Just FYI! That slug monster that killed the Band of the Hawk before and Pippin here was something you've seen before. Waaay back in the first collection, he was the Duke that turned into a monster during the Black Swordsman Arc.
we get it, no worries. you don't joke after the eclipse..i do get your point on the length of the scene but we were supposed to be guts, feel the revulsion, the rage and terror
It’s okay, listen to Guts theme from the 1997 anime and it should help. Berserk despite being so dark, actually brings a lot people together because of that darkness to find comfort and push each other forward such as the characters.
Upon Miura's death, Tatsuki Fujimoto, author of a recent smash-hit dark manga called Chainsaw Man said that he viewed The Eclipse as the most perfect depiction of Hell he could think of. Hard to disagree...
That definitely makes sense, since Chainsaw Man's Hell does have a kind of Eclipse-like feeling of horror, but toned down for the younger target audience.
Casca’s assault has been debated online if it was too sexualized or too long but most fans still agree the scene hits home when making the audience absolutely hate Griffith. It’s fine that you felt uncomfortable because it was by design but your opinion is justified concerning the execution and framing.
I still think it could be improved. I do think that the gratuity of it should stay but it should definitely have been played less sexually and more horrifically
In my opinion it displays it for the invasion of intimacy it really is. The conflicting feelings, the resentment, the horror, it's all there on display. You *want* to look away, but you know you can't afford to take your eyes off of her.
It was also published in 1996. If written today, it’s probably handled a little differently. As social norms have changed we have gotten better about representation of heavy topics like this in media over time. 1996 isn’t that long ago, on the other hand 1996 is closer to the end of the Vietnam War than it is to now.
@@CoconutMigrating Muira hismelf matured as the series went too. It *definitely* would have been done differently, he said in interviews he regretted how much he did the "women in sexual danger" bit. There's two big examples I can think of coming in an upcoming arc, and then after that it just doesn't happen anymore for the rest of the series. So within four or five years of doing this sequence Muira decided enough was enough.
When Void (Brain Hell Raiser Demon) 'attacks' Skull Knight he actually creates a rift in space that redirects Skull Knight's own sword attack back at him.
Corkus' death weirdly hits hardest for me. He didn't get a heroic last stand or brave self-sacrifice, he just died scared, alone, insane and confused. Unfortunately, though we'd all like to be Guts or Pippin, we're all Corkus in a situation like this :(
You're right, but I always hated that guy. I liked the other members of the band, but the apparently selfishness of Corkus never made me come around to liking him.
After reading this, all I could think of was how Miura made the Black Swordsman arc even better in retrospect. We know why he doesn't like to be touched, or why he doesn't want to make friends because he had them and they died! His intense hatred for Griffith etc. Brilliant!
Also why he hates weak people so much in black swordsman. In both his abuse by gambino and in the eclipse, despite all his strength, he was not strong enough to prevent all the traumatic events from happening and neither does he prevent his friends from being brutalised. He hates himself for his weaknes, and projects it on others
@@anirudhsaravanakumar4932 i mostly just gloss over that but i look at it as a example of how sadistic Guts became. He takes joy in trapping his targets like with the snake lord and count, though ofcourse this was a little different
With the sexual assault of Casca I believe it is important to remember the framing of the scene. We the viewer are meant to be seeing this through the eyes of Guts. Guts was a victim of child sexual assault and was helpless to stop it from happening, and now he is being forced to watch the man he thought of as a brother and a friend commit this same atrocity on the one woman he loved and despite mutilating himself to try and reach her he is once again helpless to stop it. It goes on for too long because we are watching this scene get burned into Gut's right eye before it is sealed there forever when the demon gouges it out. It's sexualized because it a perversion and a mockery of the real love and relationship that he and Casca had. As Gut's life is shattered apart in the most horrific way possible the one person Gut's trusted enough to confide in was subjected to what he likely considers the single most traumatizing moment of his life and he is forced to watch every moment of it.
On top of ALL that... Griffith is the one that SAVED Caska from being raped all those years ago. And now.. he does THAT. Purely to one up Guts and show who was dominant. (Also why he assaulted the Princess.)
The thing that primarily ruins it is the way the art is done, and the effect it has on Casca's character later on. There's a point where I accepted what she was by that point, but being COMPLETELY stripped of agency afterwards strikes me as ironically very lazy writing.
That's definitely a valid interpretation and I *hope* that's what Miura had in mind, because that would be a lot more palatable than careless sexualisation in line with exploitative horror tropes (and even depictions of assault more generally, which are sometimes done in poor taste). What concerns me slightly is that we also see POV shots from Griffith's perspective. So we get to see the event through the eyes of the protagonist and the person responsible for the assault, but not really through Casca's eyes. There are a few closeups of her face, but these panels aren't enough to stick the landing for me personally. It's a contentious scene and I think it's valid to feel uncomfortable as well.
I really appreciate that Daniel took the time to talk about the framing of the scene, because I agree. It’s for that reason that I haven’t read the full scene itself, but I’m aware of the controversy and what happens there. That said, I feel like we missed out on hearing him talk about the implications of the event itself which we are seeing a bit of in the comments- Casca’s and Guts’ own histories as victims of assault, the fact that Griffith is the perpetrator, Guts’ ripping off his own arm and the loss of his eye. Throughout the entirety of the eclipse Guts seems to be holding on to some hope or rather denial that it was really his Griffith that caused this hell- but from what I’ve been able to tell this scene is where we see all of that break. It feels like we are seeing their… idk what to even call it. Camaraderie? History? Friendship? Either way, it’s all being rent apart before our eyes. And I kind of wish more time had been dedicated to talking about these thematic implications. ** though I totally understand that spending anymore time on that specific scene could have been emotionally draining.
The eclipse is forever stuck in the minds of all Berserk fans as both one of the most horrific depictions of hell and because the original '97 anime just ended in the middle of the sexual assault scene without the skull knight saving them
After the credits you see Guts getting his new sword forged leading into what was the first episode. At that point, you know everything he's survived up until then,so you don't need to know the *exact* specifics of how... just that he did. And now he's off for revenge. Open ended feeling of you know he's going to manage it. And then you track down the manga.
They knew exactly what they were doing when they chose to end it there, and I actually think it works as a conclusion! But it was intended to be IMMENSELY frustrating, and it succeeds in that, I think!
@@robbybevard8034 it sucks it gives that cliffhanger cause if you don't look after the credits a ton of people miss out and would just assume it ends in a horrifying tragedy especially if you don't know anything about berserk
11:25 I like to think that this panel is Griffith's last moment as a human. Those eyes show that, just for a second, he realized the horror of what he'd done to his men. And then all feeling is stripped away from him as he decends.
There is a lost chapter after the chapter with the panel mentioning 'God' you can find online, number 83. It is entirely optional if you want to read it since it is considered non-canon. However, it does add some depth to the world building and themes of Berserk and has not been contradicted by later chapters. Miura felt at the time it was published it revealed too much too soon. Again, do as you will!
I think its good to *eventually* read that chapter, but yeah Muira pulled it for a reason. After we've met Shierke and she's explained some of the universe and magic system is probably a better point. Its good worldbuilding and info to have but it is just too early.
@@robbybevard8034 Been years since I looked into this, but the chapter wasn't pulled because it wasn't canon or that it doesn't show the world accuratly. It was pulled because it showed to much of the story to early. If one wants to know more about the world of Berserk a bit earlier, then the chapter is perfect. If there is to be a slow reveal, then it might show to much. It is still one of my favorite chapters, so I would recommend everyone to read it.
Well it is technically cannon, but Miura thought he detailed the world too much early on. My guess is something similar will be depicted by Studio Gaga and Mouri towards the end of the manga.
I feel like it's more of a joke/"meme" at this point than a serious sentiment. I'm sure there are some who've tricked themselves into genuinely believing it though, because they want to be edgy.
I actually love that the dialogue is stilted because these beings are alien to us, their language doesn't seem natural or human, they are terrifying and the dialogue enhances that. Thanks for the great video Daniel!
That's very similar to what Daniel himself said during his review of the start of the Eclipse. I believe Daniel complimented the stilted, unusual dialogue as a way to illustrate how inhuman the "angels" are.
As they say: Cruelty is the point. Also: This took the "Prince of darkness" trope out of the Saturday moring cartoon realm and straight into cold reality.
This IS the perfect pace! Any slower would be annoying. Any faster would feel rushed. If the alternative is for you to gloss over a bunch of things to cram the full content of the Manga into your brain, I'd say this is perfect.
Two things: 1. The payoff from this is incredible. 2. The story only gets BETTER from here on in. The world building and character development is going to escalate and accelerate and build on what you’ve seen so far.
@@Commandosoap777 i feel like people who generally like anime will like Millenium Empire arc the best and those who come from reading books will like Golden Age the most
21:20 - It's actually clearer in the anime, but when Skull Knight attacked Void (the brain looking son of a bitch), Void opened up a portal to redirect his sword back at him
The one thing that struck me most about the R scene was how Grithith/Femto was looking at Gutz the whole time. It was like Cassca wasn't even there to him.
I don't know if you've gotten this request before, but have you ever thought about listening to at the very least Guts' theme from the 97 anime? It's probably one of my favorite character themes that I really only got the point of after the golden age arc about the significance of how its composed and how it symbolizes Guts
Listen to Susumu Hirasawa just in general. Miura listened to him often when he drew, and in many ways hes the music of Berserk. A few tracts that stand out to me are "Forces", "Sign", and the aforementioned "Guts".
My two cents for Daniel Regarding the length of the sexual assault on Casca, my interpretation of it is the sense of the act never ending, kind of the author making sure you can never miss it or skip past it and thus remains engraved in your memory as something That cannot be atoned for. Secondly, did you notice that Griffith's focus was never Casca and he always kept eye contact with Guts? He doesn't really care for her as much as he cares hurting Guts though what he does to Casca putting Guts in the same place of weakness that Griffith was put in by Guts leaving the band and defeating him.
Hey, I see this "Griffith doesn't take his eyes off Guts the whole time" statement pop up a lot, and the thing is, it's objectively untrue. Griffith ignores Guts for most of the assault. He barely looks up when Guts cuts off his own arm, most of his focus is on Casca. Towards the end he does watch him, but it's nowhere close to the whole time. So I guess I'm wondering....where does this idea come from? I see it pop up SO OFTEN
@@MrDragon7742 I think a lot of people mix up what happens in the 97 anime and what happens in the manga. In the 97 anime, he does initially look at Casca when he starts kissing her, but then as it... progresses, the anime has it to where (if I remember correctly, happy to be corrected) he is just blank face staring at Guts. Primarily for budgetary reasons, but also because I doubt they could have shown that scene on television (even w/ Berserk airing super late at night), though that is speculation on my part. Whereas in the manga and the Golden Age trilogy, he goes back and forth between eyeing Guts and looking at Casca, given the MUCH more prolonged play of the scene in those two versions. Moreso the former but the latter happens more than I think some remember. While I personally don't find myself on the more critical side when it comes to the scene in the manga, part of me does appreciate the greater emphasis on Griffith staring at Guts in the 97 anime, doing this more personal thing (i.e. r*ping Casca and forcing Guts to watch, which wasn't necessary for the God Hand ritual) and descending into irredeemable evil, along with ruining the lives of the two people who thought that he cared about them, solely because Guts walked away and Griffith couldn't have 100% of what he wanted
@@kvltovpersonality6290 That's a real good point about the 97 anime. To be totally honest, my main frustration with this misconception comes from the fact that it's used as evidence that Griffith had little to no feelings about Casca herself and was exclusively doing this to hurt Guts. I don't believe that theory, and it's pretty frustrating how much of the fandom just accepts that it's true, especially when the main piece of evidence they point to for it is...a lie. When I first watched Berserk in high school, I interpreted the assault on Casca as Griffith's like, total rejection of the nightmare he had where he gave up. Just before the eclipse he has that nightmare where he just gives up, and lives out his life as an invalid with Casca essentially acting as his wife and caregiver. So as the final act of the Eclipse he spits in the face of that option by violently assaulting the woman at the centre of it. I don't know how much I believe that theory now, it's got a nice symmetry to it that I like, but there's also as much evidence for it as there is for any other theory about why Griffith did what he did. So, uh, yeah.
