Episodes 365 & 366

The problem I found with this project (through the lens of the reader) is that it's a massive "what if". Mori is telling the story and I'm sure it's faithful, but it definitely leaves you yearning for the Master's true vision, pacing, and illustration. Imagine what this episode could've been like if he was still here.
Thats exactly how I feel too. The episodes were awesome and the art looked a lot better than I thought but while I was reading I kept asking myself what would page X look like if Miura was still here? Would he depict Griffith/Femtos astral form like that? etc. etc.

All that just made me miss Miura even more. But I am still happy we get to see the ending Miura envisioned. I am looking forward to the next episodes and especially what Skull Knight will do now.
 
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So now that the episodes are out, I'll give the gist of my thoughts on them.

As expected, Berserk without Miura doesn't give me much to work with. Even in the most simple of Miura's episodes, you could analyze them for months and keep finding more details. What we got here in comparison felt empty and uninteresting for the most part.

It had many inconsistencies that I won't deeply delve into as other people have talked about them already, such as the Berserker armor not activating, Griffith's confusing "ability" and Zodd coming out of nowhere. That honestly, if they properly explain why they happened like that in the next episode, I'll be satisfied. Mad that they still happened, but satisfied for now. (Though I have no idea how they'd explain the berserker armor not doing shit, did Hanarr mess it up??).

Other than that, the art was... Alright? The biggest issue was honestly the pacing, the paneling and the composition of each page. The art by itself, though very much different from Miura's and quite inconsistent, was alright, even good at certain pages.
I wish I could talk about the dialogue but they gave me nothing to work with, so this will have to wait a couple weeks. (Couldn't they have included at least the thoughts in the characters' heads? Unless Guts just became a savage gorilla after seeing Griffith :schierke:)

I hate that I don't like it as much as many other people, honestly looking online, it's probably liked by a good 90% of the fandom, if not more. But I just don't see what other people are seeing on it. Maybe they just like it cause "It's more Berserk" and "It's better than nothing", but the 2016/17 anime was also both these things and uhh... yeah.
It really shouldn't have kept the name "Berserk", I would've honestly enjoyed it much more.

But having said all that, I still wish the best for Mori and Studio Gaga. Of course as I said when it was first announced, I'll keep supporting them through the entire thing, even if I still dislike it by the end of it.
I do hope they get better at it as we go forward, but for now, it doesn't impress me.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Still very impressed with it the morning after, like, I honestly can't believe how good it looks (maybe I just wasn't expecting much; the cynics are the last to be disappointed =), though some of the drama with one of the traditionally most talkative characters in the series basically just standing there leaves something to be desired...

BUT, again, I'm giving them the same benefit of the doubt I did Miura's episodes even though they haven't yet earned that trust or faith (or at least I'm not assuming the worst about every questionable detail or perhaps change in visual language). This is just out of fairness in how I read it because my credo to people complaining about the latest episode was always that it isn't the last episode or the final word, it's a continually incomplete story by nature.

In addition to that this thing is carrying a far greater burden, and baggage, than any narrative responsibility an episode has before it; literally life, death, and only the legacy of our fucking hero! I mean, should a true fan feel guilty for liking this? Is it a fitting tribute or a desecration by nature, no matter how much love, effort or good intentions are behind it? "Berserk" is back, but it isn't really Berserk; the dissonance is real. So, for myself I'm sure there's going to be some emotional ups and downs with this as it ebs and flows, and I'm wary of what it's going to look like the further out we get from Miura's direct influence (this was an obvious next step, but what about the next one, and the one after that... and the one after that...), but right now I'm on a high, though I completely understand and sympathize with those that decidedly aren't.

Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind if and when Griffith starts swordfighting Guts with his peepee and the next arc is the group's far out adventures lost in Candyland. :griffnotevil:
 
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puella

Berserk forever
Honestly, I was disappointed. I admit that I expected too much out of it.
However I don't want to blame anybody. The assistants and Mori did their best for Miura and the readers.
Now I see why everybody called Miura a genius. It's not an exaggeration. Nobody can copy a genius.
"The continuation" only serves to prove how great Miura was.

Like many people, I also think the best thing they can do is just to deliver Miura's plan, without adding any detail of their own.
Nothing's changed for me, I'll continue to research Miura's life and pursue my further studies of Berserk, while following the story.
 
