Berserk is considered as one of the bloodiest, most violent, and darkest manga to ever have been written, spanning over 25 years of excellence. Considered one of the greatest Seinen stories told, Berserk is enhanced by some of the most well-written characters, story plots, and depictions of trauma in any medium. Following Guts, Berserk's main protagonist, the audience meets plenty of complex characters, like Griffith and Casca, and a wide range of secondary characters that help complement the story's device plots. As amazing as the manga is, it's a shame that the story has yet to receive a proper anime adaptation.

In 1997, Berserk received its first anime adaptation, covering the Black Swordsman arc and part of the Golden Age arc in a 25-episode season that lasted six months. After 15 years of absence, Berserk would return with a trilogy of film features, again re-telling the story of The Golden Age arc, only this time with crisper imagery and fluid animation. It was a nice refresh over a story told a decade and a half earlier, but fans of the Berserk franchise were starved for more of the story from the manga. They would get their wish in 2016 when Berserk came back with the beginning of the Conviction arc, but its arrival wasn't as well received as anticipated.

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1997 Berserk Was The Franchise's First Anime Adaptation

Covering The Black Swordsman and Golden Age Arcs

Berserk's original run was aired on Nippon TV in Japan and later released in North America via licensing from Media Blasters. The 25-episode feature covered the Black Swordsman arc primarily, with the Golden Age arc finishing off the series in April 1998. Though the series lasted just six months, the memories of "Tell My Why" blasting through the opening still plays in the minds of Berserk fans worldwide. The soundtrack was one of the strongest of its time and still holds up to this day, with Guts' theme painting a beautiful, yet melancholy vibe to a character drenched in trauma.

Throughout Berserk's first story, fans meet Griffith and Casca as part of the Band of the Hawk, a group of mercenaries that take contracts and assist in wars for profit. Griffith is viewed as a beautiful man with flowing hair as white as snow, smiling and sharing his wisdom despite coming from a background full of pain and agony. Berserk 1997 does a wonderful job painting trauma among its many main characters, whether it's Guts and his upbringing, Griffith's childhood suffering, or Casca's need for affection and notice. The pacing of each episode helps hold the hand of the viewers, leading them down a path of anguish and an end worth the wait.

The animation of Berserk 1997 is another strong point, thanks to its raw and real approach. Relying solely on the efforts of Oriental Light and Magic's animation and the masterful direction of Naohito Takahashi, Berserk 1997 is as unapologetically dark and gruesome as it is beautiful. Viewers are put through a whirlwind of suffering before being reeled back in with a moment of weakness being discovered and healed, only to have the stitches unwound and bloodied once more. Though the 2012 film trilogy re-tells the story with crisper animation quality, the first adaptation feel and the glorious soundtrack continue to live rent-free in the hearts of Berserk fans.

2016 Berserk's Failure To Live Up To Expectations

Covering The Conviction And Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arcs

Unfortunately, the 2016 Berserk series stumbled out of the gate and never held its footing. Under the animation of three different studios — GEMBA, Millepensee, and Liden Films — Berserk's newest and latest anime adaptation failed to live up to the high expectations set by the 1997 series and 2012 film trilogy. The biggest stand-out for most fans was the historic drop-off in animation quality, trading the real and raw feel of the 1997 series for 3D renders and clunky flow. At times, the uncanny feeling of watching Guts run through a forest or swing his mammoth-sized sword was a major turn-off for fans.

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The good news is that Berserk finally had a new story to tell, as the 2016 series covered both the Conviction arc and some of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc. This helped soften the blow of the poor animation and sound design, as readers of the manga and new fans alike were able to watch a different part of the story from the original adaptation. Returning characters such as Guts, Griffith, and Casca welcomed new additions to the story, such as Serpico, Farnese, Isidro, and the lovable Puck, and Skull Knight got some time to shine after being completely omitted from the 1997 series, despite playing a pivotal role in the manga.

Berserk 2016 does manage to end on a high note, as Guts, Casca, and the remainder of his newfound group find a moment of solace amidst the chaos, which ends the series on a high note. Up until this point, the band of warriors had been met with nonstop violence and bloodshed, so to see them have some time to relax and enjoy one another's company is a beautiful way to finish things off. Sure, there are many glaring weaknesses; lack of the 1997 soundtrack, animation quality, sound design, etc… but to have another part of the Berserk story told is something fans can be somewhat thankful for.

Which Berserk Series Should You Watch?

Is Berserk 2016 As Good As Berserk 1997?

Fans of the Berserk franchise should definitely watch the 1997 series and give 2016 a try. Yes, despite all of its flaws, the 2016 Berserk series still has some redeeming qualities about it and, at times, may have the audience briefly ignoring its shortcomings for a beautiful story. It pales in comparison to the 1997 series in virtually every category, but first-time viewers will get a glimpse into the growth of Guts, what he's been up to since the eclipse event, and his resolve to find and put an end to Griffith. Plus, Skull Knight makes his return from the 2012 film trilogy, and is a character that is a fan favorite.

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It's always suggested that fans read the manga before anything else, as this is the purest form of the story that fans will get. Berserk's manga is grim and, at times, too graphic to turn the page without fear, but Kentaro Miura's vision is best absorbed through this medium. Fans will be able to get the full story, without censorship and restrictions, and be able to understand the trauma that all the main characters are subjected to. While the late Kentaro was not able to complete his vision before his untimely passing, the story is in good hands with someone who shares the same end goal he once had.

After reading the manga, Berserk fans will be able to peacefully watch the 1997 and 2016 series, along with the film trilogy from 2012, without missing any of the important details. While the 1997 Berserk series does a phenomenal job of adapting the Black Swordsman arc, the 2016 adaptation of Conviction leaves out some important story plots that help teach the audience about Guts' growth as a human and his eventual agreement to take on a new band of allies. Without it, the story feels somewhat hollow, but still worth the watch provided fans know what they're getting before they embark on this adventure.

Berserk

Release Date

October 8, 1997

Studio

OLM Team Iguchi

Creator

Kentaro Miura

Streaming Service(s)

YouTube