The black swordsman arc actually has much more meaning and is enhanced as the story goes on and you learn the world. Makes you appreciate the beginning more. Also I believe the story gets even better after the eclipse.
Which is the next arc :) I’ve never heard anyone say it starts off great. The next arc spends a lot of time with no monsters at all. And make no mistake he goes HARD into horror later. It’s a slow build.
There is a school of thought that says new readers should actually start with golden age. Not sure I agree but it seems it would make a better first impression
@@GarrettOsha Guardian Angels of Desire is ESSENTIAL to the series and already represents the same quality of writing and art as the beginning of the Golden Age. If anything, that should be the starting point.
One of the reasons why Berserk has built such a huge following is that a lot of fans get introduced to the manga through an anime adaptation from 97 which significally shortens the first 3 volumes and gets right into the good stuff. So by the time they're ready to start reading it, they know that the first stories are building to something.
Guts pushes people away for several reasons, not just to be a “badass” or loner stereotype. Please keep reading this, there is so much story to explain this character’s personality and motivations
This is why Guts is also an amazing exploration of masculinity. Loner badass with a giant sword, at face value these tropes feel cheesy, then you read WHY he hates people getting close to him and it breaks your heart. I don't want to spoil it, but Golden age is usually the story arc people point towards as the definitive 'BERSERK' arc. volume 2 & 3 ( i guess volume 2 of deluxe editions) tends to be the place readers get hooked and can't drop the title going onwards.
Not sure, but there was a pre-publication magazine Switch After volume 3, which correspond to the start of the golden age, which is most of the backstory. So maybe the first volumes chapters were meant as a cool standalone story for the time, but popularity made Miura expand it from there and started by explaining who, what and why all those stuff we juste read about are.
that's why i never judge comic series by their first issues, they are more like TV shows as they are continuous and are threading major plot lines slowly. Berserk's opening is amazing in retrospect, but it is hard to see where it is going with no context of what type of story it might be.
I totally get why Ed and Jim are underwhelmed with the DE vol 1; keep in mind that Miura started Berserk in his early 20's and within short period (aided with that Japanese dedication to craft) Muira's artistic growth is astronomical. . His art really hits stride once the Golden Age pops off. Some of his panels are breathtaking, his line mileage gets even more insane and the fact that he took long hiatuses could indicate he was burnt out by his own obsessiveness. I put Miura's work right up there with Otomo's.
The comparable Western work might be CEREBUS: begins as a kind of Conan pastiche, eventually becomes a generational achievement in comics storytelling.
The first few chapters and volumes were Miura practicing and finding his voice. The Golden Age arc is considered the pinnacle of the series and the deluxe volumes 2-5 cover it and it's the prequel to its preceding chapters and it does stand on its own, though obviously the story continues.
The Golden Age is great but to call it the pinnacle of the series is preposterous. Miura was still perfecting his writing (Guts is exageratedly one-dimensional at several points) and his art only gets better as the series progresses. The Hawk of the Millennium has greater character development, visual splendor, remarkable fight scenes and masterful, nearly prose-like visual story-telling. And I wouldn't even call that the peak of the series either. Berserk is best as a whole, not by arcs.
Most people start to become more invested by volume 4, where the story stops being a monster of the week type of thing and instead becomes a stronger narrative, one where you have more characters to get attached to, and Guts himselfs becomes way more interesting, also, the jump in quality in the artwork is pretty great.
because they dont really understand the first 3 volumes and throw them as "edgy" berserk from chapter 1 was like that monster fights and existential crisis with cool political stuff the black swordsman is dark fantasy at its finest
Volume 2. There's an interesting thing that happens when you see him as the Black Swordsmen, he is in effect NOT a hero you want to root for. But then you see where he comes from, and the change that happens to him. It really is a macro story about the characters life and the world they were created by. With lots of cool monsters and high fantasy elements. It's not 5 volumes in, it's the next one where it starts to click. But that second volume will get you to read the next 5 and on.
Volume 2 starts the story arc showing how Guts is actually really unlikeable at that point in his life but it's only in Volume 3 that we see a glimpse of his humanity and justification of him being such a jerk. Personally, if I read Volume 2 thinking that would be the standard for the protagonist, I would have been turned off the series.
19:18 Actually Ed, it’s the other way around. We don’t have onomatopoeia the way they do. Japanese has wayyy more expressions for sound effects than English, and I believe some are very specific. I recall reading somewhere that there’s onomatopoeia in Japanese for pure silence.
miura started berzerk as generic fodder and once it hooked enough readers he kinda forced his editors to let him write how he wanted to. so it became less weekly bad guy and more character driven. i loved the art from the get go and was all in. however, my feelings for the story changed for me first when Zodd is introduced, because it broke the conventions of that story arc so completely, and then again on a whole other level when Griffith uses the behelit. after Griffith's behelit the manga was less a "comic book" experience and more a work art that was having a significant impact on my daily life because of the scope of trauma being expressed through the characters.
the Golden age arc. It is a flashback that eventually meets back up with volume 1. The first volume is underwhelming by comparison but the Juxtaposition once you read the golden age I think is important to the reading experience
The first 3 volumes are kind of a bit of an world building exposition dump which you’ll be happy you read later on. Slight correction to the video which in context should help things make more sense is that the first 3 volumes were published in 'Animal House' which was shut down and moved to 'Young Animal' for volume 4. At this point Miura had also been working with Buronson on 'King of the Wolves' (fist of the north star author) and he admitted had been charging down the fist of the north star route in these few issues. When the publication moved to its successor he went in an entirely different direction by integrating Shojo (girls manga) elements (which he also had a passion for). The result is volumes 4-14 which cover the golden age arc which absolutely NAILS both girls manga elements (romance, beautiful moments, deep emotional struggles, complex characters, insane plot twists). But also manga which all dudes want to see which is fist of the north style badassery big man swings big sword dude go KAPLAT. I can't stress enough what follows isn't just an amazing comic/manga but a story that absolutely competes with top tier literature of the likes of monte cristo, lord of the rings and Shakespeare. It is the premiere fantasy story of our generation.
the first 3 also is a suspense to hook i dont get how people can come to the notion that they were hooked in the golden age arc and not at the guts v femto interaction also themes of lonely trauma foreshadowing as a whole black swordsman is awesome when you connect with rest of the story berserk had shoujo elements till the very end of miura berserk went from a monster slayer to a character drama to a full fledged fantasy with heavy philosophical theme
those deluxe editions didn't even exist when the series first started gaining traction, so the price proposition you mention wasn't in the picture. it was just the tankobans starting out, or in japan, the (sometimes) monthly chapter releases. Also honest fans wouldn't say the beginning is anywhere near the level of where it goes moving forward
You MUST stick with it. Not only it gets great in the very the next book, but it makes you realize that this intro has a lot more to it then it seems at first. Its actually an important part of an very thoughtful charachter arc. Guts is not just Kenshiro. There is a very believable reason why he is like this at this point, and he is anything but a static charachter. I don't believe that Miura planned this "retroactive" characterization from the start, but he pulls it off flawlessly. Plus the art gets to the level of absolute masterpiece. You can see his growth as an overall artist through these pages and its really fucking amazing. So, in short, Berserk is one of the greatest experiences in comic/manga history and that starts on the very next volume.
It hits its groove where the first deluxe ends. Starts an epic flashback that - I'll say it - is some of the best fantasy fiction I've read. Resonates.
With the deluxe edition, the end of the book (last chaper of the third tankobon) begins to show the reader who Guts is (and the reason for his name), launching "The Golden Age" arc. This is a massive backstory that establishes the main cast of characters and their history. Berserk is a good example for why I have a "3 tankobon rule" with manga; if I don't care about the characters within 3 tankobon, I stop reading. I didn't care about the characters in Berserk at all in the first tankobon, but (like most readers) I really got hooked going into the 4th.
