Berserk Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler [Review]

How would you rate this movie?!

  • AMAZING. Loved every second!

    Votes: 21 13.1%
  • Enjoyable, but disappointing in certain aspects.

    Votes: 66 41.3%
  • Indifferent. It is what it is. Nothing more.

    Votes: 10 6.3%
  • Meh. I'll only keep watching cuz it's Berserk, but I'm not happy with it at all.

    Votes: 34 21.3%
  • HORRIBLE... it's an abomination to Berserk and Miura.

    Votes: 29 18.1%

  • Total voters
    160
I watched it and I give it 6.5/10
The animation was awesome, I didn't spot any weird CGI, it wasn't noticable.
The gore was also awesome.
Music and it's use were meh
About the story and character development that's where they made the biggest mistakes.
It didn't feel like Berserk, there was no character development at all and this movie would be awesome with an extra hour, pretty sure they would do it well enough for 9/10 if they had such duration
I hope they do some sort of "things not added in the trilogy that were in golden age arc" movie or OVA if they continue the project, but that's just dreaming ( making that )
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
SuperVegetto said:
I didn't spot any weird CGI, it wasn't noticeable.

What about the scene where Griffith was walking down the hill? I didn't think the CGI was very noticeable throughout the film, but that scene in particular looked incredibly awkward.
 
Rhombaad said:
What about the scene where Griffith was walking down the hill? I didn't think the CGI was very noticeable throughout the film, but that scene in particular looked incredibly awkward.

Hmm didn't notice it too much. The scene when Adonis was entering the door was kinda awkwardly animated though, anyway it was such a sad scene
 
Well...I broke down and watched it. I was going to wait until I had the subbed version in hand, and still plan on buying one as soon as it becomes available, but I couldn't wait.

Visually, I really enjoyed it. There were only a couple of instances in which the CG bothered me, and even then, not very badly. I really appreciated the weighted movements of the characters and the 'choreography' of the battles. There were several shots and scenes that, literally, took my breath away. Then again, I'm a sucker for broad, sweeping landscapes and nicely animated flowing hair, so I appreciated the eye candy.

As much as I love Hirasawa, I'm also a fan of the new score in and of itself and have been listening to it for a few months now. I feel like it COULD have been a really gorgeous backdrop, but the placement and editing was a little too...obvious maybe?

What the movie really suffers from, I think, is just plain bad story telling. The essential transitions and early scenes that are needed to create tension, character conflict and proper forshadowing are all completely missing. It isn't just a matter of scenes that are juicy fan favorites being cut or altered, it's a case of important information being omitted.

I actually kind of wonder why the first movie covered so much ground? I think the story as a whole would have been better served if the first movie had climaxed with the Zodd battle and left all of the political intrigue for the second film. It would have left a lot more time for much needed character development, particularly in regards to Guts.

So, overall, I found it visually very pretty, well acted, with a lovely if somewhat heavy handed score...and very poorly told.

A part of me wants to write the studio requesting a special edition of somekind with additional scenes woven in into it. I don't think it would ever happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?
 
I felt some kind of emptiness when watching it. Dunno if the lack of eng subs was the problem, doubt it though. It was mostly because it had to be much longer and have character development and other minor and semi-major things, to be used to all the characters shown those volumes, Berserk world etc...
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
The more I think about it, the more miffed I am that they didn't use OVA's as the storytelling medium for the Berserk Saga Project. If they do end up animating the Black Swordsman arc, I hope they go the OVA route, but now that I've seen how poorly the material they left in the movie was handled, I'm not sure the storytelling medium will matter much in the end.

Ugh, so bummed. I can't wait to be cheered up on June 8th.
 
Rhombaad said:
The more I think about it, the more miffed I am that they didn't use OVA's as the storytelling medium for the Berserk Saga Project. If they do end up animating the Black Swordsman arc, I hope they go the OVA route, but now that I've seen how poorly the material they left in the movie was handled, I'm not sure the storytelling medium will matter much in the end.

Ugh, so bummed. I can't wait to be cheered up on June 8th.

Imo the problem was duration only. There would be emotion and all if they handled character development and the story well, and to do that this movie would need to be at least twice as long as it is
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
SuperVegetto said:
IMO the problem was duration only. There would be emotion and all if they handled character development and the story well, and to do that this movie would need to be at least twice as long as it is

Eh, runtime may have been an issue, but you'd need way more than an extra hour or two do do that section of the story justice. Besides, to do the material true justice, you need to start with the Black Swordsman arc, or at the very least, you need to start with Guts' childhood.

Also, the reason for the film's failure as an adaptation doesn't stem from one thing, and one thing only. Duration is a problem, but so is the animation, voice acting, and nonsensical changes to the existing material.

