What Is Kentaro Miura's 'Berserk'? (NO SPOILERS)

If you’re a fan of manga, anime, or dark fantasy in general, you’ve probably heard of Kentaro Miura’s grim epic Berserk. It’s recently had its 30 year anniversary, and, by its own creator’s reckoning, is just over halfway through. Berserk has just about everything you could want—action, a love story, and a dose of cosmic horror for good measure. But what exactly is it about?

Berserk is many things, but, ultimately, beneath the gallons of gore, flashy action sequences, and political drama, the core of the story is the relationship between three mercenaries—Guts, Casca, and Griffith—and how their choices and actions affect one another. While the brooding mass of muscles that is Guts is undoubtedly our main character, his once-compatriots Casca and Griffith are no less essential to the story and how it develops. In the course of telling this epic tale, Berserk tackles themes of PTSD, trauma, sexual abuse, belief, loyalty, and grief.

Despite elaborate dark fantasy setting, this truly is just a backdrop for a riveting character drama. So, in order to unfurl what Berserk is truly about, let’s look at our characters.

Guts, nicknamed “The Struggler,” has been orphaned since birth and was taken in by a troupe of mercenaries. His adopted “father” Gambino only ever taught Guts to use a sword and never treated him with love. Guts grows up with his sword being his only comfort, the only thing he could truly rely on. Suffering multiple forms of abuse leaves Guts distrustful of humanity and unable to let anyone get close to him. However, his travels eventually leave him indebted to Griffith, the leader of a mercenary group called the Band of the Hawk.

Griffith is a warrior of unmatched skill who has inspired hundreds of men to follow him and be willing to lay down their lives for him. He single-mindedly seeks his dream of having his own kingdom, and bears a dark side his loyal followers are blind to. Casca is one of these loyal followers. She is Griffith’s right hand, and her dedication to him puts her in conflict with Guts, who she views as an undisciplined madman who puts everyone else at risk. The interactions between these three characters ultimately determine the fates of hundreds of souls, and potentially, the entire land.

The bulk of the first chunk of Berserk, and the part of the story covered by the ’97 anime and The Golden Age Arc movie trilogy, is focused on the Band of the Hawk’s involvement in the massive war and the political drama surrounding it, all while our three protagonists go through various conflicts and bonding. However, the story undergoes a drastic change after the conclusion of this arc. It becomes much darker and grittier as Guts’s goals shift. Rather than just staying alive, or serving Griffith, Guts goes on a blood-soaked journey to save the love of his life, and attain vengeance against otherworldly and possibly undefeatable beings.

During this phase of the story, which spans both The Black Swordsman and Conviction arcs, Berserk explores the idea of free will, coping with grief, and the sheer drive to survive. Guts must re-evaluate his life choices, and discover a new reason to live. Eventually, our story shifts gears again in the Falcon of the Millennium arc. The world expands, as new characters join the cast, opening the story up to new possibilities.

Berserk will make you run through just about every emotion. You will cheer with victory, weep with mourning, gasp in shock, and giggle with joy. As we follow Guts throughout his life, we grow a deep attachment to him and his allies, and share in all their celebrations and their grief. Ultimately, it is a masterpiece that one must experience if you are a fan of manga, anime, dark fantasy, or just plain exceptional storytelling.