Evil_Genius' Berserk community, Kentaro Miura's epic masterpiece, still active and translated. (Please don't ask about older Volumes. Buy from DarkHorse and support Miura.)
I just bought Berserk vol. 7 from Dark Horse and I have to say this:
Fuck the haters! The TV series is better than the first 13 volumes of the manga.
I don't want to write another Wyrm post about it (I've been doing that a lot lately), but it is. The addition of timing and music make certain scenes completely awesome as an animation, whereas the same scene generally falls short in the manga. Sure, it has an episode and a half of filler, and they removed some good scenes and gore, but most of the stuff in the series works better than in the manga.
Sorry, manga for me. Because 'manga is fuckin good!'
I don't think half the toilet seats in the world are as clean as I should like; and only half of those are half as clean as they deserve. - tsubaimomo, July 26, 2010 3:00 am
I'll agree that the atmosphere of the TV series is sometimes very good, as well as showing the relationship between griffith and gats. The manga is sometimes very quick in that respect, it doesn't use a whole lot of frames to display some of the "shocking" moments, like when Griffith tells the princess about his idea of friendship. That was very strong in the anime, and rather quickly done in the manga. Overall I think the anime made the best possible of the golden age, I don't think it could have been done much better.
However, if you look at the entire manga the TV series still can't compete. First: It's too short. Second: It just doesn't look good enough. Yes it's well done, but you can't compare the detail and the art in the manga. The manga has frames that are so breathtaking you can stare at them for a long time to grasp the whole depth of the image, while the anime seems smoothed out and flat sometimes. I also like the imperfections in the reproductions of faces and bodies in the manga, but I dislike it in the anime, because it makes the characters look strange once they move.
Well, too much already, I'll stop now. My vote should be clear....
I simply prefer the manga. Compared to the earlier chapters, Miura is definitely better now but they were still great.
Btw, I think that the anime director and production team did a good job. Which episode(s) you think is a filler? You guys discussed this before I guess, so just a link to that thread is enough...
If you mean comparing the first 13 volumes of the Manga VS the Animated Series, I sure prefer the Animated Series. But when you must compare the full manga to the animation, it simply loses because it's much more! The Manga continues with Gatts getting each time stronger, and the berserker armor...holy crap!
So, I'm voting the Animated Series (we're sure going to lose!), but only in the Golden Age.
Manga, because of all the shit they leave out of the anime... the voice actors did a great job, its a great anime, but the manga is so much more... its great
Quotes that are fun,
"Pray for a quick death, my sword is growing dull," Guts - Berserk
"Just call her Smithajones again or something, it don't matter.... none of this matters" Carl- Aqua Teen
My vote goes to the anime. Even though sometimes the art was a little off it was still good. The music and sound gives more to the story. Favourite scene was when Gatts was leaving the hawks and he had to fight Griffith. You gotta check that out if you never seen the anime.
The anime, simply because 1 episode > 1 new chapter. I feel so sad and helpless finishing a new volume of Berserk because it's only 20 pages. Sometimes I'm afraid to turn too quick because these moments of goodness will soon be over. With the anime, having 26 episodes, each at 25 minutes, it was a hell of a time watching through it. I was hooked the first day, renting the 1st dvd at blockbuster after a lot of hype for the series. I watched episode 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. All in a row and eager to start the next one. Then I was like "holy shit, get me another dvd!". I bought 1 dvd per week up till 4. Then a grueling wait for the 5th dvd. But as soon as I got it, back in the chair for a deep thoughtful series and 4 more episodes. The last was quite an event for me and left me with the desire I have now to finish the series. Either way, the strength of Miura's story fuels both, but the music and pacing was heightened in the anime series. Also, I thought the English voices were fantastic. Especially Griffith's rational and knowledgable voice. It helped too that Miura selected the guy he wanted for the music. Considering he listened to it when drawing and drew inspiration from it. We were able to do the same.
The downside, we missed out on some of Miura's beautiful artwork, though he got much better after the golden age, which wasn't exactly his prime. Around volume 17-18 he was getting real good and through the 20's he's been amazing. I really wouldn't have wanted to miss that. Also, with the vision becoming more ambitious I don't know how well an anime series could capture the Berserker armor and the fights. I'd love to see em try but they may be a little out of their league unless they get someone like the Gungrave/Trigun team or my pick, Shininchiro Wantanabe, to direct them.
