Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen III - Kourin

Continuing from where the last movie leaves off, Guts leaves the Band of the Hawk and Griffith is captured. It is now a year later and Guts has returned to save Griffith who is now only beyond a mere shell of his former glory self. Anyway, I say this has been the best movie of the trilogy so far. In context to story, the beginning is very rushed and some scenes are taken out from the original manga and some are properly rearranged. But it doesn't really hurt the flow for the story in relation to the movie. It works in its own way, but ... I will admit as a manga purist, idealistically, I wish it followed the manga 100% to a t, but that's just me. This movie is now 2 hours so it allows more content, though I wish all the movies were 2 hours.

The controversial CG in my humble opinion, has improved but still has its problems. I say the frame rate is more even and the frame size in proportion to the characters and foreground appropriately accommodates it. It still comes across as "gamey," but it is an improvement, but by no means perfect. The action is very violent and lives up to its bad ass title. There will be plenty of blood and gore. Even though Guts is the main character and a bad ass, I will admit when this guy fights, he scares me and this movie does a good job of making me scared of the main character. There's nothing to fear, but fear itself, but fear fears Guts. On a list of top anime bad asses, Guts has to be on that list no doubt.

I say what defines the art and animation is how it sets the atmosphere and brings you into the emotions. You feel Griffith's fragility. Even though you don't see him unmasked, the detail to the art on whatever you see of his face is enough to give you an idea of what he would look like if unmasked. You see the hesitation of Guts on whether or not he should leave the Hawks again. You feel Casca's frustrations. I feel that the raw emotions bring a sense of substance in conjunction to its R-15+ (the equivalent to an NC-17 in America) rating.

The voice acting, as I have admitted in previous reviews, has been an issue for me. I will admit that Guts' new actor has shown improvement and shown instances that he can capture the character. But I will openly admit as a purist and fanboy that Nobutoshi Canna is still Guts to me while Michael Bell will always be his English voice to me. The guy who plays Jedau does an ok imitation of the character's original voice actor, Ishida Akira. Maybe for people not familiar with the previous anime series and the games will not find this to be an issue and may like the voice actors.

Like the second movie, the soundtrack is more acoustics and orchestrated. My thoughts on that carry onto this movie as well. It suits the time period very well and knows how to suit the atmosphere. The orchestra in the ending credits was very impressive. Susumu Hirakawa still does the opening theme and is my favorite part of the soundtrack. Still, like the newer voice cast, fans new to Berserk who had not seen the previous anime series or played the games will probably not think of this as an issue.

The closest thing to a spoiler I can give is that after the ending credits, there is a post credits scene which isn't much for some people, but after that is over, there is a message in clear English that says "This is only the beginning" meaning we will get new Berserk movies. I say its only natural with the easter eggs in previous movies, this series deserves its shot where it really shines. For those not familiar with the Berserk manga, this new trilogy is a mere fraction of what Berserk has to offer. So I hope we hear more news soon if a new Berserk movie will come out this year or not.

After that, we get a bonus music video!!! So fans will most likely enjoy this.

Overview:

After how much I bashed the first 2 Berserk films, you might be surprised to learn that I actually really liked the 3rd one! I try not to be petty and hold grudges, where I will automatically attack every work in a certain franchise or by a certain author, simply because I didn't like previous entries. In the 3rd film covering the Eclipse portion of the Berserk storyline, they FINALLY get it right.

SPOILERS!

The first vast improvement is the pacing. The 3rd film covers an appropriate number of episodes, so the much beloved story and characters of Berserk don't need to be massively watered down ... in order to fit a 2 hour run time. In fact, the 3rd film is able to give us background about the Berserk world that the original anime wasn't able to fit in. We also get to actually see the full conclusion of the Eclipse instead of a random fade to black. We know from the first episode of the original Berserk anime that Guts survived the Eclipse, but the first anime doesn't even hint as to how he could have survived it. The 3rd movie is able to fit in the Skull Knight in all his Deus ex Machina glory! Given the movie did unfortunately cut out the Skull Knight's fight with Zodd the Immortal, but just showing the escape made it a massive improvement on the original ending. I also appreciated that the movie captured the full brutality and horror of the Eclipse even better than the first anime. There were parts of the original anime that I liked better including Judeau's final confession of love for Caska. However, Berserk 3 still does a very solid job adapting this portion of the manga...unlike those first 2 movies.

On a technical level, the CGI is vastly improved and actually doesn't look like complete shit for once. The music was also pretty solid throughout, although the extremely melodramatic piano piece when Griffith rapes Caska was a tad out of place. I wasn't sure if he was going to rape her or tie her to a railroad track while evilly twisting his handlebar mustache.

Bonus Section: Trivia

The "Eclipse" happens every 216 years because 6 x 6 x 6 = 216.

The Godhand members are all named after obscure books by great fantasy/scifi writers that Miura likes. Each Godhand member is partially inspired by one of these titans of fantasy.
Void = Frank Herbert Conrad = Roger Zalazny Ubik = Philip K Dick Slan = AE van Vogt

Berserk is one of VERY few non-hentai titles to show pubic hair. Although there is no longer a censorship law against this in 2015, most anime don't do this out of convention to keep the border between hentai and non-hentai echii clear.

Guts was named after the real life historical figure Gottfried "Götz" von Berlichingen, a badass medieval mercenary who fought with a prosthetic iron hand just like Guts.

NOTE: This review encompasses the entirety of the Golden Age Arc trilogy of films.

***

Often hailed as one of, if not THE best mangas of all time, Berserk has earned itself a spot on many an avid manga reader's "must read" lists and for good reason as it's the quintessential dark fantasy manga and the ultimate story of friendship, tragedy, and the pursuit of self-destructive vengeance. This may very well be true in the manga, but Berserk's animated history isn't much to speak of. The TV series produced by Oriental Light & Magic in 1997 is hailed as a classic by many but its piss-poor animation ... along with its mortifying cliffhanger of an ending left a sour taste in the mouths of a lot of people (myself included). Unfortunately, this was the *only* adaptation of Berserk that ever existed... that is until Studio 4C announced that it would be releasing a series of films to adapt the Golden Age Arc of the Berserk manga. Are these movies any good? Personally, I say that they're great but I'm pretty sure that statement of mine just evoked the wrath of thousands of Berserk fans. Allow me to explain myself:

As fans of a manga, it's completely understandable that we'd want our adaptations to copy the source material verbatim, but the sad fact of the matter is that it's just not possible whatsoever. Despite the fact that mangas are basically pre-drawn storyboards for anime studios to work with, anime and manga are two completely different mediums with different demands and nuances to work with. Changes *must* be made for the sake of things like time, narrative consistency, budget, and all that other stuff. If you're going to get up in arms about how the adaptation lacks every single irrelevant detail from the source material that you adored the shit out of, do yourself a favour and stick with the manga because no matter which way you look at it, the adaptation will *always* be inferior to the source material so there's no use in complaining about it.

