Berserk GA Arc Appreciation Thread

[DasBouf]

I see a lot of the hate for the movies here, and I can understand why, content was cut and a lot of the action that should have been hand drawn was CG. However, despite these things I came out of the movies mostly positive and I really enjoyed them as adaptations, despite their flaws. So I decided we should have a thread dedicated to saying nice things about the films, even if you overall weren't impressed or flat out hated them. I think it's good to maintain a positive outlook. (No backhanded compliments either. That doesn't count  )

I think one of my favorite things about the movies is the inclusion of Silat. Silat is one of my my favorite characters in the manga and I was very disappointed to see him cut from the 97 anime. His inclusion in the movie was a lot more menacing than it was in the manga, but to see him at all was awesome. Especially since his fight scene was maybe the best animated thing in that movie.

So, what's one positive thing you have to say about the movies regardless of your opinion on them?
 

[Lawliet]

While the films do not even come close to doing Berserk justice, I do have some good things to say about them.

I first read Berserk in 2010 and I was younger then and (to my shame) the series scared me away. Five years later, I saw the first movie on Netflix and that pretty much made me decide to read the manga.

And now, Kentaro Miura is is one of my all time admired authors (and my most admired of our time). So yeah, thanks, movies 

Also, I loved Susumu Hirasawa's Aria. I'm obsessed with this track. Really enjoyed the other tracks too even though they were misused at times.

[ApostleBob]

I absolutely love the opening castle siege.  It sets the tone of the world really well.  THat and I think the Eclipse is mostly done brilliantly (some small exceptions with Guts breaking through Femto's powers. That was horse shit)

[Delta Phi]

I actually like a lot of the music (even Blood and Guts--just not the libretto, ugh). I just think most of the cues were misplaced. A lot of the music can stand alone without the scenes, and that's probably a lot of what was wrong with the soundtrack, but otherwise, I find the actual music quite well done, more or less.

[Aazealh]

I decided we should have a thread dedicated to saying nice things about the films, even if you overall weren't impressed or flat out hated them.

I don't see the point of saying niceties about something you hate.

[DasBouf]

I don't see the point of saying niceties about something you hate.

Come on Aaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUhlRoBL8M

[Skeleton]

Studio 4°C didn't murder anyone while making the movies.  So there's that.

[DasBouf]

Studio 4°C didn't murder anyone while making the movies.  So there's that.

(No backhanded compliments either. That doesn't count  )

[Walter]

I don't see the point of saying niceties about something you hate.

I don't have a problem with it, necessarily. While I've made my opinions overall known across several places in this forum and in podcasts, I've also spoken up for things I think went over well.

Two come to mind for me: the tension in the sequence before Doldrey begins. There was some great suspense between the visuals and the music. And we're shown pebbles vibrating to the force of horse hooves. Was a cool moment. In spite of everything else they fucked up, I remember thinking that scene was what I had expected from a film adaptation of Berserk, but the cinematic potential wasn't often utilized to great effect.

The other comes from a few details about the Skull Knight's scene with Guts about the coming Eclipse. It's placement is ridiculous, and I hate how they truncated it and joined it with Guts and Casca's scene... but in spite of that, SK is not an easy character to portray, and I'm not an easy audience, but I liked his presence in that scene. While I think there should have been more audio effects to the voice ( it should sound like it emanates from the armor, or at least from a faraway place. Not a natural sound with added smoker's lung), I liked the overall tone of SK's voice actor.  Furthermore, the soundtrack in that scene is great, though part of my fascination with it is because it resonates with ideas for a theme for SK I've had in my head for years. A dangerous, slow, brooding atmosphere around a tragic melody played in the background. The vibrating metal instrumentation makes the whole thing sounds distorted by time.

I think that's about it for those movies.

[Aazealh]

Come on Aaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUhlRoBL8M

Well just so it's clear, I don't even hate those movies myself (would take too much dedication), but I still don't see the point as you laid it out in the original post. As for good things to say about them, nothing comes to mind right now.

[buttonmasher]

Just read your own thread again - http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=14980.msg240127#msg240127

Do you think the movies adequately convey the relationship between Guts and Griffith? 

These movies are nearly universally reviled on this forum because they do more harm than good.  There's a long list of botched scenes and concepts that misrepresent the series to new viewers.  A great many of us had been waiting 10+ years for a worthy animated adaption of the entire series and Studio 4c gave us this.  Would have been better off leaving it alone and waiting for someone who understands the nuances of the series to take the lead.

Having said that,  the best thing about the movies is how they have seemingly forced Miura's hand and he now has a more control of the adaptation going forward.  Well done 4c! 

[DasBouf]

Just read your own thread again - http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=14980.msg240127#msg240127

Do you think the movies adequately convey the relationship between Guts and Griffith? 

No lol
I think that they're just fluff, fun adaptations of Berserk. If I want the manga, I'll read the manga. People have too high expectations when it comes to adaptations and I think that's where their distaste for them comes. I always go in expecting little, and come out more than happy.

I don't need the nuance of the manga in an adaptation. I already have the manga.

Another edit: I don't love these movies. I enjoy them, but on their own they're 3 star movies, and as adaptations 2 star movies. They needed about an hour more time each, and way more budget to be a halfway decent Berserk adaptation. I just believe that they are hated more than they deserve and need a little love. After all they exist for us, the Berserk community, and too many words are dedicated against them in my opinion.


EDIT: I'd like to clarify some as this was the first thing I saw and then wrote when I woke up.
When it comes to adaptations, I always expect nothing, and I think rightfully so. People go into adaptations expecting it to be a perfect re telling of their favorite story which it never is. The only adaptation I've ever seen that I believe surpassed it's source material is Under the Skin, and it was a very different story than the book it was based on.

