Berserk
 

So, I've now read the first 29 volumes and watched the anime, and I just have to say... wow. It's freakin incredible. Definitely one of the best male-targeted anime/manga I've seen.

On the surface, it looks like a very typical shonen/seinen manga, but once you get into it, it proves to be so much more. I don't think I've ever actually seen Japanese comics express their themes this well before. And the characters feel so genuine. It's one of the few where I can stomach yaoi implications, just because I can actually feel that Griffith was in love with Guts, and that stuff wasn't just thrown in to attract fangirls. I also love the early (vol 1-13) relationship between Caska and Guts, even though it seems like the cliched "I hate you in an attempt to hide my love for you" anime thing. Again; the feelings seem to come across in a very believable way (it also helps that it actually gets resolved without waiting the whole series).

I pretty much love everything about it so far. I can definitely see why it's become so popular. About my only problem with it is Skull Knight ex machina. I think that won't last much longer though. Skull Knight seems to be becoming more of a character and less of a plot device.

What does everyone else think? Lord knows I need to have my opinions validated by the masses daily.

I've seen the anime and let me tell you: Without context, that shit is the most depressing ending I've ever seen.

Good series though, I've considered actually reading it.

actually where are you guys getting the manga. I have a few but I cant find the rest.

Ah well, yeah. The ending to the anime is basically volume 13 of the manga. Spoilers ahead:

Caska, Ricket, and Guts survive. Caska loses her memory, and Ricket becomes a blacksmith, living with Godo. Guts spends the next few volumes on an insane quest to eliminate every demon ever. It's often just Guts wandering around slaughtering demons, and getting so horribly injured in the process that he's usually operating on no sleep, and with his body torn to shreds. He never has any trouble finding them, of course, because the demon mark causes him to exist on the border between our world and the demon realms. His mental state REALLY deteriorates in that period.

Griffith comes back and forms a new band of the hawk (it even has Zodd in it). Guts eventually gets a new group, and sort of comes back from the brink of insanity. The new characters are awesome; especially Serpico, just because he's so pathetic, and yet he's damn near as good as Guts. With Corkus gone, Guts also has some new comic relief in a little faerie that won't leave him alone.

I absolutely loved the imagery in the last couple episodes of the anime. The cobblestones on Griffith's "path" being replaced by corpses... I don't know about others, but I found that scene very powerful.

The feeling of the supernatural is less there in the anime (except in the last few episodes). It's much more human.

Ah... I think I got mine from some sort of... miniature nova... organization. The series is still running in Japan, so it's gonna be awhile before we can see how things turn out. It's definitely worth it. Even the one shot villains tend to get some pretty good development.

Edit: Freakiest part of the post 14 manga: Guts gave this crazy smile, and I swear to god, he looked like the Joker.

Edit: One warning: The manga is extremely graphic. Like, graphic enough that I actually feel inclined to post that here, rather than let you find out on your own.

Might want to remove the specific name of that site. It's piracy, after all.

Berserk was great, but I hated that the ending of the anime made no sense whatsoever unless you actually read the manga. Talk about dissappointing.

Also: So, in the manga, Griffith starts a new guild? I thought he went all Bat-Demon and raped Guts' woman and all?

And it's worth noting that the bloopers of Berserk are hilarious. Griffith was one of those guys where they just started the recording, and he starts singing his modified version of Little Mermaid. And you just know all the sound guys groan and say, "Christ, Griffith's singing. Again."

I thought the series (manga) had ended about a year ago, but whatever.

I've read every scrap I could get my dirty paws on and I maintain BV's stand that this is the best male centered manga/anime out there, the only one that rivals it is Monster.

I dunno. I'm just going off the Wikipedia article, which says it's on volume 31 in Japan, and still going.

hmm I was at 27, and you say its on 31 and still going? Crap this thing is long, well sleep is over rated

Ah, 27... that's the one where Guts gets raped by Slan, isn't it?

Hehe, this is ironic. I just finished spending a week or so reading this thing on Sunday, and then this thread pops up. Definitely worth all that time.

And yeah, also one of the best things I've read. The story's just so involving. And the other thing about the story: It's long as hell at this point (It HAS been 17 years since it started), but a hell of a lot of stuff has happened. It's not like other things that run for years and get nothing accomplished.

And I don't think I want to watch the anime, honestly. I saw the first episode, and it didn't really have much in the form of comic relief, so it seemed WAY too grim for my tastes. Eh, whatever, maybe I will some day.


And just before I stop, I'll just say that the Berserker's Armor is one of the most badass things ever. Even if it's painful thinking about what it does, still fucking BADASS.