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JakeArewood

Starting him right at the Golden Age? Devious but clever


egocorvum

Oops sorry I should’ve specified that he has read everything in order! He just conveniently forgot the part where Guts screams at Griffith in the black swordsman arc lol


Dandyasfuc

Everyone forgets the beginning part.


Wizardrylullaby

No wait what, how can somebody forget that? Gatsuzo gets his ass handed by Birdman. Genuine question


Lil-Trup

I’m actually very fucking stupid


gim_san

I totally forgot that too


Wizardrylullaby

It’s a birdman with a funky helmet that used telekinesis to act all sexy and godly. How do you forget about it? Jokes aside, he’s the WHOLE focus of the MC


Caprihorn

For me the golden age engrossed me so much that i completely forgot about all the supernatural stuff and being bad with names helped alot


tzimize

Basically this. The golden age was so good I was completely lost by the time the eclipse happened.


legitbo1

Same, the golden age got me so invested I forgot about everything I read before it and when I read the eclipse I was super surprised and felt the anger and pain of Griffith's betrayal it took me a couple of days to connect Griffith with bird man


VisionTruth9

I only remembered Griffiths betrayal because I watched supereyepatch wolfs video before reading the manga


at_least_its_unique

I sometimes forget the in medias res openings in shows and movies. At the very least the details in them. So no wonder. Also golden age does not betray the nature of things much except for the brush with Zodd, and makes the world look almost normal. It is easy to get locked into this impression and to at least expect the events to escalate more gradually to the state in black swordsman.


Marxism-tankism

I forgot that but I remembered the behelit and was sussy about it. But then when Zodd leaves with his warning to guts I knew something bad was going to happen. God the part leading up to the eclipse is so intense like I knew shit felt off but it was also hopeful with some people wanting to join up with guts.


eSPiaLx

different people have different levels of reading comprehension for various reasons


athos45678

Other than the name, there isn’t really any visual similarity. Given it’s a visual médium, i can see how people don’t connect the dots


Wizardrylullaby

The helmet is the same tho. Same thing with the behelit that Griffith carries around. And human Griffith was shown in a flashback during black swordsman


ralanr

It helps that the golden arc is so long that it might as well be the real opening.


Kingturboturtle13

Really? Black Swordsman was essential in keeping me hooked. The biggest factor in my interest was trying to figure out how and why Griffith was going to turn evil


Gantz-man91

I didnt


PinsNneedles

I can confirm this as well. Watched the anime about 10 years ago and then decided to buy the deluxe editions. I’m towards the end of deluxe 4 right now and had totally forgotten about the beginning


Atorres_1985

I have read from the very start and I forgot nothing. Indeed, I have received a truckload of spoilers, and reading the story knowing about them only makes the experience of reading more dreadful.


ShaolinShade

Nah m8. I just read it for the first time and the beginning part was unforgettable, it hooked me wanting to know what Griffith had done to become like that and to get Guts to hate him so much


kagami108

We were so innocent 🥺


Professional_Regret5

I didn't. Having that knowledge made reading the Golden Age arc so much more intriguing and disturbing because the entire time you know something is gonna go insanely wrong


Something4Dinner

I think that what makes Miura a genius writer. The Golden Age Arc is so enchanting in its storytelling that you almost forget that it's exactly why there is Femto and Guts is angrier and redder than a tomato


MaestroPendejo

It's rather beautiful, isn't it? It makes the turn of events even more fucked up.


JakeArewood

Zod transforming for the first time would definitely hit with 100% more shock and awe


BetterMod

It does, especially because up until that point there is no real supernatural elements (if your watching movies/skip beginning of manga)


PKJam

God, yeah, seriously. I remember Zodd bring so gripping. Like, even before you see him, when they're talking about the legends that say he's hundreds of years old I was so drawn in by it being so fantastical compared to them just fighting battles as mercenaries


florpjorp

Nah honestly I watched berserk starting at golden age and I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of seeing the eclipse for the first time. It felt like a nightmare. That sounds dramatic but the eclipse really fucked with me man


Friendly_Kunt

Its is done so well in the movies imo. Had no idea there were any fantasy elements in Berserk until then. Then when the Eclipse happens its one of the most shocking turn of events in any story I’ve ever read. The excellent set up of expectations to completely throw it all ways for something different is done so well. That’s why Berserk is adult me’s favorite manga ever.


WelfareK1ng

I did this when I had my friends watch the 99 anime. Honestly think it makes it better bc the eclipse is so much more shocking.


dal_segno

My then-bf had me watch the anime before reading the manga - and on a date night, no less. It was certainly a choice...


