I’ve personally never watched or read any of it, and I doubt I will after hearing that SA is pretty much an essential part of the work’s story. However, hearing how much of an influence it’s been to FromSoft, I wonder what the community thinks about Berserk.
Weirdly enough, not very much. I found Bersek and Dark Souls through two different avenues and despite the references there isn’t much thamatic correlation between the two.
Dark Souls is an exploration of narrative and reality that a lot of people discover personal meaning in. But that personal meaning is kind of on us and how we engage with the game? Like I don’t think From explicitly intended for you to feel inspired by the repetition of overcoming difficult struggles, that’s just something that tends to happen when you’re playing a videogame.
Berserk on the other hand is about a guy discovering meaning and learning to heal through terrible struggle and trauma but that’s what’s intended. And he isn’t exactly made better by the struggle or trauma, he gets better despite all the horrible things that happen to him and people around him. Because he has people who love him that he learns to depend on and reach out to.
So I like all the little nods to berserk that exist in the games, but they’re kind of cute easter eggs. Your experience of Souls games isn’t actually enhanced by enjoying Berserk. Instead, watching Berserk 1997 and learning to sing the opening theme is its own reward ❤️
(Sorry for writing a short essay)
I suppose it didn’t, as I have neither read nor watched it. Unless you count the fact that it was a big influence on FromSoft’s work and I like how that turned out
I guess it’s not uncommon for artists to take influences from work that a fan might not enjoy, though. I don’t particularly care for the Beatles’ music, but some of the bands I do really love are often barely removed from being a “what if the Beatles were around in x decade” cover group
I tried to check it out after hearing about how much it has influenced Zaki’s work, but I couldn’t even get through the first chapter. Just too dark and edgy for me to enjoy. Teenaged me would have loved it, though.
Just too dark and edgy for me to enjoy.
Yeah, and you also can spend the first arc wondering why do you have to care about this motherfucker you are following around., but if anyone is interested and wants to give it a try I’d suggest sticking to it and read the Golden Age arc which is the most iconic (and for good reason) and if it doesn’t hook you there, then it’s definitely not for you. It starts in vol. 3.
Tbh, on this day and age… I wish each chapter or volume had detailed content warnings 'cause some of it gets super rough, idk if an index for that exists somewhere. Still, the art is superb so I still recommend. Just proceed with caution.
I have never read, seen or interacted with any of it, so can’t say it has influenced me at all. I know of it, but that’s pretty much it. I’m not really an anime or manga guy. The only two animes I’ve actually finished were FMA: Brotherhood and Edgerunners.
I guess I watched the Pokémon anime as a kid too, and the Moomin anime. But idk, I always thought of those as “Sunday morning cartoons” and not animes.
I looove the Berserk fanservice in Fromsoft’s games, I’m basic.like that. Every little thing from design elements to themes, and the more blatant the ripoff the better. XD a recent chapter referenced FS titled “Shadows Die Twice” , love to see it, even if the reference wasn’t made by Miura himself. RIP
Never fucked with any of the animated versions tho, I’ve heard the soundtrack is cool but there’s no way they can compare to the Manga.
I watched a few episodes of the show and it was pretty fucked up but didn’t keep me interested enough to keep on. I’m not very into anime but watch some occasionally.
Just wanted to see Berserk after hearing it inspired Dark Souls content.
