Berserk 301 - Confusion

[arke]

[Evil_Genius]Berserk_v34c301.rar

[War Machine]

Alright! Direct download coming up.

Berserk - Chapter 301: Click here to download
Berserk - Chapter 300: Click here to download

From now on I'll keep the two latest Berserk chapters up. Thanks for the new chapter, EG.

[DrPepperPro]

The pope's words are what made this chapter great for me.

Also, I was thinking about something related to the timeline of getting to the elf island. Although Roderick did say that it was far off, it could be closer than what normal people think. Perhaps the people who went there previously and reported back about it took longer to get there because of some kind of barrier, similar to Flora's mansion. But with Guts and Caska and the rest, I think they can get there faster. Anyways, the point is that I hope we can see that plot line unfold without having to first go through dozens of chapters of Griffith getting his kingdom.

[lon3vvolf]

Its amazing... this is a holiday present for me. Santa DOES exist!

I'm wondering... since we are spending so much time on gaymos (griffith) story arc, when we switch back t Gats and company if they will already arrive at the elf place. We already had plenty of time on the boat. Pirate battles, magic training, and Caska almost drowning.

[hbi2k]

Hmm... I kind of wonder if maybe the Ganishkalings aren't as tough as they seem. I really can't imagine that the Apostles would need human help taking them down. My theory is that they're faking it-- they could take them out easily without human help, but Griffith's having them hold back to let the humans feel useful.

Also re: Irvine's demon form: who the hell do you think you are having two faces? Having a lot of faces doesn't make you great!

(-:

[Starnum]

Yeah, I hear you. Surely after we clear this mess up with Griffith and get back to the Gatts Tai, then they should be just about ready to arrive at Skellig. That's gonna rule. I'm gonna be disappointed if not. I can wait to get back to them until after Griffith finishes getting his kingdom, but then I want to see some damn "elves" all over the place.

This chapter was pretty awesome though, as usual. I'm just anxious to get to some serious plot again. It wouldn't be so bad if the waits weren't so long. I do care about what Griffith is doing, his plot is crucial to the story as well, but it just feels like the plot is moving so slow. Hopefully we'll get to see the actual Griffith vs. Ganishka fight next time, or soon at least, however he plans on toppling that monster.

Honestly I'm surprised that the Ganishkalings are as weak as they seem. For the most part they're getting dominated. I don't know how helpful the humans are being, but you're right about the apostles probably not even needing their help. I'm sure they're just working with them now for Griffith's sake. They'll be back to feeding on them in the shadows in no time, once this is all over, I imagine. Oh, and I do think Irvine is pretty great, heh. I pretty much like all of the greater apostles, but he's a cool one as well, and his apostle form is dope.

[The Herald]

BOO YEAHAH! Awesome man! This is exactly what Berserk is about, great build, I am totally psyched about this one. Thanks again. Damn though about not having a set date, sure hope it won't take months to come out. And I agree with Starnum and DrPepperPro about Skellig, but I guess we're all anxious about that. They've been on that ship for almost two years (in our world) now it seems. But what if, in pure Berserk fashion, something goes wrong and they arrive at a deserted island? Like, all of the elves are underground or in hiding and they can't find them right away (I'm thinking about the classic fantasy arcs of series such as the Chronicles of Prydain and Dragonlance, to name a few)? That would just destroy Guts. Especially since Casca still wouldn't be healed. Though, I doubt that Miura would do that, being that such a story arc would add severe time onto the plot which, in my personal opinion, long time fans just won't slug it out much longer to wait for.

[The Prince]

The pope's words are what made this chapter great for me.

Also, I was thinking about something related to the timeline of getting to the elf island. Although Roderick did say that it was far off, it could be closer than what normal people think. Perhaps the people who went there previously and reported back about it took longer to get there because of some kind of barrier, similar to Flora's mansion. But with Guts and Caska and the rest, I think they can get there faster. Anyways, the point is that I hope we can see that plot line unfold without having to first go through dozens of chapters of Griffith getting his kingdom.

Good luck with that...... apparently Miura's taking another hiatus.

I enjoyed the chapter, it was great stuff. But guess what?.....Where do we know find ourselves? Aren't we all back at square one finding oureselves settling in anticipation of the inevitable showdown between Griffith and the Emperor. Where once again we will be left only to guess and speculate just how such a battle could play out, and wondering just what Griffith has up his sleeve.

Though I enjoyed the last few months of chapters since Miura's previous 5-month layoff, they really didn't offer much as far as taking the story anywhere. These Chapters were good eye candy and provided some great layouts in regards to seeing the Apostle army in action, but the battles itself did not really stir up anything emotionally. Dare I say filler......

When you consider the fights were pretty one-sided against an enemy that served as mere fodder for the Apostles to show there might, there was never any sense of urgency or desperation in these pages to draw the reader into the action. Certainly nothing to the extent to which Miura had me on the edge of my "seat" during many of the battles provided throughout the Golden Age.

