Berserk Anime 1997 English Dub
Silvina Spindler
Berserk, also known in Japan as Kenpū Denki Berserk,[a] is a Japanese anime television series based on Kentaro Miura's manga series of the same name. The series was produced by Nippon Television and VAP, animated by Oriental Light and Magic and directed by Naohito Takahashi. It was broadcast for 25 episodes on Nippon TV from October 1997 to April 1998. Berserk was formerly licensed for English release in North America by Media Blasters, and later acquired by Discotek Media. Berserk has been well-received, with critics praising its storytelling, characters, setting, and soundtrack by Susumu Hirasawa.
Berserk was produced by Nippon Television and VAP, animated by Oriental Light and Magic, and directed by Naohito Takahashi.[6][7] The series begins with the original manga's Black Swordsman arc, continuing through the Golden Age arc,[8] covering 12 volumes (and part of the 13th volume) of the manga.[9][10] Its 25 episodes were broadcast in Japan on Nippon TV from October 8, 1997, to April 1, 1998.[7][b] VAP collected the episodes on VHS, with 13 sets released from February 1, 1998, to January 21, 1999.[12][13] The series was later released on seven DVDs, from April 23 to October 22, 2003.[14][15] VAP released the series on a Blu-ray box set on January 18, 2012.[16][17]
In North America, it was originally reported that Urban Vision was negotiating the license to series for English release;[18][19] however, it was then confirmed that Berserk was licensed by Media Blasters.[19] The English dub was produced by NYAV Post.[20] Around 2002, there were plans to air the series on the Sci-Fi Channel; however, Media Blasters warned them that the violence would require too many cuts.[21] Media Blasters released the series on VHS and six DVDs, under its Anime Works label,[22] from May 28, 2002, to May 27, 2003.[23][24][25] A complete DVD collection was released on November 16, 2004,[26] and a remastered edition was released on March 10, 2009.[27] In December 2012, Media Blasters announced that the rights to the series had expired.[28][29] In January 2024, Discotek Media announced that they had licensed the series,[30] and released it on a Blu-ray set on March 26 of the same year.[31]
In the United Kingdom, Berserk was licensed by MVM Films.[32] The six DVDs were released from September 3, 2007, to July 7, 2008.[33][34] MVM re-released the series' complete DVD collection on October 11, 2010, and the Blu-ray collection on February 6, 2017.[35][36][2] In Australia and New Zealand, Madman Entertainment released the six DVDs between December 2, 2002,[37] and June 18, 2003.[38] The complete DVD collection was released on March 17, 2004, and the Blu-ray collection on February 21, 2018.[39][40]
Susumu Hirasawa composed the music for Berserk. Penpals [ja] performed the opening theme "Tell Me Why" and Silver Fins performed the ending theme "Waiting so long".[7] "Berserk -Forces-" was released as a single by Nippon Columbia (Teslakite) on November 1, 1997;[41] "Tell Me Why" and "Waiting so long" were released by VAP on November 6, 1997.[42][43]
Kenpū Denki Berserk: Original Soundtrack (剣風伝奇ベルセルク オリジナルサウンドトラッック, Kenpū Denki Beruseruku Orijinaru Saundotorakku) was released by VAP on November 6, 1997.[44]
Zac Bertschy, writing for SciFi.com, stated that Berserk is "possibly the most mature, intelligent, and just flat-out kick-butt fantasy series to ever come across the market", adding that the series explores themes like child abuse and schizophrenia, and that it is "a major departure from other common anime fantasy series; it goes where most fear to tread." Bertschy concluded: "If you're a big fantasy fan and like mature, adult stories that aren't afraid to explore even the darkest pits of the psyche, then Berzerk [sic] is for you."[51] In another review for ANN, Bertschy said that Berserk is the finest example of dark fantasy available on the market and that its original manga basis "surpasses all others in terms of quality and popularity", adding that the series "remains enchanting, entertaining and truly terrifying to this day."[1]
Writing for About.com, Serdar Yegulalp said that Berserk is a "grim but utterly gripping fantasy that makes Lord of the Rings look like Anne of Green Gables", calling its violence "brutal and disturbing", but that it has an "epic storytelling with unforgettable characters."[53] In another review, Yegulalp commented: "Despite its abbreviated, abortive form, and despite a relatively crude animation style, Berserk was, and still is, one of the best anime of its kind", adding that, like Game of Thrones, Berserk "has an appeal far beyond the fantasy-adventure fans who became the show's first and most vocal champions."[54]
Hey guys.