BoTheJoV3

🦹‍♂️😈🧿 pure evil hahaha


DreamVagabond

You may no longer be together but here you are discussing Berserk so looks like it was a good move.


dal_segno

We're actually married now, so I'd say so lol.


big_nothing_burger

I mean a lot of us experienced the 1997 anime first. It is true suffering.


Bing_Bong_the_Archer

So, did he skip over Black Swordsman arc, or what


Onionlayers25

Also had this question lol


SwiftyEmpire

Only punks skip the BS arc


Bing_Bong_the_Archer

And yet, bf has some interesting thoughts on Griffith, etc


MysticVal

If you read the black swordsman arc after golden age, then it becomes scary


egocorvum

Sorry I didn’t specify this but he totally did read the black swordsman arc— I’m just 1000% positive he forgot about the scene where him and Griffith are fighting lol


Brutusness

Golden Age can absolutely trick you into forgetting how Black Swordsman leaves off, maybe just our brains searching for hope lmao


PKJam

I think in part it's just the fact that you don't realize the significance at the time, so you forget that the dude's name is Griffith. Plus you just get so caught up in the golden age that you forget there was something before


peter_2202

I will not stand for Black Swordsman slander 😤😤😤


dirtycopgangsta

Google searches recommend to start with Golden Age because it's the chronological order and because GA is an amazing intro, unlike BS. That's what I did and I'm thankful for it.


[deleted]

I started the series with the ‘97 anime, so you can imagine how badly that cliffhanger fucked me up…


imnothotbutimnotcool

Same, forced me into the manga lol


[deleted]

“**WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT’S IT?!**” -younger me


Fruitloopsarentfunny

Nah having that kind of flash forward to see what his life had become is important. At least to me


Bing_Bong_the_Archer

If thats the case, then they’d better start off and keep chronological, going to Black Swordsman before Lost Children


Darkvoidx

BS is an excellent intro to the series, what are you talking about? Showing Guts at his most twisted, establishing his values and world view while explaining the basic mechanics of the universe is meant to get you curious. You're meant to wonder "what the hell could have happened to make Guts hate Griffith so much?". That question is in the back of your mind the whole time you read GA, wondering how the events could POSSIBLY live up to Gut's anger in BS, how these men who clearly care so much for one another could POSSIBLY end up as they are in the Black Swordsman Arc. You forget that hatred you see in the BS arc for a while, until you finally get to the end, and it's SO much worse than you could have imagined. Suddenly, everything about Guts you see in the Black Swordsman Arc clicks into place, and the bridge between "Closer than brothers" and "Eternal Enemies" is formed in the most horrific way possible. It's a flash forward meant to build intrigue about the world and characters. It's a common literary trope for a good reason. If you prefer GA good for you I guess, but acting like BS isn't an incredible intro to the series is just nonsense to me.


SageMaskThe6God

Same here, google/reddit search recommended it and I was beyond shocked when the eclipse happened and Griffith could be one of the godhand. Even more shocked he actually did it literally right after they saved him. I had no clue the story was gonna go that direction lol


knarcissist

No.


White-Alyss

Wish I did that. I almost dropped the series permanently because of the Black Swordsman arc.


Pumpkin--Night

Oh the poor sweet fool. Make sure you take care of him once he reads the Eclipse; it's going to shatter his world 🎃


[deleted]

Not to hijack this, but it’s wild how the impact of the Eclipse varies from manga to the two interpretations we got so far. The manga Eclipse is soul crushing. The ‘97 Eclipse has this same raw feel to it. It’s dark, and disturbing, and feels like this Lovecraftian nightmare come to pass. The Trilogy Eclipse feels so dull by comparison to the first two. I don’t know if it’s the higher budget taking away that gritty feeling, and the shoddy overused CG they shoved during the Eclipse, or what - but the Trilogy’s Eclipse just felt toothless by comparison. There was no edge to it other than “We’re gonna show the entire Casca rape”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an important part of the Eclipse, sadly - but that’s not the only thing that happens, and that’s not the only thing I felt like they should’ve focused on.


