Overall: 9.75

Everyone has good things to say about Berserk, but no one really recommends it for what it is. Berserk is an amazing epic fantasy series, just like a A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) or Lord of the Rings. Yes the world building is that expansive and the story is that good, and it also has insanely amazing art. If that doesn’t sound like a good series to you, I don’t know what would. The only reason why some people shouldn’t read Berserk is that it is very graphic. There is sex, violence, and sexual violence. There is a lot of sexual violence, particularly in the first half or so. Reader discretion is strongly advised. Also, if you prefer to read completed series, you may want to wait a while to read Berserk. It has been going on for about 20 years now and I suspect it could go on for another 15-20 more. This is in part because of the frequent, long hiatuses, and because when it’s not on hiatus it is a monthly, if not an irregular series. However, if you let this deter you, you are missing out on one amazing story.

Story:
I don’t even want to go any further than this MAL summary. It’s best if you just let the story surprise you. (trust me!)

Art: Did I mention the art was insanely good? Because it is. Like I said before, Berserk has been going on now for around 20 years. The art goes from pretty solid -> very good -> 11/10 as the artist improves.

Characters: The protagonist, Guts, is an amazingly well-written character. One of the best in any fiction I’ve ever read. Also, some of the other main characters are also brilliantly written. That being said, later in the series, some side characters get introduced and most of them are pretty one dimensional. This is why some people say Berserk loses some of its luster after the Golden Age arc. In my opinion, it is still just as good but in a different way. You will have to judge that for yourself.