Episode 285

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
jackson_hurley said:
I just thought about that because the break is long... unless Miura is working on a few episode at the same time..(could make sense to me)

When he takes breaks he usually works on the scenario for episodes to come, planning the development of the story, etc. It doesn't mean he's taking longer to draw because of action scenes or anything like that.

Walter said:
Then again, it could open with a battle, ala the end of ep 195, with the band facing nightly battles with ghosts again, if Casca's seal has begun to fade. I'm banking on exposition though, mostly because I want to know what Azan's been through.

Yeah I don't think we'll see a battle right away, and I doubt Casca's lost her collar yet.
 
Walter said:
Then again, it could open with a battle, ala the end of ep 195, with the band facing nightly battles with ghosts again

Would there be ghosts at sea? I mean, I know they can float and all that but... With the exception of a shipwreck here or there, wouldn't the ghost population be pretty low out in the middle of a sea? Or can the ghosts "follow" Guts and Casca during the day even if they aren't "physically" (in the sense that they can be seen and harm people) there?

I guess that's a pretty superficial question but if the area is clear of ghosts, it might give Guts and Casca the time they need to rest up without interference at night. *shrug* Might just be me being stupid. :p
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Captain Napalm said:
Would there be ghosts at sea? I mean, I know they can float and all that but... With the exception of a shipwreck here or there, wouldn't the ghost population be pretty low out in the middle of a sea? Or can the ghosts "follow" Guts and Casca during the day even if they aren't "physically" (in the sense that they can be seen and harm people) there?

I guess that's a pretty superficial question but if the area is clear of ghosts, it might give Guts and Casca the time they need to rest up without interference at night. *shrug* Might just be me being stupid. :p
I don't think ghosts are limited to where humans travel. They float through the air and would be drawn to the brand. The apostle that assaults Guts at Godot's place in volume 14 tracked Guts down from a great distance just on the sensation of the brand.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Captain Napalm said:
it might give Guts and Casca the time they need to rest up without interference at night.

They've been doing that for a while now, as both Casca's collar and the Berserk's Armor nullify (not sure if this is the best word to describe it) the brands' abilities to attract ghosts.
 

RealHarlekin

Me hungry!
jackson_hurley said:
Back on the topic or pre-topic of the upcoming episode: I hope/guess there might be some big action scenes since it's still a while before the new one is out. I bet Magnifico falls in the water and the crew has to find him in the sea?! or Maybe some sea monster action? any thought?

I already thought of this "sea monster action" as well. Although I expect it, I hope Miura will not stick with the obligatory Kraken encounter that has to take place, when a group of adventurers travels across the sea... One has just seen this too often. Some other monster would be okay, though. :carcus:
 

Forest Wraith

Evil is born when we lose power over ourselves.
Didn't Schierke mention something about the barrier between planes being thin in regards to the Sea? I'm under the impression that this Voyage is going to be equal parts Odyssey and Love-Boat.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Captain Napalm said:
wouldn't the ghost population be pretty low out in the middle of a sea?

I believe it would. However between shipwrecks, naval battles and good old scurvy, I'm sure there'd be enough around to bother the group for at least a few nights during their trip. But since again, I doubt Casca's collar (or the Guts' talisman) lost its potency yet, it's not likely to happen.

Captain Napalm said:
I guess that's a pretty superficial question but if the area is clear of ghosts, it might give Guts and Casca the time they need to rest up without interference at night.

Like others have mentioned, that wouldn't be counting on all the sea monsters and astral creatures, especially since the sea is strongly connected to the astral world. In the end it'll be up to Miura, the setting allows him to do whatever he wants. I don't think they'll be having adventures at sea for years to come though, they'll probably encounter a few "things" on the way but I don't see them reenacting the Odyssey.
 

BiQ_

" ... "
Captain Napalm said:
Would there be ghosts at sea? I mean, I know they can float and all that but... With the exception of a shipwreck here or there, wouldn't the ghost population be pretty low out in the middle of a sea? Or can the ghosts "follow" Guts and Casca during the day even if they aren't "physically" (in the sense that they can be seen and harm people) there?