I mean, what is there for him to say? He's had that same reaction ever since seeing him in the Hill of Swords.
Talking about the Hill of Swords, this entire 2 episodes just felt like the same thing but done poorly.

Griffith wasn't just there and Guts met him suddenly, the boy that Guts has met multiple times in his journey turned into Griffith right in front of him and his thoughts were just "GGHHAGHHH GR-GRIFFITHHHHHH!!!11", it honestly just felt like a parody of Guts' character.

And the fact he didn't even turn around to check how Casca is doing, even though she was screaming her lungs out back there, felt wrong to me.
Everytime his rage consumed him before, Casca quickly became his priority if she was in danger. Not here.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Talking about the Hill of Swords, this entire 2 episodes just felt like the same thing but done poorly.

It's like poetry, it rhymes. :griffnotevil:

Griffith wasn't just there and Guts met him suddenly, the boy that Guts has met multiple times in his journey turned into Griffith right in front of him and his thoughts were just "GGHHAGHHH GR-GRIFFITHHHHHH!!!11", it honestly just felt like a parody of Guts' character.

And the fact he didn't even turn around to check how Casca is doing, even though she was screaming her lungs out back there, felt wrong to me.
Everytime his rage consumed him before, Casca quickly became his priority if she was in danger. Not here.

One hand washes the other; those extenuating circumstances, the boy, the obvious harm Griffith's presence is doing to Casca, could explain Guts' most extreme reaction.

Since you're talking about the Hill of Swords, if you go check it out you'll find there's actually dialogue and internal thoughts going on during that scene.

Yeah, and that's definitely missing here. Playing devil's advocate (which I guess I'm officially doing now =), one could say it's not as necessary or appropriate as it was then given the shocking circumstances of Griffith's sudden arrival and the boy's apparent disappearance, and it could still come in the next episode, etc.

But also, if Mori is true to his word, isn't this exactly the kind of thing that would be lacking from an oral telling being conservatively adapted to the page? Only Miura really knew or could fill in the characters' internal thoughts and feelings at any given moment beyond the obvious.

So, now when the next episode is full of internal thoughts and feelings it'll be a whole other problem! =)
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
I just finished rereading it for the second time. As others have said, the art is very impressive, considering these guys were in charge of 0.8% of Berserk before Miura passed away. I imagine it’ll improve over time, along with their visual storytelling.

Right now, though, their storytelling, written and visual, leaves a lot to be desired. Is Griffith phasing in and out of existence, or is this Studio Gaga’s way of portraying things like the arrows missing him from back in the day? Why didn’t the armor take over, considering how apoplectic with rage Guts is? Will it take over during the upcoming confrontation with Zodd? Why doesn’t Schierke recognize Griffith’s Od? She’s encountered it before. Where’s Sonia? Right behind Zodd with a bunch of other apostles? I don’t recall ever having so many questions after reading an episode of Berserk written and drawn almost exclusively by Miura. I sincerely hope that improves over time. I’m willing to cut Studio Gaga and Mori some slack, since we’re seeing their very first effort, but it makes me worry about the future.

Overall, they exceeded what little expectations I had, and I’m looking forward to future episodes, but I’m still feeling apprehensive. I expect that feeling to continue for quite some time, until (if?) Studio Gaga and Mori find their feet.
 
I think everyone's criticisms are valid. My mindset now is enjoy the art as much as possible, watch the team grow and extract obvious plot points that may have been Miura's ideas.

For example this episode I learned Griffith can phase through attacks and the plan for the story was that Griffiths apostles would follow him to the island.
 

RaffoBaffo

Ex-Newser of the late Berserk Chronicles
That enemies would arrive in Elfhelm seemed like a foregone conclusion, however that it would occur in this specific way was not guaranteed.
Well,, the Episode with Griffith's Army traveling on the braches smell to me a little like foreshadowing too.
 
Also this continuation will make re-reads fun knowing that the story will head towards an ending. Its better than re-reading and getting decked in the face with the cliffhanger we were previously on.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Well,, the Episode with Griffith's Army traveling on the braches smell to me a little like foreshadowing too.

