"Even if we painstakingly piece together something lost, it doesn't mean things will ever go back to how they were" is a quote that really captures the essence of what makes Berserk, well, Berserk. This is not a happy story. I can recall growing more and more anxious while watching each sequential episode of this series, and for good reason. The show is very meticulous of more so than anything else, character building. "But daccat11, why does this matter? Many shows do this!" Why I think Berserk stands out in this department is that the character's pasts play actually believable roles in how there character is present day. If you choose to watch this, which you definitely should, pay attention to the actions of Guts and Griffith in correlation to the slow reveal of their pasts, it's astounding how well it's done, and in 1997 no less.
I absolutely adore this show for having such a strong cast of characters. The reason Berserk is so profound, is that it deals with the mundane sort of themes present in a lot of series in it's own way. Themes such as power, love, destiny and corruption are presented in such a unique way that it really stands out to me. Throughout, there are many clashes of ideals which not only give characters depth, but strong, powerful reasons to care for them, regardless of whether or not you agree with their actions.
Honestly, Berserk doesn't have the best art. It isn't bad. However, it didn't age horribly well. A good plus to this though, and this is from memory, is that the angles used for fights and conversations were pretty solid and overall made any budget shortcomings the show may have had not stand out much. The music of Berserk fairs better than the art, I'm still listening to it's music a year later, which is something I don't really do often for anime OST's. It's opening is hilariously engrish and doesn't fit the show at all, but has so much charm that I love it.
If I do have a gripe with the anime adaptation of Berserk, it's gotta be it's ending. Honestly, not a fan. It provides very little closure to the story. In other words, it's your typical "Read the manga, fuck you" ending, which is pretty disappointing. The story leaves off at the climax of the arc the anime shows, so if you want the full story, you're gonna have to read the manga. However, if you can stand manga, and read it, you're in for such a treat. The manga has godly art, and there are currently 37 volumes of it. The anime covers the first 13 volumes (IIRC), but I recommend reading it from the beginning, it's a disservice to yourself not to.
Over all, Berserk is a fucking great series. It's gritty, it's meaningful, and most of all impactful. While definitely not for kids, it is a masterpiece of a series as a whole (Not just the anime). I do believe watching this anime is relevant even though you'll probably read the manga anyway. It does a fantastic job of character and world building, which contributed to the read through of the same story in the manga for me quite a bit. If you're on the fence, don't miss this one, Berserk is one hell of a ride.
Thanks for reading. :)