I guess that's a pretty superficial question but if the area is clear of ghosts, it might give Guts and Casca the time they need to rest up without interference at night. *shrug* Might just be me being stupid. :p


GHOST SHIP STORYLINE KEKEKE :troll:

In all seriousness, I'd really like to know what has Azan been up to.
 

Okin

The Ultimate Battle Creature
This EPISODE just shows the kinda foresight a God Hand member has in planning out when to get Charlotte, when to contact the pope, and when to address the Kushans and the Holy Alliance. The only thing he didn't plan must have been the influence of Guts and his group, but with the little oracle's help that actually benefitted him. They really think and act on a higher level than humans. :void:

I really love how Miura cuts from the more personal adventures of Guts to the global effects the warring and catastrophes that God Hand and their apostles have caused. :miura:
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
Okin said:
This EPISODE just shows the kinda foresight a God Hand member has in planning out when to get Charlotte, when to contact the pope, and when to address the Kushans and the Holy Alliance. The only thing he didn't plan must have been the influence of Guts and his group, but with the little oracle's help that actually benefitted him. They really think and act on a higher level than humans. :void:

I really love how Miura cuts from the more personal adventures of Guts to the global effects the warring and catastrophes that God Hand and their apostles have caused. :miura:
Well, that is the true intent. Griffith knew he would not reach where he wanted to be by his conventional methods, regardless of how eficient the Hawks were. He needed higher help and the God Hand is basically evil god help. I'm actually a bit surprised it's taken him this long to get to where he is and that he'd have obstacles like the Kush to deal with.

As a side note, I'd love to see Skullknight start taking down some big characters soon. He's omitted too often, IMO.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
thorshammer said:
Griffith knew he would not reach where he wanted to be by his conventional methods, regardless of how eficient the Hawks were.
Well, yeah, that and he was skin and bones by the time he reached out to them.

I'm actually a bit surprised it's taken him this long to get to where he is and that he'd have obstacles like the Kush to deal with.
I think you're missing the big picture here. The Kushan war isn't really an obstacle, it's the crown on a silver platter. Griffith looks like the ultimate force of benevolence in contrast to Ganishka. The whole thing is a setup to help him gain power.

As a side note, I'd love to see Skullknight start taking down some big characters soon. He's omitted too often, IMO.
The term omission implies he was in scenes to begin with... I think Miura scatters his awesome scenes very carefully and well. If we saw SK every 3 episodes, the dramatic effect would get pretty lame, for one. Anwyay, I'm sure he has better things to do than give Guts a hand constantly.
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
Walter said:
Well, yeah, that and he was skin and bones by the time he reached out to them.
I think you're missing the big picture here. The Kushan war isn't really an obstacle, it's the crown on a silver platter. Griffith looks like the ultimate force of benevolence in contrast to Ganishka. The whole thing is a setup to help him gain power.
The term omission implies he was in scenes to begin with... I think Miura scatters his awesome scenes very carefully and well. If we saw SK every 3 episodes, the dramatic effect would get pretty lame, for one. Anwyay, I'm sure he has better things to do than give Guts a hand constantly.
I've got to learn to manipulate the quotes like that someday.

-He was skin and bones, but it was forshadowed he would even before that The princess, IMO, was what pushed him over the top.
-Yes, it's just taking a lot of time and that's not going to be an easy enemy to defeat. Not even for Grif.
-Yes, but when was the last time SK was in an episode and when was it he took down a monster enemy? I'd love to see a God Hand member get clipped soon...
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
thorshammer said:
I've got to learn to manipulate the quotes like that someday.
It's not hard. It's just [ quote ] without the spaces.

-Yes, it's just taking a lot of time and that's not going to be an easy enemy to defeat. Not even for Grif.
Oh, I dunno about that. I'll admit, Ganishka is very powerful, but you saw what happened when he was in the presence of Griff earlier. He's one of my favorite characters, but he's basically DOOMed.