To me it feels like the supernatural function of these sacrifices is a metaphor for Griffith desensitizing himself to remorse, like tipping the scale so far, becoming so numb, that he can never go back to facing the moral horror of his actions again. He came to see his humanity as just a hindrance, and so given the opportunity to purge it out of him, he did
The art in this, in particular that bit where guts is screaming and looks almost inhuman as he loses it trying to get to Casca, is wildly emotional and striking.
@@DianaCHewitt I disagree. That’s exactly why it works. If it was any less, then it wouldn’t have had anywhere near the level of impact and the act would have had much less meaning, and the discomfort it causes the reader is the whole point. Any less, and it would have made the story worse, or even meaningless, especially if it was just cut out altogether.
There are tons of panes where you can catch Judeau stealing glances of Caska through all of golden age. Tons to still catch in the art during a reread.
Judeau, and Pippin is my favorite supporting characters in this arc seeing them die in such a way made me stare at the ceiling for hours... I still miss them
Berserk is a very good story but also have you sitting up at night pondering on the stuff you just read it really does bring every emotion out of me Griffith never leaving eye contact with guts while doing that to Caska was so sinistered it's the first thing I think of when people bring up that scene
@@alliew31 I see it as Griffith seeing guts as the main focus of his sexual act. Remember when Griffith is sleeping with the princess he’s only thinking about guts in that moment, I think it’s the same here.
I would like to point out... remember how the safrifice brand hurted A LOT when guts met griffith during the black swordman arc? like, he almost couldn't move? that is happening to caska during all of "it". just adding another layer into the "why we hate griffith" pile.
It isn't super clear in the manga, but what's happening when Void opens the portal above his head to attack Skull Knight, is that SK was actually thrusting his sword against Void, and Void opened a portal to reverse it back at him - the depictions in the adaptations are that SK was already pre-emptively blocking before he even thrust his sword out because he knew that it'd just get reflected
I said it once and I'll say it again: Berserk started in 1989 and is still being published. It had YEARS between chapters, long hiatus in between. So to all the ones talking about how long it takes Daniel to read the manga... You have not read this manga while it was being published at Miura's pace and it shows. Because if you had then you wouldn't be complaining by this pace.
I think that a lot of stories show how people of assault deal with and fight back right away, i think casca dealing with it and fighting thro the pain is more realistic in this story. And i like how they show guts side too, that when something like this happens the loved ones of the victim are also hurt and try to protect them in any way they can
Gotta say, the thing I’ve taken away from these reviews is that I don’t think there’s many more even handed, considerate and insightful media reviewer on RUclips as you, Daniel. Great review as always
The other reviewer I would say is Totally Not Mark, another great review of the series and recently finished his run-through. However, he did go a lot faster and as a result, loses some of the minute details Daniel has.
I think that chapter should only be read once he he finished the whole thing. It's an awesome chapter but it gave too much context to what's happening to the world and kind of ruined the mystery.
Btw small little clarification, Void (Mars Attacks looking demon) didn't summon the blade to attack Skull Knight, he redirected his sword strike with a pocket dimension. It's purposefully vague but reality manipulation shenanigans seems to be the Godhand's main arsenal 👍
@@floriandolder8111 The other great change in the movie, during Guts' assassination he doesn't use his own sword. He uses a regular-sized longsword rather than the massive one he regularly uses, which would have been a dead give away in reality
@@floriandolder8111 Totally, in the manga it would have been gone something like this, « this guy just came in and killed everyone in his way, but he used a 6ft long sword so can we grab that mammoth of a man who uses those swords exclusively and ask him some questions? »
I don't much comment on anything, but a point to consider RE Guts, Casca, and depictions: Guts is also a victim of this exact crime. That this isn't a situation of a man being tormented with watching something he can never understand is something I feel is a key part to this sequence and why it was made how it was made. This is Guts, after exerting all his might and independence over Griffith and leaving, being brought down and made powerless and helpless as something horrible that he absolutely understands to his bone is done to someone he loves while he's helpless to stop it. Hence the rage that breaks far beyond anything logical, the desperation in cutting off his own arm just for that small chance to stop it. It's visceral, empathic pain, and I think that's what makes showing both so important and impactful. It's the kind of seen that doesn't work and doesn't hit the same if Guts doesn't understand on that deep, primal level exactly what's happening to Casca. And I think giving that its proper weight and understanding is important exactly how it's depicted and why. That's not to say there aren't elements that aren't, perhaps, too leery - there certainly are. But there are layers to this scene that exist that aren't true to most other depictions of this in media that in my experience go often overlooked when assessing how it was done and why.
This is where Berserk truly begins. Everytime I read Berserk, especially from this point on, I feel so terrible for how Casca has been treated. Again, not to say it is outside the realm of possibility given the dangerous, violent, power hungry and grimy world of Berserk but it does work in making you absolutely hate Griffith. Don't know how Griffith fanboys keep saying he did nothing wrong after this. I know its not logical but doing what Guts did to his arm has always been metal as frick. Then again, I just like one armed protagonists with a mechnical arm that has hidden gadgets *cough* Winter Soldier.
Because he did nothing wrong. He's a fictional character who hasn't hurt anyone and is just meant to entertain. Are you not entertained? There's no Griffith "fanboys" because he's not a real person. Everything he does in Berserk is pure evil but there's a cruel honesty and drive that makes him be the best villain in fiction. He represents everything wrong with humanity. "Griffith Fanboys" as you say are aware of all of this and are aware he's not real. No one with a sliver on consciousness would defend his actions unless ironically. He has indeed done nothing wrong. It's art. Art is a reflection for our desire for meaning in this universe and Berserk is probably one of the most forefront and honest pieces about it. This is why people admire Griffith as a villain; he's so well written and nuanced he makes for the perfect foil to Guts.
I read this part a few weeks back and I straight up cried like 4 times. I didn't know how attatched I were to these characters and specifically to Casca and Guts until the Eclipse.
In regard to your questions about the nature of god/s in Berserk I'd highly recommend reading the lost chapter, with the major caveat that Miura wanted it removed as he felt it restricted the story and gave away too much too early. So if you are to read it, probably read it after you've caught up.
I read this for the first time living alone during the pandemic while listening to Stage 3 of Everywhere at the End of Time. Needless to say, I was affected deeply.
Judeau was always one of my favorites, he's reminded me of friends that I had that would always be there when I needed them and could somehow manage to say the right thing to help me in a situation. His death was the one that got me on my first read. I was sure everyone was gonna die. But it ended up being so much worse. I think your takes are very much warranted and there was alot of debate among us fans in the 90s with how everything was portrayed. Jesus I've been reading this for almost 30years. Anyways keep em coming its so enjoyable to see someone experience it for the first time, even more so since you had to give it a second chance.
The scene with Casa is the big reason I can't recommend berserk lightly. It's my favorite series of any media, but especially for real victims, it's extremely gruesome. I hope reading it wasn't too difficult for you personally. Any decent person would understand your perspective.
Your Berserk videos have been non-stop quality fun Daniel. So glad you're not rushing it & taking your time to fully enjoy this epic dark fantasy masterpiece & putting out these awesome videos. Keep up the amazing work👍
Thank you so much for these Berserk videos. I love Berserk so much and hearing your thoughts and feelings on the series is so wonderful. I appreciate how thorough and upfront you are, and I'm so excited for the future Berserk videos. 🙂
Finally, out of the golden age proper. Many Berserk fans love the arc, and justifiably so, but many like myself are tired of reading it due to how frequently it gets adapted. With that said, I cannot wait to see you begin the epilogue to the Golden Age and start the Lost Children arc.
I think making Casca’s assault as long and detailed commits the audience to see and understand the ugliness of it. Even the most dense of people will feel uncomfortable and afflicted by it. There is no escape.
Re: The stuff with how God words in the Berserk setting: There was actually an extra chapter in the magazine serialization that was omitted from the collections, that would have fallen between the Griffith pov and the rest. Muira had it omitted because he felt that he was revealing too many secrets too early, and may be locking himself into things he may change his mind on later. So the chapter and the information in it may or may not be cannon; but the core concepts are interesting enough on their own merit to be worth discussion. *SPOILERS FOLLOW* So. There are two layers of reality in the Berserk universe. There is the physical layer, which is the normal world, and there is the higher realm, which is shaped by the collective thoughts and beliefs of humanity. The higher realm, and thus the entire universe, is ruled (loosely and through intermediaries) by an entity called the Idea of Evil. The Idea is opposed by other entities, but is currently the strongest and has been for some time. The Idea is not the source of all evil, but something much more complex and interesting. Bad things happen, and cruel deeds are done, all the time. The world is inherently unjust and cruel. It is this way because of random chance and human nature and other things that can not be prevented or countered. But that is unsatisfying, so humanity imagines a force, 'Evil', to blame, because one force making the world worse is a more comforting idea that that the world is bad simply because it is. The Idea of Evil exists not because we believe it does, but because, on some level, we WANT it to exist, so that we can blame it for the state of the world and justify to ourselves doing anything to fix it.
To go on this journey with you from being anti anime from when I first subscribed to now almost completing the first arc of a manga series is truly amazing.
A few minor clarifications @Daniel: "My old rival" is a title that Zodd gives out of respect. Zodd is all about martial prowness. It is all he lives for, all he cares for. Note how he is excluding himself from the "Feast" despite every single other demon seems to be care for nothing else. He even disrespects the God's Hand (to some degree) all in favor of facing a strong opponent. Yes, it is a clunky title, but it is a typical traditional japanese trope to have such titles for someone you both respect and fight against. It's not so much translation of language but culture and meaning. Think of it as rival sport teams having nicknames for each other. The reference to "God" is clarified in a removed chapter (that was btw referenced by some comments waaaay back). It shows Griffith yet in another dimension meeting this "God" (so yes, you see.. it), which gives him... well blunt exposition of the working behind the God's Hand and the nature of Evil and how the world works. The thing is.. it is nothing but a blunt exposition dump which does nothing for the story at hand and takes away some of the mystery behind what drives the plot forward. Or rather what is driving the whole universe in a sense. SPOILER: it's all fate, but not.. Best to just take it as it is and not think too too much about it. In the end it has very little impact on the story itself. Yes, you cought the "lady" demon, but missed who that slug monster is again. It is the Count that Guts fights in Volume 2. And yes, it is the same that was present at the butchering of the wounded Band of the Hawk members. And yet again shows why Guts was that hell-bent on killing him. Void is not attacking the Skull Knight with a blade. He is creating a portal that aims the sword the Skull Knights sword back at himself.
