Not many series are held in as high regard as the late Kentaro Miura’s dark fantasy manga series “Berserk”. This legendary Japanese manga was published in the monthly manga magazine “Animal House”, ever since 1989. This comic is one with seemingly no equal, and that is for many compelling reasons. It even made the NYT Bestselling list.
“Berserk” has a style unlike anything before or since. If I had to put a word on it, I would say “painstaking”. Every panel, every action scene, and every small moment is drawn masterfully with tons and tons of detail. This entire series is like that. Which is exactly why this comic can never truly get a definitive animated adaptation. And the truth is, it doesn’t need one.
Does Berserk Have An Anime?
Looking at “Berserk” from a newcomer’s perspective can get a little confusing. The series started as a monthly manga in the late 1980s and has been going strong ever since. To this day, the manga is still unfinished, but I will get into that later. In the years since the manga has been published, the series has gotten a handful of animated adaptations.
Let me be frank, the “Berserk” animated endeavors are a mixed bag. The first one called “Berserk ‘97” by fans, is easily the greatest of the many tries animation studios have undergone. This anime covers the second major story arc of the manga, the golden age arc. This anime is easily the fan-favorite due to the classic 90s anime aesthetic it has, the great voice acting, and the relaxed, almost meditative vibe the series has to emulate the source material.
The Good, The Bad, and The Anime
Unfortunately, “Berserk ‘97” was never finished. It was canceled before it could get a continuation, and the anime itself ended on quite the cliffhanger if you didn’t immediately go pick up the manga. After this series ended, there were no animated versions of the series for a good bit. There were video games and other media, but no anime.
That was until the early 2010s when three animated movies came out. “The Golden Age Movies” as they’re called by fans came to mixed reception. They separated the story into three movies, which was right. The main issues were the use of 3D animation that made the movie look flat and dated, and the massive amount of story that was cut. Still, though, these movies were not awful.
Berserk is Perfect As Is
Then, in 2016 and 2017, “Berserk” got a new anime adaptation that again, heavily used 3D animation. This anime was a train wreck. Poor directing, terrible visuals, it all was just horrendous. And this again, was canceled. It goes to show how tough it is to animate this series. Why, though? Why has only 1 out of 3 major anime gotten the series right?
I would say the ‘97 anime understood “Berserk”. It’s a series with a lot of violence and heavy themes, but also it has so many calm, quiet moments. The manga is entirely different from the anime. Visually, it is perfect. It is also darn near perfectly written. It does not need an adaptation. Is it possible? Yes, the ‘97 anime proved that. But is it necessary? No. “Berserk” is completely fine just staying in the visual medium as a manga.
About The Author
Nicolas Scagnelli is a young and ambitious writer. He graduated with a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at Binghamton University. As an undergrad, he published over 60 op-eds for the campus newspaper, Pipe Dream. Nicolas has his blog, Lunch with Nick, where he posts daily about various topics ranging from entertainment to music to mental health. Other than writing, Nicolas loves to spend time in the gym, reading, listening to music, and hanging out with family and friends.
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