Episodes 365 & 366

[guuuuuuuuts]

Might make more sense to simply create two topics, one for episode 365 and another for 366. I am assuming it would be fair to think each could contain enough detail to be treated as previous episodes were, standing on their individual merits.

 

[Aazealh]

I remember in the Berserk guidebook we got a storyboard preview for two upcoming episodes that had yet to be released at the time. With this in mind, do you guys think it's possible the Miura was able to complete basic storyboards for 365 at the time of his passing?

Unfortunately, from the tone of the official announcements we got so far, it doesn't seem like he had a rough draft completed for episode 365. Can't really be sure at this point though. But if it were to be the case I'm sure they would indicate it in the magazine, so we'll know soon enough.

Might make more sense to simply create two topics, one for episode 365 and another for 366. I am assuming it would be fair to think each could contain enough detail to be treated as previous episodes were, standing on their individual merits.

It's not really a matter of merit though, it's just that since they'll be released together, it's doubtful people will bother differentiating between them when commenting. But if they're indeed presented as two different episodes and not just a jumbo 365, we'll at least have two translation threads.

 

[Beelzebud]

Ys is also not the first place that comes to my mind for when they leave

Bakiraka's secret village?(don't remember if it has a official name)

 

[Aazealh]

Bakiraka's secret village?(don't remember if it has a official name)

It doesn't (yet). Anyway, in summary what I imagine a logical course of action would be is: travel back to the continent. Land in the middle of a crazy landscape (like the giant forest Ricket & Erika were traveling in) and have to face the reality of Fantasia. Various developments occur, then eventually they meet up with the Bakiraka. From there, they embark upon the last leg of the journey towards Falconia. Simple and effective. Of course, one might say too simple and therefore predictable, and so maybe Miura's plans were very different. Fortunately, it seems we will be able to see what he intended. =)

 

[Mish]

I have had this idea in my head that the gurus or Danan would use magic to let the Sea Horse fly and then travel through the World Tree's branches. Using the Barytes(or Sylphs) the same way the witches do to fly with their brooms.

 

[Aazealh]

I have had this idea in my head that the gurus or Danan would use magic to let the Sea Horse fly and then travel through the World Tree's branches.

Yeah, I forgot if it was discussed on the forum in the past, but it's also occurred to me. I think it's a good, plausible idea!

 

[LordYAM]

I think Griffith might have Elfheim attacked, if only because he doesn't like competition and Elfheim could be a threat. This could be what prompts Guts to take the fight to Femto.

This is pure speculation but I think that

a.) Guts, his party, and some of the other Elfheim survivors manage to escape to the continent, and they link up with Rickert and Silat.

b.) After this they start amassing an army to go against Femto. Guts begins spreading the story of the Eclipse and Griffith's crimes even admitting how Griffith had him assassinate Julius and (though this is pure guesswork, I'm also thinking that Guts may have set the fire that killed the queen and the other nobles). Griffith of course denies this and might even try to spin things against Guts (Charlotte after all knows that Guts and Griffith were friends, as do Owen and Laban). While many buy into Griffith's lies, others are more willing to listen and the new army starts to grow.

c.) Right before the final fight there might be a parley where Guts and Casca meet Griffith again. This time Guts is able to hold his own against Griffith, bluntly calling him out for having ALWAYS been a horrible friend and ruining his own dream. Casca is also able to look Griffith in the eye. Griffith is furious that they've managed to heal from what he's done to them and becomes determined to break them all over again.

 

[Odysseus]

Land in the middle of a crazy landscape (like the giant forest Ricket & Erika were traveling in) and have to face the reality of Fantasia. Various developments occur, then eventually they meet up with the Bakiraka. From there, they embark upon the last leg of the journey towards Falconia. Simple and effective. Of course, one might say too simple and therefore predictable, and so maybe Miura's plans were very different.

My thought is that, from a larger structural sense, Griffith's appearance on Elfhelm is meant to force Guts and Co. into heading toward the final showdown with him, with the newfound knowledge that he's also sharing a body with their son as a driving force even beyond "revenge". It's the transition out of "the journey to Elfhelm" story that had been the focus of Guts' side of things for 20 volumes. All this to say that getting to Elfhelm was a very slow-burn process, so I dunno if the next move would be expediting the crew's way to Falconia. Fantasia as a setting hasn't been explored much so I can see some misadventures there before getting to Rickert and Falconia.

(all this is written knowing Mori may not even cover a lot of this stuff)

 

[Aazealh]

I think Griffith might have Elfheim attacked, if only because he doesn't like competition and Elfheim could be a threat.

It's Elfhelm, not heim. Also I'm not sure how it could be seen as "competition" by Griffith, that's a weird way to put it.

(though this is pure guesswork, I'm also thinking that Guts may have set the fire that killed the queen and the other nobles)

Uhhhh, Guts is way outside of the city while this occurs. He couldn't possibly have been there. It's implied Griffith set the fire himself.