The one thing that's always stuck with me about about Casca's assault is the way Griffith just stares at Guts. All the rage that Griffith felt for Guts before he acesended or desended (however you want to look at that) comes out the moment he gains his powers. I've always thought he wanted to prove that he didn't need Guts anymore, and he shows that by doing what he did to casca, which I think is what he was trying to do that to Casca even when he was emancipated. When he just lay on top of her in that one scene. He was always trying to prove he was better than Guts after he left the band. Casca is the only person Guts relies on after he leaves the band of the hawks. So, in Griffiths twisted mind, he's showing Guts that he doesn't need him by completely dominating the only person Guts needs. That's why he just stares at Guts. It's like he's saying to Guts, "I don't need you anymore."
I think this is a really good analysis. I'll add that I personally think Griffith DOES still need Guts, he's just convinced himself he doesn't. He keeps popping up around Guts, and mulling over him. I think the worst think Guts could ever do to Griffith is not to kill him, but to ignore him.
Thank you Daniel for letting me experience this story through your videos. I've always known that I couldn't handle reading it myself, but having this extra layer between me and the story makes me feel so much safer. And I'm so grateful I get to understand why people think so highly of berserk.
Judeau’s death hit me like a truck. He was a compassionate and wholesome character and his final moments only alleviated that. Pippin was a gentle giant that didn’t deserve it. Gaston only wanted to be respected by his leaders and had a somewhat peaceful death. Fuck corckus. Griffith became a monster but wasn’t always one. He was some what of a manipulator who wanted his dream and only his dream. He was broken by his love, guts leaving him and then he was brutally tortured for a year and then was taken over mentally by demons and the incarnation of evil. I was to stunned for emotion by Casca’s assault but when she and guts woke up I was broken. Beautifully incredible and gut-wrenching writing at the same by Miura.
Personally I think Miura leaned on sexual violence a little too much in the earlier days of Berserk. You can see how he matures as a person, through his writing, as the story continues from here.
Honestly he matured right along with the general understanding of how these things ought to be handled. He was always conscious of the seriousness of the issue after all, that can be seen in his depiction of survivors
@@williamroberts2878 I’m afraid you’re right. I feel like he’s not gonna like Casca’s portrayal going forward. Maybe understand it, but be a bit more annoyed with it than usual
The eclipse still brings me to tears on reread or rewatch. Its like a tactical missile straight to the heart, every time. Given what you said about your personal views of how R-Victims and how they should be treated in stories, you're probably not going to be the biggest fan of where & how the story proceeds - and i wont spoil anything, but this event is absolutely not just brushed off in any way at all. This is a cataclysmic moment of the story and continues to be treated and remembered as such still to this day.
I never agreed with the concept that the victim of sexual assault MUST be the one to have the spotlight to deal with the aftermath and control their agency. I feel this way because there is no criteria for this for anything else. If a secondary character gets tortured or maimed no one expects that they necessarily be the ones to get justice or revenge. I know it’s a very sensitive topic, but it is not narratively required that the victim get an arc about reclaiming some measure of control of their situation. Not only is that creatively limiting, it also doesn’t reflect reality.
The length of the violation scene could have been cut, but actually not by as much as it might seem if you don't look at what it shows besides the obvious. There is a lot of deeper meaning conveyed with many detailes within. Like all the panels with visible eyes. Each of the character shows a lot of their inner workings in that moment just through the eyes alone. Casca closing, even squeezing, her eyes to shut out what is happening, with the rare moments she opens them looking at the two men she loved the most. Femtos gaze being cold and calculating, observing the reactions of who he picked out to be tortured this way, barely showing any actual interest or joy in what he is doing itself. What and how is purpuseful and deliberate. With some of it revealed much later in the story. Note his cold stare at Guts. It's just as hateful as Guts. Just a cold, distant hate, not the burning rage Guts has. He already is the evil we saw in his first appearance in the manga from the getgo. And of course Guts struggle during it all, fluctuating between pain, sadness and despire, pure rage and hatered. I don't know of anyone that wouldn't agree that a bit less could had been more.. 3-4 pannels would have been enough to show the "Love, hatred, pain, pleasure, life, death" and maybe 1 or 2 in between the stares and struggle would have been enough to show how this is not stopping inbetween.. But my point is that there is a lot more shown than just the graphic depiction of violation (of more than the bodies). The sexualization does take too much prominence and distracts from the other things happening there. This is the main reason it should probably be less of it. Not because of how uncomfortable it is to read. Just like the violent gore the point is to be disturbed by it. In the end the scene as a whole probably still should be most of the chapter, with a smaller focus on the sexual aspect and more on how it is a great act of evil, done wilfully right at the moment of "birth". Establishing what Femto is without a shadow of a doubt, burining itself in your memory so you don't forget it when the Griffith apologists part come. It should be nagging at the back of your mind every time the gaslighting gets really intense.. That all said I totally understand that it is hard to focus on detailes of this part when literally everything about it is horrible and upsetting. It's hard to notice very, VERY subtle hints of forshadowing, especially when.. well.. let's say the aftermatch of this is not dealt all that great for a pretty long time..
After reading the ending of The Eclipse, I needed ice cream and funny dog videos on RUclips. One of the single most disturbing sequence of scenes I've ever been exposed to and it hits so hard because Miura took his time to build the Band of the Hawk into a group we could care about. Guts' rampage during The Eclipse is the beginning of who he becomes in The Black Swordsman arc. Those who bear the Brand of Sacrifice fuel the transformation of an Apostle. Doubly so for The Godhand. The glimpse of God in here is actually a prelude to what fans refer to as The Lost Chapter, since Miura requested to have it removed from all volumes that have been produced of the manga. Miura felt it gave away too much, too soon and narrowed his storytelling options. While not included in the volume, it is still part of the canon and it is referenced a few times as the story progresses. Your take on Casca's assault is a valid one. From my perspective, it was meant to be disturbing and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, you won't get a resolution of Casca's arc for a long time. No spoilers. Nosferatu Zodd is by far my "favorite" of the Apostles. And the interactions with the Skull Knight and Guts are always interesting.
I'm so pleased you mentioned Guts' frenzied state of killing wasn't "badass" in those moments. It's just....pure trauma unleashed and channeled through violence. Something Guts was growing away from but brutally brought back to in order to keep himself and the ones he cares for safe and witnessing the horror that was The Eclipse. Great video, Daniel.
Somehow, with how Daniel is enjoying/reviewing Berserk and considering he has tattoos in reference to other fantasy works, I can only think: will we get a mark of sacrifice tattoo reveal in the future? I hope we do, it would be like one of the greatest redemption stories in RUclips history
That would be bold! I thought "that's a cool idea" but then instantly got superstitious and would take a lot of convincing for me to get a tattoo of the Brand... just in case!
Pain & Suffering being used as the fuel for Griffith's power growth is pretty interesting. Especially when, if you remember back to the earlier chapters with the Count - the key to acquiring power through the Behelit required sacrificing something so precious, that it'd be like losing an integral part of yourself. Making the whole situation even sadder. Pretty heavy system to work with, Godhand!
The most tragic thing about the eclipse is what happens after it surprisingly. The ones who know know but that scene with Guts and Casca on the plains after is probably the part that hit the second hardest in the whole thing. Just the sense of lose and potential future really makes the whole thing all the more horrible.
Thanks Daniel for handling this subject matter as you did. I had to stop reading Berserk for a while after this because of how hard it was to read. These videos help me a lot with processing the emotions and subjects so continue to do what you're doing! I really appreciate it!
The skull knight stabs at one of the god hand, the god hand opens a portal to block it and make him stab himself, and he blocks with his shield. Dope af.
Just as a small side detail with the series length, the deluxe editions are actually still releasing, so what you have on your shelf only represents around 3/4 of the series, so you're actually more like 1/3 of the way through the series.
You know, it has been rubbing the wrong way since the first Berserk video, but especially now with this one that you grade these moments with a number like 8.5/10. My first reaction to hearing that is immediate dismissal because it's way too low in my mind. But you're entitled to your opinion and I do somewhat understand where you come from. I think what I really want is for the ratings to go away because it really lessens this kind of momentous scene to a number. It kinda takes away from calling this analysis too, because instead of diving deeper it's more like just a sweeping shorthand generalization of what you want to say. The Eclipse is one of the most iconic parts of Berserk and perhaps even all fiction, I don't see it as an experience you're supposed to grade. Now that I think about it, this irked me with the One Piece videos too, but couldn't put it to words back then. Hope you consider dropping it all together. I'm not a patreon or whatever so take my opinion whichever way you want.
His way of rating is different, 8.5 is like AMAZING for him. You might for example think that 5 is bad, but to him 5 is perfectly average, 6 isn't bad, 6 is good.
I agree with your view on the long very sexualized scene of what happens to Casca... but I think... somehow it is good to show that the horror is not short, not one page (or a few pages) and let's move one... it is brutal repeatitive and if you felt it to be too long... I guess it is exactly what the author wanted. I think every reader of Berserk got traumatized by this scene... is it a good thing ? I cannot say. But despite all the gore, violence and so one, this Eclipse pushed us in the deep end of the horror. This was clearly successful.
This video was the one I most anticipated for this series. The scene had a similar impact on me. I couldn't agree more with your take about where you want this to go from here, with regard to Casca. But yeah, the subject matter is really complicated and emotional, and so much of it is based in personal experiences and opinions. Add onto that the fact that the story is translated and was written over 25 years ago by a man from a different culture, and it makes this aspect of the story a very difficult but fascinating subject. Keep a critical eye on it and enjoy. Some of the wildest stuff is yet to happen.
I believe that the intention behind all this it is to take us to the journey Gutz must go in order to become the black swordsman... Having Grifith do that to Casca, and seeing it for so long breaks the spell on Gutz completely. This is how all his rage towards Grifith its born, this is how all the pain and blood turns into something else... It makes so much sense to me
There's something I wanted to say about one of your takes in the last videos. When some members of the band of the hawk asked Guts to be their leader, you said Casca would've been a better choice. However, the ones that wanted guts to guide them were all for his own little squad that Griffith made him the commander of Also, the member of the godhand didn't attack using a laser beam. He deflected Skullknight's sword attack with a portal and redirected it at him
This is probably the one review I agree with Daniel 100% How you framed it, how you talked about it so subjectively, it is a great take. Plus girl with dragon tatoo is Swedish like me soooooo u know
In my opinion regarding THE scene I think it was handled well, personally, the depth given to the scene made me even more angry watching Casca get violated repeatedly by a man she trusted. And the fact that Griffith only stared ahead at Guts throughout the whole long time gives clear clues as to Griffiths emotions and his character. Overall, I get why people don’t like the scene but I think the length and graphic depth is there to show the brutality, the vulnerability, and the characters thoughts and emotions.
I think your straight format choice was a good one for the heavy subject. Well done. I don't think I could read this with the content. Not good for my mental health. But I have such respect for the work. So it was wonderful to watch your videos and learn more of the story. Great review.
I really enjoyed the Golden Age stuff, but everything after this is what I enjoy about Berserk. I like more fantastical elements of demons and monsters more than the medieval kings and knights aspects.
