Berserk Episode 20 English Dub

[Paulette Dzurilla]

The1997 Berserk anime series is based on the manga series of the same name by Kentaro Miura. The episodes are directed by Naohito Takahashi and animated by Oriental Light and Magic. The first thirteen volumes of the manga are covered.[1][2] The series' twenty-five episodes aired between October 8, 1997 and April 1, 1998 in Japan on Nippon TV.[3][a]

The series focuses on the life of Guts, an orphaned mercenary warrior who calls himself "The Black Swordsman", as he looks upon his days serving as a member of a group of mercenaries, the Band of the Hawk. Led by an ambitious, ruthless, yet intelligent and graceful man named Griffith, together they battle their way into the royal court, and are forced into a fate that may change their entire lives. Each episode uses two pieces of theme music, one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Tell Me Why" by Penpals. The ending theme is "Waiting So Long" by Silver Fins.

As fate would have it, my introduction into the world of Berserk has been timely as a new Anime series has just been released, detailing story of our infamous Black Swordsman, Guts as he travels through a Medieval world hunting and being hunted by numerous evil spirits on his search for revenge.

The noise of this weapon clanging and scraping as it sliced through the undead was a very satisfying experience, it was the exact sound I would expect a heap of raw iron to make, and added to the brutal aspect of Guts sword fighting in the forest.

Picking off immediately where episode one ended, Guts is surrounded by a military force in flamboyant gear who introduce themselves as The Holy Iron Chain Knights, lead by Farnese do Vandimion, a woman with her own troubled background. By order of the Miracle Certification Bureau, these Knights have arrived to take Guts prisoner for his crimes against the Church.

Episode Three is the best one so far I think. Once again, the bad-ass soundtrack returns, accompanied by some thrilling action scenes bubbling over with blood and guts. In this episode, the plot really starts to advance as we meet one of the first Apostles to the God-Hand that Guts is so intent on tracking down.

Hidden amongst the ruins of a decrepit mansion, Guts, the elf child Puck and their hostage Farnese encounter the master of the hounds, a cannibalistic little man whom upon provoked morphs into a hideous beast potentially through the power of a small carving similar to one Guts was seen carrying in the previous episode.

Puck on the other hand, he covers his ears and looks away as Guts ends the life of the monstrous master of the hounds. He is a fascinating character thus far, child-like and seemingly innocent, yet he follows Guts and his rampage of blood willingly even though he knows what he is in store for. I will be interested in seeing his story develop and learning more about his motives for joining the Black Swordsman.

So which of my readers has checked the show out? What do you think of the first few episodes? How do they compare to the other interpretations of this story in film and TV? Is it as good as the Manga series? Is it better? Let me know in the comments below.

After a nearly 20 year hiatus (unless you count the 2012 film trilogy), the Black Swordsman finally makes his TV return in this bloody good continuation of Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy series, Berserk. Despite the somewhat distracting visuals, "The Branded Swordsman" gets Guts' quest for vengeance off to a strong start.

Before I go any further, newcomers should be aware that Berserk comes with a number of trigger warnings. In the past, the show has depicted incredibly graphic violence, including the brutal murder of a child, and a particularly gruesome rape scene. If you're sensitive to this type of material, Berserk might not be for you. If you're not, know that this new iteration picks up right where the 1997 anime left off, so it's a good idea to research the Golden Age arc before proceeding. (You can do so by either reading the manga published by Dark Horse, or snapping up the DVD collection). Still with me? Good.

"The Branded Swordsman" wastes no time jumping knee deep in gore. In the span of less than 20 minutes, I witnessed a bloody tavern brawl, a child getting impaled by a spear, and an army of skeletons getting absolutely wrecked by Guts and his giant broadsword (I really liked the metal clang that accompanies every successful hit). It's a familiar pattern of violence and angst, and exactly what I expect from Berserk.

What I didn't expect was to like Guts' new traveling companion, Puck. This goofy manga character was left out of the original anime for fear his comedic role would dilute the show's somber tones, but I actually liked his silly antics (making funny faces and being a general nuisance). The bits of humor he brings to the episode nicely balance out its darker elements, and boy does it get dark.

Splattered in amongst the battle scenes are shots of the ghastly aftermath of the God Hand ritual, a grim reminder that the world has been taken over by demons. Knowing that the mountain of corpses being torn apart by ravens were once Guts' friends is heart-wrenching stuff. (I was a little disappointed that there was no sign of Casca, but also a little relieved. I'm not sure I want to know how she's doing after all the awful things that happened to her.) It's not clear how Guts managed to escape the ritual, but what is clear is that it's left him deeply scarred. I don't just mean emotionally --though Guts' nightmares and angst-filled speeches indicate there's plenty of that. The tragic ritual also left him without an arm, which has been replaced with a prosthetic that acts as a bad-ass cannon in battle. No doubt this awesome addition to his arsenal will come in handy as he seeks revenge against the God Hand and its newest member Griffith, AKA Femto.

I loved seeing the Black Swordsman return, but I can't say I loved the show's eye-searing colors. It felt like my TV's contrast was cranked up to the highest setting possible, which was distracting. There was also something jilting about the characters' hyper-smooth movements. The CGI made it look like everyone was gliding through the air, which is hardly the effect you want in a series as dark and gritty as Berserk.

With that said, I really enjoyed the art direction. Sharp angles and snappy cutaways successfully captured the frenzy and mayhem of combat, elevated by an adrenalin-pumping score full of head-banging guitar rifts. The original anime had some awkward pacing issues on and off the battlefield, but I saw none of that here. Instead, every scene was engaging, whether that was Guts somberly skinning a rabbit for dinner or knocking the teeth out of the mouths of local toughs.

After a nearly 20 year hiatus (unless you count the 2012 film trilogy), the Black Swordsman finally makes his TV return in this bloody good continuation of Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy series, Berserk. Despite the somewhat distracting visuals, \"The Branded Swordsman\" gets Guts' quest for vengeance off to a strong start.

\"The Branded Swordsman\" wastes no time jumping knee deep in gore. In the span of less than 20 minutes, I witnessed a bloody tavern brawl, a child getting impaled by a spear, and an army of skeletons getting absolutely wrecked by Guts and his giant broadsword (I really liked the metal clang that accompanies every successful hit). It's a familiar pattern of violence and angst, and exactly what I expect from Berserk.

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