How do you cope with publication breaks?

Gobolatula

praise be to grail!
How do you deal with the longer gaps between new episode releases? What do you do to satisfy your need for a Berserk fix?

We all miss Berserk when it's not in Young Animal. Some get anxiously upset over the publication breaks, and some brush it off.

My hope with this thread is for us to share our "Berserk Break" activities, to perhaps prevent people from bitching or getting generally discouraged in new episode threads.

Now, please, in this thread, be respectful of Miura and his process. Also, I'd like this to be not so much a "venting" thread, but something positive we all can look at to go, "Oh, right. These breaks aren't so bad."

Anyway, here's what I usually do during breaks in publication. I brought this up in the 312 thread.

Gobolatula said:
Me, personally, I reread previous episodes / entire chunks of story in no particular order, picking apart in my brain how they relate to the current story arc and where the characters are all at.

This board is actually a great place for a steady stream of new Berserk, whether it's fan art / general creative works, merchandise, story discussion, and the ultimate news and eventual discussion of new episodes...

When you're aching for new Berserk, just know you're not alone. And chill.
 
Me:

I've taken to more or less ignoring Berserk for 6 month spans so I get slightly meatier chunks when I do read it (though at current release rates I should honestly let a year pass serpico)

It's actually troublesome though because I have a hard time avoiding reading what others say here about the episodes when they are released so when I do get around to reading the actual thing it's usually not as exciting as when I read the first 20 or so volumes all at once without spoilers.

There's something to be said for getting to see the story as it progresses but I can't help but feel envious to the people who get to read it all together ten, twenty..... thirty years down the road.

Response from Aazealh:

I understand the motive, but honestly I think you should just follow the episodes as they are released. You're just torturing yourself otherwise. And while it's definitely gratifying to read a whole volume at once, I would argue that there is a lot of merit in perusing episodes individually. Not to mention the pleasure of watching it all come together after a while.

New response:

Honestly, it feels torturous either way for me and to tell the truth, I often bounce back and forth on my habits. I suppose I should have said "I've recently taken to skipping six months or so" as there are times when I'll just die to see every release (Definitely during the "holy cow, Ganishka!" arc). However, and this is probably not the popular opinion around here, I feel like we're at a bit of a downtime in the series (this may change at any time I realize) and it just feels more fulfilling to me to read some of these more plot heavy episodes together. I tend to find myself lost sometimes when there's a good 3 month wait.

The other sad thing for me though is that even if I'm trying to keep up, I can't stop myself from looking at the original scans when they're put out and while the art is great to look at, I often don't know what's going on outside of the few comments people who can read Japanese make which is in a way a spoiler itself. I know the fault in the end comes down to me being too weak to avoid this stuff, but especially with text heavy episodes, it's usually better to completely avoid anything until at least the translation here is done. I just end up feeling like I'm not really experiencing Berserk the way I think I should be so sometimes it's better to play it cold turkey for awhile.

I just realized that Berserk is sort of like a drug for me. That can't be good.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Those who get "anxiously upset" about breaks simply aren't used to following Berserk at an episodic rate. Those of us who have been following the series for a while don't really have problems taking breaks. Though it's disheartening that the breaks have increased in frequency, I certainly don't go ABSOLUTELY BONKERS when there's not a steady stream of Berserk.

In fact, recently It's been sort of like a vacation for me. Several episodes ago, I started transcribing the episodes for Puella to help her out. Transcribing them from the speech bubbles to a text document takes me about 6-8 hours per episode, and it's very intensive work. I appreciate the breaks now.

But, for several years now, during breaks I've treid to keep activity alive in Shootin the Breeze, and cultivate discussion on threads about Berserk. I'd also appreciate it if others carried this torch. My least favorite kind of members are those who show up for episodes, then disappear on breaks. :azan:

I have many other hobbies besides Berserk. I check SKnet almost hourly while at work, but when at home, what little spare time I have is mostly taken up with multiplayer games on the PC. But I also fill the gap with following other series. I read Inoue Takehiko's REAL, and Vagabond, but I also follow Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead, a great American comic I'd recommend to pretty much anyone interested in comics -- not just zombie fans.
 