When the God Hand is revealed and Femto/Griffith confronts Guts, the story flashes back to Guts' origin and the story goes into the Golden Age Arc. The Arc goes from Volume 3 or 4 to vol 14-15, and it is simply great. One of the most brutal and well thought out stories I've read. The movies and the original '97 anime focuses on this arc. The '97 anime just spent one episode covering what happens in the first deluxe edition, the other 24 episodes focus on the Golden Age Arc. Guts has such a rich origin story. The story starts off as a medieval Fist of the North/Conan story, then it becomes Clive Barker's Hellraiser, then it becomes its own thing, in a lot of ways surpassing the works it was influenced by.
I got into Berserk after watching the 1997 anime short series. It tells the story of Guts and the Band of the Hawk, a group of mercenaries rallied under the banner of a young charismatic leader called Griffith, this is known as the Golden Age arc. The first part is grounded in a real medieval setting, there are no supernatural elements present. It's like Game of Thrones without dragons and white walkers, this is no overstatement. If you get through that arc which starts just after volume 3 you will be hooked. The world-building in Berserk is incredible. It explores mature themes such as fatalism, existentialism, revenge, camaraderie, and betrayal. Guys, it's worth it. I have not completed the series, I've stopped at the Fantasia Arc (volume 37). The author passed away in 2021, so the manga will never see a true ending. Berserk was a massive influence on the video game series Dark Soul and Bloodborne, from settings to monsters. Hope you guys get a chance to check the 1997 anime at least, it is a masterpiece in itself. P.S, the Macguffin is right there in chapter 3, "the behelit", that weird egg shape pendant with a distorted face. ;)
Berserk fully comes into its own thematically and art-wise in the third "smaller" volume, the final chapters of the "Guardian Angels of Desire" arc. That's where the main villains and some of Guts' backstory are revealed, and also where the art starts to REALLY stand out from other manga and gain a sort of Metal Hurlant vibe. If you don't find that portion interesting, you probably won't like the series going forward, although it gets even better (while dealing with the themes introduced there). But really, from that point on the story starts to get so sprawling that it's hard to say any single point can define the quality of the series as a whole. As late as the 100 chapter mark we are still getting introduced to main cast members and every story arc has its own strong points. There are many moments of awe sprinkled throughout the series but I'd say the third volume is the first one to have one of those moments.
the first and second volume are pretty much character introduction type of volumes guts fight with snake baron and meeting with vargas and introduction of behelit were the first "awe" moment for me
@@mr.gamerkabir8142 What first "clicked" for me was the disfigured doctor character. The way how he was portrayed so sympathetically was a breath of fresh air in the midst of all the edginess and Guts being an asshole. But what really made me go "WOW I need to keep reading" was seeing the God Hand for the first time. Not only was that scene drawn amazingly, but the writing took a complete turn. All of a sudden there were these mysterious beings straight out of Hellraiser, Guts was completely beaten after spending the earlier chapters acting like he was untouchable and Miura had the balls to reveal straight away how one of the God Hand was Guts' former friend. That's when Berserk really sucked me in.
You really gotta stick with it, like others have said the very next deluxe edition gets way better. You’ll be volumes deep with your nose in the books. The first volume is kind of a prototype to what the stories ends up becoming.
Complicated topic. The 1st few are volumes are exactly what you saw here. It does a flashback to a "how did our boy get so edgy" and dives into character work. Lives in said flashback for many years before catching back up with the blackswordsman stuff in the 1st few volumes. By volumes 6-7 it finds it's narrative groove. BUT Ed & Jim are always drawn to art more than writing, and that section of Berserk is lots of talking heads and pretty inconsistent art. Maybe check out something from a ways down the road like 34 to see where the art goes, it will also show how the scope of the story is much more grand.
Id say right away but the initial chapters can come off as angry and amateurish in storytelling but the art is strong as hell from the get go. The black swordsman arc picks up quickly and after that it just becomes amazing CONSTANTLY.
Most longer manga classics get really good around third or fourth story arc. First couple are sort of getting comfortable and finding the pace, usually with heavy editor guidance. Newer mangaka usually get assigned with veteran editors to coach them, veteran creators get rookie editors, because they can do it vice versa. That's how they make it happen in Japan.
This part of the story, is definitely here to set you up for events that get covered down the road. The best part of berserk is it’s journey with the characters. Keep pushing through and you’ll get the hype.
I feel like we have onomatopoeia that are more strictly "Sounds" but in manga and japanese on whole they have sound effects for something being shiny or they have onomatopoeia for things that describe how the character is feeling, like throbbing pain. It's a really cool piece of story telling that we don't really have in english.
Good job pointing out the thing with the onomatopoeia. In Japanese they have waaay more onomatopoeias then we do in english. They have a word that describes a sound for everything. When you start reading more literary work in japanese they use it a lot more as well. They will have sentences like "The river rushed, pshhhhhhhh, and the horses clopped their heavy hoofs across the ground "Ka kung ka kung!" etc
Miura's artwork definitely takes a few leaps forward throughout the course of the manga. Personally, I think the Conviction arc (volumes 19-21) and everything after is really where we see the story meet where Miura's skills are at. Massive armies, detailed settings, huge monsters. All great. Personally, I'd love to see you guys cover volumes 30-33 where we not only get some of Miura's wildest art in terms of kaiju, monster armies, epic battles and highly detailed medieval cities all in the span of a few volumes, but the story continues to challenge readers eith themes of war, trauma and religion. To me it's the apex of the story thus far. Thank you guys for covering Berserk. Honestly I'll watch every video you make covering it. 🤘🏼
18:07 This is why I appreciate when books have a sound effects guide in the back of the book, indicating what page and what panel certain sound effects are used in and what they mean.
Also, keeping the sounds effects in Japanese is more than just a level of authenticity, it means a lot less touch up work by letterers (or none at all). From what I gather, that was a pain in the ass for letterers early on when manga was being translated. Not only were they trying to come up with appropriate replacement words, they would have to redraw and touchup the areas where the old sound effect was.
The turning point is definitely the long flashback into the "Golden Age Arc" happening after this first part and that I always felt like a calculated way to show the fever dream loop of hunting/being hunted in which Gatsu is trapped after the events of the past
Vol 5 has some of the craziest visuals I’ve seen and the events that go down are cosmic horror and also really emotional on a character level but if 1 isnt enough to pick up 2 I don’t know what to say
I’m currently on volume 15. I’ve been borrowing them from the library. I was on the fence a bit for the first few volumes but damn does it get good! I’m hooked!
I say volume 4 is when the art and story really start to come together, but overall it is a story you got to invest in for the long haul as it released pretty slowly over 30 years. For some of the best art look for some of the panels with a character called Nosferatu Zodd and you can see the amount of detailed line work used.
I love it! it is a slow build and along the way, it reveals parts of the past events that give you a glimpse of Guts and then we see the slow transformation of this character that has closed up to the world, slowly opens up, and finds himself and then all hell breaks loose!
Guys keep on reading. The guardian of the desire is when everything start to clicking. There are some contextualize plot line after black swordsman arc
Thanks guys! I've never been able to find what I'm missing about Berserk. I enjoy a ton of things it influenced- but I've tried the first few volumes a few times and it has yet to take.
Please give some coverage to Inoue Takehiko’s Vagabond. That series is super strong from the very beginning and only gets stronger. I’d venture that he’s the most astoundingly accomplished Manga artist of all time, alongside Otomo.
