What makes Berserk so great?

berserker88

The Raging Demon
In your opinion what is it about Berserk that makes, Berserk so damn kick-ass??

For me what really hooked me was the complete out of the blue betrayl of Griffith and slaughtering of the band of the hawk, because I was really not expecting that and Im good at perdicting certain events when it comes to movies and shit, anyways the other was the story, and kick ass battles, and for the fact that the manga is better than the anime.
 
S

smoke

Guest
I like how well the action scenes translate into a drawn medium, and of course the epic but intimate storyline.

Also boobs and rape.
 
I was gonna write something witty and sarcastic, but I think the senior members have priority!

As for what makes Berserk so Great? There are too many things to list. Personally I think Berserk is great because its captivating, the character development is outstanding but ultimately Berserk is great because it leaves a genuine impact on it's readers.

P.S. smoke, stay away from the rope and handcuffs please.
 
In my opinion Berserk is so great because it realy gets to you. While most things like monsters etc.. are fake, they still have the "real" feeling to it.

The series just move you. (It does with me at least)
 
Berserk is an angry bull in a china shop (forgot Darkhorse's lame description so I did my best :guts: ).

But seriously, the action is excellent, the story is great. The characters have character. Miura does so well with his story telling that it really gets us thinking.
 
I dont remember the bull and china shop one but I do know this one.

"Created by Kentarou Miura, Berserk is a streaking manga fireball, an epic riot of galvanic action, grotesque horror, and grim humor with an army of fanatic loyalists ready to convert unbelievers or drive them screaming into the wilderness. Speak, hands, for me!"

"Created by Kentaro Miura, Berserk is an unstoppable manga avalanche, an overwhelming epic of unbridled action, unsettling horror, and uncivil humor that has crushed both friend and foe alike in its relentless path of destruction. No pain, no gain!"

:troll:

I wonder if Miura-sensai is aware of these summaries.
 
what makes Berserk great is that it is medieval manga mania at its bloodstained best, a volatile concoction of raging action, abyssal horror, and graveyard humor that has the initiates lining up for more and the fainthearted heading for the hills. Thank you sir, may I have another!
 
I like the story, art style, and action. One thing I also really like is how the characters change and evolve as the story progresses and things happen, making them seem more human instead of just one constant state of mind. I like how Guts is very rageful and violent after the eclipse then later on changes and stuff. The intense and emotional storyline is also other thing I really like.
 

Stream

Inousha
I could write an extremely long post writing about ALL THOSE detailed and specific things that make it great...
But it can also be said this way:

It just IS GREAT - literally. And I don't mean the length of story (though it helps)

- I'm thinking... When I try to create some mental image or a map of Berserk in my mind, every single time I become so overwhelmed by it's vastness and complexity, .. by everything.

It's like staring at the universe. Or the endless deep dark sea.

Think of the way everything started, think of the world and it's complexity as they are in chronological beginning.
Think of the way reality twisted and erupted, broadened.
Think of the characters that are more complex and real than.. lots of people I know.
Think of all the emotional charge...all the dilemmas...
.. and the sleepless nights spent digesting every single volume!
The more I look at it the more I see it's so complex that it will never truly have a border, nor in it's depth, nor in it's length.

Miura can write the ending some day (he better!! :D) - but in Berserk, the story itself with everything in it, simply exists outside those limitations, with an intensity unknown to 99% of other fiction works.

That's greatness.
 

Forest Wraith

Evil is born when we lose power over ourselves.
Berserk touches on human archetypes without letting them run the show. We feel a real sense of intimacy with the story and characters but at the same time it puts those archetypical aspects into the most extreme situations possible that we have never seen before.
 
To me, Berserk is so great because it illustrates the desire of man to achieve his will against all odds. The characters are so very human, but they are faced with such an unreal, impossible challenge. Rejecting Fate. Is it possible? No matter what God's will may be, they struggle against his/it's designs, and live the best they possibly can under these conditions. They're incredibly upbeat for having such awful foes. Guts leads the way, pushing against the boundries of the impossible.

Berserk is not afraid to confront the reader with the very worst that mankind has to offer. It is this struggle against the darkness that makes life beautiful. If everything we wanted was guaranteed, if nothing could go wrong, if hearts couldn't be broken, and if men wouldn't betray one another, life would be dull, boring, and not worth living.

While Guts and his "merry" band confronts the very worst, this challenge brings out the very best in mankind. The strength to face certain death, and stand up for yourself and others. This struggle makes the story beautiful, and is what makes Berserk so great.
 

FotiX

[b]Enjoyment and excitement![/b]
I could write a lot about this, including all the features of Berserk that we love. But I will be honest.

Berserk is great because it features a major kick-ass character. Seriously, no one can stand against Guts. :guts:
 
To me, the attraction has always been the downward spiral Guts so frequently falls into. If I had to pick a single instance that exemplifies Berserk for me, it'd actually be from the Anime (gasp!), more specificly the dubbed version (gasp gasp!) - the last seconds of the last episode. That scream alone sums up Berserk for me - a hellish spiral into insanity.
 
Oh boy, first post and it's basically the summary of why I'm here at all. I'll keep it extremely brief.

In the rare anime and manga I draw parallels between the characters in the story and some of the people I know most profoundly. This especially happened in Berserk--though Guts isn't like anyone I know entirely, Casca was just like an old friend of mine in so many ways. Ever since the eclipse, then, the story has shattered me, has forced me to think about life and... everything really. A few anime have done that, but never to that extent, so suddenly--especially in the anime which had so little foreshadowing compared to the manga. I was crushed. Haha, that all probably sounds pathetic, but that's what started me to reading deep into everything, finishing the anime and over thirty volumes of manga in a period of three days.