On another note, censorship is generally not an issue when it comes to manga because S&P boards aren't even a thing when it comes down to print media (well, I think they aren't anyway). Anime broadcast on television however need to abide by certain standards and given the content that Berserk has, there's no way it can last as a TV series without either suffering from extensive censorship OR butchering it to the point where it's a completely different show than what it was intended to be. Cinema on the other hand, doesn't have to put up with censorship (unless you're in a country with a turbulent civil rights history like Saudi Arabia, China, or Iran) and it's more readily accessible to a greater audience than it would've been otherwise had it been a TV series. Sure, Studio 4C could've easily made an OVA series like Space Battleship Yamato 2199 but ultra-violent GAR OVAs died in the late 80s and early 90s along with parachute pants, grunge music, and The Fat Boys. Also, I don't think a lot of people would be too eager to buy a full season's worth of one show on DVD/Blu-ray so there's that to factor in as well.

Now with all of that stuff out of the way, let's talk about the movies and how they actually are from a quality standpoint. Well I won't mince words here: each film in the trilogy is better than the one that preceded it with "Eclipse" being the best and "The Egg of the King" being the worst (by default). Now, that's not to say that the first movie in the trilogy was terrible because in all honesty, it really wasn't. It was a fair enough introduction to Berserk, the storytelling was fair enough (albeit rather clunky) and hey! We finally got a chance to see a battle animated properly (and in 1080p) instead of seeing blown-up watercolour stills so that's also quite lovely. The problem lies in the way the film itself was actually animated. It's strange to say, but that's the most succinct way to explain the problem.

Studio 4C is an awesome studio and they've got some great stuff on their resume like the short film "Magnetic Rose" from the Memories trilogy by Katsuhiro Otomo, Steamboy, The Animatrix, and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (if you wanna include their collaborative projects with Warner Bros). Yeah, these guys aren't slouches when it comes down to the audiovisual department. The problem is that the Golden Age Arc of Berserk contains no shortage of large-scale battles that are incredibly difficult to animate in two dimensions. To mitigate this issue, Studio 4C opted to integrate varying degrees of CG animation into the mix in order to actually animate all those large-scale battles and it works absolutely beautifully in those situations.

Unfortunately, they decided to maintain the CG even when there weren't any battles to actually animate in the first movie and it just looks so ridiculously clunky to the point where there's something eerie about it. That clunky CG animation is basically what caused so many people to not even bother giving these movies a chance despite the fact that it actually does get better as time went on. I'm not going to lie, the CG is an eyesore but there's no denying that the animation across all three movies is a million leagues better than the barely-animated rubbish the TV series had to offer (do keep in mind I'm talking about the animation of the TV series, the story and characters are quite lovely). Hell, the third movie actually got the CG right and used it to great effect during the Eclipse (which I'll talk about later).

In regard to the story and characters, I must say that Studio 4C did a pretty good job (especially given that they were trying to cover 11 volumes' worth of content within the span of 3 films). The Golden Age Arc of Berserk is the ultimate story of hardship and sacrifice fuelled by the pursuit of one man's dream. We start our journey in the middle of a century-long war between two kingdoms. Midland, our country of origin was forced to enlist the help of countless mercenaries just to supplement their waning military forces. In the process, they enlisted two people: our aimless protagonist with no goals in life, Guts and the charismatic and ambitious Griffith and the rest of his team known as the "Band of the Hawk." Through circumstance, Guts ends up joining Griffith and his band of mercenaries and I'll just leave the rest for you to experience.

Yeah, there are a lot of things missing from these movies that the TV series had but Studio 4C managed to retain the "spirit" of Berserk throughout the course of the trilogy. Sure, some events are either implied or omitted entirely but most (if not all) of the important stuff from the Golden Age Arc remain intact and dare I say that these movies managed to portray these events much better than the TV series and even the manga ever could. I'm not even being hyperbolic or anything of the sort. A lot of the highlights of the Golden Age Arc just "take" to being animated and I can safely say that Studio 4C did virtually everything they could to make those highlights from the manga stand out and work much better than they ever could've if they were just black-and-white panels upon pages with no sound whatsoever.

On that note, let's talk about the Eclipse. If you've EVER spent any time around the Berserk fandom, chances are that you've heard of this event and have a vague idea of what it is. But for those of you who aren't well-versed in the ways of Berserk, I'll explain what it is. The Golden Age arc of the manga is first and foremost, a protracted flashback that lasted from Volume 3 of the manga to Volume 14. Berserk initially starts off with Guts in the present time in pursuit of Griffith for reasons that were never revealed until the climax of the GAA. The Eclipse is nothing short of a cataclysmic nightmare that seamlessly merged ghastly and surreal horror with heart-wrenching tragedy. A recurring theme throughout the course of the Golden Age arc is causality and the existence of free will. Throughout the manga and the films, these theme was always working its magic in the background and gave us hints and foreshadowing of the ghastly nightmare that we would later experience.

Unfortunately, the TV series lacked this sort of foreshadowing almost entirely. By the time the Eclipse actually happened, it just came out of nowhere. The impact of the Eclipse was lost completely because the themes of causality and the supernatural were downplayed heavily in lieu of putting more emphasis on camaraderie and friendship. Hypothetically, this could've led to a more impactful tragedy but the problem is that there was no foreshadowing whatsoever. Instead of making us crap our pants in pure, unadulterated terror whilst also making us cry like little bitches because of the fact that all of this horrible shit is happening to characters we've grown to know and love, it made us scratch our heads in confusion... oh, and that's not even getting into the appalling animation making the entire ordeal difficult to take seriously and how all of this actually ended in the TV series.

Thankfully, none of that was the case when it came down to the third Berserk movie and its portrayal of the Eclipse. In fact, it managed to perfectly capture the sheer intensity of the Eclipse as a cataclysmic tragedy in ways that both the TV series AND the manga failed to do. A lot of this can be chalked up to the fact that Studio 4C did an outstanding job with the animation. Did I forget to mention that the Eclipse is one of the bloodiest and most gruesome parts of Berserk to ever exist (because that's kinda important...)? The way Studio 4C went about portraying the Eclipse was so graphic to the point where people who actually saw this movie in theatres ended up having to leave because it was just too much for some people to actually sit through. This is the way that the Eclipse was meant to be portrayed from the very beginning. The third movie succeeded where the source material and its previous adaptation failed. I'd love to keep going, but I think that'll reach into some seriously spoiler-heavy territory and I think I spoiled more than enough at this point.