Ed, Jim, you should definitely check out the Berserk Prototype which is in volume 5 of the Deluxe Editions if you have it. Miura created it back in 1988 while he was in college and it's interesting to see his early ideas and art and how they morphed into the Berserk we have today. Similar to how Akira Toriyama incorporated elements from both Dragon Boy and Adventures of Tongpoo when he created Dragon Ball. Other famous manga like Naruto also has a prototype one-shot chapter that is very similar to the actual chapter 1 but you can see where an editor probably told them what to keep, what to drop and what needs polish etc. One Piece also has three prototypes called Romance Dawn, would make a great video. To quickly answer your question, Berserk becomes good in the Golden Age arc, which starts at the end of that first deluxe edition. The art continues to evolve and become amazing but the story essentially pulls a Game of Thrones with its crazy moments and despite what your first impressions were in those early chapters, the writing really is among the best in all manga with its character and theme writing, it goes from a basic monster of the week to a full on dark fantasy epic. It might be one of the biggest overall comic in terms of its growth with the story and art. Miura's biggest influences were indeed Fist of the North Star and also Violence Jack by Go Nagai. Other influences include Guin Saga, The Hellraiser movies and Hieronymus Bosch.
The golden age arc is where you get Guts' back story, thus explaining why he is who he is in the first few chapters. Phenomenal storytelling and the artwork gets insanely better than what it already is in this first volume. would love to see more berserk coverage on the channel!
Like what everyone else is saying, the golden age arc is where it picks up. But I wanted to add that at the end of that arc is where it gets metal af. I think it’s volume 12
As others have said, the golden arc really kicks it off. It is all fantastic though, this deluxe collection is pretty much one of my top titles in my collection. Keep reading Jim, you won’t be disappointed
I am relatively new to Berserk. Deluxe Volume 2-5 (golden age arc) are typically considered the high time of the series. Miura's art style changes A LOT. He consistently tries to improve his storytelling approach. I'd love it if you did an art analysis/comparison on Deluxe volume 8, which is where he began infusing an insane amount of detail in his illustrations and pushed the series into high fantasy rather than medieval horror.
The first two volumes are just another fantasy/swords and sorcery comic. During the third tankobon is when it starts to get really good. This intro story with adult Guts finishes, then "The Golden Age" story starts, and we get a flashback to Guts when he was born.
I don’t think there is a single moment that it “hits you” to feel invested, you progress on this journey with guts, you feel his ups and downs and they hit you so viscerally. You keep hoping he will accomplish what he sought out for. Hopefully one day but no promise.
A good way to look at it is by looking at the anime. Most people's first introduction to Berserk was the anime. The first two Tankobon, which make up the first two chapters of the deluxe edition, are summarized in about one scene of the anime. The manga was already extremely popular at the point the anime was created, and they knew to skip straight to the where the real story gets going. I think for fans who already watched the anime that go back and read the Manga, they claim it's great right from the start because they know what's coming. But it's around 3rd-4th Tankobon where the actual story really kicks in.
In my precollege comics class a couple years ago, a group of students made a very manga-y zine simply called "Swords"... I think Jims onto something with it "becoming part of the language" ⚔
For my money the moment things really pick up is when Griffith is first introduced, which should be in the next volume; from there you start to see the direction the story goes in, and after that it launches straight into the Golden Age arc. From then on the story really only gets better, my personal favorite portion being the Tower of Conviction and the beginning of Fantasia. I think if you guys stick with Berserk you will be surprised at the jump in quality of not just the art but the storytelling as the manga progresses. I too was not at all sold on the story in the initial chapters, but it does get there.
From the first page.Most of fans didn't like Black Swordsman arc but its amazing introduction arc to the amazing series.There are so many little hints about rest of the story time jumping to Golden Age made you curious. Lets take a look to the Blackswordsman arc from the page 1 you see a merciless monster killer you can't make sure if its human or not.When little fairy looks to the face of Guts and think what happened to the this man and become so angry,hateful,merciless you also ask this question to yourself.Yes its basic story where Guts going to kill a bad villian BUT he did this in terrible way he is full of hartred to the this kind of monsters but why? Old man and his daughter offers Guts to help him he refuses at first why? Cause he is damned and his company got trouble everytime.He travels with old man and old man's daughter turns into monster and hit with her sword to the Guts??? What happened to the that merciless human at the beginning of story as you predict he can slain that girl without getting hit.BUT Miura later reveal Guts had an trauma where he killed generals son with accident.Lets look to the next chapter GOLDEN AGE everybody thinks whoa what a good medieval manga but what happened to the supernatural things at BLACKSWORDSMAN arc??? People forgot that supernatural things and monsters cause Golden Age tells you friendship,childhood traumas,love,allience and more.Until...Zodd comes in.You suddenly remember hey thats a supernatural manga! I love every part of Berserk but thinking about first arc gives me smile everytime its very diffirent take on opening a good and long series.
I felt the same way when I first started reading Berserk through the deluxe editions. The first few volumes are whatever, but at some point during the Golden Age arc is when it catches its footing. After that the Conviction and Falcon arcs are when it becomes what it's known for. The art ramps up throughout the manga, so it's always fun to at least look at.
The Golden Age arc is the name for an extended flash-back that begins a few volumes in, during which the quality of both the art and the writing rapidly improved. Basically everything people love about Berserk begins in the Golden Age arc. The two big adaptations (the 1997 TV series and the later movie trilogy) simply adapted the golden age arc, with the understanding that this is where it got good, & other adaptations that tried to adapt other parts of the manga were largely poorly recieved.
Had me hooked right away. Read the first three volumes the first day I got the books. Objectively it’s the golden age arc which I’m sure most will agree. Also as a protagonist he has a few equipment upgrades that define his aesthetic.
You bought three Volumes before you’ve read the first? Sounds like something I would do with a Grant Morrison book. Glad it worked out for you. I’ve read the first book and half the second and I’m asking the same questions as Kayfabe but I do enjoy it, hopefully will get back to it soon.
In my opinion, the story doesn’t really bare it’s fangs until the introduction of the God Hand (in an incredible homage to M.C. Escher to boot!) and of course as everyone here has stated, the beginning of the Golden Age Arc where you come to empathize with the character of Guts who up until this point has just kind of been a dick with a few brief moments of possessing any sense of humanity. I feel that Miura didn’t have the skill of proper storytelling in the beginning but as with the art, became a force of nature that was truly amazing to watch blossom and mature. Moving on to the Conviction Arc and especially the Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc we see an immense leap in world building, story telling and artistic ability. I believe that part of the joy of reading Berserk is witnessing Miura’s talents in all of the above categories just explode. I implore you to keep reading and I look forward to a follow up video after you’ve hopefully done so. As a huge fan of what you guys do, I think it would be a travesty if you didn’t push through what is admittedly a rough start and arrive at the point where you can see the genius of senpai’s masterpiece.
The 1st volume makes more sense on the reread, definitely more style over substance - volume 2 takes a sharp left turn and shows Guts growing up as a mercenary and joining our band of heroes - it's very much a middle ages band of brothers story for years, then takes another sharp turn back to sword n sorcery rooted in what are now highly developed characters and antagonists with an amazing mythology - sprinkling of religion, politics, war and the nature of evil too - really hits around volume 5
The last chapter in this first deluxe volume is what gets the ball rolling without a doubt and when it hits it begins to hit its stride. Thankfully it being Manga means that in terms of reading, it reads pretty fast in comparison to say early Marvel stuff and it definitely hits its stride faster than say Jack and Stan Fantastic Four. I know it’s heresy to say that but I think that book started to hit its stride at issue 44.
The Golden Age arc which starts at the tail end of this deluxe edition and then starts in full for the next 4 deluxe editions is where Berserk hits it's stride and becomes what people love. In terms of the MacGuffin you mentioned that pushes the story forward, it technically doesn't happen until the end of the Golden Age arc - which is in deluxe volume 5 - but the golden age arc itself is what builds all the tension and important plot points that leads to said MacGuffin at the end of the arc. Everything that happens after the Golden Age arc is in response to the MacGuffin that occurs at the end of the Golden Age. If you're talking about when Berserk becomes its best art-wise, I'd say starting around deluxe volume 8 or 9 is when Kentaro is at the absolute peak of his artistic abilities while drawing Berserk.
