Episode 382

[Aazealh]

BERSERK Episode 382 will be published in Young Animal #13, slated to be released on Friday, June 27 in Japan.

DIGITAL STORE: Hakusensha-E (Price: 450円 / $3) — Goes online at 15:00 UTC / 10am ET on June 26.
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This episode is part of the new serialization of Berserk that is being done without Kentarou Miura. It's based on some of the material he left behind as well as what he had told his close ones of the story over the years. Kouji Mori, his best friend and a fellow mangaka, writes and supervises the series while his former assistants draw it under the banner of Studio Gaga.

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Berserk Continuation Episode Summaries:

365: Griffith's presence is felt across the island. Casca runs toward Griffith but begins bleeding and triggering (random) memories.
366: Guts swings at Griffith but cannot land a hit. Schierke detects a maelstrom of power around Griffith. Zodd lands on the island.
367: Danan senses something dark rising from beneath the island. Griffith grabs Casca. The cherry tree loses its blossoms, and the island begins to break apart.
368: Gnawers emerge from the cracks, devouring the island. Roderick prepares the ship to depart. Guts despairs at the loss of Casca.
369: The island begins to sink. The elves vanish (except for Puck and Ivalera).
370: On the Sea Horse, Molda rallies Farnese to help heal the injured. Roderick is worried about Guts. In the ship's hold, Guts despairs his failure.
371: Schierke peeks in Guts' mind but is repelled by the Beast's jaws. Griffith arrives in Falconia with Casca.
372: Casca explores Falconia in a subdued state. Fleeting memories of her past provoke a failed escape attempt. Griffith sends his forces east.
373: Skellig's magicians have lost their powers. Schierke needs everyone for a spell to try to locate Casca. During this, Kushans attack. The Beast taunts Guts.
374: Kushans, led by Silat, take over the Seahorse and bloodlessly capture everyone. They approach Guts with caution. Rickert is with the Kushans.
375: Silat captured the Sea Horse following a prophecy from Daiba. The passengers and crew are taken captive toward the Kushan capital.
376: Guts is locked in a cell. The powerless magic users are given over to Daiba. Silat announces a campaign against Falconia.
377: Silat attends a council with all the Kushan leaders and asks for control of their combined military. Rakshas bursts out from one of the participants.
378: Rakshas sends a shockwave that causes monsters to appear all over the city. Silat lunges at him to engage in battle.
379: Silat telepathically reassures the Kushan people. The monsters are dealt with. Rakshas flees and winds up in front of Guts.
380: Magic users dispel the remaining trolls. Rakshas is killed by Silat, who then throttles Guts in anger that he didn't try to defend himself.
381: Using the Brand as a pretext, Daiba takes charge of Guts and marches him out of the city in a hypnotized state.
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[Vitris]

So, Azan is there with Isidro. How? Why? Don't know, he wasn't there two weeks ago but now here he is. The first four pages just show people walking. For some reason, the Kushan are still scared of Guts, so much so that they shit themselves when he just... stops walking. But why does he stop walking? Aren't those mages supposed to be controlling him?
After five more pages of walking, they finally reach a building (I think it's called a "stupa") through a corridor filled with the corpses of, I presume, quite a few monks.
Two of the Tapasa open the stupa's big, heavy doors, and there's a shameless ripoff from the Golden Age, specifically the scene where Griffith is caught by the guards in volume 9, but this time it's Guts. Silat looks at him with disgust, hoping that he rots to death inside there.
Isidro gets sad because Guts got humiliated in front of him again (yeah, it's basically that scene from episode 375, but this time his presence is really superfluous).
Guts thinks about dying in there, but I really don't undestand the tone of his thoughts. Is he relieved? Is he scared? I don't really know. The doors of the stupa close behind him by themselves, because it looks cool (it really doesn't).
The episode ends with Puck asking himself if Guts has really just given up.

 

[Guts430]

Well, I've already had the opportunity to read the chapter and the translation, and I'd say that about 90% of it is useless. It doesn't advance the story, it doesn't present any new information, and it's just about Guts being humiliated and taken by the Kushans to the so-called "stupa", without much dialogue, and in the end it feels like it was all just a big filler.

In addition to a plot hole with Azan simply appearing out of nowhere next to Isidro, it seems like they've now remembered that during Rakshas' attack the two were together, and in chapter 381 he disappeared and we were only shown Isidro and Puck following Guts and that they disappeared with the character.

