I think we can all agree that Berserk is not what it once was. Sure, it's not totally awful, but it's not as entertaining as it once was, and I think it's most evidenced by the fact that it gets way better when the main cast is shoved aside and Guts is put back into focus, fighting back horrors.
I think it went wrong when Miura introduced Isidoro. It starts getting pretty Shounen-y, and you see a little bit of harem shit and little bit of "By the power of friendship!" stuff popping in. Really it starts with Isidoro though. Like every scene with Isidoro in The Tower of Conviction arc could have been scrapped and replaced with either Guts or Puck learning the information himself, or maybe even just someone more closely related to the story, like one of the other Prostitutes. He didn't actually contribute anything to the story aside from being a little kid who wants to be the greatest swordsman in the land and jokes about monkeys.
Jeremiah James
I think he opened up the door for things like the worst Farnese and Schrieke, since it's hard to keep up Farnese's weird violent and sexual feelings for Guts with kids around. I'm also not a fan of Schrieke, although she helps bring in wider elements of the story into play, but I think if she had been ten years older, he presence wouldn't be so creepy since Miura decided every girl wants to ride Gut's... Well it's too big and too thick to be called a sword...
Don't get me wrong, even being stuck on a Boat forever hasn't made me stop, but it feels like some of the stuff I really enjoyed, namely Guts suffering, is kind of gone. Guts gets shoved in the background it seems in favor of the rest of the Goddamned cast and it only seems to be filler in the story. Like Maifico and Puck plotting to take over Elfhelm. A throw away plot if there ever was one and, right when we were about to advance the current plot (Let's restore Casca's brain!) they take way too many pages to resolve the Manifico/Puck thing instead of moving on to the reason anyone is actually there. Which is annoying. I don't mind an extended cast, but Beserk worked better when it only focused on three people tops.
Nolan Barnes
You have a small but fundamental misunderstanding of the arc we're only currently in the midst of: Gut's character arc. Guts allowing himself to interact with others is really the main theme of the story, and always has been. His current party is an extension of what was laid down in the Golden Age.
Saying that Guts should go back to being alone is the opposite of what Berserk is about.
Grayson Young
Oh, no, I don't think that Guts should be alone again, he knows that's not helping. I'm just saying I don't like this cast. I think that Isidoro hsould be gone, and more damaged Farnese/Serpico would have been better, and maybe an older Schrieke (would have made scenes like Schrieke falling over Guts naked less creepy). Like I said, I don't mind a cast, I just don't like this cast. One of the best things about Golden Age was Guts starting to open himself up to others like Griffith and Casca, and the rest of the Band of Hawk.
Cooper James
>creepy You need to leave
Logan Martinez
Well, I can't argue about the execution of it. We'll see where it leads, at least.
Farnese has had some of the best character development in the entire thing, though (in my opinion).
Josiah Stewart
>would have made scenes like Schrieke falling over Guts naked less creepy
Kill your fucking self
Zachary James
>Farnese has had some of the best character development in the entire thing, though (in my opinion).
Granted, but then she immediately went back to being dull. Serpico too.
Jason Perry
There's enough of this pedo shit in other Anime. Berserk was the only one who treated it how it should be treated: Horrible, disgusting, and Traumatic. Those who commit it are depicted as human garbage. As is right.
And now this shit.
Kevin Bennett
>Horrible, disgusting, and Traumatic
No?
Liam Martinez
To be fair, it's not like it's going to go anywhere.
Leo Gomez
Schrieke opened up a floodgate to allow the worst possible fans.
Also,Miura just got old. He doesn't really care about Berserk anymore hence why he istrying to change the foundation of it
Benjamin Collins
I agree. Sadly,Sup Forums is notorious for having shit taste.
I mean this in all sincerity,try going to the Berserk subreddit. People will actually discuss the manga there and not be filled with degenerates.
Adam Kelly
I just realize that I hate this website.
John Roberts
Miura just stopped to care about his own work. But, due to Japanese mentality he, instead of completely abandon his work, will make 1 or 2 chapters every year. Still, Golden Age was cool and consistent in quality. If only it ended after conviction arc, then it would be 9/10 manga.
Julian Nguyen
It would've been 10/10.
I rewatch the Golden Age every year and it's a masterpiece. Such a fucking shame,i think i would've rathered the drop the series instead of dragging it through muck
Camden Foster
>Guts being BLACKED
Horrible, disgusting, and traumatic.
>Griffith selling himself to the Baron
Horrible, disgusting, and traumatic.
>Lost Children Arc when that girl is holding the door closed to prevent being raped by her father's friends
How was that not traumatic?
Fucking truth.
John Martin
>Non consensual sex is traumatic
Is there anyone else who wanna say evident shit outloud? If you do you can join captain obvious over here
Ethan Brown
Griffith selling himself was basically consensual, even if he did it for the dream.
Ayden Murphy
>Schrieke opened up a floodgate to allow the worst possible fans. >added in 2002 My neutrons have been put into a reactive state in my cortex
Adrian Perry
With such long hiatuses that this story has, that's still relatively recent.
Daniel Harris
You wouldn't even be saying this if it was a little girl involved instead. You're as full of shit as the people you're referring to.
Hell this series is filled with rape everywhere that typically serves little purpose other than shock factor, why else did it take until this for people to get triggered?
Joseph Brown
It's not that bad
Jeremiah Morales
All the random side characters post-Tower arc, all the stupid crap with Griffith coming back to life and never detailing the other members of God Hand. Should've just ended after Tower arc with a big finale.
Justin Garcia
Berserk was at its best when it was worldbuilding. Idolmaster ruined it.
Liam Russell
Say my name
Liam King
Guts will sacrifice the party with his behelit. The only reason why he's allowed to form a bond with them is to suffer.
Xavier Bennett
Not happening. Miura isn't as hardcore as he was and he explicitly said that he wanted a happy ending.
Think back,what was the last time you went "Jesus Holy fucking shit" while reading this? Probably the conviction arc.
Jordan Sullivan
Are you suggesting Berserk is a cyclic story telling? alone-group-alone-...
John Fisher
Serpico nicht. He has always act dull until its necesary
Jason Gomez
add party
Benjamin Davis
This ending would deserve all this time
Juan Powell
I think Miura just doesn't care for the series anymore honestly. It's still enjoyable for what it is because he's talented and won't just pump out any old shit but the spark that made him want to write Berserk in the first place and make it excellent is gone.