Les critiques de livres

Masshiroi4
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
Normally I would say there are not 10 because perfection is unattainable, but if we put the best manga of all as 10, that would be crazy. There is nothing better than this when it comes to the manga world, so this is my most serious 10, I have given another 10 but only because there are not 9.5 on this damn page.

The only thing i dont like about berserk are its adaptationsand its hiatuses(is that even a word?), and with the only things people normally dislike about the manga l disagree with. I can usually sympathize with bad reviews regarding things I like but when we talk about berserk, bad reviews just seem silly to me, unsubstantiated and often biased against this masterpiece.

if i had to pinpoint something i might dont like about the manga, that would be its first chapter and nothing else(which is debatable). If you can see beyond the gore and violence berserk depicts, which i personally dont dislike, then you will probably read the best manga you will ever get to read in your life and i encourage you to give it a try.
This is obviously more of a recommendation than nothing else but i just cant bring myself To write a review of berserk because for me that would mean to read it again, take notes and writte several pages when i really just should be doing something else (taking even more time because english is not even my native language).
all that being said, if you gave berserk anything less than an 8/10 when comparing it withthe rest of the manga world then i would like to see what you rate better than that because you are either retar***,havent read it or either you didnt understand it at all.
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RICEA4299114
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
- STORY (9.4)

PROS: - Miura was able to deliver on basically every front; a brilliant story
of vengeance, love, loneliness, and self-realization, driven by epic
battles and introspective dialogues that never fail to add more
details to his already intricate world, without missing out on more
light and funny moments.

- The plot moves from Gothic Horror to High Fantasy with
incredibly smooth transitions and reasoning.

CONS: - Sometimes, the plot relies too heavily on the abstract nature of the world, driven by such things as fate and causality.

- The third half of the story loses a little momentum focusing on
less central events.


- ART (9.5)


PROS: - Insanely detailed panels with tremendous attention to detail,
to the point where even secondary characters are incredibly
recognizable.

- The monster design is one the most original and fascinating I've ever
seen in any fictional work.

CONS: - Due to the sheer amount of details Miura and his team like to put
into this manga, some fight scenes might be a little cluttered,
resulting in being slightly confusing at times.


- CHARACTER (10)


PROS: - In my opinion, the most impressive part of the work. A relatable cast haunted by various personal conflicts going on within and outside
them.

- Villains are often driven by understandable reasons making every
new encounter fresh and exciting.

CONS: - The occasional one-dimensional character.


- ENJOYMENT (10)


PROS: - Everything, It's just a fun and bloody satisfying read.

CONS: - The dreadful Miura hiatus between new chapters.



OVERALL (9.7)

If you like reading manga,or simply you like the idea of an incredibly mature and gory fantasy world, filled with amazing warriors, monsters and a vast ramification of different stories by some of the best characters you can find in this type of media, Kentaro Miura's Berserk is an absolute Must read
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Noideawhybutfine10
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
Berserk is what happens to a series when it tries to one-up itself in each passing page and when the writer promises so much that he can't possibly keep his promises.

It starts of strong, with a bang. Guts, our scarred hero, battles monsters and creatures from some other dimension with n sword almost as large as him. He alienates the people around him, hurts them but we soon learn that it is he who is being hurt more than anyone else. Like a Byronic hero, he is menacing but simultaneously compelling. The first two volumes itself are a testament to great storytelling. And then, the flashback that reveals Guts's past and his relationship with Griffith is epic storytelling at its finest. Until volume 13 (or so), Berserk keep building up the tension, raising the stakes and which finally results in a (horrific) climax that makes the reader shower Berserk with the hype and praise that it receives. And then... And then, we get a slow downward spiral into mediocrity.

The trouble with Berserk is one that plagues most fantasy series in which the author simply doesn't know his own limits, his plot's limits and his character's limits. There comes a point after which it becomes impossible to raise the stakes any further and so the author to make up for his lack of ideas, instead introduces new villains (satanic priest anyone?), new side-kicks (loli witch anyone?), new sub-plots (psycho-elf valley detour anyone?), makes the action scenes even grander, more gruesome, more violent but devoid of the same emotional stakes that made the first third of the series so great. The result is a series that while amazing to behold in its scale and scope is no different from a hack-and-slash RPG game in which the main character levels up, dons a new armor only to face a larger and more powerful monster. Guts, Griffith, Casca - all the characters the reader comes to love/hate by volume 13 (released in 1997) are exactly the same in volume 40 (released in 2018). Guts, while much stronger, is still hacking at monsters and villains with no clear sense of direction. Mysteries introduced in 1995 continue to remain unanswered in 2020.

