Skullknight.NET Podcast: Episode 42

[Walter]

Episode 42 (01/26/2014): GIGANTOMAKHIA [5]

The penultimate issue of Gigantomakhia is reviewed, and we also reach Volume 4 in our re-read project, and thus the Golden Age. And by that I don't mean that things are all downhill from here... Guts origins, his relationship with Gambino, the Donovan scene, his first meeting with The Falcons, and how these things shaped Guts drive the entire discussion.

===========================================
Don't forget you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes
or by plugging this address into your favorite podcast app:
http://skullknight.net/podcast/rss.xml
===========================================

 

[Sammoniac]

Guts' childhood is one of my favorite part of the series and its awesome to hear you guys talk about it. Please keep up the re-read... its great!

 

[tama chan]

Thank you for another entertaining podcast. That's another reason why I was disappointed with the new anime movies; they glossed over Guts' childhood so quickly, and I think it's still a very important part of his character and personality. They gave us some five minute blurry recap, and I still don't really get how anyone who hasn't seen or read Berserk could figure out what it all meant.

I really like the two page spread of Guts looking up at the starry sky while is is laying down. It's one of the simpler two page spreads but its such a peaceful and beautiful scene. At the time when the three episode flashback came out more recently with Guts and Chich I thought it was a little strange of Miura going back to around this time, but re reading it and getting a broader sense of Guts' past and how it may still play into the present was a welcome addition.

 

[Walter]

Thanks! We talked quite a bit more about the first movie's shortcomings in the official podcast on the subject, which was back in May 2012 or so.

 

[Grail]

Damn I forgot to comment on this one! Very enjoyable discussion as always. Regarding Gigantomakhia, I think that most folks are hesitant to comment due to their lack of familiarity with the world (despite it being a short series). With Berserk, I think that your average user will be more confident about commenting because they've been exposed to it for much longer. You could also say that it's because Miura is also using a new library of references. It's all Greek to me!

Also, thanks for taking the time to discuss so much of the Berserk reread on a panel-by-panel basis. I hope you decide to continue this trend further along in the series, particularly for Guts and Casca as their friendship develops.

 

[Walter]

Damn I forgot to comment on this one! Very enjoyable discussion as always. Regarding Gigantomakhia, I think that most folks are hesitant to comment due to their lack of familiarity with the world (despite it being a short series). With Berserk, I think that your average user will be more confident about commenting because they've been exposed to it for much longer. You could also say that it's because Miura is also using a new library of references. It's all Greek to me!

The lack of translations is also a factor, so it's somewhat understandable. But Aaz has been doing a great job supplementing those with explanations on what's happening.

Also, thanks for taking the time to discuss so much of the Berserk reread on a panel-by-panel basis. I hope you decide to continue this trend further along in the series, particularly for Guts and Casca as their friendship develops.

I continue to be surprised by the feedback on this section, since I made my thoughts on it pretty clear going in. I didn't think it would be exciting to listen to. But I think now that it's become a lot more in-depth than we initially set out, it's sort of turning into quite a little project.

 

[Walter]

No show today, folks. We'll be back in a few weeks!

If you're anything like me, and still need your scheduled podcast fix, you could relisten to older shows. One of my favorites is still Episode 5. We were really on.

 

[Draculoid]

Hope you guys are enjoying the break, can't wait to hear your thoughts on the "final" Gigantomakhia episode. Just realized I was two behind and am just in the middle of listening to 12. Really enjoyed Gigantomakhia and enjoyed the way it ended, so huge in scale. Great how he create that whole world for such a short series.

On the rape discussion, I also thought that brought up an interesting parallel between him and Griffith.

 

[NeaR]

Hi guys! First time posting here, I made an account recently but I've been reading this forum for a while now. I just wanted to say that these podcast's are awesome, and I'm tuning into every single one. So far I'm on episode 13 on the podcast. I also wanted to say that I really admire Aazealh's knowledge on Berserk and how he picks up every little detail.. He really makes these podcasts for me but you all are great.

