In Japan, at exactly noon on May 20th, the official Berserk social media account tweeted news that the series creator of Berserk, Kentaro Miura, had passed away two weeks prior on May 6th, sending a shockwave of emotions to thousands of fans. The news came as a shock to many fans, who began to tweet about their history with the mangaka and the manga itself, most sharing artwork and their favorite memories of Berserk.
Shortly after news of the passing was made public knowledge, several Final Fantasy 14 players decided to create a small memorial of Miura, the man whose work had inspired many fans and fiction to this day. Although it is unknown when the memorial began, over time, the "small" vigil grew exponentially until it started to have a life of its own. This was a moment in which Final Fantasy 14 players decided to take matters of honoring a man's legacy into their own hands.
The first reported news about the Berserk vigil was from a tweet an hour after news of Miura's death was public, in which several players in the Dark Knight job class stood in formation along the main avenue of Ul'Dah in the Balmung server. An hour after the tweet was made, the line of players increased exponentially, with several servers from other data centers joining the vigil. Throughout the night, lines wrapped around the city, forming columns as many players utilized campsite minions in the form of candles to illuminate the path.
Spontaneous acts of respect and kindness are arguably what makes massive multiplay online RPGs a unique experience, as the memorials began through several fans, which quickly spread via word of mouth. The Final Fantasy 14 community as a whole is no stranger to paying respects towards others who have gone through ordeals as just a few days ago, the community caused "#WELCOMEBACKSOKEN" to trend as series composer Masayoshi Soken made his battle with cancer public following his remission.
The decision for the Dark Knight class to represent the vigil served as a reference to Berserk protagonist's Guts and his broadsword, a weapon that would be a staple for the class as well as the Final Fantasy series as a whole. As the lines formed throughout the various servers, discussions on Kentaro Miura and the legacy left behind with Berserk flooded the chats. Depending on the server, some bards were seen walking alongside the line playing several iconic themes from the Berserk anime, including Guts' theme. As of this time, the vigil continues on some servers as the line waned overnight.
Final Fantasy 14 is available on PC, PS4, and PS5.
