Killfile Berserk Education Thread...

[MrFelony]

first lesson. guts is the shit. 2nd lesson. never question muira. third lesson. suspend belief and enjoy

[Killfile]

Really I ventured off into the physics realm (in which I have been bested) because the dimensions of the Dragonslayer thread was locked and it didn't look like anyone had done a solid treatment of the subject.

Ok - Guts is supernatural. Not much of a shock given his ears.

So my next question will inevitably be (and if there are spoliers involved in answering it don't tell me) - is the Dragonslayer itself supernatural? Why Iron and not something harder/stronger? Does Berserk take place in Iron-Age Europe, or do we see evidence of of steel tools elsewhere in the work?

[LordMune]

Ok - Guts is supernatural. Not much of a shock given his ears.

First you bring up the dimensions of the Dragon Slayer, and now guttzz = elf?
Classic noob flaming material.

[Khelegond]

Maybe it's iron because it's much cheaper to produce that quantity of iron then steel. I'm not sure if medieval forgers were able to forge such a huge sword entirely of steel. Isn't steel worst to handle than iron?

[Femto]

Really I ventured off into the physics realm (in which I have been bested) because the dimensions of the Dragonslayer thread was locked and it didn't look like anyone had done a solid treatment of the subject.

Ok - Guts is supernatural. Not much of a shock given his ears.

So my next question will inevitably be (and if there are spoliers involved in answering it don't tell me) - is the Dragonslayer itself supernatural? Why Iron and not something harder/stronger? Does Berserk take place in Iron-Age Europe, or do we see evidence of of steel tools elsewhere in the work?

You're worrying about all the wrong things, Killfile.

Trying to find real world explanations to a fictional series is the first step towards ruining the experience. It doesn't have to make a lot of sense to work, nor does it have to be historically accurate. Yeah, you could think for 1000 days about how Guts wielding such a huge sword is physically impossible, or you could just think of Guts as a person that pushes himself like no other, see the implications whithin that statement and continue with the story. Sure, some might say that it'd be nice if stories like these were based on science or whatever, but how will that make them more believable than some giant, fat dude with two faces trying to kill some dude with a cannon in his arm? What would you want the creator to spend more time on? Research or character development?

The richest comic books, movies, television shows and video games are those that draw you into worlds that are unlike our own, and I'm not only talking fantasy or sci-fi here. Why ruin that by comparing one to the other? Just chill out on that stuff, read the volumes and enjoy them. Suspend your disbelief like Tempest said.

[Tempest]

He does bring up a good question that has yet to be answered. Is the Dragon Slayer supernatural? On many occansions by Zodd it is reffered to as a "Demon Sword" and Godo REALLY doesn't want anybody knowing about or wielding it until Guts come around. Is the secret to beating Apostles and legions from the other realms just a huge-ass chunk of iron? Or something more?

[Femto]

Let's not spoil anything for Killfile.

Check the Newbie Discussion Thread for my thoughts on that.

[Libaax]

Really I ventured off into the physics realm (in which I have been bested) because the dimensions of the Dragonslayer thread was locked and it didn't look like anyone had done a solid treatment of the subject.

Ok - Guts is supernatural. Not much of a shock given his ears.

So my next question will inevitably be (and if there are spoliers involved in answering it don't tell me) - is the Dragonslayer itself supernatural? Why Iron and not something harder/stronger? Does Berserk take place in Iron-Age Europe, or do we see evidence of of steel tools elsewhere in the work?

Funny you should ask cause in school we learning about Iron Age. The world in Berserk looks like europe in medevil times couple of hundred years after Iron Age. I can see that better now whith how they dress and how thier world looks like.


Also even Dragonslayer is little supernatural cause normal iron would break many times against the opponents he fights and after all the fighs.

[xeno]

Isn't it said that its power become specialized by its hundreds of enemies?
I think the Skull Knight said it so it became supernatural even if it wasn't before.

[Killfile]

First off - I never said Guts was an elf, I said he had pointed ears and routinely violated the laws of physics - meaning he's likely supernatural in some manner.

Rest assured, I'm not trying to over analyze the series, but I have benefited from a modicum of formal training in engineering diciplines - which includes some really solid guidlines on how to estimate well. Since I work with Psi - and patrol the Current Events forum, I've ended up first a Mod and then an Admin. Given that, I thought it appropriate that I try to contribute something of my own to the section that most defines this motley crew.

As to steel production -- steel was produced in small quantity through several chemical processes that could help leech impurities out of the structure. Steel production in bulk wasn't mastered until the 1800s however. Many famous blades, particularly in the Arab world, were made from what was called "star metal" at the time - literally iron meteorites - fused into steel by their carbon content and the heat of their entry into earth's atmosphere.

A sword of Dragonslayer's scope would likely have been out of the scope of most period sword smiths - at least if a steel weaon was required... which goes a long way towards explainging why it's Iron (that, and "slab of iron" has a better ring to it).