During this time, the manga-ka (Kentaro Miura) at the age of 54 has burnt himself out. He takes long hiatuses, designs mascots for vocaloid software, plays Idol-Master videos games and puts out 3-4 chapters a year. Only 40 chapters have released in the last ten years and in those chapters, the plot has advanced less than what it did in a single year when the manga was in its peak during the mid-1990s.

To be sure, the art is magnificent. Each panel of each chapter is a sight to behold. But here's the thing - if I was truly interested in art, I visit the Louvre in Paris or purchase an artbook by Akemi Takada. What I need from a manga is both art and plot. Berserk has the former but by volume 35, it has become clear there is not a morsel of plot here. And given how slow Berserk's production is, I don't think Berserk will ever finish or deliver upon the promises that it made when it started in 1990.

Would I recommend this? If you like something with great potential to devolve into brainless hack-and-slash and side characters that include a prepubescent elf and a loli-witch, go ahead. Otherwise, don't believe the hype and give this a pass.
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lucille01215
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk 's review
Update: 4/30/2016

As you can tell, I was pretty disappointed with the then current state of the manga when I wrote this review. Now that the party has gotten off the boat and production has sped up, I am cautiously optimistic. Also having re-read the manga recently, I find myself liking the post Eclipse manga more than I did on the first read through. I like the struggle that Guts must go through on whether to pursue revenge or choose protecting those he loves. This inner struggle and psychological drama is quite interesting. I also find myself liking the gradual redemption of the initially vile and brutal character Farnese. Of course I'm also getting worried after the introduction of Isma. My generation has spent 20 years trying to defend Miura's bullshit plot devices and various perversions and saying that Berserk belong's in High School curricula along with Alan Moore's comics. Don't you DARE turn Berserk into a harem series and fuck us over Miura! Also no more Schierke fanservice! Stop it Miura!


The late 1980s and 1990s were known as the "Dark Age" of American comics. However, on the other side of the Pacific there was a comic that was FAR darker than any American comic of this period. Berserk is the comic that for me best defines the 1990s decade. This was a time of excess, morally ambiguous heroes, and pointless gore and nudity. Berserk took that formula, skull fucked the American comics, and shit down their necks. This is the comic where there is a pointless rape every 5 God Damn pages! This is the comic that comic stores in the US refused to carry and bookstores kept in the back under heavy plastic wrap along with the seedy pornos.

Despite the late 80s/90s excesses of Berserk, it actually does something besides just bathe us with blood and make us blush with countless, brutal rapes. Berserk actually offers a gritty but effective parable on the corrupting effects of power and of ambition without regard to others. Berserk has a special effect on me as an American. At the same time that the Dark Age of comics was going on, corporate CEOs decimated American manufacturing by sending all the jobs that created the American middle class overseas. Wages were slashed in order to allow for MASSIVE bonuses for the guys at the very top. It was during this time that the prosperous age of the American Middle Class started to die because greedy, disgusting sons of bitches like Jack Welch sacrificed his loyal employees in order to award himself with more money and power. Griffith is a great villain because he absolutely embodies the Corporate American culture of the 80s and 90s. He is a slimy, son of bitch that has great charisma, but doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself and is willing to sacrifice anyone and everyone to further his own power. That is one thing that gave this comic such poignancy.

Then the 2000s happened and Berserk kept going on...and on...and on. Rather than ending with Eclipse Arc like the critically lauded anime version, the manga just keeps trucking without really knowing where it is going. In other words, Kentaro Miura seems to have lost his original purpose and is now just meandering around. Berserk is becoming more of a generic shonen manga every year instead of the brilliant and daring seinen that won our hearts in the 90s. That is one reason that Berserk doesn't have too many new fans. I don't think anyone aged 15 would pick up the most recent volume of Berserk in 2015 and say, "Holy shit this is AWESOME!" Berserk continues thanks to a loyal albeit zealous fandom of "oldtaku". What I am saying is what we all know already in our hearts. The ending is going to suck, and that is if the manga even ends before Kentaro Miura dies. It is interesting that the story of Berserk is often like a Greek tragedy, and sadly the history of the manga itself is starting to look like a tragedy. The tale of a once daring, poignant, and "Gutsy" comic that didn't know when to wrap up and eventually became a convoluted mess of mediocrity and deus ex Machina bullshit! Why else does the Skull Knight exist?! This is a manga with an entire character that has the sole purpose of getting Miura out of jail when he has written himself into a corner.