-Yes, but when was the last time SK was in an episode and when was it he took down a monster enemy? I'd love to see a God Hand member get clipped soon...
237-238; 223; you're just being impatient. And "clipped" seems like really preposterous phrasing, as if their death is just a drive-by shooting away. What would you suggest SK do? The God Hand are in a seperate dimension and only "materialize" in the Nexus.
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
Walter said:
37-238; 223; you're just being impatient. And "clipped" seems like really preposterous phrasing, as if their death is just a drive-by shooting away. What would you suggest SK do? The God Hand are in a seperate dimension and only "materialize" in the Nexus.
If we knew more about SK, I could give a good answer. I'd love to see one of them go out of their way to materialize around a main character and have SK show up an clip a head off. That's what I'd actually like to see.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
thorshammer said:
Griffith knew he would not reach where he wanted to be by his conventional methods, regardless of how eficient the Hawks were.

No, I don't think so actually. Until the downfall he brought upon himself he was fairly confident he could reach his goal by his own means, and indeed he likely could have, as the king himself told him when his year of detention started. Griffith just fucked up, had he been more patient he could have become king in time.

thorshammer said:
-He was skin and bones, but it was forshadowed he would even before that

It wasn't foreshadowed, it was clear from the first time. The Golden Age was a flashback, we knew from the beginning he'd eventually become Femto. However that clearly didn't play any role in Griffith's plans, since he ignored he'd become Femto until it actually happened (in spite of the fact he had an interview with the God Hand while in jail). The whole series of events, from almost reaching his goal after years of work on it to falling to the bottom of despair, was necessary for him to agree to sacrifice.

thorshammer said:
I'm actually a bit surprised it's taken him this long to get to where he is

I think it's been pretty quick actually, all things considered.

thorshammer said:
If we knew more about SK, I could give a good answer. I'd love to see one of them go out of their way to materialize around a main character and have SK show up an clip a head off.

Well, we know enough about SK and the God Hand to know this isn't going to happen. Members of the GH don't get their heads "clipped off."
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
Aazealh said:
No, I don't think so actually. Until the downfall he brought upon himself he was fairly confident he could reach his goal by his own means, and indeed he likely could have, as the king himself told him when his year of detention started. Griffith just fucked up, had he been more patient he could have become king in time.

The King may have hinted at that, but the nobles didn't agree. They saw him as common trash and he knew it. He did try to overcome, but without the stability of Guts...nothing else good was going to happen.

It wasn't foreshadowed, it was clear from the first time. The Golden Age was a flashback, we knew from the beginning he'd eventually become Femto. However that clearly didn't play any role in Griffith's plans, since he ignored he'd become Femto until it actually happened (in spite of the fact he had an interview with the God Hand while in jail). The whole series of events, from almost reaching his goal after years of work on it to falling to the bottom of despair, was necessary for him to agree to sacrifice.
I'm not sure how that doesn't agree with what I said? But it's a nice summation. I guess that's a semantic difference.

I think it's been pretty quick actually, all things considered.
Well, that is your opinion. It's just not mine.

Well, we know enough about SK and the God Hand to know this isn't going to happen. Members of the GH don't get their heads "clipped off."
Doesn't mean I don't want to see it happen, but I'd even settle for Zodd or another mighty apostle. SK's ballsiest maneuver that I can recall is saving Guts and Caska. Did I miss something better? If not, that was a pretty long time ago.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
thorshammer said:
The King may have hinted at that, but the nobles didn't agree. They saw him as common trash and he knew it. He did try to overcome, but without the stability of Guts...nothing else good was going to happen.

