Excuse the the rave review in advance but in this reviewer's humble opinion, Berserk deserves all the praise in the world. It's the Sistine Chapel, the Beethoven's 9th, the Iliad of the manga world. It's a masterpiece of dark fantasy that explores themes ranging from betrayal to destiny and muses upon the human nature.

Story: 10
The epic story of Berserk unravels over multiple arcs which progressively build its world. In fact, three different worlds/eras are effectively made so far, with an earth-shattering tragedy serving as the transition between each. Most arcs have a satisfying climax in term of action as well as advancing the plot and character development. The setting is inspired by the legends and the daily horrors of European dark ages. The reader is exposed to nauseating violence that eventually becomes numbing and the absolute worst of humanity (after all, apostles are but humans who took the easy way out). Ultimately however, it is a story about perseverance and the heroic spirit, perhaps showcasing the best of humanity.

Art: 10
The art gets better and better as the series progresses. The latest chapters are pure beauty. The early volumes fade a bit in comparison when you go back and has that distinct "old school" feel.

Character: 9
At first glance, the characters seem somewhat flat but most, especially the main character, have considerable depth to them. Trauma is explored quite effectively unlike most action manga but not to the point of consuming the entire work unlike most psychological manga. Berserk strikes the right balance of making its protagonist vulnerable but undeniably badass. The rest of the cast range from being very interesting to simple stock characters. They do serve their roles as support well since, after all, this story is about our protagonist's unending quest for revenge against arguably the most detestable character across all fiction.

Enjoyment: 10
It's the perfect formula of non-stop high octane action + just enough depth and philosophy without becoming heavy and pretentious.

However, it must be said, Berserk crosses "the line" multiple times with its extremity, so much that it's hard to define said line in this work anymore. It's edgy beyond edgy, with a lot of crazy moments that can each serve as the controversy magnet of a whole series. Therefore, it's difficult to recommend it in polite conversation. That being said, if you're here, then you must be somewhat interested already. So if you haven't yet, jump right in the twisted universe of the best dark fantasy manga around.