Although I am not a big fan of the more recent Berserk manga, this is a series with some classic moments that defined a decade and should be remembered as a real "game changer" in seinen manga and for comics in general. As frustrated as I get with Miura, I have to remind myself that Berserk was once great and that is the way that we should all remember it!
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leingodf86
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
“Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough…that thing is too big to be called a sword…it was more like a large hunk of iron.”
-anonymous, Berserk vol. 1 – ch.3

Berserk is truly a masterpiece. I can honestly say it's the best manga i've ever read and I am still enjoying every last bit of it! I am now finished volume 37 dying and am waiting for the next chapter to come out (which is taking forever!). The first few volumes in the 'Black swordsman arc' are harder to get into and sometimes the art is not as good as it is in the later volumes. However, once you reach the 'Golden Age arc' you will probably become addicted like I was.

This manga has very deep concepts and adult themes so I do not recommend Berserk for the faint hearted. But it is because of these concepts that Berserk is an awesome 'dark fantasy' with awesome fights and A LOT of gore. I would go as far as to say Berserk is like the 'Game of Thrones' of the manga world. I would also say that Batman would be seen as a wimp compared to Guts.

Guts it the reason why this manga is amazing- he is one of my favourite protagonists ever because his character is in one word a 'BADASS'. His personality contrasts a lot as he has a Spike Spiegel (cowboy bebop) cool attitude taking things in his stride but at the same time you will see him become mad and act like a monster. But his strong identity is always the same. His interactions and impressions he makes to the other characters are hilarious at times and I think they are the most awesome moments of berserk- even better than the fights! And come on, you gotta love Puck the elf!

The best thing about this manga for me personally is that there is no clear line between right and wrong. This means that even our good guys are doing bad things from time to time and our villains are doing good occasionally. This is what makes the manga 'dark' for me. You can also see that Miura is influenced by western culture and fairytales. This makes Berserk stand out from other animes and there is nothing out there like it!!!

Lastly, the story is great and you feel a real sense of journeying which will leave you feeling exhausted. However, at times the story can get confusing in places but the more you read the more will be explained. My favourite arc is 'Landwards Journey Towards Elfheim Arc' and I honestly found it hard to stop reading and I love the flashbacks throughout Berserk.

Thanks for reading my review, hope you found it helpful and will enjoy reading it as much as I did :) As Berserk is no where near it's end I hope it continues to be as amazing as it has been and I look forward to reading more over the years (emphasis on years- Miura please hurry up). I recommend the anime too BUT not the movies... the visuals are truly terrible. However, the anime is accurate to the manga it's just a shame about the sudden end but I really enjoyed it. I hope they continue the anime one day because Berserk is truly amazing.
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seasonsrevive13
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
Berserk is a very atmospheric and dark manga, exceeding only in The Golden Age Arc, while the rest fails flat.

Story: The manga follows adventures and struggles of Guts, a former mercenary and a wanderer who is doing everything he can for survival. The story is well paced and full of details in The Golden Age Arc, where backstories and characters are gathered in an organic construct which feels that the world is real and characters belong there, with their hopes, dreams and reality. The Arc has more layers - climbing up to the throne, dreams and authority, bound, etc; while the rest is just an atmospheric survival (Guts goes to some place, sees scary things, kills scary things, moves on - loop). There are some interesting backstories later, but the world doesn't feel organic at all, more like some Guts' playground. Chilling atmosphere and interesting backstories are what saved the manga, otherwise it would have been just hack'n'smash gore.

Art: There isn't much need to talk about this. It is amazing, details are astounding and extremely realistic. Action, gore and horror are very detailed, some scenes are memorable, though the only negative part is that Puck looks like he was drawn by a child sometimes (I know it's for comedy purposes, but that part doesn't fit in with the rest).