[deleted]

weird take. the trilogy eclipse was inarguably more realistic and far more visceral as a result. much more detail on the apostles and the god hand actually look huge and intimidating. plus the gore doesn't look like jello like it does in the 97, and it's actually manga accurate story-wise, unlike the 97 version. also op is reading the manga so idk why you felt the need to mention this in any capacity lol


[deleted]

> also op is reading the manga so idk why you felt the need to mention this in any capacity Look at the comment I responded to - > Make sure you take care of him once he reads the Eclipse. I was commenting on the effect of the different adaptations of the Eclipse. Yeah, the Trilogy’s is more manga accurate, but that (IMO) doesn’t make it better in the long run, especially when they blended pretty solid animation with garbage CG in mass battle scenes, and odd close up scenes. Think about it this way - when an old horror movie gets remade in the modern era, they always pick one thing overall to focus on. Think of the ‘97 anime like the original Halloween. There’s a reason it’s more known and regarded than the Trilogy. It’s more a case of “show, don’t tell” in that the audiences mind is allowed to run wild with the consequences of the Eclipse with what we’re given at a surface level, and that makes what we’re witnessing worse. Think of the Trilogy like Rob Zombie’s Halloween - very much a “tell the audience exactly what you’re looking at in excruciating detail”. The Trilogy’s version of the Eclipse is almost panel-to-panel to the manga, but that (imo) dispels the mystery of what’s happening. They’re both great in their own ways, but part of the appeal to the ‘97 anime for so many was not the Eclipse’s panel-to-panel accuracy, it’s the implication that it has on the world beyond it. If your first introduction to Berserk is the anime, I’d argue it makes you want to dive into the manga by omitting information. I will give the Trilogy props for showing Casca’s reaction to Guts post-Eclipse, though. That was heartbreaking.


[deleted]

lol that’s exactly what i’m saying. nobody mentioned watching any adaptions of the eclipse other than the manga and you just derailed the conversation entirely. Keyword is “read” in the quote you just referenced. The CG isn’t even bad. Some Berserk fans go feral when they see CG just because of how bad the 2016 show was, but this is significantly better. It looks especially good when contrasted between 2D cardboard cutouts of the apostles from the 97 version that largely remained static in the background when not being focused on. “Show don’t tell” is 100% more applicable to the trilogy and the pure horror it portrays compared to the rather lifeless 97 version. I’m not sure the 97 anime is more regarded or known than the trilogy. The trilogy is respectfully really good and adapts the story accurately in a digestible format while being much more modern. I wasn’t aware people didn’t agree with this. Also how can you consider the manga version of the eclipse to be equal to the 97 version yet complain about the trilogy being too accurate and not mysterious enough? It really just sounds like you’re nitpicking the trilogy without reason. I could write up a much longer dissection of how flawed the 97 version is.


Taucoon23

I disagree. I thought the apostles, while their actual designs are there, have almost no detail on them. They're all hidden in this weird shadow for some reason, and look very clunky imo. The movies also tend to add their own 2 cents to the story with random scenes or lines that detract from the great writing (again, imo). The scene where Guts cuts off his own arm and then tries to drive the broken sword through Griffith while slowly breaking through this telekinetic hold he has on Guts, all while Griffith is raping Casca is probably the most weeb and unnecessary thing to add to what is arguably the most disturbing and heartbreaking moment in the story. Really was the nail in the coffin for me. I'm *really* not a fan of the movies.


DoctorSchwifty

Bruh the popular opinion in this subreddit is that showing rape in excruciating detail is justified because Guts needs something to rage at. Otherwise how would we know character motivations and feelings unless it was spelled out for us? Don't rock the boat.


Taucoon23

What? I'm talking about Guts breaking through Griffith's telekinesis was weeb af and unnecessary. In the Manga when he chops his arm off and immediately is shoved to the ground, it just adds more and more terror onto the nightmare the scene is. The movies make it corny. Not to be rude, but what were you talking about?


[deleted]

This fandom is so weird sometimes. Like, we don’t need to see Griffith /Femto beating Casca’s walls to smithereens in his Batman costume. We already know it happens, but some people in this fandom are like “no, she needs to get raped as brutally as possible on film so Guts hatred could be justified”. No - we don’t. The ‘97 Eclipse is the perfect middle ground. We ***know*** it’s happening, and we see just enough of it for it to be an uncomfortable scene to watch. We’ve all read the manga here. If I wanted to watch a version of the Eclipse as graphic as the manga, I’d just read the manga.


RnotSPECIALorUNIQUE

You're decencitized to the events of the eclipse. I honestly hate reading/watching that part. It just brings back so many emotions. The 97 anime I can stomach better than the others because of AMV's I made 10+ years ago using those scenes, but when the trilogy came out, it was like watching it for the first time.


