Berserk Fans Still Have Something To Look Forward To After Creator's Death
The manga "Berserk" is a tale of violence, betrayals, sacrifice, revenge, blood, and demons. Centered around a warrior named Guts, "Berserk" follows his path to becoming a demon-slaughtering sword master. His strange origins are eclipsed only by his early story, which sees his former master Griffith cast away his humanity in the pursuit of power. This power transforms Griffith into a member of the Godhand, a cabal of archdemons, and the battles between Guts and Griffith often leave both with serious wounds and scars.
According to Entertainment Weekly, "Berserk" started its run way back in 1989 and has over 40 volumes. Those volumes have spawned movies, video games, and two anime series — with one ending on a frustrating cliffhanger. Unfortunately, series creator Kentaro Miura passed away in May 2021 from an acute aortic dissection at 54. This has left the "Berserk" series in a state of limbo, as the story is not yet complete and has several unresolved plots, leaving Guts and his allies old in an elven land and currently ending with a startling revelation involving a new friend and an old enemy. However, it seems like "Berserk" fans shouldn't lose faith as there is hope for the future.
The Berserk manga will continue with a friend of Miura's supervising
Thankfully, an official statement from "Berserk" publisher Hakusensha announced that the manga series would continue, according to a translation provided by Kotaku. The statement reads, "Before his passing, Kentaro Miura spoke to his close friend Kouji Mori about the stories and episodes he had in mind for 'Berserk.' He also had similar talks with his studio staff and editor. He wondered, would everyone be surprised if I drew something like this? How about a character like this? Would this storyline be interesting? The talks were not meant as his last words, but were a part of his ordinary days as a manga artist."
The statement further explained that the guiding light for the manga series going forward would be the sketches and broad outlines that Miura left behind and that the Studio Gaga team will attempt to recreate his artistic vision. Although the situation may be far from ideal, the artists at Studio Gaga believe that Miura would have wanted "Berserk" to continue, and the publisher plans on releasing a six-chapter volume for the next issue, which will complete the Fantasia Arc/Elf Island Chapter. Following that, the company will start a completely new arc.
Although fans have had to deal with the unfortunate passing of Miura, it seems as if his stories will live on, with Guts continuing his tango with Griffith and the Godhand.