Berserk: Shinen no Kami 2 Chapter 1 Discussion

What did you think of this chapter?

DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this chapter. If you want to discuss future events, please use separate threads.
DO NOT ask where to read/download this chapter or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Manga Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.

Aug 16, 2015 9:07 AM

Refracting

Offline

Feb 2015

1002

THIS IS A MANGA ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS ANYTHING BEYOND THIS CHAPTER.
----------------------------------------
Wow, a very interesting chapter, explaining more of the hierarchy of the God Hand and the supernatural elements in the series.

I wonder what this means for the conclusion of Berserk, will Guts and his allies have to erase the evil desires and feelings in every human or something to defeat the God Hand and Griffith? xD

Aug 16, 2015 9:37 AM

ziggy_Z

Offline

Mar 2014

4596

As far as we know, Miura might've nixed the IoE and has a completely different concept. So we shouldn't think to much into this.

Jan 29, 2016 10:23 PM

PxHC

Offline

Jan 2016

537

Is it the chapter 83?

May 1, 2016 3:48 PM

ralphdro

Offline

Dec 2013

Very interesting.
I guess it will be "made again" in the future, but slightly modified.
Would be cool to see the whole "body" :D

JoJo is life!! You should know that.

Jul 28, 2016 1:10 AM

SSSS_Shunaria

Offline

Jun 2013

1771

So that big-thing-like-heart is a GOD ?

or Apostle God ?

Aug 26, 2016 1:56 PM

KashKetchum

Offline

Aug 2014

5048

A shame this got cut but I get where Miura is coming from.

Sep 17, 2016 4:10 AM

xEzioAuditore

Offline

Nov 2015

674

Where can I read it? It seems very interesting.

Sep 17, 2016 4:23 AM

ziggy_Z

Offline

Mar 2014

4596

PxHxCx said:
Is it the chapter 83?

Yep.

Shunaria said:
So that big-thing-like-heart is a GOD ?

or Apostle God ?

It's supposed to be the closest thing to THE God.

TyrelSep 17, 2016 9:55 AM

Sep 17, 2016 4:42 AM

xEzioAuditore

Offline

Nov 2015

674

ziggy_Z said:

PxHxCx said:
Is it the chapter 83?

Yep.

Shunaria said:
So that big-thing-like-heart is a GOD ?

or Apostle God ?

It's supposed to be the closest thing to THE God.

xEzioAuditore said:
Where can I read it? It seems very interesting.

http://mossmanga.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/berserk-lost-chapter-1.html

Thank you ! I'm going to read it right now !

Sep 17, 2016 7:07 AM

#10

SSSS_Shunaria

Offline

Jun 2013

1771

ziggy_Z said:

PxHxCx said:
Is it the chapter 83?

Yep.

Shunaria said:
So that big-thing-like-heart is a GOD ?

or Apostle God ?

It's supposed to be the closest thing to THE God.

xEzioAuditore said:
Where can I read it? It seems very interesting.

http://mossmanga.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/berserk-lost-chapter-1.html

like 6th apostle???

Sep 17, 2016 7:46 AM

#11

ziggy_Z

Offline

Mar 2014

4596

@Shunaria Nah, like higher than them. So it's the Idea of Evil (which was that heart thing is called) which was created from the collective negativity of mankind, and then the Godhand get their powers of manipulating causality from that.

But it doesn't really matter anymore, since Miura got rid of that chapter.

Nov 7, 2016 7:21 PM

#12

Mr_Shnb

Offline

Jan 2016

1694

Very interesting stuff indeed.

Jan 22, 2017 2:07 PM

#13

Agent-Phrank

Offline

Nov 2015

190

It's yet another heart Guts will have to cut down~ ♣
The dialogue in this chapter was really interesting, especially his last words Griffith, "Do as you will." ♣

"✌ I know more about ghouls than ghouls themselves ✌" ♦

What even are ghouls, anyway? ♣

-TPM- ♠

Feb 24, 2017 5:02 PM

#14

lohozavr

Offline

Feb 2017

This is Dialectical materialism, lol/

Jun 6, 2017 10:28 PM

#15

AkiSenzei

Offline

Jan 2016

Muy filosófico el encuentro, básicamente la entidad cercana a Dios no conoce de moral ni distingue entre el bien y el mal. De pronto me recordó al Dios de Spinoza.

Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines.