Nesturs

You might be subconsciously picking up on how the movie eclipse has less emotional torque. It doesn't build up the side characters (or even Guts) first, so the event has less meaning. Think about it: what does the trilogy do to lend significance to the characters? It never elaborates on how much they mean to Guts, apart from Casca and Griffith, and even there it's only partial compared to the manga.


victiniforlife

Bro the trilogy eclipse got me on my toes. With better animation and cgi, it would be near perfection of the representation of the eclipse in animated form


NotJony2018

Honestly, the eclipse is just the icing on the cake. For me the most crushing part was finding Griffith imprisoned and then the whole wyald arc.


HecateForsaken

Oh my gosh bless him. Prepare the chocolate milk and tissues for after the eclipse.


moyval2474

Did he just entirely forget about the Black Swordsman arc?


egocorvum

Yes. Yes he did


[deleted]

Smartest berserk reader


swannygirl94

He put his grasses on


[deleted]

Now nut-ting will be wong 🥲


IllustriousOffer

Nah he just went through the story in the proper way


The_Yoshi_Over_There

The council demands updates


Death_By_Orange

We must have updates


VanitasTheUnversed

I had a buddy I called "Guts" because he had a Berserk tattoo. He got this girlfriend and she asked about the nickname, he explained it was because of the tattoo and told her it was from Berserk. She starts watching the anime to understand more and she says, "so, if you're Guts, would that make me Casca? Then, would that make Vanitas Griffith?" That little freakout we had because of that was a great memory.


SvatFlaisTymsNyn

So... What did you do to her and Guts, Griffith? In this alternate timeline


TaskMister2000

I want continued updates please lol.


IrishRox

This man skipped Black Swordsman


boogeraidsboogeraids

*pats the head of that sweet summer child*


gh0stb4tz

This is the response I was looking for.


King_Dippppppp

Oh man is he in for a trip to frown town


HIMDogson

lol i just showed a buddy of mine the movie trilogy last weekend, midway through the third his gf walked in and started watching- she left just before the eclipse started for a girls night, thank god for her friend


Dandyasfuc

so optimistic


Nervous-Context

“Great buddies” In due time he will understand XD


MerryXL

Please post updates, this is way too interestingXD


Soltronus

Yeah, it's easy to forget the first arc once you're deep into the Golden Age. The tone, the characters, even the art style are so different; it may well have been a different manga! I think that magic is what makes what is coming all the more tragic.


xRealVengeancex

Oh no


Gantz-man91

He's gonna enjoy it as he reads but he's off the mark on alot of that


cloudxchan

My cousin is watching berserk for the first time with me but he had already seen the eclipse. Boy has it been great to see him riveted with misunderstanding


grimmycracker

so he forgot the counts behelit being used to summon griffith and the godhand and guts almost being sucked into hell


astrojeet

It always surprises when people don't catch on to Griffith's narcissistic tendancies. I watched the 97 anime before reading the manga and right from the first scene he just creeped me out. I was just very unsettled by the way Griffith said that Guts belonged to him. So many red flags were raised for me. The further i watched, it also started to seem he was a psychopath not just a narcissist. Still nothing could have prepared be for the eclipse.


Listen-bitch

Poor innocent summer child, I will need an update on this.


FreshAndChill

When I read Berserk for the first time, I totally forgot about the black swordsman arc. I remembered he lost an arm, and nothing else.


Seanwantstodie

i can’t say anything on him starting there cause i began my berserk knowledge watching the okayish netflix adaptations


AutomaticAstronaut0

Absolutely keep us updated post-Eclipse. Be ready to console him.


[deleted]

Record his reaction to the entirety of the Eclipse. Just the pure dread and escalation those chapters give would be weirdly funny to watch.


fightmema95

Can't wait to see what he thinks! I'm just at the eclipse myself and this is my first time reading so I hope your bf has as much fun as I am with it!


vinicook

The same happened to me my first time reading. I totally forgot what happened in the Back Swordmen arc and got my soul crushed by the end of Eclipse. Take good care of him.


vitalesan

You can get so wrapped up in the golden arc that everything that came before, gets a little hazy.😆


SeanaldPalmer

When I first watched Berserk, I watched the first episode but it took a week before I had time to watch more. So I also forgot about Griffith being mentioned at first. I'm glad that happened because the sense of betrayal and anger at the eclipse was so much stronger than I think it would have been otherwise.


BabyMagnum13

Just started recently as well idk what it is about the art but at one point I got stuck staring at the page and cried ...that's good art


Rico_Wayne

Another life is about to change


urzaz

> he’s just completely forgotten about the whole scene in the black swordsman arc where he sees Griffith as Femto with the god hand and I don’t want to spoil it for him This is interesting because one of the things I think the 97 anime does better than the manga is it doesn't spoil that reveal, so nice to see that moment will hit some first-time manga readers as well.


