Kentaro Miura’s world isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Kentaro Miura’s twisted and dark world isn’t for the faint of heart no matter how politically driven the story may seem. Berserk begins as a typical battlefield anime with a moody antagonist who softens up when he meets the girl of his dreams.
The description may shock some fans wandering into the anime due to it being advertised as one of the most gruesome and dark stories ever written. Well, both are correct.
A third of the Berserk story follows Guts as a mercenary trying to survive the horrors or war. The very same horrors turn hellish as the narrative takes a nosedive into the supernatural and sadistic, bringing otherworldly monsters into the mix thanks to the God Hand.
Everything following the infamous Eclipse scene is what draws fans in but it’s an awkward starting point given the amount of backstory and canon material that will be missed in favour of bloodshed. Sadly, Miura died before its conclusion, leaving the fate of Berserk in limbo.
The editorial team at Young Anima promised to continue the story with the help of planning materials left behind and a friend of Miura’s, who says he knows what happens to the tormented anti-hero.
This means now is as good a time as any to see whether or not the world truly is as gruesome as fans make it out to be.
How to watch Berserk in order
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The series has gone through several adaptations over the years with some being appreciated by fans and others slated for their lack of content and poor animation. The fandom stand by the claim that there is still not a truly faithful anime version primarily because of how phenomenal the source material is.
If you still want to see the horror of the Eclipse in motion, you should start with:
- Kenpuu Denki Berserk (1997)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg of the King Movie (2012)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle for Doldrey Movie (2012)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III – The Advent Movie (2013)
- Berserk (2016)
- Berserk Season 2 (2017)
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition (2022)
How to watch Berserk in the UK
The 1997 adaptation is available to watch on YouTube for free.
The remaining releases, including the Golden Age sagas, can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.
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