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ベルセルク [Berserk] #3
Berserk, Vol. 3
Guts, the feared Black Swordsman, finishes his desperate battle with the monstrous Count, cutting and blasting the hideous abomination to gory scraps. But Guts won't even have time to clean his gigantic sword when the Count's agonized pleas activate the mystical talisman Behelit, summoning the Godhand, five demon lords of immeasurable power. Guts' journey so far has been a long road of pain and death, but that's a walk in the park compared to fighting his way out of hell itself! And for their help, the Godhand have a price to extact from the Count, a price too dear for even such a heartless monster to consider!
Created by Kenturo Miura, Berserk is exactly what its title advertises; a savage, gruesome, and often humorous roller-coaster ride, inspiring the internationally popular anime series. If you're looking for graphic fiction to take home to Grandma, this ain't it—unless Granny smokes cigars and rides a Harley!
Created by Kenturo Miura, Berserk is exactly what its title advertises; a savage, gruesome, and often humorous roller-coaster ride, inspiring the internationally popular anime series. If you're looking for graphic fiction to take home to Grandma, this ain't it—unless Granny smokes cigars and rides a Harley!
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 1991
About the author
Kentaro Miura
357 books2,263 followersKentarou Miura (三浦建太郎) was born in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, in 1966. He is left-handed. In 1976, at the early age of 10, Miura made his first Manga, entitled "Miuranger", that was published for his classmates in a school publication; the manga ended up spanning 40 volumes. In 1977, Miura created his second manga called Ken e no michi (剣への道 The Way to the Sword), using Indian ink for the first time. When he was in middle school in 1979, Miura's drawing techniques improved greatly as he started using professional drawing techniques. His first dōjinshi was published, with the help of friends, in a magazine in 1982.
That same year, in 1982, Miura enrolled in an artistic curriculum in high school, where he and his classmates started publishing their works in school booklets, as well as having his first dōjinshi published in a fan-produced magazine. In 1985, Miura applied for the entrance examination of an art college in Nihon University. He submitted Futanabi for examination and was granted admission. This project was later nominated Best New Author work in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Another Miura manga Noa was published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine the very same year. Due to a disagreement with one of the editors, the manga was stalled and eventually dropped altogether. This is approximately where Miura's career hit a slump.
In 1988, Miura bounced back with a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, as an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves (王狼, ōrō?) based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken. It was published in the monthly Japanese Animal House magazine in issues 5 and 7 of that year.
In 1990, a sequel is made to Ourou entitled Ourou Den (王狼伝 ōrō den, The Legend of the Wolf King) that was published as a prequel to the original in Young Animal Magazine. In the same year, the 10th issue of Animal House witnesses the first volume of the solo project Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga titled Japan, that was published in Young Animal House from the 1st issue to the 8th of 1992, and was later released as a stand-alone tankōbon. Miura's fame grew after Berserk was serialized in Young Animal in 1992 with the release of "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of his masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary mangakas. At this time Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future.
In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released. In 1999, Miura made minor contributions to the Dreamcast video game Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage. 2004 saw the release of yet another video game adaptation entitled Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Chapter of the Record of the Holy Demon War.
Since that time, the Berserk manga has spanned 34 tankōbon with no end in sight. The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentarou Miura received the second place in the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award of Excellence for Berserk.[1]
Miura provided the design for the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo, whose voice is taken from the Japanese singer and actor, Gackt.
Miura passed away on May 6, 2021 at 2:48 p.m. due to acute aortic dissection.
That same year, in 1982, Miura enrolled in an artistic curriculum in high school, where he and his classmates started publishing their works in school booklets, as well as having his first dōjinshi published in a fan-produced magazine. In 1985, Miura applied for the entrance examination of an art college in Nihon University. He submitted Futanabi for examination and was granted admission. This project was later nominated Best New Author work in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Another Miura manga Noa was published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine the very same year. Due to a disagreement with one of the editors, the manga was stalled and eventually dropped altogether. This is approximately where Miura's career hit a slump.
In 1988, Miura bounced back with a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, as an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves (王狼, ōrō?) based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken. It was published in the monthly Japanese Animal House magazine in issues 5 and 7 of that year.