Characters: I will write more about them in the spoilers part. The only developed characters belong to the Hawk band: Griffith, Casca, Gaston, Corkus, Judeau, Pippin, even Guts develops his character a little in the band. They have a personality, they react to words and actions, they have ideals, wishes, fears, etc. They feel like they are in the world, they follow their leader and try to get the best outcome in any situation. I feel like the rest of the characters are black or white, they have just a purpose to do something and you can already sense what will such character do, or the author flips characters from time to time to make more drama. That feels very shallow and the characters feel like they just serve a purpose, like they exist to perform and action and that's it. For example, Puck exists only to heal Guts and give him keys.

Enjoyment: Overall, it was decent. Excluding The Golden Age Art, the manga was still somewhat entertaining with gore details, some action and the atmosphere. The action is somewhat alright, though it becomes generic with time, here's formula: Guts gets into trouble, he swings around and the enemy pins him down. He shoots the enemy with his arm-cannon and decapitates the enemy within a second, repeating the same thing with most of large enemies. It becomes dull and uninspiring. Fights become more fierce later, but they become most of the focus, there isn't much story, just bloodshed.




____SPOILER ALERT, if you haven't read the manga yet, don't read the part below:____

I will write more about characters and the way I see them as black and white. Many characters look like they live for only one purpose, like hunting down some people (heretics, some other sort of enemies or whatever). Even though The Golden Age Arc was amazing, I feel like Griffith was sacrificed for the sake of the plot, just to make him a villain. Griffith's character was the most complex and extremely well made. He was very intelligent, charismatic, caring, careful, full of virtues and etiquette. It's impossible that such character would be so careless and get to princess' chambers and have a way with her, even though the path to the throne was already secured. I felt like the author tossed Griffith into the trash bin, just to make him a villain for the plot twist, which felt so horrendous, not because of the consequences of the action, but because this isn't part of Griffith's nature. Maybe the author didn't come up with any other idea to turn him into a villain, but it's a pity to throw away such well developed character. (plot twist - the author flips Griffith to make him careless just that he gets into trouble, flipping the king as well to make him extremely evil so the Griffith somehow becomes villain.. That sounds pretty awful)
What about Guts? He left the band like all the years meant nothing to him, all his somewhat character development was tossed into the bin as well, he became nothing but an angry man who fought everything, doing contradicting actions like he didn't want to be in the band, but he didn't want to stay out of the band, also Casca part, dreaming about running away with her, but he left her at one place. I didn't get his character at all, I may be cynical and criticizing too much, but I got impression that his character was done pretty awfully.
Others feel black or white, you don't get a lot of info about them, you see if they want to get the good characters into danger or if they are so selfless and help everyone. That looks pretty shallow.

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ae_shinobi6
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk 's review
If not for the over hype and characters (Guts, specifically) i would have enjoyed this more.

People over hyping and praising this manga as if it was written by God himself, is honestly so disgusting and delusional.

Guts is the biggest Mary Sue i ever had to bear reading. Although i noticed people called him 'badass'. Understandable. But that was what it cut it for me. I don't like 'badass' characters in the first place, because you know why?

Together with 'badassary' comes big, inflated, tumorous egos, and cringeworthy one liners.

There were absolutely no stakes when characters were getting raped/attacked by big ugly evil monsters, because Guts would ALWAYS come and save them from baddies. No matter how hurt, or crushed he would be.

Sure he lost an arm and an eye, but did it cripple him? No. He got a cool mechanic arm he could fire arrows and god knows what else, out of. The eye? No biggie. Still can see with the other. It happened only because the author wanted to further showcase just how badass and cool Guts was.

Onto the next point:

As many people said, the females in this manga only existed to be rape-bait. Nothing more, nothing else.

The author excessively forced nudity into this story when it was unnecessary.

You would see many fat ugly men, without penises and only beautiful women with their perky tits, but i guess that's every seinen manga.

At least Griffith was pleasant to look at.

Scull Knight (?) would always deus ex machina his way into the plot, so that readers wouldn't start complaining about Guts always saving the day.

