New anime confirmed!!

[Deathbringer]

If we get around 2 hours per movie (Which is wishful thinking since the average anime movie goes for a hour an a half), the team still have to edit the story in order to fit the format. The pressure is on for the Director to make a decent adaptation of the most beloved arc of the Berserk series.

By the way, as a portuguese guy, i find the name Clara de Porras absolutely hilarious since "Clara" is a Portuguese name and the literal Portuguese translation of "De Porras" is "Of Damn". Porra being an expression of frustration like "God damn it" and such. It sounds like the twitter chick wanted to make a noble sounding name for herself but it's always hilarious each time i read it.

[Istvan]

If we get around 2 hours per movie (Which is wishful thinking since the average anime movie goes for a hour an a half), the team still have to edit the story in order to fit the format. The pressure is on for the Director to make a decent adaptation of the most beloved arc of the Berserk series.

Yeah. If it's only three movies, then they probably won't even be able to show as much of the Golden Age as the anime did; after all 24 episodes at about 20 minutes each is roughly 8 hours. I'll be interested to see how they go about it for the movies, what they show and what they end up cutting. Hopefully it will come out well.

[greak]

http://www.welurk.com/?p=9642

new trailer guys

\m/

[Deathbringer]

The trailer was overall sweet, animation was fluid, the music was epic and the CGI was intrusive. Great, not perfect.

[brunoafh]

Looks pretty nice, but still not a fan of the CG. Looks better than I thought it would.

Seeing the trailer kind of reminded me that I'm a tad bit sick of the Golden Age arc though. I've watched the anime through like 5 or 6 times, and I've lost count how many times I've read it. I know it only makes sense to start with the Golden Age arc, but I'm only interested in seeing the other arcs in action to be honest. I would love to the Conviction arc in anime form.

Also, siege towers? The fuck?

[tsubaimomo]

I think the CG looks fine when the camera doesn't move around.

Though my main concern is with the music. That epic-orchestral-sounding music would be fine if I wasn't already wanting and expecting Susumu Hirasawa music. Hirasawa made music for the original anime and the video games, which has been ingrained into my brain as being part the Berserk world. Miura even listens to his music while creating Berserk. Anyway, I'm still holding out hope that the trailer music is not fully representative of what's to come.

Does anyone else think that Guts' grunt at the end of the trailer doesn't sound like the old voice actor? It may just be the same guy but he sounds different after all these years... SPECULATION!!!!

[LordMune]

I think the CG looks fine when the camera doesn't move around.

Though my main concern is with the music. That epic-orchestral-sounding music would be fine if I wasn't already wanting and expecting Susumu Hirasawa music. Hirasawa made music for the original anime and the video games, which has been ingrained into my brain as being part the Berserk world. Miura even listens to his music while creating Berserk. Anyway, I'm still holding out hope that the trailer music is not fully representative of what's to come.

Does anyone else think that Guts' grunt at the end of the trailer doesn't sound like the old voice actor? It may just be the same guy but he sounds different after all these years... SPECULATION!!!!

Isn't it pretty much all CG? Guts swinging his sword on the hill of swords and Skull Knight are both definitely completely CG. Zodd too. I recall something about them going the all-CG route, possibly with 2D overlays. I'm pretty enthusiastic, the in-engine cutscenes in the PS2 game looked amazing.

I do hope people give the music a chance. It was a bit embarrassing seeing some pieces of music universally panned in reviews of Hellsing Ultimate #1 - because it wasn't the TV series OST - and then universally praised in Hellsing Ultimate #4 reviews because people finally realized the music is completely different but also amazing.

[Deathbringer]

I personally think that Susumu Hirasawa's work on the Berserk anime wasn't that amazing in the first place. Hell, the best Berserk piece he did wasn't even in the anime, it was in the PS2 game.

I prefer his works in other animes like the Satoshi Kon's movies and series and Planet Roll Call, the only original album i've heard from him.

That said, i liked the stuff i've heard so far, the woman singing in the first trailers and this epic music in the latest (Even if it was pretty generic).

[Starnum]

It looks pretty sweet to me. Personally I'm really looking forward to the seeing the stuff after the Golden Age animated as well, but as long as they include the stuff that was cut from the original anime and then continue on to cover the entire manga, then I don't mind that they're starting from the beginning. I'm pretty sure that's the plan too. Seeing SK in the trailer makes me very happy. I'm fine with the music, but I would prefer Hirasawa's music if possible. I'm really excited to see all of the movies / OAV's they're going to make. All the inevitable waiting that's going to come with it kind of sucks though, but what are you gonna do, heh.

[Istvan]

Overall it looked good, but I really didn't care for how Griffith's face looked in this one. Did anyone else get that impression, or was it just me?

[Starnum]

Meh, looks fine to me. Griffith has always been extremely bishonen.

[brunoafh]

Overall it looked good, but I really didn't care for how Griffith's face looked in this one. Did anyone else get that impression, or was it just me?

I noticed it. It's not that he looked overly bishonen to me, his face just looked... wrong, to put it in the simplest of terms. A bit of a nitpick, but I'm sure if you directly compare his face up to how he's portrayed in the anime, or even the manga, the differences in his facial features (talking about the part at :14) would be very apparent.

Does anyone else think that Guts' grunt at the end of the trailer doesn't sound like the old voice actor?

I picked up on this also. Sounds like a new VA for sure. I know it seems like a pretty wild claim to make from just one grunt, but his old VA's grunts/shouts were highly distinct.

[Starnum]

All of the characters' faces look slightly different to me, but not so much that it bothers me. I really hope Guts has the same voice actor tho, I like that voice and identify with it as being Guts.