In 1990, a sequel is made to Ourou entitled Ourou Den (王狼伝 ōrō den, The Legend of the Wolf King) that was published as a prequel to the original in Young Animal Magazine. In the same year, the 10th issue of Animal House witnesses the first volume of the solo project Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga titled Japan, that was published in Young Animal House from the 1st issue to the 8th of 1992, and was later released as a stand-alone tankōbon. Miura's fame grew after Berserk was serialized in Young Animal in 1992 with the release of "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of his masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary mangakas. At this time Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future.
In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released. In 1999, Miura made minor contributions to the Dreamcast video game Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage. 2004 saw the release of yet another video game adaptation entitled Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Chapter of the Record of the Holy Demon War.
Since that time, the Berserk manga has spanned 34 tankōbon with no end in sight. The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentarou Miura received the second place in the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award of Excellence for Berserk.[1]
Miura provided the design for the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo, whose voice is taken from the Japanese singer and actor, Gackt.
Miura passed away on May 6, 2021 at 2:48 p.m. due to acute aortic dissection.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 679 reviews
June 2, 2023
Much better story telling this volume.
A revelation that the story actually started after half of it, or maybe near the end who knows.
What we know is that we get the origins of guts, and its not pretty...
A revelation that the story actually started after half of it, or maybe near the end who knows.
What we know is that we get the origins of guts, and its not pretty...
March 11, 2024
No pensé enviciarme tanto con un manga/anime, pero aquí estoy. Griffith, te amo. Quiero saber cómo fue que te pasaste al lado oscuro.
May 1, 2023
Okay, I get it now
April 29, 2024
عجب پایان درخشانی برای اولین آرک نوشتی و کشیدی جناب میورا.
اصلا انتظارش رو نداشتم و قلبم اومد تو دهنم وقتی گادهندز وارد شدن
و چه طراحیهایی... چه جهنمی کشیدی و چقدر طراحیها شاهکار و در عین حال مریض بودن💀
خیلی دارم جلوی خودم رو میگیرم که پنج ندم و بیشتر از روزی یه ولیوم نخونم.
اصلا انتظارش رو نداشتم و قلبم اومد تو دهنم وقتی گادهندز وارد شدن
و چه طراحیهایی... چه جهنمی کشیدی و چقدر طراحیها شاهکار و در عین حال مریض بودن💀
خیلی دارم جلوی خودم رو میگیرم که پنج ندم و بیشتر از روزی یه ولیوم نخونم.
November 6, 2020
Barring a short and largely inconsequential bit of Puck shenanigans right at the beginning, this volume is where Berserk really begins to hit its stride. Plenty of great scenes with the God Hand's first appearance, a few hints on what drives the main character so hard to begin with, a tense and emotional ending to the first true story arc in the series... followed by a pretty intense flashback into Guts's childhood that quite honestly explains almost everything about how he ended up.
This is where the Golden Age begins, where all of the issues I've previously listed finally disappear and - I'd argue - never come up again. This is where I was forever glued - and my immensely high opinion of the series has only soared higher since. If you've made it this far, over the few rough volumes and storylines, without deciding it's not a story for you (or quitting in disgust), then you're certainly in to stay.
This is where the Golden Age begins, where all of the issues I've previously listed finally disappear and - I'd argue - never come up again. This is where I was forever glued - and my immensely high opinion of the series has only soared higher since. If you've made it this far, over the few rough volumes and storylines, without deciding it's not a story for you (or quitting in disgust), then you're certainly in to stay.
October 1, 2021
'Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don't throw away the best of yourself. No one can construct for you the bridge upon which precisely you must cross the stream of life, no one but you yourself alone. What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal.'
REVIEW TO COME
Themes:
Hardening against pain vs staying alert and vulnerable to pain
In other words, callousness vs resilience
Backworlds: see Calypso and Circe in the Odyssey,
Will to power
Desire to live
Taking responsibility for one's life.