The fact that at this point we have come to expect Griffith, being the Divine and omninipent being in how he has become portrayed, as far as his actions in battle (along with his motives) he has been one(two or even three) steps ahead of everything and everybody ever since appearing on his whitehorse and taking up the lead. As a reader all I can assume is in these past chapters Griffith has everything going according to plan. With the outcome of everything being so predetermined, for me it takes away a lot of excitement, only left wondering the circumstances in which Griffith manages to take out the emperor.....which I have been pondering ever since early last Spring.....and likely will find myself in the same position when Spring comes around next year.

[Eldo]

Oh cool, thanks for the host, War Machine. I bet it's really helpful for those at work or at Uni where BT and IRC is inaccessible.

I think I mentioned before that once the humans and apostles fight side by side, the humans will accept the apostles. I reckon it happened in this chapter. They're fighting side by side in an coordinated attack. While it's true that the humans presence is entirely unnecessary, but it seems that Griffith has a plan brewing to overcome the barrier between humans and apostles.

[thedavemc]

Aww maaaan another break? Have to agree with the previous comments - I was excited when the last break came to an end thinking 'at last we'll get to see griffith taking down Ganishka'. Here we are a couple of months later and we're still in the same place. Okay so Miura is demonstrating the powers of the new band of the hawk, which is important since presumably griffiths new kingdom will include demons and humans - this chapter does set that up (though soldiers cheerfully riding on apostles and patting them affectionately seems a bit steep 10 mins after they first see them). What has really happened in this brief flurry? Griffith has led his army to fight a battle we all know they'll win, against an enemy that while incredibly powerful, is not even in the same class as him. The only interesting thing about this fight is that griffith will have to show his true power to beat Ganishka. Surely the fight could have started, Griffith goes off and beats ganishka an by the time he's finished the mini things are beaten too with all the apostles and christian knights getting drunk together 'you're my best friend you are' etc. Am I the only one who finds page after page of intricate drawings of monsters wrapped around each other a bit boring?
I guess none of this would matter if we got a chapter a month, but as the chapters are like hen's teeth it gets on my nerves when we go through a long break, then some chapters that don't really move things along, followed by another break. What is Miura doing all this time? Has he got another job in a factory on shifts? Or is he the alter ego of Jon Bon Jovi? Answers on a postcard...

[Starnum]

I hear you all, there. The new chapters are great, but I think everyone is a little frustrated at this point, heh. The action is cool and all, but it can be a little boring at times. The dialogue has been some of the best parts lately, but the art is still really awesome. I think Miura is just rich or something and can afford to put out chapters whenever he feels like it. Heh, who knows though. Yeah, unless Griffith pulls out a cheap trick, he's gonna have to show his true power finally, and that will be a real treat.

[absofflab]

Thanks EG!

I get the feeling that I'm in the minority here (or, at least, so far). I LOVED this chapter. Not so much for the action and violence, but because of the Apostles' reactions in this chapter. Throughout the entirety of this series, all of the Apostles have been set apart by their sadism and inhumanity, and the only facial expressions I've seen displayed have been rage, fear, smugness, cruelty, and shocked surprise (when Guts finally runs them through). This chapter is the first time where we actually see anything...humanizing? Is that the word? As an example, look at p. 11. The look on the Apostle's face (the one on the right) is priceless. He's sincerely surprised, and in a good way, that normal humans are stepping up to bat. Also, the owl Apostle's reactions from a few pages earlier were also fantastic. it went from rising panic to slight surprise to indignant rage, and it was all depicted using body language and facial expressions - god, how long was spent planning these sequences?

The other thing I loved is the Pope's words (well, except for his adulation of the vigorous chaos, although it did nicely demonstrate his state of mind). Interesting to see him having a moment of clarity.

The one last thing that I found fantastic here was just how successful the integration of human with Apostle armies was. Even if it's just for show (which I'm doubting - there were a few too many battlefield injuries of the Apostles for me to think they were purposely holding back), it really brings home how utterly changed the Berserk world has become. Obviously, not everyone in the world is going to be like this (right away), but damn, the forces of the CHURCH and the throne fighting together with the minions of evil? Could we have imagined this at all even a dozen episodes ago? The flying sorcerer's incredulity is extremely warranted. And yet, it works.

Yes, I'm very happy with this episode .

[LordMune]

Daiba's narration as he soars over the battlefield really drives home the fact that what made Apostles apostles in the first place was their own humanity, their weaknesses and deviant desires. I really, really liked the dichotomy there; in humanizing the Apostles, Man becomes demonized.

[Starnum]

Yes, I agree. Daiba did make a good point. I'm curious to see just how long this little alliance will hold out though. Griffith's captains know how to play nice, but the normal apostles are still monsters driven by desire. We'll see how it goes though. Honestly the new chapters are still great, and Berserk is still the best in my opinion, but reading the releases slowly as they come out can be kind of painful at times, you might say. You can't help but be left wanting every time. I guess Miura likes taking his time with his masterpiece so he can do it right, heh.

[Arcandus]

Another break... x(

But anyway thanks EG.

[Dominion]

wow even Siren is making an appearance in this manga cool!

