Berserk: The Flame Dragon Knight novel

[Menosgade]

LONG AGO, IN A NORTHERN COUNTRY... THERE WAS A BOY WITH BRIGHT RED HAIR.

Well they wanted to make an intimidating Grunbeld. They did, he's ugly af.
But definitively not as good as a decent animation, non-pastel textures and proper illumination would do.

Ps. Now I noticed that instead of making a more consistent overall look, they use these ugly pastel textures for skin and also attempt to give a realistic look to metal. Look how completely different his neck armour is from his face. At least it seems consistent with the background.

Well, the fact that it is a relatively minor character like Grunbeld, more famous for his position and outsized appearance than anything intrinsically interesting about him (I mean, his fight with Guts confirmed he's kind of a bore), rather than like fucking Zodd, who Miura clearly has a lot invested in, or even someone like Rakshas who has personality galore, gives me relief that this is just some side crap Miura didn't care much about anyway. Otherwise I don't think Miura would have ceded the real estate if he intended to use it. I don't think all Apostles, especially now, need to get an arc. There isn't going to be a Grunbeld chapter focusing on an extended confrontation between him and Guts and their personalities (he had his moment). I think he's closer to cannon fodder than main attraction in the battles to come.

I think that's an unfair statement. Zodd appears much earlier in the story, basically all of Griffith's relevant apostles are new, except the obvious Zodd. That fight shows clearly Grunbeld's attitude as a honourful and loyal warrior towards his master. I had a lot of fun with that fight, it was very good to introduce the Berserk Armour and show how Guts could tear apart a top apostle if in control of the armour.

[Griffith]

To clarify, I'm not saying Grunbeld's contributions, particularly that fight, have been boring, but that he comes off as a prideful knight and not much more, and unfortunately the best case scenario in light of this novelization is that he stays that way and is somewhat expendable, otherwise...

Anyway, just another fun way this book can color one's perceptions!

[MrFlibble]

Are you saying that if they were going to do Zodd, they'd have started with him because he's a more popular character? That's not very convincing. They probably don't have every step of this novel plan scripted out. The decision to do Grunbeld first may have been opportunistic. Perhaps Fukami had an idea about Grunbeld's past, because he was the one in charge of the anime script, and he decided to embark on this novel project. Even at this early stage, I think there's a very real possibility of novels for many other characters, including Zodd.

Maybe, but I have a more cynical idea of what transpired, some publishing company that likes money probably approached Miura about spin off novels,  or  may have been suggested because of their popularity, Miura refuses because he doesn't want major spoilers revealed, and they had to settle with a Grunbeld spin off.

Let's use a time machine and go back 2 weeks. I find your house and kick down your door and tell you: MARTY!!!!!! Instead of being revealed in the pages of the manga, Grunbeld's backstory would come to light in a novel NOT written by Kentarou Miura, used as a marketing arm to promote the series in the wake of the new anime?

Sounds crazy, right? Who would think that's okay? Well, it's happening, and now there's precedent.

For a jobber henchman sure, but for someone like Zodd, a popular character that has been shrouded in mystery since the beginning, it's harder to believe Miura would reveal his back story.

We already have small clues hinting to why the elite war demons became apostles, but we don't know anything about Zodd's life before he became an apostle, or how far his relationship with    goes. I guess my point is Miura has more to lose by spoiling Zodd's past. 

So you won't mind if it's just plain mediocre? Hard for me to understand that attitude.

Sword of Beserk was mediocre, but I still enjoy it, I find the SG arc mediocre, but I still like it, I'd prefer if the novel was great, but I'll be glad to get anything.

[Griffith]

Sword of Beserk was mediocre, but I still enjoy it, I find the SG arc mediocre, but I still like it, I'd prefer if the novel was great, but I'll be glad to get anything.

