Berserk Manga Opinion Review
I have yet to find manga equal to Berserk. In terms of Dark manga this is the best hands down. I fell in love with the story and have read it countless times waiting for the new chapters to come out. It has been almost a year and now the author Kentaro Miura after almost a year has released that he will be doing a new 6 part mini-series that is futuristic. I was kinda bummed cause I am more into historical and past genres not future type stuff. However, hopefully after that he will get back to Berserk quickly.
I watched the Anime, and Movie Series as well. They don't really hold a candle to the manga itself. Many things are changed or left out in many parts other than the eclipse and they have not done beyond the golden age arc in animation. Though there is talk that the Movie series will be going beyond in some way.
I think Farnese is one of my favorite women characters in any manga. She is so much better for Guts than Casca but until Guts decides that he actually has feeling for her I will root for whatever he wants though. She is interesting. Though she doesn't show up until the Retribution arc. She is my second favorite Character next to Guts.
In the first 3 volumes Guts is drawn differently, not as well as he is drawn further into the manga however, the landscape art ever since the beginning was incredible and the story is insanely good. I suggest it to anyone who is not squeamish about blood and guts... No pun intended. Its really a great manga. Though many ask what manga they can read that is alike to it... there is none that are truly anything near.
-----------Spoiler --------------
FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT THE MANGA BERSERK
Everything up until the beginning of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arc (vol. 22–35) was written really well and I enjoyed all of it. Even the beginning which was not quite drawn as well after going back I was able to truly appreciate it compared to the more recent 2 Arcs of Berserk.
I think my very favorite parts in the Golden Age Arc are right before and During Griffith's rescue. Which is unfortunately done really poorly in both the Anime and Movie adaptations. One of the best parts in my opinion is When Guts and Casca are alone by the waterfall. I think it is unfortunate that they modified it to not have Guts strangle her while having a flashback then explaining to her. That is when she started to visibly reciprocate his feelings more than just accept them. My other favorite parts during this period of time were the talks and interactions before getting to Griffith, after they find him the fight with the Bākiraka and also The fight between Guts and Wyald in which it seems that casca really does care for Guts wholeheartedly. I am a girl and I love romance so this is my own favorite stuff though really the manga has cool stuff for all sorts of people. Honestly I think it's probably more geared to Adult men than women but I actually prefer male manga sometimes... it depends on my mood.
I enjoy Guts Attitude during the Retribution arc with only a few exceptions. His Dark Jokes, and Attitude make him one of the best Struggling Anti Hero Characters. I pity him but though he is angry and not really moving forward he refuses to give into despair either. I really liked when he tells Farneese not to pray but to fight when they were being nearly swallowed by the darkness during griffith's awakening.
If anything good came out of the last 2 arcs at all it was that Guts is on better terms with his son and I liked when he fought beside Zodd... there were a few good parts spaced throughout... but they have become more and more scarce. Though I believe things will have to begin turning around back to the way they were in order for it to end... I don't believe there will be a fluffy ending by any means.
ISSUES WITH THE MANGA BERSERK
I have quite a few issues with the manga as well. Just like with most manga there are some things I dislike, but I still love it as a whole, despite the things that have been irritating me. I know I am not alone in many of my issues. I will not write a whole book of issues here. Though I have many of them. It is 333 chapters long so far and nowhere near finished so it goes to reason that there would be more problems than a story with say, 1 volume.
First off. Casca. This woman irritates me beyond almost any other woman in Manga. There are very few exceptions. Honestly even from the beginning she is selfish and emotionally weak though she acts strong to gain favor from Griffith. I just don't see what Guts, a truly strong person both physically, mentally, and emotionally, could see in such a mean spirited, selfish, annoyingly weak and fragile girl. When I say fragile as I said before I don't mean physically though she is nowhere near as strong as Guts or Griffith.