Love you guys! And would love to see videos about the following: Don Rosa's Duck comics (not necessarily he Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck), Blood of the Virgin by Sammy Harkham, Richard McGuire's comics, Gon by Masashi Tanaka, Yuichi Yokoyama's mangas and last but not least: Archer Prewitt's Sof' Boy!
The Golden Age arc. Whenever that starts. It goes from standard fare to absolute classic. It’s incredible, one of the best stories of all time. I see some comments telling you to start later? That’s a mistake, Golden Age is it. In fact certain adaptations like the trilogy of anime movies, just do the Golden Age Arc and that’s it. There’s a reason for that
The first time I read Berserk I've dropped it at the second tankobon. After years I decided to give it a go again. I'm glad I did cause from the fourth tankobon to the fourteenth is incredible. My favorite point was in the second half of the fifth volume, for many the highlight is between the eleventh to the thirteenth, but it doesn't make season to read only those because it's a slowburner
The first two volumes start a bit generic but there already hints to the greatness that follows, most of it just gets way better after you’re really into the story and the earliest chapters get recontextualized. The first appearance of the God Hand is where it gets good in my opinion and then follows up with the Golden Age. After that the art and story just get better. Been reading it for half my life and the only things I’d put next to it are Urusawa’s Monster, Battle Angel Alita and Fist of the North Star.
I would say reading through the golden age arc is where it turns into Berserk, it does require a commitment. I almost stopped reading during the golden age arc for the reasons you state in this video, but if you give it the commitment through the golden age arc i believe it will pay off. It does use a lot of poetic verbiage for it themes as an fyi, i know thay doesnt always land for you guys.
Yeah, considering how they usually react to "wordy" comics they may not be into even peak Berserk. Miura clearly wanted to get ponderous and create some solid prose, and they don't seem to always connect with that side of comics.
As everyone says it the golden age arc. the first story was a stand alone and canonically a flash forward. The next volume were a course correction and shot it into legend. kind of like how Dragon Ball Pilaf arc pivot. though good, is a slow start for many and not the center style and focus most come to love.
• In 1988 Buronson finishes writing Fist of The North Star while working on King of Wolves with a 22 year old Miura, who is also putting together the demo chapter of Berserk. You guys are bang on there. • You're right that the monsters are probably the first thing to consistently work in his art. One of the major joys of Berserk is watching Miura sweat until he's able to outdraw all his peers... and then keep going for another 10-15. 2020 Miura is doing stuff like detailing with a one pixel brush and using the fold of the book in the middle of a two page splash to deliver metaphor. He finished as the only guy in his weight class. • More to the point, the next two or three omnibus volumes are what most people consider classic Berserk. It rewinds and develops a cast of characters (including a charismatic rival) around a younger Guts, which is endearing and has some cosmic horror/worldbuilding mystery leading to a big volta. The bigger picture is that we're following Guts through a cursed life where he is too strong to die but too weak to relax.
The Golden Arc is what establishes the rest of the series. I think the first volumes are just for what the man can do visually. But the continuation starts with the Golden Arc. I hope you can continue with the series with yourself, or someone to ague/agree in the future. I'm reading the third Deluxe one, and this manga is so good! I thought it would be just like a big man swinging big sword, but it is not. Trust me, man on the internet. I assure you, it gets better!
You guys are right about the beginning. Most fans, probably from the west, found the anime first which condensed the Golden Age arc. I steered away from it because I though it was just some historical drama anime. I did end up watching it and loved it. Unfortunately, the anime from the 90s ends at its peak. This,more than likely, set folks off on the search for the manga and people then persisted through the first archs to get to the point where the manga really takes off on what it eventually becomes. There is a major villain throughout the whole series with interesting “monsters-of-the-week”. Some humour comes from some side characters later, especially a character who I thought was going to be a Scrappy-Doo type character, but thankfully is actually funny and likeable and not at all the wanker I thought he’d be. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and I would never convince anyone to read it, but I think it grew on most fans in the later arcs. DELUXE EDITION FIVE/ Volume 13 is where the brutality gets turned up to 11, but the lead-up volumes kind of set the stage for that, so… I dunno. Read whatever you enjoy, I guess. You guys have an awesome channel. Thanks for taking time out of your already busy schedules to share comics with us.
Would be interested to hear your take on universe x, paradise x, earth x. Would be too big of a task to cover the whole series but i reread it as an adult and was very impressed with how epic it was and john paul leons artwork, alex ross's covers and sketches
I felt the same way when I started reading it as these deluxe editions started getting released. The first few volumes are whatever, but Golden Age through Falcon arcs are what it's known for and why people love it so much. After that it kind of peters out a little bit in my opinion. Still visually fun to look at the entire way through though.
I'm late to this party and I see a lot of ppl already left some great comments, but to me... Drop that $100 hit is wortih it EASILY. On the other hand Vol 1 (first 3 takobon) is great, and IS worth it. But... retroactively. It sets up a lot for the story, but you can feel the fact this was made by a 20year old guy. Lots of stuff is set up there- the little elf is an important presence in it, the monsters the violence, Guts acting the way he does in this volume is VERY well explained, and later developed and commented on. It is not something that exists in a vacuum. I read those volumes now and I get some flash forwards that make it a lot better. But for new readers... it is rough. The cleanest start tho? Golden Age arc. You'll get the background, you'll get bigger understanding of Guts as a character, friendships, relationships... struggle... love, fantasy, war, battle, fun and horror etc. All of hit is there building up to one of the greatest moments not in manga, but in comics and fiction as a whole. I'll die on that hill. And as an added bonus this ice when Miura starts becoming MIIURA. When his art truly starts exploding in quality. PS II assume the ppl who said around vol 5 mean around vol 5 of the TAKOBON, because... yeah I get that. Vol 5 of the deluxe edition is a very different story.
Golden age arc gives you the direction. The anime focused on that first. That first part where he fights the serpent was covered in the first anime and then they skipped that other stuff and went straight to the golden age.
I’ve read the first five deluxes and never got hooked. It’s fine, has some cool stuff but I’m not sure if I’ll continue. I like Fist of the North Star more.
I would say I'm new to berserk and wouldn't call myself a zealot or anything close. But i do think it deserves the love it gets. It is a story that generally keeps getting better as it goes. And what comes later, retroactively makes the beginning better. The biggest actual complaints are all pretty minor. The time it took between chapter releases. Seemed to be the biggest issue that ruined many people's enjoyment in real time. Now the biggest issue would probably be just some minor character flanderization later on. And even then, i didn't notice it until i saw some people complaining. It might just be another symptom of the schedule.
The Golden Age arc is the most popular storywise, but artwise it just keeps climbing up and up for the rest of the series.
The black swordsman arc actually has much more meaning and is enhanced as the story goes on and you learn the world. Makes you appreciate the beginning more. Also I believe the story gets even better after the eclipse.
Short answer- in the Golden Age arc
Which is the next arc :) I’ve never heard anyone say it starts off great. The next arc spends a lot of time with no monsters at all. And make no mistake he goes HARD into horror later. It’s a slow build.
I think its one of the worst ones, it went for way too long and streched things out too much.
There is a school of thought that says new readers should actually start with golden age. Not sure I agree but it seems it would make a better first impression
@@GarrettOsha Guardian Angels of Desire is ESSENTIAL to the series and already represents the same quality of writing and art as the beginning of the Golden Age. If anything, that should be the starting point.
@@GarrettOshaI think the way the newer anime movies handle it works best.
One of the reasons why Berserk has built such a huge following is that a lot of fans get introduced to the manga through an anime adaptation from 97 which significally shortens the first 3 volumes and gets right into the good stuff. So by the time they're ready to start reading it, they know that the first stories are building to something.
all the 41 volumes of berserk are GOOD stuff
Guts pushes people away for several reasons, not just to be a “badass” or loner stereotype. Please keep reading this, there is so much story to explain this character’s personality and motivations
This is why Guts is also an amazing exploration of masculinity. Loner badass with a giant sword, at face value these tropes feel cheesy, then you read WHY he hates people getting close to him and it breaks your heart. I don't want to spoil it, but Golden age is usually the story arc people point towards as the definitive 'BERSERK' arc. volume 2 & 3 ( i guess volume 2 of deluxe editions) tends to be the place readers get hooked and can't drop the title going onwards.
