Dark Horse Releasing Berserk Guidebook

[Sareth]

https://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/2590/kentaro-miuras-epic-tale-gains-official-guidebook

[jackson_hurley]

Well I'm glad I'll be able to read that in English! Thanx for the heads up Sareth! 

[Walter]

Good on DH for releasing supplementary materials like this. I wonder why they never did the same for the Illustrations Guide? I guess it helps that the printing format of the guidebook is the same as the manga, whereas artbooks are a different beast entirely...

Either way, this means we'll get an official translation of the huge Miura interview, which is awesome. Having the rest of the guidebook translated, well, it's kind of hard to get excited for it, since I already own the Japanese one.

[jackson_hurley]

Good on DH for releasing supplementary materials like this. I wonder why they never did the same for the Illustrations Guide? I guess it helps that the printing format of the guidebook is the same as the manga, whereas artbooks are a different beast entirely...

Either way, this means we'll get an official translation of the huge Miura interview, which is awesome. Having the rest of the guidebook translated, well, it's kind of hard to get excited for it, since I already own the Japanese one.

Indeed, I have been wondering why they never bothered to make an English version of the artbook(s) (can't renenber if their is more then one for I have only one in french). Maybe they don't have the rights to make them?

As for the rest of the guidebook, I'm happy about it because I've refrain from buying the Japanese version because I cannot read it. I know some of the info seems to come from out of nowhere (ages and stuff like that. Correct me if I'm wrong though).

It'll be a nice addition to my collection.

One question though, are the romanized names in the book considered the real spelling for the characters? I know it has been discussed in the guide book thread at some point but not sure at 100% about it.

[Kaladin]

Indeed, I have been wondering why they never bothered to make an English version of the artbook(s) (can't renenber if their is more then one for I have only one in french). Maybe they don't have the rights to make them?

It's probably not a rights issue, it's expensive to produce and they probably didn't think there was enough demand. DH won't take risks like that, the french manga market seems much larger than the north american market in general, they have a lot more series localized than we do here.

[Walter]

Indeed, I have been wondering why they never bothered to make an English version of the artbook(s) (can't renenber if their is more then one for I have only one in french). Maybe they don't have the rights to make them?

Well they released the illustrations guide in other countries, so I don't see why the US would have any more trouble than them. It's probably merely a business decision on DH's part. They've explained a few times how they're very risk-averse when it comes to Berserk, ordering reprints of only hundreds of volumes at a time so they won't overshoot demand (vol 33-34 are currently sold out, btw), which is why I was surprised to see them localize this particular book.

One question though, are the romanized names in the book considered the real spelling for the characters? I know it has been discussed in the guide book thread at some point but not sure at 100% about it.

Yes, some of us had problems with a few of the name spellings (Mozguz / Burkilaka / Gurunberd, to name a few). As always, even spellings from official sources have to be questioned, because there's a language barrier. For what it's worth, the spellings in the character guide section of volumes has been on point for years. Then the guidebook came and raised more questions.

[iguana]

Is it true that the Illustrations File Artbook was never tranlated in English? I found it in French, German (my language), italian and jpanese of course but not in english. Kinda funny cause normally it's the other way around. 

Just happy that the Guidebook will be translated now...

[jackson_hurley]

Yes, some of us had problems with a few of the name spellings (Mozguz / Burkilaka / Gurunberd, to name a few). As always, even spellings from official sources have to be questioned, because there's a language barrier. For what it's worth, the spellings in the character guide section of volumes has been on point for years. Then the guidebook came and raised more questions.

Ah yeah, now I remember the little controversy of the guide book. Anyways, i take most of the names here because I trust you guys with thse things. I'm just glad that I'll be able to have the guide at home.

It's weird though that there is a difference in the guide book vs the character guide in the regular volumes.

Thank you for clarifying that for me.

[Zurth]

Neat to be able to read the interview at my leisure, I own the Japanese one as well so as Walter said, rest is pretty meh.

By the way, what is this illustrations guide you guys are talking about? Don't think I've ever heard about it.

[Walter]

Neat to be able to read the interview at my leisure, I own the Japanese one as well so as Walter said, rest is pretty meh.

By the way, what is this illustrations guide you guys are talking about? Don't think I've ever heard about it.

It's an artbook (the only real one for Berserk) released in 1997, featuring a long in-depth interview with Miura. The translation for it is here, thanks to Puella and our Patreon backers.

[iguana]

Wasn't it right that it is "Berserk Illustrations File"?  It was translated in different languages (French,German,Italian I know) and they've got different covers or not?