Just as an example, I was talking to someone else about when she is telling Guts in that cave about her and Griffith's past before they are found and Guts had to fight those 100 men. She tells him that she was ALMOST raped but Griffith saved her by giving her a sword to protect her own life and then they go to see this nobleman they work for who rapes little boys and all of their eyes look completely blank. However, she is not thinking of these boys... She is thinking about what ALMOST happened to her and shaking and comforted when Griffith put his hand on her shoulder. What about the poor boys? Casca blames Guts for everything even things Griffith does of his own Volition and when he Leaves she blames Guts for everything that happens to the band of the hawk. Her stupidity continues with when she decides after sleeping with guts and telling him to basically not be selfish and include her in his life that he needs to leave by himself without her because Griffith decides to get on top of her and she seems to have decided to go back to wanting Griffith. During the eclipse she seemed still unsure of what she wanted. When she woke up while Griffith was doing her she didn't struggle as much as you would figure. As guts was loosing his eye she was kissing Griffith back. Her only words to Guts were don't watch... uhhhhhh!!!!!!! He cut his arm off for her and she is just so upsetting. I quit reading at that point for weeks after the eclipse when they woke up and she didn't recognize guts and didn't want him to touch her... I had to stop and calm myself down. I at that point wished I could reach through the pages and choke her. Even to now she is brain dead and Gut's is looking after her despite the hatred in her eyes when he gets anywhere close to her or their child. Which granted he did try to kill it when he saw it because it was evil. Though over time it seems he has come to accept it. He still loves her. That is my only reason to wish for their future. Though it is only because it is what he wants, if he would just cure her and then let her go be with one of his sidekicks while he found a more worthy love interest, that would be better. Though that's my opinion
I have issues with the fact that things have changed so much in the way the story was written. This was a Dark Medieval type story. Everything about it was. However after Guts gained his new Marry band things have become really annoying. How can you make Apostles and Griffith be good people and protectors of the humans in their kingdom... it makes no sense to me at all. All the band of the hawk were slaughtered and now we are supposed to see how nice they are? It urks me. Apostles are NOT supposed to be like that. Apostles with little girls riding on their backs... its just stupid. New more fantasy creatures are emerging and the darkness seems to be lifting into more of a straight fantasy type manga... which doesn't work well for the berserk universe. Some fantasy is great. However, all guts is fighting now are weird creatures that are not even bad looking just mostly gross but not necessarily dark.
I was very sad when they had Guts almost Rape Casca I could understand his desperation and happiness at seeing her fight and his need for her... but it nearly ruined my love for one of my favorite manga characters. I am glad it didn't actually happen. Though it really gave me some conflicting feelings I didn't want to feel about his character.
Pirates do not belong in Berserk Manga enough said... though the last 2 volumes have almost been exclusively retardedness like that
'
The berserker armor takes away from Guts original potential on his own. It almost seems required for him to fight now... which I hate. I thought the Armor was cool in the beginning but his character is a little too dependent on it. He was a worthy fighter without it... beating apostles for so long. I think the berserker armor is a good addition but I hope it is not a permanent one. Its like someone who wants to win a fighting videogame just by pushing one button over and over. I hope he can tap his powers without it.
The manga seems to have become more main stream type shit over the years with the pirates and the different non scary fantastical creatures and the Apostles turning good. Its still not anywhere close to say bleach and naruto but it seems to be going in that type of direction which makes me want to gag... seriously.
I watched the Anime, and Movie Series as well. They don't really hold a candle to the manga itself. Many things are changed or left out in many parts other than the eclipse and they have not done beyond the golden age arc in animation. Though there is talk that the Movie series will be going beyond in some way.
I think Farnese is one of my favorite women characters in any manga. She is so much better for Guts than Casca but until Guts decides that he actually has feeling for her I will root for whatever he wants though. She is interesting. Though she doesn't show up until the Retribution arc. She is my second favorite Character next to Guts.
In the first 3 volumes Guts is drawn differently, not as well as he is drawn further into the manga however, the landscape art ever since the beginning was incredible and the story is insanely good. I suggest it to anyone who is not squeamish about blood and guts... No pun intended. Its really a great manga. Though many ask what manga they can read that is alike to it... there is none that are truly anything near.
-----------Spoiler --------------
FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT THE MANGA BERSERK
Everything up until the beginning of the Hawk of the Millennium Empire Arc (vol. 22–35) was written really well and I enjoyed all of it. Even the beginning which was not quite drawn as well after going back I was able to truly appreciate it compared to the more recent 2 Arcs of Berserk.
I think my very favorite parts in the Golden Age Arc are right before and During Griffith's rescue. Which is unfortunately done really poorly in both the Anime and Movie adaptations. One of the best parts in my opinion is When Guts and Casca are alone by the waterfall. I think it is unfortunate that they modified it to not have Guts strangle her while having a flashback then explaining to her. That is when she started to visibly reciprocate his feelings more than just accept them. My other favorite parts during this period of time were the talks and interactions before getting to Griffith, after they find him the fight with the Bākiraka and also The fight between Guts and Wyald in which it seems that casca really does care for Guts wholeheartedly. I am a girl and I love romance so this is my own favorite stuff though really the manga has cool stuff for all sorts of people. Honestly I think it's probably more geared to Adult men than women but I actually prefer male manga sometimes... it depends on my mood.
I enjoy Guts Attitude during the Retribution arc with only a few exceptions. His Dark Jokes, and Attitude make him one of the best Struggling Anti Hero Characters. I pity him but though he is angry and not really moving forward he refuses to give into despair either. I really liked when he tells Farneese not to pray but to fight when they were being nearly swallowed by the darkness during griffith's awakening.