Guts begins spreading the story of the Eclipse and Griffith's crimes even admitting how Griffith had him assassinate Julius [...] Griffith of course denies this and might even try to spin things against Guts [...] Right before the final fight there might be a parley where Guts and Casca meet Griffith again. This time Guts is able to hold his own against Griffith, bluntly calling him out for having ALWAYS been a horrible friend and ruining his own dream. Casca is also able to look Griffith in the eye. Griffith is furious that they've managed to heal from what he's done to them and becomes determined to break them all over again.

Frankly this shows a shocking misunderstanding of Griffith's character. I don't see how you can believe he would give a shit about any of this. You do understand that he underwent a profound transformation during the Eclipse, right? While he wears a human costume, he's really Femto now. His ambition is far greater than it was when he was human, and if it weren't for the boy, his concern for Guts and Casca would be close to nonexistent. Plus, in the current context, you really believe anyone would care that Julius was assassinated?

My thought is that, from a larger structural sense, Griffith's appearance on Elfhelm is meant to force Guts and Co. into heading toward the final showdown with him, with the newfound knowledge that he's also sharing a body with their son as a driving force even beyond "revenge".

Well that's a given, I've been talking about that for years.

It's the transition out of "the journey to Elfhelm" story that had been the focus of Guts' side of things for 20 volumes.

I'd say it's more an impetus to take action, since technically that journey has already ended. It provides both Guts and Casca with a supremely compelling reason to leave the island, even if at first Guts is more preoccupied with killing Griffith and Casca more concerned with their son's well-being. It's also a major step in their respective and mutual character development.

To that you can add the fact Femto and his ilk are a threat to the entire world, which we might get some insight into soon enough. Combined with the fact staying on the island eventually cuts you off from the outside world, having to take action feels inevitable. This ties into the character development for the rest of the group.

Schierke will face a big dilemma: staying among her peers in a place that's tailor-made for her, or walk out with her companions. Farnese will seek to stay with Casca, but Serpico will need to reevaluate his own goals and motivations in life, since Farnese emancipated herself. Isidro will want to stick to Guts and go where the action is, and then there's Azan, Isma, Roderick, and even Magnifico... These are all things that need to be addressed (among others).

All this to say that getting to Elfhelm was a very slow-burn process, so I dunno if the next move would be expediting the crew's way to Falconia. Fantasia as a setting hasn't been explored much so I can see some misadventures there before getting to Rickert and Falconia.

Maybe it wasn't clear, but I don't expect them to get to Falconia right away. "Various developments occur" was doing a lot of heavy lifting in my post, simply because I didn't want to detail the many possibilities for what could happen. Much like you could say "Guts, Puck and Casca traveled to the sea shore, various developments occurred, then they took a ship to Skellig". I think to get a good sense of the "length" Miura intended, we need to consider his estimation for how much of the story was left, which boils down to 10-15 volumes.

 

[Kaine]

I think to get a good sense of the "length" Miura intended, we need to consider his estimation for how much of the story was left, which boils down to 10-15 volumes.

Knowing Miura probably more like 20-25 volumes.
10-15 volumes it's probably what we will get now with Mori in charge.

 

[Aazealh]

Knowing Miura probably more like 20-25 volumes.

Well, I prefer to count in episodes rather than in volumes, since it's more precise, and so in truth I meant more 100-150 episodes. But even if we consider 7 episodes per volume, I don't think a figure of 25 volumes left would be realistic. One volume per year is the best we could have expected, and I believe Miura would have intended to end the series before being 80 years old. My estimate above is basically the result of extrapolating from his declarations in recent years while considering the release schedule and aging factor. Of course, you never know how things evolve, and in this case it's a purely speculative scenario given what ended up happening...

 

[Sir Schraffl]

I don't think they should push their luck and do it in 10 volumes

 

[Aazealh]

I don't think they should push their luck and do it in 10 volumes

Well just to be clear, in the conversation above I was talking about what Miura's plans were probably like. As for what Mori and Studio Gaga will do, there's really no way to tell at the moment. For example it could be significantly abbreviated if there are parts they don't know enough about that they decide to skip or keep to the bare minimum.

 

[Kaine]

I don't think they should push their luck and do it in 10 volumes

If they have to made up part of the story I agree with you, but if they have Miura's input for more then 10 volumes they should go for It.
I really don't want them to finish Berserk just for the sake of It...I would prefer they take their time as Miura would have done.... Otherwise what would be the point of this continuation?

 

[Sir Schraffl]

If they have to made up part of the story I agree with you, but if they have Miura's input for more then 10 volumes they should go for It.
I really don't want them to finish Berserk just for the sake of It...I would prefer they take their time as Miura would have done.... Otherwise what would be the point of this continuation?

10 volumes is a lot of content to get from artists that are not Miura. Everything is based on how much information left from Miura they have to work with. I doubt they have enough details to go that far in the count of volumes.

 

[Odysseus]

I think it really depends on if we get the "islands" of story, as Aaz and some others have been suspecting (and is somewhat implied in Mori's comment) or if it's more cohesively told. If the in between chunks of stories are cut, then of course it will be shorter.