Hey Daniel. I'm a manga fan who got back into fantasy from your reviews. Bought Malazan and WoT and tore through First Law and Age of Madness. Gunmetal Gods is on my to buy list after I catch up on what I've already bought, but since you've brought me so many good series and you're a newbie to manga/anime, I figured I'd give you some recs based on your taste and some money since I've pumped a few hundred into books off your vids already. I’m a manga nerd so I tried to share a lot of the lesser known greats that I think are up there with the best of the best. Also hope this works since this is my second time doing this and RUclips ate my previous 50 lol. I'll categorize them broadly with a brief description, but even if you don't end up reading past this, thanks for giving me so many great series to get into. Hopefully I'll return the favor cause it's a big sea of manga out there and there's a ton of great works to find. Thanks for doing what you do. 1. Must Reads(For You) Dungeon Meshi(Delicious In Dungeon): It feels like the best DnD GM's came together and made a series with all of their best ideas. A group of adventurers must rescue the leader's sister from the dungeon after a disastrous run in with a dragon, leaving them broke and forced to subsist on the creatures of the dungeon. It's a hilarious, imaginative and ecological dive into the tropes of DnD with an amazing world, beautiful art and a mastery of tone that is a must for all fantasy nerds all centered around eating. They turn earth golems into vegetable gardens and the world’s explanation for living armor is genius. 84 chapters Houseki No Kuni(Land of the Lustrous): I read this one while going through Last Argument Of Kings and the author made Joe Abercrombie look like a sweetheart. I know you like lesser used cultural folklore for fantasy and this is one of the most unique I’ve ever read, inspired by Buddhist lore and philosophy that has some of the most disturbing and beautiful progressions I've ever seen. The main character has an incredible arc and it is one of the best uses of religion I've ever read in fantasy. The last third is especially an existential, moralistic nightmare and has a series of twists and reveals that recontextualize everything. I don't want to spoil much and it has an amazing anime adaption of the first few arcs if you want an easy 12 episodes to see how you like it before diving into the manga. But be warned, prepare for suffering. 95 chapters 2. Female Led Fantasy Claymore: One of the most influential manga of the past few decades. It follows a female demon human hybrid created by an Organization to find and kill the demons hiding amongst the humans of their country. Attack On Titan was heavily inspired by this series. 155 chapters Finished Mieruko-Chan: Urban Fantasy Horror Comedy. Miko randomly wakes up one day able to see horrific monsters of the other side. Unable to think of what to do with this, she pretends not to notice the eldritch horrors. And she must keep ignoring them or face a terrible fate. It's comedy and urban fantasy world building is perfection and it's a short 42 chapters. Oh and do not do the anime for this one. Witch Hat Atelier: All about a young girl who desperately wants to be a witch, but wasn’t born to be one as an admirer of magic and the joy it can bring. That is, until she finds out the real secret to their magic and is brought to learn after a group of dark mages target her. The art is simply gorgeous with some of the best paneling in all of manga and a unique magic system that is creative, simple and constantly used for creative solutions and full of mature themes in the discrimination and responsibility that the status quo enforce. 56 Chapters 3. RUclips Bank!(Basically series that are both really good and also you can use to game the algorithm in a few months cause when the animes come out, hoo boy it's a win win for business and reading great shit.) Chainsawman: This one has ungodly levels of hype around it and is only going to blow up even more when the anime comes out in a few months. Everyone is probably telling you to read this and it is worth it. It's a batshit insane, fucked up emotional journey of Denji, a boy who kills devils to pay off his extreme debt only to merge with his partner the Chainsaw Devil. It's bloody, it's hilarious, it's unique and it's a guaranteed hit for the algorithm in the Fall. 97 chapters Jujutsu Kaisen: This is a great one to understand a lot of the tropes and building blocks of shonen that just happens to do them all better than most of its forebears. This is the best example of what popular manga can be that is recognizably shonen. You have some time to get to this one for when season two of the anime comes out a year from now(and the anime is a perfect adaption of the manga) and it just so happens that the top selling series is one of the best out there. 185 Chapters 4. Punk/Cyberpunk Madness: Dorohedoro: Feels like someone turned every metal and grunge album cover art into a series that is everything at once. In the grungy world of Hole, magicians from another world terrorize and practice their magic on the magicless residents. The story follows Kaiman, a man with no memories of his past, the head of a lizard and a second man in the back of his throat who only comes out when he chomps on a sorcerer's face. There's nothing like it and the world it creates is wholly its own with a narrative that seems like chaos until it all comes together in the end. 167 Chapters Finished Battle Angel Alita: The cyberpunk manga to end all cyberpunk manga, one of the few manga comparable to One Piece in scope and world building as it nears the end after thirty years of serialization. This is one to keep in mind for down the road, a massive, breathing, cybernetic world that keeps expanding and expanding. It has like five series so uh, I don’t know the exact chapter count but a few hundred at least. 5. Comedy! Kaguya Sama Love Is War: This has a perfect anime adaption and is something you can watch with anyone. It follows the President and Vice President of a prestigious academy who are both in love with each other, but are too prideful to admit it themselves. And so begins their psychological warfare to make the other confess. Basically imagine if Death Note was a rom com and L and Light are constantly trying to make the other one confess. 262 chapters or 3 seasons of anime Hinamatsuri: A yakuza mobster one day randomly has a metal object fall on top of him. Inside is a psychic girl from the future who was sent back in the past, but doesn’t much care for her mission. Forcing him to take her in, the two become a strange family. This one is just a perfect sitcom like series with a great adaption that sadly only covers the first third of it. It’s heartwarming, it’s hilarious and its running gags keep building to an absurd density. 100 Chapters Finished 6. Classics Hunter X Hunter: I know you tried this one before, but a big part of the series is that it’s essentially an ever growing, ever densifying work. The current arc has a boat with more culture and warring factions than a Malazan book and it has one of the best magic systems in all of fiction that is simultaneously strict and incredibly flexible. Though don’t worry I’m sure Merphy will be bothering you to read more of it. The beginning definitely is slow and I don’t blame you for not getting much out of it, but I’d say by Yorknew you really start to see the kind of series it is and why so many people list it as one of the best. 390 Chapters 7. Content Warning Goodnight Punpun: Largely considered a masterpiece and one of the few Seinen that you’ve probably seen tossed around a lot. It earns it all, but this is one that I have to warn is an incredibly difficult read as it follows Punpun who is a cartoonish bird representation of a child in the real world in an abusive dysfunctional family. There is assault, abuse, coercion, depression and it’s all rendered so realistically to a painful degree. If you are not in the mood to have your heart stomped on do not read this one. 147 Chapters Complete Ishuzoku Reviewers: On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have said multiple times you wanted horny fantasy, and this is the horniest of fantasy. It’s basically softcore porn that for some reason also has worldbuilding and a level of thought put into it that is way too much for a series about boinking fantasy creatures. Make no mistake, this is 100% porn, about a group of adventurers who frequent and review fantasy brothels. It just also happens to have a political system, culture and a religious background to explain the horniness. It’s also surprisingly sex positive. Best way to experience it is the anime which is one season long and also got kicked off of tv cause well, it’s porn. 50 Chapters 8. ALL THE EMOTIONS A Silent Voice: Honestly just ask Merphy. It has a movie that adapts it pretty damn well, but it’s one of the best dives into bullying and its repercussions and it’s a beautiful roller coaster of all the emotions. 62 Chapters Finished Blue Period: Following a boy who has no passion up until he discovers art and his journey to pursue it wholeheartedly. This is a work that any person in a creative field can relate to and it’s just an emotional ride of following your dreams and the blocks and obstructions that follow. It’s also got some great lgbt representation and is achingly earnest. 50 Chapters God that was a lot. Welp hope some of these sound up your alley and I’m glad you’re enjoying your first dives into manga and anime. It’s a wide and varied field and there’s plenty of highs and lows to enjoy. Best advice I can give is to go at your own pace. These series aren’t going anywhere and god knows you do a lot. Keep up the great work Goblin!(Wouldn't send my initial comment)
I watched the 2nd Anime and up until the eclipse, I was recommending it to people who enjoyed Game of Thrones. But then watching the assault of Casca. . . I just could not in good faith put others through that unknowingly.
![Awakening to a Nightmare - Berserk Vol. 13 [Part 2] and Vol. 14 [Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fXeCaL7te1k/mqdefault.jpg)
![Awakening to a Nightmare - Berserk Vol. 13 [Part 2] and Vol. 14 [Part 1]](/img/tr.png)
![Monsters Among Us - Berserk Vol. 10 [Part 2] & Vol. 11](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_grt1H_ZPNQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Sorry for the less funny editing. Just didn’t feel like making a ton of jokes with this one. 🥲
Just FYI! That slug monster that killed the Band of the Hawk before and Pippin here was something you've seen before. Waaay back in the first collection, he was the Duke that turned into a monster during the Black Swordsman Arc.
we get it, no worries. you don't joke after the eclipse..i do get your point on the length of the scene but we were supposed to be guts, feel the revulsion, the rage and terror
It’s okay, listen to Guts theme from the 1997 anime and it should help. Berserk despite being so dark, actually brings a lot people together because of that darkness to find comfort and push each other forward such as the characters.
Totally understandable my dude. The eclipse is rough, doesn’t exactly make you want to crack tons of jokes
no sweat. we understand.
The beginning of the story: "Wow, Guts is really edgy"
After the eclipse: "Understandable, have a nice day"
I would unironically say that, all things considering, he is surprisingly tame in his edginess.
Black swordsman arc: wtf is wrong with Guts
After the eclipse: I just want him to be happy
He really deserves a nice day after all he’s been through
@@Squeekysquid He was this close and then stupid-!
Reading Black Swordsman: this guy is pissed off all the time, jeez tone it down a bit.
Reading Golden age: Gut's wasn't pissed off enough.
Upon Miura's death, Tatsuki Fujimoto, author of a recent smash-hit dark manga called Chainsaw Man said that he viewed The Eclipse as the most perfect depiction of Hell he could think of. Hard to disagree...
That definitely makes sense, since Chainsaw Man's Hell does have a kind of Eclipse-like feeling of horror, but toned down for the younger target audience.
@@kit5849 ye and tbh the Darkness Devil really does convey a lot of the despair and hopelessness of the Eclipse but with less overt gore
@@kit5849 Somehow I never made that connection, but that makes total sense. The Darkness Devil encounter definitely feels like baby’s first eclipse.
chainsaw man isnt dark fantasy
@@kettlefleet829 Literally, No one here said it was.
end of the eclipse is the TRUE beginning to berserk I'd argue...
Yeah he really just finished the prologue.
Yes
That’s intense and beautiful.
which is why it sucks so much that it's when the original 90's anime ENDS
@@sarafontanini7051 they said "now read the manga bro"
Casca’s assault has been debated online if it was too sexualized or too long but most fans still agree the scene hits home when making the audience absolutely hate Griffith. It’s fine that you felt uncomfortable because it was by design but your opinion is justified concerning the execution and framing.
I still think it could be improved. I do think that the gratuity of it should stay but it should definitely have been played less sexually and more horrifically
In my opinion it displays it for the invasion of intimacy it really is. The conflicting feelings, the resentment, the horror, it's all there on display. You *want* to look away, but you know you can't afford to take your eyes off of her.
It was also published in 1996. If written today, it’s probably handled a little differently. As social norms have changed we have gotten better about representation of heavy topics like this in media over time. 1996 isn’t that long ago, on the other hand 1996 is closer to the end of the Vietnam War than it is to now.
@@CoconutMigrating Muira hismelf matured as the series went too. It *definitely* would have been done differently, he said in interviews he regretted how much he did the "women in sexual danger" bit. There's two big examples I can think of coming in an upcoming arc, and then after that it just doesn't happen anymore for the rest of the series. So within four or five years of doing this sequence Muira decided enough was enough.
@@emma-rz7mf I for one disagree. I think part of the intended effect is you being disturbed by how overtly sexual this act of sexual violence was.
When Void (Brain Hell Raiser Demon) 'attacks' Skull Knight he actually creates a rift in space that redirects Skull Knight's own sword attack back at him.
Beat me to that comment! It's not meant to display Skull's skill, it's how powerful the Godhand are.
came here to say this
yeah the guy literally parries himself
@@onlynormalperson Looks likes you were the slower orange Z
Makes you wonder if Void is to Skull Knight what Femto is to Guts.