[Istvan]

First of all, thatnks a lot EG!! This is a great early present, and I really appreciate your work.

As for the chapter, I find myself in agreement with absofflab. I in no way think that the Apostle's are "faking," or would win effortlessly without the humans. Mind you, they'd win in the end, but they'd have a much harder time of it, and more of them would die. You have to remember, that while all Apostle's are powerful, they're not all as awesome as the ones we mostly see in the story. Remember the eclipse? Guts killed a huge number of Apostles there, and the other Band of the Hawk members also killed a few. If they hadn't panicked, but had stayed together with clear orders on how to fight (as Griffith provided here), they'd probably have done even better. Basically, large numbers of a human army can take down at least the weaker Apostles, and the same is true for these Ganshika criters. What the images towards the end of this chapter really reminded me of was the way that in modern battlefields tanks and infantry support each other. Tanks are individually stronger/more powerful than infantry, but that doesn't mean that infantry properly used can't take them down, or that the support of infantry isn't useful. So while the overall result of the battle probably would have been the same without the humans, the casualties among Apostles would have been a lot higher.

As to Starnums point about how long the Apostles will be willing to play nice with the humans...I think it really depends on Griffith. Remember the descriptions of what just being in Griffith's presence feels like to them? And how compelled they are to follow him? My reading is that the Apostles will pretend to get along with humans for exactly as long as Griffith tells them to. How long that is...we'll have to see.

Too bad we'll have another break, but I think it's basically a result of the fact that Miura does such amazingly detailed chapters and does all of the work himself, without even an assistent.

[Nakadai]

Thanks EG!!!

An interesting chapter, but shit..... another hiatus? What the hell? The storyline has been moving along at a snails pace as it is, weak Miura.

[hbi2k]

As to Starnums point about how long the Apostles will be willing to play nice with the humans...I think it really depends on Griffith. Remember the descriptions of what just being in Griffith's presence feels like to them? And how compelled they are to follow him? My reading is that the Apostles will pretend to get along with humans for exactly as long as Griffith tells them to. How long that is...we'll have to see.

Of course, that works for right now, when Griffith has his army gathered in one place and is nearby basically 24/7. It remains to be seen how tight his control would be if they were spread out and didn't get as much face time with him. I could conceivably see some discipline problems coming up, and it wouldn't take too many instances of an apostle going out of control for humans to start hating and fearing them again.

[absofflab]

Of course, that works for right now, when Griffith has his army gathered in one place and is nearby basically 24/7. It remains to be seen how tight his control would be if they were spread out and didn't get as much face time with him. I could conceivably see some discipline problems coming up, and it wouldn't take too many instances of an apostle going out of control for humans to start hating and fearing them again.

Well, I don't know if I should think too much in this direction, but the first thing that came to mind is the beginning of the anime. Weren't the people lamenting the reign of King Griffith?

[DrPepperPro]

From the FAQ:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: Is Griffith the King of Midland?

In the anime it is stated that Griffith is king. However, that is not the case in the manga. That is a difference that only occurs in the anime. Griffith does indeed plan on becoming the king of Midland, but so far that has yet to happen in the manga.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ShinigamiGuts]

so when does berserk get good again?

[Istvan]

Of course, that works for right now, when Griffith has his army gathered in one place and is nearby basically 24/7. It remains to be seen how tight his control would be if they were spread out and didn't get as much face time with him. I could conceivably see some discipline problems coming up, and it wouldn't take too many instances of an apostle going out of control for humans to start hating and fearing them again.

Agreed. But this still comes down to a question of Griffith, and what he plans to do with his army. It wouldn't be that odd once he's king for them to form the core of an army that is stationed near the palace, and hence Griffith. Since I can't imagine that Griffith wouldn't foresee the potential problems of spreading the Apostle's across the kingdom, this would be the move to make if he wants to avoid such issues. Alternatively, he could make them local rulers, and just set things up so that their killings are concealed and backed up with a really good PR campaign. This comes back to the issue that we don't really know what kind of king Griffith plans to be, so we don't know what he's likely to do with the Apostles, or how tight a rein he'll keep on them.

[Starnum]

Yeah, the apostles are behaving now, but who knows what they'll do later once the war is over and they're all no longer under Griffith's nose. We'll just have to wait and see what Griffith does as king, because at the beginning of the anime he may be king, but that's just filler talk as far as I'm concerned. Who knows what Miura actually plans to have Griffith do as king, we'll just have to wait and see. However, if he doesn't keep the apostles in check, they will just go back to their old ways the first chance they get. I don't trust those monsters any farther than I could throw them, and I couldn't even lift most of those monstrosities.

[lon3vvolf]

Kind of makes you wonder how long Gats will have to take to get to Griffith. I mean, hes got so many demons and humans following him now it would take a lifetime for Gats to go ahead and singlehandeldy go through them all.

My prediction, Zod defects and kills a bunch of them because he realizes just how much gats is a bad ass! Also I maybe if Gats gets to Griffith the demon army will dissapear?