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10. Marshal of Manga 
‘Man does not control his fate, but he can fight against it.’
These paradoxical words in the Berserk trailer instantly attacted me – how can one fight against his fate without changing it, and what’s the point of doing so if it can’t be changed?
The series has a strong lean towards determinist philosophy, and we see the world through the perspective of Gatts, a powerful but unambitious warrior.
Gatts is a really interesting character – he lacks depth but it is this precise quality that allows him to view the world through largely unbiased eyes, and much of Berserk lies in seeing what happens to Gatts, and how he reacts to it.
A young Gatts joins the ‘Band of the Hawk’ – a group of mercenaries led by the charismatic and power-hungry Griffith. We follow the rise, fall, and rebirth of this band and the part Griffith plays in it.
We see the deterioration of human values in the pursuit of power and warfare, and the tragic consequences of uncurbed ambition.
Berserk is full of the vices and vicissitudes in a man’s life, and a review cannot do justice to the many themes Berserk explores, comradeship and love not being least. Despite the heavy content in Berserk, it is surprisingly understandable and enjoyable, with a superbly constructed romance to boot.
Berserk has one of the best supporting casts in an anime, with each character’s personality and goals making them every bit as human as real people. It is difficult not to sympathise with the characters as we see the gruesome end that greets each of them.
Berserk is no comedy or happy-ending affair, but its grim pessimism is a fresh and insightful addition to the world of anime.
Music is great, with the ‘battle theme’ giving one the feel of epic greatness, but the lyrics in the open and end themes are sung in incomprehensible English.
Dark and deceptive, brutal but beautiful, Berserk encapsulates everything that makes a great anime.
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9. Global Frequency 
An odd but effective mix of brutal, graphic violence and complex emotion, Berserk is what classical fantasy should be – innovative, unpredictable and unique. Unfortunately it isn’t any of those things until fourth episode or so. I was about to give up on Berserk. I’m glad I didn’t. Guts (or Gatsu, or Gatts, depending on whom you ask) is a remarkably sympathetic young man, scarred inside and out by his warlike past. Born and raised on the battlefields of the 100-year war between the kingdoms of Midland and Chuder, he prefers constant bloodshed to the quiet life, as it allows him some respite from his troubled thoughts. Guts suddenly finds direction in his life when he’s recruited by Griffith, the charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary army destined to rise to power – and suffer a terrible fate as a result of Griffith’s machinations.
Berserk is a mature piece of work – and when I say mature, I don’t mean “tits and entrails,” as the label has come to mean according to comic writer Alan Moore. The emotional depth of these characters is astounding, particularly Guts and Caska, who are separated from the Band following a battle and come to respect – and eventually love – one another despite the initial friction between the two. Berserk ostensibly falls within the sword-and-sorcery genre, but it’s one of the grittiest, most unpleasant and unflinching pseudo-medieval series I’ve yet seen. It’s Record of Lodoss War with a harder edge and less magic. Here’s hoping the rumored second season will come to fruition, because the final episode ends on a particularly maddening cliffhanger.
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| 8. FoXdie
I'm writing this review 10 minutes after watching the final
episode (maybe not the best way to go at it) of this brutal yet somehow beautiful
piece of anime, and I must say I'm disappointed to a certain extent. This one
leaves so many questions at the end that a second season is almost a must. I don't
see it happening though, I think that a second season will go terribly wrong if
you look at the horror displayed in the last 5 to 6 episodes. Before
that last bunch of eps it's wonderful. Sure people are killed by the hundreds
but the fights are so well put together that you wish there were hundreds more
waiting in line. The characters are really interesting, music is great and the
artwork kinda different (but very good in an old school kind of way). When
I saw this anime for the first time it reminded me of Fist of the North Star
(artwork, lots of blood and guts, pun intended), and was rather dubious of watching
this (I hated FOTNS). The series surprised me with brilliant storytelling
and an atmosphere that's very uncommon in anime nowadays. It
all goes a bit wrong when demons get up in the mix though . It feels more like
a bad demon-hentai with too much blood and without the sex for me at that point.
The positive points of the show largely outweigh
the negative but it's a bit sad that the bad parts are in the end which leaves
a mark on the whole experience. . It's really difficult to rate this show because
I'm torn between 3.5 or 4 stars. But if I think back the shows probably worth
more credit than I'm giving it now. At least it doesn't wrap up the story with
nonsense or fabricated miracles. It doesn't wrap things up at all but maybe that's
a good thing. Of to reading the Manga then. |
| 7. Avenant
Probably one of the greatest series ever devised, Berserk
does everything right. Set in Western medieval times, Berserk follows the
life of "the black swordsman", Gatts.This is one of the most violent
series I've ever seen - crimson graces the screen very often indeed, though the
violence isn't very graphic. The art isn't the best - but works pretty well nevertheless,
and the music is simplistic, yet VERY effective and emotional. Berserk's
main strength lies in its exellent characters however, and intresting views on
human nature. Berserk's only flaw is its terrible ending - it's likely
one of the greatest let-downs in anime
history. Though I won't "spoil"
it, suffice it to say that you'll wonder what happened to episode 26. All
in all, Berserk is an amazing series, and is very highly reccomended. Even
if you can't stand violence, try some pills and bear it - you won't regret it. |
| 5. Iodine
A hardcore, mature medieval fantasy about a fearsome warrior's
early days as a member of an ambitious mercenary band. The central trio of characters,
Guts, Caska, and Griffith, are exceptionally well portrayed, and their interactions
drive the show. Berserk is violent, bloody, and unmerciful, as it follows
the Band of the Hawk from their glorious rise to their chilling, brutal downfall.
