Guts' face: graphic evolution and variations

Curious, what does everyone think about the Gutz character's ethnicity setup, does he look more western/eastern/neutral?
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
anon said:
Curious, what does everyone think about the Guts character's ethnicity setup, does he look more western/eastern/neutral?

In terms of physical appearance, he has a typical "European" look, that much is easy to tell.
 
Ya, Guts is defiantely a European look... with the square face, large musclar body and all, and I think it is natural to see his face/apperance changing overtime.
 

Pistol

black heart with brown eyes
Well Guts is based off a real man... According to the ever true (haha yeah I know) Wikipedia he's based off of a German warman who had a metal arm and was...fearsome.
 

Uriel

This journey isn't ov--AARGH!
Pro tip: Take Wikipedia with a huge chunk of salt.

There is some truth in the connection, but I think I remember Miura saying it was just a coiinky-dink.
 
Pistol said:
Well Guts is based off a real man... According to the ever true (haha yeah I know) Wikipedia he's based off of a German warman who had a metal arm and was...fearsome.
Yes I heard the same thing but in reverse. I read that after Berserk was created Miura found out about this German guy (götz von berlichngen) and was surprised himself by this coincidental similarity. He came up with the name Guts because he felt that it sounded hard and kinda German. He also said that he based Guts' general look on Rutger Hauer and his body on Evander Holyfield.
I'm not sure how 100% this all is but maybe it's one of those crazy coincidences eh?
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Pistol said:
Well Guts is based off a real man

Nope.

Pistol said:
According to the ever true (haha yeah I know) Wikipedia

Hahaha indeed. Really, I don't recommend you to go to Wikipedia for Berserk-related information. Their article's a mess and has been so for years. But actually, in this particular case Wikipedia is correct in that it specifically states that Guts was created independently. Meaning that you didn't even bother to check the article before posting.

TriFrog said:
Yes I heard the same thing but in reverse. I read that after Berserk was created Miura found out about this German guy (götz von berlichngen) and was surprised himself by this coincidental similarity.

Yes.

Here's what he said about it: "Well, it's funny that you mentioned it, but l've heard about this knight who helped a peasant revolution in Germany and the knight's name was Goetz. And he had an iron artificial arm. When I found out about it, I thought it was a strange coincidence. I don't know if he shot arrows from it. It was especially uncanny because I had already started Berserk."

There's no actual connexion between the two.

TriFrog said:
He came up with the name Guts because he felt that it sounded hard and kinda German.

Yeah, but the primary reason is because Berserk was originally supposed to be a shônen manga, so he chose to name the character after the English word "guts" for that reason (the equivalent of "根性" in Japanese; think of it as like in the expression "to have guts"). He also liked the way the word sounded so that sealed the deal.

TriFrog said:
He also said that he based Guts' general look on Rutger Hauer and his body on Evander Holyfield.

Uhh no. Evander Holyfield? Where did you get this idea from? I think you're confused about what he says in the interview that was published in the Illustrations File. Answering a question about how the then-recent Tyson-Holyfield match influenced him, he says that he now (at the time) uses Holyfield's body as a reference when drawing muscles in general. He doesn't mention Guts in particular, and it's following a match that took place in May 1996, years after Guts' creation. Besides, for all we know, he could have switched to many other references since then.

The quote you're thinking of is this: "I wasn't really thinking of anybody at the time I created Guts. But if you're only talking about his looks and not about his personality then I guess Rutger Hauer was the model."

But then again, before in the interview he replies to: Is there anybody in particular that you used as a model for Guts? by:

"Well, Guts' friends in the Band of Hawk are actually based on my friends from college. But there wasn't anybody in particular for Guts and Griffith."

Anyway, I don't understand what this has to do with this thread at all. Pistol, please don't revive threads that are 3 years old if you're just going to post off-topic comments (more so if your comments are incorrect). And to all members in general, please try to make sure an information is correct before posting it. Otherwise it only ends up confusing others.
 
