Initial Impressions: Berserk (Ongoing)

Grimdark done right.

Warning: While my reviews will always be mostly SFW, the following manga is not. Berserk contains tons of blood and gore, along with nudity and rape. This manga is not for newcomers, unless you're already okay with this kind of stuff.

Imagine either the bastard child of Game of Thrones and Fullmetal Alchemist, or Dark Souls: the manga.That's the best general impression I can give you of Berserk. Guts is a child of war, a mercenary wandering from battle to battle. We can immediately tell from the start that he is extremely jaded. He shows little compassion for others and claims that weak people only get in his way, not caring that the innocent people around him tend to become collateral damage. The art and characters immediately give you the general mood of Berserk. Nothing is pure. The fights are presented as extremely gritty and violent. Idealism is mostly dead. Guts isn't the type of brave hero that risks his life to save others. More than once we see him watch others die without a shred of remorse. The characters in Berserk are definitely well written, even if some can be dislikable. Oftentimes, I find it difficult to take grimdark works seriously. Usually it's either so overdone that it's ridiculous and hard to take seriously, or it's just difficult to like the characters. However, the cast of Berserk is very... Unique... As a whole. The villains are gruesome and their atrocities often leave you with feelings of disgust. The protagonists are heroic and I often found myself feeling very involved in their battles. As a whole, the manga is very intense. Despite how long it is (I'm only 8 volumes in, and there are over 30 volumes out right now) it doesn't feel drawn out or super lengthy at all. I'm very impressed by this work, and I'm definitely going to continue reading it. 

This guy is at LEAST Kenshiro level badass.

Art: 7.5/10

Cast: 8/10

Plot: 9/10

Accessibility: 2

Update (5/15/14, Vol 18): A lot of works have moments where everything changes. The most distinct example for me would be that scene in Muv-Luv. You know the one. Moments like episode 8 of TTGL, episode 3 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, episode 12 of Steins; Gate, episode 10 of Valvrave that come out of nowhere and leave you in shock. For Berserk, this one moment would be the eclipse. Of course, it's not exactly subtle, considering how absolutely pissed Guts is at Griffith and how shocking and intense this manga can be, but it still carried a huge impact. I won't say any more, but know that the eclipse is one of those moments. This manga is so damn good.

And if you needed another reason to read Berserk,
it has socialist prostitutes.

Update (5/17/14, Vol 37): Wow, I caught up with 37 volumes of manga in three days. Berserk's plot is extremely engrossing... The main characters are memorable and the group dynamic is enjoyable. Guts has developed from an asshole to a man we know has a long and painful history; a character who's dramatically improved as a person and become a lot more relatable. Farnesse's progression from fanatical witch hunter has been beautifully done. The fairies are perfect for comedic relief and lightening the tone of the story. The plot feels significant. Every arc is meaningful, a well written microcosm of the world the characters inhabit, full of meaning and depth. Berserk is a fantastic epic tale, one I'll happily follow to the end.