On that note, let's talk about how it ends. The TV series ended on what is undoubtedly the single most depressing point of the entire story, but the actual resolution of the Golden Age arc in the manga wasn't like that at all. Though the TV series left the overall story of the GAA is left largely intact, many alterations had to be made so that the entire story could fit within the span of 25 episodes. Because of this, the guys at OLM decided that it would be an absolutely fantastic idea to just omit the ACTUAL resolution of the Golden Age arc and just ended it on such a mortifying cliffhanger to the point where anyone who wasn't familiar with the source material would be shouting at the screen going "What the actual fuck?!" The movies completely and totally avoided this and I'm SO thankful that Studio 4C managed to get it right. All you manga purist Berserk fans can talk shit about the films all you want, but there's no denying that the way the third movie got right what the TV series got wrong.

Now, you may be wondering whether or not the movies do a good enough job of making us care about the characters. Personally, I think that the movie managed to do a great job but others may beg to differ because of the fact that the Golden Age Arc movies cut out a lot of stuff. While I can't really say much about the secondary/tertiary characters, I can safely say that the movies hit the nail on the head when it came down to our dynamic duo of Guts and Griffith which is what ultimately matters in the end. It's the dynamic between these two and the rest of the cast that made this arc of the manga so captivating to read in the first place.

Guts started out as a wandering mercenary with a brutal past, no friends, and nothing to aspire toward. His encounter with Griffith and the Band of the Hawk led to him finally knowing what it was like to have friends. What's more is that it was revealed that despite all of the horrible things that Guts went through in the past, he's got such a capacity for things like love, trust, friendship, and all that other stuff. At the same time, the GAA by and large is a tragedy and we all know that shit will end horribly for Guts and that he'll take up his sword in pursuit of vengeance no matter what the cost. I don't think it's any stretch to say that he is without a doubt, one of Berserk's greatest assets. The movies retain the very essence of this tragic character and makes it so that we'll always have a reason to root for him in the end.

That's not to invalidate Griffith, because he's just as great a character as Guts is. Griffith has evoked the ire of countless Berserk fans for his actions in the manga that I'm not at liberty to discuss, but don't let that make you think he's not a great character in the slightest. I viscerally despise everything there is about Griffith, and yet I can still find myself finding some modicum of sympathy for him (Kentaro Miura might be fapping away to Idolmaster these days, but there's no denying that he's more than capable of writing amazing characters). Many of us have larger-than-life ambitions, but Griffith is one of the few who actually makes the effort to chase after those foolhardy childhood dreams that we end up letting go of as we get older. Throughout the course of the Golden Age arc, Griffith is depicted as a sort of demigod and it isn't until he encounters Guts when his cool shell starts to crack as he and Guts end up becoming like brothers. It's this very bond between these two that provides the catalyst for almost all of Berserk's highlights and tragedies. If you want to know more, then you know what you need to do: watch the bloody movies and then read the bloody manga for context!

Before I wrap this review up, I want to take the time to talk about one last thing: the audio. The Golden Age Arc trilogy's OST and dubbing is absolutely spectacular. Say what you will about the animation, but there's no denying that everyone in the sound department deserves a gold medal for their work. On the OST side of things, every single track is absolutely spectacular and fits the mood perfectly... except one track during the climax of the third movie which makes me wonder if Griffith was wearing a top hat, a monocle, and had a thin moustache he was twirling around in one finger whilst waiting for an oncoming train to run over Casca (but let's not get into that). Of all the tracks that were played across all three movies, I'd have to say that "Blood and Guts" (the ending theme of the first and third movies) would have to be my favourite because it perfectly captures the tragic nature of Guts as a character (that, and it also sounds REALLY fucking awesome).

As for the dubbing, I really have to give props to Viz because they not only hired the bulk of the original cast of the TV series' dub, but they gave them better voice direction and also managed to sync up the mouth movements properly! Marc Diraison did a wonderful job in the TV series, but he really gets a chance to shine under Viz's direction. As for Kevin T. Collins, well his work as Griffith is absolutely spot-on and almost everything I've said about Marc Diraison can be applied to him as well. My only complaint however is the fact that there are no outtake reels on the DVD/Blu-ray release of any of the movies (at least from what I can gather). Come on, guys... if the guys at Media Blasters have the dignity to show their bloopers, you guys can do it too.

So, what else is there to say about these movies? Hm... well, I don't think it's a stretch to say that these movies are definitely worth watching. As an introduction to Berserk, these movies do an excellent job with acquainting any potential newcomers with everything whilst giving long-time fans of the series a properly animated adaptation that while condensed and short, manages to perfectly encapsulate virtually everything there is to love about this series. At present, there is no sequel to this film trilogy, so if you're new to Berserk and you just finished the third movie, you'll have to do one of two things:

a) Read the manga from the very beginning so that you can see what you missed out on whilst also learning what became of Guts et al post-Eclipse.

b) Wait for Studio 4C to release the next instalment of their Berserk adaptation. They have stated previously that they have plans to adapt the rest of the manga, but they've yet to release anything.

Personally, I'd recommend the first option, but waiting ain't half bad if you don't wanna buy volumes or put up with shitty scanlations. Anyway, that's all for now. Feedback's always welcome and with that, I'm out. Peace :)

I will be evaluating all the movies as a whole. So this review will look at all three movies in the Golden age arc.

It all starts with a dream. Ambition, lust, greed, jealousy, hatred, and a huge ass sword. All critical components in the creation of Guts character. Forged on the battle field and bathed in blood, Guts is an ever evolving individual.

(Story and Character)
It is nearly impossible to separate both story and character. Both get a 10 from me, so i will combine both of them in the same discussion. The story is absolutely brilliant in bringing its ... world to life. It incorporates so many different elements that slowly weave themselves into the narrative. The story is founded on the dreams of a man named Griffith. An individual who will stop at nothing in order to gain absolute control of the world and become king. Him and his band of mercenaries meet a man named Guts on the way who at first is a very young and reckless person.

!!!!!!!!!!!(Semi-Spoiler, I don't go into anything specific in the story, but I do describe Guts evolution as a character)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guts soon grows and becomes stronger and wiser with every action he makes. He soon realizes that the only way he can achieve a purpose is to fight for himself and strive for his own ambitions. He is tired of trying to fulfill Griffith's dream and decides its time to move on. I will stop here as to not spoil anything huge, but this causes a rift between Guts and Griffiths characters as it marks the beginning of the end.
!!!!!(End Semi-Spoiler)!!!!!!!!!!!