Because he went ahead to specifically attack Void.
Corkus' death weirdly hits hardest for me. He didn't get a heroic last stand or brave self-sacrifice, he just died scared, alone, insane and confused. Unfortunately, though we'd all like to be Guts or Pippin, we're all Corkus in a situation like this :(
Preach brother
You're right, but I always hated that guy. I liked the other members of the band, but the apparently selfishness of Corkus never made me come around to liking him.
nah, if it was me I'd just not die
This is an impressive comment. It's like you calculated what the least interesting thing to say would be.
@@mfdoodoo6951 damn u built different 😳
After reading this, all I could think of was how Miura made the Black Swordsman arc even better in retrospect. We know why he doesn't like to be touched, or why he doesn't want to make friends because he had them and they died! His intense hatred for Griffith etc. Brilliant!
Also why he hates weak people so much in black swordsman. In both his abuse by gambino and in the eclipse, despite all his strength, he was not strong enough to prevent all the traumatic events from happening and neither does he prevent his friends from being brutalised. He hates himself for his weaknes, and projects it on others
Makes no sense why he happily bangs a demon at the start tho.
@@anirudhsaravanakumar4932 i believe even Miura said that was no longer canon
@@anirudhsaravanakumar4932 sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do
@@anirudhsaravanakumar4932 i mostly just gloss over that but i look at it as a example of how sadistic Guts became. He takes joy in trapping his targets like with the snake lord and count, though ofcourse this was a little different
With the sexual assault of Casca I believe it is important to remember the framing of the scene. We the viewer are meant to be seeing this through the eyes of Guts. Guts was a victim of child sexual assault and was helpless to stop it from happening, and now he is being forced to watch the man he thought of as a brother and a friend commit this same atrocity on the one woman he loved and despite mutilating himself to try and reach her he is once again helpless to stop it. It goes on for too long because we are watching this scene get burned into Gut's right eye before it is sealed there forever when the demon gouges it out. It's sexualized because it a perversion and a mockery of the real love and relationship that he and Casca had. As Gut's life is shattered apart in the most horrific way possible the one person Gut's trusted enough to confide in was subjected to what he likely considers the single most traumatizing moment of his life and he is forced to watch every moment of it.
On top of ALL that... Griffith is the one that SAVED Caska from being raped all those years ago. And now.. he does THAT. Purely to one up Guts and show who was dominant.
(Also why he assaulted the Princess.)
The thing that primarily ruins it is the way the art is done, and the effect it has on Casca's character later on. There's a point where I accepted what she was by that point, but being COMPLETELY stripped of agency afterwards strikes me as ironically very lazy writing.
That's definitely a valid interpretation and I *hope* that's what Miura had in mind, because that would be a lot more palatable than careless sexualisation in line with exploitative horror tropes (and even depictions of assault more generally, which are sometimes done in poor taste).
What concerns me slightly is that we also see POV shots from Griffith's perspective. So we get to see the event through the eyes of the protagonist and the person responsible for the assault, but not really through Casca's eyes. There are a few closeups of her face, but these panels aren't enough to stick the landing for me personally. It's a contentious scene and I think it's valid to feel uncomfortable as well.
I really appreciate that Daniel took the time to talk about the framing of the scene, because I agree. It’s for that reason that I haven’t read the full scene itself, but I’m aware of the controversy and what happens there.
That said, I feel like we missed out on hearing him talk about the implications of the event itself which we are seeing a bit of in the comments- Casca’s and Guts’ own histories as victims of assault, the fact that Griffith is the perpetrator, Guts’ ripping off his own arm and the loss of his eye. Throughout the entirety of the eclipse Guts seems to be holding on to some hope or rather denial that it was really his Griffith that caused this hell- but from what I’ve been able to tell this scene is where we see all of that break. It feels like we are seeing their… idk what to even call it. Camaraderie? History? Friendship? Either way, it’s all being rent apart before our eyes. And I kind of wish more time had been dedicated to talking about these thematic implications.
** though I totally understand that spending anymore time on that specific scene could have been emotionally draining.
@@alphasword5541 its heart breaking for guts, it takes away everything he had, its brilliant writing
The eclipse is forever stuck in the minds of all Berserk fans as both one of the most horrific depictions of hell and because the original '97 anime just ended in the middle of the sexual assault scene without the skull knight saving them
After the credits you see Guts getting his new sword forged leading into what was the first episode. At that point, you know everything he's survived up until then,so you don't need to know the *exact* specifics of how... just that he did. And now he's off for revenge. Open ended feeling of you know he's going to manage it.
And then you track down the manga.
truly the worst cliffhanger ending in all anime
They knew exactly what they were doing when they chose to end it there, and I actually think it works as a conclusion! But it was intended to be IMMENSELY frustrating, and it succeeds in that, I think!
This is why I always tell people to watch the 1st Episode of the '97 Berserk, last as it will give you a modicum of closure.
@@robbybevard8034 it sucks it gives that cliffhanger cause if you don't look after the credits a ton of people miss out and would just assume it ends in a horrifying tragedy especially if you don't know anything about berserk
So glad to hear the love for Judeau. Him and pippin’s death always hit me hard.
11:25 I like to think that this panel is Griffith's last moment as a human. Those eyes show that, just for a second, he realized the horror of what he'd done to his men. And then all feeling is stripped away from him as he decends.
Before Eclipse: Why is Guts so Angry?
After Eclipse: Guts wasn't angry enough.
There is a lost chapter after the chapter with the panel mentioning 'God' you can find online, number 83. It is entirely optional if you want to read it since it is considered non-canon. However, it does add some depth to the world building and themes of Berserk and has not been contradicted by later chapters. Miura felt at the time it was published it revealed too much too soon. Again, do as you will!
It's a damn good chapter as well. "I want wings" - is a line that totally encapsulates Griffith's character. I wished the chapter wasn't removed.
I think its good to *eventually* read that chapter, but yeah Muira pulled it for a reason. After we've met Shierke and she's explained some of the universe and magic system is probably a better point.
Its good worldbuilding and info to have but it is just too early.
@@robbybevard8034 Been years since I looked into this, but the chapter wasn't pulled because it wasn't canon or that it doesn't show the world accuratly. It was pulled because it showed to much of the story to early.
If one wants to know more about the world of Berserk a bit earlier, then the chapter is perfect. If there is to be a slow reveal, then it might show to much.
It is still one of my favorite chapters, so I would recommend everyone to read it.
I think Daniel should read it now.
Well it is technically cannon, but Miura thought he detailed the world too much early on. My guess is something similar will be depicted by Studio Gaga and Mouri towards the end of the manga.
These chapters are the reason I don't understand people who say: Griffith did nothing wrong, this man did literally all of the wrong.
I feel like it's more of a joke/"meme" at this point than a serious sentiment. I'm sure there are some who've tricked themselves into genuinely believing it though, because they want to be edgy.
I think the joke is that Griffith did many a things wrongs.
I actually love that the dialogue is stilted because these beings are alien to us, their language doesn't seem natural or human, they are terrifying and the dialogue enhances that.
Thanks for the great video Daniel!
That's very similar to what Daniel himself said during his review of the start of the Eclipse. I believe Daniel complimented the stilted, unusual dialogue as a way to illustrate how inhuman the "angels" are.
@@nancyjay790 Oh, I forgot about that then. Thanks for pointing it out!
yes, i freaking hate when ancient gods use the current vernacular and lingo
As they say: Cruelty is the point.
Also: This took the "Prince of darkness" trope out of the Saturday moring cartoon realm and straight into cold reality.
This IS the perfect pace! Any slower would be annoying. Any faster would feel rushed. If the alternative is for you to gloss over a bunch of things to cram the full content of the Manga into your brain, I'd say this is perfect.
A collection volume per reaction is the perfect choice, for pace.
Two things:
1. The payoff from this is incredible.
2. The story only gets BETTER from here on in. The world building and character development is going to escalate and accelerate and build on what you’ve seen so far.
yup I never understood people saying berserk fell off after golden age . Minority opinion but still
@@Commandosoap777 me neither, I just don't see it, even if I forced myself to.
@@Commandosoap777 Wait really? I'm not a fan of the rest of the past but when it moves back to the present it's so good
I personally didn't like Conviction arc that much but the ones after that arc are really good
@@Commandosoap777 i feel like people who generally like anime will like Millenium Empire arc the best and those who come from reading books will like Golden Age the most
Your line delivery of "I love you" about Judeau is 100% how I feel about his character.
21:20 - It's actually clearer in the anime, but when Skull Knight attacked Void (the brain looking son of a bitch), Void opened up a portal to redirect his sword back at him
The one thing that struck me most about the R scene was how Grithith/Femto was looking at Gutz the whole time. It was like Cassca wasn't even there to him.
I don't know if you've gotten this request before, but have you ever thought about listening to at the very least Guts' theme from the 97 anime? It's probably one of my favorite character themes that I really only got the point of after the golden age arc about the significance of how its composed and how it symbolizes Guts
Reading the manga with it reminds me that at least, it is true that man has no control, even over his own will.
Listen to Susumu Hirasawa just in general. Miura listened to him often when he drew, and in many ways hes the music of Berserk. A few tracts that stand out to me are "Forces", "Sign", and the aforementioned "Guts".
@@RandomlyAwesomeFilms I would also recommend "Indra"
Cant forget the haunting "behelit" as well. For me this was always just the feeling of berserk condensed into a song.
Put your grasses on, nothing will be wong.
My two cents for Daniel
Regarding the length of the sexual assault on Casca, my interpretation of it is the sense of the act never ending, kind of the author making sure you can never miss it or skip past it and thus remains engraved in your memory as something That cannot be atoned for.
Secondly, did you notice that Griffith's focus was never Casca and he always kept eye contact with Guts? He doesn't really care for her as much as he cares hurting Guts though what he does to Casca putting Guts in the same place of weakness that Griffith was put in by Guts leaving the band and defeating him.
Hey, I see this "Griffith doesn't take his eyes off Guts the whole time" statement pop up a lot, and the thing is, it's objectively untrue. Griffith ignores Guts for most of the assault. He barely looks up when Guts cuts off his own arm, most of his focus is on Casca. Towards the end he does watch him, but it's nowhere close to the whole time. So I guess I'm wondering....where does this idea come from? I see it pop up SO OFTEN
@@MrDragon7742 it's hyperbolical, but Griffith does look up quite a lot of times and expecially at the beginning he barely acknowledges Casca
@@MrDragon7742 I think a lot of people mix up what happens in the 97 anime and what happens in the manga. In the 97 anime, he does initially look at Casca when he starts kissing her, but then as it... progresses, the anime has it to where (if I remember correctly, happy to be corrected) he is just blank face staring at Guts. Primarily for budgetary reasons, but also because I doubt they could have shown that scene on television (even w/ Berserk airing super late at night), though that is speculation on my part. Whereas in the manga and the Golden Age trilogy, he goes back and forth between eyeing Guts and looking at Casca, given the MUCH more prolonged play of the scene in those two versions. Moreso the former but the latter happens more than I think some remember.
While I personally don't find myself on the more critical side when it comes to the scene in the manga, part of me does appreciate the greater emphasis on Griffith staring at Guts in the 97 anime, doing this more personal thing (i.e. r*ping Casca and forcing Guts to watch, which wasn't necessary for the God Hand ritual) and descending into irredeemable evil, along with ruining the lives of the two people who thought that he cared about them, solely because Guts walked away and Griffith couldn't have 100% of what he wanted
@@kvltovpersonality6290 That's a real good point about the 97 anime. To be totally honest, my main frustration with this misconception comes from the fact that it's used as evidence that Griffith had little to no feelings about Casca herself and was exclusively doing this to hurt Guts. I don't believe that theory, and it's pretty frustrating how much of the fandom just accepts that it's true, especially when the main piece of evidence they point to for it is...a lie.