Also read:
Nietzschean philosophy:
On the Genealogy of Morals
Beyond Good and Evil
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Living through the absurdity of life, comedies and tragedies, not relinquishing humanity:
The Odyssey
Le mythe de Sisyphe
Man is something to be surpassed:
Citadelle
Will to power:
The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
Fantasy:
The Last Wish
Other recreational reading:
Sophie's World
The Man Who Spoke Snakish
The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft
La Montagne morte de la vie
Annihilation
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 & following
Ubel Blatt, Vol. 0
Tragedy, Nietzsche and Berserk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTwY...
A little bio of A. Schwarzenegger I've watched recently (in French):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flBgP...
Soundtrack:
The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails, especially Mr. Self-Destruct, Heresy, Ruiner, The Becoming, I Do Not Want This, Hurt
REVIEW TO COME
Themes:
Hardening against pain vs staying alert and vulnerable to pain
In other words, callousness vs resilience
Backworlds: see Calypso and Circe in the Odyssey,
Will to power
Desire to live
Taking responsibility for one's life.
Also read:
Nietzschean philosophy:
On the Genealogy of Morals
Beyond Good and Evil
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Living through the absurdity of life, comedies and tragedies, not relinquishing humanity:
The Odyssey
Le mythe de Sisyphe
Man is something to be surpassed:
Citadelle
Will to power:
The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian
Fantasy:
The Last Wish
Other recreational reading:
Sophie's World
The Man Who Spoke Snakish
The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft
La Montagne morte de la vie
Annihilation
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 & following
Ubel Blatt, Vol. 0
Tragedy, Nietzsche and Berserk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTwY...
A little bio of A. Schwarzenegger I've watched recently (in French):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flBgP...
Soundtrack:
The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails, especially Mr. Self-Destruct, Heresy, Ruiner, The Becoming, I Do Not Want This, Hurt
August 27, 2015
I can't believe I even remember what this is about. It took so long to keep a copy of volume three from my library. I reserved it as an interlibrary loan, then it was, 'in transit' for 47 years which is code for, 'arrived at the library so we just put it on a shelf instead of logging it in as a hold for you and notifying you it was here.'
This is why we can't have nice things. Because my super well stocked, awesome library system that I use for exactly zero dollars sometimes isn't perfect. The agony. The strife.
So, anyway, in this volume lots of back story. The story of how the count got to be what he is and how Theresia came to be shuttered away in a tower. Best of all though: The Childhood of Guts. Great stuff.
There was even more action and badassery than I remember so I flew through this and now I wish I had reserved more volumes at once since I will probably have grandchildren by time I get the next one.
This is why we can't have nice things. Because my super well stocked, awesome library system that I use for exactly zero dollars sometimes isn't perfect. The agony. The strife.
So, anyway, in this volume lots of back story. The story of how the count got to be what he is and how Theresia came to be shuttered away in a tower. Best of all though: The Childhood of Guts. Great stuff.
There was even more action and badassery than I remember so I flew through this and now I wish I had reserved more volumes at once since I will probably have grandchildren by time I get the next one.
April 11, 2023
After a mostly action oriented volume 2, we get some more world building here as the Count activates that weird head thing the "Behelit" and we go to some alternate dimension and meet the five God Hands. It's really creepy and reminds me the Hellraiser movie (but cooler).
Then we start to learn about Guts's origin!
Then we start to learn about Guts's origin!
February 6, 2022
This one is cool because you get a little more insight into who Guts is, although it's still murky enough to leave you frustrated.
The violence is here, of course, but there's also a bit more story, now, as we meet new characters and explore the old characters a little more.
The addictiveness of this series is real, folks.
I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, but the cliffhangers are killer!
The violence is here, of course, but there's also a bit more story, now, as we meet new characters and explore the old characters a little more.
The addictiveness of this series is real, folks.
I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, but the cliffhangers are killer!
May 7, 2024
سوالات بیجواب این ولوم:
گریفیث کیه؟
آیا ترزیا قراره در قسمتهای بعد دهن گاتس رو سرویس کنه؟
داناوان اون شب کذای با گاتس ۹ ساله چکار کرد؟
کی بود میگفت کتاب خوندن دیگه حال نمیده؟
گریفیث کیه؟
آیا ترزیا قراره در قسمتهای بعد دهن گاتس رو سرویس کنه؟
داناوان اون شب کذای با گاتس ۹ ساله چکار کرد؟
کی بود میگفت کتاب خوندن دیگه حال نمیده؟
April 16, 2022
داره فلش بک هایی میزنه به زندگی گذشته شخصیت ها و اتفاقات
داستان جالبی داره
داستان جالبی داره
February 22, 2022
This book made my top 10 fantasy reads from 2021, check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9pwG...