[hbi2k]

So, dumb question, but how sure are we that this project is going to continue past the Golden Age arc? I remember reading somewhere that the project was going to cover "all" of the manga story, but that was way back when we didn't even know if it was a movie or an OVA or a new TV series or video game cut scenes or what, and since then the most specific thing I've heard is the Sankaku Complex blurb which says,

The upcoming movie adaptation of ultimate dark fantasy manga Berserk was recently confirmed as being comprised of a trilogy covering the manga’s “golden age” section...

...which would seem to imply that the Golden Age trilogy is all that's planned. Is it possible that the previous bit about covering "all" of the manga story was some kind of misunderstanding, miscommunication, or mistranslation?

I really hope that they do continue past the Golden Age arc, because just re-adapting a story arc that's already been adapted once is a tad redundant, innit? But I'm trying to keep my expectations realistic given very little reliable info, and reading what's being reported about it right now seems to imply that it's just a single film trilogy re-adaptation of the Golden Age.

[DrPepperPro]

Eh that thing you quoted is worded poorly, gives the impression that they only want to do 3 movies. All that there's info for so far is the 3 golden age ones, but the studio and director on twitter and the clear file have expressed the desire to do as much of the story as possible.

[Istvan]

Also, some of the earlier trailers have featured glimpses of the hill of swords, which would at least seem to indicate that it will continue past the Golden Age.

[hbi2k]

Eh that thing you quoted is worded poorly, gives the impression that they only want to do 3 movies.

Well, that's the question, innit? Is it that quote that's poorly worded, or was it the stuff that implied they'd be doing the whole thing? It's frustrating trying to get an accurate picture of what's going on given the language barrier and indifferent coverage from semi-professional blogs and such. That's why I was wondering if anyone had a good source indicating that they actually have the funding and firm plans to go post-Eclipse after the movie trilogy, as opposed to just "the desire to do as much of the story as possible." I mean, I desire that they do as much as possible too, but my desire means jack crap as far as actually making it happen. (-:

I'd forgotten that they showed the Hill of Swords at one point, that's a good sign I suppose. Hopefully it's more than just a flash forward or something that they threw together just for that trailer.

[LordMune]

The website is still a bit fuzzy on it, but definitely states that the "Berserk Saga Project" is an effort to reflect "all of over 20 years of serialization", the "first part" of which is the 3 Golden Age films. Which either means the three films are the first part of a series of Berserk adaptations, or that the 3-film adaptation is of the first part of the story, ie the Golden Age. Also Hill of Swords in the trailers. All in all, I'm cautiously optimistic for more.

[Deathbringer]

I'm pretty sure that the director said that they could animate Berserk beyond the announced movies, implying that they could either make more movies covering post Golden Age arcs or change the format to a OAV series or whatever. That coupled with the original announcement that they'd cover the entire manga doesn't leave much room for doubt. And like Istvan said, there's some post Golden Age arc footage already.

If this was just another go to animated the Golden Age arc only, i'd be pissed.

[Starnum]

Yeah, I'm with Mune. I too am cautiously optimistic that they'll keep going after the Golden Age. Even in the new trailer there's a scene where Guts has the Dragon Slayer. Though I'm wondering if they're going to start with the first three volumes, where Guts is already the black swordsman, or if they'll more likely save that section for later and show it all chronologically. In the original spoilers there was also a picture of post-eclipse Casca, so that's another good sign.

[greak]

GUYS why are you all sad ? :\
am I the only one excited to see berserk on the big screen in glorious HD
and I diffidently think they'll do as much as they can of the manga if this trilogy is successful
which means they must promote it in a large scale outside of Japan,

[Sandman]

That trailer was BAD ASS ... Hope they get them all made before 12/21/2012 ... and just to let you know, that will be my 10th wedding anniversary

[hbi2k]

GUYS why are you all sad ? :\
am I the only one excited to see berserk on the big screen in glorious HD

You make a compelling point. Hold on, let me check my boner.

...

Yup, that's a pretty big boner. Sorry if I understated the size of the boner I have over that massive-boner-inducing trailer.

(-:

[Deathbringer]

GUYS why are you all sad ? :\
am I the only one excited to see berserk on the big screen in glorious HD
and I diffidently think they'll do as much as they can of the manga if this trilogy is successful
which means they must promote it in a large scale outside of Japan,

We aren't really sad, we're just those kind of fans who take into account everything and start pointing out the worse scenario.

I am all kinds of ready for the movies.

[brunoafh]

2012 Berserk Film Trilogy's Main Cast, Staff Listed

This year's 17th issue of Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine is announcing on Friday the main cast and staff for Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago, the first film in the three-part retelling of the Golden Age arc of Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga.

Cast:
Guts: Hiroaki Iwanaga (Tomica Hero Rescue Force, Moyashimon, Kamen Rider OOO)
Griffith: Takahiro Sakurai (Toriko, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai.)
Casca: Toa Yukinari (Grey's Anatomy dubbing, Naruto Shippūden)

Staff:
Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka (Batman: Gotham Knight episode 5)
Screenplay: Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion)
Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Naoyuki Onda (Gantz)
Animation Director: Satoshi Iwataki (Toaru Majutsu no Index)
Art Director: Yusuke Takeda (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), Goki Nakamura (Cat Soup), others
Art Setting: Mitsuhiro Arita (Final Fantasy XI), others
World Setting Supervisor: Kenichi Iwao (Final Fantasy XI/XIV)
Western Swordsmanship Coach: Jay Noyes (Final Fantasy XII)

Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago will open in Japan in January, and the next two films will follow afterwards.