When did the nobles have anything to say about it? He was already going to become a real high class noble himself and the leader of Midland's military forces. The nobles were as meaningless then as they are now, and he had killed his main enemies recently, including the queen. Foss was in his pocket and the king favored him. Who was going to oppose him? I don't think you have any point here, the king knew better, and so should have Griffith. Guts was practically useless to him once the war was over, as would have been the rest of his army. Stability? What? The only stability Griffith lacked was mental, and he's the one to be blamed for it. He could have become king had he kept his cool after Guts left, period. The reason he failed (and had to) after succeeding on every level is because his whole life was a set up for the creation of Femto, so the same way he often won through improbable means and chance, he lost all he had to his own irrational acts.

thorshammer said:
I'm not sure how that doesn't agree with what I said? But it's a nice summation. I guess that's a semantic difference.

Well it's disagreeing in that you were trying to justify your previous statement by saying Griffith becoming Femto was foreshadowed, and it doesn't justify it. Also like I said we knew about Femto from the first time, it wasn't just foreshadowed. There's more than a semantic difference here.

thorshammer said:
Well, that is your opinion. It's just not mine.

It's more than my opinion, it was actually quick considering the task at hand. What do you think took long?

thorshammer said:
Doesn't mean I don't want to see it happen, but I'd even settle for Zodd or another mighty apostle. SK's ballsiest maneuver that I can recall is saving Guts and Casca. Did I miss something better? If not, that was a pretty long time ago.

Hahaha, well though you'd even go so far as to settle for a mere apostle like Zodd getting his head clipped, it's still not going to happen right now in the story. It's not the right time, and I doubt it'd happen in the way you want anyway. Like Walter said I think you're missing the point of the character, which isn't to be ballsy or to kill enough enemies to satisfy you.
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
Aazealh said:
When did the nobles have anything to say about it? He was already going to become a real high class noble himself and the leader of Midland's military forces. The nobles were as meaningless then as they are now, and he had killed his main enemies recently, including the queen. Foss was in his pocket and the king favored him. Who was going to oppose him? I don't think you have any point here, the king knew better, and so should have Griffith. Guts was practically useless to him once the war was over, as would have been the rest of his army. Stability? What? The only stability Griffith lacked was mental, and he's the one to be blamed for it. He could have become king had he kept his cool after Guts left, period. The reason he failed (and had to) after succeeding on every level is because his whole life was a set up for the creation of Femto, so the same way he often won through improbable means and chance, he lost all he had to his own irrational acts.
Well, maybe in the manga, but not in the anime. The anime even showed the nobles plotting against Grif. But the 'rape' was a bit of a surprise. The anime certainly pointed to Guts being gone as to why Griffith lost it mentally, since he leaned on Guts more and more. Caska got very jealous of that. Griffith certainly wasn't careless like that prior and there was little other reason for it, other than he feelings about being seen as 'common'. The whole Femto thing wasn't even introduced before the eclipse in the anime.


Well it's disagreeing in that you were trying to justify your previous statement by saying Griffith becoming Femto was foreshadowed, and it doesn't justify it. Also like I said we knew about Femto from the first time, it wasn't just foreshadowed. There's more than a semantic difference here.
Well, this must be another difference in the anime and manga (yes, I haven't read several of the early mangas). They kept hitting the fact that Griffith would be king. The forshadowing was given that he would not be because of his low blood. Yet everything looked like he would otherwise. I also got the impression from the anime that part of the reason he raped Charlotte was because he was very angry that he was still seen as a commoner by some and it seemed a bit like he was seeking revenge. Sorry, just my take on it. Again, the anime didn't allude to Femto in any way that I recall before the eclipse.

It's more than my opinion, it was actually quick considering the task at hand. What do you think took long?
That it seems to be a grinding, yet unstopable force (the new Hawks). Considering I can see a vast set of storylines yet to be told, I figured Griffith would come back with the army complete and ready for him and swiftly assuming control of everything. It seems that he wants to build suspense and prolong some of the story arcs and eliminate others all together. So how about this, I'd have written them to do it faster and gone into other story arcs.