Do you think that Gut's backstory was there from the start, or it was retconned?
Not sure, but there was a pre-publication magazine Switch After volume 3, which correspond to the start of the golden age, which is most of the backstory. So maybe the first volumes chapters were meant as a cool standalone story for the time, but popularity made Miura expand it from there and started by explaining who, what and why all those stuff we juste read about are.
that's why i never judge comic series by their first issues, they are more like TV shows as they are continuous and are threading major plot lines slowly. Berserk's opening is amazing in retrospect, but it is hard to see where it is going with no context of what type of story it might be.
I totally get why Ed and Jim are underwhelmed with the DE vol 1; keep in mind that Miura started Berserk in his early 20's and within short period (aided with that Japanese dedication to craft) Muira's artistic growth is astronomical. . His art really hits stride once the Golden Age pops off. Some of his panels are breathtaking, his line mileage gets even more insane and the fact that he took long hiatuses could indicate he was burnt out by his own obsessiveness. I put Miura's work right up there with Otomo's.
The comparable Western work might be CEREBUS: begins as a kind of Conan pastiche, eventually becomes a generational achievement in comics storytelling.
Answer to the title? The very next volume.
Okay, to clarify. The next deluxe volume. So tankōbon volumes 4-6
The first few chapters and volumes were Miura practicing and finding his voice. The Golden Age arc is considered the pinnacle of the series and the deluxe volumes 2-5 cover it and it's the prequel to its preceding chapters and it does stand on its own, though obviously the story continues.
The Golden Age is great but to call it the pinnacle of the series is preposterous.
Miura was still perfecting his writing (Guts is exageratedly one-dimensional at several points) and his art only gets better as the series progresses.
The Hawk of the Millennium has greater character development, visual splendor, remarkable fight scenes and masterful, nearly prose-like visual story-telling. And I wouldn't even call that the peak of the series either. Berserk is best as a whole, not by arcs.
@@Akhnatom wonderfully written
miura practiced his voice in prototype
read the black swordsman in re reads and berserk black swordsman will become 10x better
Most people start to become more invested by volume 4, where the story stops being a monster of the week type of thing and instead becomes a stronger narrative, one where you have more characters to get attached to, and Guts himselfs becomes way more interesting, also, the jump in quality in the artwork is pretty great.
because they dont really understand the first 3 volumes
and throw them as "edgy"
berserk from chapter 1 was like that
monster fights and existential crisis with cool political stuff
the black swordsman is dark fantasy at its finest
Volume 2. There's an interesting thing that happens when you see him as the Black Swordsmen, he is in effect NOT a hero you want to root for. But then you see where he comes from, and the change that happens to him. It really is a macro story about the characters life and the world they were created by. With lots of cool monsters and high fantasy elements.
It's not 5 volumes in, it's the next one where it starts to click. But that second volume will get you to read the next 5 and on.
Volume 2 starts the story arc showing how Guts is actually really unlikeable at that point in his life but it's only in Volume 3 that we see a glimpse of his humanity and justification of him being such a jerk.
Personally, if I read Volume 2 thinking that would be the standard for the protagonist, I would have been turned off the series.
Agree 100%
19:18 Actually Ed, it’s the other way around. We don’t have onomatopoeia the way they do. Japanese has wayyy more expressions for sound effects than English, and I believe some are very specific. I recall reading somewhere that there’s onomatopoeia in Japanese for pure silence.
miura started berzerk as generic fodder and once it hooked enough readers he kinda forced his editors to let him write how he wanted to. so it became less weekly bad guy and more character driven. i loved the art from the get go and was all in. however, my feelings for the story changed for me first when Zodd is introduced, because it broke the conventions of that story arc so completely, and then again on a whole other level when Griffith uses the behelit. after Griffith's behelit the manga was less a "comic book" experience and more a work art that was having a significant impact on my daily life because of the scope of trauma being expressed through the characters.
the Golden age arc. It is a flashback that eventually meets back up with volume 1. The first volume is underwhelming by comparison but the Juxtaposition once you read the golden age I think is important to the reading experience
The first 3 volumes are kind of a bit of an world building exposition dump which you’ll be happy you read later on.
Slight correction to the video which in context should help things make more sense is that the first 3 volumes were published in 'Animal House' which was shut down and moved to 'Young Animal' for volume 4.
At this point Miura had also been working with Buronson on 'King of the Wolves' (fist of the north star author) and he admitted had been charging down the fist of the north star route in these few issues.
When the publication moved to its successor he went in an entirely different direction by integrating Shojo (girls manga) elements (which he also had a passion for).
The result is volumes 4-14 which cover the golden age arc which absolutely NAILS both girls manga elements (romance, beautiful moments, deep emotional struggles, complex characters, insane plot twists). But also manga which all dudes want to see which is fist of the north style badassery big man swings big sword dude go KAPLAT.
I can't stress enough what follows isn't just an amazing comic/manga but a story that absolutely competes with top tier literature of the likes of monte cristo, lord of the rings and Shakespeare. It is the premiere fantasy story of our generation.
the first 3 also is a suspense to hook
i dont get how people can come to the notion that they were hooked in the golden age arc and not at the guts v femto interaction
also themes of lonely trauma foreshadowing
as a whole
black swordsman is awesome when you connect with rest of the story
berserk had shoujo elements till the very end of miura
berserk went from a monster slayer to a character drama to a full fledged fantasy with heavy philosophical theme
Deluxe Edition Volume 2 is when it really kicks into gear with The Golden Age
those deluxe editions didn't even exist when the series first started gaining traction, so the price proposition you mention wasn't in the picture. it was just the tankobans starting out, or in japan, the (sometimes) monthly chapter releases. Also honest fans wouldn't say the beginning is anywhere near the level of where it goes moving forward
You MUST stick with it. Not only it gets great in the very the next book, but it makes you realize that this intro has a lot more to it then it seems at first. Its actually an important part of an very thoughtful charachter arc.
Guts is not just Kenshiro. There is a very believable reason why he is like this at this point, and he is anything but a static charachter. I don't believe that Miura planned this "retroactive" characterization from the start, but he pulls it off flawlessly. Plus the art gets to the level of absolute masterpiece. You can see his growth as an overall artist through these pages and its really fucking amazing.
So, in short, Berserk is one of the greatest experiences in comic/manga history and that starts on the very next volume.
It hits its groove where the first deluxe ends. Starts an epic flashback that - I'll say it - is some of the best fantasy fiction I've read. Resonates.
With the deluxe edition, the end of the book (last chaper of the third tankobon) begins to show the reader who Guts is (and the reason for his name), launching "The Golden Age" arc. This is a massive backstory that establishes the main cast of characters and their history. Berserk is a good example for why I have a "3 tankobon rule" with manga; if I don't care about the characters within 3 tankobon, I stop reading. I didn't care about the characters in Berserk at all in the first tankobon, but (like most readers) I really got hooked going into the 4th.
When the God Hand is revealed and Femto/Griffith confronts Guts, the story flashes back to Guts' origin and the story goes into the Golden Age Arc. The Arc goes from Volume 3 or 4 to vol 14-15, and it is simply great. One of the most brutal and well thought out stories I've read. The movies and the original '97 anime focuses on this arc. The '97 anime just spent one episode covering what happens in the first deluxe edition, the other 24 episodes focus on the Golden Age Arc. Guts has such a rich origin story. The story starts off as a medieval Fist of the North/Conan story, then it becomes Clive Barker's Hellraiser, then it becomes its own thing, in a lot of ways surpassing the works it was influenced by.