So, how do i wrap this up? Don't know how, bye.

p.s. this review is all over the place.
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HelloTrigger13
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
While browsing the many top 10 manga lists online, you will have certainly come across Berserk in almost every one of them.
You may have wondered, what is this doing in between my Jojo’s and FMA?
Well, today I’m giving you a review of Berserk, for people who don’t know anything about this series.

art

Berserk’s most apparent quality is its artwork. Kentarou Miura had crafted a beautiful, depressing world through his expressive art, filled with the smallest of details in the environment and characters. In the early volumes, it can seem kind of rough and unpolished, but that quickly improves. Most panels you can just plop into a frame and hang on your wall, others are instantly recognizable and memorable. It is really fascinating to see how the art evolves throughout the series, as it has taken nearly 30 years for Miura to write the story so far. You can really see how he improves over the years, to the god-like quality of the art as it is now. Like the best art from Vagabond or Sun-Ken Rock, only all the time. This is truly one of the, if not the best-looking manga of all time.

story

No matter how good the art is, if the story is bogus, no-one will read it for more than a few volumes. Luckily, the story delivers, and oooh boy it delivers. The story is split up into 5 distinct arcs, with each tackling a bevy of subjects, such as friendship, religion, and despair. The story begins with The Black Swordsman Arc where we see Guts roaming around castle grounds killing demons with his trademark oversized sword, The Dragonslayer. This peaks your interest, as you wonder why it is that he bears such hatred for demonkind. After this, we skip back in time to the moment of Guts’ birth, and follow him as he becomes the ruthless killing machine he is as “the black swordsman”. In all fairness, the first three volumes covering The Black Swordsman Arc can feel a bit lifeless. The villains, like the Snake Lord and Slug Baron are memorable, but poorly written. At least the Slug baron has a more interesting backstory, but after that, The Golden Age Arc has an almost addicting day-to-day structure to it, where we can really explore the ins and outs of the characters. Also, the last two volumes of The Golden Age Arc are widely regarded as the most impactful and emotional volumes of any manga, so it’s got that going for it.

Berserk is also surprisingly heartfelt and beautiful for a story that focuses on a man who seemingly only knows how to kill. This is mainly done through the excellent characterization of the main cast. They feel like real people with vested interests and internal struggles. Incredibly poignant moments dot the series, but feelings of relief and happiness are also to be found.
A fun piece of trivia: While writing Berserk, Miura had almost none of the main character-building moments and important plot points laid out. Every important event just came up organically during writing, and that really helps make the story feel real and believable, instead of something that was meticulously planned out years in advance.

personal feelings

Now, why I connect with Berserk so much is because there is nothing quite like it. There is a certain cathartic enjoyment to be found in the rage-fueled war Guts wages on the demons, but quiet character building and reflective moments make up the emotional heart, that throbs at the center of it all. The blood that then flows through the rest of the series sets the stakes. Guts is not trying to save the world, he is trying to save his friends, and perhaps most importantly, himself. It strays away from cheap sentimentalism and takes the time to properly build up its climaxes.

verdict

For the verdict, I feel a little conflicted. I want as many people as possible to enjoy this series, but it just isn’t for everyone. Its hyperviolent nature and themes of sexual abuse are sure to turn some people away, and that is completely understandable. However, you may argue that the struggle is half the enjoyment, just like in Dark Souls (please don’t behead me). Arriving in Anor Londo or Irythill of the Boreal Valley in Dark Souls would not have nearly made such an impact if you hadn’t had to suffer through the rest of the game first.
This is quite funny, as Berserk was one of the main influences for Dark Souls. Makes you think, huh.
Anyway, if you’re at all interested in a dark fantasy story, renowned for its amazing art, relatable and well-written characters, and deep world, Berserk is definitely something you should check out.
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Terako-chan15
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk 's review
"To me, a friend is something else. Someone who would never depend upon another's dream. Someone who wouldn't be compelled by anyone, but who would determine and pursue his own reason to live and should anyone trample that dream, he would oppose him body and soul...even if that threat were me myself. What I think a friend is, is one who is my equal." – Griffith

Words of wisdom and complete despair. Griffith’s speech at the top of the ballroom stairs is truly sublime and grotesque in nature. Many would agree with what is being said but only few expected the horrors this speech would imply. Welcome everyone to my review of Kentaro Miura’s masterpiece, 'Berserk'.

