Berserk

over 1 year ago

Berserk.

One of the most iconic manga of all time. It is considered a masterpiece by the community and not only. With obvious influences on a lot of other works of the medium, movies, games, books, etc. One of the most typical examples is Dark souls. The best shots from the planet Vormir in infinity war.
Kentaro Miura is rightfully considered a legendary mangaka not only for the story of berserk but also for his design.
Each panel overflows with detail and ingenuity. It perfectly conveys the movement of the characters, the gravity of the moment, the nature of the world and in general as panels and photographs (whichever term is more suitable for the medium) I think it's perfect.
The character of Guts comfortably enters the pantheon of the best characters from any medium. As is the antagonist of the series, Griffith. Many who haven't read/seen berserk might see a simple archetypal chad wielding a giant sword and slaughtering demons. And to a degree, yes...it is. And it's totally fun. But that's not all. He is a deeply wounded character. Literally chased by demons, both psychological and literal, his whole life. And it is not classically expressed in history or linearly. I would say that his dynamic with griffith is perhaps my favorite protagonist-antagonist of all mediums/stories.
Mura plays perfectly with the classic concept of what a hero should be, a villain, their perceptions and what they become when they achieve their goals and finally how they are perceived by their universe and the reader.
Although the world takes a lot of elements from western fantasy, eg knights, castles, etc., it has everything else that someone can imagine, but without it being flawless. But the element that characterizes him more than anything else is how nightmarish he is. From the very first panels, he can easily drive a lot of people away with how hideous he is. And the best thing is that the nightmare is not only in the external appearance. The characters, whether of demonic or human origin, are the wet dream of every writer of this genre One of the flaws (the only one basically if you exclude the poor anime adaptations) is that here and several years we get at least one chapter per year. BUT, don't let that discourage you from experiencing what it has to offer so far. It is not unfairly one of the most influential works of art ever. And the eclipse is just around the corner (you will know when you get there).
Regarding anime adaptations. The first of 1997, although it is good in general terms, it just doesn't capture the sensibility of the manga. It has an excellent soundtrack