 

[Walter]

Hi guys! First time posting here, I made an account recently but I've been reading this forum for a while now. I just wanted to say that these podcast's are awesome, and I'm tuning into every single one. So far I'm on episode 13 on the podcast. I also wanted to say that I really admire Aazealh's knowledge on Berserk and how he picks up every little detail.. He really makes these podcasts for me but you all are great.

Thanks! I'm sure that'll warm his cold, French heart.

We're set to record the next episode tomorrow. Should be up later that evening, as usual.

 

[NeaR]

Thanks! I'm sure that'll warm his cold, French heart.

We're set to record the next episode tomorrow. Should be up later that evening, as usual.

I'll be tuning in as soon as I can. I hope you guys can do more characters discussions, those are my favorite. The Skull Knight and Zoddcast were so great.

 

[Walter]

I'll be tuning in as soon as I can. I hope you guys can do more characters discussions, those are my favorite. The Skull Knight and Zoddcast were so great.

Did we do one on Zodd..? I don't remember...

 

[NeaR]

Did we do one on Zodd..? I don't remember...

You guys didn't officially do one on Zodd. It was on Skull Knight discussion part 3, episode 6. You guys were talking about Skull Knight but ended up talking so much about Zodd that you guys jokingly called it the Zoddcast. Hahaha

 

[Aazealh]

I also wanted to say that I really admire Aazealh's knowledge on Berserk and how he picks up every little detail.. He really makes these podcasts for me but you all are great.

Thanks! I'm sure that'll warm his cold, French heart.

Warmth...

​

 

[JMP]

Well, I'm only late to the party by a little over a year, so not sure this will even be seen, but I just listened to this episode and had a few thoughts, so guess I will throw them out there anyway. I very much enjoyed your discussion, as always!
To me the scene where Shisu is dying and Guts is by her side is so significant in what it says about Guts' character. Not only does it show that he is brave, but also that he cares deeply for those he loves. Shisu looks hideous and terrifying with the disfigurement to her face and Guts is shown as being so frightened that he is shivering. Knowing she is dying and probably in considerable pain, Shisu herself is also afraid and alone in that moment. She calls out to the person she loves best, Guts. It shows what a selfless and bighearted person Guts is when he overcomes his fear and goes to her side in her time of need to comfort her. Every time I read through this I find it very touching.
You all were contemplating how on earth Guts could be a decent human being after all the shit he's been through. I remember learning in a psychology class that birth to 1 year is a crucial time in a person's development of trust and attachment to others. We aren't shown anything much of Guts' life with Shisu, but it is clear from the beginning that she is protective of him and since it is Guts that she calls out to on her deathbed I would think that she loved him very much. Guts probably had a reasonably loving adoptive mother in Shisu for those first 3 years of his life, so you can probably thank her, in large part, for him not being a complete sociopathic monster.
I always thought of Gambino's dog as a comparison to Guts. Guts is like a little lost puppy following after Gambino. Through Guts' childhood he has a blind faith and loyalty to Gambino that is much like a devoted dog's to its master. In one panel Gambino is shown kicking the dog, but even though he abused it, the dog still follows him. This is just how Guts acts. Gambino has mistreated Guts many times and hasn't shown him much love, but Guts desperately wants his approval. Any scant praise that Guts receives from Gambino clearly means the world to him. This is completely understandable since Gambino is Guts' only father figure, but unfortunately Gambino is a pretty horrid person and fails miserably at being a dad.
Anyway, thanks for the podcasts! They are a lot of fun to listen to and you always point out something interesting or have some thoughts that I hadn't considered before.

Oh! One more thought on Gambino's dog. Since to me it is a comparison to Guts, I think it could be an early foreshadowing to the Beast of Darkness. The once tame, faithful dog has been twisted by pain and rage into the feral, vicious beast!