SkullKast 131: Eye of the Maelstrom (Ep. 365-366)

[Walter]

Episode 131: Eye of the Maelstrom (2h08m)

Hear our impressions of this new era for Berserk, which kicked off with a milestone: Two episodes in one magazine.

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[Keratos23]

Great episode guys. Very interesting listening to everyones' thoughts on the episodes. It was probably one of the only times when you barely mentioned what may happen in the next episode, though it's understandable in this situation.
I really hope Studio Gaga improves somehow from now on (Though unlikely) or at least stays at the level of quality that 365 and 366 had. Otherwise the podcast episodes from now on will be like the ones when you covered the 2016/17 anime, just half an hour of "Wtf was that?"

 

[Griffith]

Great episode guys. Very interesting listening to everyones' thoughts on the episodes. It was probably one of the only times when you barely mentioned what may happen in the next episode, though it's understandable in this situation.

"Oh yeah, Zodd shows up at the end to fight Guts in the armor! Are we sure about this?"

I really hope Studio Gaga improves somehow from now on (Though unlikely) or at least stays at the level of quality that 365 and 366 had. Otherwise the podcast episodes from now on will be like the ones when you covered the 2016/17 anime, just half an hour of "Wtf was that?"

I don't think so, it'll just be sad and regrettable, even if it goes way downhill; like I said, I was worried it was going to look like a thin, completely mediocre manga unrecognizable from the style and tone of Berserk. If it devolves into that as we get further away from Miura's influence, the difference between this and projects like the anime is those were purely consumer endeavors, and insultingly bad ones, whereas outside the obvious publisher's concerns here, from a creative standpoint this is the author's closest friend, confidant and associates essentially carrying his life's work to completion; that's as authentic and touching as this sort of thing gets. The master is gone, his apprentices finish his work as best they can (even if that's not what they were prepared for).

Even keeping the name and numbering can be justified in that they're completing the work Miura started and which they already worked on, not making a spinoff or sequel, though that might sit better with some of us purists or bibliophiles (I'm not even counting 364 and volume 41 as pure Berserk, but essentially a transitional episode and the prototype of this project, basically their first attempt at "completing" Miura's work that was so successful they saw the potential to do more than simply cap it off). We also find ourselves strangely complicit in treating this exactly as we did releases in Miura's lifetime; it all rolled out and was handled just like any episode release before it, which I'm sure was the publisher's intention, but I thought it was half ironic even as I did it given we're wrestling with those very issues.

So, if anything I'm going to be overly cautious as a fan not to conflate my personal preferences and interests with that of Berserk or Miura's legacy, because I don't know what he'd want, or any better than his friends and co-workers. Of course, we'll still read with a critical eye as we did with these episodes, but if the new episodes completely falter... well, I can always stop, and even if it's an unbelievable success there's always going to be that clear demarcation between the episodes Miura released in his lifetime, when his telling truly ended, and what's come and to come afterward. I hope it's not only a worthy effort, but results in something truly special for Berserk and Miura's legacy, that not even death could prevent his work from being completed because of the dedication he inspired in the people he left behind, including us.

 

[Guin]

Nice podcast, regarding what you said about Guts's not having a reaction to Griffith's transformation from the boy, I had that same exact thought as if something was missing there. I was really hoping for a page similar to Guts's face when he sees Griffith reincarnated, the level of nuance and emotion in that page always conveyed so clearly how Guts was feeling with no words. I honestly thought he would have been stunned for a moment and then maybe when he heard Casca scream it would wake him up and he would attack or something. For example during Griffith's reincarnation Guts after seeing Griffith is stricken with rage and is about to rush in but he hears Casca moaning behind him and it snaps him out of it, and he quickly makes her the first priority. I know Griffith was waaay further away but I still think he should have at least acknowledged Cascas presence more clearly too.

 

[Odysseus]

One thing to note about page 9 of Episode 365 is that the memories we see from Casca's POV are going in-order from most recent to furthest back.

Sea God -> Qliphoth -> Tower of Conviction -> Eclipse

So I do agree that this page is supposed to convey her more traumatic memories coming to the surface.

 

[Darkman_Lord]

I don't like the idea of continuing berserk like 365 - 366 why not just name it ( continuation of berserk ) something

 

[Walter]

I don't like the idea of continuing berserk like 365 - 366 why not just name it ( continuation of berserk ) something

I agree. And while it’s a long shot, there’s still an opportunity for that to happen, whether in future episode serializations or when the volume is released.

 

[Griffith]

I'm kind of resigned to them keeping the name at this point. At least it seems consistent with the mission statement of the project, which is to complete Berserk in this fashion, whether we like it or not. I firmly believe that's the rub. Like, they're already going the route of completing the man's unfinished work, so if that isn't treading on sacred ground I don't know what pretending they're not would really accomplish.