Sword of Berserk was very good at the time and its story has aged well, especially recently, and I think any awkwardness at that time was due to the localization and it taking place in a future context (and what's the "SG arc?" If it's the Sea God that's not an arc, but a relatively small part of the current one). Anyway, I don't get being glad to get anything, good or bad. I'd rather wait for something good or not waste the opportunity (like what's happened with the second rate anime). I'm pretty sure we'd all be thrilled if Miura was writing a novel, Berserk or not, but what do I care if this guy writes a Berserk fanfic?

[Aazealh]

Maybe, but I have a more cynical idea of what transpired, some publishing company that likes money probably approached Miura about spin off novels,  or  may have been suggested because of their popularity, Miura refuses because he doesn't want major spoilers revealed, and they had to settle with a Grunbeld spin off.

Same as before: you're just guessing. The book is being published by Young Animal Comics.

Sword of Beserk was mediocre

I'll have to disagree with that. Back when it was released (1999) it had some very nice graphics, and its soundtrack was pretty damn good as well. Its story is also both solid as a standalone product while remaining 100% faithful to the manga. So much so that it actually hinted at plot developments years before they took place. It's not without faults if you take it in a vacuum, especially with regards to the gameplay, but as a Berserk game it's the best we've had and most likely the best we'll ever get.

I find the SG arc mediocre, but I still like it

There's no "SG arc", like Griff said. And I somehow doubt I'd find the reasoning behind that opinion very convincing, but whatever.

[MrFlibble]

Same as before: you're just guessing. The book is being published by Young Animal Comics.

I know, which is why I used the words "I think" and "my opinion".

Sword of Berserk was very good at the time and its story has aged well, especially recently, and I think any awkwardness at that time was due to the localization and it taking place in a future context (and what's the "SG arc?" If it's the Sea God that's not an arc, but a relatively small part of the current one). Anyway, I don't get being glad to get anything, good or bad. I'd rather wait for something good or not waste the opportunity (like what's happened with the second rate anime). I'm pretty sure we'd all be thrilled if Miura was writing a novel, Berserk or not, but what do I care if this guy writes a Berserk fanfic?

I'm not rooting for it to be bad, but I'm not losing any sleep over Griffith's henchman's backstory pre sacrifice not being as good as it was in my imagination, it's fluff and it doesn't affect the main story. I don't think anything will be as bad as the anime, that cannot be enjoyed even on a superficial level.

I'll have to disagree with that. Back when it was released (1999) it had some very nice graphics, and its soundtrack was pretty damn good as well. Its story is also both solid as a standalone product while remaining 100% faithful to the manga. So much so that it actually hinted at plot developments years before they took place. It's not without faults if you take it in a vacuum, especially with regards to the gameplay, but as a Berserk game it's the best we've had and most likely the best we'll ever get.

Apart from the spoilers, I've got nothing against the story, I agree with a lot of your points, it's the execution that I didn't like.

There's no "SG arc", like Griff said. And I somehow doubt I'd find the reasoning behind that opinion very convincing, but whatever.

The Sea God story then, I'm used to calling it an arc. My complaints are the same as most of those who don't like the side story.

[Salem]

Apart from the spoilers, I've got nothing against the story, I agree with a lot of your points, it's the execution that I didn't like.

I'm gonna assume you played this sometime in the last few years.  I played it the year it came out and thought it was quite amazing, minus the save system.  I wouldn't dive into Berserk until years later.  Assuming you did play it now vs then, that's not a very fair statement considering we're talking the Sega Dreamcast and when many played it early 2000.

[Griffith]

it's fluff and it doesn't affect the main story.

I hope you're right, but I already see a cynical erosion of at least our perception in that regard...

The Sea God story then, I'm used to calling it an arc. My complaints are the same as most of those who don't like the side story.

This is what I'm talking about. I made the point because an "Arc" in Berserk is typically 80-100+ episodes, the exception being the Black Swordsman Arc, and this is important because that's a huge and varied amount of story that something like the Sea God is only a small part of (the beginning of the Elf Island Chapter of the Fantasia Arc) and shouldn't be compared to an Arc's worth of plotting.