Sure, and episode 361 where the Volvaba expects that what the Great Gurus have been talking about would soon come true, and the Skull Knight's words to Danan in 363... But Schraffl's point stands if it turns out that Griffith intended to specifically use the boy as an opportunity to get in, and to then bring in others (how exactly did he foresee everything happening with such a perfect timing is another matter).
 
Art is great. Most people probably wouldn't see a difference if they didn't know Miura died.
At least Griffith looks like Griffith again and not the moe shit we got the last couple of years from Miura. Oh, and some proper panels from Puck in his not chestnut form.

Some people here are right. We sadly don't have much to analyze like in the past with Miura. For example the excellent Isidro skirt flipping pages, little witch academia or the xth Star Wars joke.

As to why the armor didn't fully activate...it seems partially active. But it's fair to assume that Guts tries to suppress it, trying to keep his mind somewhat sane and keep focus on the general situation since more enemies might be on the way (and what happens to his party).

For how Zodd got there...well he jumped down from the branches. So either he followed Sonia and an incoming army, or he just followed Griffith/Moonlight boy like he did before. He's his little bodyguard for like most of the manga.

I for one look forward to what Miura had in mind and shared with the team. As well as Gaga's evolution
 
For how Zodd got there...well he jumped down from the branches. So either he followed Sonia and an incoming army, or he just followed Griffith/Moonlight boy like he did before. He's his little bodyguard for like most of the manga.
I believe there is Sonia as well. Because on one side there is the prophecy's Sonia of meeting Schierke in a moonlit forrest (on elfs island), on other side only Griffith and Sonia could navigate the World Tree's branches, so, Sonia is there like a guide for Zodd.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Art is great. Most people probably wouldn't see a difference if they didn't know Miura died.
At least Griffith looks like Griffith again and not the moe shit we got the last couple of years from Miura. Oh, and some proper panels from Puck in his not chestnut form.

Some people here are right. We sadly don't have much to analyze like in the past with Miura. For example the excellent Isidro skirt flipping pages, little witch academia or the xth Star Wars joke.

Fuck right off with this shit.
 

Grail

Feel the funk blast
My emotions leading up to the release of these episodes were mixed, as I had said on the Skullkast, and now with their publishing I feel more conflicted than ever, if I have to be honest.

I have no doubt that the team put forth their best effort with this episode, and will continue to do so, improving their craft along the way. This show of quality was in some ways beyond what I had expected, but they fell short in some ways I hadn't predicted, as well. The lack of dialogue or inner monologues felt very strange to me, but I also don't want to judge prematurely before the rest of the chapter is released, as is always the case with episodic releases. There were other things that felt off to me, and made me wonder "how could they get this wrong?" but I also want to be reasonable and give the benefit of the doubt to Mori and Studio Gaga, who lost a mentor and friend, and are picking up the pieces when Miura did the vast majority of the work on this series.

I just have to keep reminding myself that it just can't be the same thing it once was, nor should it be, really. Before the continuation was announced, I had come to terms with Berserk being over, and @Griffith , as you were saying, I do honestly feel a weird sort of guilt for my enjoying this, even at a limited level, and even saying Berserk is still going. It just doesn't feel right to say. So for the sake of my sanity, and out of respect for Miura's life's work, I'll just be calling it the Berserk Continuation in my mind.

To all my fellow long-time fans that are going through it right now, I do hope that we can come to appreciate the interpretation of Miura's vision as depicted by Mori and Studio Gaga as much as we can, under the circumstances, but the question of how much is going to be a different beast for everyone to grapple with.
 
I've whined about the episodes in the chat, but it felt appropriate to add my own post to the thread.

I've often conversed with @Griffith about how Dark Souls II lacked the fingerprint of Miyazaki, that the absence of the main vision is clearly felt there. Well, here is a similar situation, except a 100 times worse. I've never felt more sharp absence of an author than I have with these episodes.

Now, I'm not holding the result against Team GaGa. What they pulled off is admirable all things considered. Hell, on its own, without comparing it to Miura, it still is a lot better than most manga out there. But comparisons to Miura can't be helped, especially as they continue to use the same title of "Berserk".