Though set in the usual quasi-medieval setting, there is an emphatic realism to
the portrayal here that pointedly includes all the negative aspects of the time
period. Rape and torture play their parts in the story, but they have consequences
in this world, and the effects are dealt with. The series is obviously not for
those weak of heart or stomach as the abundant violence is portrayed quite graphically
and often taken to extremes. The designs and animation
aren't pretty, but they serve their purpose and are well used. The writing is
rock-solid, though a little hard to warm up to at first because of the dark tone.
All the characters have their moments, and manage to come off as real personalities.
Despite the brutality, there's a satisfying starkness to the events that take
place, the feeling that nothing's being held back or sanitized. The only real
failing of the series as a whole, is that it indulges a little too much in the
earlier bouts of carnage, including the repeated use of one especially annoying
villain who refuses to go away. Still, with its uncompromising style and startlingly
good story, this is undoubtedly one of the most engrossing and deliberately horrific
anime ever produced. |
| 4. Jin
Berserk is an anime that provides all the blood for
all you serial killers out there, enough emotion to make you hate the enemy, and
just a little bit more. Berserk is a very dark and very mature TV series:
a very different approach on a fantasy/action type anime. The anime depicts quite
a lot of mature subjects such as sex, rape, and violence. The
plot is a telling of Gatts' past with the Band of the Hawk and what exactly he's
doing now. The plot is executed quite well in leading to the ending with some
twists that might or might not throw you off. The fighting sequences are quite
fluid and with the use of highly detailed stills it creates an even better image
for you. The fighting scenes even contain quite a bit of detail and story making
you want to see what exactly happens, rather than just showing killing. Beginning
the anime, however, is strange due to the first episode making you wonder what
exactly is going on if there's no real story being shown. There are also a few
bumps in the story such as between episodes or when they switch to other scenes
but they aren't overly noticeable. The ending, however, leaves some questions
to be answered. The animation isn't exactly clean
cut and there are quite a lot of stills used. However, the animation just seems
to blend perfectly with the dark atmosphere of Berserk. The stills in particular
can create quite a feeling when you consider the moment it is shown. As said before
the stills during fighting scenes are very good. They create a dramatic effect
when shown even when not used during battle scenes. The
music in Berserk is a real emotional piece of work. The entire epic music
really captures the moment at times and sets the fantasy mood well. I would recommend
this to those who aren't afraid of mature ideas and doesn't mind the graphic violence. |
| 3. dios
Berserk is a brutal, realistic fantasy that uses its
supernatural elements sparingly. The first episode is effectively the end of the
story and the rest of the series one big flashback, although when it's over there's
a lot left to explain. Gatts is a gifted swordsman who joins a band of mercenaries
led by the charismatic Griffith. There's also a strong female character, Caska,
further discussion of whom really deserves more space and spoilers than can be
found here. These mercenaries soon enjoy a meteoric rise to power in a war-torn
kingdom, but to what end? Events unfold at a steady pace, giving the show a luxuriant,
epic atmosphere (helped by the excellent, otherworldly music), but graphic battle
scenes and a constant sense of impending doom ensure the viewer doesn't become
too complacent. Berserk's attention to character and low-key tone help
to make it closer in style to western fantasy literature, especially the darker
variety, than to other anime. A unique and powerful series. |
| 2. Dreamer
After playing the great Dreamcast videogame and reading one
review, I got excited to see the anime. I was not disappointed at all; it turns
to be a great anime not only in its action scenes but also in the story and pacing
departments. Visually, this one has a solid look with often-dark amber around
it especially in the fights. Not having a big budget, most normal animators wouldn't
love doing violent anime and so it relies on still shots quite often and the art
style looks quite old-ish. But, that is not a con as it gives the show a unique
personality. Story: Gatsu a lonely man who loves nothing more than swinging his
sword and taking men after another in the battlefield. He was like that since
he was like that until he became a member of a mercenary bandit called the Hawk
Bandit, lead by a man called Griffith. The story goes on and develops into the
emerging of the demon world into this world. For a while, I wished that things
would've continued normally with no demon stuff in, but I guess it adds more to
the story... or should I say will add more to the story in the future as this
only seems to be the first season of the show. I have no idea when the second
season, if there is one, will come out, but I wish it will be out soon if it hasn't
yet. Right now all I could do is going back to play the Dreamcast game again,
which takes place after the anime story. |
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