What I'm trying to say is, I don't particularly care if an adaptation has all the subtleties and story arcs in the manga. I just want to see Guts swing his sword on screen. I already have the manga, and I can fill in the gaps on my own, because I've read it.

[ApostleBob]

As an adaptation, I tried to make it more faithful with a fanedit of both the movies and the original anime blended. It's called Berserk Redux.

Here's the trailer
https://vimeo.com/album/2610343/video/118679440

You can find it online with some persistence.

[DasBouf]

As an adaptation, I tried to make it more faithful with a fanedit of both the movies and the original anime blended. It's called Berserk Redux.

Here's the trailer
https://vimeo.com/album/2610343/video/118679440

You can find it online with some persistence.

I've heard of Berserk Redux, and have been meaning to check it out. I'll try to find it when I get home. Thank you for making this!

[ApostleBob]

I've heard of Berserk Redux, and have been meaning to check it out. I'll try to find it when I get home. Thank you for making this!

It was fun and really satisfying.  It helped that each adaptation covered parts that the other missed. And both have the same voice actors.

[buttonmasher]

I have seen the Redux links around for a long time but never took the time to sit down and check it out.  The trailer is great, I'll definitely be watching soon. 

Almost all of my posts are about the animations.  I might seem overly critical, but Berserk deserves a full and faithful adaption.

I don't need the nuance of the manga in an adaptation. I already have the manga.

I understand that sentiment but this is a work that deserves a larger audicence than a niche manga reading sector of the world.  I just want this masterwork to be seen and appreciated by as many folks as possible and it doesn't do anyone any favors to have the adapations miss the mark.  Think of all the Song of Ice and Fire fans HBO has created.  I'm willing to bet 75% of their audience have not/would not ever read the series.  People will love Berserk if they have a chance to see it and I think that is a win for everybody. 

[Oburi]

Another edit: I don't love these movies. I enjoy them, but on their own they're 3 star movies, and as adaptations 2 star movies.

Out of how many stars? 100?

I've only seen the first movie, and it didn't really leave a lasting impression, but I thought the opening siege was good. Mainly because it was the only thing they really expanded upon in a good way. I was really enjoying that opening battle sequence because it looked like they were going to add more of what they could to what they were adapting. But as soon as the dialog started and the characters started talking, with the Bazuso scene, it all went out the window because I could tell that the characters weren't the same characters from the manga. But yea everything up until then was good.

[DasBouf]

I understand that sentiment but this is a work that deserves a larger audicence than a niche manga reading sector of the world.  I just want this masterwork to be seen and appreciated by as many folks as possible and it doesn't do anyone any favors to have the adapations miss the mark.  Think of all the Song of Ice and Fire fans HBO has created.  I'm willing to bet 75% of their audience have not/would not ever read the series.  People will love Berserk if they have a chance to see it and I think that is a win for everybody.

Actually I think it's interesting you make this comparison as Game of Thrones is the reason I stopped having expectations for adaptations. I've been a fan of the books for years now, and when I finally got around to watching the show I was hugely disappointed. I dropped it after season 3 because I realized that they had messed it up so much (in my opinion of course) that I was happy that the Red Wedding came. Not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't reached that point, but I was happy to see that character go, because he became an annoying presence that was killing my enjoyment.
I've used the Berserk movies to introduce a couple friends to the series and they've really enjoyed them and started reading the manga.

I hope this didn't come across as rude, as that was not my intent.

[buttonmasher]

The first season is an excellent adaptation of Game of Thrones.  That's what hooked everyone and generated megatons of new fans.  Think of the book sales that have been generated as a result of the quality of the first few seasons.  Same exact thing could be said about The Walking Dead.   There are many people dismissive of animated works but Berserk can easily transcend the medium.   If a faithful Berserk adaptation is brought to life it will rock the world of animation and generate tons of new fans and hopefully lead to the saga being adapted to its conclusion. 

That's why I don't like these movies, they are a black mark on the series. 

Edit:  I appreciate you trying to find the silver lining.  Not knocking that.

[Henry Spencer]

A nice new song from Susumu Hirasawa.

That's it for me.

[residentgrigo]

Aria and Ai are good songs. A lot of the assassination sequence was well done. The backgrounds actually looked nice, unlike the 97 ones. I liked how the nature landscapes were colored.
Parts of the soundtrack were well done and the Bleach (not a fan) musician can make good musician, if he receives direction. The opening siege sequence could have worked. Wait i need to be positive...
Griffithīs trippy transformation was interesting, if highly questionable. Bandaged Guts looked nice. The 2D animation had itīs moments, so did the sword play. The films helped to advertise the manga and the 1st entry can work as an appetizer for fresh eyes to inventive the manga. The 3 podcasts specials were very funny, especially the last. Yeah thatīs it! I am capable of making fun of film 1/2 (i despise the 3rd) which i canīt say about the new show.
I didnīt joke when i said that Berserk 2016  robbed me sleep. What i will positively remember the trilogy for is lastly this music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8NDDzEeNAI
It has passion in the way the films never did.

[volatilecurry]

I really hated the movies when I first saw them. Episode 1 of Berserk 2016 has given me a new appreciation for them though... I still maintain that the first movie was a rushed mess and the other two cut too much and still had ugly CG. But movies 2 and 3 still felt cinematic and were more enjoyable to watch. I do really like the introduction to all the God Hand members in movie 3. I thought that scene was really cool and definitely outshines '97 anime. The 2D animation also looks really nice.