the fate of mankind, which starts with just a small band of ambitious mercenaries but grows infinitely larger until it reaches beings residing in an existence far from our own. 


Genre: Animation/Action/Fantasy

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