Another sign that they don't know what to do with the supporting cast, and it's sad to see Berserk, which had great cohesion and such a rich world-building, having moments and characters that were poorly interpreted or executed. Seriously, when Guts' friends saw him being taken away, they didn't react and just accepted it? Seriously, were Isidro, Azan and Puck the only ones who cared about following him? It honestly seems like they never cared about him with this direction they're taking.
And in the end, the chapter ends with Puck intrigued about what that place is and what they're going to do with Guts, and well, in the end, it feels like this whole chapter could have been skipped and they could have started with Guts arriving and entering the "stupa", because it was all just a waste of time.
And what about the art? Well, Studio Gaga's art regarding Guts has improved, you can notice that the character is now well drawn and doesn't look strange like in the last chapter, and the rest continues to be well done, but let's remember, Berserk is not only about beautiful art, but also about a sophisticated, complex and cohesive story that knows how to take advantage of each character, something that Studio Gaga has failed to deliver.
And does anyone remember Schierke? So, if you're expecting that cliffhanger that was two chapters ago to finally be explored, you can forget it. It's like that, Studio Gaga been dragging out situations that could have been quick, and it's been accelerating in important moments like the destruction of the Island and the attack of the Rakshas.

 

[veritas]

So, Azan is there with Isidro. How? Why? Don't know, he wasn't there two weeks ago but now here he is. The first four pages just show people walking. For some reason, the Kushan are still scared of Guts, so much so that they shit themselves when he just... stops walking. But why does he stop walking? Aren't those mages supposed to be controlling him?
After five more pages of walking, they finally reach a building (I think it's called a "stupa") through a corridor filled with the corpses of, I presume, quite a few monks.
Two of the Tapasa open the stupa's big, heavy doors, and there's a shameless ripoff from the Golden Age, specifically the scene where Griffith is caught by the guards in volume 9, but this time it's Guts. Silat looks at him with disgust, hoping that he rots to death inside there.
Isidro gets sad because Guts got humiliated in front of him again (yeah, it's basically that scene from episode 375, but this time his presence is really superfluous).
Guts thinks about dying in there, but I really don't undestand the tone of his thoughts. Is he relieved? Is he scared? I don't really know. The doors of the stupa close behind him by themselves, because it looks cool (it really doesn't).
The episode ends with Puck asking himself if Guts has really just given up.

holy crap
I know Im just repeating myself at this point but how on earth does Gaga manage to make pages of literal nothingness? Im pretty sure when volume 43 will be released, it will be apparent that there's only 1 episode of actual content, which was dragged into a whole volume.

 

[Walter]

I'm sure there are worse series, but I've never been forced to read them like I am with this. That means the Continuation is the worst manga I've ever read.

So little happened in this episode, I don't know there's much we can even discuss. But I have a few...

Questions:

• Why make Silat/Tapasa + Isidro/Azan sneak through the forest if they were ultimately going to reveal themselves to Daiba's group without consequence?
• After more than 10 episodes of Guts being in a depressed daze, he's suddenly portrayed as being fully aware, even sober, right as the doors close. Was that done simply for dramatic effect?
• Daiba uttered a chant, making part of the tree's roots open (but the effect looks like lightning to me). Does he have a magical creature nearby? A LV5 Totoro maybe?
• Why do the guards need to force Guts forward using spears if he's already being mind-controlled via the monks?
• Can someone please explain Silat's emotions to me in this episode? He seems mad at the chamber/door, but aloof about Guts.

 

[Vitris]

After more than 10 episodes of Guts being in a depressed daze, he's suddenly portrayed as being fully aware, even sober, right as the doors close. Was that done simply for dramatic effect?

Why would you EVER think that?

• Why do the guards need to force Guts forward using spears if he's already being mind-controlled via the monks?

Hey man, they gotta copy Miura and fill those pages somehow, you know? Stop complaining!

 

[Wyld Dreams]

They are throwing in a bit of imitation of Junji Ito for good measure.
Bonus point if they bury him...

 

[Walter]

They are throwing in a bit of imitation of Junji Ito for good measure.
Bonus point if they bury him...

Let's assume I have no idea what you're referring to. Could you elaborate...?

 

[Wyld Dreams]

Let's assume I have no idea what you're referring to. Could you elaborate...?