Watching every character grow makes you feel emotionally attached to them. You feel their sorrows, their struggles, their hopes, and their dreams. Most of the characters are fleshed out and I felt like I was there, riding along on their journey. I felt that I was there trying to achieve the dream beside Griffith and Guts. It's a nonstop epic story that takes you on an unforgettable journey and ends in the most grotesque and twisted way I've ever seen. I felt absolute catharsis after the last movie was over. Unlike the original anime, this one at least leaves you with a sliver of hope, but at the same time fleshes out more despair when it comes to Caska.
10/10

(Art)
The art is a mixed bag. In my opinion the art was better in the movies than the original anime. Although the CG looked odd and clunky at times when it came to fighting and tearing sh*t apart (which is the important stuff) it looked incredible. Especially the Battle for Doldrey. The epic music hit fitting in perfectly, and then I absolutely flipped at the scenes near the end where multiple fights were going on at the same time, Caska and blonde mohawk guy, Guts and the enemy general, and everyone fighting in the army. The chaos was absolutely beautiful.

!!!!!!!!!!!!(SPOILER)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the general yells, "Undisciplined FOOLS!!" and proceeds to rip everyone a new one around him in a mist of blood I dropped my jaw, but I wasn't ready for what would come next. Guts uses a flag as a distraction and proceeds to slam his sword down towards the ground chopping off not only the generals head, but the head of the horse.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(END SPOILER)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This battle was the definition of epic. In terms of absolute epic-ness and the scene i described in the spoiler gets a 69696969669/10.
There were absolutely stunning scenes like this, but then when the dust settled the cg did look clunky and unappealing at times and i preferred the 2D normal anime look that it threw around here and there. The last movie did look the best and corrected some of the issues, but it still suffered at times.
8/10

(Sound)
The sound was great. I really don't have any complaints other than some of the voice acting. As far as the background music and the new epic score, it is leagues ahead of the anime. The original anime suffered in the music and sound department, but this movie easily corrects that and gives every scene a more emotional depth with its score. Now for the voice acting, the dub is stellar. I watched the first two movies dubbed, and the final movie subbed since the dub still has not been released. Very few anime can claim a better dub than its sub, but Guts voice is absolutely perfect, it matches his character 100%. The other characters are also well done and it sounds perfect as if it were made for English. On the other hand the voice of Guts in Japanese just didn't have the same ooomph that the English one did. It didn't sound as grisly or hardened as it should have. So the English dub was my favorite because it captured the grisliness, manliness, and ruggedness of Guts character.
9/10

(Enjoyment)
I basically spelled it out this entire review. This is a nonstop action packed emotionally fueled epic. I felt the movies solved some of the issues of slower pacing that I found in the original anime. Maybe I had a short attention span, but i felt bored at times with the original anime, but in the movie I was absolutely stunned the whole way through. The change in scenery and pace made it a blast to watch. The story jumps from talk of politics and nobility, to romance, to the battlefield, and you even get to see Guts in a ballroom (A very important scene by the way). It then ends on a supernatural element that defines the story near the end.
10/10

(Final Judgement)
Although I can't show it, in the end this series gets a whopping 9.4 in my book. My favorite of the movies is the second as it represented the integral shift between the main characters and was the most jam packed with epic. It may have a few flaws, but the series is an absolute marvel. The movies are fast paced, have absolutely beautiful fight scenes filled with pools of blood, the characters grow tremendously, the English voices fit perfectly. It's ending is so twisted and dark that there is no way to ever see it coming. Trust me, there's no way you could ever predict what happened. The ending left me emotionally exhausted. It made me question whether Guts could ever overcome his past. It made me question whether he would ever be able to go back to who he was before the ending. I wonder what type of man he will become. I guess it's time to read the Manga.
9.4/10

For those who are unfamiliar with the manga, this movie suffers from the same issues present in the anime, although to a lesser extent.

The film essentially serves as a long advertisement for you to go out and buy the manga. It was like going to watch a movie, then being told to go buy the book to find out what happens in the end.

One thing this film does better than the anime was the whole demon stuff. In the anime, it comes out of nowhere, and is just like "wtf?". In the movie, it flows more nicely

If I can give this remake of Berserk any credit at all in the midst of its flaws, then it would definitely be its steady progression towards the better. This third installment manages to capture some essence of the original; and although there are some things left out or outright changed. I have to admit that the new additions make up for a lot of these things. In fact, the ending is far better this time providing a lot more very necessary closure that the original was lacking. Now does this bit of information justify a remake of this series? Well, when looking at ... how so much was missing from the first two movies such as rushed character development, and story elements that can feel brushed upon even for a newcomer. The answer for me is still no. I would have much preferred a re-release of the original in its full glory with the story being continued, because let's face it, the ending here could have worked as a flashback of sorts for Guts to start off a new chapter. In any case, this volume is still better than the previous ones.

The animation still managed to improve in each installment with a minimum of flaws. The dark dungeons fits very well with the personality of this series, along with the hellish setting late in the movie. It truly creates a rather haunting atmosphere as if death is only arms length away, in which it is actually. The backgrounds are simply excellent around nearly ever corner, with vibrant, hazy flashbacks and bright sunny days. The action is still as barbaric as before capturing the brutality of this world. There is little left up to the imagination with various slashes, stabbings, and out right chomp sessions. Even after I thought that I seen it all, there was still one sick moment involving a blade. The CG still has its slight problems with one moment standing out when the soldiers where running forward, they all appeared to be kind of bow-legged. I don't think I've ever seen anyone run like that.

The plot follows The Hawks after they're brutally attacked and Guts appears to save them. From here they plan to rescue Griffith from the castle's dungeon with inside help, and things take another sinister turn for the group.

I'm happy to be wrong about some things coming into this volume in regards to the writing. The previous volume felt quite incoherent at times, with things simply happening just because. This time things are more wire-tight with well understood motivations and drives.

The character development is quite better and one will have more of an understanding of Griffith and Caska. Unfortunately, some of the other characters are still present solely for a headcount given lines here and there. However, Guts felt a little short changed here simply appearing out of nowhere.

I know it's redundant by this point to harp on the changes that will bother many older fans, but it is what it is. There were things especially involving Guts that was cut out completely and these things would have helped more towards his full development; but newbies will indeed get the most out of this, which is the writers and production teams aim anyway.

In closing, despite this volume not being as heavily action packed as the previous; it does contain a good amount of action anyway and it's very well paced and quite engrossing. I will point out that the final act doesn't feel as horror like as the original due to its cleaner visuals and less than sinister OST. The original was a product of a darker era in anime that I don't think can be easily replicated through a remake. In any case, I think older fans should skip this volume if they totally hated the first two, and I'm talking if they found no enjoyment in those at all. However, if the previous volumes were at least watchable then definitely try this out. Newbies shouldn't even hesitate in grabbing this, but I highly advise to watch the original at some point if possible.