Spoiler-Free Review (In the sense that I don’t discuss major details on plot or characters):

Every person and their mom know how much I love 'Berserk', to the point of obsession. It is the perfect blend of many genres and styles of literature. It borrows many concepts including: tragedies (ie: Shakespearean tragedies, Death of a Salesman, etc…); literature classics that involve themes such as life experience (ie: Siddhartha, The Catcher in the Rye, etc…); the bible, organized religion and philosophy (ie: Plato and the realm of ideas); fantasy adventure classics (ie: Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, etc…); and many western movie epics (ie: Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, etc…). The scope of this story is incredible but the main problem some might point out is: do all these big themes and concepts mesh well together while at the same time keeping a cohesive pacing and plot? Yes it does because all these big themes are separated by story arcs and sections where they each get their moment to shine while at the same time creating a perfect transition for the next part of the story. These shifts in themes also keep the story from not ever becoming stale and/or boring. All the while, the word “berserk” is the over arching theme of the entire manga. The uniqueness of the story in 'Berserk' is also unrivaled. While it does take many aspects of traditional and modern literature such as the tragic hero (Golden Age Arc) and individual societal drama (Conviction Arc), Miura added his own twist to everything like his opinion on the moral values of the themes he presents (which are all great might I add) and his own unique fantastical elements (Behelit, demon’s, God-Hand, etc…). Childhood rape is another topic that Miura delves into and it is safe to say that he handles it with complete respect and understanding. It is not a topic he simply glosses over in order to shock the reader, but is a full on subject and consequence within the story. The subject is handled with great care, subtlety, and realism. Miura makes sure that every moment, theme, and action taken within the story is a build up for the final act within the certain arc. 'Berserk' is not simply a bunch of ideas blended together but a mix of different puzzle pieces that are carefully fit in place in order to create a truly monumental achievement in story telling.

All these different themes seem very good but is the story any fun to read or is it all just standing around and talking? Well do not fear because there is action a plenty in this manga which is all very well detailed. The action in and of itself is brilliant, and character movements are all drawn and dictated with precise panel accuracy to the point of obsession. To add to how incredible the action is, 'Berserk' itself is probably the most beautifully drawn manga (this includes comics and graphic novels) of all time. This statement of it being the best could probably be debunked, but I have not yet come across a better art-work. The character proportions and details, the world and backgrounds, the fantasy creatures, etc… are all marvelous to look at. Do not be surprised if you start staring at the art for hours on end, it is that good. Kentaro Miura in an interview said that it took him about 24 hours to finish drawing just one panel and be satisfied with it. Goes to show how much he cares about detail.

The main character Guts is the very definition of a tragic hero. His character arc is beyond that of any other protagonist and his emotional torments are unrivaled. To truly understand this man’s point of view is to go through hell itself and beyond. Every arc adds to his growth, redemption, and eventual becoming of a hero and mentor. It is truly beautiful and poetic in nature. His character complexity just continues to grow (the manga is still publishing) and eventually he will become the definition of enlightened, or so we hope he will be? One of the many ways for a great protagonist to shine is through a great villain. Thankfully, Griffith is the very definition of a perfect villain. Taking on the classic tragic literature elements of the villain once being best friends with the protagonist, Griffith takes this idea and magnifies his betrayal to the point of complete horror. Imagine taking a man, forcing him to watch everything horrible in life and everything personally horrible to him. Griffith does exactly that and the magnitude of his crime is unbelievable. This crime is all done in the name of his own goals and dreams. The starting top quote of the review spoken by Griffith is taken all the way to the extreme. Griffith was once a man who was in love, happy, childish, angry, intimidating, fearful, compassionate, heroic, etc... But he replaced all that in order to simply follow his dream. He became the very embodiment of the anti-Christ, a man who cares only about his own selfish ends, who looks majestic in nature but is a complete and utter villain, who schemes and fools the world into believing that he is the savior of mankind. As for Guts, he learnt from this betrayal and became the very man Griffith should have been. He became the hero that everyone now looks up to. The last and only step he must now face is to defeat his inner rage, which has been building up since the beginning of the series. He must rid himself of this berserk instinct and darkness inside him. In doing so he will turn into the true hero he is meant to become and defeat the anti-Christ known as Griffith once and for all.

The secondary characters are all incredible in their own right. Guts’ friends are divided into two groups. The first group of friends are the ones that gave him a family for the first time while at the same time each giving their own advice on how he should go on in life. They all have an interesting back story and are quite well developed, some more than others. These friends feel like people and each one of them is smart in their own way. However things change with the second group of friends. Guts’ is introduced to a new family but this time it is him that gives them advice and guidance thanks in part to the experience and knowledge he’s gained through out his journey. This second group of friends are much more interesting than the first because since they all have issues they need to overcome, each and every one of them have an incredibly well handled character arc. Guts through experience, learns to rely on his companions and they all connect with each other in different ways. The fantastic thing about each and every character in 'Berserk' is just how natural and subtle their development is. Nothing ever feels forced or thrown in your face. It is all very well paced and sometimes poetic in nature which are either done through great dialogue or subtle character actions that are well detailed. Paying attention to the drawings and art is crucial not only in terms of beauty, but character development as well. Character expressions are all taken into account and are very crucial to the story. Every interaction between the main and secondary characters has a purpose and that includes the comic relief characters/moments. The amount of attention to detail is simply astounding.