Unbearable Maze

Unbearable Maze is the second story in Blood Bubble Bushes. It was first published in the July 1990 issue of Halloween Monthly. It was reprinted as the ninth chapter of Museum of Terror vol. 3. Two friends, Noriko and Sayoko, go hiking deep into the mountains. They stumble upon an ancient...

junjiitomanga.fandom.com

 

[Walter]

Unbearable Maze

Unbearable Maze is the second story in Blood Bubble Bushes. It was first published in the July 1990 issue of Halloween Monthly. It was reprinted as the ninth chapter of Museum of Terror vol. 3. Two friends, Noriko and Sayoko, go hiking deep into the mountains. They stumble upon an ancient...

junjiitomanga.fandom.com

Eh, I don't think Junji Ito has exclusive rights to piles of dead monks.

 

[Wyld Dreams]

Eh, I don't think Junji Ito has exclusive rights to piles of dead monks.

No, not pile of dead monks, I mean entire entombing monks in a dark place and monk dead bodies in a wall mural. Thats very reminiscent of his story.

 

[Walter]

I mean entire entombing monks in a dark place and monk dead bodies in a wall mural.

But we don't know that there are monks entombed in a dark place, though. For all we know, that room is empty (except for the Rancor).

If you see a connection that's cool, but I'm just saying I've (now) read the comic and I don't see it.

 

[Xenoskell]

OK.
It seems to me that they want to show Guts doing some kind of meditation that will lead to a "spirit reencarnation".

I don't think there's some monster inside the stupa, perhaps he will find motivation again (out of thin hair probably), then fight with himself, prevail and get out of the stupa.

Maybe they will turn the Beast of Darkness into a physical presence, something tells me they are going into that direction.

Does this makes sense?
Is this something good?
No, it doesn't makes any sense and it's awful.

However...things already don't make sense at all in the continuation.
So I can see that happening.

Also, art wise...the art is looking very rough again.
It's getting worse and worse.

Well, I've already had the opportunity to read the chapter and the translation, and I'd say that about 90% of it is useless. It doesn't advance the story, it doesn't present any new information, and it's just about Guts being humiliated and taken by the Kushans to the so-called "stupa", without much dialogue, and in the end it feels like it was all just a big filler.

In addition to a plot hole with Azan simply appearing out of nowhere next to Isidro, it seems like they've now remembered that during Rakshas' attack the two were together, and in chapter 381 he disappeared and we were only shown Isidro and Puck following Guts and that they disappeared with the character.

Another sign that they don't know what to do with the supporting cast, and it's sad to see Berserk, which had great cohesion and such a rich world-building, having moments and characters that were poorly interpreted or executed. Seriously, when Guts' friends saw him being taken away, they didn't react and just accepted it? Seriously, were Isidro, Azan and Puck the only ones who cared about following him? It honestly seems like they never cared about him with this direction they're taking.
And in the end, the chapter ends with Puck intrigued about what that place is and what they're going to do with Guts, and well, in the end, it feels like this whole chapter could have been skipped and they could have started with Guts arriving and entering the "stupa", because it was all just a waste of time.
And what about the art? Well, Studio Gaga's art regarding Guts has improved, you can notice that the character is now well drawn and doesn't look strange like in the last chapter, and the rest continues to be well done, but let's remember, Berserk is not only about beautiful art, but also about a sophisticated, complex and cohesive story that knows how to take advantage of each character, something that Studio Gaga has failed to deliver.
And does anyone remember Schierke? So, if you're expecting that cliffhanger that was two chapters ago to finally be explored, you can forget it. It's like that, Studio Gaga been dragging out situations that could have been quick, and it's been accelerating in important moments like the destruction of the Island and the attack of the Rakshas.

I don't think the art is looking good, it's very unfinished and rough at many areas. Messy linework, not enough emphasis on the silhouette, some weird use of screentones.
Composition wise is also looking odd, there is too much visual pollution in many panels which is making things hard to understand.

I'm sure there are worse series, but I've never been forced to read them like I am with this. That means the Continuation is the worst manga I've ever read.

So little happened in this episode, I don't know there's much we can even discuss. But I have a few...