Actually, I think perception-wise it's going to take care of itself in time as this project goes from looking like a couple of Berserk cover songs added on the back end of the discography to an obviously new project with its own identity for better or worse, hopefully starting with the next arc. Once this thing has a little more size and shape to it I think it'll be a lot easier to sort it out next to Berserk in our minds. In the end it won't make it any harder for people like us to distinguish it from Miura's work in any case. No matter how good or bad it is, it's not going to replicate what we've lost or take away what we have.

Keeping it all separate and tidy kind of sailed with volume 41 anyway, and I've already got my hardcore Star Wars fan contingency plan laid out where I only count up to Volume 40 and then up to episode 363 individually. Episode 364 and volume 41 are already Berserk: The Special Edition (another new name for this Faux-Berserk =).

By the way, this reminds me of my other "baton" topic, which I wish I'd remembered in the moment because it's a lot more fun, which was all the different names we've come up with for this replacement player version of Berserk:

Berserk Legacy (Aaz)
Berserk Continuation (Grail)
Berserk Modoki (Aaz)
ペルセルク (knockoff brand "Perserk") (Puella)
Nu-Berserk
Berserk Lite (Nighty, but me too =)
Prosthetic Berserk (Walter, indirectly)
Post-Berserk
Zombie Berserk
Lizard-Tail Berserk
Fake News Berserk

There's plenty more, it goes on and on, the possibilities for pain are endless!

 

[Aazealh]

Keeping it all separate and tidy kind of sailed with volume 41 anyway, and I've already got my hardcore Star Wars fan contingency plan laid out where I only count up to Volume 40 and then up to episode 363 individually. Episode 364 and volume 41 are already Berserk: The Special Edition (another new name for this Faux-Berserk =).

I have to disagree here. While it's (very) unfortunate the volume didn't get a cover illustration from Miura, episode 364 itself definitely bears his stamp. And I think comparing it to what we got with 365 & 366 makes it even more obvious. They shouldn't be lumped together!

 

[Griffith]

I have to disagree here. While it's (very) unfortunate the volume didn't get a cover illustration from Miura, episode 364 itself definitely bears his stamp. And I think comparing it to what we got with 365 & 366 makes it even more obvious. They shouldn't be lumped together!

Well, I'm being a bit facetious there, and it's true practically speaking that you can tell he definitely designed and had almost completed 364, and that's basically how I saw it. But it's also true that's where he left off and his assistants had to take over, and this reclamation project sort of began, which does color my view of 364 and it's place in all this a little. If they'd just capped it off there, put a period on the end of Miura's sentence, fine, but in retrospect that was the proof of concept for this continuation and "where it all began." It was at the very least the seed, and I guess it's best to see it as a tribute to Miura that his team was able to do this at all.

Anyway, it's obviously a really special and singularly unique episode given the circumstances of its completion, but it's also the transition episode and the biggest argument for this creative team continuing, if not the deciding factor. Hell, 364 is basically the hugest possible cliffhanger ever to dangle out there, and the worst stopping point, practically begging to be continued. If you were going to let sleeping dogs lie, you leave it at 363, the last episode Miura completed and published in his lifetime, and close the book.


As for the cover, that's different. I would have preferred they used ANY leftover artwork from Miura, whether it was context appropriate, just another shot of Guts, something comprehensive to commemorate the whole series, something unfinished to acknowledge the circumstances, or fuck, on that note even just a black box or blank cover. Now, again, in retrospect it's hard not to wonder if the decision they made wasn't in mind of the transition to the new team. See, this is why I have to stay positive about all this, otherwise, I'll be a very cynical, unpleasant guy.

 

[Aazealh]

As for the cover, that's different. I would have preferred they used ANY leftover artwork from Miura, whether it was context appropriate, just another shot of Guts, something comprehensive to commemorate the whole series, something unfinished to acknowledge the circumstances, or fuck, on that note even just a black box or blank cover. Now, again, in retrospect it's hard not to wonder if the decision they made wasn't in mind of the transition to the new team. See, this is why I have to stay positive about all this, otherwise, I'll be a very cynical, unpleasant guy.

Yeah... It certainly does come to mind. As is the insane decision to advertise Berserk in the New York Times with poorly traced artwork from someone other than Kentarou Miura.

 

[asic]

Great episode as always.
As you mentioned there is not a lot of episodes left. Is it time for Zodd to go? Perhaps that is the big finale, Guts yells to everyone to back off and they duel. Seems very unlikely though, he might as well just fly away with Femto.
I just hope this ends with Casca overcoming the trauma of seeing Guts and finally be able to embrace him. How else are we gonna continue the journey, is Guts gonna be wearing a bag over his head the whole time?