Anyway, whatever, Berserk rocks. Here's to more manga and down the road, hopefully another anime series.
well all further translated volumes of ebrserk been a mini stereo system that plays during certain scenes. the anime's out takes had some pretty funny ones. like "so who is gonna jerk me off" or goku rickert
I have the collectors edition Anime box .
The anime is great and there is hardly any episode filling at all ( compare to Naruto for example ) . Actually berserk has very little to none useless filling at all and thats exeptional in an anime.Its 25 episodes of pure story .
Nevertheless I prefer the complete story (exept Shierke , I hate her...dont know why..) so I'm gonna have to go with the manga , perhaps one day they'll make a second anime season covering the events that are unfolding now...maybe the anime will indeed be better than .
Also the Berserk soundtrack is one of the best I have ever heared so thats a plus to the anime. When I was reading the manga I would usualy put on the soundtrack aswell ,becouse it is so good.
I saw the anime series before I knew there was a manga that it was based upon, so, I guess, to its credit, the anime series made me want to go out and buy the manga. The music really was beautiful, I still listen to it when I am working on the computer, sometimes. I did wish that the animation had been a little bit more fluid, without so many still-frames, but, not being someone who watches much anime, I thought maybe this was just indicative of the genre in general, and not such a shortcoming. In any case, I bought the anime collection, which I'd never done before (purchased any anime, I mean).
The manga has some of the best artwork I've seen. The detail Miura puts into everything constantly amazes me. I can't imagine how he gets it all done. He clearly has a serious passion for not only telling a story, but creating vivid artwork to go along with it that can stand on its own as art even without words. I really loved the first several volumes, but, with the introduction of Puck and Isidro, I felt that the comedic elements started getting in the way of some of the serious moments. I don't mean to say that they were badly done, but, at certain points early on, the serious nature, devoid of any regular silliness (except for that occassional rare panel showing a disgruntled person) of the manga was what really drew me in to it and made me love it. Sometimes now when I am reading it I find myself just skipping over the words if I can see it is just background silliness going on with Puck and Isidro (Ishidoro?). However, that small thing aside, I definitely feel that the manga, being the original work, and the ongoing story, is on a higher level than the anime (as much as I did like that, too). I will, though, be looking forward to a new anime series if one is ever completed, with a lot of anticipation.
Wow large post. Anyway perhaps If you try listening music while reading the manga, you would like the manga even more. I can't stand reading manga without any music.
I'm so dissatisfied with the animé I think they should make a possible second series/OVA using the Berserk: Millenium Falcon whatever (PS2) cinematics engine, because those cutscenes are just fucking fantastic.
EDIT:
Wow large post. Anyway perhaps If you try listening music while reading the manga, you would like the manga even more. I can't stand reading manga without any music.
Amen. Reading the first raid scene with Forces playing in the background is better than watching it, trust me.
once the fanbase gets large enough in the US im sure some company will be like "holy shit there is a lot of money in this, why not at least make dvds and sell that shit"
Manga for me, just because it has more material, but if you are just talking about the golden years it is close. I loved the anime, and the manga both. They had different feels, but the anime had one of the best musical scores in any anime, very few are close, and I am not sure if any are better. Plus the bonfire of dreams scene was executed much better in the anime. That scene is beautiful. Damn, now I am thinking I shoudl have changed my vote.
I just torn between. Both are good in there own rights. I woudl say the anime is one of the best adaptations I have ever seen. Plus it was one of the first animes I had ever seen. If it wasn't for it I may have never really gotten into anime like I have. I definately woudl not have gotten into manga if it wasn't for Berserk. Because of it I now read many mangas. Berserk turned me into a nerd.
How did someone get to 100 posts that I never knew existed. Man I don't come here near enough anymore. Well three chapters back to back and I will be back again, with much to talk about, and post lengths to put 1/100th of a wyrm post to shame. Well maybe not even that much maybe 1/1000th. That one post was crazy long.