Pros: Solid conclusion with better closure, better paced and developed

Cons: Some missteps in character development, older fans may still cringe

This final installment takes the turn for a much darker, disturbing tale indeed. This time, the CG animation fits in for much better for the hellish supernatural conclusion. Nightmarish imagery and a horrifying conclusion that will make even the toughest of men squeem and squirm while watching. The original series was criticized for it's open ended conclusion, and thankful to say we see a more definitive ending for this ova which justifies the remake of the series. Worth watching for fans of the tv series and manga, leaving it open to future installments in the Berserk Legacy. But do we really want more Berserk ... after watching this series? Maybe, but this OVA lacked the human connection. The characters were never developed enough to make the conclusion of this series as heart wrenching as the previous tv series and manga. If they do make more, let's hope they spend more time establishing characters as this series felt more like an excuse to show off modern animation (with plenty of sex and rape). I felt detached from the characters, but the sheer brutality of it all did make for a horrific viewing experience. For all intensive purposes the series accomplishes it's goal to disturb the viewer, but doesn't necessarily make one care about the world's characters or future.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent Review

*As all my previous reviews for Berserk so far I've stated that this and to this point of writing this my review I have yet to read pass chapter 2 of the manga. So all thoughts in this are only going to be compared to the 90s anime as I don't know which one was more accurate when it came to the differences or removal or additional scenes added or removed from both movies and 90s version so please bare that in mind.


Story (9/10) Great

The 3rd in the trilogy movie of The Golden Age Arc in ... Berserk was great. Like in the previous parts certain scenes where remove (as far as the 90s version is concerned) and I'm only going to name the two that stood out to me as far as their removal one being understandable why it was remove and is forgiven by me and the other is debatable and I will get to that. This part of the movie adapts episodes 20 (well a little bit of 20)-25 of the 90s anime and the third part of the Golden Age Arc in the manga. And going by the anime the first scene should have started off is where Guts leaves and makes the blacksmith who helps him repair his weapon (you know the one that got destroyed in the 90s anime) and him doing training with it. Obviously this didn't happen in the movie and like I said before I don't know if it was apart of the manga or not at this point of me writing this review. Anyway this scene is understandable why it was remove because if they removed that previous scene that kind of have to remove this one too because they are directly connected and it's debatable if this particular blacksmith/training scene was extremely important to the overall story or not, not saying it isn't but like I said if they had to remove any scene (because they will) I would have rather it be this scene so it's why I find it understandable to an extent. The second scene which I felt really shouldn't have been removed (and because it probably scared me the more and is still burnt into my brain to this day that a movie only watcher would never know of) is the scene where Casca is being held up by that one demon that was basically about to shove is demon head horn straight up in right in front of Guts right before Griffith was demonically reborn. Like I said I'm not sure if the 90s anime created that scene or if the manga did but which ever one did that scene was the one that scared me the most and it was removed from this movie adaptation oh well.

Now instead of talking about scenes that where changed or removed. This section I want to talk about the scenes that were added. These new scenes I'm assuming where scenes that the 90s anime probably either removed from the manga or scenes that this movie made up (which I highly doubt the movie made up these scenes so I'm going with my first assumption). First scene is the scene after Guts and Casca have their sex out in the woods by the waterfall and the Skullking (as they call him) appears before Guts warning him just as Nosferatu did about the tragic future that will soon unfold before him. As a person who has only read 2 chapters of the manga so far, the 90s anime and the 2 movies up to this point this would be the first time of me seeing this character The Skullking, I think it was mentioned in the 90s anime but I can't remember. Anyway the second scene is during the demonic sacrificial ceremony for Griffith outside of the tornado we are shown that The Skullking and Nosferatu are fighting outside having some sort of foreshadowing conversation which I doubt I'm suppose to entirely understand at this point but it's good placement and I appreciate any new scenes this being another one of them. The next scene is where the 90s anime cliffhangers us. In this adaptation it goes a little bit further. Showing us new scenes starting with how Guts got and Casca (surprisingly) got out of that demonic realm with the Skull King coming to their rescue. It also shows the aftermath of Guts, his eye and arm missing and Casca's lost of memory. Lastly this shows Guts running away and meeting up with the some demons that now stalk him because of the sacrificial brand he got during the ceremony and the Skullking explaining some things to him this is where the movie concludes telling us "This is only the beginning" now that's a way better was to get someone to read the manga vs the 90s anime, which is why I give this story section a 9.


Art and Animation (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.5/10) Good+

The art and animation for this 3rd part of the movie was better than the 2nd part by a little but still not as good as the 1st movie. Just like the previous movie CGI will indeed hold this back from being an amazing adaptation from and art style and animation standpoint. This movie are far as the ratio for hand drawn to CG looks about 60:40. Most of the scenes in this 3rd part that were CGI were the demons inside the ceremony scene. Now I don't know about you but I felt they didn't feel are creepy in this version because they were CG this time around. Also during the ceremony and slaughter sacrifice of the Hawks scene the brightness and dark cell shading during the scene made it a bit hard to see every traumatizing thing that's taking place not enough to not understand completely but enough for me to point it out. These are the reasons I feel it couldn't reach an 8 like the first movie but is still a little bit better than the 2nd because at least the scenes like when Guts was cutting away at his arm to get to Casca adapted far batter than the 90s version other few scenes where like this not many.


Sound (10/10) Outstanding

I was watching this movie with some surround sound headsets one and I'll tell you what it definitely allowed me to hear the amount of audio depth they've put into this part (btw I wore headsets for the previous 2 also but it didn't stand out as much as it did in this one). The english dub is still great nothing wrong there, no memorable BGM but what did stand out and made me have to give this section a 10 was the sound effects they used on the demons during the ceremony many different growls, screeches, hissing and clicking (especially clicking) noises that the demons where making that made you feel like you were there with them and it different sold it for me.


Characters (10/10) Masterpiece

No problems or concerns came up when it came to the characters and how they were portrayed in this 3rd part. I'm sure if I read the manga I probably would have something to say but I felt nothing was out of place when it came to everything that was presented and the extra scenes that this movie brought only made it better.


Enjoyment (9/10) Great

My enjoyment for this movie was great. I was engrossed just as much in this one was I was when I first watched the 90s version (unlike the 2nd movie). Every time I saw a new scene that wasn't in the 90s version it only made it more enjoyable and the ending to the movie I felt was a better conclusion to this arc vs the 90s anime.


