English Dub Season Review: Berserk Season One

Could this be the best series of the year?

Some Spoilers Below

There’s no shortage of gritty anime films and shows. But Berserk ranks among the most intense. The 2016 adaptation of the Kentaro Mirua’s manga of the same name. Berserk follows the appropriately-named Guts (Kaiji Tang), nicknamed “The Black Swordsman.” Season one arrives as a tour de force anime adaptation which shines in its excellent animation, voice acting, narrative, and score.

The first episode, “Dragonslayer,” truly sets the tone. “On that day, a dying sun rose and shone its dark light upon the multitude of nations, an opening narration begins. From this moment, Berserk grasps viewer attention in a death-grip which isn’t relinquished until the credits roll on the final entry in the twelve episode first season run. Guts, a lone swordsman, enters an inn. There, a pack of bandits torture an elf Puck (Sarah Anne Williams), as well as a young red-haired boy, Isidoro (Erik Scott Kimerer). The Black Swordsman saves Isidoro and Puck before leaving to continue his journey. An elderly priest, Adolf and his daughter Colette offer Guts a ride. Before the first episode concludes, a kid gets killed, moreover in a fairly gruesome means.

“Dragonslayer” illustrates how Berserk progresses: it’s an unrelenting, grim, and complicated series. Once Berserk introduces the main cast of characters, this select group remains fairly safe. All around there’s a ton of carnage. Seemingly endless waves of malevolent foes and innocent victims meet their demise. This is especially true during the final several episodes in Berserk season one.

Animation is top notch. Berserk benefits from inventive character design. Guts is a hulking swordsman with a mysterious brand and a ridiculously oversized sword. Think from Buster Sword Final Fantasy VII big. Inventive demonic forces pepper the series. There’s one purple oozing monstrosity that’s similar to the blob from 1988’s The Blob. But sinister foes range from skeletal being to zombies, and a deformed egg-shaped entity. It’s 2d but at times becomes 2.5d. Scenes are rendered with a cinematic quality. Cel shading lends an old school vibe that befits the series.

The plot is dark: Guts is an excellent name for the protagonist, as there’s a ton of carnage. Berserk season one is a blood-filled journey. It’s certainly a grim tale where almost no character is left safe. The artwork reflects this. It’s filled with dark blacks, greys, and browns. However Berserk also features its share of vibrant colors, notably the bright and otherworldly monsters.

The universe of Berserk feels fleshed out and deep. Several factions appear. The Holy Iron Chain Knights fight for God with a Crusader-style element. Among them ranks Lady Farnese (Erica Lindbeck) and her faithful Serpico (Matt Mittelman). The Holy Chain Iron Knights lead an inquisition, spurned on my Bishop Mozgus (Ray Chase). The Kushan army appears opposite the Holy Chain Iron Knights. Civilians include Luca (Wendee Lee), a selfless prostitute intent on providing aid to her proteges.

The series is ripe with complexity. From the onset of season one, there’s a ton of character development. While Farnese initially embarks on a mission to kill Guts, the final episode finds her following the Black Swordsman. Additionally, the so-called devout appear equally, if not more, menacing than demonic forces. Mozgus operates a torture chamber within his palace. The holy regularly refuse aid to those in need suffering from illness and hunger, instructing them to pray. It’s also the religious elite promoting witch burnings and punishing those deemed heathens.

Guts stands as the series protagonist, and he’s undoubtedly an anti-hero. Primarily, the Black Swordsman remains solitary. When he does come to the rescue, it’s typically for practical reasons. Guts takes no issue cutting down the Chain Iron Knights, demonic foes, and Kushans alike. However, Guts does seek Casca (Karen Strassman), a mysterious character from Guts’s past that can’t speak and is similarly branded.

Complementing the exquisite narration is a masterful score. It’s at times orchestral, others a baritone piano riff, and occasionally delves into metal territory. Mostly the music is instrumental, though there’s a main reprise with a chant of “blood and guts, and guts and blood…” Dubbing is top notch as well. Guts admittedly sounds uncannily like Keanu Reeves. It’s the familiar Reeves half-whisper, but it’s further perpetuated by the character of the Black Swordsman. Guts serves as the reluctant hero. Sure, he seeks to destroy the sinister apostles. Yet often Guts has Billy Jack moments. Merely wishing to proceed on his journey, he’s surrounded by the Chain Iron Knights and has no choice but to rip them to shreds.

The Berserk narrative features an intricate universe. Often there’s a sense of much more going on than what’s occurring in real-time. Flashbacks and visions hint at grand-scale ramifications. At times these feel slightly baffling. I can’t compare it to the manga, but I suspect there’s more clarified in the source text as well as previous Berserk material such as the films and earlier series. This is at times a bit challenging, and the plot occasionally falters. While I appreciate when a story doesn’t explain everything, sometimes it feels as though Berserk leaves off too much.

Moreover, Berserk features several tropes. There’s the cast of main characters that miraculously survives each near-death experience, a hooker with a heart of gold, and one-man-army in Guts. Nevertheless, Berserk overcomes these minor flaws through its spectacular balance and poise. Yes, it’s dark and gory. But there’s a good bit of dry humor. The characters are likeable and over the twelve episode season one run, they exhibit quite a bit of change and evolution. Artwork and music are both fantastic, and the plot is immensely engaging. The series starts off with a cohesive story arc that continues throughout. However, the initial half of the season assumes an almost standalone vibe where there’s a lot of travel and constantly changing locations. The latter half settles into one spot.

Berserk season one features a gripping narrative, complex characters, lovely artwork, and a phenomenal score. It’s a brutal series, both in plot and its hyper-violence. Berserk is an anime masterpiece that’s visually striking, engaging, and satisfyingly grim.