The Sad History of 'Berserk' in Anime Form

So let me start out by saying the fact that Berserk has so many different adaptations is just a showing at how much of a fictional masterpiece Kentaro Miura has created in that fans want it done right. With that said, it is rather disappointing that there are just so many failures out there. So let’s take a look at every Berserk adaptation that has ever been created.

Kenpuu Denki Berserk

Kenpuu Denki Berserk, or Berserk (1997), is the first adaptation of the long-running Berserk manga, and while good for its time, has become somewhat dated. Now don't get me wrong it, by all means, Berserk is still an anime you can enjoy, but with how far animation has come, if you're somewhat of an avid anime watcher, you will quickly notice how limited this series is when comparing it to anime of today. Still, though, it is an amazing show and by far the best anime adaption Berserk has received to date.

BERSERK: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King /Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey

Now we get into the movie area of Berserk's anime life because long-running manga should get compacted and spit out into one-hour feature-length films, right? In all seriousness, these movies aren't like the worst thing the world, but I for sure would not them good. This is just the start of what I like to call the "CGI MADNESS" that would plague every adaption moving forward.

Berserk: The Advent

Now I strongly considered grouping this in with the other two movies but decided not to for two reasons. One, this movie came out a year later in 2013, and two, this what I will call for non-spoiler reasons Griffith's big moment. So to see it presented in a way that does not do justice to the beautiful darkness that is this Griffith moment is a shame all its own, and I feel I needed point it out.

Berserk (2016)

Last and certainly least is Berserk 2016. Honestly, it's kind of amazing that the adaptations have become worse as time passes. Now let me get one thing straight, what truly makes this anime adaptation bad is the animation and the "CGI MADNESS." With that said, it is so bad that I would not recommend it to anyone. Fans of the manga will have their hearts broken when seeing how poorly Miura's beautiful gothic drawings have been reduced to computer-generated garbage, and newcomers will be scared off and left wondering what all the fuss is about not knowing Berserk is a masterpiece.