Jan 27, 2018 5:19 AM

#16

Kajo_Senpai69

Offline

May 2016

12390

The god of man was created to explain the unexplainable and ended up ordaining the fate of all humans and demons in existence alike.

So this is the lost chapter~ It's weird how a mangaka felt that he spoiled his own manga haha

Jan 30, 2018 6:02 PM

#17

Edrenalin

Offline

Jan 2018

I'v found interesting that the "god" presented in this chapter, called Grifith a human and that his actions will be seen as the actions of mankind. That means that Grifith will continue to be human even after reciving the membership of being in the "god hand". And also that thing is created of the qestions(mistery) for the unknown of the people, the misery and the hatered. In other words is more like the devil and not like god.But in the end for Grifith doe's not matter as he pointed out in the conversation with Guts so long ago.

EdrenalinJan 30, 2018 6:06 PM

Feb 1, 2018 8:25 PM

#18

OppaiLover-_-

Offline

Oct 2017

361

So this was Chapter 83, honestly I don’t think that it “ruins the story” even though it was removed from the Japanese release for being too revealing. I think that it makes sense that god is telling Griffith this as he’s becoming Femto.

Jun 6, 2019 9:31 AM

#19

MP_otaku

Offline

Mar 2018

Maybe all this happened while femto was raping casca. So it may be just a temporary wild brainless monster raping casca, and griffith had actually not intended to do it.

Nov 24, 2019 10:09 PM

#20

laaresurreccion

Offline

Aug 2019

never knew this existed and in fact it shouldn't exist, good to see that miura atleast had the decency to recognize that he bit off more than he could chew with whatever the fuck that was about

Sep 10, 2020 9:44 PM

#21

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564084

MP_otaku said:
Maybe all this happened while femto was raping casca. So it may be just a temporary wild brainless monster raping casca, and griffith had actually not intended to do it.

Wow! This is a very good theory! I certainly hope that's true!

Then again, this chapter was implied to have happened while Griffith was swishing around inside of an egg. The rape of Casca happened only after Griffith emerged. I, unfortunately, think it was Griffith's conscious decision to express dominance over Guts and Casca in the manner he did. ;(

removed-userSep 10, 2020 9:59 PM

Sep 10, 2020 9:57 PM

#22

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564084

So this is the "Lost Chapter" eh? I can't believe it's got its own entry on MAL, on account of the chapter being excluded.

I can see where the author is coming from in that it reveals the Highest Mightiest power in the universe and thus limits the scope and potential. Heck, we can actually understand a lot about the Berserk universe from this chapter.
And yet, I personally don't feel it needed to be excluded. I feel like anyone can enjoy the story all the same reading everything in chronological order. It's not like people are reading Berserk to find out the answers of the Berserk universe or anything... they're just reading to see how Guts and Griffith progress as characters, and to see what wild stuff they get into.
I feel that with or without this chapter, my reading won't be affected.
(Plus, while it's implied that the God is powerful (i.e. granting Griffith wings), it still remains very elusive. So if it DOES appear again, I'm sure there's more things we can find out about it -- or more things it can do to intrigue/surprise us.)

Additionally, I can see how people interpret this chapter as a big, intellectual escapade. With deep philosophy and intricately worded dialogue. I, for one, didn't understand half of the concepts. Which I think is fitting... for a human to struggle to understand things beyond their plane of existence. Still, it was underwhelming for me seeing that (Berserk's) God is just a spawn of human imagination.

Nevertheless, unlike Berserk, which I rated a 10/10 because of its complexities on a grander scale, I only give this Chapter a 7/10. Treated as a stand-alone from everything else, I personally wasn't that interested. And like I said before, I don't think that much about the series was actually "revealed" during the confrontation. The series is all the same for me. I don't see how this could be considered a "spoiler" either.
But the score that this individual chapter has on the MAL DB is a lot higher than some other killer mangas, which I think is kind of a shame. I think people are being a bit impulsive and instantly throwing an 8-10 this chapter's way for the heck of it.

One last time, I'll say that I understand why the author excluded this. Introducing the God of pretty much everything this early on in the series takes balls. It WOULD have been beneficial to leave some elusiveness behind the Godhand and not reveal anything superior to them just yet. But overall, I think it's more of a stylistic choice than one that contributes to our understanding of the plot -- that is, Guts and Griffith's shenanigans.