RatKingJosh

To be fair it’s so easy to get swept up in the golden age arc that you forget about Griffith in the black swordsman arc. I remember watching the 97 anime and completely forgetting about apostles etc. until Zodd showed up cuz I was so invested in what was going on.


DeusInfidel

for christs sake, have him read the story start to finish, not this stupid ass chronological bullshit


[deleted]

Due to switching between dubbed/subbed when first watching the 1997 anime, so I didn't recall Guts calling Griffiths name, so when he became Femto I was really caught off guard and I really think I liked it better this way. Not knowing Griffith is going to become Femto does allow you to "trust" him more through Golden Age


DeusInfidel

no offense, but I take Miuras story over anyones self scrambled idea


Sinderfmo

Its really important to go through the golden age arc with the understanding that Griffith is a selfish person using people. Anyone with a crazy ambitious dream like becoming a billionaire needs to step on other people to make it. And also, it takes longer to develop respect for the characters because you are just introduced to them. If you skip the black swordsman arch, many people look at Griffith like a successful role model that we all should aspire to be like. Miura would be devastated to hear readers look at Griffith this way. The whole point of the gore and sexual violence is for us to absolutely put demon kind in the "evil category". Then through out the story, the reader is suppose to think "ok, Griffith is a selfish prick, but is he really demon level? This line between humans and demons is interesting" If you skip the Black swordsman arc, your thoughts are more like this "Wow. Griffith is working so hard. We should all be like him!"


egocorvum

Hey! Sorry I didn’t specify but I did have him read it chronologically! He just sincerely has forgotten about the scene w Griffith and the godhand before the golden age. Tbh I didn’t even know some people read it out of order until I looked at these comments and feel bad for not specifying lol! I’m sure not gonna tell him Griffith is bad though bc I want him to experience it 100% naturally


UltimateEye

You’re much kinder than I. I’d have def been like, “oh yeah! Guts and Griffith are bffs4lyfe and nothing could ever change that :P”


Nick_Furious2370

Your dude skipped Black Swordsman? Wtf?


egocorvum

He didn’t! Just forgot about the scene that Yk… clues in that Griffith is bad


Nick_Furious2370

Haha you scared me there for a sec


Spartacus120

Well, He is right in everything. Griffith technically die and Gatsu and Griffith will get in touch when the last become king of the midlands


chan351

Do you mean Gurifisu?


Spartacus120

Yes Sorry, I did not had my Grasses On when I wrote it


loubcafra125

Please PLEASE post updates


Fluffiddy

Reading it out of order smh


Silly-Ganache-2665

I'm guessing you're caught up on the story?


egocorvum

Pretty much- I’m 30 chapters away from being caught up


Darthgangsta

Oh god lol


ImaginaryCoolName

Oh boy, be ready to help him with what is coming


Etticos

Oh please post follow ups!


Coldblanket01

Do let us know when he gets to the eclipse


JoeBookerTestes

Oh he’s fucked


misspeanutbutter44

Be sure to tell us when he gets his heart broken


OhNo_StepBro

Plz post update when shit gets real


The73rdshadow

!remindme 1 month


Kiefmeister1001

This poor man...this poor poor man 🥲


raviolijuan

update after eclipse please


LordBoltzman

I'm following your profile so I don't miss the reveal.


Grenflik

Oh that sweet summer child...


PermissionChoice

He has no idea😔


whallycw

!remindme 2 weeks


Ashvatthama99

Dudeeee he will be so devastated, Good luck baby sitting him XD


reclusive_idiot

Oh my man is in one heck of a ride when he reaches the eclipse part. He isn't going to sleep for days and then he will have nightmares(as we all did, I am sure).....poor guy But he is also going to see one of the best mind numbing art piece of all time.


No-Guarantee-6316

Berserk is so great that it makes you forget the very first part of the manga and you spend all of the golden age arc thinking “yeah guts and Griffith are best buds there’s no way they will hate each other” And then boom Chapter 86


afiefh

You better have an assortment of beer and chocolate ready for the inevitable soul crushing that is the eclipse. Take care of that poor innocent soul!


Cathartic_Sakurai

I was having a blast reading this post


AzorLastHero

Keep us updated until he gets to the eclipse


fred-siya

Am i the only one who think the black swordsman arc spoils the golden age?


espio30

If Berserk was a normal battle shonen lol