Kentaro Miura (1966–2021)

Berserk really starts to hit its stride in this third volume. We finally confirm that the story being told so far is actually somewhere in the middle - or near the end - of the plot, and we get some nice scenes showing Guts' origin story.

This volume feels like the true beginning of the series and tells a more coherent story than the previous volumes which, while very cool, didn't exactly make a ton of sense in terms of plot. There's much more story here and a bit less violence, and we're show more starting to get some real worldbuilding and a sense of Guts' motivations. show less

I have to admit that our heroes are being pushed to the limits. After village gets saved, through Schierke's magic, Casca and Farnese get captured by Trolls.

Guts, Isidro, Schierke and ever present two annoying elves are going into the woods to find them.

Now, unlike 3/4 of the book that depict pretty intensive and difficult fight against trolls, ogre and kelpai creature (? i hope i got that right), last quarter is back to mostly atmospheric flavor of horror, as our heroes approach the troll show more lair.

Author truly has disturbing imagination and entire dark-forrest atmosphere is truly horrifying.

But what shook me a bit (did not expect anything like it evdn after 25 volumes) is in the last few panels where we are shown what trolls actually do with captured women. I can only say holy s**t, this is completely different level of weird.

One of the more darker volumes, although one would not expect that with Elves' constant bickering or Schierke's good-feeling children fairy tale looks.

Excellent volume, although it is just a bridge to next volume, does not conclude any story arcs.

Highly recommended. show less

This volume for me is a tribute to the "Children from the Corn Field". Great tragedy struck the village Guts is passing through and unfortunately his general bearing and "calm"/"joy" he emanates makes everyone meeting him to suspect that he is evil that is causing so much grief to the village. Fact is that evil controlling the children is the most disturbing kind of evil because everybody considers kids to be innocent, gentle creature. But whoever read "Lord of the Flies" knows what are show more young brains capable of when not taught about morals and social skills and left to their own devices.

Recommended to all fans of horror stories. show less

Casca is brought before the judgement of Mozgus and his henchmen. Farnese is little bit tripping because events start to occur that seemingly point to the fact that the horrors she endured when Guts kidnapped her weren't hallucinations at all.

In the deep bowels under the temple, lone soul, condemned to shadows has made the pact with the demon lords to finally achieve it's dream - destruction of current world and birth of the new one. To top this all off, Guts arrives into the tower and show more confronts the Mozgus only to establish that while they are no Dark Apostles, they are definitely not OK.

Man, books ends on a cliffhanger and it seems that Skull Knight's prophecy will come true.

Highly recommended. show less