Hahaha, well though you'd even go so far as to settle for a mere apostle like Zodd getting his head clipped, it's still not going to happen right now in the story. It's not the right time, and I doubt it'd happen in the way you want anyway. Like Walter said I think you're missing the point of the character, which isn't to be ballsy or to kill enough enemies to satisfy you.
I want a true demonstration of SK's power. How about even a recap of an old conflict where he royally kicks some tail? Throw me a frickin bone. I want to see him pound/obliterate something.
 
thorshammer said:
Well, maybe in the manga, but not in the anime. The anime even showed the nobles plotting against Grif. But the 'rape' was a bit of a surprise. The anime certainly pointed to Guts being gone as to why Griffith lost it mentally, since he leaned on Guts more and more. Casca got very jealous of that. Griffith certainly wasn't careless like that prior and there was little other reason for it, other than he feelings about being seen as 'common'. The whole Femto thing wasn't even introduced before the eclipse in the anime.

Just a heads up: implying that the anime in any way supersedes the manga is a good way to piss off a lot of people here. Not saying you did, not saying you didn't - just saying the events in the anime mean jack shit to a number of people on these boards. It doesn't help that the anime pales in comparison to the manga, in both art and characterization.

thorshammer said:
Well, this must be another difference in the anime and manga (yes, I haven't read several of the early mangas). They kept hitting the fact that Griffith would be king. The forshadowing was given that he would not be because of his low blood. Yet everything looked like he would otherwise. I also got the impression from the anime that part of the reason he raped Charlotte was because he was very angry that he was still seen as a commoner by some and it seemed a bit like he was seeking revenge. Sorry, just my take on it. Again, the anime didn't allude to Femto in any way that I recall before the eclipse.

See above statement.

thorshammer said:
That it seems to be a grinding, yet unstopable force (the new Hawks). Considering I can see a vast set of storylines yet to be told, I figured Griffith would come back with the army complete and ready for him and swiftly assuming control of everything. It seems that he wants to build suspense and prolong some of the story arcs and eliminate others all together. So how about this, I'd have written them to do it faster and gone into other story arcs.

Then I guess I am glad you aren't writing them.

thorshammer said:
I want a true demonstration of SK's power. How about even a recap of an old conflict where he royally kicks some tail? Throw me a frickin bone. I want to see him pound/obliterate something.

Well there was the time he fought Jesus Christ to a stand still - in the controversial episode 83.5.
 

Lithrael

Remember, always hold your apple tight
thorshammer said:
Again, the anime didn't allude to Femto in any way that I recall before the eclipse.

So.. you forgot Guts's little scene with the ghosts surrounding him and those strobing images of the God Hand and Femto? In the Black Swordsman part, right at the beginning?
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
thorshammer said:
Well, this must be another difference in the anime and manga (yes, I haven't read several of the early mangas). They kept hitting the fact that Griffith would be king. The forshadowing was given that he would not be because of his low blood. Yet everything looked like he would otherwise. I also got the impression from the anime that part of the reason he raped Charlotte was because he was very angry that he was still seen as a commoner by some and it seemed a bit like he was seeking revenge. Sorry, just my take on it.

A. Griffith didn't rape Charlotte
B. Griffith was extremely distraught after Guts left, which is why he went to Charlotte so soon. He fucked up, not because he was angry at being a commoner, but because Guts left and he was upset.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Other members before me already kindly pointed out the mistakes in your post thorshammer, but allow me to add a few comments of my own to try to enlighten you.

thorshammer said:
Well, maybe in the manga, but not in the anime.

The animated series isn't a reference. It's not cannon, half of the story and events in the parts of the manga it covers are missing and some other worthless ones were added. You shouldn't rely on it for anything, especially not in comparison to the manga. I think jepn30 misrepresented the situation a bit in spite of his good intentions since it's not just that people around here think the anime is meaningless: it actually is. Hell, they even skipped Skull Knight's scenes, how lame is that? :SK:

thorshammer said:
The anime even showed the nobles plotting against Grif.

And their plotting failed and they were killed, and then Griffith had no one to stand against him. It's what I told you in my previous post. The nobles didn't change anything, their opposition was futile.

thorshammer said:
But the 'rape' was a bit of a surprise.