The final subject that must be touched upon is the tone and violence of this manga. Many have complained that this series contains too much gore and nudity. If one is too delicate to look at grotesque and violent actions, then this manga can easily turn some people off. However, I assure the readers that the nudity and extreme violence all have a purpose. What does it mean to be human? Love, hatred, pain, pleasure, life, and death (readers of 'Berserk' know what moment I am referencing) are all taken to the complete extremes in order to find out that answer. Like I stated in the beginning of my review, 'Berserk' is the definition of sublime and grotesque. It is beautiful in both aspects of the extreme. This is the tone that is kept through out each and every arc. That is why the story has that “epic” feel which no other manga has ever been able to replicate.

To call 'Berserk' perfect after all the praise I’ve given would still be a lie because the series is not over yet and nothing is ever truly “perfect”. There are many ways in which Kentaro Miura can make a mistake in the later upcoming chapters. There is also one more minor companion among Guts’ group that has not had much back story or development, something I’m hoping Miura will fix in the later chapters. Some people have criticized some certain parts of the manga like the first intro Black Swordsman Arc or the beginning of the newly started Fantasia Arc, but the nit-picking can easily be rebutted. The Black Swordsman Arc was meant to introduce the world of 'Berserk' which includes: the main protagonist and antagonist, the fantastical and medieval world they live in, the tone and intense action, and the over arching theme of the whole series which is Guts’ inner “berserk”. It is a fantastic set up and gets the reader aware of what type of journey they are about to embark on. As for the beginning of Fantasia Arc, the same introduction argument can be used because the world and rules have changed drastically since the last arc. This is all really pointless to debate because this story arc has only just begun.

'Berserk' is by far the smartest, most diverse and well developed story I’ve ever seen and/or read. This includes comics, movies, novels, TV series, anime, etc… It is perhaps the greatest piece of literature of our generation and Kentaro Miura deserves ever single praise he gets. It is in my opinion the closest story to have reached perfection and I feel truly privileged to be reading such a masterpiece. Thank you very much Mr. Miura.
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Skycrafter1
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk 's review
-- [ Berserk ] --

One line: "Highly detailed scenes. Very impressive and complex plot. Lively and varied characters. Berserk rules!"

- [ Story - 10 ] -

Berserk is about Guts, an exceptionally skilled swordsman and his adventures with The Band of the Hawk, along with its leader, Griffith, and other characters like Caska. After a betrayal, Guts is branded as a sacrifice by the God Hand and loses all his friends and his love, set to be killed during The Eclipse. He fights like an insane, becoming an Eclipse survivor. Following this, he is cursed and always attracts evil spirits and violence around him. He now devotes himself to fighting God Hand, his betrayer and all evil accumulating around him, even at the cost of whatever he came to cherish in life, accumulating scars after scars, and risking the lost of everything, including his life. All for revenge.

Berserk is a dark, violent series, definitely targetted to an adult audience. It also contains significant amount of nudity and sex, even rape. Ok. now you are warned.

The plotline is extremely detailed and complex, going from the present, to Guts' background story extensively, before returning to the present and moving on. This is makes very good chracter development and background story elaboration. You are told about most of the characters, how they are related, and why they behave as they do in the present. I felt that no detail lacked. Very very well made!

The story is very captivating too. There is no humor, since it's almost a tragic story, about real suffering at the lost of loved ones and dear friends, because of the betrayal of somebody held in high-esteem. A superb plotline, which views the classic "man fights demons" from a very different angle, as if you were inside the story. The problem is that there is no "good side" to balance the evil powers, so Guts is all alone in his fight for revenge, with no help at all. Berserk takes another look at religion and its concepts, at god and the foundation of faith, at friendship, love and betrayal. Overall, Berserk packs an incredibly complex plot, which is definitely worth discovering.


