Info
Title: BerserkStudio: OLM
Number of Episodes: 25
Year Produced: 1997
Plot:
Berserk is the tale of the somber swordsman, Guts. Told over a number of years, we watch his development from an emotional aloof youth, to a tragic, grizzled adult. Set in a feudal environment, the story contains fairly normal (though graphic) plots of war and political intrigue. Yet, despite being the protagonist, Guts is not the "main character" of the story. That honor goes to Griffith, the common birth mercenary leader with dreams of ascending social ladders.
Of course, what makes this tale the most enjoyable is its story telling. Spanning years, guts goes from being an unwilling (i.e. involuntary) member of the group, to Griffith's most trusted ally. Its at this point that an element of graphic fantasy shows up. Foreshadowing what is to come, the raiders come across a seemingly impossible foe. A man so monstrously powerful he's referred to as "The Immortal." Clearly inhuman, he directly states that this story is a tragedy, and no one's role will be sadder, than that of the swordsman Guts...
Stuff you might love about it
- The slow boil, but masterful story
- The use of nudity, in non hyper-sexualized ways
- The dark, dark undertones, splashed with graphic imagery
- The beautiful art
- The grand evolution of tone
Recommend it to your friends who liked...
ClaymoreFist of the North Star
Gungrave
Blade of the Immortal
Images
Conclusion
If you're looking for something quick and gratifying, Berserk might not be for you. Much like real life, the characters will occasionally act quite illogically, but viewing their lives over the course of years leaves a delicious taste in your mouth. The biggest flaw, of course, is the ending. Most people will tell you that the ending is terrible, but that resides mostly around the fact that it does not continue. I mean that seriously. Your jaw will drop, everything will change, and you will check your DVD menu over and over for that next episode that's never to come.Its not uncommon to feel a number of emotions at that point, but I think everyone will agree... this is a series that doesn't suck.
Griffith is my last name. That cool
The shitty, shitty ending.
Otherwise it's AWESOME.
I do like the setting of the whole show though, as well as the artwork, but I could never get into the lone swordsman style series.
Media Blasters just released a fairly cheap, 45 dollar remastered boxset of the series. Great stuff.
The Berserk anime actually is only a small flashback to the "golden age" of the overall story. It tells of the origin, rise, and of the eventual fate of the original Band of the Hawk. The ending really is not an ending at all, merely the point where the flashback ends.
For the continuation of the story, check out the manga. A warning; it's been in publication for a very very long time, and is no where near the end, so those who are looking for a conclusive ending have a very long wait ahead of them. Totally worth it though, it's probably my favorite series of all time.
It also bears noting that the writer for the manga works on it, basically, when he feels like it. Sometimes there are several months between new installments of the manga. But, yes, the show is very good.
I'm not going to go too much at length about what I liked about it, as I've previously reviewed the show at Bureau42.
Anyway, I strongly reccomend having a light comedy series as a chaser once you've finished with the Anime. Say, Chii's Sweet Home. For that matter, I'd also recommend reading having a lighter manga waiting in the wings while you're reading the manga. Trust me, the anime and the manga will wear you down. I can't think of a series that wore me down more, except for, maybe, Blue Comet SPT Layzner.
Recommend it to your friends who liked...
ClaymoreFist of the North Star
Gungrave
Blade of the Immortal
I love the show Berserk. Out the list of people like or loveed Bersek who might like these four other animes I only like two of those animes.
Berserk to me is what anime can get to if they really wanted to. To bad the state of animes nowdays they wouldn't take a chance on such a pro-western type anime (Both in story and in artstyle.) I hope they do finish the anime. I can only dream.
I still hope it comes out. Berserk is freakin awesome.
In teory it been animating right now...
And it will start somewhere in the near future, 6-7 months or so..
I'm also waiting for it....
This could be a Ending that doesnt leave you with your balls in the floor (Major Spoiler Alert)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmaT8wZM0dA
john's review makes mine look like sh!t