See what Rhombaad said, Griffith didn't rape Charlotte. She was totally willing, albeit a little surprised/scared.

thorshammer said:
The anime certainly pointed to Guts being gone as to why Griffith lost it mentally, since he leaned on Guts more and more. Casca got very jealous of that. Griffith certainly wasn't careless like that prior and there was little other reason for it, other than he feelings about being seen as 'common'. The whole Femto thing wasn't even introduced before the eclipse in the anime.

What distressed Griffith is that Guts left and more specifically that he utterly defeated him in order to do so, since Griffith apparently preferred to see him die rather than to let him be free. Putting aside the stupidity of such conception (as if Guts was a material possession, basically a slave), Griffith would have likely been able to become king without him had he been more patient. The war was over, and he had no influent enemies at the court anymore. Anyway, that's not even the point here. Casca wasn't jealous at all of Griffith's distress, at the time she herself just wanted Guts to stay with them and was over the whole jealousy thing. She was in love with him but hadn't realized it. Now what's funny is how you bring up the fact Griffith acted irrationally because he felt "common". Where are you getting that from exactly? You said it yourself, he did it because he felt insecure after his best subordinate left him, the friend he didn't want to acknowledge. There's no mention anywhere of him feeling bad about being "common" at that point, you just made it up.

And then about Femto... Not only is the anime a worthless reference as far as character introductions go, but as Lithrael pointed out, Femto does appear in the first episode of the anime...

thorshammer said:
Well, this must be another difference in the anime and manga (yes, I haven't read several of the early mangas).

Well you clearly should. You're missing out.

thorshammer said:
They kept hitting the fact that Griffith would be king.

I don't think they did. There's that time the innkeeper says Griffith is king in the first episode of the anime. That's a notoriously horrible mistake that doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it. Other than that, what references are there?

thorshammer said:
The forshadowing was given that he would not be because of his low blood.

No, there's no such foreshadowing anywhere. Besides at the time of his downfall Griffith was already a knight (he was made knight in volume 5) and the whole Band of the Hawk was about to receive titles for ending the war. Furthermore, it's not like being a standard noble makes you a decent candidate to be king, you need to be from a great and powerful family, and even then there would need to be some sort of agreement with the royal family. With that in mind, all Griffith would have needed, as the very important man he was about to become, is the king's death. Then it'd have all been up to Charlotte, and she'd have chosen him, the leader of Midland's military forces, outstanding swordsman and charismatic nationwide hero. Plain and simple.

thorshammer said:
I also got the impression from the anime that part of the reason he raped Charlotte was because he was very angry that he was still seen as a commoner by some and it seemed a bit like he was seeking revenge. Sorry, just my take on it.

It's Ok but you definitely, completely misread that scene.

thorshammer said:
Considering I can see a vast set of storylines yet to be told, I figured Griffith would come back with the army complete and ready for him and swiftly assuming control of everything. It seems that he wants to build suspense and prolong some of the story arcs and eliminate others all together. So how about this, I'd have written them to do it faster and gone into other story arcs.

I think part of the problem here is that you're not counting the number of episodes it actually took to get to that point on Griffith's side. Nothing much was prolonged if you look at things in detail, it's all pretty straightforward and goes as fast as possible while remaining realistic. So yeah, basically you'd have Griffith be incarnated directly on Midland's throne with an army of apostles at his feet and no enemy or anything susceptible to oppose him in sight, and then have the story take a completely different direction. That's fine I guess, but then it wouldn't really be Berserk anymore.

thorshammer said:
I want a true demonstration of SK's power. How about even a recap of an old conflict where he royally kicks some tail? Throw me a frickin bone. I want to see him pound/obliterate something.

He's supposed to be a mysterious character, I don't think it's that hard to get. We'll see him fight and clip heads later. I don't know what else to tell you.
 
Aazealh said:
I think jepn30 misrepresented the situation a bit in spite of his good intentions since it's not just that people around here think the anime is meaningless: it actually is.