[Zurth]

It's an artbook (the only real one for Berserk) released in 1997, featuring a long in-depth interview with Miura. The translation for it is here, thanks to Puella and our Patreon backers.

Ahh how silly, I have it in my bookshelf. Never known it by that name though! Thank you.

[puppet12ca]

looks like the release date has been moved to June 5th in Canada and May 23rd in the US

[NCHaskew]

Yes, some of us had problems with a few of the name spellings (Mozguz / Burkilaka / Gurunberd, to name a few). As always, even spellings from official sources have to be questioned, because there's a language barrier. For what it's worth, the spellings in the character guide section of volumes has been on point for years. Then the guidebook came and raised more questions.

Yeah, this guidebook will be really helpful for that. I'm working on a Berserk project now, and it's really confusing to look up obscure information on the Wiki and find it's different from the DH translation (Magnifico vs. Magnifico, Iith vs. Ys, etc.)
I also wonder if they'll include pronunciation. I know there's a bit of a split over whether Isidro is Ee-See-Dro or Izzy-doro. Hopefully this clears it up a bit.

[Aazealh]

Yeah, this guidebook will be really helpful for that. I'm working on a Berserk project now, and it's really confusing to look up obscure information on the Wiki and find it's different from the DH translation (Magnifico vs. Magnifico, Iith vs. Ys, etc.)

Maybe you should look it up in a place where people actually know what they're talking about.
(I mean here on this forum)

It's Magnifico and Ys.

I also wonder if they'll include pronunciation. I know there's a bit of a split over whether Isidro is Ee-See-Dro or Izzy-doro. Hopefully this clears it up a bit.

It's "Ee-see-dro". Like in Spanish. There is actually no split at all on any of the issues you've mentioned. That is, again, if you ask people who know what they're talking about.

[Walter]

I'm working on a Berserk project now, and it's really confusing to look up obscure information on the Wiki and find it's different from the DH translation (Magnifico vs. Magnifico, Iith vs. Ys, etc.)

You should really stop using that wiki. 

[NCHaskew]

Maybe you should look it up in a place where people actually know what they're talking about.
(I mean here on this forum)

It's Magnifico and Ys.

See, that's what the wiki says--but the Dark Horse translation has it as Magnifico and Iith xD then again, they kinda started the whole Band of the Hawk/Falcon and Beherit/Beherit issues...

It's "Ee-see-dro". Like in Spanish. There is actually no split at all on any of the issues you've mentioned. That is, again, if you ask people who know what they're talking about.

Ok good, that's how I say it! That's another one of the many reasons why I hate the English dub of Berserk 2016--they go Izzy-doro, I would assume because of the Greek "Isidore." But it just feels all wrong 

You should really stop using that wiki. 

You're not wrong xD I tried cleaning up some of the pages, but even just fixing the grammar is a monumental task, let alone fact-checking. It saddens me that Berserk doesn't have a nice wiki, but I guess the actual die-hard fans are all here instead.

[Walter]

looks like the release date has been moved to June 5th in Canada and May 23rd in the US

Amazon says June 8 now. You can preorder it for about $10: https://www.amazon.com/Berserk-Official-Guidebook-Kentaro-Miura/dp/1506707068/

[puppet12ca]

the release date now appears to be august 7th in Canada at least https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/berserk-official-guidebook/9781506707068-item.html?ikwid=berserk&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=2

[Khalamir]

It says August 29 on Dark horse's website: https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/3001-610/Berserk-Official-Guidebook-TPB

Looks like it's been delayed a third time.

[Walter]

Release date is shown as Sept 19 now, which constitutes the fourth delay.

[NCHaskew]

Release date is shown as Sept 19 now, which constitutes the fourth delay.

Maybe they want to roughly evenly space out their releases? We'll get this sometime hopefully before the end of the year, the Grunbeld novel a few months after, then Volume 40 a few months after that? I don't know. Would be nice if DH actually treated Berserk like their best-selling series.

[Keratos]

We'll get this sometime hopefully before the end of the year, the Grunbeld novel a few months after, then Volume 40 a few months after that?

I really want them to translate Vol 40 as fast as possible but seeing how late they were with the Guidebook and Volume 39 compared to when they came out in Japan.. i doubt it, we'll probably get Volume 40 late 2019 or early 2020...

[MrFlibble]

Lot of time to wait for Grunbeld's energy levels.

[Walter]

The guidebook from Dark Horse has been spotted on store shelves in the US, and will be shipped to Amazon pre-orders in early Oct.