 

[Sir Schraffl]

I think it really depends on if we get the "islands" of story, as Aaz and some others have been suspecting (and is somewhat implied in Mori's comment) or if it's more cohesively told. If the in between chunks of stories are cut, then of course it will be shorter.

If what Mori said is true about him getting his information about the story from Miura through conversations, I don't think they have too many details to work with. There is a limit to how many details can be shared through conversations. If he had extensive notes that's a different story but from what they have told us its more like notes here and there with some sketches.

 

[Griffith]

Well, since they're going to the trouble of telling it in longform in the format Berserk has always been published, under the same title and numbering, my guess is they're going to go out of their way to at least give the appearance of continuity and cohesion with the rest of the series. They could still do the islands of storytelling this way without making it obvious or abrupt. They could use verbal cues and clever editing for example, switch perspectives between character sets much as Miura has, to bridge those gaps (e.g. Guts: "We need to go HERE." *switch to world events Miura left notes about in Falconia for a while, then back to Guts and company* "We're here!"). Basically, there's plenty of wiggle room for Mori to yada yada yada the parts they aren't sure about in an abridged telling, and without it appearing patchwork or butchered. Naturally, since they were such good friends and discussed this frequently over the years, I'm hoping Mori has quite an extensive knowledge of the events yet to take place and feels comfortable bringing them all to fruition in a style consistent with the rest of the series.

 

[4M4M]

I don't think they should push their luck and do it in 10 volumes

I honestly feel like they are not doing THAT much Berserk: feat: Mori Kouji for that long... Unless it becomes a hit in sales and they change plans with the new arc, it shouldn't go for that long if it's not a linear story, right? Vol 42 is scheduled to end this chapter and the arc, I suppose? Doing 9 more seems like... too much.

 

[Sir Schraffl]

I honestly feel like they are not doing THAT much Berserk: feat: Mori Kouji for that long... Unless it becomes a hit in sales and they change plans with the new arc, it shouldn't go for that long if it's not a linear story, right? Vol 42 is scheduled to end this chapter and the arc, I suppose? Doing 9 more seems like... too much.

I guess we really don't have enough information to say really. Just have to wait and see at this point.

 

[Frogacuda]

I think Griffith might have Elfheim attacked, if only because he doesn't like competition and Elfheim could be a threat. This could be what prompts Guts to take the fight to Femto.

This is pure speculation but I think that

a.) Guts, his party, and some of the other Elfheim survivors manage to escape to the continent, and they link up with Rickert and Silat.

b.) After this they start amassing an army to go against Femto. Guts begins spreading the story of the Eclipse and Griffith's crimes even admitting how Griffith had him assassinate Julius and (though this is pure guesswork, I'm also thinking that Guts may have set the fire that killed the queen and the other nobles). Griffith of course denies this and might even try to spin things against Guts (Charlotte after all knows that Guts and Griffith were friends, as do Owen and Laban). While many buy into Griffith's lies, others are more willing to listen and the new army starts to grow.

c.) Right before the final fight there might be a parley where Guts and Casca meet Griffith again. This time Guts is able to hold his own against Griffith, bluntly calling him out for having ALWAYS been a horrible friend and ruining his own dream. Casca is also able to look Griffith in the eye. Griffith is furious that they've managed to heal from what he's done to them and becomes determined to break them all over again.

I think the Griffith/Guts grudge is pretty one-sided at this point. Whether it's the influence of the moonlight child or the fact that killing Guts is simply irrelevant to his goals, Griffith doesn't seem to be actively hostile to Guts or care a great deal about the "incomplete sacrifice."

 

[Aazealh]

care a great deal about the "incomplete sacrifice."

The sacrifice isn't incomplete. Receiving the brand is what seals the deal. Survival of the victim(s) doesn't seem to matter since they end up in the Vortex all the same once they die.

 

[Lejaja]

So what do we think happens in the next two episodes?

We already saw one sketch where Guts attacks Griffith/Femto a year ago, and I like Aaz’s idea from the podcast that Griffith turns into Femto.

It’s interesting to think what they will try to fit in within 6 episodes to finish the arc. But it’s also hard to see everyone leave Elfhelm unless femto makes some grave threats, or unless one of casca or guts get so enraged that they leave the island the rest chase after them. It’s also hard to see an assault on Elfhelm in 6 episodes.

Also wonder if some repairs will be needed from the recently introduced blacksmith, post-Femto encounter.

 

[LordYAM]

I think the Griffith/Guts grudge is pretty one-sided at this point. Whether it's the influence of the moonlight child or the fact that killing Guts is simply irrelevant to his goals, Griffith doesn't seem to be actively hostile to Guts or care a great deal about the "incomplete sacrifice."

Maybe, but when they last met Griffith was satisfied that Guts had been reduced to a pitiable state. Imagine meeting a Guts who can look him in the eye and is clearly in a stronger place. Griffith wanted to break Guts; seeing that he failed in doing that would be infuriating.

 

[Walter]

https://twitter.com/berserk_project/status/1539095776735170561?s=20&t=MO33r-n4trYFp-uxwMntbg

The official Berserk Project account just showed off the color page / clear file that will be included in the magazine (2 days til release!)