What we're left with isn't Berserk at all. It's just an imitation of Berserk meant to appeal to God only knows.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
arrowchild said:
As much as I love Hirasawa, I'm also a fan of the new score in and of itself and have been listening to it for a few months now. I feel like it COULD have been a really gorgeous backdrop, but the placement and editing was a little too...obvious maybe?

I don't really mind the OST, but I also felt that its use in the movie didn't do it justice. I'd go farther than you though and say that they fucked it up.

arrowchild said:
I actually kind of wonder why the first movie covered so much ground? I think the story as a whole would have been better served if the first movie had climaxed with the Zodd battle and left all of the political intrigue for the second film.

The problem is that there's still a lot of material to cover in the second and third movies. They couldn't afford to leave that material for the second movie because it'll be filled to the brim and hurry along just as fast as the first one did. And again, like I've said on the podcast, the last film is the one I'm actually worried about. I just don't see how they'll be able to cram everything in there.

SuperVegetto said:
Imo the problem was duration only.

Nah, I disagree. They have a real problem with the pacing of the fighting scenes as well (which can be extended to the way they adapted most of the scenes in general). The way the characters strike or weigh their attacks is often completely unrealistic in key scenes (likely the ones not overseen by their expert). Bazûso killing random soldiers for example.
 
SuperVegetto said:
I felt some kind of emptiness when watching it. Dunno if the lack of eng subs was the problem, doubt it though.

For the ones that have been disappointed with the storytelling and have only seen the movie raw (and don't understand Japanese), I think seeing a subbed version will definitely help the cause. It won't change everyone's opinion leaps and bounds, but I rather enjoyed the dialogue. Yes, I've seen a subbed version (I can't exactly say how I did, but I have, and it was a reputable translation) and some of the lines hit the mark pretty well. SOME of course, not all. As Walter and I discussed in the podcast, Walt felt the emotion fell flat in certain talking scenes (like the Guts/Griffith conversation right after the Zodd fight, before the King and Charlotte), but I personally liked that scene. Same goes for the last scene at the fountain. Understanding what they are saying will definitely help fill that "empty" feeling. Sure we all know what's going on, but for pure entertainment purposes, it will surely help. Even with the first 10 minutes, back when that was a web promo... I only watched it a few times prior. But when I saw the subbed version, and was able to know what was said in a mere combat scene, certainly made it more enjoyable! I even got a few good laughs from the movie because of the dialogue, that wasn't true to the manga, but added in for comedic purposes, which I am fine with it.

I would say the time that I didn't really buy the dialogue (didn't feel the emotion or intensity) was Guts and Casca's argument after the raid. It's too bad, cuz I want to love everything Guts + Casca related, but this scene just didn't work for me. I hope that the 100 man scenes from movie 2 will do it justice though!

Anyways, it's really interesting seeing everyone's feedback and seeing how the poll is distributed. It's definitely very split!!! Keep on chiming in everyone!
 
hey guys,

as I mentioned before the review started by it was "my opinion/review" so I am judging the movie as a personal experience. and I also mentioned that I'm judging it as an adaptation or should I say a new Berserk experience.

Bekul said:
Sorry for the edit there, but, uh... one of these things is not like the other... :schierke:

So the CGI was awkward, the voice acting was mediocre at best, and the story sucked, but you give it a 9/10? Just... how can you justify that? :???:

I never said the CGI was awkward all the time. I said it had some awkward moments and I would say that the combination of CGI and 2D was amazingly well done. I also never said that the voice acting was mediocre I said it was OK as in good and not affecting the experience. The only thing about it is that I perfer the old Guts voice actor but still I'm ok with the new one. I never said the story sucked at all. I said that it was fast paced and there were some missing (not thaaaat much) scenes which if you kept reading you will see that I didn't care that much about. Foss not being there was a worrying thing to me but still I'm curious on how they will "replace" him.

Walter said:
A 9/10 doesn't sound like a very honest score given these details in your review. Sounds more like you'd like to give it a 9, despite the flaws.

That 9/10 reflects my own opinion on the movie and I see it as a fair and honest score cuz those flaws didn't bother me as much as I enjoyed the movie let's say that all the flaws combined represent 10% and the other details that I liked represent 90%. When I finished the movie for the first time I had a 10 mins of jizzing in silence :ganishka:

SuperVegetto said:
Hmm didn't notice it too much. The scene when Adonis was entering the door was kinda awkwardly animated though, anyway it was such a sad scene

I don't think so man. I think it was awesomely done :guts:

Anyways, I appreciated the movie as new Berserk experience and I watched it for the fun of it. So to just clarify it even more, I LOOOOOOVED IT!! Maybe I can relate to DirectDK's review in some points. Like these movies are a bonus and not something essential.

sorry for the long post :serpico:
 
I know what you mean, Aazealh. I feel like they could have slated 6 movies for The Golden Age Arc and still not covered everything! Still...if they were going to go with the three movies, I think I would almost have rather each movie have a clear focus. The sudden inclusion of high court drama in the second half felt pretty horribly out of place to me, looking at it as a movie in and of itself.

