You know, kotto, you actually have a point there. When I read the manga for the first time, I also thought the same thing. Miura bringing the magic and everything in put it almost "over-the-top", but somehow it all balances out with the demons and God Hands and the bad guys. Besides, it was refreshing, and Guts certainly needed something else than his sword to be able to kick some serious apostle ass (which he did after he got the armor). ^^
As for the characters, in a way they also balance eachother out, you have the comedic relief (Isidro and Puck), the all-so serious women of the squad (Schierke, Farnese and that female fairy), and last, but not least, a mastermind and a tactitian (Serpico) being Guts' opposite when it comes to fighting, as Guts is more of a up-front kinda guy, while Serpico will cunningly find the best way to defeat someone, even if it's "fair" or not. Serpico can in a way have similarities to Griffith, but that's another story. My point is that Miura makes it all balance out perfectly, and with all the different character's background stories and introductions done so magnificently, this deserves nothing less than a 10 on my account.

PS.
A girl actually does survive in the beginning of the manga. --> Chapter 8, the daughter of the apostle Guts' fights when we first see Femto.

... Last updated on October 25th, 2009, 6:20pm

I watched the anime before I even started reading Berserk. I enjoyed the anime and continue to rewatch it when I have time. In the beginning the manga was great. Im not saying it isnt great now but I kind of disappointed that it all magic and stuff. I didnt mind Gutt's armor(cant remember the name) but the witch and the little annoying little boy character....its like in the beginning of the manga you see a little girl then....BAM she gets killed. So how is this annoying little punk alive and WTF is with the magic and shit. I understand that there are demons and stuff but we didnt need fairy magic. I will give the manga a 9 since some of the villains in the beginning of the manga were too childish. Sadly its hard to read more of the manga since it has lost it touch for me and if I read any of its to see if any happens to Caska(Getting memory back or something) or Gutts not for any of the other chars.(Hoping they would die or something)

... Last updated on October 20th, 2009, 10:56pm

I started reading this series when I was around 14, and I had to stop, although I read up to everything that was scanlated up to that time. It's a really good series, great art, story, and everything, but I had to keep looking over my shoulder every minute that I was reading this. That's actually the only reason why I stopped, not because of the gore or graphic scenes, but because I kept stressing over the fact that someone was gonna walk in on me reading it ^_^. But I definitely plan on starting it up again. Well this didn't help anyone at all, but just really don't read it if you don't wanna be caught doing so.

Berserk’s pros and cons can be summarized rather simply. Among its flaws are its excessive mayhem and debauchery; its poor transition from adult tragedy to children’s fairytale; its incorporation of every medieval cliché known to man in a seemingly pointless mélange; and its longwinded mysticism. Among its assets are its staggering art; the mythic resonance of Guts and Griffith’s saga; Volumes 4 through 13; and the many memorable flights of fancy that follow, from the creepy Lost Children bit to Griffith’s colorful minions.

... Last updated on July 11th, 2009, 11:35pm

it has way too much rape scenes. women getting raped by monsters WTF. turns my stomach just thinking about it and your realy going to hate just how many times the main female character gets raped, its sickening. so if dont mind that stuff then read it as its has a great story and fight scenes.

The drawings are Excellent, the story are excellent, im kinda like to see grifith suffering , and i like to see guts in fury , the only thing i hate is the time that takes to come new mangas =(... but its excellent

yes! it has a good storyline, the "wild" art and detail is also great.
Bearing to read until volume3 is worthed.
Skip some "speech" page..like how they describe about the religion,belief, fairy world, etc, if you didn't have much time.

Awesome manga but id advise you njot to read it if your weak of heart . i am personally dropping this manga to avoid any more mental scarring.
This stuff is more ****ed up than Ichi the Killer

My first experiences with Berserk came not through the manga, nor even from watching the anime: but actually from seeing a preview on the Samurai Deeper Kyo DVDs. One day I was scanning through the previews on the fourth disc and randomly decided to watch the one for Berserk. Let me tell you, I was floored. Not by the art, not by the amazing way it was cut together, but actually by the music they had playing in the background. Seeing that trailer set me on two passions: Berserk and Susumu Hirasawa (if you have not checked out his music, do so. Some of it is hit-or-miss, but there are more than a few golden pieces in his works).

In any event, after seeing the trailer I had to find the anime; at least, that is what my thinking went to immediately. No such luck. Berserk is quite possibly one of the hardest collections of DVDs to find unless you order on-line, which almost seems like cheating. In any event, stymied by the failure, I put it out of my mind for a time and went on with life...until I saw the first fourteen volumes of Berserk one day in Borders.

I will say this - I did not read Berserk in order. I read books 1-2, then went to 4-6, 8-10, then went back to 3 and 7 and on from there. It is a fascinating story, filled with violently beautiful art and distinct, emotionally fractured characters. It is quite possibly the most realistic portrait of medieval times ever shown (and that from a Japanese mangaka!), despite the magic and demons and elves.

It is also delightfully humorous - something that even the darkest of stories need, if only to relieve the tension - especially for someone who has read a lot of manga and watched a lot of anime. All of the overblown attacks called out by Guts' enemies in the Golden Age, promising utter defeat and devastation - only to have them fail spectacularly - is clearly a thumb to the nose at all of the shounen manga in existence.

Now, there are some complaints that the story in the Millennium Arc is moving away from the dark aspects of the story. Not True! Think back to the Golden Age arc, and how happy and cheerful it seemed then! The story is only becoming happier because of the terrible things yet to come. Nothing makes despair deeper than the fond memories of good times.

For those who have reviewed this story poorly I have only this to say: you did not try. You read the story with skepticism, a critical eye and a sneer upon your lips. You refused to let yourself go and just accept the story for what it is: A Story.

Let all who read Berserk after seeing this review read it with this in mind: Experience it for what it is - the story of Guts - and not for what you believe it should be, or with any comparisons to the manga you have read in the past. Because I can guarantee you one thing - any manga you have read recently came after Berserk.

I would also recommend searching the internet for Susumu Hirasawa's Berserk soundtrack. You can find it if you look hard enough. Reading the manga while listening to the music is a sublime experience.

I will agree with one negative point mentioned in the previous reviews - it could be done faster. Not blindingly fast, like some Shounen Jump teeney-bopper fight manga, but once a month like Gantz would be superb, and would no doubt lead to ecstatic frenzies amongst the Berserk community.

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I love Berserk - but I almost wrote a review saying that I hated it. I'm writing this for people like me who see all the raves here, pick up Berserk, and then can't figure out what all of the fuss is about. My main message: stick with it through the end of volume 3 before you decide.

The first couple of volumes of Berserk honestly had me thinking that this was the most overrated manga ever. The drawings were sketchy and disproportionate, and the characters often had weirdly foreshortened limbs. Worse, the story seemed like a godawful adolescent male empowerment fantasy: A scowly, invincible warrior in crotch-ccentuating armor runs around a bad D&D backstory populated by burlap wearing peasants. He carries a sword shaped like a Freudian complex and is accompanied by an irritating pixie sidekick who serves primarily as a Greek chorus designed to remind us every other panel of just how badass the hero is.... Yuck!

So... if this is your opinion of Berserk when you start reading, bear with the bad Conan-esqueness of it all until you hit the flashback episodes. I guarantee that you will be hooked. I wound up losing sleep for several nights running. It's that addictive.

UPDATE: It gets lousy again. The art stays good (lots of vagina dentata stuff, if you're into it), but Guts is now collecting adorable wee sidekicks like they're frigging Pokemon.

... Last updated on May 21st, 2012, 6:13pm