Questions:

• Why make Silat/Tapasa + Isidro/Azan sneak through the forest if they were ultimately going to reveal themselves to Daiba's group without consequence?
• After more than 10 episodes of Guts being in a depressed daze, he's suddenly portrayed as being fully aware, even sober, right as the doors close. Was that done simply for dramatic effect?
• Daiba uttered a chant, making part of the tree's roots open (but the effect looks like lightning to me). Does he have a magical creature nearby? A LV5 Totoro maybe?
• Why do the guards need to force Guts forward using spears if he's already being mind-controlled via the monks?
• Can someone please explain Silat's emotions to me in this episode? He seems mad at the chamber/door, but aloof about Guts.

I think that Silat is both disappointed and mad at the same time...

 

[TheItCrow]

The flow of the continuation feels more like a shonen than Berserk (and a terrible one at that). The hero goes through a depressed phase after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of his sworn enemy. He's empty inside, wants to die (how edgy and deep, guys), and somehow ends up in a dangerous place where he has to rediscover himself, face his inner Hollow Kyūbi BoD, become stronger, and then - armed with a new Rasengan, Genkidama, Domain Expansion skillset - face his nemesis again, this time with newfound strength and the help of his friends.

Sounds awful—doesn’t make any sense within Berserk’s context, but it seems like all roads lead to it.

Oh, and Silat seems to have more personalities around Guts than a schizophrenic— I can't figure out what his deal is. Not sure the studio knows either.

 

[mounir96]

And what about the art? Well, Studio Gaga's art regarding Guts has improved, you can notice that the character is now well drawn and doesn't look strange like in the last chapter, and the rest continues to be well done

I wouldn't go that far but I will concede that Guts looks marginally better in this chapter. The drawings didn't immediately strike me as weird like they did during the entire Kushan capital chapters.

The backgrounds and most of the supporting cast look okay considering. With Puck and the female cast being the least harmed in my opinion.

That being said, the paneling sucks. Couldn't be more generic. And the art completely falls apart when dynamics are involved. So we can kiss the amazing combat panels goodbye. We're lucky if we manage to even decipher who's attacking who amidst the messy speed lines.

The dialogue (if any) is hard to read, more so when it's the internal monologue of the characters.

Overall another filler chapter from the Continuation. So empty one can barely comment on it's content. Or lack thereof.

 

[Vitris]

Oh, and Silat seems to have more personalities around Guts than a schizophrenic— I can't figure out what his deal is. Not sure the studio knows either.

Silat in the previous episode: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DIE, GUTS??!! ANSWER ME!!!
Silat now: Well, if this is all his fault, then he's not a valuable asset to us.

You just can't make this shit up.

And now we can add: "Die, you fucking loser!" *poses for no goddam reason and leaves*

 

[Aazealh]

Guts thinks about dying in there, but I really don't undestand the tone of his thoughts.

I think these are meant to be Daiba's thoughts.

The episode ends with Puck asking himself if Guts has really just given up.

No, Puck just says "Guts". Nothing else. Can't really infer anything from that.

I don't think there's some monster inside the stupa, perhaps he will find motivation again (out of thin hair probably), then fight with himself, prevail and get out of the stupa.

Maybe they will turn the Beast of Darkness into a physical presence, something tells me they are going into that direction.

Yeah and maybe he'll find an ancient Kushan magic sword that'll give him his confidence back. "This one won't let me down!!"

The backgrounds and most of the supporting cast look okay considering. With Puck and the female cast being the least harmed in my opinion.

Puck looks terrible here, his likeness really isn't captured well at all.

 

[Vitris]

I think these are meant to be Daiba's thoughts.

Damn, we really can't get anything from Guts. It's probably for the best though.

No, Puck just says "Guts". Nothing else. Can't really infer anything from that.

My bad, I mistook the usual flavour text at the end of each episode for Puck's thoughts.

 

[Vitris]

That being said, the paneling sucks. Couldn't be more generic.

Something generic doesn't necessarily suck. Their paneling sucks because it's overall bad. The page with Daiba magically moving the tree's roots is a great example of what NOT to do in a comic book. They think that making random panels smaller than others for no reason and leaving a ton of unused space in the page somehow makes the composition more dynanic.

And the art completely falls apart when dynamics are involved. So we can kiss the amazing combat panels goodbye. We're lucky if we manage to even decipher who's attacking who amidst the messy speed lines.

The scene with the Tapasa opening the doors is hilarious: why having this big panel with a shit ton of speed lines where they simply put their hands on the doors just for them to... push?