Overall (9/10) Great
More Specifically (9.10/10) Great

This movie 3rd part of the movie I felt overall was actually better than the 90s anime as far as what was shown and the scenes that were added. Like I said previous I really appreciate them not scaring and cliffhangering me like the 90s version did. Nothing else really needs to be said, I'll definitely be starting the manga later this year and I can't fucking wait to dive in.

Berserk, is possibly the greatest story ever told.

I feel, If the bible were to be rewritten, but with the skill of today's greatest writers and story teller's

Berserk would be that book.

[SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT]

I love Griffith..i love Griffith so-so much.

... I feel as if i deeply relate with Griffith in his emotions and philosophy.

I remember when he talked about true friendship. And about the dreams that men have. I can't explain it but i felt as if he was speaking 'From' my soul.

I can't help but feel that anyone who hate's Griffith, doesn't understand him, and likely also doesn't understand what he meant when talked of dreams and true friendship.

I also love Guts, and couldn't help but rage with him, and gnarl my teeth as i emitted this low almost primal roar, as Griffith fucked Casca right in front of him. I felt his emotions, his deep intent to kill, by any means necessary. I remember thinking "C UT I T O F F.." as his arm was trapped in between the teeth of the beast holding him back. And then he did so..as if we were thinking the same thoughts.

And i love Casca, it never felt so good to see two people fall in love, and make love to each other. As if i actually was Guts, feeling love for Casca, and i was Casca, feeling love for Guts.

[Contains mild spoilers]

What I intend to do here is to review the three films as a whole, considering that they have all been out for a while now and therefore can be viewed together, rather than look at them as individual works. Treating them this way allows a better experience for the audience than if they were seen as separate. This is especially the case considering that the first film, being the weakest, has the hardest task of them all as it acts as an introduction to the world of Berserk and its characters.

This is essentially the same review as the one I left ... for the first and second film, so if you have already read either of those, then there's no need to read this one as well.

Story: 8/10

There are two issues here, 1. how well does it hold up against the other adaptations of Berserk (anime and manga) and 2. how well do the films do on their own.

The first film does struggle to find the right pace and construct a good plot at times, so if you are a first-timer to the world of Berserk, it can affect your enjoyment somewhat as you won't really get where this is all going. The introduction of Zodd is completely out of left-field and ends far too quickly, although they do try and address it afterwards.

Those who have some experience with Berserk, however, might find it easier to overlook its flaws and see the first film for what it is, an introduction.

The second film is much more focused - it centres around the storming of a fortress, and we are given some excellent character development. The main weakness in the storytelling here, however, is the fact that this is very much Casca's arc - the main female protagonist - and yet, it is easily noticeable that despite how much everyone seems to revere her (she is portrayed as the best soldier of the Hawks, except for Griffith and Guts), we are rarely shown her battle prowess. We see more boob than fight. But this is not necessarily a flaw unique to the films, although the anime does offer us more of a chance to see her at her fighting best than the films do. We are told how great Guts is, and we get to see why as well. We mostly have to take the word of the other characters and just assume that Casca is as good as everyone says.


The third film ends the story well. The pacing is just right and the transition from what happens in the first half of the film to the second half done very well, you get sucked into a very different atmosphere, but it feels natural. It also does an excellent job of showing the evolution of our three main characters.

It also introduces an important character from the manga, one which was ignored by the anime because it open up the world of Berserk, whereas the anime sought very much to contain itself to the Golden Arc and nothing beyond. And Puck had a cameo. It's tiny, but it's there. (Which desperately makes me hope that it's not just fanservice, but that they'll adapt one of the other manga arcs).

Overall, in terms of storytelling, all three films do hold certain advantages over the anime. Whereas the anime had 25 episodes in which to tell a story, the films needed to streamline what was being told, and while that did leave some very disappointing gaps (it cuts out the beautiful 'bonfire of dreams' discussion, Guts childhood backstory with Gambino is only hinted at, Griffith's emotive response to his dealings with the Baron and the reason why he did it in the first place are only implied and never clearly explained, the hundred-men battle should have been given a bit more time etc.) the films do make great use of flashbacks and dream sequences. In this context, it actually does better than the anime, as it removes a lot of the clunky exposition (see Casca's cave speech in episode 11 of the anime as an example), showing the audience rather than telling us and doing so in a way which keeps the story flowing naturally and maintains pace and interest. This applies not only to plot, but to character development. In the movies, we are told less by Casca how she feels about Griffith, instead it's more evident through her actions, and the same applies (even more so) to her evolving relationship with Guts. The only pity for the loss of all the anime's character narration, as I stated before, is that a lot of excellent (and sometimes useful material) is also cut out.

As a result of the time limit, there are also cuts to some of the humour which is found, sparingly, in the anime (and much more often in the manga), however, this doesn't mean that there aren't parts which are mildly amusing and light - though they are few and far between.

The films also, I think, do a much better job than the anime ever was able to (considering its limitations) in terms of sexual interactions. ALL of them (for those who have read the manga/seen the anime, you'll know what I mean). The tenderness, brutality and motivations behind each of the three pivotal sexual acts in the Golden Arc are clearly dealt with in appropriate fashion, each incredibly moving and allowing the right amount of exposure to the audience for us to understand the deeper consequences of each.

Overall, in terms of the plot, while it misses out parts which the anime included (and certainly misses out a lot from the manga), the spirit of what Berserk is about is still very present. Almost all of the major plot points are there, and it adheres well to the Chekov's gun principle, so for someone coming into to Berserk for the first time through the films, they'll have a relatively easy time of understanding what is going on.

Art: 7/10

There is no doubt that the second and third films are better than the first. The first does suffer a tad too much for the CGI it uses. At one point Griffith looks like a boxy character from the gameplay of some PS2 RPG, but it only lasts for a few seconds.

Other than this, the art is actually really good. It's a whole different ball game compared to the *very* 90s anime, but I actually enjoy the difference. I would never say that one style is superior to the other, as there was plenty that was beautiful and horrific in the anime, but the films do do an excellent job with the battles, which are suitably sweeping.

The characters also have *really* good facial expressions in the films, with Guts' reactions in particular being just completely on point. It was also something that the anime did very well, and the films are no exception. Almost all of the main characters have such visceral expressions that there are points where the films don't even bother to use dialogue and the message is plainly clear.