Of course, it's still an amazing story beyond that personal appeal--the action is awesome, the characters are dark but struggling, and the whole idea of causality, god as the summation of the ideas of man and his desires, and the process of becoming an apostle are all amazing elements to me.

So basically my main reason is the same as stated above, the immense pain that I was forced to think about inflicted on Guts and in some random way myself, the final screams of then anime.
 
To repeat what I had said in another topic:

{It is a}heart breaking, thought-provoking,
beautifully drawn, and action-packed masterpiece. It can be enjoyed on every level. Unlike many other storytellers, Kentarou Miura does not approach concepts such as dreams or revenge in a one-sided way. He shows that those who relentlessly pursue dreams can morally and physically destroy themselves or loved ones, yet he also understands that lives without dreams can be empty and sad. He also knows that those who live for violence and revenge are on the path self-destruction, but also understands that people who passively accept abuse will receive more abuse in turn.

It is an amazingly well done story where I truly feel connected to the characters. In the manga, they are all fleshed out and unforgettable, including the minor ones. I felt sad when I was approaching the end of the anime not only because of the band of the hawk's condition, but also because I thought that it would be the last that I saw of the characters (I didn't know about the manga at that point). Griffith is the best developed character in all fiction. I could write pages more, but that would take forever.

Also, YOU CAN SEE THEIR FREAKING BRAINS FLY!!!!!!!!!
 

Okin

The Ultimate Battle Creature
Most mangas are censored or have younger target audiences. Berserk has the deeply developed plotline, brutal fight scenes, and a multitude of unique character that everyone mature person can appreciate. There's also the high quality art and the well placed comic relief. I could go on and on. I think I mentioned the strong points.
 
Stream said:
When I try to create some mental image or a map of Berserk in my mind, every single time I become so overwhelmed by it's vastness and complexity, .. by everything.

It's like staring at the universe. Or the endless deep dark sea.

Stream, i think that ***looks at the gender*** i love you! :beast:

Odekun said:
Ever since the eclipse, then, the story has shattered me, has forced me to think about life and... everything really. A few anime have done that, but never to that extent, so suddenly--especially in the anime which had so little foreshadowing compared to the manga. I was crushed. Haha, that all probably sounds pathetic,

Absolutely not. That' s not pathetic my friend.

What makes Berserk so Great in my opinion?

The character design; Gatsu, when undressed, shows muscles that are mostly known by anatomy's students only.

The plot; never read something so interesting, at the same time full of action and feelings, never. And... i think it doesn't exist.

Characters' introspection; it is amazing how Miura can throw the reader in the situations that his characters are facing.
It is really hard to explain, but, the characters' emotions are affected by surroundings, and so their thoughts, at the same time, characters thoughts affects the reader's in relation of the context. This way, the readers feel the same (i think) characters' emotions!

Or at least this is what happens when i read it. However, i must admit that after the entry of Mozgus, the manga partially lost this "power" on me... but that' s another topic...
 
It's also the small things that don't leap at you in the face that make it great. The decision to show a closeup on Griffith's face looking at Guts and Casca, for example, made the episode where it was shown twice as good. In that single frame, Kentaro Miura shows that Griffith could sense the sexual/romantic tension between Guts and felt envy and regret because he realized that he had lost Casca's undying worship when he pushed her aside for Princess Charlotte, making the episode that much more heartbreaking. It really takes a genius to convey so much in a 1/8 page sized picture.
 
Because it contradicts itself on every level. A man fighting for his own path, enslaved by preordained fate. The sought savor of the world is it distrution. Every thing that makes any thing better is taken a destroyed. It give you almost no hope, but just enough let it grow, then it cuts you down again.

Things are going to get better, right after they get worst. And things really only get worst.
 
Peregrine_Falcon said:
In that single frame, Kentarou Miura shows that Griffith could sense the sexual/romantic tension between Guts and felt envy and regret because he realized that he had lost Casca's undying worship when he pushed her aside for Princess Charlotte, making the episode that much more heartbreaking. It really takes a genius to convey so much in a 1/8 page sized picture.

I am really happy to see that you have understood what i meant in the previous post.

I was all about "I can't explain well with my poor english"

Death May Die said:
Things are going to get better, right after they get worst. And things really only get worst.

Just like real life... not for everyone i hope...
 
Why is it great? Simple.

It's using realistic ways of fighting to defeat unrealistic opponents. You don't see people flying or flashing like the way other manga do, yet you still see supernatural style of fighting for the enemies. The main character Guts is only using realistic but solid fighting moves to counter his enemies' exaggerated deadly blows. Knowing that fighting on pure experienced stance and brute strength alone is still not enough, brilliant strategic moves or plans come into play and when combined, manage to win by the slightest margin imaginable.

It's just... too awesome... Really grapple you so tight you will not let go of this manga (that is for me though :serpico:).
 
I know I am resurrecting a thread, but i like this one. For me, it directly acknowledges real life's own futility and how meaningless life appears to be. Giving the reader your own stick to measure yourself with.

Personally a large portion of my love for this series is knowing the age old question of what would I do doesn't really matter because I simply wouldn't measure up. These are extraordinary characters in extraordinary times, but it leads the reader to the next question, what do I need to do to measure up? I love that, but most likely it's just me. I find that very captivating.
 
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