More to the point, what part of it is a "side story" or what's side material in general? Is the assassination of Julius a side story? Is the entire Golden Age arc flashback a side story? By such rigid standards it's not strictly the Black Swordsman story we started with, resumed, and continue now (it sure enriches it though, huh =). So, aside from the fact that pretty much any part of Guts' adventures is by default the main story (whether he's fighting Zodd, a tree, or a Sea God), what in the relatively small Sea God portion is not of consequence? Guts' time on the ship developing relationships with his companions? Guts' continuing struggle with the beast armor and the appearance of the superior being/moonlight boy during the battle? Casca's and Guts' interactions in the above scenarios (!)? Isma's introduction to the main cast? A battle with an old god establishing this new world where Guts was pretty much going to sacrifice himself only to be saved by his reliable companions/family? Seems like a lot of things of significance throughout that small 20-some episode sampling, which also deals directly or indirectly with a Sea God, rather than a "side story." Feel free not to enjoy it (though you also said you liked it), but I wouldn't allow the dumb complaints of "most of those who don't like the side story" to represent your opinion, let alone curate what's objectively important or not in the series.

So yeah, I hope we're not too quick to write off anything we don't immediately think deeply on as fluff, or that fluff merchandise has us judging the whole series by such standards.

[Hitoshura]

A Books Kinokuniya poster shows the novel cover on the bottom right.

[Aazealh]

Thanks Hitoshura. The cover looks Ok to me, though it's hard to tell from such a tiny picture.

[jackson_hurley]

They seem to have put the horrible new edges on that too... The cover looks interesting though. Even though we can see it that much as Aaz inted out. Thx for posting that.

[Griffith]

Thanks Hitoshura. The cover looks Ok to me, though it's hard to tell from such a tiny picture.

They seem to have put the horrible new edges on that too... The cover looks interesting though. Even though we can see it that much as Aaz inted out. Thx for posting that.

The cover looks pretty cool, and is pretty cool since it's a full color painting of what, I assume, is what Grunbeld looked like when he was a human being. It would fit right in with the manga volumes too... which is exactly what I don't like about it. Too close for comfort. Like, is this supposed to be a canon part of the series? Is Berserk now a two author work? I certainly don't think so, but this will confuse the issue and blur the lines to more casual observers, which seems to be the aim.

Of course, considering that "put yourself in the world of Berserk" promotion, the covers don't seem to be sacrosanct anymore. My reaction to all this is pretty much the picture of that dude put on the cover of volume 39. ""

[Walter]

The inclusion of the borders strikes me as an attempt to lend this an air of legitimacy alongside the volumes, which is more than a little annoying.

The young Grunby cover is neat, and will probably remain the coolest part of this whole endeavor.

[jackson_hurley]

The young Grunby cover is neat, and will probably remain the coolest part of this whole endeavor.

You think we could order the cover only? 

[Kaladin]

Seems to be in the same boat as the guidebook, the cover is the best part and is enough reason to buy it.

[RaffoBaffo]

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOBK-2091535

[Griffith]

I think I'd rather buy a second copy of volume 38 to show my support instead.

[RaffoBaffo]

I think I'd rather buy a second copy of volume 38 to show my support instead.

Well, at this point:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOBK-2091534

[Mangetsu]

[Kaladin]

Grunbeld's Helmet looks soooooo badass 

[jackson_hurley]

I'm sooo tempted to get that damn book only for it's cover! But I think I'll refrain myself and got vol 39 only with the new episode. I wouldn't be able to read it anyway.

[Tabris]

As apprehensive of the light novel, I'm still pretty intrigued about it. At least the cover is cool if anything.

Also, volume 39 if there's any changes (pages removed, added, changed etc). Looks friggin beautiful though.

[Hitoshura]

Direct scan.

[Mangetsu]

Seems to be the first 2 pages of the novel http://www.younganimal.com/berserk/trial.html

One of the illustrations and a small description about the content in japanese

https://ddnavi.com/news/383536/a/

[Kaladin]

Nice Catch!

Young grunbeld is one sexy bastard.