I got into Berserk after watching the 1997 anime short series. It tells the story of Guts and the Band of the Hawk, a group of mercenaries rallied under the banner of a young charismatic leader called Griffith, this is known as the Golden Age arc. The first part is grounded in a real medieval setting, there are no supernatural elements present. It's like Game of Thrones without dragons and white walkers, this is no overstatement. If you get through that arc which starts just after volume 3 you will be hooked. The world-building in Berserk is incredible. It explores mature themes such as fatalism, existentialism, revenge, camaraderie, and betrayal. Guys, it's worth it. I have not completed the series, I've stopped at the Fantasia Arc (volume 37). The author passed away in 2021, so the manga will never see a true ending. Berserk was a massive influence on the video game series Dark Soul and Bloodborne, from settings to monsters. Hope you guys get a chance to check the 1997 anime at least, it is a masterpiece in itself. P.S, the Macguffin is right there in chapter 3, "the behelit", that weird egg shape pendant with a distorted face. ;)
Berserk fully comes into its own thematically and art-wise in the third "smaller" volume, the final chapters of the "Guardian Angels of Desire" arc.
That's where the main villains and some of Guts' backstory are revealed, and also where the art starts to REALLY stand out from other manga and gain a sort of Metal Hurlant vibe.
If you don't find that portion interesting, you probably won't like the series going forward, although it gets even better (while dealing with the themes introduced there).
But really, from that point on the story starts to get so sprawling that it's hard to say any single point can define the quality of the series as a whole.
As late as the 100 chapter mark we are still getting introduced to main cast members and every story arc has its own strong points.
There are many moments of awe sprinkled throughout the series but I'd say the third volume is the first one to have one of those moments.
the first and second volume are pretty much character introduction type of volumes
guts fight with snake baron and meeting with vargas and introduction of behelit were the first "awe" moment for me
@@mr.gamerkabir8142 What first "clicked" for me was the disfigured doctor character. The way how he was portrayed so sympathetically was a breath of fresh air in the midst of all the edginess and Guts being an asshole.
But what really made me go "WOW I need to keep reading" was seeing the God Hand for the first time. Not only was that scene drawn amazingly, but the writing took a complete turn. All of a sudden there were these mysterious beings straight out of Hellraiser, Guts was completely beaten after spending the earlier chapters acting like he was untouchable and Miura had the balls to reveal straight away how one of the God Hand was Guts' former friend. That's when Berserk really sucked me in.
You really gotta stick with it, like others have said the very next deluxe edition gets way better. You’ll be volumes deep with your nose in the books. The first volume is kind of a prototype to what the stories ends up becoming.
Complicated topic. The 1st few are volumes are exactly what you saw here. It does a flashback to a "how did our boy get so edgy" and dives into character work. Lives in said flashback for many years before catching back up with the blackswordsman stuff in the 1st few volumes. By volumes 6-7 it finds it's narrative groove. BUT Ed & Jim are always drawn to art more than writing, and that section of Berserk is lots of talking heads and pretty inconsistent art. Maybe check out something from a ways down the road like 34 to see where the art goes, it will also show how the scope of the story is much more grand.
Id say right away but the initial chapters can come off as angry and amateurish in storytelling but the art is strong as hell from the get go. The black swordsman arc picks up quickly and after that it just becomes amazing CONSTANTLY.
Most longer manga classics get really good around third or fourth story arc. First couple are sort of getting comfortable and finding the pace, usually with heavy editor guidance. Newer mangaka usually get assigned with veteran editors to coach them, veteran creators get rookie editors, because they can do it vice versa. That's how they make it happen in Japan.
This part of the story, is definitely here to set you up for events that get covered down the road. The best part of berserk is it’s journey with the characters. Keep pushing through and you’ll get the hype.
The artist did work with Buronson. So he definitely has a Fist of the North Star influence.
I feel like we have onomatopoeia that are more strictly "Sounds" but in manga and japanese on whole they have sound effects for something being shiny or they have onomatopoeia for things that describe how the character is feeling, like throbbing pain. It's a really cool piece of story telling that we don't really have in english.
Good job pointing out the thing with the onomatopoeia. In Japanese they have waaay more onomatopoeias then we do in english. They have a word that describes a sound for everything. When you start reading more literary work in japanese they use it a lot more as well. They will have sentences like "The river rushed, pshhhhhhhh, and the horses clopped their heavy hoofs across the ground "Ka kung ka kung!" etc
Miura's artwork definitely takes a few leaps forward throughout the course of the manga. Personally, I think the Conviction arc (volumes 19-21) and everything after is really where we see the story meet where Miura's skills are at. Massive armies, detailed settings, huge monsters. All great.
Personally, I'd love to see you guys cover volumes 30-33 where we not only get some of Miura's wildest art in terms of kaiju, monster armies, epic battles and highly detailed medieval cities all in the span of a few volumes, but the story continues to challenge readers eith themes of war, trauma and religion. To me it's the apex of the story thus far.
Thank you guys for covering Berserk. Honestly I'll watch every video you make covering it. 🤘🏼
Would love to see a continuous review of it, a breakdown like you did with Akira!
I love love love Berserk but I’m also 1000% here for the Ed Piskor heel turn! I need a pro wrestling style shirt that says Anglophile Weebs lmao
18:07 This is why I appreciate when books have a sound effects guide in the back of the book, indicating what page and what panel certain sound effects are used in and what they mean.
Also, keeping the sounds effects in Japanese is more than just a level of authenticity, it means a lot less touch up work by letterers (or none at all). From what I gather, that was a pain in the ass for letterers early on when manga was being translated. Not only were they trying to come up with appropriate replacement words, they would have to redraw and touchup the areas where the old sound effect was.
The turning point is definitely the long flashback into the "Golden Age Arc" happening after this first part and that I always felt like a calculated way to show the fever dream loop of hunting/being hunted in which Gatsu is trapped after the events of the past
Man, the anticipation that comes when you know someone discerning is about to get his first contact with a great work of art is pure joy
Vol 5 has some of the craziest visuals I’ve seen and the events that go down are cosmic horror and also really emotional on a character level but if 1 isnt enough to pick up 2 I don’t know what to say
I’m currently on volume 15. I’ve been borrowing them from the library. I was on the fence a bit for the first few volumes but damn does it get good! I’m hooked!
As many have mentioned the Golden Age VOL 4 is where it really starts to come into its own. Highly encourage you guys to follow up with more volumes!
I say volume 4 is when the art and story really start to come together, but overall it is a story you got to invest in for the long haul as it released pretty slowly over 30 years.
For some of the best art look for some of the panels with a character called Nosferatu Zodd and you can see the amount of detailed line work used.
I love it! it is a slow build and along the way, it reveals parts of the past events that give you a glimpse of Guts and then we see the slow transformation of this character that has closed up to the world, slowly opens up, and finds himself and then all hell breaks loose!
Might be alot to dive into but thanks Ed and Jim for doing this episode
Guys keep on reading. The guardian of the desire is when everything start to clicking. There are some contextualize plot line after black swordsman arc
Vol 2 the golden age it becomes fully formed and never stops being visually stunning
I'm a month late but you finally reviewed Berserk!
Thanks guys! I've never been able to find what I'm missing about Berserk. I enjoy a ton of things it influenced- but I've tried the first few volumes a few times and it has yet to take.
Please give some coverage to Inoue Takehiko’s Vagabond. That series is super strong from the very beginning and only gets stronger. I’d venture that he’s the most astoundingly accomplished Manga artist of all time, alongside Otomo.
Ed, Jim, you should definitely check out the Berserk Prototype which is in volume 5 of the Deluxe Editions if you have it.
Miura created it back in 1988 while he was in college and it's interesting to see his early ideas and art and how they morphed into the Berserk we have today. Similar to how Akira Toriyama incorporated elements from both Dragon Boy and Adventures of Tongpoo when he created Dragon Ball. Other famous manga like Naruto also has a prototype one-shot chapter that is very similar to the actual chapter 1 but you can see where an editor probably told them what to keep, what to drop and what needs polish etc. One Piece also has three prototypes called Romance Dawn, would make a great video.