If anything good came out of the last 2 arcs at all it was that Guts is on better terms with his son and I liked when he fought beside Zodd... there were a few good parts spaced throughout... but they have become more and more scarce. Though I believe things will have to begin turning around back to the way they were in order for it to end... I don't believe there will be a fluffy ending by any means.
ISSUES WITH THE MANGA BERSERK
I have quite a few issues with the manga as well. Just like with most manga there are some things I dislike, but I still love it as a whole, despite the things that have been irritating me. I know I am not alone in many of my issues. I will not write a whole book of issues here. Though I have many of them. It is 333 chapters long so far and nowhere near finished so it goes to reason that there would be more problems than a story with say, 1 volume.
First off. Casca. This woman irritates me beyond almost any other woman in Manga. There are very few exceptions. Honestly even from the beginning she is selfish and emotionally weak though she acts strong to gain favor from Griffith. I just don't see what Guts, a truly strong person both physically, mentally, and emotionally, could see in such a mean spirited, selfish, annoyingly weak and fragile girl. When I say fragile as I said before I don't mean physically though she is nowhere near as strong as Guts or Griffith.
Just as an example, I was talking to someone else about when she is telling Guts in that cave about her and Griffith's past before they are found and Guts had to fight those 100 men. She tells him that she was ALMOST raped but Griffith saved her by giving her a sword to protect her own life and then they go to see this nobleman they work for who rapes little boys and all of their eyes look completely blank. However, she is not thinking of these boys... She is thinking about what ALMOST happened to her and shaking and comforted when Griffith put his hand on her shoulder. What about the poor boys? Casca blames Guts for everything even things Griffith does of his own Volition and when he Leaves she blames Guts for everything that happens to the band of the hawk. Her stupidity continues with when she decides after sleeping with guts and telling him to basically not be selfish and include her in his life that he needs to leave by himself without her because Griffith decides to get on top of her and she seems to have decided to go back to wanting Griffith. During the eclipse she seemed still unsure of what she wanted. When she woke up while Griffith was doing her she didn't struggle as much as you would figure. As guts was loosing his eye she was kissing Griffith back. Her only words to Guts were don't watch... uhhhhhh!!!!!!! He cut his arm off for her and she is just so upsetting. I quit reading at that point for weeks after the eclipse when they woke up and she didn't recognize guts and didn't want him to touch her... I had to stop and calm myself down. I at that point wished I could reach through the pages and choke her. Even to now she is brain dead and Gut's is looking after her despite the hatred in her eyes when he gets anywhere close to her or their child. Which granted he did try to kill it when he saw it because it was evil. Though over time it seems he has come to accept it. He still loves her. That is my only reason to wish for their future. Though it is only because it is what he wants, if he would just cure her and then let her go be with one of his sidekicks while he found a more worthy love interest, that would be better. Though that's my opinion
I have issues with the fact that things have changed so much in the way the story was written. This was a Dark Medieval type story. Everything about it was. However after Guts gained his new Marry band things have become really annoying. How can you make Apostles and Griffith be good people and protectors of the humans in their kingdom... it makes no sense to me at all. All the band of the hawk were slaughtered and now we are supposed to see how nice they are? It urks me. Apostles are NOT supposed to be like that. Apostles with little girls riding on their backs... its just stupid. New more fantasy creatures are emerging and the darkness seems to be lifting into more of a straight fantasy type manga... which doesn't work well for the berserk universe. Some fantasy is great. However, all guts is fighting now are weird creatures that are not even bad looking just mostly gross but not necessarily dark.
I was very sad when they had Guts almost Rape Casca I could understand his desperation and happiness at seeing her fight and his need for her... but it nearly ruined my love for one of my favorite manga characters. I am glad it didn't actually happen. Though it really gave me some conflicting feelings I didn't want to feel about his character.
Pirates do not belong in Berserk Manga enough said... though the last 2 volumes have almost been exclusively retardedness like that
'
The berserker armor takes away from Guts original potential on his own. It almost seems required for him to fight now... which I hate. I thought the Armor was cool in the beginning but his character is a little too dependent on it. He was a worthy fighter without it... beating apostles for so long. I think the berserker armor is a good addition but I hope it is not a permanent one. Its like someone who wants to win a fighting videogame just by pushing one button over and over. I hope he can tap his powers without it.
The manga seems to have become more main stream type shit over the years with the pirates and the different non scary fantastical creatures and the Apostles turning good. Its still not anywhere close to say bleach and naruto but it seems to be going in that type of direction which makes me want to gag... seriously.
