Volume 41

Volume 41 is releasing December 24. There is a special edition that includes canvas art and a CD.


Preorders are up on Amazon Japan.

 
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Does anyone else think this could be confirmation that 364 will indeed be the last episode? I'm sure some of us had the (very) small hope that perhaps Miura sensei had finished the manuscripts for one or two more, as unrealistic as that would be. I fully expected 364 to be the last, but I can't deny that tiny spark of hope.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Does anyone else think this could be confirmation that 364 will indeed be the last episode? I'm sure some of us had the (very) small hope that perhaps Miura sensei had finished the manuscripts for one or two more, as unrealistic as that would be. I fully expected 364 to be the last, but I can't deny that tiny spark of hope.

I believe 364 will be the final episode. That being said, no one knows for sure at this point. If there’s a 365, SK.net will probably be the first place that news becomes available. I don’t think you should get your hopes up, though.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Does anyone else think this could be confirmation that 364 will indeed be the last chapter?
Not for me, no. Volume 41 is still 3 months away. Consider that Volume 40 was published in September 2018, but it included Ep 357, published just one month prior. So if we're talking strictly about the release window, then there's still time for a 365 to be serialized before Volume 41.

Now, is that likely, given everything else about 364 and the timing of Miura's death? No, probably not. I'm not personally optimistic that we'll see a 365. But that date isn't confirmation of anything about what's in Volume 41 yet.
 
I do wonder if v41 will include the special pages and sections that episode 364 has been announced to have, because that would be really nice.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
I do wonder if v41 will include the special pages and sections that episode 364 has been announced to have, because that would be really nice.

Probably not. The magazine will have iconic color illustrations and the booklet will contain messages from Miura's friends and acquaintances. Neither is particularly appropriate to include in the volume.
 
Preorders are up on Amazon Japan.


Nice! I checked CD Japan and they also seem to accept preorders now:

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOBK-2656585

I placed my order with them.
 

CoolGuyZool

My love is like a truck.
I haven't seen anyone here comment on the audio drama CD but based on the description and cast listing, it looks like they're adapting the entire Corridor of Dreams journey from start to finish (possibly 347, maybe a bit earlier before the ritual, to 355). Nobutoshi Canna and Yuko Miyamura among others are listed in the cast so it's likely they're reprising Guts and Casca for the Golden Age memory fragment scenes only. Also, I'm beginning to suspect the cancelled "special preview" for the Exhibition was a personal recording of Miura announcing this project since the Corridor of Dreams section was close to exit where the video monitor would be.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
I haven't seen anyone here comment on the audio drama CD but based on the description and cast listing, it looks like they're adapting the entire Corridor of Dreams journey from start to finish (possibly 347, maybe a bit earlier before the ritual, to 355). Nobutoshi Canna and Yuko Miyamura among others are listed in the cast so it's likely they're reprising Guts and Casca for the Golden Age memory fragment scenes only.

We talked about it in the chat. I expect they will reuse a lot of existing material for that CD. That's probably why Nobutoshi Canna and Yuko Miyamura are credited, because important scenes featured in the Corridor of Dreams, like the Bonfire of Dreams, were not included in the movies. As for how extensive it'll be, it's hard to say but it might not be 1:1 to the manga. Personally I don't expect much from it.

Also, I'm beginning to suspect the cancelled "special preview" for the Exhibition was a personal recording of Miura announcing this project since the Corridor of Dreams section was close to exit where the video monitor would be.

This is completely baseless speculation. And honestly I really doubt Miura's video message, reserved for the exhibition's unveiling, would have had to do with announcing a "Drama CD" bonus for a special edition of volume 41. It's kind of ridiculous to imagine. It's more likely to have been the video interview that will instead be featured in the new area they've set up that reproduces his workspace.
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Casca and the boy made it on the cover! That’s a surprise, and a thematically effective cover with Guts looking moody and distracted while Casca embraces the boy.
 
I like the cover it embodies the events of the volume quite well, but I wished the boy and Casca were centre stage, basically the opposite and we see Guts's back and Casca and the boy in the front, but I really like this cover and you have to have the main man Guts as the focal point. It's low Res but Guts and Casca have basically the same skin tone which is kinda strange, and I'm not a fan of that weird green on the bottom left next to Guts, I think having it blue would have made for a more cohesive piece but I'm no expert.
 
I'm still not used to the digital artstyle for these covers but I must say I love the design for this one. Having Casca and the Boy on the cover is so sweet and the background with the Cherry blossoms and Moon add so much atmosphere.

I'm a little disappointed that the bottom left under Guts arm is empty. Even though there isn't much room there I would have preferred something over just a green gradient. I wonder if Miura had finished this before he passed or if the his assistants stepped in to polish it off as they did with 364.

Either way I am a fan. As the last volume cover we'll ever get I'm glad it's something different and standout like the last two volumes have been, and not just another generic Guts pose. I can't wait to see it in person.
 
Glad Casca and Moon boy made it to the cover.

I don't know if it's just the circumstances of the times or what, but I'm wondering how much of the cover Miura was responsible for. I dunno, Guts looks a little different to me, as well as the general composition. It might just be my imagination though.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Glad Casca and Moon boy made it to the cover.

I don't know if it's just the circumstances of the times or what, but I'm wondering how much of the cover Miura was responsible for. I dunno, Guts looks a little different to me, as well as the general composition. It might just be my imagination though.
I agree that it's a bit uncomfortable. I think this cover is fine—not amazing, but not a blunder either—and for that I'm grateful. But this cover exemplifies the discomfort I've been saying fans will have with any "new" Berserk material going forward. Because we can't know Miura's level of involvement, everything will be scrutinized (like a guy earlier complaining about "arm anatomy"). So now imagine that discomfort expanded into a series continuation, encompassing decisions far weightier than "arm anatomy." No thanks.
 
I agree that it's a bit uncomfortable. I think this cover is fine—not amazing, but not a blunder either—and for that I'm grateful. But this cover exemplifies the discomfort I've been saying fans will have with any "new" Berserk material going forward. Because we can't know Miura's level of involvement, everything will be scrutinized (like a guy earlier complaining about "arm anatomy"). So now imagine that uncomfortable state of being expanded into a series continuation, encompassing decisions far weightier than "arm anatomy." No thanks.
Good point. Berserk is so closely tied to Miura that even stuff like this raises eyebrows.

I've kind of been in the mindset that if they end up doing it, I'd try to see it more as a comic book sort of deal where new writers would be expanding on old writer's ideas, and judging it on how well they do that rather than strictly on how close it may or may not be to "what Miura would have done". In the end, though, that would probably still feel very hollow, and I don't see many people being able to look at it that way. Berserk just is Miura in so many ways, divorcing it from him is impossible.
 
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