On a side note, the thing that I disliked the most is that they say nothing about the stupa. I know, nothing new here on Studio Gaga's part, but I can't help but think that Miura would've spent a couple of panels giving the right context (whether this scenario would've happened or not). Meanwhile, here it feels like they wanted to put a note on the side of the page that said "dear reader, please look for this term on wikipedia, because we can't be bothered to explain this ourselves".

 

[Lithrael]

Why isn’t Rickert here for any of this?

Agreed on the paneling. Even Team Tapasa jumping down to the valley floor was awkward and unclear, reading as “what are they - oh, well, they’re down with the other guys now. That was them jumping and landing. For no particular reason.”

It also feels like a missed beat to not have Silat or someone to talk to Isidro as they walk through this corpsey ruin so that we can have a little dialog about the character’s impressions of the surroundings and backstory for the setting. Isidro’s been to cities and fantasy settings but this is still his first time somewhere that looks like Angkor Wat. Just generally not having Isidro talk to anyone about Guts is really grating on me. Isidro is not much of a silent sufferer.

All the ‘stuff happening for no reason beyond having something to draw’ is so deeply sophomoric, ugh

 

[Xenoskell]

And why the hell there are so many people to take Guts to his own death when he's in this state?
Do they really need that amount of people to push him into the stupa?

PS: this is almost completely out of topic, but I think that Mori involvement with this continuation is really...low.
I've never read it but I doubt that his own mangas like Holyland are this bad.
If anyone have read it and can confirm, please tell me.

I think these are meant to be Daiba's thoughts.



No, Puck just says "Guts". Nothing else. Can't really infer anything from that.



Yeah and maybe he'll find an ancient Kushan magic sword that'll give him his confidence back. "This one won't let me down!!"



Puck looks terrible here, his likeness really isn't captured well at all.

Not to mention that Puck attitude is completely out of place...old Puck would not let Guts accept his death so easily.

Also it's just me or are the Tapasa looking very odd in this episode?
Shape language here is looking awful imo, there's a lot of wonky anatomy as well.
Don't know why they are doing things this way, there's ton of references from Miura's own drawings so I wonder why they are looking this odd...

 

[Battlefield00]

Another pointless episode...

Someone sacrifice Studio Gaga to God Hand, please.

 

[Walter]

Someone sacrifice Studio Gaga to God Hand, please.

Someone would have to care enough.

 

[Aazealh]

Why isn’t Rickert here for any of this?

I would say it's a genuine question whether he'll reappear in a role other than a background character.

Just generally not having Isidro talk to anyone about Guts is really grating on me. Isidro is not much of a silent sufferer.

At least he's there, unlike Guts' other companions who clearly didn't care enough to follow the procession. What a travesty for all these characters.

And why the hell there are so many people to take Guts to his own death when he's in this state?
Do they really need that amount of people to push him into the stupa?

It's to fill up pages and exacerbate his public humiliation.

Not to mention that Puck attitude is completely out of place...old Puck would not let Guts accept his death so easily.

That goes without saying. Puck hasn't had one scene in the Continuation that felt like it's really him. It's been a joke from the beginning, starting with his lack of reaction to the island's destruction.

Also it's just me or are the Tapasa looking very odd in this episode?

It's not just you, they look like shit. As does a lot of other stuff.

Don't know why they are doing things this way, there's ton of references from Miura's own drawings so I wonder why they are looking this odd...

In their defense, it's easier said than done. But that's also why this project shouldn't have been greenlit in the first place.

 

[blodvind]

The flow of the continuation feels more like a shonen than Berserk (and a terrible one at that). The hero goes through a depressed phase after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of his sworn enemy. He's empty inside, wants to die (how edgy and deep, guys), and somehow ends up in a dangerous place where he has to rediscover himself, face his inner Hollow Kyūbi BoD, become stronger, and then - armed with a new Rasengan, Genkidama, Domain Expansion skillset - face his nemesis again, this time with newfound strength and the help of his friends.

Sounds awful—doesn’t make any sense within Berserk’s context, but it seems like all roads lead to it.

Oh, and Silat seems to have more personalities around Guts than a schizophrenic— I can't figure out what his deal is. Not sure the studio knows either.

Maybe, they will leave Guts off screen so that the rest of the group go and have their fight. In the most desperate moment, in the last fight, Guts is back in full Berserk's armor, murders some apostle, and says: Gohan, go hide; Kuririn, take care of Gohan. Wait...