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Anime Quick Information
| Title: | Berserk |
| UK publisher: | MVM Films |
| Genre: | Fantasy, Horror |
| Studio: | Oriental Light and Magic |
| Type: | TV Series |
| Director: | Naohito Takahashi |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Running Time: | 25 episodes x 25 mins |
| Average Rating: 8.17 |
Paranoia Agent's review
Paranoia Agent scored this with 9/10. Disagree?
Berserk is hands down my favourite manga release of recent years, an uncompromising blend of horror, action and war, this genre busting adventure has already taken Japan and the U.S by storm. It has spawned numerous tie-ins including merchandise, a video game and most interestingly a T.V series.
Being a bit of a fan I approached this series with a mixture of trepidation and high expectation. Berserk really is an ambitious manga and I was anxious to see if Miura's epic vision could be squeezed into a 25-episode anime that entertained whilst still doing the series justice.
Berserk follows the exploits of Guts a frighteningly skilled warrior who wields a sword the size of an ironing board, scarred of past and bereft of arm Guts bears a serious grudge against Griffith the demonic king of Midland.
The first episode serves as something of a primer with a gnarled, teeth-gnashing Guts dishing out the pain and slaying a particularly nasty snake-demon, after that it's back to the past as the series recollects the trials and tribulations that will shape Gut's destiny and make him the snarling psycho we all know and love.
Thanks to the makers' almost reverent adherence to the source material Berserk is every bit as exciting on the small screen as it was on the page, the epic sweep of Miura's manga has made the translation intact, boasting intense action, drama and a sprinkling of political intrigue that'll keep even the most ardent fantasy fan smiling.
Battle scenes provide the meat of the action, enlivened by some gritty no holds barred mayhem they crackle with a visceral energy that never fails to get the adrenal gland pumping. The cast never take a back seat to the action though, remaining at the forefront of the story throughout.
Characterization is the real name of the game and in this respect Berserk has yet to be bettered. A solid emotional core and underlying themes of brotherhood and betrayal are what really set this apart and by the time the series reaches its devastating denouement you'll be crying out for the oft-rumoured second series.
Appearing at the height of the late nineties anime boom Berserk is a nice looking series. Whilst not exceptional it is more than serviceable for a TV show, the characters have been recreated in incredible detail and remain pleasingly faithful to their manga incarnations. There are no 'off' or ugly episodes and all in all this a fine-looking series.
In Summary
Alongside Cowboy Bebop, Trigun and Evangelion this is one of anime's heavy hitters and is more than deserving of a place on even the most casual anime fans shelf. It is also refreshingly old school and fans of Ninja scroll, Wiked City et al will lap this up.
Review Information
| Score: | 9 out of 10 |
| Review By: | Paranoia Agent |
| Date Published: | Wed, 20 Apr 2005 |
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1. Comment by Paul
I can only hope that a UK release comes sooner rather than later. Berserk is my holy grail of anime.
Posted on Wed, 20 Apr 2005. Paul rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
2. Comment by Mangaminx
Guts , Griffith and Caska are quite simply three of the most developed and compelling charecters in any anime.
This is well worth the import.
Posted on Thu, 21 Apr 2005. Mangaminx rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
3. Comment by Hyola
Posted on Tue, 5 Jul 2005. Hyola rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
4. Comment by The Always Manic Foz
Posted on Thu, 10 Nov 2005. The Always Manic Foz rated "Berserk": 5 out of 10.
5. Comment by Wildcard
Posted on Sat, 12 Nov 2005. Wildcard rated "Berserk": 7 out of 10.
6. Comment by 8-Ball
Posted on Tue, 6 Dec 2005. 8-Ball rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
7. Comment by Underworld
I loved the music, and action behind the series. The flow of the episodes build up nicely into a believable storyline. I was slightly disapointed with the direction nearer the end, but still makes for worthwhile watching.
The characters are unique. Its fun to watch their many intravert characters bond and fight alongside one another.
Posted on Tue, 6 Dec 2005. Underworld rated "Berserk": 8 out of 10.
8. Comment by Dani
There is an awful lot more to manga, and I have found the anime does follow the manga quite faithfully for most - but with time constraints characters, backstory and certain events had to be removed from the anime.
The anime, despite being the best anime I have ever seen seen, serves to be an introduction to the manga, on hell of an introduction that is.
Posted on Wed, 7 Dec 2005. Dani rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
9. Comment by mugens hair
Posted on Sat, 12 Aug 2006. mugens hair rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
10. Comment by rob
Posted on Tue, 15 Aug 2006. rob rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
11. Comment by rob
Posted on Tue, 15 Aug 2006. rob rated "Berserk": 10 out of 10.
12. Comment by rob
Posted on Wed, 16 Aug 2006. rob rated "Berserk": 7 out of 10.
13. Comment by Ronsmyhero
If an anime enthusiast doesn't have this boxset sitting on their shelf next to good old Akira or the original Ghost in the Shell movie well... They don't know anime!
This anime series is superb to the very end if at least under one aspect: Characterization. :)
Posted on Tue, 8 Apr 2008. Ronsmyhero rated "Berserk": 9 out of 10.
14. Comment by Bob
Posted on Mon, 14 Apr 2008. Bob rated "Berserk": 1 out of 10.
Type the characters you see in the picture above.