So. I've been watching Anime for many years now but it took me many years to start on Berserk just because I heard how it ends off the cliff and I was too afraid to be left with an ending like that. But it came to the right time when I decided to watch it, so did I. It took me 3 days and what can I say... I loved it. The ending made me sad and annoyed as I was expecting, and yes I know I can read the manga, but you know guys that it is many people who don't enjoy reading a manga that much as watching an anime. I am one of these people. Reading just doesn't deliver the feelings I had while watching the anime. I know that it may sound stupid but I'd love it if Kentarō Miura decided to continue the 1997 Berserk anime. The soundtrack, animation, all of it. I love everything, it was a total masterpiece. I listen to them of Guts almost every day and it gives me the same chills as I'd listen to it for the first time.
Honestly, I've never seen/read such a good story as Berserk and it became my all-time favorite. I'll leave here the best comment I've seen in my entire life which probably many of you brothers know;
This is one of the most beautiful stories I've ever seen. My life is good and the only thing I am really missing is watching Berserk and seeing Guts facing his destiny. It is no anime, like literally no anime that could even be close to Berserk with the quality of content. And I think we all can somehow relate to it.
In the end, I did much to try to reach out to Kentarō Miura, but it is almost near impossible. The only way is to contact the manga publishers or the studio which made 1997 Berserk ( OLM TEAM IGUCHI ). I don't know how many of you are thinking the same way as me, but maybe it would possible to find a way to at least show Kentarō how many people would enjoy watching the continuation, by for example making a petition.
Now, before we segue into discussing the 1997-1998 anime adaptation of this beast of a manga, I need to get some things perfectly clear first. Firstly, I do not believe any of the adaptations of Berserk which have been made thus far (which include this series, the Golden Age Arc films, and the 2016-2017 show) have come close to equaling their source material. And, in some cases, they can be outright abysmal. However, why I believe this to be the case is different for each incarnation. Just don't ask me about the games. I've only played Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, which I just recently received for the holidays, and it largely follows the story I'm about to cover, just flavored with Dynasty Warriors. It's fun, and it's cool to see all these characters and settings come to life in unusual ways, but if you don't like the Warriors franchise, the experience will be too easy and samey (even on harder difficulties), and the levels are considerably less open than previous installments because of how tight to the story the gameplay is kept, which can feel a bit boring. This is compounded by a lot of the narrative ground not being fresh to fans of the existing anime, especially since they use segments from the Golden Age Arc films as the game's cutscenes. And because of the overwhelming amount of enemies murdered in any given battle, it makes moments such as when Guts takes on 100 soldiers single-handedly considerably less effective. It's just an excuse to play a game as Guts, Griffith, Casca, or other Hawks like Judeau.
Also, just because I hold this opinion that all of the current adaptations aren't quite up to snuff, doesn't mean that I don't find moments throughout each of these versions where I feel that they completely nailed it (yes, even in the pencil-shaded polygonal hell version). The largest issues that I end up having with these takes on Guts' trials and tribulations aren't always the creative or technical liberties which were taken by the various adapters, whether intentionally or due to circumstance. The issue is Kentarō Miura's Berserk.
Reportedly inspired (in a large part) by European folklore and Dark Age politics and warfare, Berserk is a high fantasy adventure series which takes many notes from Michael Moorcock's Elric Saga novels, and the 1979 and 1982 feature films, Mad Max and Conan the Barbarian. Miura's tragic death in 2021 left Berserk forever unfinished (and yes, while his heartbreaking final chapter does do a lot to wrap up some story beats, it really isn't designed to be an end to the narrative). Even in its unfinished state, this manga is probably one of the most intricate, unnerving, sprawling epics ever told in the history of literature, going on to inspire multiple generations of creators the world over. Not only this, but Miura's artistry is so utterly singular, only a handful of people could even possibly come close to mirroring his style in order to effectively adapt it to animation. Therein lies the problem -- I don't think we'll ever get an animated adaptation of Berserk which is on par.
But, even if we get the technical aspects down, because the ground we walk with Guts is so traumatizing and depraved, in its uncompromised form, Berserk would be banned outright in numerous countries. So, to reiterate, the main issue is Kentarō Miura's Berserk.
c80f0f1006