What I will say, with respect to the team, that I expected better from them. Not in the art or paneling or pacing or other technical aspects (there was never a doubt in my mind that they wouldn't live up to Miura), but in the small and intricate details of the story. I would expect a team that worked with Miura for 15 years to know certain things about his work: that there is a line between berserk fury and blind savagery, a line that the armor erases. Seeing Guts rage like that, not paying attention to Casca, not acknowledging the boy's transformation, was not right. Guts was always, even in his worst moments, able to be brought back from the brink when he needed to. It's only with the armor that he truly crosses the line. He shouldn't have behaved this way in this confrontation, especially as this isn't even the first time he sees Griffith post-Eclipse. They could have avoided this problem by just putting that fucking helmet on him and making him rage away. Arguing that Guts restrained the armor introduces more problems, since if he was in such control, he wouldn't have ignored Casca, and so on. If fans far removed from Miura can understand such details, why can't the team who worked with him do?

The art, paneling, pacing, and so on were obviously inferior, especially the paneling. Miura's scene composition was cinematic, alive, and dynamic; those events leapt out of the pages. This, on the other hand, feels like a patchwork of pages sewn together. Again, to be expected, but the loss is sharply felt. Those first few pages had me wanting to bleach my eyes!

I did like a few parts, namely when Zodd shows up. That paw descending on Guts was a nice touch. Of course Zodd showed up to get in Guts' way, that big, furry, Griffith-simping, horned bitch. In all seriousness though, Zodd is always a welcome addition to a scene, but I will inevitably compare their next encounter with the one in Vol 22 (to date, the best duel I've seen in manga). Oh well.

In any case, this effort, while respectable, amounts to Bob Ross trying his hand at Michelangelo. It's a huge burden for Mori and the team, so I can only wish them the best from here. If Miura is watching from wherever he is, I hope he's smiling.
 
Like some people said, I share the feeling of having felt less excitement than usual reading these two episodes. However, I cannot say yet whether it is because there is indeed some dissonance with Miura’s work or because it makes me remember that Sensei is definitely dead and we’ll never read anything again from him. Maybe it’s a little of both. In any case, I appreciate the massive amount of efforts put in by Studio Gaga and Mori and I’ll wait for the next episodes before making up my mind on it.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Right now, though, their storytelling, written and visual, leaves a lot to be desired. Is Griffith phasing in and out of existence, or is this Studio Gaga’s way of portraying things like the arrows missing him from back in the day?

I'm also not 100% sure on this, which is an issue! Similarly...

Why didn’t the armor take over, considering how apoplectic with rage Guts is? Will it take over during the upcoming confrontation with Zodd?

They actually have a shot OF the armor seemingly taking over, but then it's just an awkward silhouette of Guts head with a way too big beast eye, which is similar or a play on two separate things Miura did put together. So, we're conditioned to interpret all these visual cues a certain Miura-specific way, but this is a different visual language now and that's going to throw me off sometimes. Like, I won't know what I'm seeing, or I'll think I'm seeing something they're not showing me.:shrug:

Why doesn’t Schierke recognize Griffith’s Od? She’s encountered it before.

Is it because of the Od of the boy? Could he still be present in a direct way?

Also this continuation will make re-reads fun knowing that the story will head towards an ending. Its better than re-reading and getting decked in the face with the cliffhanger we were previously on.

I don't know if that alone would make it all worthwhile. =)

But Schraffl's point stands in that it seems Griffith intended to specifically use the boy as an opportunity to get in, and to then bring in his troops (how exactly did he foresee everything happening with such a perfect timing is another matter).

It's a pretty simple trick compared to his arrangements for creating Fantasia. It's also a neat twist on our expectations of the boy, Griffith using him to his advantage in this case rather than being a weakness. It seems consistent with how Griffith/Femto would respond to the circumstances rather than waiting for them to be his downfall.

Before the continuation was announced, I had come to terms with Berserk being over, and @Griffith , as you were saying, I do honestly feel a weird sort of guilt for my enjoying this, even at a limited level, and even saying Berserk is still going. It just doesn't feel right to say.

Right? The stakes here are somehow higher for us in real life than Guts versus Griffith! It's just a lot to bear with us otherwise having to follow the same usual patterns of an episode release when this anything but usual, and something that would be objectively unacceptable under any other circumstances (someone else doing Berserk!?) and may still be. That's definitely fucking with me anyway, and I'm having one of the more positive reactions, though I hope with open eyes as to what this actually is and isn't.

By the way, everything else you wrote was beautifully expressed, Grail. Thank you.
 
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