Also, the films don't have the same limitations that the anime did, so, no doll-parts in the swimsuit area. There is an excessive amount of Casca's boobs, but overall, where there there is a need to show the naked human form, it's there. Sometimes to aesthetically please (it is a seinen, of course), but also to maintain realism. [One small point that I really appreciated in the films was in the cave scene, there was actual blood, and not the weird purple blob (I won't go into more detail because spoilers).] Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that there's peen and vag everywhere, but rather, I mean that the films maintain the right level of modesty when required, even in the sex scenes, but they don't hide the body away, which makes for a much more natural fluidity to the story and the art.

The blood gushing is also pretty entertaining too. Lots of blood, everywhere, just like the manga and the anime. No complaints to be had on that front!

Overall, I'd say that in certain aspects, especially in the first movie, there are points which suffer from CGI, but it does have its advantages, and the films make up for those flaws in other ways.

Sound: 6/10

In all honesty there's not much to say about the music. The introductory credits and the end credits have better soundtracks than the anime, but there is really nothing which can rival Guts' theme and Forces from the original anime. The background music in the films are suitable, but nothing particularly special. I almost wish they had recycled the anime music for the films.

Character: 8/10

Much of the characters have been discussed in the 'story' section, so I will keep it brief here. Because of the time limit for the films, it made sense that they would focus on fewer characters. As a result, I feel that while Griffith, Guts and Casca got an excellent amount of time to develop and change as characters (a job well done in the films), there was little room for anyone else. The rest of the characters are somewhat two dimensional, never really changing from their first appearance. The one little exception is Juteau - something which I am eternally grateful for because I absolutely adore him. He is seen much less in the films than in the anime (which wasn't a lot to begin with), but when we do get the odd scene from him, he has clearly been given some thought by the writers. We don't learn much about him, but we do learn. He's given SOME depth at least - unlike Corkus, Rickert, Pippin, the king of Midland, the princess etc.

Enjoyment: 9/10

This is an entirely biased mark, because, frankly I just love anything to do with Berserk. Sure it has its flaws, but to be honest, the films make up for its weaknesses in other ways. The storytelling is fluid, the characters express themselves better, both verbally and physically, the art is good (when it's not too obviously CGI) and the plot maintains the excellent standard that can be found in the anime.

I think I also enjoyed these films so much because rather than seeking to compare them to the anime and manga, I watched them already knowing about Berserk, so I felt my enjoyment was enhanced because anything the films missed, I didn't feel I lacked, because I could imply it into the films, if that makes sense? For example, I wish they had explained Griffith's history with the Baron, but I didn't miss it too much because I already knew anyway.

I would recommend that you at least watch the anime first before the movies, but if this is your first introduction to Berserk, then it's not a terrible one. They're still good enough to get you interested enough to delve further into the Berserk world.

Third movie, at last. Final movie of this trilogy. While I saw the first movie as underwhelming, and second one as fine (however not very good), this one left me with a feeling of satisfaction and delight. I highly recommend checking out my reviews of two predecessors of Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent before reading this one. It will allow to grasp bigger image on elements I will mention later on. But without further introduction, let's get started.

In the introduction to this review I wrote that this movie left me satisfied. That's true. Sure, there were some scenes from the ... manga left unadapted. However they were omitted in a satisfying way, because the movie felt consistent and faithful to what was presented so far in the previous two movies. Was it because it was the final part of Golden Age arc movie trilogy? Probably yes, but let's not forget that this element required decent amount of care and effort to work out as it had. I can imagine this thing not done right, but luckily, it was done well in Movie III.

The most important element that is to be commended is the pacing. It has greatly improved, compared to the previous movies. Longer length certainly benefitted the overal quality of spectacle. Where it was to be slow, it was slow; where it was to be fast paced and dynamic, it was like that. Nothing felt rushed, at least in my opinion.

Cherry on the top was the climax of Golden Age arc. I tip my hat. It was adapted almost perfectly. Audiovisuals, general atmosphere, direction. I don't want to spoil anything, because I know there might be some people not knowing what exactly happens during the final of this movie, but let me tell you this: grand finale of this movie should satisfy both anime only viewers and manga readers. It's not easy to satisfy me, but objectively speaking the part of the movie I'm talking about was done extremely well.

Visuals seemed to also improved. They have already been good in the second movie, however I noticed smoother CGI animation, better shading and really nice color palette used in various scenes.

Voice acting represented exactly the same very high level as in the previous movies. As for music, I think it was slightly improved in Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent, compared to Movie I and Movie II.

In conclusion, while whole trilogy was fun to watch, the third movie - the last movie - is the best one. It trumps in quality the previous movies (yes, I used this phrase quite a lot of times in this review, eh?) and serves as a fine tribute to the source material, but with creatively modifying it, however without losing its main elements on the way.

Anything in brackets can be considered spoilers, so if you have not seen this film yet please skip over them.

Out of all 3 films, this one was my favorite.

I just hope the series will continue now, I would really like to see Guts and all his demon hunting actually in brilliant colored motion.

[mild spoilers]
All I can really say is that HELL LOOKS AMAZING. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the animation in the scenes following the camp's transport into Behelit land. Of course, the rape was a bit much, I know it's canon but any show with rape in it makes me cringe.
[end spoilers]

Berserk: Ougon Jidaihen III: First word that comes to my mind when i here this title is RAPE or TOO MUCH SEX or something like that, ok i get it all this sex seens hapend in the manga but that was over the top.

as i was watching killings and such in one seen... "POP" 2-3mins of Guts "loving" Casca, if i was in for that stuff at the moment i would most likely watch hentai instead

STORY: perfect story it is Berserk after all but i explained earlier that they kinda like overdid some seens

ART: the art is great the animation's perfect BUT this ... CGI thing got into my nerves... nothing else here moving forward.

SOUND: Plainly AWFUL, awful soundtracks, awful time and place of the soundtracks, there were even times that i was like "now they'll play an amazing soundtrack" and no soundtrack at all was heard.

CHARACTER: nothing to say here i see no change from the original Berserk.

ENJOYMENT: there were some disturbing seens but in the end i can't say that i didn't enjoy it, as i said awesome animation and good battles, drama splatter
yes it was enjoyable, but it was also the worst of the 3 movies for me.

STORY:10
ART:9
SOUND:3
CHARACTER:10
ENJOYMENT:8

OVERALL:8

It's really hard for me to judge this movie, considering how much i love the story behind the manga. This movie is as faithful to the source material as possible can. This part of the saga is the most touching one as well, so while wiping my tears off shortly after watching it, i still can't get my thoughts straight. If you get bothered by animated movies borrowing 3D animation to fill the more difficult to draw fights scenes, then you will not be disappointing by it in this movie. This big blockbuster of a trilogy is just a tease for the viewer of what ... will come in the story for our brave heroes. As the story is centered around middle Europe knight ages, it's hard not to notice a typical for japan approach to overacted performances but if you'll forgive such strange behavior, then those characters are really well acted in the end. It's not overly emotional yet untold words that squeeze the hearts of our main characters, make us cry for their cause. Only in this episode, we truly understand the full extend of feelings that blizzard inside them. Making us sorry for their unfortunate faith as if they were really made of flesh and bones. The movie was wrote excellently, without unneeded cliffhangers, leaving the viewer satisfy with the show. It was fulfilling and touching, stunning and brilliant. I seriously do not remember when i was so astounded by a movie, and these three episodes of Berserk deserve in all their glory a very high note in my rankings.