To quickly answer your question, Berserk becomes good in the Golden Age arc, which starts at the end of that first deluxe edition. The art continues to evolve and become amazing but the story essentially pulls a Game of Thrones with its crazy moments and despite what your first impressions were in those early chapters, the writing really is among the best in all manga with its character and theme writing, it goes from a basic monster of the week to a full on dark fantasy epic. It might be one of the biggest overall comic in terms of its growth with the story and art.
Miura's biggest influences were indeed Fist of the North Star and also Violence Jack by Go Nagai. Other influences include Guin Saga, The Hellraiser movies and Hieronymus Bosch.
The golden age arc is where you get Guts' back story, thus explaining why he is who he is in the first few chapters. Phenomenal storytelling and the artwork gets insanely better than what it already is in this first volume. would love to see more berserk coverage on the channel!
Like what everyone else is saying, the golden age arc is where it picks up. But I wanted to add that at the end of that arc is where it gets metal af. I think it’s volume 12
As others have said, the golden arc really kicks it off. It is all fantastic though, this deluxe collection is pretty much one of my top titles in my collection. Keep reading Jim, you won’t be disappointed
I am relatively new to Berserk. Deluxe Volume 2-5 (golden age arc) are typically considered the high time of the series. Miura's art style changes A LOT. He consistently tries to improve his storytelling approach. I'd love it if you did an art analysis/comparison on Deluxe volume 8, which is where he began infusing an insane amount of detail in his illustrations and pushed the series into high fantasy rather than medieval horror.
It begins with "Golden Age" and builds and builds. Plus the art takes several quantum leaps during the run
The first two volumes are just another fantasy/swords and sorcery comic. During the third tankobon is when it starts to get really good. This intro story with adult Guts finishes, then "The Golden Age" story starts, and we get a flashback to Guts when he was born.
I don’t think there is a single moment that it “hits you” to feel invested, you progress on this journey with guts, you feel his ups and downs and they hit you so viscerally. You keep hoping he will accomplish what he sought out for. Hopefully one day but no promise.
But as most will say you need to read the Golden Age Arc.
A good way to look at it is by looking at the anime. Most people's first introduction to Berserk was the anime. The first two Tankobon, which make up the first two chapters of the deluxe edition, are summarized in about one scene of the anime. The manga was already extremely popular at the point the anime was created, and they knew to skip straight to the where the real story gets going.
I think for fans who already watched the anime that go back and read the Manga, they claim it's great right from the start because they know what's coming. But it's around 3rd-4th Tankobon where the actual story really kicks in.
Berserk gets deeper and deeper
The Golden Age and Lost Children. It's rocket fuel from there on.
1st experience with this story was also that dreamcast game and for some reason it always stuck with me.
In my precollege comics class a couple years ago, a group of students made a very manga-y zine simply called "Swords"... I think Jims onto something with it "becoming part of the language" ⚔
Story gets good in the golden age arc the art just keeps getting better as it goes
For my money the moment things really pick up is when Griffith is first introduced, which should be in the next volume; from there you start to see the direction the story goes in, and after that it launches straight into the Golden Age arc. From then on the story really only gets better, my personal favorite portion being the Tower of Conviction and the beginning of Fantasia. I think if you guys stick with Berserk you will be surprised at the jump in quality of not just the art but the storytelling as the manga progresses. I too was not at all sold on the story in the initial chapters, but it does get there.
From the first page.Most of fans didn't like Black Swordsman arc but its amazing introduction arc to the amazing series.There are so many little hints about rest of the story time jumping to Golden Age made you curious.
Lets take a look to the Blackswordsman arc from the page 1 you see a merciless monster killer you can't make sure if its human or not.When little fairy looks to the face of Guts and think what happened to the this man and become so angry,hateful,merciless you also ask this question to yourself.Yes its basic story where Guts going to kill a bad villian BUT he did this in terrible way he is full of hartred to the this kind of monsters but why? Old man and his daughter offers Guts to help him he refuses at first why? Cause he is damned and his company got trouble everytime.He travels with old man and old man's daughter turns into monster and hit with her sword to the Guts??? What happened to the that merciless human at the beginning of story as you predict he can slain that girl without getting hit.BUT Miura later reveal Guts had an trauma where he killed generals son with accident.Lets look to the next chapter GOLDEN AGE everybody thinks whoa what a good medieval manga but what happened to the supernatural things at BLACKSWORDSMAN arc??? People forgot that supernatural things and monsters cause Golden Age tells you friendship,childhood traumas,love,allience and more.Until...Zodd comes in.You suddenly remember hey thats a supernatural manga! I love every part of Berserk but thinking about first arc gives me smile everytime its very diffirent take on opening a good and long series.
I felt the same way when I first started reading Berserk through the deluxe editions. The first few volumes are whatever, but at some point during the Golden Age arc is when it catches its footing. After that the Conviction and Falcon arcs are when it becomes what it's known for. The art ramps up throughout the manga, so it's always fun to at least look at.
The Golden Age arc is the name for an extended flash-back that begins a few volumes in, during which the quality of both the art and the writing rapidly improved. Basically everything people love about Berserk begins in the Golden Age arc.
The two big adaptations (the 1997 TV series and the later movie trilogy) simply adapted the golden age arc, with the understanding that this is where it got good, & other adaptations that tried to adapt other parts of the manga were largely poorly recieved.
Once you get past the Black Swordsman Arc, it starts getting really good, it is the first arc which goes for 16 chapters, it gets good after that.
Had me hooked right away. Read the first three volumes the first day I got the books. Objectively it’s the golden age arc which I’m sure most will agree. Also as a protagonist he has a few equipment upgrades that define his aesthetic.
You bought three Volumes before you’ve read the first? Sounds like something I would do with a Grant Morrison book. Glad it worked out for you. I’ve read the first book and half the second and I’m asking the same questions as Kayfabe but I do enjoy it, hopefully will get back to it soon.
Thank you for this video. I have been curious about this series.
In my opinion, the story doesn’t really bare it’s fangs until the introduction of the God Hand (in an incredible homage to M.C. Escher to boot!) and of course as everyone here has stated, the beginning of the Golden Age Arc where you come to empathize with the character of Guts who up until this point has just kind of been a dick with a few brief moments of possessing any sense of humanity.
I feel that Miura didn’t have the skill of proper storytelling in the beginning but as with the art, became a force of nature that was truly amazing to watch blossom and mature. Moving on to the Conviction Arc and especially the Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc we see an immense leap in world building, story telling and artistic ability. I believe that part of the joy of reading Berserk is witnessing Miura’s talents in all of the above categories just explode.
I implore you to keep reading and I look forward to a follow up video after you’ve hopefully done so. As a huge fan of what you guys do, I think it would be a travesty if you didn’t push through what is admittedly a rough start and arrive at the point where you can see the genius of senpai’s masterpiece.
Please keep reading to the end of the golden age arc, it's seriously one of the best stories ever told.
The 1st volume makes more sense on the reread, definitely more style over substance - volume 2 takes a sharp left turn and shows Guts growing up as a mercenary and joining our band of heroes - it's very much a middle ages band of brothers story for years, then takes another sharp turn back to sword n sorcery rooted in what are now highly developed characters and antagonists with an amazing mythology - sprinkling of religion, politics, war and the nature of evil too - really hits around volume 5
The last chapter in this first deluxe volume is what gets the ball rolling without a doubt and when it hits it begins to hit its stride. Thankfully it being Manga means that in terms of reading, it reads pretty fast in comparison to say early Marvel stuff and it definitely hits its stride faster than say Jack and Stan Fantastic Four. I know it’s heresy to say that but I think that book started to hit its stride at issue 44.
The Golden Age Arc
Second major story arc is where it really takes off.