I skipped volumes 1 and 2 and started here, specifically for the Golden Age Arc. However, that doesn’t really start until the final third of the book, and much to my surprise the artwork leading up to it is superior.
So, not exactly the reading experience I was expecting. That being said, the artwork is fantastic. Gruesome, demented, expressive, and fantastic. I’ll ride and die with Guts as one of the most badass, and complicated anti-heroes in all of fiction, not just manga.
I originally discovered Berserk with the 1997 anime and it absolutely blew my mind. I’m now collecting the manga as well. I already have volumes 3-6, and plan on eventually getting 7-13.
This apparently is more a review of how I feel about Berserk than volume 3. My goodness.
Volume 3 deals with the end of the Black Swordsman Arc, and the start of the deservedly vaunted Golden Age Arc, where the reader gets Guts origin story, along with Casca and Griffith and The Band of the Hawk.
As I said before, this volume barely kicks off that arc, but if you’re as in to it as I am, this is the place to start.
I skipped volumes 1 and 2 and started here, specifically for the Golden Age Arc. However, that doesn’t really start until the final third of the book, and much to my surprise the artwork leading up to it is superior.
So, not exactly the reading experience I was expecting. That being said, the artwork is fantastic. Gruesome, demented, expressive, and fantastic. I’ll ride and die with Guts as one of the most badass, and complicated anti-heroes in all of fiction, not just manga.
I originally discovered Berserk with the 1997 anime and it absolutely blew my mind. I’m now collecting the manga as well. I already have volumes 3-6, and plan on eventually getting 7-13.
This apparently is more a review of how I feel about Berserk than volume 3. My goodness.
Volume 3 deals with the end of the Black Swordsman Arc, and the start of the deservedly vaunted Golden Age Arc, where the reader gets Guts origin story, along with Casca and Griffith and The Band of the Hawk.
As I said before, this volume barely kicks off that arc, but if you’re as in to it as I am, this is the place to start.
August 24, 2020
Volume 3 of Berserk manga takes the reader deeper into the dark world, and shows them what horror compose the darkness, while also showing a glint of (false?) hope that there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.
March 31, 2022
8/10 stars
Griffith, you little sh*t. I know what you did! I despise you already and hope you'll rot in hell. Or not, since Berserk was not concluded. I do hope you'll get your just deserts one day, though, you scum.
It's a very dark volume (I know I'm writing this about all Berserk volumes but they do get successively darker, and I wonder how much I can take): child abuse, sexual abuse and what looks like forced child prostitution are mingled with tragedy, indifference, hatred, despair, betrayal and hurt. They are all depicted in this early Miura art style - child-like, somewhat unintentionally grotesque, with strong emphasis on emotions - paradoxically, it makes this manga somehow even more gut-punching.
Guts, you poor baby.
Griffith, you little sh*t. I know what you did! I despise you already and hope you'll rot in hell. Or not, since Berserk was not concluded. I do hope you'll get your just deserts one day, though, you scum.
It's a very dark volume (I know I'm writing this about all Berserk volumes but they do get successively darker, and I wonder how much I can take): child abuse, sexual abuse and what looks like forced child prostitution are mingled with tragedy, indifference, hatred, despair, betrayal and hurt. They are all depicted in this early Miura art style - child-like, somewhat unintentionally grotesque, with strong emphasis on emotions - paradoxically, it makes this manga somehow even more gut-punching.
Guts, you poor baby.
January 13, 2023
The God Hand is finally here, and I have a feeling they’ll be fantastic reoccurring villains. Griffith’s backstory with Guts seems promising too; can’t wait to learn more about their past together as their rivalry unfolds further!!
December 23, 2021
اپدیت ۱ دی ۴۰۰-
این جلد واقعا فوقالعاده است. معرفی گریفیثساما و گادهند واقعا در سطح دیگهای بود نسبت به چند چپتر اول داستان.