When I first watched Berserk in high school, I interpreted the assault on Casca as Griffith's like, total rejection of the nightmare he had where he gave up. Just before the eclipse he has that nightmare where he just gives up, and lives out his life as an invalid with Casca essentially acting as his wife and caregiver. So as the final act of the Eclipse he spits in the face of that option by violently assaulting the woman at the centre of it. I don't know how much I believe that theory now, it's got a nice symmetry to it that I like, but there's also as much evidence for it as there is for any other theory about why Griffith did what he did.
So, uh, yeah.
Berserk is to be taken at your own pace, don’t listen to the naysayers. You are doing great.
The best depiction of hell in fiction imo
To me it feels like the supernatural function of these sacrifices is a metaphor for Griffith desensitizing himself to remorse, like tipping the scale so far, becoming so numb, that he can never go back to facing the moral horror of his actions again. He came to see his humanity as just a hindrance, and so given the opportunity to purge it out of him, he did
Agreed and now all the worse parts of him have been enhanced
The art in this, in particular that bit where guts is screaming and looks almost inhuman as he loses it trying to get to Casca, is wildly emotional and striking.
The Eclipse is not without its flaws, but it is one of the most emotionally impactful events of fiction. I will never forget it as long as I live.
Nah in my book it totally is without flaws, but that’s just my opinion I guess
@@LosHuxleys same
Bruh what flaws?
@@TheBeastInBlack I agree with Daniel that the assault is too sexualized. Just about everything else is perfect.
@@DianaCHewitt
I disagree. That’s exactly why it works.
If it was any less, then it wouldn’t have had anywhere near the level of impact and the act would have had much less meaning, and the discomfort it causes the reader is the whole point. Any less, and it would have made the story worse, or even meaningless, especially if it was just cut out altogether.
It's kinda funny watching Daniel describe Gut's emotions and fury and trying to find the right word without just calling it what it is: Berserk.
There are tons of panes where you can catch Judeau stealing glances of Caska through all of golden age. Tons to still catch in the art during a reread.
Judeau, and Pippin is my favorite supporting characters in this arc seeing them die in such a way made me stare at the ceiling for hours... I still miss them
Berserk is a very good story but also have you sitting up at night pondering on the stuff you just read it really does bring every emotion out of me
Griffith never leaving eye contact with guts while doing that to Caska was so sinistered it's the first thing I think of when people bring up that scene
The eye contact for me very much indicated that it was more about Guts being beneath him than violating Casca
@@alliew31 I see it as Griffith seeing guts as the main focus of his sexual act. Remember when Griffith is sleeping with the princess he’s only thinking about guts in that moment, I think it’s the same here.
I would like to point out... remember how the safrifice brand hurted A LOT when guts met griffith during the black swordman arc? like, he almost couldn't move?
that is happening to caska during all of "it".
just adding another layer into the "why we hate griffith" pile.
It isn't super clear in the manga, but what's happening when Void opens the portal above his head to attack Skull Knight, is that SK was actually thrusting his sword against Void, and Void opened a portal to reverse it back at him - the depictions in the adaptations are that SK was already pre-emptively blocking before he even thrust his sword out because he knew that it'd just get reflected
I said it once and I'll say it again: Berserk started in 1989 and is still being published. It had YEARS between chapters, long hiatus in between. So to all the ones talking about how long it takes Daniel to read the manga... You have not read this manga while it was being published at Miura's pace and it shows. Because if you had then you wouldn't be complaining by this pace.
I think that a lot of stories show how people of assault deal with and fight back right away, i think casca dealing with it and fighting thro the pain is more realistic in this story. And i like how they show guts side too, that when something like this happens the loved ones of the victim are also hurt and try to protect them in any way they can
Gotta say, the thing I’ve taken away from these reviews is that I don’t think there’s many more even handed, considerate and insightful media reviewer on RUclips as you, Daniel. Great review as always
Totally. He manages a great balance between being insightful and entertaining.
The other reviewer I would say is Totally Not Mark, another great review of the series and recently finished his run-through. However, he did go a lot faster and as a result, loses some of the minute details Daniel has.
@@TheWailer56 cool beans I’ll definitely check them out!
There was a chapter left out during the Griffith and God POV as Miura said it was too revealing, it's chapter 83 if you want to read it
It's a damn good chapter as well. "I want wings" - is a line that totally encapsulates Griffith's character. I wished the chapter wasn't removed.
I love the chapter and recommend Daniel to read it!
I recommend it too.
As it was Miuras decision to remove the chapter I think that decision should be respected.
I think that chapter should only be read once he he finished the whole thing. It's an awesome chapter but it gave too much context to what's happening to the world and kind of ruined the mystery.
finally, we passed the eclipse. This is the point where I love the dark-fantasy theme of Berserk with all of its supernatural things
Btw small little clarification, Void (Mars Attacks looking demon) didn't summon the blade to attack Skull Knight, he redirected his sword strike with a pocket dimension. It's purposefully vague but reality manipulation shenanigans seems to be the Godhand's main arsenal 👍
It's depicted more clearly (and better IMO) in the movie, by having the sword strike get reflected behind Skull Knight rather than the front.
@@ChronicIntel2 Lowkey the best change the movies made in adapting the source material.
@@floriandolder8111 The other great change in the movie, during Guts' assassination he doesn't use his own sword. He uses a regular-sized longsword rather than the massive one he regularly uses, which would have been a dead give away in reality
@@TheWailer56 Ah, that is another good change then, in the manga that scene was always a little silly.
@@floriandolder8111 Totally, in the manga it would have been gone something like this, « this guy just came in and killed everyone in his way, but he used a 6ft long sword so can we grab that mammoth of a man who uses those swords exclusively and ask him some questions? »
No complaints about pacing here! This might be my favorite series you've ever done. Keep it up!! Thank you!!!
I 100% agree with Daniel on wanting to see the Skull Knight V.S. Nosferatu Zod fight myself as well.
I don't much comment on anything, but a point to consider RE Guts, Casca, and depictions:
Guts is also a victim of this exact crime. That this isn't a situation of a man being tormented with watching something he can never understand is something I feel is a key part to this sequence and why it was made how it was made. This is Guts, after exerting all his might and independence over Griffith and leaving, being brought down and made powerless and helpless as something horrible that he absolutely understands to his bone is done to someone he loves while he's helpless to stop it. Hence the rage that breaks far beyond anything logical, the desperation in cutting off his own arm just for that small chance to stop it.
It's visceral, empathic pain, and I think that's what makes showing both so important and impactful. It's the kind of seen that doesn't work and doesn't hit the same if Guts doesn't understand on that deep, primal level exactly what's happening to Casca. And I think giving that its proper weight and understanding is important exactly how it's depicted and why.
That's not to say there aren't elements that aren't, perhaps, too leery - there certainly are. But there are layers to this scene that exist that aren't true to most other depictions of this in media that in my experience go often overlooked when assessing how it was done and why.
This is where Berserk truly begins. Everytime I read Berserk, especially from this point on, I feel so terrible for how Casca has been treated. Again, not to say it is outside the realm of possibility given the dangerous, violent, power hungry and grimy world of Berserk but it does work in making you absolutely hate Griffith. Don't know how Griffith fanboys keep saying he did nothing wrong after this. I know its not logical but doing what Guts did to his arm has always been metal as frick. Then again, I just like one armed protagonists with a mechnical arm that has hidden gadgets *cough* Winter Soldier.
All the "Griffith did nothing wrong" believers are bad but the "Casca enjoyed it" crowd really deserves a special place in hell..
Because he did nothing wrong. He's a fictional character who hasn't hurt anyone and is just meant to entertain. Are you not entertained? There's no Griffith "fanboys" because he's not a real person. Everything he does in Berserk is pure evil but there's a cruel honesty and drive that makes him be the best villain in fiction. He represents everything wrong with humanity. "Griffith Fanboys" as you say are aware of all of this and are aware he's not real. No one with a sliver on consciousness would defend his actions unless ironically. He has indeed done nothing wrong. It's art. Art is a reflection for our desire for meaning in this universe and Berserk is probably one of the most forefront and honest pieces about it. This is why people admire Griffith as a villain; he's so well written and nuanced he makes for the perfect foil to Guts.
@@malsummers6515 No griffith is real I saw him the other day😑
@@malsummers6515 Within the story, Griffith did everything wrong.
@@wrathfulgaming3373 still a fictional story
I read this part a few weeks back and I straight up cried like 4 times. I didn't know how attatched I were to these characters and specifically to Casca and Guts until the Eclipse.
In regard to your questions about the nature of god/s in Berserk I'd highly recommend reading the lost chapter, with the major caveat that Miura wanted it removed as he felt it restricted the story and gave away too much too early. So if you are to read it, probably read it after you've caught up.
I read this for the first time living alone during the pandemic while listening to Stage 3 of Everywhere at the End of Time. Needless to say, I was affected deeply.
Judeau was always one of my favorites, he's reminded me of friends that I had that would always be there when I needed them and could somehow manage to say the right thing to help me in a situation. His death was the one that got me on my first read. I was sure everyone was gonna die. But it ended up being so much worse.
I think your takes are very much warranted and there was alot of debate among us fans in the 90s with how everything was portrayed. Jesus I've been reading this for almost 30years. Anyways keep em coming its so enjoyable to see someone experience it for the first time, even more so since you had to give it a second chance.
My favourite series on RUclips. And the journey is just beginning.
When Griffith first found Casca being assaulted by the noble, he asked him something along the lines of, "Are you a god?" Hits different after this.
The scene with Casa is the big reason I can't recommend berserk lightly. It's my favorite series of any media, but especially for real victims, it's extremely gruesome. I hope reading it wasn't too difficult for you personally. Any decent person would understand your perspective.
Your Berserk videos have been non-stop quality fun Daniel. So glad you're not rushing it & taking your time to fully enjoy this epic dark fantasy masterpiece & putting out these awesome videos. Keep up the amazing work👍
Thank you so much for these Berserk videos. I love Berserk so much and hearing your thoughts and feelings on the series is so wonderful. I appreciate how thorough and upfront you are, and I'm so excited for the future Berserk videos. 🙂
Finally, out of the golden age proper. Many Berserk fans love the arc, and justifiably so, but many like myself are tired of reading it due to how frequently it gets adapted.
With that said, I cannot wait to see you begin the epilogue to the Golden Age and start the Lost Children arc.
I think making Casca’s assault as long and detailed commits the audience to see and understand the ugliness of it. Even the most dense of people will feel uncomfortable and afflicted by it. There is no escape.
Re: The stuff with how God words in the Berserk setting: There was actually an extra chapter in the magazine serialization that was omitted from the collections, that would have fallen between the Griffith pov and the rest. Muira had it omitted because he felt that he was revealing too many secrets too early, and may be locking himself into things he may change his mind on later. So the chapter and the information in it may or may not be cannon; but the core concepts are interesting enough on their own merit to be worth discussion.
*SPOILERS FOLLOW*
So.
There are two layers of reality in the Berserk universe. There is the physical layer, which is the normal world, and there is the higher realm, which is shaped by the collective thoughts and beliefs of humanity. The higher realm, and thus the entire universe, is ruled (loosely and through intermediaries) by an entity called the Idea of Evil. The Idea is opposed by other entities, but is currently the strongest and has been for some time. The Idea is not the source of all evil, but something much more complex and interesting.
