𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞 ☾

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

━━━ׂ━━ִ━━ׂ━━ִ─✸─ׂ━━ִ━━ׂ━

𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐅 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐎 ៴̱ ❲ 𝐑𝐄𝐕 ❳

━━ׂ━━━ׂ━━ִ━━ׂ━━ִ─✸

INTRODUCTION ⁕›

the story centers on the characters of Guts, a lone swordsman, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band called the "Band of the Hawk". The series follows Guts' journey seeking revenge on Griffith, who betrayed him and the rest of their comrades.

◖Manga debut :: August 25, 1989.

◖Anime debute :: October 8, 1997.

DISCLAIMER

This will obviously contain spoilers, I have read the manga until the latest chapter updated hence if you only watched the Anime then I don't advise you to read this blog. I'll generally cover my opinion and thoughts about the main cast and the Manga in general. Aside from that, this blog will also contain sensitive topics such as r*pe and assault so read with caution and have fun.

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐍

To be precise, I won't be talking about Berserk's first arc here, rather guts. When I read Berserk for the first time I have noticed that Guts as a protagonist was so different, not the usual "power of friendship" main character that is repetitive in Anime. However from my first impression, he lacked emotional intelligence and I had thought to myself that people probably like him only for being badass. Though I was proven wrong shortly after.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

GUTS:

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

the struggle of the living being against the absurd.

Guts is the living embodiment of the individual thrown into this world without choice, armed only with instinct of survival, propelled forward in an unforgiving universe that reveals no purpose or promise of justice. Born from a corpse, he lived a miserable life as if he were the product of chance or a curse. From that moment Guts began his journey as an "unwanted being" carrying no meaning other than that which he forges with his sword, flouting fate, and even good and evil. His refusal to have his fate chosen by the "divine hand" is a rebellion against transcendental power that represents destiny. He is the man that says "no" to God. While for others life is an experience worth living for love, family or peace of mind, Guts lives it to resist. His life is not a rest but a constant struggle between will and the abyss. Yet, when he sees Casca and his companions, we clearly see that he still carries a spark of humanity, unquenched by blood.

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I'd like to show one of my favourite s, in which the author portrayed Casca as a sword and a medicine. Both represent the love Gambino never gave to Guts. In this Guts finds that love in Casca, who heals him and provides him a reason to fight.

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐇

Honestly, you know a character is very well written when you genuinely hate it. Griffith's design is a deception and by that, the author has conveyed a clear message for us. Griffith has the appearance of a knight in shining armour, a hero out of a classic story. It’s such a convincing facade that everyone in the world of Berserk buys it hook line and sinker. But anyone who knows about what he does later on in the story know that for the lie that it is. The truth is clear for everyone to see in Griffith’s other character design. His demonic appearance is a reflection of the man beneath the divine deception from before.

Femto.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

Griffith had always been a selfish being that clong onto his comrades to fulfill his dream, there is a lot of misconceptions about him. Some people say he was a good man before the eclipse but that's not true at all. If you read the Manga properly you will know what I mean, let's not also forget his conversation with the princess during Golden Age arc. In which he said that he has no equals and implied that his band are just a bunch of servants. While he exhibits care for his troops and even Casca to a degree it is only because he knows he must act this way if he is to have their undying loyalty. There is only one person he does care about and that is Guts, and it's because he was the closest to him as an equal. The only thing that separates them is that Griffith “owns” Guts. However Griffith has a lack of introspection, he tells himself that Guts is a mere tool and even says it to his face at one point, yet puts his life in danger for him. Which explains the last before he sacrificed

"you're the only one who made me forget my dream"

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—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

Guts left to follow HIS OWN goal freely without depending on someone's dream, which was new and unexpected to Griffith. After the duel, Griffith's ego and pride were pretty much destroyed after losing. Guts was like the key to attain his dream which completely shattered after his unexpected will to be free. Which lead to his emotions to take the best of him, making him lose himself and get away from his dream forever. Tortured, imprisoned and abandoned. Only because his only equal betrayed him. Fast forward when he was being rescued, the author portrayed his malicious intent and envy with his facial expressions so well. Showing how jealous he was of how Guts and Casca got along together, how the band considered making Guts the leader after his body was no longer useful. Guts even "stole" Casca from him by making her follow his decision to leave together. All of those aspects together ended him completely, until his destiny to be a part of the God Hand has finally arrived.