I kind of just comprehended it as Griffith reaching a climax in his life. He fought hard for his dream, screwed himself over, lost his dream, found his necklace and inadvertently summoned the Godhand, and since he was the "chosen" one (or whatever) he was accepted as a colleague of the four existing members. I'm guessing the "right of passage" involved meeting and conversating with God. Additionally, the God asked Griffith what he desired, and Griffith asked for wings. If anything, that's the chapter's purpose. To demonstrate Griffith's admission into the Godhand and explain why he has wings. The philosophical dialogue was just some other crap to make the atmosphere more mystical.

Jan 26, 2021 3:52 PM

#23

Pakumen-

Offline

Aug 2015

1544

EeIl said:
That was cheesy, the architect being made of mankind's feelings.

I´m pretty sure it´s a reference to "Did God create man, or did man create God?".

Now, I can see why this was discarded, but I don´t think it was disregarded by Miura. If that was the case they would cancel the publication of the chapter, so this thing will someday return to the series.

Now, with how things have been done recently in the series it is a good time to understand what is this thing and how the Godhand was even made.

I don´t think Guts would ever beat the Godhand, I dont see it, but if this "god" is the true higher being in Berserk, I can see it taking a role later in the final chapters of the series.

Jan 26, 2021 7:01 PM

#24

Contemporary0091

Offline

Jan 2017

626

Cynicism manifest is a tired trope.

And still, Bill will live on.
He will befriend the next inhabitants of the earth, beings of light who revere him as a god.
And Bill will outlive them all... for millions and millions of years...exploring, learning, living,
until the earth is swallowed beneath his feet.
Until the sun is long since gone.
Until time loses all meaning and the moment comes that he knows only the positions of the stars
and sees them whether his eyes are closed or open.
Until he forgets his name and the place where he'd once come from.
He lives and he lives until all of the lights go out.

Apr 3, 2021 1:05 PM

#25

Lux_Vacui

Offline

Dec 2020

235

Probably the best interpretation of the concept of "God" in fiction.

Jun 11, 2021 4:06 AM

#26

Masha-ma

Offline

Aug 2018

249

I can't be the only one that got Persona final bosses vibes from this right?

Aug 5, 2021 12:28 AM

#27

HoodKublaiKhan

Offline

Jun 2020

3747

god of the abyss 2

ik dis da haram chap so ima keep it dat way in my mind cuz im even more confused now

Sep 2, 2021 11:54 PM

#28

HibiChika

Offline

Jan 2013

2315

ignore the main series because this is the only berserk chapter that you will ever need to read in your life.

Feb 4, 2022 12:33 PM

#29

Kaysu90

Offline

Jun 2021

Ok if that heart thing was god or The God as some people are putting it how come he or it is a created being? Isn't god supposed to be uncreated, eternal, omnipotent...etc if something is created than it is not god obviously for the simple fact that the universe already existed before he came to be.
Anyways cool chapter that I've read a while ago unaware of it being not canon in the story. Why though? I don't see how this gives away too much too early? Miura knows best though may he RIP.

May 18, 2022 9:21 AM

#30

RioFS

Offline

May 2021

59781

This was de-canonized because the existence of the Evil God, one that controls events and directs it to a certain point in time, makes everything that has happened up till the Eclipse feel meaningless.

I personally disagree with this since if the Evil God is created through the evil of mankind, then that must mean Griffith also has a hand in this God. Therefore, through a circle, he himself is responsible for the Eclipse.

Jun 25, 2022 4:47 AM

#31

A_Shinoda

Offline

Apr 2020

994

We all want wings, right? :D

Miura only removed it from cannon years ago because he felt the appearance of "god" would limit the story's range.

Jul 30, 2022 4:38 PM

#32

krejola

Offline

Nov 2020

2003

Well this shows us the concept of God and it's pretty interesting!

Sorry for my english xD!

RIP Kentaro Miura :(
RIP Akira Toriyama :(

Nov 14, 2022 7:02 AM

#33

everything404

Offline

Oct 2022

Everything in that one shot was perfect

Nov 7, 2023 8:49 PM

#34

TarikKabir

Offline

Mar 2021

485

It's interesting but very weird I suppose later on around chapter 300 when we discover Griffith's ability to show people the souls journeying to the afterlife that confirms the canonicity of the Idea of Evil and the Hell that we view in the religious and real world being a strange inferno filled with tiers a lot like the hell of Catholicism and Dante's Inferno it's an interesting chapter but I understand why Miura cut this shit out.