I gotta say... Vagabond really has done a great job of reducing mid-Berserk release stress. If you start feeling the shakes, you can just delve into the misadventures of Musashi and all is well again for awhile. :rakshas:

Also, I've been keeping up with Sluggy Freelance for the last 11 years. Pete updates daily so I always have something to look forward to, even if it's just a sketch or something dumb.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Like Walter, I usually pass the time between episodes by playing PC games or reading other manga (mainly Vagabond, at the moment). I've never really understood why people get so bent out of shape during the breaks, but to each his or her own.

Walter said:
Several episodes ago, I started transcribing the episodes for Puella to help her out. Transcribing them from the speech bubbles to a text document takes me about 6-8 hours per episode, and it's very intensive work. I appreciate the breaks now.

Wow, I didn't know that. That's pretty nice of you, Walter. :serpico:
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
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Reading Steel Ball Run(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7), seriously, with 100 volumes out now, and 7 parts all with different stories and characters, you'll be busy for a while. Reading Vinland Saga, historical fiction viking manga by the author of Planetes who said one of its influences is the Golden Age in Berserk. Reading Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, a sci-fi/slice of life manga about an android living in a nearly destroyed Japan. It's really lighthearted and easy to read at a leisurely pace, not full of action and plot twists, it has a pretty melancholy feel to it. Reading Dorohedoro, manga about a man with a lizard's head trying to find the sorcerer who transformed him and regain his memories. Really dark, gritty, and gorey mixed with cute, funny, and bizarre. Watching Kaiba, Tatami Galaxy, and Arakawa Under the Bridge. Playing Valkyria Chronicles and Pokemon. Will soon get and play Infinite Space. Last but not least, rereading random parts of Berserk when I get the urge to. :slan:
 
I don't mind waiting for the next episode of Berserk. No matter how long it takes it doesn't bother me. I just follow up on Vagabond or finish playing as many Mega Man games I can get. I have an obsession with the little blue guy. :farnese:

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jackson_hurley

even the horses are cut in half!
I listen to a lot of music. I get new records. And I have maybe 30 other monthly series that I follow... So, I really don't mind the breaks. If you could only see the pile I have to read ....
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
I can honestly say that the breaks haven't bothered me for years now. I've become use to it. Though I will say I didnt realize how much video games help break up the time since I don't have a console anymore. But when I did, yea... lots of video games. The only time I really feel the hurt from breaks is when I'm on the computer with nothing to do (no xbox) and just feeling down. "I wish I had new berserk eps. That would make my day" :guts: But i'm usually busy so that doesn't happen a lot.

Oh and Link, Valkyria Chronicles really is such a great game isn't it? Glad your enjoying it! That and Vinland Saga. Sadly though, Berserk is the only manga I keep up with these days. I even recently bought the new Blade of the immortal books but they just sit there on the shelf.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Oburi said:
Though I will say I didnt realize how much video games help break up the time since I don't have a console anymore. But when I did, yea... lots of video games. The only time I really feel the hurt from breaks is when I'm on the computer with nothing to do (no xbox)
You know, they make games for computers now too, right? :void:
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
Walter said:
You know, they make games for computers now too, right? :void:

Yea lol, Ive been short on cash so I can't really buy any games right now but, lets say I could pick one game for the pc, what would you recommend? Bear in mind that I prefer something time consuming so it'll keep me busy and I get my moneys worth. Not some easy FPS.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Oburi said:
lets say I could pick one game for the pc, what would you recommend?
http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=10757.0

And with that, let's get back on topic.
 