.
در نهایت هم بالاخره به گولدن ایج رسید که یکی از محبوبترین خطهای داستانیم بین تمام چیزایی که تا حالا خوندمه و وقتشه یه بار دیگه ازش لذت ببرم.
وضعیتی که برای کنت تشریح کردن خیلی در درک وضعیت گریفیث موثره در آینده.
این جلد واقعا فوقالعاده است. معرفی گریفیثساما و گادهند واقعا در سطح دیگهای بود نسبت به چند چپتر اول داستان.
.
در نهایت هم بالاخره به گولدن ایج رسید که یکی از محبوبترین خطهای داستانیم بین تمام چیزایی که تا حالا خوندمه و وقتشه یه بار دیگه ازش لذت ببرم.
وضعیتی که برای کنت تشریح کردن خیلی در درک وضعیت گریفیث موثره در آینده.
May 1, 2018
This is on the whole new level. F*cking phenomenal.
March 11, 2021
This was a phenomenal book, the battle between the count in his demonic form and guts goes on and its bold and bloody and then we have the counts daughter arriving and using her as hostage, he kind of distracts him and then continues to pound on him, killing him but he won't die and the sight of it in front of his daughter is bloody until he calls for the Godhand who seem like demonic lords appear and they tell them the story of what happened 7 years ago and the whole scene with what happened to Theresia's mother.. wow that was some twisted and dark thing and we have them telling the count to give his daughter up for more power and while thats happening, Guts wants to take down one member of the Godhand..his archenemy.. Griffith and wow that scene was something, things happen and the matter is closed as we sort of get a redemption for the count and Theresia angry at Guts and we flashback to Gut's past in the beginning and what happened to him and his bloody childhood. This volume was so dark and bloody and brutal and its perfect in a way. The art is on a whole other level, each panel so well done and the details just <3.
July 13, 2021
I appreciate how realistically Miura handles sexual assault and the trauma that results from it. Just amazing.
When you meet your God, tell him to leave me alone - Guts
When you meet your God, tell him to leave me alone - Guts
July 16, 2019
4.5 out of 5 stars
The development of this arc was one I'm very satisfied with. I'm very pleased with the revelations revealed and how the consequences behind the actions of the characters and their motivations may affect the plot going forward. I'm officially hooked.
The development of this arc was one I'm very satisfied with. I'm very pleased with the revelations revealed and how the consequences behind the actions of the characters and their motivations may affect the plot going forward. I'm officially hooked.
August 24, 2023
Making deals with demons and devils…what could possibly go wrong?
December 11, 2017
Il fraintendimento del male
Fin da piccoli combattiamo per il bene, rifuggiamo la violenza e crediamo in una fantomatica forza interiore capace di cambiare il mondo.
Abbiamo sempre immaginato il male nella chiarezza dei suoi moventi, nell'ovvio ribaltamento dei valori.
E se bene e male fossero due facce della stessa medaglia di un miraggio chiamato sorte, eterno percorso in cui la volontà stessa si tramuta in esercizio di un bene personale che si riflette in male da altre prospettive?
L'esistenza della sorte garantisce il perseguimento di un lotta per abbatterla; il disinteresse verso di essa il vuoto più assoluto che non può avere nemici né opposizione, visto che il vuoto è già assenza di tutto.
E come sconfiggi la trascuratezza della realtà, il disinteresse di un ideale?
Fin da piccoli combattiamo per il bene, rifuggiamo la violenza e crediamo in una fantomatica forza interiore capace di cambiare il mondo.
Abbiamo sempre immaginato il male nella chiarezza dei suoi moventi, nell'ovvio ribaltamento dei valori.
E se bene e male fossero due facce della stessa medaglia di un miraggio chiamato sorte, eterno percorso in cui la volontà stessa si tramuta in esercizio di un bene personale che si riflette in male da altre prospettive?
L'esistenza della sorte garantisce il perseguimento di un lotta per abbatterla; il disinteresse verso di essa il vuoto più assoluto che non può avere nemici né opposizione, visto che il vuoto è già assenza di tutto.