There is of course a BUT; The movie is excellent in any aspect IF it was an anime or OVA, but for a movie standards, they could do a lot more. So if you're not watching in a cinema, then you'll still be satisfy with the trip. To those that want to watch it, i recommend seeing it in home, where you can fully consume the content without any distractions. As this piece of art work is best applied in personal, as it's a personal experience.

I give this movie a 9/10 because the saga is a masterpiece, while the movie has some annoyance in dialogue, very well done but still a 3D shortcut in many batalistic scenes, and music which was Good but as for the taste i think they could manage to find something better then only good parts left on the finishing list of cast.

Cheers.

I really enjoyed watching the 3 movies and made me researched about Berserk. Berserk is a great story and I can see why a lot of people love it. Still I'm displeased on the twist that happened in the 3rd movie, especially on what had happened to Casca and what had become of Griffith. Although some characters like Griffith was molested (which was hinted in the 2nd movie?), his story still continued and he had chance to have some recovery from that incident, but Casca didn't get any of that. I guess I'm just hoping for a continuation on what happened to Casca. On ... Griffith, I'm just angry that it turns out he isn't really a great leader as his comrades thinks of him but he's just selfish and only think of himself. This is only my taste but Berserk is already great story without the fantasy and I would have love to stay that way but it didn't. The battles and the stories of each characters were the ones that hoo ked me in the first place. These are only my opinions and I don't intend to insult anyone's opinion or the work.

The animation in this movie is gorgeous, the CG blends a lot better now with the 2d animation, and a certain character that didn’t show up in the ’97 anime makes an appearance here even if only briefly continuing with the trend that started in the end of the second movie.

This is my favorite part, I can't describe it. The least thing I will say is this part that will shock you! The amount of blood, gore, and vicious frenzy in this segment surpasses that of the source. The scene right after the rebirth of Griffith as Femto, the last of the God Hand, earns ... the dubious achievement of being more disturbing and uncomfortable than both the manga and the ’97 anime. There’s something oddly seductive (in a gut-wrenching sort of way) about seeing something beautiful carefully built and well taken care of become devastated and left in shambles. This is by far the movie’s strongest point.

We leave the story with Guts, consumed with fury, silently vowing to the coming dawn that he will get his revenge. From here, Berserk‘s story is only just beginning.

Reviewing the third movie in the Berserk trilogy, the plot continues from where the previous movie left off, with Guts leaving the Band of the Hawk and Griffith being captured. After a year, Guts returns to rescue Griffith, who has become a mere shadow of his former self.

As far as the trilogy goes, this movie is the best one yet. The introduction feels a bit rushed, and some scenes from the manga are either missing or rearranged, but it doesn't significantly impact the flow of the story. Although, as a fan, I would have preferred the movie to adhere more closely to the manga, I ... can appreciate the way it is presented. The two-hour runtime provides more content and adds to the story.

The CG animation is still a matter of debate, but it has certainly improved. The frame rate is more consistent, and the characters and foreground blend well. However, it still looks "gamey" and isn't perfect. The violence in the movie is extreme, as expected from the title. Guts is a frightening character, and the movie portrays that well.

The art and animation contribute to the ambiance and emotional depth of the characters. You can feel Griffith's vulnerability and Guts' reluctance. The voice acting has been problematic for me, but the new Guts voice actor is an improvement. The soundtrack matches the time period and atmosphere of the movie. The end credits orchestra is notably impressive.

The TV series is still the best way to experience Berserk. Nonetheless, the three movies were enjoyable, and this is a good alternative way to learn about Berserk.

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III: Advent
Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka
Original Creator: Kentarou Miura

Story (10/10): The story picks up right where the last one left off. Griffith is a shadow of his former self, after enduring awful continuous torture for over a year. Guts and the Band of the Hawk rescue him, and want to return to their former days of glory. But how much are they going to risk to obtain this? Will Griffith give up or will he continue to pursue his dream even if it means sacrificing others?

Art (8/10): This is the aspect of the film that people hate on ... the most because of the 25% CGI that Studio 4C used when it's not even that bad and the 75% hand-drawn animation is stunning and some of the best animation I have seen of this decade.

Sound (10/10): The music for the first Berserk film is truly no surprise of how good it is coming from marvelous composer Susumu Hirasawa (Berserk '97, Paprika, Paranoia Agent). It fits the dark, grity, bloody, sad European style tone that Berserk gives. It is truly music to my ears. Some of the best ever.

Characters (10/10): Guts is such a heart-driven protagonist that everyone feels bad for. He is truly one of the greatest main characters in any series, ever. While Griffith on the other land, you'll love to hate because of how badly he betrays Guts and the Band of the Hawk. Casca is a great female main character and contrasts with Guts excellently. The cast of Berserk is just next to flawless.

Enjoyment (9/10): I enjoyed the third Berserk film a lot, the best film of the trilogy in my opinion.

Overall (9/10): Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III: Advent directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka is a wonderful adaptation of the masterpiece that is the original 1989 Manga by Kentarou Miura. The best of the trilogy in my opinion. Highly recommended.

*Review contains spoilers*

So...I am not going to write in much detail about this movie, BUT...The first 2 movies were very very good to me. I could not stop watching them and the story were really engaging. Like, after the movies I had to read reviews and facts and comparisons between the movies and the mangas so I could understand more about the movies. That is how invested they made me!
However, this third installment kept getting weirder and weirder by the minute...the last minutes were pure sadistic and cruel "entertainment". My jaw could not have dropped any lower at watching Griffith rape Casca in Guts' ... face and then Casca losing her mind understandably after the whole incident.

The first hour and 10 mins or so were really enjoyable and entertaining to the point it almost took over as my favorite which the second one holds. The character development is spot on with the other two in the series and the art work imo is pretty great to what I'm used to.

**Kind of Spoiler section*

The thing that ruined it for me was the last half and hour of the film. It's so so heart breaking to the point of me crying tears because of it and not in a good way. If you know the scene then you know, it was way ... too long and it shouldn't have happened if it was up to me. My enjoyment would've been a 8 or 9 but because of that scene it drops tremendously.