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—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

In my opinion, the God Hand knew how much of an evil being Griffith is, that's why he was the chosen one and not just a mere apostle. His desperation to follow his dream has already made him sacrifice the closest people to him. After he gained an abnormal power, it was his choice to rape Casca and torture Guts by watching it. It was his way of punishing both of them for crossing the boundaries he has set. Griffith never had feelings for Casca, yet he was mad at Guts for stealing someone that has once belonged to him. Not only he destroyed his dream, but also changed the most devoted person to him (from his perspective). Griffith was aware that Casca's goal was just to be his weapon but that started to shift after Guts ed the band. Now I'm not justifying Griffith's rape because no single context can be used for his defence, what I'm conveying here is Griffith's pure malice and selfishness. How his true colours showed when the Band of the Hawk were no longer of use to attain his dream. Griffith is the best written and most complex character in Berserk in my opinion.

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—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐀

Without any doubt the most misunderstood character in Berserk, it's so disgusting how many "fans" always make those weird expired jokes about her trauma. I'm convinced most of them have never even read the Manga. What baffles me is when some people that

barely understood the Golden Age arc say "Guts was just a second option to her" then start defending what Griffith has done and say she deserved it. This is basically the reason why Berserk isn't a Manga that should be read by just anyone. Especially not average brain-rotted Shounen fans. Casca before had a blind faith in Griffith (more like worship) in particular. It's presented as a pernicious trait with numerous characters like Mozgus and Farnese becoming villainess due to it. In Casca comparing the White Falcon to a religious founder, we get our earliest hint about Griffith’s true nature and the perils that await her. While Guts ires Griffith, he refuses to see him as anything but flesh and blood. Something Casca needed to learn from Guts even until the end. Like I said, this was the destiny she has unfortunately sought for by following someone's dream instead of hers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

Due to her goal to be seen by Griffith while having no trouble regarding her gender biology, she has wished to be not born a woman and struggled with that. Casca never got to be the woman she wanted herself to be as she thought her feminine qualities would be a hinderance to her service towards Griffith. Whenever the Band of the Hawk was being celebrated in the parade, Casca didn't focus on the attention of men or the crowd as a whole, but on the adoration of the women in the crowd who looked up to her. Her self-esteem was down whenever she engaged herself with the local women, as she thought to herself she lacks what they have. However she tries to not cast her feminine side away, as she's always wearing something pink, her sword has feminine embellishments and she pretty much has a lady-like behaviour at times without realising.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

Casca was the third strongest member of the Band of the Hawk. Her men feared and respected her (even calling her "Big Sister" in some translations). Many people forgot that she lead the band alone without Griffith and Guts as they were being chased from everywhere, very smart commander. However I have a critique about the over-sexualisation of Casca, it was sometimes so unnecessary to see her getting undressed and almost raped every time she'd encounter a strong enemy. I understand that it's necessary to portray the evil nature of men during war but it happened almost every single time which lead me to think it was pure fan service at some point. For someone as strong as she is it didn't make sense to me at all. It was way too repetitive during Golden Age arc. Fast forward, thankfully she has gained her consciousness back in the latest chapters. I'm hoping she gets to see Guts' face without having ptsd of the eclipse.

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—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘

Honestly this blog was so time consuming, I was at loss of words to describe the characters sometimes because of their complexity. I thought I'd maybe talk about Guts' new companions but that would make the read longer than it already is. Berserk is an absolute masterpiece, without any doubt the best Manga out there. Rip to Kentaro Miura, I hope his friend stays faithful to the ending he wished for. My personal favourite arc in Berserk is Conviction arc, what's yours?

—— ⠀⎯⎯⠀ —— ⠀⎯⎯⠀——

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