Bad things happen, and cruel deeds are done, all the time. The world is inherently unjust and cruel. It is this way because of random chance and human nature and other things that can not be prevented or countered. But that is unsatisfying, so humanity imagines a force, 'Evil', to blame, because one force making the world worse is a more comforting idea that that the world is bad simply because it is. The Idea of Evil exists not because we believe it does, but because, on some level, we WANT it to exist, so that we can blame it for the state of the world and justify to ourselves doing anything to fix it.
I've been waiting eagerly for this let's goo!
To go on this journey with you from being anti anime from when I first subscribed to now almost completing the first arc of a manga series is truly amazing.
A few minor clarifications @Daniel:
"My old rival" is a title that Zodd gives out of respect. Zodd is all about martial prowness. It is all he lives for, all he cares for. Note how he is excluding himself from the "Feast" despite every single other demon seems to be care for nothing else. He even disrespects the God's Hand (to some degree) all in favor of facing a strong opponent.
Yes, it is a clunky title, but it is a typical traditional japanese trope to have such titles for someone you both respect and fight against. It's not so much translation of language but culture and meaning.
Think of it as rival sport teams having nicknames for each other.
The reference to "God" is clarified in a removed chapter (that was btw referenced by some comments waaaay back). It shows Griffith yet in another dimension meeting this "God" (so yes, you see.. it), which gives him... well blunt exposition of the working behind the God's Hand and the nature of Evil and how the world works.
The thing is.. it is nothing but a blunt exposition dump which does nothing for the story at hand and takes away some of the mystery behind what drives the plot forward. Or rather what is driving the whole universe in a sense. SPOILER: it's all fate, but not..
Best to just take it as it is and not think too too much about it. In the end it has very little impact on the story itself.
Yes, you cought the "lady" demon, but missed who that slug monster is again. It is the Count that Guts fights in Volume 2. And yes, it is the same that was present at the butchering of the wounded Band of the Hawk members. And yet again shows why Guts was that hell-bent on killing him.
Void is not attacking the Skull Knight with a blade. He is creating a portal that aims the sword the Skull Knights sword back at himself.
The one thing that's always stuck with me about about Casca's assault is the way Griffith just stares at Guts. All the rage that Griffith felt for Guts before he acesended or desended (however you want to look at that) comes out the moment he gains his powers. I've always thought he wanted to prove that he didn't need Guts anymore, and he shows that by doing what he did to casca, which I think is what he was trying to do that to Casca even when he was emancipated. When he just lay on top of her in that one scene. He was always trying to prove he was better than Guts after he left the band.
Casca is the only person Guts relies on after he leaves the band of the hawks. So, in Griffiths twisted mind, he's showing Guts that he doesn't need him by completely dominating the only person Guts needs. That's why he just stares at Guts. It's like he's saying to Guts, "I don't need you anymore."
I think this is a really good analysis. I'll add that I personally think Griffith DOES still need Guts, he's just convinced himself he doesn't. He keeps popping up around Guts, and mulling over him. I think the worst think Guts could ever do to Griffith is not to kill him, but to ignore him.
I re-read Berserk a lot, but I rarely re-read the Eclipse, good job.
Griffith betraying Guts is one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever seen in all media.Just petty, insidious, and vile. Terribly human.
Thank you Daniel for letting me experience this story through your videos. I've always known that I couldn't handle reading it myself, but having this extra layer between me and the story makes me feel so much safer. And I'm so grateful I get to understand why people think so highly of berserk.
Its so rare that a story is willing to take a hard turn and almost reinvent itself as a major plot point.
Judeau’s death hit me like a truck. He was a compassionate and wholesome character and his final moments only alleviated that. Pippin was a gentle giant that didn’t deserve it. Gaston only wanted to be respected by his leaders and had a somewhat peaceful death. Fuck corckus. Griffith became a monster but wasn’t always one. He was some what of a manipulator who wanted his dream and only his dream. He was broken by his love, guts leaving him and then he was brutally tortured for a year and then was taken over mentally by demons and the incarnation of evil. I was to stunned for emotion by Casca’s assault but when she and guts woke up I was broken. Beautifully incredible and gut-wrenching writing at the same by Miura.
Personally I think Miura leaned on sexual violence a little too much in the earlier days of Berserk. You can see how he matures as a person, through his writing, as the story continues from here.
Honestly he matured right along with the general understanding of how these things ought to be handled. He was always conscious of the seriousness of the issue after all, that can be seen in his depiction of survivors
I’ll be very interest in seeing your take on Casca going forward. It’s something I’ve always internally debated about.
Judging from his praise of how Girl With a Dragon Tattoo handled it, he's not going to like it at all.
@@williamroberts2878 I’m afraid you’re right. I feel like he’s not gonna like Casca’s portrayal going forward. Maybe understand it, but be a bit more annoyed with it than usual
The eclipse still brings me to tears on reread or rewatch. Its like a tactical missile straight to the heart, every time. Given what you said about your personal views of how R-Victims and how they should be treated in stories, you're probably not going to be the biggest fan of where & how the story proceeds - and i wont spoil anything, but this event is absolutely not just brushed off in any way at all. This is a cataclysmic moment of the story and continues to be treated and remembered as such still to this day.
I never agreed with the concept that the victim of sexual assault MUST be the one to have the spotlight to deal with the aftermath and control their agency. I feel this way because there is no criteria for this for anything else. If a secondary character gets tortured or maimed no one expects that they necessarily be the ones to get justice or revenge. I know it’s a very sensitive topic, but it is not narratively required that the victim get an arc about reclaiming some measure of control of their situation. Not only is that creatively limiting, it also doesn’t reflect reality.
agree
The length of the violation scene could have been cut, but actually not by as much as it might seem if you don't look at what it shows besides the obvious. There is a lot of deeper meaning conveyed with many detailes within. Like all the panels with visible eyes. Each of the character shows a lot of their inner workings in that moment just through the eyes alone.
Casca closing, even squeezing, her eyes to shut out what is happening, with the rare moments she opens them looking at the two men she loved the most.
Femtos gaze being cold and calculating, observing the reactions of who he picked out to be tortured this way, barely showing any actual interest or joy in what he is doing itself. What and how is purpuseful and deliberate. With some of it revealed much later in the story. Note his cold stare at Guts. It's just as hateful as Guts. Just a cold, distant hate, not the burning rage Guts has. He already is the evil we saw in his first appearance in the manga from the getgo.
And of course Guts struggle during it all, fluctuating between pain, sadness and despire, pure rage and hatered.
I don't know of anyone that wouldn't agree that a bit less could had been more.. 3-4 pannels would have been enough to show the "Love, hatred, pain, pleasure, life, death" and maybe 1 or 2 in between the stares and struggle would have been enough to show how this is not stopping inbetween..
But my point is that there is a lot more shown than just the graphic depiction of violation (of more than the bodies). The sexualization does take too much prominence and distracts from the other things happening there. This is the main reason it should probably be less of it. Not because of how uncomfortable it is to read. Just like the violent gore the point is to be disturbed by it.
In the end the scene as a whole probably still should be most of the chapter, with a smaller focus on the sexual aspect and more on how it is a great act of evil, done wilfully right at the moment of "birth". Establishing what Femto is without a shadow of a doubt, burining itself in your memory so you don't forget it when the Griffith apologists part come. It should be nagging at the back of your mind every time the gaslighting gets really intense..
That all said I totally understand that it is hard to focus on detailes of this part when literally everything about it is horrible and upsetting. It's hard to notice very, VERY subtle hints of forshadowing, especially when.. well.. let's say the aftermatch of this is not dealt all that great for a pretty long time..
I've absolutely fallen in love with your channel since learning about you on Grand Line Review. These Berserk chapter covers are so enjoyable.
After reading the ending of The Eclipse, I needed ice cream and funny dog videos on RUclips. One of the single most disturbing sequence of scenes I've ever been exposed to and it hits so hard because Miura took his time to build the Band of the Hawk into a group we could care about.
Guts' rampage during The Eclipse is the beginning of who he becomes in The Black Swordsman arc. Those who bear the Brand of Sacrifice fuel the transformation of an Apostle. Doubly so for The Godhand. The glimpse of God in here is actually a prelude to what fans refer to as The Lost Chapter, since Miura requested to have it removed from all volumes that have been produced of the manga. Miura felt it gave away too much, too soon and narrowed his storytelling options. While not included in the volume, it is still part of the canon and it is referenced a few times as the story progresses.
Your take on Casca's assault is a valid one. From my perspective, it was meant to be disturbing and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, you won't get a resolution of Casca's arc for a long time. No spoilers.
Nosferatu Zodd is by far my "favorite" of the Apostles. And the interactions with the Skull Knight and Guts are always interesting.
I'm so pleased you mentioned Guts' frenzied state of killing wasn't "badass" in those moments. It's just....pure trauma unleashed and channeled through violence.
Something Guts was growing away from but brutally brought back to in order to keep himself and the ones he cares for safe and witnessing the horror that was The Eclipse.
Great video, Daniel.
Somehow, with how Daniel is enjoying/reviewing Berserk and considering he has tattoos in reference to other fantasy works, I can only think: will we get a mark of sacrifice tattoo reveal in the future? I hope we do, it would be like one of the greatest redemption stories in RUclips history
That would be bold! I thought "that's a cool idea" but then instantly got superstitious and would take a lot of convincing for me to get a tattoo of the Brand... just in case!
12:00 I'd recommend looking into the lost chapter that miura removed from this scene explaining what that thing is.
Pain & Suffering being used as the fuel for Griffith's power growth is pretty interesting. Especially when, if you remember back to the earlier chapters with the Count - the key to acquiring power through the Behelit required sacrificing something so precious, that it'd be like losing an integral part of yourself. Making the whole situation even sadder. Pretty heavy system to work with, Godhand!
Appreciate the choice of music!
The most tragic thing about the eclipse is what happens after it surprisingly. The ones who know know but that scene with Guts and Casca on the plains after is probably the part that hit the second hardest in the whole thing. Just the sense of lose and potential future really makes the whole thing all the more horrible.
Thanks Daniel for handling this subject matter as you did. I had to stop reading Berserk for a while after this because of how hard it was to read. These videos help me a lot with processing the emotions and subjects so continue to do what you're doing! I really appreciate it!
The skull knight stabs at one of the god hand, the god hand opens a portal to block it and make him stab himself, and he blocks with his shield. Dope af.
"Guts is going insane"
Really missed the opportunity for a title drop there
22:33 "The young member of the band of the Hawk" is called Rickert. Remember his name, he's a Chad.
SPOILER ALERT :
Seeing him slap Griffith was one of the most satisfying things I ever saw.
@@LucLB01 Yeah, I was talking about that XD.
Just as a small side detail with the series length, the deluxe editions are actually still releasing, so what you have on your shelf only represents around 3/4 of the series, so you're actually more like 1/3 of the way through the series.
You know, it has been rubbing the wrong way since the first Berserk video, but especially now with this one that you grade these moments with a number like 8.5/10. My first reaction to hearing that is immediate dismissal because it's way too low in my mind. But you're entitled to your opinion and I do somewhat understand where you come from.
I think what I really want is for the ratings to go away because it really lessens this kind of momentous scene to a number. It kinda takes away from calling this analysis too, because instead of diving deeper it's more like just a sweeping shorthand generalization of what you want to say. The Eclipse is one of the most iconic parts of Berserk and perhaps even all fiction, I don't see it as an experience you're supposed to grade. Now that I think about it, this irked me with the One Piece videos too, but couldn't put it to words back then.
