News junkies with no experience with anime and manga likely came across a particular name from the industry in May 2021. Kentaro Miura, creator of the best-selling manga Berserk, died suddenly at the age of fifty-four and the news flooded the Western media. The BBC, the New York Times and the Guardian were among the many news outlets reporting on Miura’s passing, a surprising flurry of recognition for an artist working in a medium that’s often deprived of its due attention in the West.
Perhaps as a tribute to Miura and his work, Japanese animation company Studio 4℃ have started airing a televised adaptation of Berserk, aptly titled the “Memorial Edition.” Essentially a recut of the studio’s previous film adaptation with added scenes, the ongoing series has already divided viewers. Some are fascinated by the complexity and depth of what could have been a clichéd swords-and-sandals epic. Others think it’s a rehash of an unfaithful adaptation that loses the spirit of Miura’s magnum opus.
For those unfamiliar, Berserk takes place in a Medieval-esque setting and tells the story of a traumatised warrior named Guts who chances upon a charismatic mercenary leader named Griffith. A close bond forms between the two before Griffith’s ego is crushed in a particularly moving incident, leading to a climax that arguably remains one of the most gruesome and upsetting in the history of animation. Obviously, I’m leaving plot details vague in this brief summary. Go and watch the anime or read the manga for yourself, as part of Berserk’s narrative strength is in its creative plot twists and in its uncompromising depiction of evil.
Even with only a few episodes broadcast so far, the series is remarkably well-paced. Instead of cramming dialogue into a relatively short time period, characters are allowed to develop gradually as each episode passes and their interactions provide new insights into their motivations and ambitions. In particular, the initially charming Griffith is ever so slowly unveiled to be what he truly is — a narcissistic psychopath who would trample on anyone standing in the way of his goals. On a more aesthetic level, the series’ attention to visual detail is staggering. Regardless of whether you’ve seen previous adaptations, it’s difficult to ignore the beauty of Berserk’s colourful natural landscapes during its initial episodes and their descent into gloom as the story turns bleak.
Berserk’s soundtrack is equally impressive. Most of the series’ operatic score is the brainchild of veteran composer Shiro Sagisu, who arranged an opening piece for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Meanwhile, avant-garde singer Susumu Hirasawa contributes the occasional track here and there in typical eclectic fashion. The series’ voice acting is generally admirable too, with protagonist Guts being given suitable nuance as an ostensibly uncouth rogue who hides a much softer, damaged personality. While there’s the occasional flash of odd CGI, it’s nowhere near as obtrusive as some previous adaptations of Miura’s work. Additionally, while the series’ character development isn’t quite as fleshed out as its source material, it’s made up for by the additional scenes’ emphasis on introspection rather than bloodshed.
With all the aforementioned positives, it’s worth recommending Berserk to any enthusiasts of anime and Japanese media generally. Indeed, the medium has evidently grown on major Hollywood creatives. Darren Aronofsky recreated a scene from Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue in Requiem for a Dream, while Wes Anderson included Hideaki Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki’s The End of Evangelion in his list of favourite animated films. So, even if you’ve only a faint interest in anime and manga, see what you think of Berserk: Memorial Edition. It’s on Hulu in various territories and Crunchyroll for all regions. Just make sure to steel yourself up for the series’ brutality. It’s not for the faint of heart. But that goes without saying, given Japanese entertainment’s aptitude for shock and awe.
Photo “Berserk-2143203” by User 22860 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.