E come sconfiggi la trascuratezza della realtà, il disinteresse di un ideale?
February 16, 2018
Man, every time I pick up a volume I think to myself “can this series get more disturbing?” The answer is yes but it also keeps getting better.
What’s it about?
Oh boy, I am not going into that for two reasons. It’s hard to explain and it’s one of those times where readers who read the previous volume know and readers who haven’t read it get a great book spoiled so yeah…
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is freaking amazing and is building a lot more!
The art is so good in every volume! I usually like the art in manga and this is seriously the best art in manga I have ever seen!
The characters are very interesting.
There is some really great action here! If you like action scenes that are detailed, drawn with amazing talent, exciting, brutal and gory this is a book you can’t miss!
There’s some seriously f***ed up horror in this volume… holy s***.
This is a series that is never predictable, this volume is no exception.
The golden age arc starts at the end of this book and I have seen 2 out of the 3 movies based on this arc but this gets into more details than the movies, so much is explained! Of course, I am so excited to read the rest of this arc!
I was surprised by how emotional this volume is. I’ve seen some complaints from some folks saying that this manga (and the anime) is kinda bland, mindless and emotionless: they clearly did not get to this volume (or if they did they must have read it while on some insane drugs) because the emotional stuff here really got me!
This book is weird AF. The series already was but this volume… holy crap... it’s weird but it still makes sense so I like it. Weird that doesn’t make sense and is just weird sucks. Weird that makes sense is awesome. This book does weirdness right!
WARNING:
I think I stated it in my reviews for the previous 2 volumes but I feel like I should warn it again especially since this series keeps getting more disturbing but there is TONS of gory violence and nudity, especially in this volume.
Overall:
Great story for fans of dark fantasy. If you are a reader who likes emotional stories with great art, disturbing horror and fantastic action I can not recommend this enough! Is it disturbing? F*** yeah. Is it worth reading? Absolutely!
5/5
What’s it about?
Oh boy, I am not going into that for two reasons. It’s hard to explain and it’s one of those times where readers who read the previous volume know and readers who haven’t read it get a great book spoiled so yeah…
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is freaking amazing and is building a lot more!
The art is so good in every volume! I usually like the art in manga and this is seriously the best art in manga I have ever seen!
The characters are very interesting.
There is some really great action here! If you like action scenes that are detailed, drawn with amazing talent, exciting, brutal and gory this is a book you can’t miss!
There’s some seriously f***ed up horror in this volume… holy s***.
This is a series that is never predictable, this volume is no exception.
The golden age arc starts at the end of this book and I have seen 2 out of the 3 movies based on this arc but this gets into more details than the movies, so much is explained! Of course, I am so excited to read the rest of this arc!
I was surprised by how emotional this volume is. I’ve seen some complaints from some folks saying that this manga (and the anime) is kinda bland, mindless and emotionless: they clearly did not get to this volume (or if they did they must have read it while on some insane drugs) because the emotional stuff here really got me!
This book is weird AF. The series already was but this volume… holy crap... it’s weird but it still makes sense so I like it. Weird that doesn’t make sense and is just weird sucks. Weird that makes sense is awesome. This book does weirdness right!
WARNING:
I think I stated it in my reviews for the previous 2 volumes but I feel like I should warn it again especially since this series keeps getting more disturbing but there is TONS of gory violence and nudity, especially in this volume.
Overall:
Great story for fans of dark fantasy. If you are a reader who likes emotional stories with great art, disturbing horror and fantastic action I can not recommend this enough! Is it disturbing? F*** yeah. Is it worth reading? Absolutely!
5/5
November 14, 2010
I have to be honest, I stopped reading somewhere in the middle of the volume and just started skimming to the end. After a sampling of three (or two and a half) volumes, thus far Berserk seems to be a sort of pseudo-Lovecraftian horror if it were directed by Michael Bay with monster art done by an H.R. Giger wannabe.
After three volumes, there isn't much for me to latch onto here. There is nothing for me to care about. I don't care about the characters, I don't care about the plot, and the story isn't told in a way engaging enough to hold me. I like the little fairy-elf-thing Puck (one of the many attempts at allusion), but then again I'm supposed to like him.