- [ Art - 10 ] -

The first volumes have quite poor art, with simplistic toning as shading. Even the characters are sometimes weirdly drawn, with wrongly positioned facial features and some other things.

The artist, Kentaro Miura, shows his true skills as the story goes. As the volumes go on, the level of detail, the quality of the drawings and shading increases exponentially, making Berserk a true piece of art. It's definitely one of the best illustrated manga I've seen till now. The characters and specially environments are magnificently detailed. You will see pages dedicated to picturing the environment, on which you will maintain your stare!

Just give a glance to the armor of Griffith or even Guts. It's extremely detailed, down to the nearest mail. Plain impressive. The art is sometimes "heavy" with shading, but this weakness is compensated with detail and intricate shading.

Miura excells in depicting complex fight scenes, with Guts surrounded by enemies, and in great, gory details. Those spread pages are a real pleasure for the eyes. Specially when you get to see the environment too. Miura is definitely the details-man!


- [ Characters - 9 ] -

This manga takes character development to a whole new level. You are given every small detail about all the major characters, and how they are related to all the other characters. The development is made at a great pace, not too fast, not too slow. You will be given details just when they are required. You won't be complaining about lack of details about characters in Berserk.

There is nothing very extraordinary about the characters. In fact, they all seem normal! Guts looks kind of evil and loveless at first glance, and Griffith, seems to be kind-hearted. That's just at first glance though, because the characters have incredible depth. So much that the reader can almost feel the emotions of the characters. You will even pity Guts at time, telling yourself "poor guy...".

The characters are driven by their emotions and ambitions. Guts wants revenge, and channels all his anger and frustration in his fights, even hurting those he cares about in the process, literally becoming berserk. Griffith has ambition and will stop at nothing to reach his goals. The God Hand is pure evil, despite the word god often associated with good in their name. Such a lively and varied cast of characters makes Berserk great.

Interesting enough, Berserk is one of the few series where the main character is not always present and hogging all the action. Sometimes, Guts is not even doing anything great, save for some talking. This gives other characters some role, which makes Berserk even more interesting, since you get to discover side characters. An example would be the Farnese/Serpico arc.

Then why 9 and not 10? Because in my opinion, Griffith gets too much attention. It's just my opinion though! :P


- [ Enjoyment - 9 ] -

Berserk is not something you are going to enjoy, considering the violence and dark theme. You are going to appreciate it, if I may say. That, I did!

The detailed art, the non-lacking story line, the varied cast of characters and the plot twists make Berserk totally great, unsurpassed in its genre in my opinion. You will get to admire, hate or even support the characters as Berserk progresses. As I said earlier, you will become part of Berserk.

Why 9 for enjoyment? Because I didn't like Guts getting trashed incessantly for nearly 25 volumes by overwhelming force and not getting any powerups! It was plain unfair, specially considering all odds are against the guy.


- [ Overall - 9 ] -

If you can handle the violence, gore, fighting and sex, you will want to see Berserk, simply because there is nothing better than Berserk when it comes to those themes! :D

I am not convinced about the re-read value yet. I find it difficult to go over all those dark plots again. It's going to be a once-off-love-it series I guess. For me at least.
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TensaiShonen7
Mar 25, 2021
Berserk review
What can i say that has it said before, this manga is just great master piece. Bear in mind this story is not for everyone and more for the weak hearted. The story has a dark fantasy setting in were the main character has to fight many demons to survive, yet his biggest challenge will be his dark past, making him to never surrender is life and live fighting until the end. The main character will make a lot friends/comrades a long his journey that may or may not help him. One of the mayor plot development around the main character is questioning of his life, did he deserves to live or he just has to give up on life itself and to make matters worse he will have to wonder if the people around him can be trusted. The art of this manga has to be one of the best out there, every detail on the characters and environment are very realistic made, making the story more a more credible and enjoyable. The main characters has to be one of the most awesome character in manga history, making me cheer for him every time he's in pinch, others charters of the story are very well made with a lot of personalities and with a lot of development with the story. The only downside of this series it his hiatus status in were the story has begin stuck for a while, not knowing when it will continue. But nevertheless, this is a great master piece that any manga reader need to read to know this amazing experience. But be warned it has a high adult content that may not appeal to everyone, like i stated at the beginning.
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Berserk
Berserk
Auteur Miura, Kentarou
Artiste --