Kenpuu Denki Berserk

Guts, a man who will one day be known as the Black Swordsman, is a young traveling mercenary characterized by the large greatsword he carries. He accepts jobs that offer the most money, but he never stays with one group for long—until he encounters the Band of the Falcon. Ambushed after completing a job, Guts crushes many of its members in combat. Griffith, The Band of the Falcon's leader and founder, takes an interest in Guts and duels him. While the others are no match for Guts, Griffith defeats him in one blow.

Incapacitated and taken into the Band of the Falcon's camp to recover, Guts wakes up two days later. He confronts Griffith, and the two duel yet again, only this time with a condition: Guts will join the Band of the Falcon if he loses. Due to his fresh injuries, Guts loses the fight and is inducted by Griffith.

In three years' time, Guts has become one of the Band of the Falcon's commanders. On the battlefield, his combat prowess is second only to Griffith as he takes on large groups of enemies all on his own. With Guts' immense strength and Griffith's leadership, the Band of the Falcon dominate every battle they partake in. But something menacing lurks in the shadows, threatening to change Guts' life forever.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Guts Main

Canna, Nobutoshi Japanese

Griffith Main

Morikawa, Toshiyuki Japanese

Casca Main

Miyamura, Yuko Japanese

Judeau Supporting

Ishida, Akira Japanese

Nosferatu, Zodd Supporting

Utsumi, Kenji Japanese

Pippin Supporting

Amada, Masuo Japanese

Rickert Supporting

Uechi, Aki Japanese

Slan Supporting

Tanaka, Atsuko Japanese

Void Supporting

Ishizuka, Unshou Japanese

Godo Supporting

Nishikawa, Ikuo Japanese

Nakatani, Toshio Producer

Okuno, Toshiaki Producer

Takahashi, Naohito Director, Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation, Chief Animation Director

Tsurumaki, Kazuya Episode Director

Reviews

Feb 4, 2025

JustDefending

Recommended

One of Berserk’s strongest elements is its storytelling, it remains a classic in dark fantasy storytelling. Having inspired an entire generation of dark fantasy stories, from Claymore to AOT to souls games. The way it builds tension is what glues you to the screen and makes you binge-watch this show. At first, Berserk gives you hope that Guts and the Band of the Hawk might find happiness, but simultaneously dropping small hints of the phantasmal prophecy awaiting them. It very slowly pulls you in, with the simple medieval action story before ripping it all away in the most brutal way possible.

Each character in Berserk, no ... matter how small their role, push the story forward in some way. And the relation between Guts, Griffith and Casca form the core of the story. Guts, the 100 man slayer is grappling with his internal conflict- between his long plead loyalty to Griffith and finding his own dream beyond being a mere sword for hire. Griffith, with each battle won, flies higher and higher toward his ambitions, until he reaches a height so great that the heat from the sun melted the wings of the angel who was destined for greatness. One the other hand, Casca is the only female warrior in the Band of the Hawk, struggling to find a place in this masculinist battlefield. She is torn between her unrequited love for Griffith and her ambivalence feelings for Guts. Every single character in Berserk makes you feel the weight of every loss, every betrayal, every hopeless moment.

Now, the animation is undeniably outdated. But the soul of Berserk shines through this animation. If anything, I think that this old school animation fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the world, and the emotions. On top of that you add the legendary soundtracks. Usually, I'm not someone to care too much about OST, but the Guts theme is an absolute banger.

Berserk(1997) has no real conclusion, even for me the way it end is frustrating. This anime is too good to be this short, the only option? Read the manga.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jun 23, 2024

jimbemis

Mixed Feelings

I think this anime is good, it has some amazing qualities, but I would not recommend it to people who are unfamiliar with Berserk.

Perhaps you've never read Berserk and are wondering if this is a good starting point. In my opinion, even as someone that hugely prefers watching a good anime adaptation over reading a manga, this really isn't serviceable for that purpose. Much of what makes Berserk as great as it is is highly compromised in this adaptation. Not to suggest this show is unworthy of praise, but the general opinion of it definitely has the benefit of having been many people's introduction to ... Berserk. It was localized in an official capacity long before the manga, and even longer before manga was easily found online or in stores. In 2024, however, there's no reason not to read it first. Read up until the end of the "Golden Age Arc", you will know when that is, and come back and watch this anime if you enjoyed it.

The "vibes" of this late-90's anime are nearly immaculate. Some scenes are beautiful and/or horrific, the music by Susumu Hirasawa is haunting and incredible, but it doesn't really do the source material justice. While it may not sufficiently replicate Kentaro Miura's vision when it comes to the story and detail, it is still an interesting adaptation for the entirely unique and never-replicated qualities it does have.

If you've read Berserk up to the end of the Golden Age Arc but never seen this, it's absolutely worth a watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Aug 15, 2021

Yupoman

Not Recommended

It may be an excellent anime, 10/10 and the favorite of some, but this is unrecomerable. Personally I loved it and I wanted to know more and more in history, but as I was moving and smelling that I was going to finish inconclusive, and so it was. There are 4 or 5 very important things that are never explained and left in the air, and if they are explained in the good manga, read the manga but the anime I do not recommend it at all unless they are masochists and do not interest a story half.

Ah but what is the other problem, which ... at THIRTY TWO years did not end up making the manga ... and unfortunately the Creator has already died and there he was, a story that could be great totally unfinished.

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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