Gets epic and never lets go starting at Golden Age. Hope to see that review!!
The Golden Age arc which starts at the tail end of this deluxe edition and then starts in full for the next 4 deluxe editions is where Berserk hits it's stride and becomes what people love.
In terms of the MacGuffin you mentioned that pushes the story forward, it technically doesn't happen until the end of the Golden Age arc - which is in deluxe volume 5 - but the golden age arc itself is what builds all the tension and important plot points that leads to said MacGuffin at the end of the arc. Everything that happens after the Golden Age arc is in response to the MacGuffin that occurs at the end of the Golden Age.
If you're talking about when Berserk becomes its best art-wise, I'd say starting around deluxe volume 8 or 9 is when Kentaro is at the absolute peak of his artistic abilities while drawing Berserk.
Love you guys! And would love to see videos about the following: Don Rosa's Duck comics (not necessarily he Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck), Blood of the Virgin by Sammy Harkham, Richard McGuire's comics, Gon by Masashi Tanaka, Yuichi Yokoyama's mangas and last but not least: Archer Prewitt's Sof' Boy!
It's more of a character driven story rather than a plot driven one
The Golden Age arc. Whenever that starts. It goes from standard fare to absolute classic. It’s incredible, one of the best stories of all time. I see some comments telling you to start later? That’s a mistake, Golden Age is it. In fact certain adaptations like the trilogy of anime movies, just do the Golden Age Arc and that’s it. There’s a reason for that
The first time I read Berserk I've dropped it at the second tankobon. After years I decided to give it a go again. I'm glad I did cause from the fourth tankobon to the fourteenth is incredible.
My favorite point was in the second half of the fifth volume, for many the highlight is between the eleventh to the thirteenth, but it doesn't make season to read only those because it's a slowburner
The first two volumes start a bit generic but there already hints to the greatness that follows, most of it just gets way better after you’re really into the story and the earliest chapters get recontextualized. The first appearance of the God Hand is where it gets good in my opinion and then follows up with the Golden Age. After that the art and story just get better.
Been reading it for half my life and the only things I’d put next to it are Urusawa’s Monster, Battle Angel Alita and Fist of the North Star.
When Guts' origin starts! Vol2
I would say reading through the golden age arc is where it turns into Berserk, it does require a commitment. I almost stopped reading during the golden age arc for the reasons you state in this video, but if you give it the commitment through the golden age arc i believe it will pay off. It does use a lot of poetic verbiage for it themes as an fyi, i know thay doesnt always land for you guys.
Yeah, considering how they usually react to "wordy" comics they may not be into even peak Berserk.
Miura clearly wanted to get ponderous and create some solid prose, and they don't seem to always connect with that side of comics.
As everyone says it the golden age arc. the first story was a stand alone and canonically a flash forward. The next volume were a course correction and shot it into legend. kind of like how Dragon Ball Pilaf arc pivot. though good, is a slow start for many and not the center style and focus most come to love.
• In 1988 Buronson finishes writing Fist of The North Star while working on King of Wolves with a 22 year old Miura, who is also putting together the demo chapter of Berserk. You guys are bang on there.
• You're right that the monsters are probably the first thing to consistently work in his art. One of the major joys of Berserk is watching Miura sweat until he's able to outdraw all his peers... and then keep going for another 10-15. 2020 Miura is doing stuff like detailing with a one pixel brush and using the fold of the book in the middle of a two page splash to deliver metaphor. He finished as the only guy in his weight class.
• More to the point, the next two or three omnibus volumes are what most people consider classic Berserk. It rewinds and develops a cast of characters (including a charismatic rival) around a younger Guts, which is endearing and has some cosmic horror/worldbuilding mystery leading to a big volta. The bigger picture is that we're following Guts through a cursed life where he is too strong to die but too weak to relax.
Also, i wouldnt mind if you can make a ''review'' of berserk chapter on weekly basis or something. would be cool to see you guys reaction to it
I think is in volume 4 when they start showing you the backstory of the protagonist and thats where you begin to engage with the characters
The Golden Arc is what establishes the rest of the series. I think the first volumes are just for what the man can do visually. But the continuation starts with the Golden Arc. I hope you can continue with the series with yourself, or someone to ague/agree in the future. I'm reading the third Deluxe one, and this manga is so good! I thought it would be just like a big man swinging big sword, but it is not. Trust me, man on the internet. I assure you, it gets better!
You guys are right about the beginning. Most fans, probably from the west, found the anime first which condensed the Golden Age arc. I steered away from it because I though it was just some historical drama anime. I did end up watching it and loved it. Unfortunately, the anime from the 90s ends at its peak. This,more than likely, set folks off on the search for the manga and people then persisted through the first archs to get to the point where the manga really takes off on what it eventually becomes. There is a major villain throughout the whole series with interesting “monsters-of-the-week”. Some humour comes from some side characters later, especially a character who I thought was going to be a Scrappy-Doo type character, but thankfully is actually funny and likeable and not at all the wanker I thought he’d be. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and I would never convince anyone to read it, but I think it grew on most fans in the later arcs. DELUXE EDITION FIVE/ Volume 13 is where the brutality gets turned up to 11, but the lead-up volumes kind of set the stage for that, so… I dunno. Read whatever you enjoy, I guess. You guys have an awesome channel. Thanks for taking time out of your already busy schedules to share comics with us.
I can't seem to find a review for scud disposable assassin. So much cool screentone work.
Would be interested to hear your take on universe x, paradise x, earth x. Would be too big of a task to cover the whole series but i reread it as an adult and was very impressed with how epic it was and john paul leons artwork, alex ross's covers and sketches
I felt the same way when I started reading it as these deluxe editions started getting released. The first few volumes are whatever, but Golden Age through Falcon arcs are what it's known for and why people love it so much. After that it kind of peters out a little bit in my opinion. Still visually fun to look at the entire way through though.
I'm late to this party and I see a lot of ppl already left some great comments, but to me... Drop that $100 hit is wortih it EASILY. On the other hand Vol 1 (first 3 takobon) is great, and IS worth it. But... retroactively. It sets up a lot for the story, but you can feel the fact this was made by a 20year old guy. Lots of stuff is set up there- the little elf is an important presence in it, the monsters the violence, Guts acting the way he does in this volume is VERY well explained, and later developed and commented on. It is not something that exists in a vacuum. I read those volumes now and I get some flash forwards that make it a lot better. But for new readers... it is rough.
The cleanest start tho? Golden Age arc. You'll get the background, you'll get bigger understanding of Guts as a character, friendships, relationships... struggle... love, fantasy, war, battle, fun and horror etc. All of hit is there building up to one of the greatest moments not in manga, but in comics and fiction as a whole. I'll die on that hill. And as an added bonus this ice when Miura starts becoming MIIURA. When his art truly starts exploding in quality.
PS II assume the ppl who said around vol 5 mean around vol 5 of the TAKOBON, because... yeah I get that. Vol 5 of the deluxe edition is a very different story.
Golden age for sure is where it gets amazing
Especially the music listening to the soundtracks its a must
Golden age arc gives you the direction. The anime focused on that first. That first part where he fights the serpent was covered in the first anime and then they skipped that other stuff and went straight to the golden age.
It reboots and start over The Golden age is when the hipe grows.
I’ve read the first five deluxes and never got hooked. It’s fine, has some cool stuff but I’m not sure if I’ll continue. I like Fist of the North Star more.
I would say I'm new to berserk and wouldn't call myself a zealot or anything close. But i do think it deserves the love it gets.
It is a story that generally keeps getting better as it goes. And what comes later, retroactively makes the beginning better.
The biggest actual complaints are all pretty minor. The time it took between chapter releases. Seemed to be the biggest issue that ruined many people's enjoyment in real time.
Now the biggest issue would probably be just some minor character flanderization later on. And even then, i didn't notice it until i saw some people complaining. It might just be another symptom of the schedule.