Although now at least I have slightly higher hopes regarding the subbed version, (thanks DirectDK). My Japanese is pretty rudimentary and I know I missed 90% of what was actually being said. Good to know that its well written
 

Truder

"I frown at Griffith's nipples" -Aazealh
I just got done watching the first movie with no subs and i must say that i did enjoy it. the only problem i have with it is the breakneck pace it goes at. character development is lacking but im sure that subs would help. after hearing the sknet podcast on the movie you guys gave me the lowest expectations possible, but it really wasnt that bad. :griffnotevil:
 
Well at least this movie was best at something.
It had the best opening in history of anime... no actually in history of any show/movie whatever. If it wasn't for Sign games too. Brilliant video and song, especially song.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Truder said:
the only problem i have with it is the breakneck pace it goes at. character development is lacking but im sure that subs would help.
Are subtitles going to fix these problems?

SuperVegetto said:
Well at least this movie was best at something.
It had the best opening in history of anime... no actually in history of any show/movie whatever. If it wasn't for Sign games too. Brilliant video and music, especially music.
You mean the opening credits, with Aria? Were they really that spectacular?
 
SuperVegetto said:
And for those who feel sad about Miura and think the mysterious smile wasn't of joy, here's something that might make you feel better about him. I too want to make a manga or at least a novel and definitely want an anime of my story a lot, and if someone made fillers of it, I'd really like to see it, it would be extremely interesting, how they understand my characters and all. There's 33.33% chance that Miura feels the same. Just saying that the mysterious smile wasn't necessarily of anger or sadness. Miura even asked them to do Black Swordsman arc

Wait, what? Dude, what in god's name are you talking about? How did you calculate that bogus percentage? Here's a little something for you: you're 100% talking out of your ass.

Someone making fillers? What? So, take my story and inject it with stupid shit. Yeah, super interesting...that you think that's 'extremely interesting'.

People are just fucking deluded. This anime has really reminded me of that.



I'm going to have someone who speaks native Japanese AND has no clue about Berserk watch this movie and then record them telling me just WHAT the movie was about. Expect a brutally honest, thick accented, probably lackluster review of the Berserk Anime. :daiba:
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
SuperVegetto said:
It had the best opening in history of anime... no actually in history of any show/movie whatever.

Don't get carried away. Ghost in the Shell's opening blows it to smithereens and that's a movie from 1995.

Truder said:
Probably not, but I don't hate this movie as much as some of you.

Well as long as you do hate it a little bit you're okay in my book. :iva: I can't muster that much hatred for it myself, mostly just contempt and disgust.
 
Proj2501 said:
Wait, what? Dude, what in god's name are you talking about? How did you calculate that bogus percentage? Here's a little something for you: you're 100% talking out of your ass.

Someone making fillers? What? So, take my story and inject it with stupid shit. Yeah, super interesting...that you think that's 'extremely interesting'.

People are just fucking deluded. This anime has really reminded me of that.



I'm going to have someone who speaks native Japanese AND has no clue about Berserk watch this movie and then record them telling me just WHAT the movie was about. Expect a brutally honest, thick accented, probably lackluster review of the Berserk Anime. :daiba:

33% is 1/3

He either feels mad/sad/dissappointed about it, feels just like me (interested) or doesn't mind/has a neutral view


@Aaz, I just watched that, the opening credits ( if that's what you're talking about of course )

It's not as good as Berserk movie opening not even close. The music is kinda good though.
But short Aria + those scenes = epicness and badassery of highest level
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
SuperVegetto said:
33% is 1/3

No shit, are you a math major or something? You're still pulling those numbers out of your ass though, so do us all a favor and don't attempt to defend them. Thanks in advance.

SuperVegetto said:
@Aaz, I just watched that, the opening credits ( if that's what you're talking about of course )

It's not as good as Berserk movie opening not even close. The music is kinda good though.
But short Aria + those scenes = epicness and badassery of highest level

Yeah, right. Go on believing bro, as long as it helps you get through the day that's all that matters. Hell, even Saint Seiya's opening beats this, and it's a TV show from the eighties. I can tell that you've lost perspective on this and it's fine because that's also what being a fan means, but you have to realize that wooden CG scenes intertwingled with still images from the manga don't make this a contestant for the "best opening of all times". And just so you know, I do like that opening a lot. You just need to rein in the superlatives a little bit.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Aazealh said:
Don't get carried away. Ghost in the Shell's opening blows it to smithereens and that's a movie from 1995.

Damn straight!

By the time I actually watched the Berserk movie, the intro didn't do much for me anymore. I'd seen it a few times, since it follows the 10 min. clip posted a while back, so I was probably habituated to it a bit, but it's really not that great. The best part of Aria, which is the chorus IMHO, isn't even used.

I'm glad you like it, but I don't feel the same way about it at all.
 
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