Well, you have me there, sir. I salute you. I guess I wont try to soft pedal it next time.
 

thorshammer

I'm a llama!
jepn30 said:
Just a heads up: implying that the anime in any way supersedes the manga is a good way to piss off a lot of people here. Not saying you did, not saying you didn't - just saying the events in the anime mean jack shit to a number of people on these boards. It doesn't help that the anime pales in comparison to the manga, in both art and characterization.
I said that's what I did. I've read most of the later mangas, but very few of the early ones. I said that I saw the anime. That is what I said. The anime is what drew me to Berserk in the first place and without it, I wouldn't even know it existed. So it may not be a cannon of events, but it helped bring a lot of people to the manga.

Then I guess I am glad you aren't writing them.
Can't please everyone....


Well there was the time he fought Jesus Christ to a stand still - in the controversial episode 83.5.
Now what's with the Christianity bashing.....

Lithrael said:
So.. you forgot Guts's little scene with the ghosts surrounding him and those strobing images of the God Hand and Femto? In the Black Swordsman part, right at the beginning?

Must have. I did only see it once after all. Was there something else? Maybe something a little less subtle?

Aazealh said:
The animated series isn't a reference. It's not cannon, half of the story and events in the parts of the manga it covers are missing and some other worthless ones were added. You shouldn't rely on it for anything, especially not in comparison to the manga. I think jepn30 misrepresented the situation a bit in spite of his good intentions since it's not just that people around here think the anime is meaningless: it actually is. Hell, they even skipped Skull Knight's scenes, how lame is that? :SK:
It's lame in retrospect, but how would someone with little knowledge of Japanese popculture even know there was a Berserk manga? I don't even buy comic books. But it did enough to get me online looking for answers, like how Guts and Casca escaped, etc... In fact, I saw the anime before Dark Horse carried the first manga here.

Now what's funny is how you bring up the fact Griffith acted irrationally because he felt "common". Where are you getting that from exactly? You said it yourself, he did it because he felt insecure after his best subordinate left him, the friend he didn't want to acknowledge. There's no mention anywhere of him feeling bad about being "common" at that point, you just made it up.
No, the Hawks did. They made references at the ball about it. How he was changing and trying to fit in with the royalty, but that it didn't please everyone he was doing so. That seemed to make Guts really think he should go and his life was to go in a different direction.

And then about Femto... Not only is the anime a worthless reference as far as character introductions go, but as Lithrael pointed out, Femto does appear in the first episode of the anime...
He says he appears briefly in a bubble at the beginning. Having no knowledge of the manga, I'm sure that went by as a "WTF?" at the time, not "There's Femto!"

I don't think they did. There's that time the innkeeper says Griffith is king in the first episode of the anime. That's a notoriously horrible mistake that doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it. Other than that, what references are there?
Griffith talks about it several times including a dream sequence. Being only about 4 years ago now, I'm thinking that dream sequence may have even shown that he gets there sacrificing others (skulls/bones are shown under the road?).

No, there's no such foreshadowing anywhere. Besides at the time of his downfall Griffith was already a knight (he was made knight in volume 5) and the whole Band of the Hawk was about to receive titles for ending the war. Furthermore, it's not like being a standard noble makes you a decent candidate to be king, you need to be from a great and powerful family, and even then there would need to be some sort of agreement with the royal family. With that in mind, all Griffith would have needed, as the very important man he was about to become, is the king's death. Then it'd have all been up to Charlotte, and she'd have chosen him, the leader of Midland's military forces, outstanding swordsman and charismatic nationwide hero. Plain and simple.
Without any further meddling, yes. Except he clearly wanted Charlotte as well. Whoever married her could cut him out if he didn't.

Regardless, there is clearly much that is different from the manga and the anime beyond just the characters.
But SK is still a little too mysterious for my tastes and there is a nearly endless story left to tell. Most of you guys are far more patient with the author than I am.
 
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