Hope you consider dropping it all together. I'm not a patreon or whatever so take my opinion whichever way you want.
His way of rating is different, 8.5 is like AMAZING for him. You might for example think that 5 is bad, but to him 5 is perfectly average, 6 isn't bad, 6 is good.
I agree with your view on the long very sexualized scene of what happens to Casca... but I think... somehow it is good to show that the horror is not short, not one page (or a few pages) and let's move one... it is brutal repeatitive and if you felt it to be too long... I guess it is exactly what the author wanted. I think every reader of Berserk got traumatized by this scene... is it a good thing ? I cannot say. But despite all the gore, violence and so one, this Eclipse pushed us in the deep end of the horror. This was clearly successful.
It doesn’t need to be short at all but it was really really long and gratuitous. Like over 25 pages long….
This video was the one I most anticipated for this series. The scene had a similar impact on me. I couldn't agree more with your take about where you want this to go from here, with regard to Casca. But yeah, the subject matter is really complicated and emotional, and so much of it is based in personal experiences and opinions. Add onto that the fact that the story is translated and was written over 25 years ago by a man from a different culture, and it makes this aspect of the story a very difficult but fascinating subject.
Keep a critical eye on it and enjoy. Some of the wildest stuff is yet to happen.
I believe that the intention behind all this it is to take us to the journey Gutz must go in order to become the black swordsman... Having Grifith do that to Casca, and seeing it for so long breaks the spell on Gutz completely. This is how all his rage towards Grifith its born, this is how all the pain and blood turns into something else... It makes so much sense to me
There's something I wanted to say about one of your takes in the last videos. When some members of the band of the hawk asked Guts to be their leader, you said Casca would've been a better choice. However, the ones that wanted guts to guide them were all for his own little squad that Griffith made him the commander of
Also, the member of the godhand didn't attack using a laser beam. He deflected Skullknight's sword attack with a portal and redirected it at him
This is probably the one review I agree with Daniel 100%
How you framed it, how you talked about it so subjectively, it is a great take.
Plus girl with dragon tatoo is Swedish like me soooooo u know
In my opinion regarding THE scene I think it was handled well, personally, the depth given to the scene made me even more angry watching Casca get violated repeatedly by a man she trusted. And the fact that Griffith only stared ahead at Guts throughout the whole long time gives clear clues as to Griffiths emotions and his character. Overall, I get why people don’t like the scene but I think the length and graphic depth is there to show the brutality, the vulnerability, and the characters thoughts and emotions.
I think your straight format choice was a good one for the heavy subject. Well done. I don't think I could read this with the content. Not good for my mental health. But I have such respect for the work. So it was wonderful to watch your videos and learn more of the story. Great review.
I really enjoyed the Golden Age stuff, but everything after this is what I enjoy about Berserk. I like more fantastical elements of demons and monsters more than the medieval kings and knights aspects.
18:50 "it became purely uncomfortable for me" sounds like mission acomplished.
Thanks!
Hey Daniel. I'm a manga fan who got back into fantasy from your reviews. Bought Malazan and WoT and tore through First Law and Age of Madness. Gunmetal Gods is on my to buy list after I catch up on what I've already bought, but since you've brought me so many good series and you're a newbie to manga/anime, I figured I'd give you some recs based on your taste and some money since I've pumped a few hundred into books off your vids already. I’m a manga nerd so I tried to share a lot of the lesser known greats that I think are up there with the best of the best. Also hope this works since this is my second time doing this and RUclips ate my previous 50 lol.
I'll categorize them broadly with a brief description, but even if you don't end up reading past this, thanks for giving me so many great series to get into. Hopefully I'll return the favor cause it's a big sea of manga out there and there's a ton of great works to find. Thanks for doing what you do.
1. Must Reads(For You)
Dungeon Meshi(Delicious In Dungeon): It feels like the best DnD GM's came together and made a series with all of their best ideas. A group of adventurers must rescue the leader's sister from the dungeon after a disastrous run in with a dragon, leaving them broke and forced to subsist on the creatures of the dungeon. It's a hilarious, imaginative and ecological dive into the tropes of DnD with an amazing world, beautiful art and a mastery of tone that is a must for all fantasy nerds all centered around eating. They turn earth golems into vegetable gardens and the world’s explanation for living armor is genius. 84 chapters
Houseki No Kuni(Land of the Lustrous): I read this one while going through Last Argument Of Kings and the author made Joe Abercrombie look like a sweetheart. I know you like lesser used cultural folklore for fantasy and this is one of the most unique I’ve ever read, inspired by Buddhist lore and philosophy that has some of the most disturbing and beautiful progressions I've ever seen. The main character has an incredible arc and it is one of the best uses of religion I've ever read in fantasy. The last third is especially an existential, moralistic nightmare and has a series of twists and reveals that recontextualize everything. I don't want to spoil much and it has an amazing anime adaption of the first few arcs if you want an easy 12 episodes to see how you like it before diving into the manga. But be warned, prepare for suffering. 95 chapters
2. Female Led Fantasy
Claymore: One of the most influential manga of the past few decades. It follows a female demon human hybrid created by an Organization to find and kill the demons hiding amongst the humans of their country. Attack On Titan was heavily inspired by this series. 155 chapters Finished
Mieruko-Chan: Urban Fantasy Horror Comedy. Miko randomly wakes up one day able to see horrific monsters of the other side. Unable to think of what to do with this, she pretends not to notice the eldritch horrors. And she must keep ignoring them or face a terrible fate. It's comedy and urban fantasy world building is perfection and it's a short 42 chapters. Oh and do not do the anime for this one.
Witch Hat Atelier: All about a young girl who desperately wants to be a witch, but wasn’t born to be one as an admirer of magic and the joy it can bring. That is, until she finds out the real secret to their magic and is brought to learn after a group of dark mages target her. The art is simply gorgeous with some of the best paneling in all of manga and a unique magic system that is creative, simple and constantly used for creative solutions and full of mature themes in the discrimination and responsibility that the status quo enforce. 56 Chapters
3. RUclips Bank!(Basically series that are both really good and also you can use to game the algorithm in a few months cause when the animes come out, hoo boy it's a win win for business and reading great shit.)
Chainsawman: This one has ungodly levels of hype around it and is only going to blow up even more when the anime comes out in a few months. Everyone is probably telling you to read this and it is worth it. It's a batshit insane, fucked up emotional journey of Denji, a boy who kills devils to pay off his extreme debt only to merge with his partner the Chainsaw Devil. It's bloody, it's hilarious, it's unique and it's a guaranteed hit for the algorithm in the Fall. 97 chapters
Jujutsu Kaisen: This is a great one to understand a lot of the tropes and building blocks of shonen that just happens to do them all better than most of its forebears. This is the best example of what popular manga can be that is recognizably shonen. You have some time to get to this one for when season two of the anime comes out a year from now(and the anime is a perfect adaption of the manga) and it just so happens that the top selling series is one of the best out there. 185 Chapters
4. Punk/Cyberpunk Madness:
Dorohedoro: Feels like someone turned every metal and grunge album cover art into a series that is everything at once. In the grungy world of Hole, magicians from another world terrorize and practice their magic on the magicless residents. The story follows Kaiman, a man with no memories of his past, the head of a lizard and a second man in the back of his throat who only comes out when he chomps on a sorcerer's face. There's nothing like it and the world it creates is wholly its own with a narrative that seems like chaos until it all comes together in the end. 167 Chapters Finished
Battle Angel Alita: The cyberpunk manga to end all cyberpunk manga, one of the few manga comparable to One Piece in scope and world building as it nears the end after thirty years of serialization. This is one to keep in mind for down the road, a massive, breathing, cybernetic world that keeps expanding and expanding. It has like five series so uh, I don’t know the exact chapter count but a few hundred at least.
5. Comedy!
Kaguya Sama Love Is War: This has a perfect anime adaption and is something you can watch with anyone. It follows the President and Vice President of a prestigious academy who are both in love with each other, but are too prideful to admit it themselves. And so begins their psychological warfare to make the other confess. Basically imagine if Death Note was a rom com and L and Light are constantly trying to make the other one confess. 262 chapters or 3 seasons of anime
Hinamatsuri: A yakuza mobster one day randomly has a metal object fall on top of him. Inside is a psychic girl from the future who was sent back in the past, but doesn’t much care for her mission. Forcing him to take her in, the two become a strange family. This one is just a perfect sitcom like series with a great adaption that sadly only covers the first third of it. It’s heartwarming, it’s hilarious and its running gags keep building to an absurd density. 100 Chapters Finished
6. Classics
Hunter X Hunter: I know you tried this one before, but a big part of the series is that it’s essentially an ever growing, ever densifying work. The current arc has a boat with more culture and warring factions than a Malazan book and it has one of the best magic systems in all of fiction that is simultaneously strict and incredibly flexible. Though don’t worry I’m sure Merphy will be bothering you to read more of it. The beginning definitely is slow and I don’t blame you for not getting much out of it, but I’d say by Yorknew you really start to see the kind of series it is and why so many people list it as one of the best. 390 Chapters
7. Content Warning
Goodnight Punpun: Largely considered a masterpiece and one of the few Seinen that you’ve probably seen tossed around a lot. It earns it all, but this is one that I have to warn is an incredibly difficult read as it follows Punpun who is a cartoonish bird representation of a child in the real world in an abusive dysfunctional family. There is assault, abuse, coercion, depression and it’s all rendered so realistically to a painful degree. If you are not in the mood to have your heart stomped on do not read this one. 147 Chapters Complete
Ishuzoku Reviewers: On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have said multiple times you wanted horny fantasy, and this is the horniest of fantasy. It’s basically softcore porn that for some reason also has worldbuilding and a level of thought put into it that is way too much for a series about boinking fantasy creatures. Make no mistake, this is 100% porn, about a group of adventurers who frequent and review fantasy brothels. It just also happens to have a political system, culture and a religious background to explain the horniness. It’s also surprisingly sex positive. Best way to experience it is the anime which is one season long and also got kicked off of tv cause well, it’s porn. 50 Chapters
8. ALL THE EMOTIONS
A Silent Voice: Honestly just ask Merphy. It has a movie that adapts it pretty damn well, but it’s one of the best dives into bullying and its repercussions and it’s a beautiful roller coaster of all the emotions. 62 Chapters Finished
Blue Period: Following a boy who has no passion up until he discovers art and his journey to pursue it wholeheartedly. This is a work that any person in a creative field can relate to and it’s just an emotional ride of following your dreams and the blocks and obstructions that follow. It’s also got some great lgbt representation and is achingly earnest. 50 Chapters
God that was a lot. Welp hope some of these sound up your alley and I’m glad you’re enjoying your first dives into manga and anime. It’s a wide and varied field and there’s plenty of highs and lows to enjoy. Best advice I can give is to go at your own pace. These series aren’t going anywhere and god knows you do a lot. Keep up the great work Goblin!(Wouldn't send my initial comment)
@@madatz Dungeon Meshi is underate
Something I wanna highlight amongst all this darkness is that dialogue between Judeau and Casca at 5:25 . That is the essence of Berserk, struggling.
I watched the 2nd Anime and up until the eclipse, I was recommending it to people who enjoyed Game of Thrones. But then watching the assault of Casca. . . I just could not in good faith put others through that unknowingly.
At last, I look forward to future installments.
Last time I was this early Griffith was still an innocent young man
Now would be the time to watch the 97 anime. It's worth it for the music alone. Even the theme.