Nice gathering Aazealh, Miura gave Guts face many changes, I don't prefer the last face (vol 32-33) because of the white lock.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Drakull said:
I don't prefer the last face (vol 32-33) because of the white lock.

Ok, but he's had that white streak in his hair since volume 27, you know. Back when I made that thread volume 29 wasn't even out yet.
 

slayer81

Legendary pimp, slayer of evils
yota821 said:
It shows a very subtle change from openly expressing defiance and intimidation to a more resolved and calmer inner confidence. Simply awesome. :miura: is the master.

Agreed, in the earlier volumes, he displayed that expression of youthful rebellousness and recklessness. Now, he just exudes that confidence like, "Yeah, I'm the man. I got this." :guts:
 

Okin

The Ultimate Battle Creature
slayer81 said:
Agreed, in the earlier volumes, he displayed that expression of youthful rebellousness and recklessness. Now, he just exudes that confidence like, "Yeah, I'm the man. I got this." :guts:

I never thought of that before! But, he's certainly lost that image of an adventurous youth. Maybe, its just subdued now that he's surrounded by younger people. No, he certainly appears and acts older now. Opening up and relinquishing the rage he'd been living on as the Black Swordsman is analogous to a youth becoming more rational and peaceful as he matures and settles down perhaps?
 

slayer81

Legendary pimp, slayer of evils
Okin said:
I never thought of that before! But, he's certainly lost that image of an adventurous youth. Maybe, its just subdued now that he's surrounded by younger people. No, he certainly appears and acts older now. Opening up and relinquishing the rage he'd been living on as the Black Swordsman is analogous to a youth becoming more rational and peaceful as he matures and settles down perhaps?
Very possible, although, his "demons" are far from being beaten. He looks so solemn now, war weary, even. You can definitely see the years of carnage written on his face now.
 

KazigluBey

Misanthrōpos
His face looks to be maturing throughout the volumes, and I doubt its just a coincidence. Not to mention that drawing this Manga for so long has sharpened his skill and this is how he sees Guts presently. The look has improved over time.
 
In the latest image you posted, he looks as though he is in his mid-30s. Is this true or is it the strain of the armour taking its toll on his appearance?
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Oblivious said:
In the latest image you posted, he looks as though he is in his mid-30s. Is this true or is it the strain of the armour taking its toll on his appearance?
Guts is not in his mid-30s. He is roughly 22-23 years old.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Oblivious said:
Ah, thanks for clearing that up. So is it the battles and stress which is making him look much older?
That and the armor wearing down his body, yes. This is all pretty explicitly stated throughout the past few volumes. In particular Ep 237.
 
I love muira's style. It impresses me that guts retains his battle scars as you flip pages ... you don't get that kind of consistency very often.
 
I love that you can see the stress and battle scar work on his face. Kinda funny that after everything he's been through he still has a nice full smile.
 

HeavyWeather

Heavy Rainfall Activated
CnC said:
I'd say its pretty damn consistent for an subtly aging character.

This. I've always admired that about Miura's depictions of his characters. How many other people do this at all, and make it seem like events over a period of years has only happened in a matter of days or weeks?

Also, he got manlier. Hell yeah.


Edit: On ethnicity: very clearly European.
 

Vampire_Hunter_Bob

Cats are great
Oblivious said:
I wonder if he'll ever grow a beard, I mean, you never see him with a facial hair.
gutsfacialhair.jpg
 
On the Caska tip: I kinda miss her eyebrows from the first dozen or so volumes. Thought they were pretty cute!

On the beard tip: I've struggled with this in my own story, I'd like to have my main character grow a beard when he gets older, but I always feel like if your character doesn't start off with a beard, giving him one diminishes his icon. (Odd choice of words, but I think you can get what I'm saying) Sometimes beards are just relegated to background characters...and SUPREME EMPEROR DEMONS.
 
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