Depictions of Dragonslayer's use would tend to suggest a supernatural construction - certainly something harder than common iron. The blade slices, not just quickly, but cleanly through armor, bone, and flesh. Contemporary weapons were little more than crowbars - the typical European Broadsword is no sharper than a nail file.

It was weight, not sharpness that made those weapons dangerous. Dragonslayer's clean bisection of anything in its path demonstrates its ability to hold an edge. This then calls into question the properties of the blade itself.

On a related note -- do we ever see Guts sharpen the damn thing? What do you sharpen something that size with?

[Libaax]

When it got damaged wasnt it ???? and sharpened it.


EDIT: How about that

[Anonymous]

...

Killfile hasn't read all of Berserk so we should try to keep this thread spoiler free.

[Libaax]

He should be careful with whats he ask in a Berserk forum.

[Artezul]

...

Killfile hasn't read all of Berserk so we should try to keep this thread spoiler free.

Hm, this is very distressing Killfile. You should not approach the battlefield until you are absolutely ready to have whatever opinions that you may have acquired disected and made a mockery of for the amusement of others.

Also, it'd be a shame to spoil it for you. Shoo!

[Istvan]

Depictions of Dragonslayer's use would tend to suggest a supernatural construction - certainly something harder than common iron. The blade slices, not just quickly, but cleanly through armor, bone, and flesh. Contemporary weapons were little more than crowbars - the typical European Broadsword is no sharper than a nail file.

It was weight, not sharpness that made those weapons dangerous. Dragonslayer's clean bisection of anything in its path demonstrates its ability to hold an edge. This then calls into question the properties of the blade itself.

On a related note -- do we ever see Guts sharpen the damn thing? What do you sharpen something that size with?

This is a rather unimportant spoiler, but in a flashback when Guts was using a smaller (which is not to say small) sword he comments that the blade isn't sharp at all. Rather its massive size and the force at which it is swung allow it to tear through metal and flesh with ease. So Guts sword isn't any sharper then a crowbar, but the shear force of the blow lets it cut anyway. Also, I would not necessarily call the cuts he makes "neat". Guts doesn't sharpen it that I've seen, but on at least one occasion he has a blacksmith fix the little cracks and damage that it has picked up from use.

[Killfile]

Well, if I'm completely full of crap or something you can take advantage of my n00bness by saying "You'll see Killfile.... you'll see"

[TheDrizzit]

I think I will have to agree will Killy. Guts is never shown sharpening his sword and the comment he made about it being dull was when he was fighting the 100 man fight. He just merely stated that it had GROWN dull so if it didn't kill you when it hit you then you would be in for a painful death. I think he only got it repaired/sharpened when he took it to Goddo, who now is dead so all he's got is Rickert. Hope he stays alive or Guts is screwed if his sword fucks over.

[xeno]

Since we don't see Guts entire day he may be sharpening it but it is still not clear. If the blade is a supernatural thing it may not need to be sharpened because its cutting through all the things from the etheral (?) world and is not this quick worn out.

[Starnum]

Yeah, I doubt he even needs to worry about sharpening it anymore.

[xeno]

First off - I never said Guts was an elf, I said he had pointed ears and routinely violated the laws of physics - meaning he's likely supernatural in some manner.

Hope it's no spoiler: Skull Knight said something like Guts is living on the edge now so he lives somehow in another world than the material like the humans because of his brand. He is in some way supernatural but his great physical power must not be because of this.

(sorry for replying a second time. missed that point before )

[Eldo]

First off - I never said Guts was an elf, I said he had pointed ears and routinely violated the laws of physics - meaning he's likely supernatural in some manner.

Hope it's no spoiler: Skull Knight said something like Guts is living on the edge now so he lives somehow in another world than the material like the humans because of his brand. He is in some way supernatural but his great physical power must not be because of this.

(sorry for replying a second time. missed that point before )

That is kind of a spoiler, I guess. But everything could be explained by supernatural means, in a way.

'Read on, Killfile, read on...'

[Femto]

Killfile has only read the first 3 volumes of the manga.

That's how far into spoilers you can go.

[xeno]

Fuck ! I'm awfully sorry about that Killfile.

[psi29a]

Killfile so far has been reading my manga. I need to go out and procure volume 4 and 7,8,9 but for some reason they are hard to come by (meaning not in any stores around here). 10 will be released next year around feb I think. However, once he reaches 9, he has two choices. Watch the anime (rehash of what he read), or continue on via HAWKs translation then into EG translation once at 26.

He needs what... winRAR to extract the files and Microsoft's Picture & Fax viewer... or some other slideshow type tool like ACDSEE?

[MrFelony]

who reads Berserk to watch guts sharpen his blade? I have never seen him piss or shit but that doesnt mean he is some magical being who doesnt need to .