Treachera

Noferatu Zodd ain't got shizz on me!
Hello everyone,


I like to read other manga during the breaks - I'm currently devouring the series "Gantz" at an unprecedented rate
 
X

Xem

Guest
I agree with the sentiment that once you've been following the series for a while the breaks don't really bother you. Part of the reason people get upset is because they don't understand why they happen. Once you realize it's for the greater good of the series it seems silly to get all riled up. That's one of the many reasons I don't look at other Berserk forums anyway, too much whining and almost no respect for the author and his series.

Every once in a while though the "I want more Berserk..." sadness will set in momentarily, but luckily I've got a few friends that are fans so I don't have to suffer alone. :troll: Really though, I spend my time re-reading the volumes with fresher perspectives and thinking about what may happen in the future. Discussing Berserk outside of speculation is hard for me now since I've been through almost all the threads on SKnet and I think it's safe to say that everything's been covered. :serpico:
 
I like to look at it this way:
There are no breaks between episodes. Every now and then a new one appears and when it does, it is great.
A gift so to say, especially since i don't have access to young animal. So instead of "coping with breaks", I'm just thankful that, once an episode does come out, I'm able to read it.

Besides, as was already pointed out, you can always reread parts of Berserk and discover something new, or just search for details in the drawings you might have missed.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Dar Klink said:
Time to update with some tentacles? :guts:
Was hoping no one would notice... It's been so long since Guts has killed anything that I've forgotten the basics of how to update it...
 
Anyone have the link to that page that show's how long his creative breaks have been in the past? It'll be a good addition to this thread.

BTW, how I deal with the breaks are video games, video games, and some more video games.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
ReccaKun said:
Anyone have the link to that page that show's how long his creative breaks have been in the past?
http://skullknight.net/images/eps.html

I've also made a more comprehensive list, which shows detailed info for every Animal House and Young Animal release since Berserk began serialization in 1989. It shows a pattern of dwindling release consistency that began in 2004. The chart is based off a design and information found on 2ch, which means I can't verify most of it. But, I'm guessing it's pretty accurate.

In order to understand it, you have to know that Young Animal releases 24 issues a year (twice monthly). Animal House had 12 issues (monthly). The issues that have Berserk are marked with a O, and those without Berserk have a X.
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
Walter said:
http://skullknight.net/images/eps.html

I've also made a more comprehensive list, which shows detailed info for every Animal House and Young Animal release since Berserk began serialization in 1989. It shows a pattern of dwindling release consistency that began in 2004. The chart is based off a design and information found on 2ch, which means I can't verify most of it. But, I'm guessing it's pretty accurate.

In order to understand it, you have to know that Young Animal releases 24 issues a year (twice monthly). Animal House had 12 issues (monthly). The issues that have Berserk are marked with a O, and those without Berserk have a X.
Very awesome Walter! I love lists and charts like this. I had a question for anybody that would know... if Berserk isn't listed in the preview for the next issue of Young Animal(that you can see on the website) does that mean it won't be in the next issue FOR SURE, or is there still a chance of it appearing? :???:
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Dar Klink said:
I had a question for anybody that would know... if Berserk isn't listed in the preview for the next issue of Young Animal(that you can see on the website) does that mean it won't be in the next issue FOR SURE, or is there still a chance of it appearing?
I just checked their site before I posted (and updated) the above release schedule. As far as I can see, it's not in the 11th issue, scheduled for 5/28: http://www.younganimal.com/magazine/next.html

Obviously though, if it were coming out next issue, you would have heard about it before now. I don't check for new release info every day, but there are others on the forum that do.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Walter said:
The chart is based off a design and information found on 2ch, which means I can't verify most of it. But, I'm guessing it's pretty accurate.

I never bothered to check it in-depth, but I can guarantee you that it's accurate for the most part. I have an Excel file I maintain (with pretty colors!) to keep track of the issues I possess and when I cross-compared it with their stuff last year the entries corresponded.

Dar Klink said:
I had a question for anybody that would know... if Berserk isn't listed in the preview for the next issue of Young Animal(that you can see on the website) does that mean it won't be in the next issue FOR SURE, or is there still a chance of it appearing?

No chance. If it's not listed, it's not happening.
 
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