Obviously, I'm not supposed to like the main character, Guts, and Berserk succeeds there. He is portrayed as an unsympathetic character (unless you buy into that "I'm ultrabadass and fuck anyone who gets in my way" bravado that attempts to pass as characterization). I don't have a problem with unsympathetic characters. Some of those most interesting characters ever are portrayed in an unsympathetic light. The problem isn't that Guts is unsympathetic, it's that he's uninteresting. He's another overpowered badass with a giant sword fueled by revenge and justice and blahblahblah going up against a line of Big Bads who cursed him or something like that.
The back cover of the second volume says, "Berserk is manga mayhem to the extreme-violent, horrifying, and mercilessly funny". I would agree it's violent, but far from horrifying unless the typical type of anime/manga phallic slug demons somehow horrify you. I also didn't find it "mercilessly funny" as I did mildly amusing.
I can accept shallow or not-so-stellar beginnings for anime, manga, and comics in general. By the third volume, though, I expect something more substantial, and Berserk didn't seem to offer that. I think it tried to there towards the end, but it had lost me by then. Perhaps after some time, I'll come back to it and give it another go, but I'm not in any hurry to do so.
After three volumes, there isn't much for me to latch onto here. There is nothing for me to care about. I don't care about the characters, I don't care about the plot, and the story isn't told in a way engaging enough to hold me. I like the little fairy-elf-thing Puck (one of the many attempts at allusion), but then again I'm supposed to like him.
Obviously, I'm not supposed to like the main character, Guts, and Berserk succeeds there. He is portrayed as an unsympathetic character (unless you buy into that "I'm ultrabadass and fuck anyone who gets in my way" bravado that attempts to pass as characterization). I don't have a problem with unsympathetic characters. Some of those most interesting characters ever are portrayed in an unsympathetic light. The problem isn't that Guts is unsympathetic, it's that he's uninteresting. He's another overpowered badass with a giant sword fueled by revenge and justice and blahblahblah going up against a line of Big Bads who cursed him or something like that.
The back cover of the second volume says, "Berserk is manga mayhem to the extreme-violent, horrifying, and mercilessly funny". I would agree it's violent, but far from horrifying unless the typical type of anime/manga phallic slug demons somehow horrify you. I also didn't find it "mercilessly funny" as I did mildly amusing.
I can accept shallow or not-so-stellar beginnings for anime, manga, and comics in general. By the third volume, though, I expect something more substantial, and Berserk didn't seem to offer that. I think it tried to there towards the end, but it had lost me by then. Perhaps after some time, I'll come back to it and give it another go, but I'm not in any hurry to do so.
July 6, 2016
*Plops down a five star for this meaty bugger.*
There was so many time with this volume where I would turn the page and just stop and stare.
That artwork, though, hey? LOVE it.
Guts finishes shit off with the Count and is immediately beset upon by the Godhand. Five bad-ass mofos that you really don't want in your life.
Seriously, though, this volume gets five stars straight up just for those gnarly pictures. The words, helpful as they are, are secondary. Just keep givin' me dem fancy pictures!
There was so many time with this volume where I would turn the page and just stop and stare.
That artwork, though, hey? LOVE it.
Guts finishes shit off with the Count and is immediately beset upon by the Godhand. Five bad-ass mofos that you really don't want in your life.
Seriously, though, this volume gets five stars straight up just for those gnarly pictures. The words, helpful as they are, are secondary. Just keep givin' me dem fancy pictures!
January 3, 2024
Currently reading AND watching something all at once. All hands on deck to achieve maximum escapism.
Really cool, and gory, VERY gory. But debordant with a fertile imagination.
Really cool, and gory, VERY gory. But debordant with a fertile imagination.
December 10, 2020
وای آخرش!!!
January 16, 2022
رسیدم به جایی که قبلن بودم و فکر میکردم خیلی جلوتر باشه.
February 27, 2023
4.90⭐. En este capítulo me ha faltado más información que supongo que se irá dando en los siguientes, pero en general tengo más dudas que respuestas.
A partir de este se ha empezado a notar un poco la mejora de calidad del dibujo.
A partir de este se ha empezado a notar un poco la mejora de calidad del dibujo.
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